Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 28 in total

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  1. Fulltext Somatic mitochondrial DNA D-loop mutations in meningioma discovered: A preliminary data
    Mohamed Yusoff AA, Mohd Khair SZN, Wan Abdullah WS, Abd Radzak SM, Abdullah JM
    J Cancer Res Ther, 2020 12 22;16(6):1517-1521.
    PMID: 33342822 DOI: 10.4103/jcrt.JCRT_1132_16
    Background and Objective: Meningiomas are among the most common intracranial tumors of the central nervous system. It is widely accepted that the initiation and progression of meningiomas involve the accumulation of nucleus genetic alterations, but little is known about the implication of mitochondrial genomic alterations during development of these tumors. The human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) contains a short hypervariable, noncoding displacement loop control region known as the D-Loop. Alterations in the mtDNA D-loop have been reported to occur in most types of human cancers. The purpose of this study was to assess the mtDNA D-loop mutations in Malaysian meningioma patients.

    Materials and Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from 21 fresh-frozen tumor tissues and blood samples of the same meningioma patients. The entire mtDNA D-loop region (positions 16024-576) was polymerase chain reaction amplified using designed primers, and then amplification products were purified before the direct DNA sequencing proceeds.

    Results: Overall, 10 (47.6%) patients were detected to harbor a total of 27 somatic mtDNA D-loop mutations. Most of these mtDNA mutations were identified in the hypervariable segment II (40.7%), with 33.3% being located mainly in the conserved sequence block II of the D310 sequence. Furthermore, 58 different germline variations were observed at 21 nucleotide positions.

    Conclusion: Our results suggest that mtDNA alterations in the D-loop region may be an important and early event in developing meningioma. Further studies are needed, including validation in a larger patient cohort, to verify the clinicopathological outcomes of mtDNA mutation biomarkers in meningiomas.

    Matched MeSH terms: DNA Replication/genetics
  2. Complete Genome Sequence of Proteus mirabilis Phage pPM_01 Isolated from Raw Sewage
    Wirjon IA, Lau NS, Arip YM
    Intervirology, 2016;59(5-6):243-253.
    PMID: 28384626 DOI: 10.1159/000468987
    OBJECTIVES: Phage pPM_01 was previously isolated from a raw sewage treatment facility located in Batu Maung, Penang, Malaysia, and it was highly lytic against Proteus mirabilis, which causes urinary tract infections in humans. In this paper, we characterize the biology and complete genome sequence of the phage.

    METHODS AND RESULTS: Transmission electron microscopy revealed phage pPM_01 to be a siphovirus (the first reported virus to infect P. mirabilis), with its complete genome sequence successfully determined. The genome was sequenced using Illumina technology and the reads obtained were assembled using CLC Genomic Workbench v.7.0.3. The whole genome contains a total of 58,546 bp of linear double-stranded DNA with a G+C content of 46.9%. Seventy putative genes were identified and annotated using various bioinformatics tools including RAST, Geneious v.R7, National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) BLAST, and tRNAscan-SE-v1.3 Search. Functional clusters of related potential genes were defined (structural, lytic, packaging, replication, modification, and modulatory). The whole genome sequence showed a low similarity to known phages (i.e., Enterobacter phage Enc34 and Enterobacteria phage Chi). Host range determination and SDS-PAGE analysis were also performed.

    CONCLUSIONS: The inability to lysogenize a host, the absence of endotoxin genes in the annotated genome, and the lytic behavior suggest phage pPM_01 as a possible safe biological candidate to control P. mirabilis infection.

    Matched MeSH terms: DNA Replication
  3. Ultrastructural aspects of sylvatic dengue virus infection in Vero cell
    Fish-Low CY, Abubakar S, Othman F, Chee HY
    Malays J Pathol, 2019 Apr;41(1):41-46.
