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M A Resnick

Publications and source records attributed to M A Resnick.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

ATP-independent DNA strand transfer catalyzed by protein(s) from meiotic cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

An activity that catalyzes the transfer of a strand from a duplex linear molecule of DNA to a complementary circular single strand can be detected in crude extracts from mitotic and meiotic cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae by adding yeast single-stranded DNA binding proteins. This DNA strand-transfer activity increases greater than 15-fold during meiosis in MATa/MAT alpha diploids prior to the detection of a 100- to 1000-fold increase in homologous chromosomal recombination. No increase is observed in MATa/MATa or MAT alpha/MAT alpha cells, which do not undergo meiosis when shifted to meiotic medium, suggesting the activity is related to meiotic recombination. The activity is named strand-transfer protein alpha (STP alpha) and has been extensively purified from the meiotic cells (6 hr after exposure to sporulation medium). The apparent molecular mass of STP alpha is 38 kDa under denaturing conditions. The DNA strand-transfer reaction catalyzed by STP alpha requires homologous single-stranded and double-stranded DNA and Mg2+ but no nucleotide cofactor. Yeast single-stranded DNA binding proteins stimulate the reaction at least 10-fold. Among the products analyzed by electron microscopy were typical strand-exchange structures.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1987

Purification and characterization of an endo-exonuclease from Saccharomyces cerevisiae that is influenced by the RAD52 gene.

An endo-exonuclease has been purified from logarithmically growing cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Identification and purification of this nuclease was facilitated by its being precipitable with an antibody raised against a previously described Neurospora crassa endo-exonuclease (Resnick, M. A., Chow, T. Y.-K. Nitiss, J., and Game, J. C. (1984) Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol. 49, 639-649 and T. Y.-K. Chow and M. A. Resnick (1988) Mol. Gen. Genet., in press). The enzyme which was purified to near homogeneity was composed of a molecular weight 72,000 monomer. The single-strand nuclease activity is endonucleolytic and nonprocessive, whereas the double-strand DNase activity is exonucleolytic and weakly processive. Both nuclease activities have a pH optimum of 7.5, require Mg2+ or Mn2+ but not Zn2+ or Ca2+, are not inhibited by ATP, and exhibit the same kinetics of heat inactivation. Although this protein is not the product of the RAD52 gene, the greatly reduced amounts in rad52 mutants implicate the enzyme in repair and recombination processes in both mitotic and meiotic cells.

Chromatography, Gel↗
PubMed1987

UV-induced damage and repair in centromere DNA of yeast.

The centromere is the region within a chromosome that is required for proper segregation during mitosis and meiosis. Lesions in this sequence represent a unique type of damage, as loss of function could result in catastrophic loss of the genetic material of an entire chromosome. We have measured the induction by ultraviolet (UV) light of pyrimidine dimers in a 2550-bp restriction fragment that includes the centromere region of chromosome III in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Yeast cells were exposed to ultraviolet light, cellular DNA was gently extracted, and subsequently treated with a UV-specific endonuclease to cleave all pyrimidine dimers. The sites of UV-specific nuclease scission within the centromere were determined by separating the DNA according to molecular weight, transferring the fragments to nitrocellulose, and hybridizing to a radiolabeled 624-bp fragment homologous to the centromere DNA from chromosome III. Several hotspots were identified in chromatin DNA from cells, as well as in irradiated deproteinized DNA. Double strand damage due to closely opposed pyrimidine dimers was also observed. At biological doses (35% survival) there are approximately 0.1 to 0.2 pyrimidine dimers per centromere. These dimers are efficiently repaired in the centromere and surrounding region.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1987

Comparative evaluation of genetic toxicity patterns of carcinogens and noncarcinogens: strategies for predictive use of short-term assays.

