Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

DNA replication origin interference increases the spacing between initiation events in human cells.

Ronald Lebofsky1, Roland Heilig, Max Sonnleitner

  • 1Unité de Stabilité des Génomes, Institut Pasteur, 75724, Paris, France.

Molecular Biology of the Cell
|September 29, 2006
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

[Pierre Tiollais (1934-2024), a pioneer in genetic engineering with a lifelong commitment to the hepatitis B virus].

Medecine sciences : M/S·2025
Same author

Translation of COVID-19 Serology Test on Foil-Based Lateral Flow Chips: A Journey from Injection Molding to Scalable Roll-to-Roll Nanoimprint Lithography.

Biosensors·2025
Same author

Biographical Feature: In memoriam Pierre Tiollais (1934-2024).

Journal of virology·2025
Same author

Biographical Feature: In memoriam Pierre Tiollais (1934-2024).

Journal of virology·2025
Same author

Rapid multiplex micro-ELISA assay for simultaneous measurement of synovial biomarkers : a potential aid in diagnosing periprosthetic joint infection?

Bone & joint research·2025
Same author

Biographical Feature: In memoriam Pierre Tiollais (1934-2024).

Journal of virology·2025

Researchers discovered how DNA replication origins are organized in human cells. Origin interference, a mechanism that silences redundant origins, creates spacing between active DNA replication start sites, revealing a hierarchical control system.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Mammalian DNA replication origins are numerous and distributed across large genomic regions.
  • Only a subset of potential replication origins are activated per cell cycle, suggesting regulatory mechanisms control their usage.
  • Origin interference is a known phenomenon that silences redundant origins, but its role in spacing functional human initiation events was unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the spatial organization and regulation of DNA replication initiation sites in human cells.
  • To determine if origin interference contributes to the spacing of functional human initiation events.
  • To elucidate the hierarchical organization of origin activity.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a novel hybridization strategy termed "genomic Morse code" on single combed DNA molecules.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Analyzed 1.5 Mb of human chromosome 14q11.2 in primary keratinocytes to map initiation sites.
  • Quantified the frequency and distribution of activated origins and assessed interference patterns.

    • Main Results:

    • Confirmed that DNA replication initiation zones are widespread in human cells, located in intergenic regions, and possess conserved sequence motifs.
    • Demonstrated that fewer origins are used per cell cycle than potential sites, leading to increased spacing between initiation events.
    • Showed that origin interference decreases with distance from active origins, while within-zone interference is highly efficient, indicating a hierarchical organization of origin activity.

    Conclusions:

    • Functional DNA replication origins exhibit a hierarchical organization, influencing the firing probability of nearby origins.
    • Origin interference plays a crucial role in mediating the spacing and selection of active replication origins in human cells.
    • This study provides new insights into the regulation of DNA replication initiation in mammalian genomes.