Evaluation of rehabilitation influence on flat foot in children by plantar pressure analysis

The flatfoot diagnosis in childhood belongs to the most frequent diagnosis in the orthopaedic and physiotherapist clinics. The aim of this research is to evaluate the influence of rehabilitation on the values of plantar pressures. Emed platform was used for measurement. The research group consisted of three subjects (aged 6.3 ± 1.7 years) with the flat foot diagnosis. Statistical analysis of mean pressures found the increasing of these pressures in the middle foot region after rehabilitation. Similarly, significantly decreasing of contact area were found in the region of the middle foot. The method of plantar pressure analysis can help improve a foot function and evaluate the treatment effect. This study indicates the effect of rehabilitation on foot arch in childhood

Circular dichroism and conformational polymorphism of DNA

Here we review studies that provided important information about conformational properties of DNA using circular dichroic (CD) spectroscopy. The conformational properties include the B-family of structures, A-form, Z-form, guanine quadruplexes, cytosine quadruplexes, triplexes and other less characterized structures. CD spectroscopy is extremely sensitive and relatively inexpensive. This fast and simple method can be used at low- as well as high-DNA concentrations and with short- as well as long-DNA molecules. The samples can easily be titrated with various agents to cause conformational isomerizations of DNA. The course of detected CD spectral changes makes possible to distinguish between gradual changes within a single DNA conformation and cooperative isomerizations between discrete structural states. It enables measuring kinetics of the appearance of particular conformers and determination of their thermodynamic parameters. In careful hands, CD spectroscopy is a valuable tool for mapping conformational properties of particular DNA molecules. Due to its numerous advantages, CD spectroscopy significantly participated in all basic conformational findings on DNA

Crystal structures of B-DNA dodecamer containing the epigenetic modifications 5-hydroxymethylcytosine or 5-methylcytosine

5-Hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC) was recently identified as a relatively frequent base in eukaryotic genomes. Its physiological function is still unclear, but it is supposed to serve as an intermediate in DNA de novo demethylation. Using X-ray diffraction, we solved five structures of four variants of the d(CGCGAATTCGCG) dodecamer, containing either 5-hmC or 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) at position 3 or at position 9. The observed resolutions were between 1.42 and 1.99 Å. Cytosine modification in all cases influences neither the whole B-DNA double helix structure nor the modified base pair geometry. The additional hydroxyl group of 5-hmC with rotational freedom along the C5-C5A bond is preferentially oriented in the 3′ direction. A comparison of thermodynamic properties of the dodecamers shows no effect of 5-mC modification and a sequence-dependent only slight destabilizing effect of 5-hmC modification. Also taking into account the results of a previous functional study [Münzel et al. (2011) (Improved synthesis and mutagenicity of oligonucleotides containing 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, 5-formylcytosine and 5-carboxylcytosine. Chem. Eur. J., 17, 13782−13788)], we conclude that the 5 position of cytosine is an ideal place to encode epigenetic information. Like this, neither the helical structure nor the thermodynamics are changed, and polymerases cannot distinguish 5-hmC and 5-mC from unmodified cytosine, all these effects are making the former ones non-mutageni

Conformational and thermodynamic hallmarks of DNA operator site specificity in the copper sensitive operon repressor from Streptomyces lividans

Metal ion homeostasis in bacteria relies on metalloregulatory proteins to upregulate metal resistance genes and enable the organism to preclude metal toxicity. The copper sensitive operon repressor (CsoR) family is widely distributed in bacteria and controls the expression of copper efflux systems. CsoR operator sites consist of G-tract containing pseudopalindromes of which the mechanism of operator binding is poorly understood. Here, we use a structurally characterized CsoR from Streptomyces lividans (CsoRSl) together with three specific operator targets to reveal the salient features pertaining to the mechanism of DNA binding. We reveal that CsoRSl binds to its operator site through a 2-fold axis of symmetry centred on a conserved 5′-TAC/GTA-3′ inverted repeat. Operator recognition is stringently dependent not only on electropositive residues but also on a conserved polar glutamine residue. Thermodynamic and circular dichroic signatures of the CsoRSl-DNA interaction suggest selectivity towards the A-DNA-like topology of the G-tracts at the operator site. Such properties are enhanced on protein binding thus enabling the symmetrical binding of two CsoRSl tetramers. Finally, differential binding modes may exist in operator sites having more than one 5′-TAC/GTA-3′ inverted repeat with implications in vivo for a mechanism of modular control. © 2013 The Author(s)