    PMID: 31025636
    INTRODUCTION: Dengue virus (DENV), the causative agent of dengue disease exists in sylvatic and endemic ecotypes. The cell morphological changes and viral morphogenesis of two dengue ecotypes were examined at the ultrastructural level to identify potential similarities and differences in the surrogate model of enzootic host.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: Vero cells were inoculated with virus at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 0.1. Cell cultures were harvested over a time course and processed for transmission electron microscopic imaging.

    RESULTS: The filopodia protrusions on cell periphery preceded virus entry. Additionally, sylvatic DENV infection was found spreading slower than the endemic DENV. Morphogenesis of both dengue ecotypes was alike but at different level of efficiency in the permissive cells.

    CONCLUSIONS: This is the first ultrastructural study on sylvatic DENV and this comparative study revealed the similarities and differences of cellular responses and morphogenesis of two dengue ecotypes in vitro. The study revealed the weaker infectivity of sylvatic DENV in the surrogate model of enzootic host, which supposed to support better replication of enzootic DENV than endemic DENV.

    Matched MeSH terms: DNA Replication
  4. Fulltext Understanding the dimorphic lifestyles of human gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori using the SWATH-based proteomics approach
    Loke MF, Ng CG, Vilashni Y, Lim J, Ho B
    Sci Rep, 2016 05 25;6:26784.
    PMID: 27222005 DOI: 10.1038/srep26784
    Helicobacter pylori may reside in the human stomach as two morphological forms: the culturable spiral form and the viable but non-culturable (VBNC) coccoid form. This bacterium transforms from spiral to coccoid under in vitro suboptimal conditions. However, both spiral and coccoid have demonstrated its infectivity in laboratory animals, suggesting that coccoid may potentially be involved in the transmission of H. pylori. To determine the relevance of the coccoid form in viability and infectivity, we compared the protein profiles of H. pylori coccoids obtained from prolonged (3-month-old) culture with that of 3-day-old spirals of two H. pylori standard strains using SWATH (Sequential Window Acquisition of all Theoretical mass spectra)-based approach. The protein profiles reveal that the coccoids retained basal level of metabolic proteins and also high level of proteins that participate in DNA replication, cell division and biosynthesis demonstrating that coccoids are viable. Most interestingly, these data also indicate that the H. pylori coccoids possess higher level of proteins that are involved in virulence and carcinogenesis than their spiral counterparts. Taken together, these findings have important implications in the understanding on the pathogenesis of H. pylori-induced gastroduodenal diseases, as well as the probable transmission mode of this bacterium.
    Matched MeSH terms: DNA Replication
  5. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest changes in electrostatic interactions as a potential mechanism through which serine phosphorylation inhibits DNA Polymerase β's activity
    Homouz D, Joyce-Tan KH, Shahir Shamsir M, Moustafa IM, Idriss H
    J Mol Graph Model, 2018 01;79:192.
    PMID: 29223917 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2017.11.002
    DNA polymerase β is a 39kDa enzyme that is a major component of Base Excision Repair in human cells. The enzyme comprises two major domains, a 31kDa domain responsible for the polymerase activity and an 8kDa domain, which bind ssDNA and has a deoxyribose phosphate (dRP) lyase activity. DNA polymerase β was shown to be phosphorylated in vitro with protein kinase C (PKC) at serines 44 and 55 (S44 and S55), resulting in loss of its polymerase enzymic activity, but not its ability to bind ssDNA. In this study, we investigate the potential phosphorylation-induced structural changes for DNA polymerase β using molecular dynamics. The simulations show drastic conformational changes of the polymerase structure as a result of S44 phosphorylation. Phosphorylation-induced conformational changes transform the closed (active) enzyme structure into an open one. Further analysis of the results points to a key hydrogen bond and newly formed salt bridges as potential drivers of these structural fluctuations. The changes observed with S44/55 and S55 phosphorylation were less dramatic than S44 and the integrity of the H-bond was not compromised. Thus the phosphorylation of S44 is likely the major contributor to structural fluctuations that lead to loss of enzymatic activity.
    Matched MeSH terms: DNA Replication
  6. Genomic plasticity between human and mycobacterial DNA: A review
    Danjuma L, Ling MP, Hamat RA, Higuchi A, Alarfaj AA, Marlina, et al.
