Polymerase ζ Is Involved in Mitochondrial DNA Maintenance Processes in Concert with APE1 Activity.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damaged by reactive oxygen species (ROS) triggers so far poorly understood processes of mtDNA maintenance that are coordinated by a complex interplay among DNA repair, DNA degradation, and DNA replication. This study was designed to identify the proteins involved in mtDNA maintenance by applying a special long-range PCR, reflecting mtDNA integrity in the minor arc. A siRNA screening of literature-based candidates was performed under conditions of enforced oxidative phosphorylation revealing the functional group of polymerases and therein polymerase ζ (POLZ) as top hits.

A Fibrinogen Alpha Fragment Mitigates Chemotherapy-Induced Rearrangements.

Rearrangements in the breakpoint cluster region (bcr) are frequently involved in therapy-induced leukemia, a severe side effect of anti-cancer therapies. Previous work unraveled Endonuclease G as the critical nuclease causing initial breakage in the bcr in response to different types of chemotherapeutic treatment. To identify peptides protecting against therapy-induced leukemia, we screened a hemofiltrate-derived peptide library by use of an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-based chromosomal reporter of bcr rearrangements.

Causes Oral Inflammation and Tissue Destruction.

A metagenomics analysis showed a strongly increased frequency of the protozoan in inflamed periodontal pockets, where it contributed the second-most abundant rRNA after human rRNA. This observation and the close biological relationship to , which causes inflammation and tissue destruction in the colon of predisposed individuals, raised our concern about its putative role in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. Histochemical staining of gingival epithelium inflamed from generalized severe chronic periodontitis visualized the presence of in conjunction with abundant neutrophils.

Smoking Modifies the Genetic Risk for Early-Onset Periodontitis.

Periodontitis has low-prevalence, highly severe disease manifestations with an early onset and rapid progression. The diagnosis is based on severe destruction of the alveolar bone in adolescents and young adults. Genetic susceptibility variants and smoking are well-established risk factors, but their interactions in modifying disease susceptibility have not been studied.

A combined epigenome- and transcriptome-wide association study of the oral masticatory mucosa assigns CYP1B1 a central role for epithelial health in smokers.

Background: The oral mucosa has an important role in maintaining barrier integrity at the gateway to the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts. Smoking is a strong environmental risk factor for the common oral inflammatory disease periodontitis and oral cancer. Cigarette smoke affects gene methylation and expression in various tissues.