[Treatment of ischemic penile and scrotum gangrene].

Gangrene of the penis is a rare condition manifesting with purulent necrotization of penile tissues and systemic inflammatory response. In more than 90% of cases, the cause of the development of the penile and scrotal gangrene is rapidly progressive necrotizing fasciitis of polymicrobial etiology, which predominantly affected the external genital organs. Isolated cases of penile gangrene development when using the restraining rings of the penis are described in literature (condom urine collection bag, rings for erection, etc.

Alkyltransferase-like protein (Atl1) distinguishes alkylated guanines for DNA repair using cation-π interactions.

Alkyltransferase-like (ATL) proteins in Schizosaccharomyces pombe (Atl1) and Thermus thermophilus (TTHA1564) protect against the adverse effects of DNA alkylation damage by flagging O(6)-alkylguanine lesions for nucleotide excision repair (NER). We show that both ATL proteins bind with high affinity to oligodeoxyribonucleotides containing O(6)-alkylguanines differing in size, polarity, and charge of the alkyl group. However, Atl1 shows a greater ability than TTHA1564 to distinguish between O(6)-alkylguanine and guanine and in an unprecedented mechanism uses Arg69 to probe the electrostatic potential surface of O(6)-alkylguanine, as determined using molecular mechanics calculations.

Atl1 regulates choice between global genome and transcription-coupled repair of O(6)-alkylguanines.

Nucleotide excision repair (NER) has long been known to remove DNA lesions induced by chemical carcinogens, and the molecular mechanism has been partially elucidated. Here we demonstrate that in Schizosaccharomyces pombe a DNA recognition protein, alkyltransferase-like 1 (Atl1), can play a pivotal role in selecting a specific NER pathway, depending on the nature of the DNA modification. The relative ease of dissociation of Atl1 from DNA containing small O(6)-alkylguanines allows accurate completion of global genome repair (GGR), whereas strong Atl1 binding to bulky O(6)-alkylguanines blocks GGR, stalls the transcription machinery, and diverts the damage to transcription-coupled repair.

Rec10- and Rec12-independent recombination in meiosis of Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

The Rec10 protein, a component of the linear elements forming along sister chromatids in meiotic prophase of Schizosaccharomyces pombe, plays an important role in the activation of Rec12 for double-strand break formation, and thus the initiation of recombination between homologous chromosomes. Recombination between homologous chromosomes was moderately reduced in homozygous crosses of the C-terminal truncation mutant rec10-155 and strongly in the full deletion allele rec10-175. Both alleles were also tested in two assays for intrachromosomal recombination (PS1 and VL1) and showed only slight reductions, while deletion of rec12 led to a 13-fold reduction.

[The Rdh54 protein role in regulation of DNA repair in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae].

In this work, we present the evidences of the involvement of Rdh54 in coordination of DNA repair by several pathways. Previously, we isolated rdh54-29 point mutation demonstrating unique properties different from the full deletion of RDH54 gene. Epistatic interaction between rdh54-29 and apn1delta mutations discloses the function of Rdh54p in the process of base excision repair.

Flipping of alkylated DNA damage bridges base and nucleotide excision repair.

Alkyltransferase-like proteins (ATLs) share functional motifs with the cancer chemotherapy target O(6)-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT) and paradoxically protect cells from the biological effects of DNA alkylation damage, despite lacking the reactive cysteine and alkyltransferase activity of AGT. Here we determine Schizosaccharomyces pombe ATL structures without and with damaged DNA containing the endogenous lesion O(6)-methylguanine or cigarette-smoke-derived O(6)-4-(3-pyridyl)-4-oxobutylguanine. These results reveal non-enzymatic DNA nucleotide flipping plus increased DNA distortion and binding pocket size compared to AGT.

Cohesin and recombination proteins influence the G1-to-S transition in azygotic meiosis in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

To determine whether recombination and/or sister-chromatid cohesion affect the timing of meiotic prophase events, the horsetail stage and S phase were analyzed in Schizosaccharomyces pombe strains carrying mutations in the cohesin genes rec8 or rec11, the linear element gene rec10, the pairing gene meu13, the double-strand-break formation genes rec6, rec7, rec12, rec14, rec15, and mde2, and the recombination gene dmc1. The double-mutant strains rec8 rec11 and rec8 rec12 were also assayed. Most of the single and both double mutants showed advancement of bulk DNA synthesis, start of nuclear movement (horsetail stage), and meiotic divisions by up to 2 hr.

Novel genes required for meiotic chromosome segregation are identified by a high-throughput knockout screen in fission yeast.

Two rounds of chromosome segregation after only a single round of DNA replication enable the production of haploid gametes from diploid precursors during meiosis. To identify genes involved in meiotic chromosome segregation, we developed an efficient strategy to knock out genes in the fission yeast on a large scale. We used this technique to delete 180 functionally uncharacterized genes whose expression is upregulated during meiosis.

[Fractionated low-intensity thermotherapy of benign prostatic hyperplasia].

120 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (mean age 65.8 +/- 7.7 years) received fractional low-intensity transurethral microwave thermotherapy (FLITMT).

[RAD29 and RAD31--new genes from Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts, participating in control of DNA repair. II. Clarification of possible functions of these genes].

Possible functions of previously described genes RAD29 and RAD31 involved in DNA repair were determined by analyzing the interaction between these genes and mutations in the genes of the three basic epistatic groups: RAD3 (nucleotide excision repair), RAD6 (error-prone mutagenic repair system), RAD52 (recombination repair pathway), and also the apn1 mutation that blocks the synthesis of major AP endonuclease (base excision repair). The results obtained in these studies and the estimation of the capability for excision repair of lesions induced by 8-metoxipsoralen and subsequent exposure to long-wavelength UV light in mutants for these genes led to the assumption that the RAD29 and RAD31 genes are involved in yeast DNA repair control.

[RAD29 and RAD31--new genes from Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts, participating in control of DNA repair. Isolation and genetic study of mutants].

Base excision repair (BER) and nucleotide excision repair (NER) are two main cellular responses to DNA damage induced by various physical and chemical factors. After exposure of the strain that carries the NER-blocking rad2 mutation to UV light, several mutants hypersensitive to the UV light lethal action and simultaneously sensitive to methylmethanesulphonate (MMS) were isolated. Two of these mutants (Uvs64 and Uvs212) were examined in detail.