Specific mismatch recognition in heteroduplex intermediates by p53 suggests a role in fidelity control of homologous recombination

We demonstrate that wild-type p53 inhibits homologous recombination. To analyze DNA substrate specificities in this process, we designed recombination experiments such that coinfection of simian virus 40 mutant pairs generated heteroduplexes with distinctly unpaired regions. DNA exchanges producing single C-T and A-G mismatches were inhibited four- to sixfold more effectively than DNA exchanges producing G-T and A-C single-base mispairings or unpaired regions of three base pairs comprising G-T/A-C mismatches. p53 bound specifically to three-stranded DNA substrates, mimicking early recombination intermediates. The KD values for the interactions of p53 with three-stranded substrates displaying differently paired and unpaired regions reflected the mismatch base specificities observed in recombination assays in a qualitative and quantitative manner. On the basis of these results, we would like to advance the hypothesis that p53, like classical mismatch repair factors, checks the fidelity of homologous recombination processes by specific mismatch recognition.     

Erratum to: In situ observation of synthesized nanoparticles in ultra-dilute aerosols via X-ray scattering

Nano Research - The article In situ observation of synthesized nanoparticles in ultradilute aerosols via X-ray scattering, written by Sarah R. McKibbin, Sofie Yngman, Olivier Balmes, Bengt O....     

Specific interaction of mutant p53 with regions of matrix attachment region DNA elements (MARs) with a high potential for base-unpairing

Mutant, but not wild-type p53 binds with high affinity to a variety of MAR-DNA elements (MARs), suggesting that MAR-binding of mutant p53 relates to the dominant-oncogenic activities proposed for mutant p53. MARs recognized by mutant p53 share AT richness and contain variations of an AATATATTT "DNA-unwinding motif," which enhances the structural dynamics of chromatin and promotes regional DNA base-unpairing. Mutant p53 specifically interacted with MAR-derived oligonucleotides carrying such unwinding motifs, catalyzing DNA strand separation when this motif was located within a structurally labile sequence environment. Addition of GC-clamps to the respective MAR-oligonucleotides or introducing mutations into the unwinding motif strongly reduced DNA strand separation, but supported the formation of tight complexes between mutant p53 and such oligonucleotides. We conclude that the specific interaction of mutant p53 with regions of MAR-DNA with a high potential for base-unpairing provides the basis for the high-affinity binding of mutant p53 to MAR-DNA.     

A new route toward semiconductor nanospintronics: highly Mn-doped GaAs nanowires realized by ion-implantation under dynamic annealing conditions

We report on highly Mn-doped GaAs nanowires (NWs) of high crystalline quality fabricated by ion beam implantation, a technique that allows doping concentrations beyond the equilibrium solubility limit. We studied two approaches for the preparation of Mn-doped GaAs NWs: First, ion implantation at room temperature with subsequent annealing resulted in polycrystalline NWs and phase segregation of MnAs and GaAs. The second approach was ion implantation at elevated temperatures. In this case, the single-crystallinity of the GaAs NWs was maintained, and crystalline, highly Mn-doped GaAs NWs were obtained. The electrical resistance of such NWs dropped with increasing temperature (activation energy about 70 meV). Corresponding magnetoresistance measurements showed a decrease at low temperatures, indicating paramagnetism. Our findings suggest possibilities for future applications where dense arrays of GaMnAs nanowires may be used as a new kind of magnetic material system.     

Axial InP nanowire tandem junction grown on a silicon substrate

Tandem InP nanowire pn-junctions have been grown on a Si substrate using metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy. In situ HCl etching allowed the different subcomponents to be stacked on top of each other in the axial extension of the nanowires without detrimental radial growth. Electro-optical measurements on a single nanowire tandem pn-junction device show an open-circuit voltage of 1.15 V under illumination close to 1 sun, which is an increase of 67% compared to a single pn-junction device.     

Precursor evaluation for in situ InP nanowire doping

The use of tetraethyltin (TESn) and dimethylzinc (DMZn) as in situ n-?and p-dopant precursors during particle-assisted growth of InP nanowires is reported. Gate voltage dependent transport measurements demonstrate that the nanowires can be predictably synthesized as either n-?or p-type. These doped nanowires can be characterized based on their electric field response and we find that n-type doping scales over a range from 10(17) to 10(19)?cm(-3) with increasing input TESn dopant molar fraction. On the other hand, the p-type doping using DMZn saturates at low levels, probably related to a strong increase in nanowire growth rate with increasing DMZn molar fractions. By optimizing growth conditions with respect to tapering, axial pn-junctions exhibiting rectifying behavior were fabricated. The pn-junctions can be operated as light emitting diodes.     

Position-controlled interconnected InAs nanowire networks

We demonstrate here a method for controlled production of complex self-assembled three-dimensional networks of InAs nanowires on a substrate, based on sequentially seeded epitaxial nanowire structures, or "nanotrees". A position-controlled array of trunk nanowires is first produced using lithographically defined Au particles as seeds. With these wires positioned along the proper crystallographic directions with respect to each other, nanotree branches grow toward neighboring trunks, connecting them together. Finally, we investigate the crystal structure of the interconnected nanotrees, demonstrating that branch growth after the contact with the second trunk has an epitaxial relationship to that trunk.     

Aerosol phase generation of In-Se nanoparticles

Results on the generation and heat treatment of In-Se nanoparticles, made by heterogeneous condensation of selenium on indium nanoparticles synthesised via the evaporation/condensation route are reported. In-situ aerosol measurements are complemented with ex-situ analysis, to provide structural, morphological, and compositional information on the In-Se nanoparticles. Our results indicate that prior to heat treatment In-Se nanoparticles have a shape in the aerosol phase, similar to an asymmetric dumbbell. The bigger particle of the dumbbell structure is made up of amorphous Se, while the overall composition of the polycrystalline smaller particle is around InSe. The smaller particle has an intrinsic structure, and consists of different InSe-compounds, with a decreasing In content towards the shell. The shape of the In-Se nanoparticles is different in the aerosol phase and on the surface of the samples. The observed variety of particle sizes and shapes on the sample surface is shown to be partly due to the agglomeration of the aerosol phase binaries (i.e., dumbbells) via coalescence on the surface of the sample and wetting of the sample surface by the Se nanoparticles. These processes make the bigger particle of the dumbbell structure appear almost perfectly hemispherical on the sample surfaces. During heat treatment at lower temperatures mainly the evaporative removal of the big Se particle of the dumbbell structure will take place. Annealing of the smaller particles starts to dominate at temperatures above 240 degrees C and makes the composition of the small particles closer to that of the thermodynamically most favoured In2Se3.