Topic 5: Eukaryotic protection against exogenous DNA
Whether as infectious genetic elements or as free DNA molecules, many extracellular environments are rich in material that could generate genetic noise and harm the cells when entering them. However, we know little about how eukaryotic cells protect themselves against such intrusions. Particularly, little is known about whether eukaryotes have mechanisms to distinguish DNA of exogenous origin, and restrict its entry and spreading in the genome, as prokaryotes do.
In our Lab, we study how various yeast species respond to these DNA elements. Using a combination of genetic, biochemical and microscopic approaches we study how these species distinguish DNA elements that originate from their own genome from those that come from the environment and specifically how they eliminate the latter. Furthermore, we investigate whether these immunity mechanisms interfere with the mixing of parental genomes during the sexual cycle.
(Left) DNA segregation in fission yeast: Fission yeast cells divide by medial fission and produce two daughters of similar sizes. Chromosomal DNA divides symmetrically among the two daughters, and kept in the population. In contrast, transfected exogenous DNA is segregated asymmetrically and lost over time.
(Right) Cells were transformed with fluorescently labelled DNA plasmids and imaged right after or after adding a step of DNAse treatment to eliminate all the molecules that are not internalized by the cell. Using such techniques we study the fate of incoming DNA and the mechanisms of their elimination by the cell.
Coming Soon!
(This is a new topic and we have not published anything yet)
Contact
Deputy head of Institute of Biochemistry (IBC)
Institut für Biochemie
Otto-Stern-Weg 3
8093
Zürich
Switzerland