Ligand selectivity in stabilising tandem parallel folded G-quadruplex motifs in human telomeric DNA sequences

Biophysical studies of ligand interactions with three human telomeric repeat sequences (d(AGGG(TTAGGG)n, n = 3, 7 and 11)) show that an oxazole-based ‘click’ ligand, which induces parallel folded quadruplexes, preferentially stabilises longer telomeric repeats providing evidence for selectivity in binding at the interface between tandem quadruplex motifs

Arrangements of human telomere DNA quadruplex in physiologically relevant K+ solutions

The arrangement of the human telomeric quadruplex in physiologically relevant conditions has not yet been unambiguously determined. Our spectroscopic results suggest that the core quadruplex sequence G3(TTAG3)3 forms an antiparallel quadruplex of the same basket type in solution containing either K+ or Na+ ions. Analogous sequences extended by flanking nucleotides form a mixture of the antiparallel and hybrid (3 + 1) quadruplexes in K+-containing solutions. We, however, show that long telomeric DNA behaves in the same way as the basic G3(TTAG3)3 motif. Both G3(TTAG3)3 and long telomeric DNA are also able to adopt the (3 + 1) quadruplex structure: Molecular crowding conditions, simulated here by ethanol, induced a slow transition of the K+-stabilized quadruplex into the hybrid quadruplex structure and then into a parallel quadruplex arrangement at increased temperatures. Most importantly, we demonstrate that the same transitions can be induced even in aqueous, K+-containing solution by increasing the DNA concentration. This is why distinct quadruplex structures were detected for AG3(TTAG3)3 by X-ray, nuclear magnetic resonance and circular dichrosim spectroscopy: Depending on DNA concentration, the human telomeric DNA can adopt the antiparallel quadruplex, the (3 + 1) structure, or the parallel quadruplex in physiologically relevant concentrations of K+ ions

Structural characterization of cationic lipid–tRNA complexes

Despite considerable interest and investigations on cationic lipid–DNA complexes, reports on lipid–RNA interaction are very limited. In contrast to lipid–DNA complexes where lipid binding induces partial B to A and B to C conformational changes, lipid–tRNA complexation preserves tRNA folded state. This study is the first attempt to investigate the binding of cationic lipid with transfer RNA and the effect of lipid complexation on tRNA aggregation and condensation. We examine the interaction of tRNA with cholesterol (Chol), 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTAP), dioctadecyldimethylammoniumbromide (DDAB) and dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), at physiological condition, using constant tRNA concentration and various lipid contents. FTIR, UV-visible, CD spectroscopic methods and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to analyze lipid binding site, the binding constant and the effects of lipid interaction on tRNA stability, conformation and condensation. Structural analysis showed lipid–tRNA interactions with G–C and A–U base pairs as well as the backbone phosphate group with overall binding constants of KChol = 5.94 (± 0.8) × 104 M–1, KDDAB = 8.33 (± 0.90) × 105 M–1, KDOTAP = 1.05 (± 0.30) × 105 M–1 and KDOPE = 2.75 (± 0.50) × 104 M–1. The order of stability of lipid–tRNA complexation is DDAB > DOTAP > Chol > DOPE. Hydrophobic interactions between lipid aliphatic tails and tRNA were observed. RNA remains in A-family structure, while biopolymer aggregation and condensation occurred at high lipid concentrations

