Molecular Biology and Genetics / Moleküler Biyoloji ve Genetik

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/11147/9

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Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 4
    Citation - Scopus: 4
    Sensitive and Specific Detection of Ligands Using Engineered Riboswitches
    (Elsevier Ltd., 2018) Morse, Daniel P.; Nevins, Colin E.; Aggrey-Fynn, Joana Efua; Bravo, Rick J.; Pfaeffle, Herman O.I.; Laney, Jess E.
    Riboswitches are RNA elements found in non-coding regions of messenger RNAs that regulate gene expression through a ligand-triggered conformational change. Riboswitches typically bind tightly and specifically to their ligands, so they have the potential to serve as highly effective sensors in vitro. In B. subtilis and other gram-positive bacteria, purine nucleotide synthesis is regulated by riboswitches that bind to guanine. We modified the xpt-pbuX guanine riboswitch for use in a fluorescence quenching assay that allowed us to specifically detect and quantify guanine in vitro. Using this assay, we reproducibly detected as little as 5 nM guanine. We then produced sensors for 2′-deoxyguanosine and cyclic diguanylate (c-diGMP) by appending the P1 stem of the guanine riboswitch to the ligand-binding domains of a 2′-deoxyguanosine riboswitch and a c-diGMP riboswitch. These hybrid sensors could detect 15 nM 2′-deoxyguanosine and 3 nM c-diGMP, respectively. Each sensor retained the ligand specificity of its corresponding natural riboswitch. In order to extend the utility of our approach, we developed a strategy for the in vitro selection of sensors with novel ligand specificity. Here we report a proof-of-principle experiment that demonstrated the feasibility of our selection strategy.
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 36
    Citation - Scopus: 42
    Resveratrol Triggers Apoptosis Through Regulating Ceramide Metabolizing Genes in Human K562 Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Cells
    (Routledge, 2011) Kartal Yandım, Melis; Saydam, Güray; Şahin, Fahri; Baran, Yusuf
    Resveratrol, an important phytoalexin in many plants, has been reported to have cytotoxic effects on various types of cancer. Ceramide is a bioactive sphingolipid that regulates many signaling pathways, including cell growth and proliferation, senescence and quiescence, apoptosis, and cell cycle. Ceramides are generated by longevity assurance genes (LASS). Glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) and sphingosine kinase-1 (SK-1) enzymes can convert ceramides to antiapoptotic molecules, glucosylceramide, and sphingosine-1-phosphate, respectively. C8:ceramide, an important cell-permeable analogue of natural ceramides, increases intracellular ceramide levels significantly, while 1-phenyl-2-decanoylamino-3-morpholino-1-propanol (PDMP) and SK-1 inhibitor increase accumulation of ceramides by inhibiting GCS and SK-1, respectively. Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a hematological disorder resulting from generation of BCR/ABL oncogene. In this study, we examined the roles of ceramide metabolizing genes in resveratrol-induced apoptosis in K562 CML cells. There were synergistic cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of resveratrol with coadministration of C8:ceramide, PDMP, and SK-1 inhibitor. Interestingly, there were also significant increases in expression levels of LASS genes and decreases in expression levels of GCS and SK-1 in K562 cells in response to resveratrol. Our data, in total, showed for the first time that resveratrol might kill CML cells through increasing intracellular generation and accumulation of apoptotic ceramides. Copyright © 2011, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 18
    Citation - Scopus: 16
    Suppression of Stat5a Increases Chemotherapeutic Sensitivity in Imatinib-Resistant and Imatinib-Sensitive K562 Cells
    (Informa Healthcare, 2010) Kosova, Buket; Tezcanlı, Burçin; Ekiz, Hüseyin Atakan; Çakır, Zeynep; Selvi, Nur; Dalmızrak, Ayşegül; Yandım, Melis Kartal; Gündüz, Ufuk; Baran, Yusuf
    STAT proteins are cytoplasmic transcription factors that are involved in the regulation of numerous cellular activities such as cell growth, differentiation, and survival. In this study, we aimed to identify the expression pattern of STAT genes in imatinib-sensitive and-resistant K562 cells, and further, to reveal the effects of STAT5A siRNA knockdown on cell growth and apoptosis induction. The XTT cell proliferation assay showed that both sensitive and resistant K562 cells were sensitized to imatinib upon transfection with STAT5A siRNA. Caspase-3 enzyme activity was increased significantly in both cells. These results may open up new opportunities to overcome chemotherapeutic resistance in leukemia. © 2010 Informa UK, Ltd.
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 15
    Citation - Scopus: 14
    Prolactin Receptor Gene Expression in Rat Splenocytes and Thymocytes During Oestrous Cycle, Pregnancy and Lactation
    (John Wiley and Sons Inc., 1997) Güneş, Hatice; Mastro, Andrea M.
    Much evidence suggests that prolactin (PRL) has an immunoregulatory function. Part of this evidence is that the receptors for PRL are present on lymphocytes. Probably the effects of PRL on cells of the immune system depend on the level and specific forms of PRL-R present on the target cells. Therefore, PRL-R expression at both protein and mRNA levels was examined during oestrous cycle, pregnancy and lactation using Western blotting and PCR analysis. Antibody to the long form of PRL-R detected 84 and 42 kDa protein bands in the spleen but only 84 kDa band in the thymus. The expression pattern of these two protein bands was different in the spleen, suggesting that these two isoforms of PRL-R long form are differentially regulated by the hormones of oestrous cycle. In addition, depending on the tissue, the level of mRNA for the short and long forms of PRL-R showed a significant change at different stages of oestrous cycle. Moreover, 42 and 84 kDa PRL-R bands were detected in both spleen and thymus throughout the pregnancy and lactation; however, the expression pattern of 84 kDa protein band was different between tissues. This finding suggests that each tissue exhibits differential response to hormones which affect PRL-R content.