Nucleic Acids Research

A collaborative team from National Taiwan University and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University identified an alternative strategy to regulate an immune enzyme linked to cancer and inflammation.

A research team at The University of Osaka revealed that the loss of heterochromatin can cause a chain reaction leading to genetic changes and the subsequent development of diseases including cancer. Using fission yeast, the study specifically found that loss of Clr4, which encodes a methyltransferase, can induce an increase in R-loop levels at pericentromeric repeats, and the later conversion of R-loops into ADR-loops can prompt gross chromosomal rearrangements.

A newly discovered promoter element “start” points to a shared regulatory syntax for controlling transcription initiation in bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes.

Using optical tweezers, researchers at National Taiwan University observed individual binding events in real time, offering new insights into the molecular regulation of homologous recombination.

A research team from National Taiwan University, Academia Sinica, and National Taiwan University Hospital has uncovered a critical connection between a unique RNA molecule and human aging, including early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.

Identification and characterization of a novel tRNA modification enzyme in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakarensis

Researchers at Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University and colleagues have achieved a major breakthrough in understanding sperm DNA packaging. Using high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM), they captured the real-time process of protamine (PRM)-induced DNA condensation, providing critical insights into fertility, genome stability, and future applications in medicine. Their findings are published in "Nucleic Acids Research".

How multiple DNA binding proteins compete for the DNA substrate leads to different biochemical outcomes. Using single-molecule experiments, this work demonstrates that the regulatory protein Mei5-Sae3 complex stabilizes Dmc1 recombinases on RPA-coated DNA, leading to efficient RPA displacement and Dmc1 assembly, which in turn stimulates recombination progression.

Researchers from Osaka University found that a new activator called L687 induces cancer cells to accept delivery of antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) drugs. These drugs can treat cancer by blocking the transfer of messages from genes that encourage cancer growth. Previous methods to deliver ASOs into cells had only limited success. This research will help accelerate the development and delivery of novel ASO cancer therapies.

A new microscopic technique allows for the real-time study of RNA G-quadruplexes in living cells, with implications for the fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

A research group has discovered a new gene that aids in the fight against type 2 diabetes. The gene, known as L-IST, reduces Selenoprotein P, too much of which increases insulin resistance, and can be increased through drinking tea.

Groups in Ehime University, Japan and the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), Japan have solved the crystal structure of the eukaryotic Trm7-TRm734 complex, which methylates the ribose at the first position of anticodon in tRNA. They have clarified the tRNA recognition mechanism of this complex and the functions of its subunits based on the crystal structure. This study was published in Nucleic Acids Research on October 5, 2019.

A recent study, affiliated with South Korea's Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) has presented a novel approach to identify cancer suppressing microRNA (miRNA) targets and relevant cellular signaling pathways through large-scale gene-expression data analysis.