413 research outputs found
Resolving RAD51C function in late stages of homologous recombination
DNA double strand breaks are efficiently repaired by homologous recombination. One of the last steps of this process is resolution of Holliday junctions that are formed at the sites of genetic exchange between homologous DNA. Although various resolvases with Holliday junctions processing activity have been identified in bacteriophages, bacteria and archaebacteria, eukaryotic resolvases have been elusive. Recent biochemical evidence has revealed that RAD51C and XRCC3, members of the RAD51-like protein family, are involved in Holliday junction resolution in mammalian cells. However, purified recombinant RAD51C and XRCC3 proteins have not shown any Holliday junction resolution activity. In addition, these proteins did not reveal the presence of a nuclease domain, which raises doubts about their ability to function as a resolvase. Furthermore, oocytes from infertile Rad51C mutant mice exhibit precocious separation of sister chromatids at metaphase II, a phenotype that reflects a defect in sister chromatid cohesion, not a lack of Holliday junction resolution. Here we discuss a model to explain how a Holliday junction resolution defect can lead to sister chromatid separation in mouse oocytes. We also describe other recent in vitro and in vivo evidence supporting a late role for RAD51C in homologous recombination in mammalian cells, which is likely to be resolution of the Holliday junction
Correlations between X-ray Spectral and Timing Characteristics in Cyg X-2
Correlations between the quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) and the spectral
power-law index have been reported for a number of black hole candidate sources
and for four neutron star (NS) sources, 4U 0614+09, 4U 1608-52, 4U 1728-34 and
Sco X-1. An examination of QPO frequencies and index relationship in Cyg X-2 is
reported herein. The RXTE spectrum of Cyg X-2 can be adequately represented by
a simple two-component model of Compton up-scattering with a soft photon
electron temperature of about 0.7 keV and an iron K-line. Inferred spectral
power-law index shows correlation with the low QPO frequencies. We find that
the Thomson optical depth of the Compton cloud (CC) tau, in framework of
spherical geometry, is in the range of ~4-6, which is consistent with the
neutron star's surface being obscured. The NS high frequency pulsations are
presumably suppressed as a result of photon scattering off CC electrons because
of such high values of tau. We also point out a number of similarities in terms
timing (presence of low and high frequency QPOs) and spectral (high CC optical
depth and low CC plasma temperature) appearances between Cyg X-2 and Sco X-1.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ (October 1, 2007,
v667n2 issue
Hyperbolic chaos in self-oscillating systems based on mechanical triple linkage: Testing absence of tangencies of stable and unstable manifolds for phase trajectories
Dynamical equations are formulated and a numerical study is provided for
self-oscillatory model systems based on the triple linkage hinge mechanism of
Thurston -- Weeks -- Hunt -- MacKay. We consider systems with holonomic
mechanical constraint of three rotators as well as systems, where three
rotators interact by potential forces. We present and discuss some quantitative
characteristics of the chaotic regimes (Lyapunov exponents, power spectrum).
Chaotic dynamics of the models we consider are associated with hyperbolic
attractors, at least, at relatively small supercriticality of the
self-oscillating modes; that follows from numerical analysis of the
distribution for angles of intersection of stable and unstable manifolds of
phase trajectories on the attractors. In systems based on rotators with
interacting potential the hyperbolicity is violated starting from a certain
level of excitation.Comment: 30 pages, 18 figure
A handcuff model for the cohesin complex
The cohesin complex is responsible for the accurate separation of sister chromatids into two daughter cells. Several models for the cohesin complex have been proposed, but the one-ring embrace model currently predominates the field. However, the static configuration of the embrace model is not flexible enough for cohesins to perform their functions during DNA replication, transcription, and DNA repair. We used coimmunoprecipitation, a protein fragment complement assay, and a yeast two-hybrid assay to analyze the protein–protein interactions among cohesin subunits. The results show that three of the four human cohesin core subunits (Smc1, Smc3, and Rad21) interact with themselves in an Scc3 (SA1/SA2)-dependent manner. These data support a two-ring handcuff model for the cohesin complex, which is flexible enough to establish and maintain sister chromatid cohesion as well as ensure the fidelity of chromosome segregation in higher eukaryotes
Synchronisation schemes for two dimensional discrete systems
In this work we consider two models of two dimensional discrete systems
subjected to three different types of coupling and analyse systematically the
performance of each in realising synchronised states.We find that linear
coupling effectively introduce control of chaos along with
synchronisation,while synchronised chaotic states are possible with an additive
parametric coupling scheme both being equally relevant for specific
applications.The basin leading to synchronisationin the initial value plane and
the choice of parameter values for synchronisation in the parameter plane are
isolatedin each case.Comment: 17 pages 8 figures. submitted to physica script
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