Begell House Inc.
Critical Reviews™ in Eukaryotic Gene Expression
CRE
1045-4403
28
3
2018
The Control of Meiotic Recombination in the Human Genome
187-204
10.1615/CritRevEukaryotGeneExpr.2018024601
Mahmut Cerkez
Ergoren
Near East University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology, 99138, Nicosia, Cyprus; Near East University, Research Center of Experimental Health Sciences (DESAM), 99138, Nicosia, Cyprus
hotspot
meiosis
diversity
Meiotic recombination plays a key role in reshuffling haplotypes in human populations and thus affects evolution profoundly. However, our understanding of recombination dynamics is largely limited to descriptions of variation in populations and families. Higher-resolution analysis (≤ 0.0001 cM) of de novo recombination events in human sperm DNA has revealed clustering into very narrow hotspots (1–2 kb) that generally coincide with abrupt breakdown of linkage disequilibrium. Recent findings have highlighted an unexpected molecular control of the distribution of meiotic double-strand breaks (DSBs) in mammals by a rapidly evolving gene in trans, PR-domain-containing 9 (PRDM9), and specific DNA sequence motifs in cis. In addition, the understanding of new regulators in DSB repair processes has allowed the delineation of recombination pathways that have two major outcomes, cross-overs and non-cross-overs, which have distinct mechanistic roles and consequences for genome evolution. Further molecular studies are needed to gain information about how hotspots originate, function, and evolve.
Methods for Detecting Human Meiotic Recombination Hotspots
205-215
10.1615/CritRevEukaryotGeneExpr.2018024602
Mahmut Cerkez
Ergoren
Near East University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology, 99138, Nicosia, Cyprus; Near East University, Research Center of Experimental Health Sciences (DESAM), 99138, Nicosia, Cyprus
genome
diversity
meiosis
techniques
Traditional methods for analyzing meiotic recombination in humans are limited. Recently developed in vitro and in silico assays together are useful for confirmation and detection of meiotic recombination hotspots from population polymorphism data. These techniques are significant both for understanding the nature of human meiotic recombination and for applications such as association studies.
Role of the Tristetraprolin (Zinc Finger Protein 36 Homolog) Gene in Cancer
217-221
10.1615/CritRevEukaryotGeneExpr.2018021188
Gaurav
Gupta
School of Pharmacy, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Mahal Road, Jagatpura 302017, Jaipur, India; Department of Pharmacology, Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India; Uttaranchal Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
Mary
Bebawy
Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
Terezinha de Jesus Andreoli
Pinto
Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Rua Professor Lineu Prestes, 05508–000, Brazil
Dinesh Kumar
Chellappan
Department of Life Sciences, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 57000
Anurag
Mishra
School of Pharmacy, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Mahal Road, Jagatpura, Jaipur, India;
Kamal
Dua
Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia; Centre for Inflammation, Centenary Institute, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; Priority Research Centre for Healthy Lungs, Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) and School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle (UoN), Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
tristetraprolin
cancer
AU-rich mRNA-destabilizing elements
protein
cyclooxygenase-2
endothelial growth factor
Cancer is a complicated transformational progression that fiercely changes the appearance of cell physiology as well as cells' relations with adjacent tissues. Developing an oncogenic characteristic requires a wide range of modifications in a gene expression at a cellular level. This can be achieved by activation or suppression of the gene regulation pathway in a cell. Tristetraprolin (TTP or ZFP36) associated with the initiation and development of tumors are regulated at the level of mRNA decay, frequently through the activity of AU-rich mRNA-destabilizing elements (AREs) located in their 3'-untranslated regions. TTP is an attractive target for therapeutic use and diagnostic tools due to its characteristic appearance in cancer tissue alone. Thus, the illumination of TTP in diverse types of cancer might deliver additional effective remedies in the coming era for cancer patients. The objective of this review is to familiarize the reader with the TTP proteins, focus on efficient properties that endow them with their effective oncogenic potential, describe their physiological role in cancer cells, and review the unique properties of TT, and of TTP-driven cancer.
Comprehensive Analysis of Phytochemical Constituents and Ethnopharmacological Investigation of Genus Datura
223-283
10.1615/CritRevEukaryotGeneExpr.2018022531
Muhammad
Ibrahim
Department of Applied Chemistry, Government College University Faisalabad, Pakistan
Shanza
Siddique
Department of Applied Chemistry, Government College University Faisalabad, Pakistan
Kanwal
Rehman
Department of Pharmacy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
Muhammad
Husnain
Department of Applied Chemistry, Government College University Faisalabad, Pakistan
Ajaz
Hussain
Institute of Chemical Sciences, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan
Muhammad Sajid Hamid
Akash
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
Farooq
Azam
Institute of Pharmacy, Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan
Datura
traditional uses
phytochemical constituents
ethnopharmacology
The genus Datura comprises wild shrub plants that belong to the Solanaceae family. Naturally, they possess both medicinal and poisonous properties due to the presence of many biologically active phytochemical constituents. Traditionally, Datura had been used for mystic and religious purposes, as a natural drug to treat asthma, pain, gout, boils, abscesses, and wounds, and as psychoactive infusions and fumitories. Different Datura species exhibit diverse ethnopharmacological activities against different diseases, and many ancient and traditional cultures have used various forms of Datura to treat ailments and to prevent many diseases. In this article, we comprehensively summarize various phytochemical constituents isolated from Datura, their pharmacological properties against different
diseases, parts of the plants used as traditional therapeutic agents, regions where they are located, and botanical descriptions of different Datura species. The ethnopharmacological properties of Datura may provide new insights for discovery and development of natural drugs. Further research is needed for the investigation of mechanisms of action and to develop safety profiles of the phytochemical constituents isolated from Datura species.