Cellular nucleic acid binding protein suppresses tumor cell metastasis and induces tumor cell death by downregulating heterogeneous ribonucleoprotein K in fibrosarcoma cells.

•Cellular nucleic-acid-binding protein (CNBP) enhanced tumor cell death.•G-rich sequence was found in the promoter of heterogeneous ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNP K).•CNBP bound to the G-rich sequence G15 and induced its conversion to G-quadruplex.•The binding of CNBP regulated the transcription and expression of hnRNP K.•G-quadruplex-stabilizing ligand TMPyP4 also repressed hnRNP K transcription.