11 research outputs found
Microscopic origin of universality in Casimir forces
The microscopic mechanisms for universality of Casimir forces between
macroscopic conductors are displayed in a model of classical charged fluids.
The model consists of two slabs in empty space at distance containing
classical charged particles in thermal equilibrium (plasma, electrolyte). A
direct computation of the average force per unit surface yields, at large
distance, the usual form of the Casimir force in the classical limit (up to a
factor 2 due to the fact that the model does not incorporate the magnetic part
of the force). Universality originates from perfect screening sum rules obeyed
by the microscopic charge correlations in conductors. If one of the slabs is
replaced by a macroscopic dielectric medium, the result of Lifshitz theory for
the force is retrieved. The techniques used are Mayer expansions and integral
equations for charged fluids.Comment: 31 pages, 0 figures, submitted to Journal of Statistical Physic
Mutations in DONSON disrupt replication fork stability and cause microcephalic dwarfism
To ensure efficient genome duplication, cells have evolved numerous factors that promote unperturbed DNA replication and protect, repair and restart damaged forks. Here we identify downstream neighbor of SON (DONSON) as a novel fork protection factor and report biallelic DONSON mutations in 29 individuals with microcephalic dwarfism. We demonstrate that DONSON is a replisome component that stabilizes forks during genome replication. Loss of DONSON leads to severe replication-associated DNA damage arising from nucleolytic cleavage of stalled replication forks. Furthermore, ATM- and Rad3-related (ATR)-dependent signaling in response to replication stress is impaired in DONSON-deficient cells, resulting in decreased checkpoint activity and the potentiation of chromosomal instability. Hypomorphic mutations in DONSON substantially reduce DONSON protein levels and impair fork stability in cells from patients, consistent with defective DNA replication underlying the disease phenotype. In summary, we have identified mutations in DONSON as a common cause of microcephalic dwarfism and established DONSON as a critical replication fork protein required for mammalian DNA replication and genome stability
Analysis of model replication origins in Drosophila reveals new aspects of the chromatin landscape and its relationship to origin activity and the prereplicative complex
A study of model DNA replication origins in Drosophila reveals a codependence between histone acetylation and pre-RC assembly and leads to a chromatin switch model for the coordination of origin and promoter activity during development