Structures of the Leishmania infantum polymerase beta

Protozoans of the genus Leishmania, the pathogenic agent causing leishmaniasis, encode the family X DNA polymerase Li Pol β. Here, we report the first crystal structures of Li Pol β. Our pre- and post-catalytic structures show that the polymerase adopts the common family X DNA polymerase fold. However, in contrast to other family X DNA polymerases, the dNTP-induced conformational changes in Li Pol β are much more subtle. Moreover, pre- and post-catalytic structures reveal that Li Pol β interacts with the template strand through a nonconserved, variable region known as loop3. Li Pol β Δloop3 mutants display a higher catalytic rate, catalytic efficiency and overall error rates with respect to WT Li Pol β. These results further demonstrate the subtle structural variability that exists within this family of enzymes and provides insight into how this variability underlies the substantial functional differences among their members.     

Interaction between Rad9–Hus1–Rad1 and TopBP1 activates ATR–ATRIP and promotes TopBP1 recruitment to sites of UV-damage

The checkpoint clamp Rad9–Hus1–Rad1 (9–1–1) interacts with TopBP1 via two casein kinase 2 (CK2)-phosphorylation sites, Ser-341 and Ser-387 in Rad9. While this interaction is known to be important for the activation of ATR-Chk1 pathway, how the interaction contributes to their accumulation at sites of DNA damage remains controversial. Here, we have studied the contribution of the 9–1–1/TopBP1 interaction to the assembly and activation of checkpoint proteins at damaged DNA. UV-irradiation enhanced association of Rad9 with chromatin and its localization to sites of DNA damage without a direct interaction with TopBP1. TopBP1, as well as RPA and Rad17 facilitated Rad9 recruitment to DNA damage sites. Similar to Rad9, TopBP1 also localized to sites of UV-induced DNA damage. The DNA damage-induced TopBP1 redistribution was delayed in cells expressing a TopBP1 binding-deficient Rad9 mutant. Pharmacological inhibition of ATR recapitulated the delayed accumulation of TopBP1 in the cells, suggesting that ATR activation will induce more efficient accumulation of TopBP1. Taken together, TopBP1 and Rad9 can be independently recruited to damaged DNA. Once recruited, a direct interaction of 9–1–1/TopBP1 occurs and induces ATR activation leading to further TopBP1 accumulation and amplification of the checkpoint signal. Thus, we propose a new positive feedback mechanism that is necessary for successful formation of the damage-sensing complex and DNA damage checkpoint signaling in human cells.     

Double-strand break repair and genetic recombination in topoisomerase and primase mutants of bacteriophage T4

The effects of primase and topoisomerase II deficiency on the double-strand break (DSB) repair and genetic recombination in bacteriophage T4 were studied in vivo using focused recombination. Site-specific DSBs were induced by SegC endonuclease in the rIIB gene of one of the parents. The frequency/distance relationship was determined in crosses of the wild-type phage, topoisomerase II mutant amN116 (gene 39), and primase mutant E219 (gene 61). Ordinary two-factor (i × j) and three-factor (i k × j) crosses between point rII mutations were also performed. These data provide information about the frequency and distance distribution of the single-exchange (splice) and double-exchange (patch) events. In two-factor crosses ets1 × i, the topoisomerase and primase mutants had similar recombinant frequencies in crosses at ets1–i distances longer than 1000 bp, comprising about 80% of the corresponding wild-type values. They, however, differ remarkably in crosses at shorter distances. In the primase mutant, the recombinant frequencies are similar to those in the wild-type crosses at distances less than 100 bp, being a bit diminished at longer distances. In two-factor crosses ets1 × i of the topoisomerase mutant, the recombinant frequencies were reduced ten-fold at the shortest distances. In three-factor crosses a6 ets1 × i, where we measure patch-related recombination, the primase mutant was quite proficient across the entire range of distances. The topoisomerase mutant crosses demonstrated virtually complete absence of rII⁺ recombinants at distances up to 33 bp, with the frequencies increasing steadily at longer distances. The data were interpreted as follows. The primase mutant is fully recombination-proficient. An obvious difference from the wild-type state is some shortage of EndoVII function leading to prolonged existence of HJs and thus stretched out ds-branch migration. This is also true for the topoisomerase mutant. However, the latter is deficient in the ss-branch migration step of the DSB repair pathway and partially deficient in HJ initiation. In apparent contradiction to their effects on the DSB-induced site-specific recombination, the topoisomerase and primase mutants demonstrated about 3–8-fold increase in the recombinant frequencies in the ordinary crosses, with the recombination running exclusively via patches. This implies that most of the spontaneous recombination events are not initiated by dsDNA ends in these mutants.     

A C. elegans homolog of the Cockayne syndrome complementation group A gene

Cockayne syndrome (CS) is a debilitating and complex disorder that results from inherited mutations in the CS complementation genes A and B, CSA and CSB. The links between the molecular functions of the CS genes and the complex pathophysiology of CS are as of yet poorly understood and are the subject of intense debate. While mouse models reflect the complexity of CS, studies on simpler genetic models might shed new light on the consequences of CS mutations. Here we describe a functional homolog of the human CSA gene in Caenorhabditis elegans. Similar to its human counterpart, mutations in the nematode csa-1 gene lead to developmental growth defects as a consequence of DNA lesions.     

