Checkpoint activation by Spd1: a competition-based system relying on tandem disordered PCNA binding motifs.

DNA regulation, replication and repair are processes fundamental to all known organisms and the sliding clamp proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is central to all these processes. S-phase delaying protein 1 (Spd1) from S. pombe, an intrinsically disordered protein that causes checkpoint activation by inhibiting the enzyme ribonucleotide reductase, has one of the most divergent PCNA binding motifs known.

Molecular Epidemiology of HCV RNA Genotype-3 in Dhaka City, Bangladesh.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a causative agent that causes chronic liver diseases worldwide. It is a little, enclosed, single-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus. The recognition of the pathogenic HCV genotype is critical for the remedy of its sufferers.

The fission yeast bromodomain protein Bdf2 is required for the growth of cells with circular chromosomes.

Circular chromosomes have frequently been observed in tumors of mesenchymal origin. In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, deletion of pot1+ results in rapid telomere loss, and the resulting survivors have circular chromosomes. Fission yeast has 2 bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) proteins, Bdf1 and Bdf2; both are required for maintaining acetylated histones.

Mutation in fission yeast phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase Pik1 is synthetically lethal with defect in telomere protection protein Pot1.

Fission yeast Pik1p is one of three phosphatidylinositol 4-kinases associated with the Golgi complex, but its function is not fully understood. Deletion of pot1 causes telomere degradation and chromosome circularization. We searched for the gene which becomes synthetically lethal with pot1Δ.

Fission yeast strains with circular chromosomes require the 9-1-1 checkpoint complex for the viability in response to the anti-cancer drug 5-fluorodeoxyuridine.

Thymidine kinase converts 5-fluorodeoxyuridine to 5-fluorodeoxyuridine monophosphate, which causes disruption of deoxynucleotide triphosphate ratios. The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe does not express endogenous thymidine kinase but 5-fluorodeoxyuridine inhibits growth when exogenous thymidine kinase is expressed. Unexpectedly, we found that 5-fluorodeoxyuridine causes S phase arrest even without thymidine kinase expression.

Conventional or interpersonal communication: which works best in disseminating malaria information in an endemic rural Bangladeshi community?

Background: Since 2007, BRAC has been implementing malaria prevention and control programme in 13 endemic districts of Bangladesh under the National Malaria Control Programme. This study was done to examine the role of different communication media in bringing about changes in knowledge and awareness which facilitate informed decision-making for managing malaria-like illnesses.

Methods: A baseline survey in 2007 before inception of the programme, and a follow-up survey in 2012 were done to study changes in different aspects of programme interventions including the communication component.

Positive auto-regulation of MYCN in human neuroblastoma.

MYCN oncogene is one of the most important regulators affecting the prognosis of neuroblastoma and is frequently amplified in the high-risk subsets. Despite its clinical significance, it remains unclear how the MYCN expression is regulated in human neuroblastomas. Here, we found the presence of a positive auto-regulatory mechanism of MYCN.

Evaluation of in vitro antimicrobial and in vivo cytotoxic properties of some novel titanium-based coordination complexes.

The aim of the present study was to determine the antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of eight novel titanium(III) based coordination complexes [Ti(Pht)(2)(DL-serine)(2), S(1)], [Ti(Pht)(2)(glycine)(2), S(2))], [Ti(Pht)(2)(cystine)(2), S(3)], [Ti(Pht)(2)(DL-leucine)(2), S(4)], [Ti(Suc)(2)(L-leucine)(2), S(5)], [Ti(Suc)(2)(cystine)(2), S(6)], [Ti(Suc)(2)(cystein)(2), S(7)] and [Ti(Suc)(2)(DL-serine)(2), S(8)] against several gram-positive and -negative bacteria, fungi and brine shrimp nauplii. The investigation showed that almost all of the complexes were moderately active against tested bacteria and fungi at high concentration (200 microg/disc) compared with the standard antibiotic, amoxicillin and the antifungal agent, nystatin. In vivo lethality bioassay experiment showed that only S(7) and S(8) among the complexes had better cytotoxic effect than standard gallic acid.