Interaction of Extracellular Histones with DNA and Actin Filaments
Edna Blotnick-Rubin,
Andras Muhlrad
Issue:
Volume 8, Issue 2, June 2020
Pages:
26-37
Received:
26 March 2020
Accepted:
13 April 2020
Published:
14 May 2020
Abstract: Histones are located in the cell nucleus. They are positively charged small proteins which became extracellular upon apoptosis, necrosis, and infection – induced cell death. The mixture of extracellular Histones was shown to bundle Actin filaments and digested by bacterial proteases, which was inhibited by DNA and Actin. Here we studied the interaction of five major family of Histones, H2A, H2B, H3.1, H1 and H4, with DNA and Actin filaments. We found that all the Histones studied bound to DNA, increased the viscosity of Actin containing solutions and bundled Actin filaments in various degrees. The bundling of Actin filaments by Histones was inhibited by DNA, NaCl and DNase1. DNA and Actin filaments also inhibited the proteolysis of the five Histones by Subtilisin, Fusolisin and Pseudomonas Aeruginosa bacterial proteases. Both the degree of the proteolysis and its inhibition was different with various Histones. The results indicate that all the Histones studied bind strongly to the negatively charged DNA and to the Actin filaments.
Abstract: Histones are located in the cell nucleus. They are positively charged small proteins which became extracellular upon apoptosis, necrosis, and infection – induced cell death. The mixture of extracellular Histones was shown to bundle Actin filaments and digested by bacterial proteases, which was inhibited by DNA and Actin. Here we studied the interac...
Show More
Manifestation of Functional Defects of Nervous System in Upf3 Mutants Drosophila melanogaster at Larval and Adult Stages
Sanusi Ahmed Jega,
Ahmed Adebowole Adedeji,
Marta Vicente-Crespo
Issue:
Volume 8, Issue 2, June 2020
Pages:
38-44
Received:
30 March 2020
Accepted:
13 April 2020
Published:
14 May 2020
Abstract: Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is a surveillance pathway that cleans the system from possible harmful proteins and also regulates up to 10% of normal RNAs. The essential player proteins in the NMD (core NMD factors) are Upf1, Upf2, and Upf3. Mutation of any of these NMD factors cause ranges of effects in the development of various organisms. In humans, mutation of Upf3 was associated with neurodegenerative disorders, which include: attention deficit, schizophrenia autism, and intellectual disability. Using functional genetics approach and behavioral analysis methods we examined the loss of function effects of Upf3, in the nervous system function of a Drosophila melanogaster. We observed certain nervous system functional defects in homozygous Upf3 mutants. The embryos exhibited reduced and delayed hatching, the larvae manifested defects in motor function and the adults showed reduced climbing ability, defective short term memory, and learning, and notably, the adult life span was also reduced. This work has further revealed the prospect of Upf3 as a player gene for consideration in the management of neurodegenerative diseases. We explored this using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism to mimic and study the neurodegenerative traits observed in the patients suffering from Upf3 mutation. Likewise, it suggests a further investigation into the mechanistic insight for the roles of Upf3 in both early and late CNS development.
Abstract: Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is a surveillance pathway that cleans the system from possible harmful proteins and also regulates up to 10% of normal RNAs. The essential player proteins in the NMD (core NMD factors) are Upf1, Upf2, and Upf3. Mutation of any of these NMD factors cause ranges of effects in the development of various organisms. In...
Show More
