RESUMO
Over the past ten years, the all-atom molecular dynamics method has grown in the scale of both systems and processes amenable to it and in its ability to make quantitative predictions about the behavior of experimental systems. The field of computational DNA research is no exception, witnessing a dramatic increase in the size of systems simulated with atomic resolution, the duration of individual simulations and the realism of the simulation outcomes. In this topical review, we describe the hallmark physical properties of DNA from the perspective of all-atom simulations. We demonstrate the amazing ability of such simulations to reveal the microscopic physical origins of experimentally observed phenomena. We also discuss the frustrating limitations associated with imperfections of present atomic force fields and inadequate sampling. The review is focused on the following four physical properties of DNA: effective electric charge, response to an external mechanical force, interaction with other DNA molecules and behavior in an external electric field.
Assuntos
DNA/química , DNA/metabolismo , Simulação por Computador , Modelos Moleculares , Simulação de Dinâmica Molecular , Eletricidade EstáticaRESUMO
Using microarray technology, we studied the early differential expression of 3,528 genes in human meningothelial cells in response to meningococcal challenge. Thirty-two genes were up-regulated, and four were down-regulated. Those up-regulated included the tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-8 (but not IL-1beta) genes, suggesting that meningeal cells may be a local and early source of these cytokines. Also, a trend in up-regulation of anti-apoptotic genes and down-regulation of pro-apoptotic genes was observed. This is the first evidence that meningothelial cells may mount cytoprotective responses to pathogenic bacteria.