Search results for "CHROMATIN"

The Sea Urchin sns Insulator Blocks CMV Enhancer following Integration in Human Cells

2001

Insulators are a new class of genetic elements that attenuate enhancer function directionally. Previously, we characterized in sea urchin a 265-bp-long insulator, termed sns. To test insulator activity following stable integration in human cells, we placed sns between the CMV enhancer and a tk promoter up-stream of a GFP transgene of plasmid or retroviral vectors. In contrast to controls, cells transfected or transduced with insulated constructs displayed a barely detectable fluorescence. Southern blot and PCR ruled out vector rearrangement following integration into host DNA; RNase protection confirmed the enhancer blocking activity. Finally, we demonstrate that two cis-acting sequences, p…

Histones and non-histone proteins during sea urchin development

1979

Abstract Chromatin from blastulae and plutei of Paracentrotus lividus was fractionated through a hydroxyapatite column. The ratio of histones versus non-histone proteins decreases from blastula to pluteus stage.

Expansion of rDNA and pericentromere satellite repeats in the genomes of bank voles Myodes glareolus exposed to environmental radionuclides

2021

Abstract Altered copy number of certain highly repetitive regions of the genome, such as satellite DNA within heterochromatin and ribosomal RNA loci (rDNA), is hypothesized to help safeguard the genome against damage derived from external stressors. We quantified copy number of the 18S rDNA and a pericentromeric satellite DNA (Msat‐160) in bank voles (Myodes glareolus) inhabiting the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ), an area that is contaminated by radionuclides and where organisms are exposed to elevated levels of ionizing radiation. We found a significant increase in 18S rDNA and Msat‐160 content in the genomes of bank voles from contaminated locations within the CEZ compared with animals f…

Chromatin structure of the 5′ flanking region of the yeastLEU2 gene

1989

The chromatin structure of theLEU2 gene and its flanks has been studied by means of nuclease digestion, both with micrococcal nuclease and DNase I. The gene is organized in an array of positioned nucleosomes. Within the promoter region, the nucleosome positioning places the regulatory sequences, putative TATA box and upstream activator sequence outside the nucleosomal cores. The tRNA3 Leu gene possesses a characteristic structure and is protected against nucleases. Most of the 5′ flank is sensitive to DNase I digestion, although no clear hypersensitive sites were found. The chromatin structure is independent of either the transcriptional state of the gene or the chromosomal or episomal loca…

In vivo assembly of chromatin on pBR322 sequences cloned into yeast plasmids

1989

Abstract In order to study the in vivo assembly of chromatin on prokaryotic DNA templates, we have transformed yeast cells with plasmids pAJ50 and pRB58, which contain pBR322 sequences. In both cases nucleosomes are assembled in vivo on pBR322 DNA, although the nucleosomes are not homogeneous in size. To explore whether there is any preference for nucleosome assembly along pBR322 sequences, we have used an indirect end labeling method. The results indicate that most nucleosomes are placed at random on pBR322, although the probability for histone octamers to interact with some short regions is somewhat reduced. These regions coincide with sequences in which the frequency distribution of nucl…

Chromatin structure of the Arabidopsis thaliana Adh promoter: analysis of nucleosome positioning

1997

Abstract The chromatin structure of the promoter and proximal 5′ transcribed region of the Arabidopsis thaliana Adh gene has been studied in three experimental models: whole plants under aerobic conditions in which the gene is repressed, whole plants under flooding-induced anaerobiosis, in which the expression of the gene occurs in some plant tissues and yeast cells in which the Arabidopsis Adh DNA had been cloned but is not expressed at all. Experiments of indirect end labelling after DNase I and micrococcal nuclease digestion of nuclei allowed us to conclude that no positioned nucleosomes exist in plant nuclei on the proximal region of the promoter (up to −350), probably due to the presen…

Circulating Histones and Nucleosomes as Biomarkers in Sepsis and Septic Shock

2016

Sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock are among the leading causes of death worldwide and their incidence is constantly increasing. Despite early intervention in intensive care units (ICUs) mortality remains high. There is great interest in understanding the genetics and epigenetics of the host in response to infection because of two reasons: the peculiarities of each patient, and the unclear associations identified between genetic polymorphisms and susceptibility to sepsis. In addition, chromatin remodeling and epigenetic changes occur in crucial genes involved in the inflammatory response and also in the immunosuppression found in sepsis. The early and accurate diagnosis of sepsis is a …

Intragenic G-quadruplex structure formed in the human CD133 and its biological and translational relevance.

2016

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been identified in several solid malignancies and are now emerging as a plausible target for drug discovery. Beside the questionable existence of CSCs specific markers, the expression of CD133 was reported to be responsible for conferring CSC aggressiveness. Here, we identified two G-rich sequences localized within the introns 3 and 7 of the CD133 gene able to form G-quadruplex (G4) structures, bound and stabilized by small molecules. We further showed that treatment of patient-derived colon CSCs with G4-interacting agents triggers alternative splicing that dramatically impairs the expression of CD133. Interestingly, this is strongly associated with a loss of C…

VIII Congresso del Dipartimento di Biologia Cellulare e dello Sviluppo

2011

A Radical Signal Activates the Epigenetic Regulation of Longevity

2013

Hormesis is an adaptive stress response implicated in longevity regulation. Schroeder et al. (2013) have now connected stress, epigenetic changes, and aging in yeast by showing that mitochondria-derived reactive oxygen species modulate the chromatin binding capacity of the histone demethylase Rph1p at subtelomeres, resulting in lifespan extension.