Direct Binding of DNA by Tumor Suppressor Menin

Direct Binding of DNA by Tumor Suppressor Menin
-Ping La, et al. Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol. 279, No. 47. Nov. 2004.

• "Menin directly binds to double-stranded DNA."
• "The COOH terminus of menin mediates binding to DNA, but MEN1 disease-derived mutations in the COOH terminus abolish the ability of menin to bind DNA."
• "MEN1 disease-related menin mutants also fail to repress cell proliferation as well as cell cycle progression at the G2/M phase."
• "Collectively, these results demonstrate... a novel biochemical activity of menin, binding to DNA, and link its DNA binding to the regulation of cell proliferation."

DNA - A Graphic Guide to the Molecule that Shook the World

DNA - A Graphic Guide to the Molecule that Shook the World
-Rosenfield I, et al. 2011 Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0-231-14270-0

• Don't let the 'comic book' design of this book fool You. This book is a great introduction to DNA and genetics! It's well written -even fun- and it has been extremely helpful in learning the basics of DNA structure, gene transcription, and more. Recommended.

DNA methylation

Allfrey in 1964 described methylation as a chemical mark upon histones.^[Ref.1] According to newer sources, methylation also takes place on some CpG sequences of the DNA itself.^[Ref.11] CpG denotes a cytosine base next to a guanine base, a combination that tends to occur frequently. A methyl group (CH₃) may attach to the cytosine in a CpG pair, forming Me-CpG. DNA methylation is associated with the regulation of gene expression.

In human DNA about 80%-90% of CpG sites are methylated, but there are certain areas known as CpG islands where none of the sites are methylated. These are associated with the promoters of 56% of mammalian genes, including all ubiquitously expressed genes. ⁽¹⁾

MEN1 is a ubiquitously expressed gene^[Ref.6], so it would seem that we should take a closer look at methylation.
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⁽¹⁾Methylation. Wikipedia.

The Molecule that Shook the World

I've been reading a short book on DNA and genetics, and it has really surpassed my expectations. "DNA - A Graphic Guide to the Molecule that Shook the World", by Israel Rosenfield, Edward Ziff, and Borin Van Loon (2011, Columbia University Press), is designed much like a comic book. At first glance I didn't know whether to take the book seriously, but halfway through this little book I think it's a winner!

250 pages of serious material presented clearly and in a very readable, even entertaining form. DNA, replication, the genetic code, gene expression, chromosomes, epigenetics, the Human Genome Project, and much more... and every page illustrated to illuminate the material and to keep the reading brisk and with a sense of (occasionally bawdy) humor. This is a layman's book, a self-described "popular work" and "graphic novel". But unless You're a seasoned expert in the field, You may find this book very informative and enjoyable. Highly recommended.

This book may be one of the best, first sources to read for a layman who wants to begin to understand genetics and MEN1 a little more deeply.

How does DNA replicate?

An animated presentation on DNA replication, by John Kyrk: http://www.johnkyrk.com/DNAreplic.swf

Packing six feet of DNA into every cell

Human DNA strands are approximately 6 feet in length (7). To store them compactly within cells they are tightly wound around proteins called histones.Read more: /wiki/Histone
(photo from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histone)


A single DNA strand is wrapped around multiple histones, in a beads-on-a-string structure. These are then compacted, forming the 30nm fiber, then further compressed onto scaffold proteins to form chromosomes.
Read more: /wiki/Nucleosome
(photo from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chromatin_Structures.png)