Mitochondrial-Nuclear DNA Interactions Contribute to the Regulation of Nuclear Transcript Levels as Part of the Inter-Organelle Communication System

Nuclear and mitochondrial organelles must maintain a communication system. Loci on the mitochondrial genome were recently reported to interact with nuclear loci. To determine whether this is part of a DNA based communication system we used genome conformation capture to map the global network of DNA-DNA interactions between the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes (Mito-nDNA) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells grown under three different metabolic conditions. The interactions that form between mitochondrial and nuclear loci are dependent on the metabolic state of the yeast. Moreover, the frequency of specific mitochondrial - nuclear interactions (i.e. COX1-MSY1 and Q0182-RSM7) showed significant reductions in the absence of mitochondrial encoded reverse transcriptase machinery. Furthermore, these reductions correlated with increases in the transcript levels of the nuclear loci (MSY1 and RSM7). We propose that these interactions represent an inter-organelle DNA mediated communication system and that reverse transcription of mitochondrial RNA plays a role in this process

Towards a comprehensive legal aid system in Bangladesh: the need for early access to legal aid in criminal proceedings

The government-funded legal aid system in Bangladesh has been undergoing development. Bangladesh has guaranteed the right to legal assistance in different laws and particularly in the Legal Aid Services Act (LASA) with specific and greater detail. Moreover, it acceded to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in 2000. In this context, the purpose of this article is to examine the current practice of the country with respect to the granting of early access to legal aid in criminal proceedings in light of international human rights standards. The article indicates that the prevailing problem of arbitrary arrest and pre-trial detention of those who are living in poverty is a matter of grave concern in Bangladesh. The author, therefore, recommends a mechanism to ensure early access to legal aid in the government-operated legal aid framework, as a fundamental aspect of a comprehensive system, for the protection of the interests of those who have been arrested or detained prior to being interviewed and formally charged of a criminal offence

The UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies: Impact and Future

The United Nations human rights treaty bodies have, from modest beginnings, developed monitoring practices, particularly consideration of States Parties’ reports, individual complaints procedures, and inquiries, which cover a broad range of rights and issues. This development, in particular increasingly participatory procedures, has been lauded as an example of “human rights experimentalism.” The treaty bodies have thereby contributed to the interpretation of international human rights law, though not without some weaknesses, and to the protection of human rights, at least to some extent. While treaty bodies have undoubtedly become an integral part of the UN’s human rights system, they face considerable challenges in terms of their efficiency, effectiveness, and legitimacy. Their proliferation, and the consequent increase in the number of States Parties’ reports and cases, has prompted an ongoing review process. It calls into question the future of the system in its present form and entails that treaty bodies and their record will remain under close scrutiny. Treaty bodies will have to continue navigating conflicting demands and expectations from States Parties, within the United Nations, and civil society organizations. In a world where inequality, conflict, and instability are rife and the very notion of human rights is frequently sidelined if not criticized, treaty bodies face a considerable challenge to ensure effective monitoring and ultimately the protection of human rights. Combining a clear conceptual focus and attention to context with closer institutional alignment and holistic and effective forms of engagement will be critical in meeting this challenge