Search results for " DNA"
showing 10 items of 2475 documents
Centromeric heterochromatin and satellite DNA in the Chironomus plumosus species group
1994
Species of the Chironomus plumosus group display significant differences in their amount of centromeric heterochromatin. A tandem-repetitive satellite-like DNA has been isolated from C. plumosus. This DNA accounts for a major part of the centromeric heterochromatin. The DNA element has a Sau3AI restriction site ("Sau elements") and a monomer length of 165 or 166 bp. It is A-T rich (73%) and reveals a moderate DNA curvature, as shown by gel migration and computer analysis. The chromosomal localization and genomic organization of Sau elements were studied in 24 Chironomus species by in situ hybridization and (or) Southern analysis. The DNA is predominantly located in the centromeric regions …
Selective G-quadruplex stabilizers: Schiff-base metal complexes with anticancer activity
2014
The affinity of three square-planar nickel(II) (1), copper(II) (2) and zinc(II) (3) Schiff-base complexes for wild-type human telomeric (h-Telo) and protooncogene c-myc G-quadruplex (G4) DNA was investigated by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and circular dichroism. DNA-binding constants (Kb) were determined by spectrophotometric titrations for both G4-DNA and B-DNA. The results obtained point out that the three metal complexes selectively bind G4-DNA with higher affinity, up to two orders of magnitude, with respect to B-DNA. The nickel(II) complex 1 was found to be the most effective G4-DNA stabilizer and the Kb values decrease in the order 1 > 2 ≈ 3. Innovative computational investigat…
Direct squencing from the minimal number of DNA molecules needed to fill a 454 picotiterplate
2014
Notice of Republication: This article was republished on June 17, 2014, to correct an error in the title. The publisher apologizes for the error. In addition, a typographical error was corrected in the Abstract. Please download this article again to view the correct version. The originally published, uncorrected article and the republished, corrected article are provided here for reference.
DNA-Binding and Anticancer Activity of Pyrene-Imidazolium Derivatives
2016
DNA-binding investigations showed that two different derivatives endowed with pyrene and imidazolium moieties, 1 and 2, strongly bind both double-stranded DNA and telomeric sequences in G-quadruplex (G4) conformation. The values of the DNA-binding constants indicate that 1 and 2 show preferential affinity for G4-DNA, of about one and two orders of magnitude, respectively. Moreover, 1 and 2 inhibit short and long-term proliferation of breast cancer cell lines in a time- and dose-dependent fashion. Remarkably, senescence assays indicate that telomeric G4-DNA is a possible biotarget for the cytotoxic activity of 2. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest that the stronger binding of 2 with G4-D…
DNA damage causes TP53-dependent coupling of self-renewal and senescence pathways in embryonal carcinoma cells.
2013
Recent studies have highlighted an apparently paradoxical link between self-renewal and senescence triggered by DNA damage in certain cell types. In addition, the finding that TP53 can suppress senescence has caused a re-evaluation of its functional role in regulating these outcomes. To investigate these phenomena and their relationship to pluripotency and senescence, we examined the response of the TP53-competent embryonal carcinoma (EC) cell line PA-1 to etoposide-induced DNA damage. Nuclear POU5F1/OCT4A and P21CIP1 were upregulated in the same cells following etoposide-induced G 2M arrest. However, while accumulating in the karyosol, the amount of OCT4A was reduced in the chromatin fract…
Compromised nuclear envelope integrity drives TREX1-dependent DNA damage and tumor cell invasion
2021
Although mutations leading to a compromised nuclear envelope cause diseases such as muscular dystrophies or accelerated aging, the consequences of mechanically induced nuclear envelope ruptures are less known. Here, we show that nuclear envelope ruptures induce DNA damage that promotes senescence in non-transformed cells and induces an invasive phenotype in human breast cancer cells. We find that the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated exonuclease TREX1 translocates into the nucleus after nuclear envelope rupture and is required to induce DNA damage. Inside the mammary duct, cellular crowding leads to nuclear envelope ruptures that generate TREX1-dependent DNA damage, thereby driving the …
Long-term effects of delayed parenthood.
1998
The present study aims to define, characterize and compare the long-term effects on offspring of delayed parenthood. Data published so far on this topic show that maternal and paternal ageing may affect offspring by different mechanisms. Delayed motherhood is characterized by increased probability of obstetric complications and/or fetal and perinatal problems which, in turn, may increase the risks of mortality and morbidity in newborns and later life. Furthermore, maternal ageing is distinguished by a decreased ratio of male to female infants and higher odds of conceiving a trisomic child and/or an individual suffering from mitochondrial DNA disorders. In contrast, delayed fatherhood is ass…
The role of mitochondrial oxidative stress in aging.
2003
Mitochondria are both a major source of oxidants and a target for their damaging effects, and, therefore, mitochondrial oxidative stress appears to be a cause, rather than a consequence, of cell aging. Oxidative damage in aging is particularly high in specific molecular targets, such as mitochondrial DNA and aconitase, and mitochondrial oxidative stress may drive tissue aging through intrinsic apoptosis. Mitochondrial function and morphology are impaired upon aging, as judged by a decline in membrane potential as well as by an increase in peroxide production and size of the organelles. In view of the age-related decreases in mitochondrial protein synthesis, mitochondrial transcripts, and ex…
Causes and Consequences of Damage to Mitochondria: Study of Functional Aspects by Flow Cytometry
2003
A rapidly increasing amount of data supports the view that progressive bioenergetic loss caused by injury of the main energy-producing subcellular organelles, that is, the mitochondria, plays a key role in aging. A link between senescence and energy loss is already implied in Harman's (1) free radical theory of aging, according to which oxygen-derived free radicals injure the cells, with concomitant impairment of performance at the cellular and physiological levels. Further, Miquel and co-workers (2, 3) have proposed a mitochondrial theory of aging, according to which aging results from oxygen stress damage to the mitochondrial genome, with concomitant bioenergetic decline. More recently, a…
Yeast vectors for the integration/expression of any sequence at theTYR1 locus
2007
We have constructed new yeast vectors for targeted integration and conditional expression of any sequence at the Saccharomyces cerevisiae TYR1 locus which becomes disrupted. We show that vector integration is not neutral, causing prototrophy for tyrosine and auxotrophy for the vector's selectable marker (uracil or leucine, depending on the vector used). This feature allows a double screening of transformed yeast cells, improving the identification of colonies with the desired chromosomal structure. The GAL10 gene promoter has been added to drive conditional expression of cloned sequences. Using these vectors, chromosomal structure verification of recombinant clones is no longer necessary, s…