Harnessing transcriptional regulation of alternative end-joining to predict cancer treatment.

Alternative end-joining (alt-EJ) is an error-prone DNA repair pathway that cancer cells deficient in homologous recombination rely on, making them vulnerable to synthetic lethality via inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Targeting alt-EJ effector DNA polymerase theta (POLθ), which synergizes with PARP inhibitors and can overcome resistance, is of significant preclinical and clinical interest. However, the transcriptional regulation of alt-EJ and its interactions with processes driving cancer progression remain poorly understood.

LATS1 controls CTCF chromatin occupancy and hormonal response of 3D-grown breast cancer cells.

The cancer epigenome has been studied in cells cultured in two-dimensional (2D) monolayers, but recent studies highlight the impact of the extracellular matrix and the three-dimensional (3D) environment on multiple cellular functions. Here, we report the physical, biochemical, and genomic differences between T47D breast cancer cells cultured in 2D and as 3D spheroids. Cells within 3D spheroids exhibit a rounder nucleus with less accessible, more compacted chromatin, as well as altered expression of ~2000 genes, the majority of which become repressed.

Choosing the right partner in hormone-dependent gene regulation: Glucocorticoid and progesterone receptors crosstalk in breast cancer cells.

Steroid hormone receptors (SHRs) belong to a large family of ligand-activated nuclear receptors that share certain characteristics and possess others that make them unique. It was thought for many years that the specificity of hormone response lay in the ligand. Although this may be true for pure agonists, the natural ligands as progesterone, corticosterone and cortisol present a broader effect by simultaneous activation of several SHRs.

NOMAD spectrometer on the ExoMars trace gas orbiter mission: part 2-design, manufacturing, and testing of the ultraviolet and visible channel.

NOMAD is a spectrometer suite on board the ESA/Roscosmos ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, which launched in March 2016. NOMAD consists of two infrared channels and one ultraviolet and visible channel, allowing the instrument to perform observations quasi-constantly, by taking nadir measurements at the day- and night-side, and during solar occultations. Here, in part 2 of a linked study, we describe the design, manufacturing, and testing of the ultraviolet and visible spectrometer channel called UVIS.

NOMAD spectrometer on the ExoMars trace gas orbiter mission: part 1--design, manufacturing and testing of the infrared channels.

NOMAD is a spectrometer suite on board ESA's ExoMars trace gas orbiter due for launch in January 2016. NOMAD consists of two infrared channels and one ultraviolet and visible channel allowing the instrument to perform observations quasi-constantly, by taking nadir measurements at dayside and nightside, and during solar occultations. In this paper, the design, manufacturing, and testing of the two infrared channels are described.

Catalase deficiency in Staphylococcus aureus subsp. anaerobius is associated with natural loss-of-function mutations within the structural gene.

Degenerate oligonucleotide primers based on internal peptide sequences obtained by HPLC from purified Staphylococcus aureus catalase were used to locate the S. aureus and S. aureus subsp.