Self-healing oxime-functional hydrogels have been developed that undergo a reversible gel-to-sol transition via oxime exchange under acidic conditions. Keto-functional copolymers were prepared by conventional radical polymerization of N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMA) and diacetone acrylamide (DAA). The resulting water soluble copolymers (P(DMA-stat-DAA)) were chemically crosslinked with difunctiona...

Important thermodynamic parameters including denaturant equilibrium m values (m(eq)) and heat capacity changes (ΔCp) can be predicted based on changes in Solvent Accessible Surface Area (SASA) upon unfolding. Crosslinks such as disulfide bonds influence the stability of the proteins by decreasing the entropy gain as well as reduction of SASA of unfolded state. The aim of the study was to develo...

Homologous recombination (HR) is a mechanism for repairing DNA interstrand crosslinks and double-strand breaks. In mammals, HR requires the activities of the RAD51 family (RAD51, RAD51B, RAD51C, RAD51D, XRCC2, XRCC3 and DMC1), each of which contains conserved ATP binding sequences (Walker Motifs A and B). RAD51D is a DNA-stimulated ATPase that interacts directly with RAD51C and XRCC2. To test t...

FANCM is a highly conserved DNA remodeling enzyme that promotes the activation of the Fanconi anemia DNA repair pathway and facilitates replication traverse of DNA interstrand crosslinks. However, how FANCM interacts with the replication machinery to promote traverse remains unclear. Here, we show that FANCM and its archaeal homolog Hef from Thermoplasma acidophilum interact with proliferating ...

Diagenesis was studied in DNA obtained from Siberian permafrost (permanently frozen soil) ranging from 10,000 to 400,000 years in age. Despite optimal preservation conditions, we found the sedimentary DNA to be severely modified by interstrand crosslinks; single- and double-stranded breaks; and freely exposed sugar, phosphate, and hydroxyl groups. Intriguingly, interstrand crosslinks were found...

Vaccinia virus DNA, extracted from purified virus or from the cytoplasmic fraction of virus-infected cells very shortly after infection, was analyzed by sedimentation in alkaline and neutral sucrose gradients. The sedimentation properties of vaccinia DNA under denaturing conditions changed, immediately after penetration into the cell, from the characteristic circular viral DNA (crosslinked doub...

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Exposure of DNA to several proteins peroxidized by radiation-generated hydroxyl free radicals resulted in formation of crosslinks between the macromolecules, detected by retardation and broadening of DNA bands in agarose gels. This technique proved suitable for the study of crosslinking of DNA with peroxidized BSA, insulin, apotransferrin and alpha casein, but not with several other proteins, i...