Exo1 independent DNA mismatch repair involves multiple compensatory nucleases

Functional DNA mismatch repair (MMR) is essential for maintaining the fidelity of DNA replication and genetic stability. In hematopoiesis, loss of MMR results in methylating agent resistance and a hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) repopulation defect. Additionally MMR failure is associated with a variety of human malignancies, notably Lynch syndrome. We focus on the 5′ → 3′ exonuclease Exo1, the primary enzyme excising the nicked strand during MMR, preceding polymerase synthesis. We found that nuclease dead Exo1 mutant cells are sensitive to the O6-methylguanine alkylating agent temozolomide when given with the MGMT inactivator, O6benzylguanine (BG). Additionally we used an MMR reporter plasmid to verify that Exo1^mut MEFs were able to repair G:T base mismatches in vitro. We showed that unlike other MMR deficient mouse models, Exo1^mut mouse HSC did not gain a competitive survival advantage post temozolomide/BG treatment in vivo. To determine potential nucleases implicated in MMR in the absence of Exo1 nuclease activity, but in the presence of the inactive protein, we performed gene expression analyses of several mammalian nucleases in WT and Exo1^mut MEFs before and after temozolomide treatment and identified upregulation of Artemis, Fan1, and Mre11. Partial shRNA mediated silencing of each of these in Exo1^mut cells resulted in decreased MMR capacity and increased resistance to temozolomide/BG. We propose that nuclease function is required for fully functional MMR, but a portfolio of nucleases is able to compensate for loss of Exo1 nuclease activity to maintain proficiency.     

The key residue for SSB-RecO interaction is dispensable for Deinococcus radiodurans DNA repair in vivo

The RecFOR DNA repair pathway is one of the major RecA-dependent recombinatorial repair pathways in bacteria and plays an important role in double-strand breaks repair. RecO, one of the major recombination mediator proteins in the RecFOR pathway, has been shown to assist RecA loading onto single-stranded binding protein （SSB） coated single-stranded DNA （ssDNA）. However, it has not been characterized whether the protein-protein interaction between RecO and SSB contributes to that process in vivo. Here, we identified the residue arginine-121 of Deinococcus radiodurans RecO （drRecO-R121） as the key residue for RecO-SSB interaction. The substitution of drRecO-R121 with alanine greatly abolished the binding of RecO to SSB but not the binding to RecR. Meanwhile, SSB-coated ssDNA annealing activity was also compromised by the mutation of the residue of drRecO. However, the drRecO-R121A strain showed only modest sensitivity to DNA damaging agents. Taking these data together, arginine-121 of drRecO is the key residue for SSB-RecO interaction, which may not play a vital role in the SSB displacement and RecA loading process of RecFOR DNA repair pathway in vivo.     

Caveolin-1 和nm23在乳腺癌组织中的表达及意义

目的：探讨Caveolin-1 和nm23 在乳腺癌组织中的表达及意义。方法：选取于我院就诊的172 例乳腺癌患者的乳腺组织和40 例乳腺增生患者的正常乳腺组织,采用免疫组化技术检测标本中Caveolin-1和nm23的表达,并分析其与患者的临床病理之间的 关系。结果：免疫组化结果显示Caveolin-1 和nm23 在乳腺癌组织中的表达均低于正常乳腺组织（P<0.05）,且两者的表达呈正相 关（r= 0.609,P<0.05）;其中Caveolin-1 的表达与乳腺癌的临床分期及淋巴结转移有关（P<0.05）,nm23 的表达与乳腺癌的临床分 期、组织学类型及淋巴结转移有关（P<0.05）。结论：Caveolin-1 和nm23 的表达可能是乳腺癌发生发展的重要原因,可应用于临床 诊治乳腺癌患者。     

前臂屈指肌腱修复术后功能恢复的影响因素分析

目的:探讨影响前臂屈指肌腱修复术后功能恢复效果的因素,以利于制定合理的手术及康复方案。方法:对2011年1月~2012年10月解放军第401医院手外科收治的58例(其中男性41例,女性17例,年龄13-62岁,平均33.8岁)屈指肌腱在前臂损伤患者的伤因及手术方式进行回顾、分析总结并进行随访,分析其受伤严重程度、手术方式、术后功能锻炼情况。结果:术后随访54例,失访4例,随访时间为术后3~6个月。根据中华医学会手外科学会手功能评定试用标准评定54例前臂屈指肌腱损伤修复术后的患手的恢复情况,其中优31例,良16例,中5例,差2例。指浅、深屈肌腱同时损伤较单纯指浅屈肌腱损伤修复术后粘连发生率较高,手功能的优良率较低(P0.05),合理应用防粘连技术和术后进行系统功能锻炼的患者术后手功能的优良率分别较未合理应用防粘连技术和术后未进行系统功能锻炼的患者显著升高(P0.05)。结论:手术切口是否合理的延长,术中操作是否重视无创操作,是否合理的应用防粘连技术以及缺乏系统的功能锻炼以及肌腱断端吻合质量是影响前臂屈指肌腱修复术后功能恢复的重要因素。     

基于专利分析的干细胞技术创新趋势研究

干细胞(Stem Cells)是当今世界科学研究的热门领域。本文对Derwent Innovation Index(DII)专利数据库收录的1975-2013年世界范围内申请的干细胞技术专利进行了数据计量分析,给出了干细胞专利的年度分布、地区分布、研发重点分布、机构分布等,揭示了已展现出明显优势的干细胞技术的创新现状和发展趋势,所得到的结果可为这种新技术的研发决策提供支持与依据。研究发现,干细胞技术近年来发展迅速,美国和中国对干细胞领域研究资助力度持续加大,美国和日本在干细胞研究领域占据主导地位,目前正处新一轮发展阶段。