    Tuberculosis (Edinb), 2017 12;107:38-47.
    PMID: 29050770 DOI: 10.1016/j.tube.2017.03.006
    Mycobacterium tuberculosis has a remarkable ability of long-term persistence despite vigorous host immunity and prolonged therapy. The bacteria persist in secure niches such as the mesenchymal stem cells in the bone marrow and reactivate the disease, leading to therapeutic failure. Many bacterial cells can remain latent within a diseased tissue so that their genetic material can be incorporated into the genetic material of the host tissue. This incorporated genetic material reproduces in a manner similar to that of cellular DNA. After the cell division, the incorporated gene is reproduced normally and distributed proportionately between the two progeny. This inherent adoption of long-term persistence and incorporating the bacterial genetic material into that of the host tissue remains and is considered imperative for microbial advancement and chemotherapeutic resistance; moreover, new evidence indicates that the bacteria might pass on genetic material to the host DNA sequence. Several studies focused on the survival mechanism of M. tuberculosis in the host immune system with the aim of helping the efforts to discover new drugs and vaccines against tuberculosis. This review explored the mechanisms through which this bacterium affects the expression of human genes. The first part of the review summarizes the current knowledge about the interactions between microbes and host microenvironment, with special reference to the M. tuberculosis neglected persistence in immune cells and stem cells. Then, we focused on how bacteria can affect human genes and their expression. Furthermore, we analyzed the literature base on the process of cell death during tuberculosis infection, giving particular emphasis to gene methylation as an inherited process in the neutralization of possibly injurious gene components in the genome. The final section discusses recent advances related to the M. tuberculosis interaction with host epigenetic circuitry.
    Matched MeSH terms: DNA Replication*
  7. Fulltext Scaling-up recombinant plasmid DNA for clinical trial: current concern, solution and status
    Ismail R, Allaudin ZN, Lila MA
    Vaccine, 2012 Sep 7;30(41):5914-20.
    PMID: 22406276 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2012.02.061
    Gene therapy and vaccines are rapidly developing field in which recombinant nucleic acids are introduced in mammalian cells for enhancement, restoration, initiation or silencing biochemical function. Beside simplicity in manipulation and rapid manufacture process, plasmid DNA-based vaccines have inherent features that make them promising vaccine candidates in a variety of diseases. This present review focuses on the safety concern of the genetic elements of plasmid such as propagation and expression units as well as their host genome for the production of recombinant plasmid DNA. The highlighted issues will be beneficial in characterizing and manufacturing plasmid DNA for save clinical use. Manipulation of regulatory units of plasmid will have impact towards addressing the safety concerns raised in human vaccine applications. The gene revolution with plasmid DNA by alteration of their plasmid and production host genetics will be promising for safe delivery and obtaining efficient outcomes.
    Matched MeSH terms: DNA Replication*
  8. Some Studies into the Effects of Metaldehyde on Cultured Cells
    Salmijah S., Anita Mohd. Zubir, Maimon A.
    Sains Malaysiana, 1997;26.
    Metaldehyde is used widely in Malaysia for the control of molluscs. This communication reports the cytotoxic effects of this chemical on cultured cells as assessed by cell morphology and the DNA synthesising capability as well as its transport into cells. After 15 days of exposure with 20.0 ppm of the compound, the DNA synthesising capability was shown to be unaffected. The IC50 for Vero cells was 276.0 ppm. Transport of thymidine across cells was found to be not significantly affected even at high metaldehyde concentrations (up to 320.0 ppm) suggesting integrity of cells were not significantly affected. The present cellular studies have therefore shown that the cytotoxic effects of this chemical is rather low.
