DNA, Gene expression and protein synthesis Flashcards
DNA structure
- 3-D structure
- 2 helices wrapping around each other
- the surface has major (wider spiral) & minor grooves (narrow spiral)
- the size of the groove affects access to bases within the helix
DNA & drug pharmacology
- a target for chemotherapy drugs through various types of interactions
- strand breaker: bleomycin (both helices break)
- non-covalent interactions: other interactions may occur too (not chemically interacting but fitting)
- covalent complexes: cis platin - platinum-based
non-covalent interactions with DNA
- intercalation between bases - doxorubicin (planar molecules fit)
fitting into (in space/opening)
- minor grooves - distamycin A
- major grooves - neocarzinostatin
- or spanning both - nogalamycin
*some do both
cis platin
*anticancer chemotherapy drug
- covalent binding –> specific to one strand (nucleotide-nucleotide or to protein)
- involving at least one guanine
- multiple ways of binding increase effectiveness as drug
types of covalent cis platin binding
*always to one guanine nucleotide
a) interstrand - consecutive nucleotides opposite strands, ~3-5% (one strand across another)
b) intrastrand - consecutive nucleotides, ~80-90% (2 covalent interactions on one strand - same backbone)
c) intrastrand - non-consecutive, nearby nucleotides, ~3-5% (skip residue)
d) either strand - guanine & protein, ~3%
How & why is cis-platin binding detrimental to cancer cell? Are only cancer cells affected?
- covalent bonds across helix or along one strand block RNA or DNA polymerase decreasing DNA replication or mRNA production for cell growth
- DNA is a template for polymerase
- slower growing normal cells likely less affected than faster replicating/faster-metabolizing cancer cells
- chemotherapy has a negative impact on cancer cells
*nonselective so not only cancer cells are impacted (all cells that replicate/transcribe DNA)
DNA replication overview
- replication events/requirements
- chromosome ends (5’ –> 3’ rule) & unwinding (topoisomerase)
- possible targets for chemotherapy
- topoisomerase unwinds double strand DNA
- 5’ –> 3’ rule because added onto exposed 3’ hydroxyl
- double helix slows down DNA polymerase so needs to be unwound by topoisomerase
the 5’ –> 3’ rule
- templates are anti-parallel
- RNA primer required to provide initial 3’ OH for DNA nucleotides add on
- replication proceeds 5’ –> 3’
- replication fork moves
- RNA primer (short stretch of RNA) binds antiparallel and daughter strand synthesis starts after on 3’ OH available for DNA polymerase
2 kinds of daughter strands
leading strand
- continuous synthesis (faster)
- one RNA primer and synthesis
towards the replication fork
lagging strand
- short, discontinuous synthesis
yields separate lengths of DNA
(Okazaki fragments) –> slower
- RNA primers removed by RNAseH
the enzyme, DNA nucleotides fill in
gaps, fragments joined by ligase - several priming events (slower)
- use 3’ end of RNA for DNA
ligase
*ligase completed
- RNA primers come off template before they are incorporated
- covalently ligated together for one covalent strand
- before they are not covalently linked
- when RNA primer removed, 3’ OH available to fill
a consequence of the 5’ –> 3’ rule
*leading and lagging strand
- chromosome ends (telomeres) shorten with repeated rounds of DNA replication
- single-stranded DNA template at chromosome terminus left after removal of RNA primer is degraded by exonucleases
- gaps remain unfilled and single-strand is degraded
- single stranded has no replication event
What are the consequences of repeated rounds of DNA replication?
*shortened each time cell replicates DNA
- both ends of the chromosome (telomere) are shortened
chromosome ends
- telomeres = ends of linear eukaryotic chromosomes
- protect & stabilize the internal section of chromosome
- conserved, short, highly repeated sequence
- ~6-9 ntds (similar but can vary)
- keep an eye on that TTA series
*do not contain any protein-coding but if degraded too much –> start to degrade protein coding region
telomere shortened too much
- cell stops replicating (loses the ability to replicate DNA)
- a sign of aging in cells
- single-stranded region degraded (telomere shortened)
- telomere shortening may = ‘biological clock’ of cellular age
- no mitosis but can still transcribe, etc.
end replication problem’ of DNA synthesis
- DNA polymerases need RNA primer to start replication
- 20-200 single-strand end left after removal of terminal primer
- single strand region removed by exonuclease & chromosome shortens
how to rebuild telomeres
*cell can slow progressive degradation if right enzymatic activity
- telomerase = catalyzes telomere lengthening (enzyme for mitosis forever)
- functions as reverse transcriptase synthesizing DNA from RNA template - contrast to typical DNA replication
- enzyme function requires protein and RNA subunit
- adds ntds to single-stranded overhang which becomes long enough to pair with usual RNA primer
- single-stranded portion now long enough to be primed by usual means
- long enough for daughter strand (but some shortening)
*balance between telomerase enzyme + DNA replication
telomerase structure
- RNA template (with uracil) in backbone and associated protein
- adds DNA onto 3’ hydroxyl
- temporarily/transiently base pairs
- template within (RNA) should extend strand - complementary to repeats making telomere
telomerase in normal cells
*good/bad news
- the majority of normal cells do not produce telomerase (somatic cells)
- consequences for tissue/organ
- telomeres shorten –> cell stops dividing –> replicative senescence
- accumulated tissue “wear & tear” without new cell replacements
- if re-extension of telomeres –> then continued cell replication
- cellular aging/dying
telomerase activity
- reproductive cells: moderate levels
- blood, skin, & gastrointestinal cells: very low levels
- tissues where replacement and renewal are critical
- some shortening still occurs because the level is too low
- ex. epithelial (no rep) in the villus of the small intestine for absorption
- crypt is the location for high replication (more telomerase) and lower levels of telomerase
- at the tip, cells are shed + replaced by replicative cells at the crypt (travel up)
- ex. skin cells have a low level of replacement = low telomerase
cancer cells and telomerase
- ~90% of cancer types have high telomerase levels
- telomerase levels increase from early to late-stage cancer
- telomeres maintained; cells divide & escape replicative senescence (no internal clock)
- the other ~10% of cancer cells maintain telomere ends
- alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) = sister chromosome serves as template in a process similar to homologous recombination
- extended telomere of matched chromosome
(t/f) telomerase & alternative processes may be anticancer targets to block chromosome maintenance
true
DNA replication as a drug target
- telomerase function blocked by “antisense” DNA
- telomerase function blocked by AZT
telomerase function blocked by “antisense” DNA
- restore the clock to stop replication
- complementary to the RNA component of the enzyme (plug up –> preoccupied with something else)
- inactive telomerase complex (DNA+RNA+protein)
- RNA not available as a template for telomere extension
- synthesize short bit of DNA that base pairs and blocks telomerase activity via RNA
imetelstat
- administered by IV infusion
- green “tail” is 16 carbon-long lipid to improve movement across the cell membranes to increase potency & improve pharmacokinetic & pharmacodynamic properties (covalent binding)
- membrane is a compartment barrier (to the nucleus)
- imetelstat binds to template region of RNA component of telomerase, resulting in direct, competitive inhibition of telomerase enzymatic activity (into nucleus)
- clinical trials results: suppresses proliferation of malignant progenitor cells aiding recovery of normal hematopoiesis in patients with hematologic myeloid malignancies