Structural characterization of cationic lipid–tRNA complexes

Despite considerable interest and investigations on cationic lipid–DNA complexes, reports on lipid–RNA interaction are very limited. In contrast to lipid–DNA complexes where lipid binding induces partial B to A and B to C conformational changes, lipid–tRNA complexation preserves tRNA folded state. This study is the first attempt to investigate the binding of cationic lipid with transfer RNA and the effect of lipid complexation on tRNA aggregation and condensation. We examine the interaction of tRNA with cholesterol (Chol), 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTAP), dioctadecyldimethylammoniumbromide (DDAB) and dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), at physiological condition, using constant tRNA concentration and various lipid contents. FTIR, UV-visible, CD spectroscopic methods and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to analyze lipid binding site, the binding constant and the effects of lipid interaction on tRNA stability, conformation and condensation. Structural analysis showed lipid–tRNA interactions with G–C and A–U base pairs as well as the backbone phosphate group with overall binding constants of KChol = 5.94 (± 0.8) × 104 M–1, KDDAB = 8.33 (± 0.90) × 105 M–1, KDOTAP = 1.05 (± 0.30) × 105 M–1 and KDOPE = 2.75 (± 0.50) × 104 M–1. The order of stability of lipid–tRNA complexation is DDAB > DOTAP > Chol > DOPE. Hydrophobic interactions between lipid aliphatic tails and tRNA were observed. RNA remains in A-family structure, while biopolymer aggregation and condensation occurred at high lipid concentrations

G-quadruplex formation within the promoter of the KRAS proto-oncogene and its effect on transcription

In human and mouse, the promoter of the KRAS gene contains a nuclease hypersensitive polypurine–polypyrimidine element (NHPPE) that is essential for transcription. An interesting feature of the polypurine G-rich strand of NHPPE is its ability to assume an unusual DNA structure that, according to circular dichroism (CD) and DMS footprinting experiments, is attributed to an intramolecular parallel G-quadruplex, consisting of three G-tetrads and three loops. The human and mouse KRAS NHPPE G-rich strands display melting temperature of 64 and 73°C, respectively, as well as a K(+)-dependent capacity to arrest DNA polymerase. Photocleavage and CD experiments showed that the cationic porphyrin TMPyP4 stacks to the external G-tetrads of the KRAS quadruplexes, increasing the T(m) by ∼20°C. These findings raise the intriguing question that the G-quadruplex formed within the NHPPE of KRAS may be involved in the regulation of transcription. Indeed, transfection experiments showed that the activity of the mouse KRAS promoter is reduced to 20% of control, in the presence of the quadruplex-stabilizing TMPyP4. In addition, we found that G-rich oligonucleotides mimicking the KRAS quadruplex, but not the corresponding 4-base mutant sequences or oligonucleotides forming quadruplexes with different structures, competed with the NHPPE duplex for binding to nuclear proteins. When vector pKRS-413, containing CAT driven by the mouse KRAS promoter, and KRAS quadruplex oligonucleotides were co-transfected in 293 cells, the expression of CAT was found to be downregulated to 40% of the control. On the basis of these data, we propose that the NHPPE of KRAS exists in equilibrium between a double-stranded form favouring transcription and a folded quadruplex form, which instead inhibits transcription. Such a mechanism, which is probably adopted by other growth-related genes, provides useful hints for the rational design of anticancer drugs against the KRAS oncogene

Different loop arrangements of intramolecular human telomeric (3+1) G-quadruplexes in K(+) solution

Intramolecular G-quadruplexes formed by the human telomeric G-rich strand are promising anticancer targets. Here we show that four-repeat human telomeric DNA sequences can adopt two different intramolecular G-quadruplex folds in K(+) solution. The two structures contain the (3+1) G-tetrad core, in which three G-tracts are oriented in one direction and the fourth in the opposite direction, with one double-chain-reversal and two edgewise loops, but involve different loop arrangements. This result indicates the robustness of the (3+1) core G-quadruplex topology, thereby suggesting it as an important platform for structure-based drug design. Our data also support the view that multiple human telomeric G-quadruplex conformations coexist in K(+) solution. Furthermore, even small changes to flanking sequences can perturb the equilibrium between different coexisting G-quadruplex forms