    Metaldehida digunakan dengan meluas di Malaysia untuk mengawal perosak moluska. Kesan sitotoksik bahan kimia ini di peringkat sel dari segi ciri-ciri perubahan moifologi dan keupayaan mensintesis DNA serta kajian awal kesannya terhadap proses kemasukan ke dalam sel dilaporkan di sini. Keupayaan mensintesis DNA didapati tidak terjejas secara signifikan selepas diberikan 20.0 ppm metaldehida secara berterusan selama 15 hari. Nilai IC50 bagi sel Vero adalah 276.0 ppm. Kemasukan timidina ke dalam sel tidak terjejas secara signifikan apabila sel diperlakukan dengan metaldehida, walaupun pada kepekatan yang agak tinggi iaitu sehingga 320.0 ppm. Kajian telah menunjukkan bahawa kesan sitotoksik oleh metaldehida adalah rendah.
    Matched MeSH terms: DNA Replication
  9. Recombineering linear BACs
    Chen Q, Narayanan K
    Methods Mol Biol, 2015;1227:27-54.
    PMID: 25239740 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-1652-8_2
    Recombineering is a powerful genetic engineering technique based on homologous recombination that can be used to accurately modify DNA independent of its sequence or size. One novel application of recombineering is the assembly of linear BACs in E. coli that can replicate autonomously as linear plasmids. A circular BAC is inserted with a short telomeric sequence from phage N15, which is subsequently cut and rejoined by the phage protelomerase enzyme to generate a linear BAC with terminal hairpin telomeres. Telomere-capped linear BACs are protected against exonuclease attack both in vitro and in vivo in E. coli cells and can replicate stably. Here we describe step-by-step protocols to linearize any BAC clone by recombineering, including inserting and screening for presence of the N15 telomeric sequence, linearizing BACs in vivo in E. coli, extracting linear BACs, and verifying the presence of hairpin telomere structures. Linear BACs may be useful for functional expression of genomic loci in cells, maintenance of linear viral genomes in their natural conformation, and for constructing innovative artificial chromosome structures for applications in mammalian and plant cells.
    Matched MeSH terms: DNA Replication*
  10. A Self-Replicating Linear DNA
    Liew PS, Tan TH, Wong YC, Sim EUH, Lee CW, Narayanan K
    ACS Synth Biol, 2020 04 17;9(4):804-813.
    PMID: 32196315 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.9b00478
    TelN and tos are a unique DNA linearization unit isolated from bacteriophage N15. While being transferable, the TelN cleaving-rejoining activities remained stable to function on tos in both bacterial and mammalian environments. However, TelN contribution in linear plasmid replication in mammalian cells remains unknown. Herein, we investigated the association of TelN in linear tos-containing DNA (tos-DNA) replication in mammalian cells. Additionally, the mammalian origin of replication (ori) that is well-known to initiate the replication event of plasmid vectors was also studied. In doing so, we identified that both TelN and mammalian initiation sites were essential for the replication of linear tos-DNA, determined by using methylation sensitive DpnI/MboI digestion and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification approaches. Furthermore, we engineered the linear tos-DNA to be able to retain in mammalian cells using S/MAR technology. The resulting S/MAR containing tos-DNA was robust for at least 15 days, with (1) continuous tos-DNA replication, (2) correct splicing of gene transcripts, and (3) stable exogenous gene expression that was statistically comparable to the endogenous gene expression level. Understanding the activities of TelN and tos in mammalian cells can potentially provide insights for adapting this simple DNA linearization unit in developing novel genetic engineering tools, especially to the eukaryotic telomere/telomerase study.
    Matched MeSH terms: DNA Replication/genetics*
  11. Phage N15 protelomerase resolves its tos recognition site into hairpin telomeres within mammalian cells
    Liew PS, Chen Q, Ng AWR, Chew YC, Ravin NV, Sim EUH, et al.
    Anal Biochem, 2019 10 15;583:113361.