The results of a recent comprehensive evaluation of the relationship between four measures of in vitro genetic toxicity and the capacity of the chemicals to induce neoplasia in rodents carry some important implications. The results showed that while the Salmonella mutagenesis assay detected only about half of the carcinogens as mutagens, the other three in vitro assays (mutagenesis in MOLY cells or induction of aberrations or SCEs in CHO cells) did not complement Salmonella since they failed to effectively discriminate between the carcinogens and noncarcinogens found negative in the Salmonella assay. The specificity of the Salmonella assay for this group of 73 chemicals was relatively high (only 4 of 29 noncarcinogens were positive). Therefore, we have begun to evaluate in vivo genetic toxicity assays for their ability to complement Salmonella in the identification of carcinogens.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Statistical analyses for in vitro cytogenetic assays using Chinese hamster ovary cells.

It is a widely held view that objective statistical criteria are needed for the evaluation of genetic toxicity assays. This paper presents statistical methods for the analysis of data from in vitro sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and chromosome aberration tests that use Chinese hamster ovary cells. For SCEs, an extensive study of solvent control results demonstrated that there is a substantial interday component of variability in the data, and that a Poisson sampling model is applicable to data generated via the protocol of Galloway et al [1985]. Consequently, a trend test for evidence of a dose response is proposed for such SCE data. As an illustration of this statistical method, analysis of data previously considered to be negative [Gulati et al, 1985] indicates that di(2-ethyl-hexyl) phthalate induces a weak, but reproducible, SCE dose response in CHO cells. Monte Carlo methods are used to show that the trend test is more sensitive than four other statistical procedures considered for the analysis of Poisson-distributed SCEs. A similar trend test for dose response in proportions is proposed for chromosome aberration data, where the percent of cells with chromosome aberrations is the response of interest. Sensitivity (or power) studies indicate that three doses and a control with 50 cells/dose point is a reasonable design for an in vitro SCE study that uses the Galloway et al protocol. For in vitro chromosome aberrations, however, three doses and a control with 100 cells/dose point appears to produce too insensitive an assay; an increase to 200 cells/dose point in the Galloway et al protocol seems worthy of serious consideration.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Meiosis can induce recombination in rad52 mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The RAD52 and RAD50 genes have previously been shown to be required for normal meiotic recombination and for various types of recombination occurring in mitotic cells. Recent evidence suggests that rad52 mutants might be defective in an intermediate recombination step; we therefore examined recombination during meiosis in several rad52 mutants at several different loci and in genetic backgrounds that yield efficient sporulation and synchronous meiosis. Similar to previous reports, spores from rad52 diploids are inviable and meiotic recombination is greatly reduced by rad52 mutations. However, intragenic recombinants were detected when cells were plated on selective media during meiosis; rad52 mutants experience induction of recombination between homologues under these special conditions. The frequencies of recombination at four loci were considerably greater than the mitotic controls; however, they were still at least 20 times lower than corresponding Rad+ strains. The prototrophs induced by meiosis in rad52 mutants were not typical meiotic recombinants because incubation in nutrient-rich medium before plating to selective medium resulted in the complete loss of recombinants. We propose that previously observed single-strand breaks that accumulate in rad52 mutants may be associated with recombinational intermediates that are resolved when cells are returned to selective mitotic media and that the meiosis-induced recombination in rad52 cells does not involve double-strand breaks.

DNA Transposable Elements↗
PubMed1985

Acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, ethyl acetate, acetonitrile and other polar aprotic solvents are strong inducers of aneuploidy in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A diploid yeast strain D61.M was used to study induction of mitotic chromosomal malsegregation, mitotic recombination and point mutation. Several ketones (including acetone and methyl ethyl ketone) and some organic acid esters (including the methyl, ethyl and 2-methoxyethyl esters of acetic acid) and acetonitrile strongly induced aneuploidy but not recombination or point mutation. Only diethyl ketone induced low levels of recombination and point mutation in addition to aneuploidy. Related compounds were weak inducers of aneuploidy: methyl n-propyl ketone, the methyl esters of propionic and butyric acid, acetic acid esters of n- and iso-propanol and ethyl propionate. No mutagenicity was found with n-butyl and isoamyl acetate, ethyl formate, acetyl acetone (2,5-dipentanone) and dioxane. Methyl isopropyl ketone induced only some recombination and point mutation but no aneuploidy. Efficient induction was only observed with a treatment protocol in which growing cells were exposed to the chemicals during a growth period of 4 h at 28 degrees C followed by incubation in ice for more than 90 min, usually overnight for 16-17 h. Aneuploid cells could be detected in such cultures during a subsequent incubation at growth temperature if the chemical was still present. Detailed analysis showed that there was a high incidence of multiple events of chromosomal malsegregation. It is proposed that the mutagenic agents act directly on tubulin during growth so that labile microtubules are formed which dissociate in the cold. When cells are brought back to temperatures above the level critical for reassembly of tubulin and allowed to grow, faulty microtubules are formed.

