We present here the results of a systematic bioinformatics analysis of control (C) proteins, a class of DNA-binding regulators that control time-delayed transcription of their own genes as well as restriction endonuclease genes in many type II restriction-modification systems. More than 290 C protein homologs were identified and DNA-binding sites for approximately 70% of new and previously know...

Inhibitors of human DNA methyltransferases (DNMT) are of increasing interest to develop novel epi-drugs for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. As the number of compounds with reported DNMT inhibition is increasing, molecular docking is shedding light to elucidate their mechanism of action and further interpret structure-activity relationships. Herein, we present a structure-based ratio...

Recent preclinical studies have shown the feasibility of specific variants of nuclear transfer to prevent mitochondrial DNA disorders. Nuclear transfer could be a valuable reproductive option for carriers of mitochondrial mutations. A clinical application of nuclear transfer, however, would entail germ-line modification, more specifically a germ-line modification of the mitochondrial genome. On...

Development of efficient molecular medicines, including gene therapeutics, RNA therapeutics, and DNA vaccines, depends on efficient means of transfer of DNA or RNA into the cell. Potential problems, including toxicity and immunogenicity, surrounding viral methods of DNA delivery have necessitated the use of nonviral, synthetic carriers. To better design synthetic carriers, or transfection reage...

DNA methylation is a stable epigenetic modification, which is well known to be involved in gene expression regulation. In general, however, analyzing DNA methylation requires rather time consuming processes (24-96 h) via DNA replication and protein modification. Here we demonstrate a methodology to analyze DNA methylation at a single DNA molecule level without any protein modifications by measu...