    PMID: 31306622 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2019.113361
    Phage N15 protelomerase (TelN) cleaves double-stranded circular DNA containing a telomerase-occupancy-site (tos) and rejoins the resulting linear-ends to form closed-hairpin-telomeres in Escherichia coli (E. coli). Continued TelN expression is essential to support resolution of the linear structure. In mammalian cells, no enzyme with TelN-like activities has been found. In this work, we show that phage TelN, expressed transiently and stably in human and mouse cells, recapitulates its native activities in these exogenous environments. We found TelN to accurately resolve tos-DNA in vitro and in vivo within human and mouse cells into linear DNA-containing terminal telomeres that are resistant to RecBCD degradation, a hallmark of protelomerase processing. In stable cells, TelN activity was detectable for at least 60 days, which suggests the possibility of limited silencing of its expression. Correspondingly, linear plasmid containing a 100 kb human β-globin gene expressed for at least 120 h in non-β-globin-expressing mouse cells with TelN presence. Our results demonstrate TelN is able to cut and heal DNA as hairpin-telomeres within mammalian cells, providing a tool for creating novel structures by DNA resolution in these hosts. The TelN protelomerase may be useful for exploring novel technologies for genome interrogation and chromosome engineering.
    Matched MeSH terms: DNA Replication/physiology*
  12. Phage N15-Based Vectors for Gene Cloning and Expression in Bacteria and Mammalian Cells
    Wong YC, Ng AWR, Chen Q, Liew PS, Lee CW, Sim EUH, et al.
    ACS Synth Biol, 2023 Apr 21;12(4):909-921.
    PMID: 37026178 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00580
    Bacteriophage N15 is the first virus known to deliver linear prophage into Escherichia coli. During its lysogenic cycle, N15 protelomerase (TelN) resolves its telomerase occupancy site (tos) into hairpin telomeres. This protects the N15 prophage from bacterial exonuclease degradation, enabling it to stably replicate as a linear plasmid in E. coli. Interestingly, purely proteinaceous TelN can retain phage DNA linearization and hairpin formation without involving host- or phage-derived intermediates or cofactors in the heterologous environment. This unique feature has led to the advent of synthetic linear DNA vector systems derived from the TelN-tos module for the genetic engineering of bacterial and mammalian cells. This review will focus on the development and advantages of N15-based novel cloning and expression vectors in the bacterial and mammalian environments. To date, N15 is the most widely exploited molecular tool for the development of linear vector systems, especially the production of therapeutically useful miniDNA vectors without a bacterial backbone. Compared to typical circular plasmids, linear N15-based plasmids display remarkable cloning fidelity in propagating unstable repetitive DNA sequences and large genomic fragments. Additionally, TelN-linearized vectors with the relevant origin of replication can replicate extrachromosomally and retain transgenes functionality in bacterial and mammalian cells without compromising host cell viability. Currently, this DNA linearization system has shown robust results in the development of gene delivery vehicles, DNA vaccines and engineering mammalian cells against infectious diseases or cancers, highlighting its multifaceted importance in genetic studies and gene medicine.
    Matched MeSH terms: DNA Replication
  13. Screening for microsatellite instability in colorectal carcinoma: Practical utility of immunohistochemistry and PCR with fragment analysis in a diagnostic histopathology setting
    Cheah PL, Li J, Looi LM, Koh CC, Lau TP, Chang SW, et al.
    Malays J Pathol, 2019 Aug;41(2):91-100.
    PMID: 31427545
    Since 2014, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has recommended that colorectal carcinoma (CRC) be universally tested for high microsatellite instability (MSI-H) which is present in 15% of such cancers. Fidelity of resultant microsatellites during DNA replication is contingent upon an intact mismatch repair (MMR) system and lack of fidelity can result in tumourigenesis. Prior to commencing routine screening for MSI-H, we assessed two commonly used methods, immunohistochemical (IHC) determination of loss of MMR gene products viz MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2 against PCR amplification and subsequent fragment analysis of microsatellite markers, BAT25, BAT26, D2S123, D5S346 and D17S250 (Bethesda markers) in 73 unselected primary CRC. 15.1% (11/73) were categorized as MSI-H while deficient MMR (dMMR) was detected in 16.4% (12/73). Of the dMMR, 66.7% (8/12) were classified MSI-H, while 33.3% (4/12) were microsatellite stable/low microsatellite instability (MSS/MSI-L). Of the proficient MMR (pMMR), 95.1% (58/61) were MSS/MSI-L and 4.9% (3/61) were MSI-H. The κ value of 0.639 (standard error =0.125; p = 0.000) indicated substantial agreement between detection of loss of DNA mismatch repair using immunohistochemistry and the detection of downstream microsatellite instability using PCR. After consideration of advantages and shortcomings of both methods, it is our opinion that the choice of preferred technique for MSI analysis would depend on the type of laboratory carrying out the testing.