Acetates↗
PubMed1985

Stool electrolyte and osmolality measurements in the evaluation of diarrheal disorders.

Stool osmolality and electrolyte measurements were obtained from 12 patients with diarrheal disorders. Osmolality of diarrheal stool (285 to 330 mosmol) regardless of the cause is less than the reported osmolality of normal stool. Storage of stool at room temperature can artifactually increase stool osmolality as the result of bacterial metabolism. When stool samples are fresh, a negative osmotic gap (measured osmolality - 2 X [Na + K]) is commonly associated with secretory diarrhea, whereas a high osmotic gap (greater than 160 mosmol) is seen in patients with osmotic diarrhea. In many conditions fasting does not resolve diarrhea completely, and when the stool osmotic gap is greater than 50 mosmol, the pathogenesis of diarrhea is difficult to define.

Body Water↗
PubMed1984

DNA polymerases, deoxyribonucleases, and recombination during meiosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

We utilized strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that exhibit high efficiency of synchrony of meiosis to examine several aspects of meiosis including sporulation, recombination, DNA synthesis, DNA polymerase I and II, and Mg2+-dependent alkaline DNases. The kinetics of commitment to intragenic recombination and sporulation are similar. The synthesis of DNA, as measured directly with diphenylamine, appears to precede the commitment to recombination. Both DNA polymerase I and II activities and total DNA-synthesizing activity in crude extracts increase two- to threefold before the beginning of meiotic DNA synthesis. Increases of 10- to 20-fold over mitotic levels are found for Mg2+-dependent alkaline DNase activity in crude extracts before and during the commitment to meiotic intragenic recombination. Of particular interest is the comparable increase in a nuclease under the control of the RAD52 gene; this enzyme has been identified by the use of antibody raised against a similar enzyme from Neurospora crassa. Since the RAD52 gene is essential for meiotic recombination, the nuclease is implicated in the high levels of recombination observed during meiosis. The effects observed in this report are meiosis specific since they are not observed in an alpha alpha strain.

DNA Replication↗
PubMed1983

Meiotic DNA metabolism in wild-type and excision-deficient yeast following UV exposure.

The effects of UV irradiation on DNA metabolism during meiosis have been examined in wild-type (RAD+) and mitotically defined excision-defective (rad1-1) strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that exhibit high levels of sporulation. The rad1-1 gene product is not required for normal meiosis: DNA synthesis, RNA synthesis, size of parental and newly synthesized DNA and sporulation are comparable in RAD+ and rad1-1 strains. Cells were UV irradiated at the beginning of meiosis, and the fate of UV-induced pyrimidine dimers as well as changes in DNA and DNA synthesis were followed during meiosis. Excision repair of pyrimidine dimers can occur during meiosis and the RAD1 gene product is required; alternate excision pathways do not exist. Although the rate of elongation is decreased, the presence of pyrimidine dimers during meiosis in the rad1-1 strain does not block meiotic DNA synthesis suggesting a bypass mechanism. The final size of DNA is about five times the distance between pyrimidine dimers after exposure to 4 J/m2. Since pyrimidine dimers induced in parental strands of rad1-1 prior to premeiotic DNA synthesis do not become associated with newly synthesized DNA, the mechanism for replicational bypass does not appear to involve a recombinational process. The absence of such association indicates that normal meiotic recombination is also suppressed by UV-induced damage in DNA; this result at the molecular level is supported by observations at the genetic level.

