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At least 37 records · Page 2

Polypeptides having cellobiohydrolase activity and polynucleotides encoding same

The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having cellobiohydrolase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.

Morant, Marc Dominique↗

Polypeptides having cellobiohydrolase activity and polynucleotides encoding same

The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having cellobiohydrolase activity and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.

Spodsberg, Nikolaj↗

Site-specific acetylation of polynucleotide kinase 3'-phosphatase regulates its distinct role in DNA repair pathways

Mammalian polynucleotide kinase 3'-phosphatase (PNKP), a DNA end-processing enzyme with 3'-phosphatase and 5'-kinase activities, is involved in multiple DNA repair pathways, including base excision (BER), single-strand break (SSBR), and double-strand break repair (DSBR). However, little is known as to how PNKP functions in such diverse repair processes. Here we report that PNKP is acetylated at K142 (AcK142) by p300 constitutively but at K226 (AcK226) by CBP, only after DSB induction. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis using AcK142 or AcK226 PNKP-specific antibodies showed that AcK142-PNKP associates only with BER/SSBR, and AcK226 PNKP with DSBR proteins. Despite the modest effect of acetylation on PNKP’s enzymatic activity in vitro, cells expressing non-acetylable PNKP (K142R or K226R) accumulated DNA damage in transcribed genes. Intriguingly, in striatal neuronal cells of a Huntington's Disease (HD)-based mouse model, K142, but not K226, was acetylated. This is consistent with the reported degradation of CBP, but not p300, in HD cells. Moreover, transcribed genomes of HD cells progressively accumulated DSBs. Chromatin-immunoprecipitation analysis demonstrated the association of Ac-PNKP with the transcribed genes, consistent with PNKP’s role in transcription-coupled repair. Thus, our findings demonstrate that acetylation at two lysine residues, located in different domains of PNKP, regulates its distinct role in BER/SSBR versus DSBR.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Template-directed polynucleotide synthesis on mineral surfaces

Ferric hydroxide, a plausible prebiotic material, strongly adsorbs polynucleotides. It is shown that adsorption on ferric hydroxide and on several other minerals has no effect, under the conditions studied, on the template-directed oligomerization of guanylic acid on polycytidylic acid.

Schwartz, A. W.↗

Template-directed oligomerization catalyzed by a polynucleotide analog

A pyrophosphate-linked analog of polycytidylic acid has been synthesized and shown to catalyze the oligomerization of the complementary monomer 2'-deoxyguanosine 3',5'-bisphosphoimidazolide. Analogs of polynucleotides are of interest in studies of the origins of life as possible precursors of the first RNA molecules. These results demonstrate that such molecules are capable of serving as templates for further synthesis.

Visscher, J.↗

Product and rate determinations with chemically activated nucleotides in the presence of various prebiotic materials, including other mono- and polynucleotides

We are investigating the reactions of ImpN's in the presence of a number of prebiotically plausible materials, such as metal ions, phosphate, amines and other nucleotides and hope to learn more about the stability/reactivity of ImpN's in a prebiotic aqueous environment. We find that, in the presence of phosphate, ImpN's form substantial amounts of diphosphate nucleotides. These diphosphate nucleotides are not very good substrates for template directed reactions, but are chemically activated and are known to revert to the phosphoimidazolides in the presence of imidazole under solid state conditions. With respect to our studies of the oligomerization reaction, the determination of the dimerization rate constant of a specific ImpN (guanosine 5'-phospho 2 methylimidazolide) both in the absence and the presence of the template leads to the conclusion that at 37 C the dimerization is not template directed, although the subsequent polymerization steps are. In other words, this specific polynucleotide synthesizing system favors the elongation of oligonucleotides as compared with the formation of dimers and trimers. This favoring of the synthesis of long as opposed to short oligonucleotides may be regarded as a rudimentary example of natural selection at the molecular level.

Kanavarioti, A.↗

Characterization of individual polynucleotide molecules using a membrane channel

We show that an electric field can drive single-stranded RNA and DNA molecules through a 2.6-nm diameter ion channel in a lipid bilayer membrane. Because the channel diameter can accommodate only a single strand of RNA or DNA, each polymer traverses the membrane as an extended chain that partially blocks the channel. The passage of each molecule is detected as a transient decrease of ionic current whose duration is proportional to polymer length. Channel blockades can therefore be used to measure polynucleotide length. With further improvements, the method could in principle provide direct, high-speed detection of the sequence of bases in single molecules of DNA or RNA.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗

Genetically engineered Foot and Mouth Disease Virus and related proteins, polynucleotides, compositions, methods and systems

Genetically engineered Foot and Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV) and related engineered proteins and polynucleotides, nanolipoprotein particles, compositions, methods and systems are described. The genetically engineered FMDV is modified by the strategic insertion of a protein tag into select regions of the FMDV genome which encode viral proteins that are exposed on the surface of the FMDV viral capsid. The inserted protein tag is displayed as a decoration or attachment on the viral capsid surface.

Rieder, Aida Elizabeth↗

Genetically engineered foot and mouth disease virus and related proteins, polynucleotides, compositions, methods and systems

Genetically engineered Foot and Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV) and related engineered proteins and polynucleotides, nanolipoprotein particles, compositions, methods and systems are described. The genetically engineered FMDV is modified by the strategic insertion of a protein tag into select regions of the FMDV genome which encode viral proteins that are exposed on the surface of the FMDV viral capsid. The inserted protein tag is displayed as a decoration or attachment on the viral capsid surface.

Rieder, Aida E.↗

Self-condensation of activated dinucleotides on polynucleotide templates with alternating sequences

Substantial quantities of the alternating polymers poly(U-G) and poly(C-A) have been prepared and used as templates for the self-condensation of ImpApC, ImpCpA, ImpGpU and ImpUpG. It is found that the condensation of ImpGpu and ImpUpG on poly(C-A) is efficient, the condensation of ImpCpA on poly(U-G) is moderately efficient, while the condensation of ImpApC on poly(U-C) proceeds poorly. In many cases, the product is predominantly 3'-5'-linked. These reactions demonstrate unequivocally, for the first time, that template-directed reactions occur in double-helical structures. Furthermore, they describe for the first time a pair of reactions in which each of two complementary polymers facilitates the synthesis of the other. The prebiotic significance of these findings is discussed.

Lohrmann, R.↗

The biogeochemical cycle of the adsorbed template. II - Selective adsorption of mononucleotides on adsorbed polynucleotide templates

Experimental results are presented for the verification of the specific interaction step of the 'adsorbed template' biogeochemical cycle, a simple model for a primitive prebiotic replication system. The experimental system consisted of gypsum as the mineral to which an oligonucleotide template attaches (Poly-C or Poly-U) and (5-prime)-AMP, (5-prime)-GMP, (5-prime)-CMP and (5-prime)-UMP as the interacting biomonomers. When Poly-C or Poly-U were used as adsorbed templates, (5-prime)-GMP and (5-prime)-AMP, respectively, were observed to be the most strongly adsorbed species.

Lazard, Daniel↗

The origin of polynucleotide-directed protein synthesis

If protein synthesis evolved in an RNA world it was probably preceded by simpler processes by means of which interaction with amino acids conferred selective advantage on replicating RNA molecules. It is suggested that at first the simple attachment of amino acids to the 2'(3') termini of RNA templates favored initiation of replication at the end of the template rather than at internal positions. The second stage in the evolution of protein synthesis would probably have been the association of pairs of charged RNA adaptors in such a way as to favor noncoded formation of peptides. Only after this process had become efficient could coded synthesis have begun.

Orgel, Leslie E.↗