    Matched MeSH terms: DNA Replication
  14. Fulltext DNA polymerase δ: A single Pol31 polymorphism suppresses the strain background-specific lethality of Pol32 inactivation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
    Loeillet S, Nicolas A
    DNA Repair (Amst), 2023 Jul;127:103514.
    PMID: 37244009 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2023.103514
    The evolutionarily conserved DNA polymerase delta (Polδ) plays several essential roles in eukaryotic DNA replication and repair, responsible for the synthesis of the lagging-strand, lower replicative mutagenesis via its proof-reading exonuclease activity and synthetizes both strands during break-induced replication. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the Polδ protein complex consists of three subunits encoded by the POL3, POL31 and POL32 genes. Surprisingly, in contrast to POL3 and POL31, the POL32 gene deletion was found to be viable but lethal in all other eukaryotes, raising the question to which extent the viability of the POL32 deletion in S. cerevisiae was species specific. To address this issue, we inactivated the POL32 gene in 10 evolutionary close or distant S. cerevisiae strains and found that POL32 was either essential (3 strains including SK1), non-essential (5 strains including the reference S288C strain) or confers a slow-growth phenotype (2 strains). Whole-genome sequencing of S288C/SK1 pol32∆ meiotic segregants identified the lethal/suppressor effect of the single Pol31-C43Y polymorphism. Consistently, the introduction of the Pol31-43C allele in the SK1 and West African (WA) pol32∆ mutants was sufficient to restore cell viability and wild-type growth upon introduction of two copies of POL31-43C in the SK1 haploid strain. Reciprocally, introduction of the SK1 POL31-43Y allele in the S288C pol32∆ mutant was lethal. Sequence analyses of the POL31 polymorphisms in the 1,011 yeasts genome dataset correlates with the strict occurrence of the POL31-43Y allele in the yeast African palm wine clade. Differently, the single Pol31-E400G polymorphism confers pol32∆ lethality in the Malaysian strain. In the yeast two-hybrid assay, we observed a weakened interaction between Pol3 and Pol31-43Y versus Pol31-43C suggesting an insufficient level of the Polδ holoenzyme stability/activity. Thus, the enigmatic non-essentiality of Pol32 in S. cerevisiae results from single Pol31 amino acid polymorphism and is clade rather than species specific.
    Matched MeSH terms: DNA Replication
  15. Performance comparison between bootstrap and multiscale bootstrap for assessing phylogenetic tree for RNA polymerase
    Safinah Sharuddin, Nora Muda
    Sains Malaysiana, 2015;44:1643-1651.
    Phylogenetic inference refers to the reconstruction of evolutionary relationships among various species that is usually
    presented in the form of a tree. This study constructs the phylogenetic tree by using a novel distance-based method known
    as Modified one step M-estimator (MOM) method. The branches of the phylogenetic tree constructed were then evaluated
    to see their reliability. The performance of the reliability was then compared between the p-value of multiscale bootstrap
    (AU value) and bootstrap p-value (BP value). The aim of this study was to compare the performance between the AU value
    and BP value for assessing phylogenetic tree of RNA polymerase. The results have shown that multiscale bootstrap analysis
    can detect high sampling errors but not in bootstrap analysis. To overcome this problem, the multiscale bootstrap analysis
    has reduced the sampling error by increasing the number of replications. The clusters were indicated as significant if AU
    values or BP values were 95% or higher. From the analysis, the results showed that the BP and AU values differ at 11th
    and 15th branch of the phylogenetic tree. The BP values at both branches were 72 and 85%, respectively, thereby making
    the cluster not significant but by looking at the AU values, the two branches were more than 95% and the clusters were
    significant. This was due to the biasness in calculation of the probability of bootstrap analysis, therefore, the multiscale
    bootstrap analysis has improved the calculation of the probability value compared to the bootstrap analysis.