DNA Repair↗
PubMed1983

Genetic effects of UV irradiation on excision-proficient and -deficient yeast during meiosis.

The lethal and recombinational responses to ultraviolet light irradiation (UV) by excision-proficient (RAD+) and deficient strains (rad1) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been examined in cells undergoing meiosis. Cells that exhibit high levels of meiotic synchrony were irradiated either at the beginning or at various times during meiosis and allowed to proceed through meiosis. Based on survival responses, the only excision repair mechanism for UV damage available during meiosis is that controlled by the RAD1 pathway. The presence of pyrimidine dimers at the beginning of meiosis does not prevent cells from undergoing meiosis; however, the spore products exhibit much lower survival than cells from earlier stages of meiosis. The reduced survival is probably due to effects of UV on recombination. Meiotic levels of gene conversion are reduced only two to three times in these experiments; however, intergenic recombination is nearly abolished after a dose of 4 J/m2 to the rad1 strain. Exposure to 25 J/m2 had little effect on the wild-type strain. Since normal meiotic reciprocal recombination is generally considered to involve gene conversion-type intermediates, it appears that unrepaired UV damage dissociates the two processes. These results complement those obtained with the mei-9 mutants of Drosophila which also demonstrate a dissociation between gene conversion and reciprocal recombination. These results are consistent with molecular observations on the UV-irradiated rad1 strain in that there is no excision of pyrimidine dimers or exchange of dimers during meiosis.

DNA Repair↗
PubMed1981

Changes in DNA during meiosis in a repair-deficient mutant (rad 52) of yeast.

The kinetic patterns of DNA synthesis in wild-type (RAD+) and rad 52 mutants of yeast, which exhibit high levels of synchrony during meiosis, are comparable. However, RAD 52 mutants accumulate single-strand breaks in parental DNA during the DNA synthesis period. Thus, the product of the RAD 52 gene has a role in meiotic DNA metabolism, as well as in the repair of DNA damage during mitotic growth. The observed breaks may be unresolved recombination intermediates.

DNA Repair↗
PubMed1981

Postreplication repair in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Postreplication events in logarithmically growing excision-defective mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were examined after low doses of ultraviolet light (2 to 4 J/m2). Pulse-labeled deoxyribonucleic acid had interruptions, and when the cells were "chased," the interruptions were no longer detected. Since the loss of interruptions was not associated with an exchange of pyrimidine dimers at a detection level of 10 to 20% of the induced dimers, we concluded that postreplication repair in excision-defective mutants (or leaky mutants) does not involve molecular recombination. Pyrimidine dimers were assayed by utilizing the ultraviolet-endonuclease activity in extracts of Micrococcus luteus and newly developed alkaline sucrose gradient techniques, which yielded chromosomal-size deoxyribonucleic acid after treatment of irradiated cells.

DNA Repair↗
PubMed1979

Molecular recombination and the repair of DNA double-strand breaks in CHO cells.

Molecular recombination and the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) have been examined in the G-0 and S phase of the cell cycle using a temperature-sensitive CHO cell line to test i) if there are cell cycle restrictions on the repair of DSB's' ii) the extent to which molecular recombination can be induced between either sister chromatids or homologous chromosomes and iii) whether repair of DSB's involves recombination (3). Mitomycin C (1-2 micrograms/ml) or ionizing radiation (50 krad) followed by incubation resulted in molecular recombination (hybrid DNA) in S phase cells. Approximately 0.03 to 0.10% of the molecules (number average molecular weight: 5.6 x 10(6) Daltons after shearing) had hybrid regions for more than 75% of their length. However, no recombination was detected in G-0 cells. Since the repair of DSB was observed in both stages with more than 50% of the breaks repaired in 5 hours, it appears that DSB repair in G-0 cells does not involve recombination between homologous chromosomes. The possibility is not excluded that repair in G-0 cells involves only small regions (less than 4 x 10(6) Daltons).

Animals↗