Genome-wide association of single-nucleotide polymorphisms with weight loss outcomes after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery.

Context: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is among the most effective treatments for extreme obesity and obesity-related complications. However, despite its potential efficacy, many patients do not achieve and/or maintain sufficient weight loss.

Objective: Our objective was to identify genetic factors underlying the variability in weight loss outcomes after RYGB surgery.

DNA binding compatibility of the Streptococcus pneumoniae SsbA and SsbB proteins.

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae has two paralogous, homotetrameric, single-stranded DNA binding (SSB) proteins, designated SsbA and SsbB. Previous studies demonstrated that SsbA and SsbB have different solution-dependent binding mode preferences with variable DNA binding capacities. The impact of these different binding properties on the assembly of multiple SsbAs and SsbBs onto single-stranded DNA was investigated.

Evidence for an inositol hexakisphosphate-dependent role for Ku in mammalian nonhomologous end joining that is independent of its role in the DNA-dependent protein kinase.

Nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) is an important pathway for the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and plays a critical role in maintaining genomic stability in mammalian cells. While Ku70/80 (Ku) functions in NHEJ as part of the DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), genetic evidence indicates that the role of Ku in NHEJ goes beyond its participation in DNA-PK. Inositol hexakisphosphate (IP(6)) was previously found to stimulate NHEJ in vitro and Ku was identified as an IP(6)-binding factor.