Department of
Chemistry & Biochemistry
School of Integrated Science and Humanities
Departmental Seminar Announcement
Ribonucleotides in DNA:
Origins, Repair and Consequences
Dr. Thomas A. Kunkel
NIH Distinguished Investigator
Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory,
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Primordial life was likely based on RNA, but most living organisms store genetic
information in DNA. DNA-based organisms have an advantage over RNA-based
organisms because DNA is a more stable storage medium for genetic information.
This is because ribonucleotides contain a reactive 2′-hydroxyl on the ribose ring that
greatly sensitizes the sugar-phosphate backbone to hydrolysis. Moreover,
ribonucleotides in DNA alter nucleic acid helical parameters, which could potentially
influence cellular DNA transactions and alter the information stored in DNA. This
raises the following questions. How, and how many, ribonucleotides are introduced
into DNA? How are they removed? If they are not removed, what are the negative
and positive consequences? This talk will present partial answers to each of these
questions.
Date:
Time:
Friday, February 6, 2015
11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Parking Garage 5, PG5-155 – MMC (Live)
Marine Sciences Building Room 105 (MSB-105) – BBC (via Polycom)
Phone: 305-348-2605
Fax: 305-348-6700
E-mail: chemistry@fiu.edu
http://chemistry.fiu.edu