    Matched MeSH terms: DNA Replication
  16. Structure and function of the vacuolar Ccc1/VIT1 family of iron transporters and its regulation in fungi
    Sorribes-Dauden R, Peris D, Martínez-Pastor MT, Puig S
    Comput Struct Biotechnol J, 2020;18:3712-3722.
    PMID: 33304466 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2020.10.044
    Iron is an essential micronutrient for most living beings since it participates as a redox active cofactor in many biological processes including cellular respiration, lipid biosynthesis, DNA replication and repair, and ribosome biogenesis and recycling. However, when present in excess, iron can participate in Fenton reactions and generate reactive oxygen species that damage cells at the level of proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. Organisms have developed different molecular strategies to protect themselves against the harmful effects of high concentrations of iron. In the case of fungi and plants, detoxification mainly occurs by importing cytosolic iron into the vacuole through the Ccc1/VIT1 iron transporter. New sequenced genomes and bioinformatic tools are facilitating the functional characterization, evolution and ecological relevance of metabolic pathways and homeostatic networks across the Tree of Life. Sequence analysis shows that Ccc1/VIT1 homologs are widely distributed among organisms with the exception of animals. The recent elucidation of the crystal structure of a Ccc1/VIT1 plant ortholog has enabled the identification of both conserved and species-specific motifs required for its metal transport mechanism. Moreover, recent studies in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have also revealed that multiple transcription factors including Yap5 and Msn2/Msn4 contribute to the expression of CCC1 in high-iron conditions. Interestingly, Malaysian S. cerevisiae strains express a partially functional Ccc1 protein that renders them sensitive to iron. Different regulatory mechanisms have been described for non-Saccharomycetaceae Ccc1 homologs. The characterization of Ccc1/VIT1 proteins is of high interest in the development of biofortified crops and the protection against microbial-derived diseases.
    Matched MeSH terms: DNA Replication
  17. Characterization of pR18, a novel rolling-circle replication plasmid from Lactobacillus plantarum
    Jalilsood T, Baradaran A, Ling FH, Mustafa S, Yusof K, Rahim RA
    Plasmid, 2014 May;73:1-9.
    PMID: 24785193 DOI: 10.1016/j.plasmid.2014.04.004
    Lactobacillus plantarum PA18, a strain originally isolated from the leaves of Pandanus amaryllifolius, contains a pR18 plasmid. The pR18 plasmid is a 3211bp circular molecule with a G+C content of 35.8%. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed two putative open reading frames, ORF1 and ORF2, in which ORF2 was predicted (317 amino acids) to be a replication protein and shared 99% similarity with the Rep proteins of pLR1, pLD1, pC30il, and pLP2000, which belong to the RCR pC194/pUB110 family. Sequence analysis also indicated that ORF1 was predicted to encode linA, an enzyme that enzymatically inactivates lincomycin. The result of Southern hybridization and mung bean nuclease treatment confirmed that pR18 replicated via the RCR mechanism. Phylogenetic tree analysis of pR18 plasmid proteins suggested that horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance determinants without genes encoding mobilization has not only occurred between Bacillus and Lactobacillus but also between unrelated bacteria. Understanding this type of transfer could possibly play a key role in facilitating the study of the origin and evolution of lactobacillus plasmids. Quantitative PCR showed that the relative copy number of pR18 was approximately 39 copies per chromosome equivalent.
    Matched MeSH terms: DNA Replication*
  18. Fulltext Identification of IncA/C Plasmid Replication and Maintenance Genes and Development of a Plasmid Multilocus Sequence Typing Scheme
    Hancock SJ, Phan MD, Peters KM, Forde BM, Chong TM, Yin WF, et al.
    Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 2017 02;61(2).
    PMID: 27872077 DOI: 10.1128/AAC.01740-16
    Plasmids of incompatibility group A/C (IncA/C) are becoming increasingly prevalent within pathogenic Enterobacteriaceae They are associated with the dissemination of multiple clinically relevant resistance genes, including blaCMY and blaNDM Current typing methods for IncA/C plasmids offer limited resolution. In this study, we present the complete sequence of a blaNDM-1-positive IncA/C plasmid, pMS6198A, isolated from a multidrug-resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli strain. Hypersaturated transposon mutagenesis, coupled with transposon-directed insertion site sequencing (TraDIS), was employed to identify conserved genetic elements required for replication and maintenance of pMS6198A. Our analysis of TraDIS data identified roles for the replicon, including repA, a toxin-antitoxin system; two putative partitioning genes, parAB; and a putative gene, 053 Construction of mini-IncA/C plasmids and examination of their stability within E. coli confirmed that the region encompassing 053 contributes to the stable maintenance of IncA/C plasmids. Subsequently, the four major maintenance genes (repA, parAB, and 053) were used to construct a new plasmid multilocus sequence typing (PMLST) scheme for IncA/C plasmids. Application of this scheme to a database of 82 IncA/C plasmids identified 11 unique sequence types (STs), with two dominant STs. The majority of blaNDM-positive plasmids examined (15/17; 88%) fall into ST1, suggesting acquisition and subsequent expansion of this blaNDM-containing plasmid lineage. The IncA/C PMLST scheme represents a standardized tool to identify, track, and analyze the dissemination of important IncA/C plasmid lineages, particularly in the context of epidemiological studies.
    Matched MeSH terms: DNA Replication
  19. Fulltext Significant replication time-points of avian influenza a virus strain H5N1 in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney cells
    Tan, Toong Seng, Yap, Wei Boon, Sharifah Syed Hassan
    Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia, 2016;14(1):17-21.
    MyJurnal
    The occasional influenza pandemics and the seasonal influenza epidemics have destroyed millions of lives since
    the last century. It is therefore necessary to understand the virus replication patterns as this provides essential
    information on the virus infectivity, pathogenicity and spread patterns. This study aimed to investigate the replication
    of avian influenza A virus H5N1 (A/Chicken/Malaysia/5858/2004) in MDCK cells. In this study, the TCID50 (50% tissue
    culture infectious dose) of AIV H5N1 was first determined. The MDCK cells were then infected with AIV H5N1 at TCID50
    for 0-48 h. The CPE (cytopathic effect) was observed and cell death was determined hourly. The virus-infected cells
    and media were subsequently collected for gene analysis. The results showed that the TCID50 of AIV H5N1 was 10-9
    dilution. The CPE percentage showed a strong and positive correlation with the infection period (r = 1.0, n = 9, p <
    0.01). The amount of a highly conserved influenza viral gene, M2 gene amplified from infected media (r = 0.471, n =
    9, p= > 0.05) and infected cell (r = 0.73, n = 9, p < 0.05) were also positively correlated with the infection period. In
    conclusion, although CPE started to be observed in the early time points of infection, however, the M2 gene was only
    amplified from the infected media and cells after 48 h and 24 h, respectively. This signifies that AIV H5N1 used in this
    study is pathogenic and it is able to cause severe cytopathology to host cells even at low virus load.
    Matched MeSH terms: DNA Replication
  20. Replication of 13 obesity loci among Singaporean Chinese, Malay and Asian-Indian populations
    Dorajoo R, Blakemore AI, Sim X, Ong RT, Ng DP, Seielstad M, et al.
    Int J Obes (Lond), 2012 Jan;36(1):159-63.
    PMID: 21544081 DOI: 10.1038/ijo.2011.86
    Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 38 obesity-associated loci among European populations. However, their contribution to obesity in other ethnicities is largely unknown.
    Matched MeSH terms: DNA Replication*
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