Asymmetric division events promote variability in cell cycle duration in animal cells and Escherichia coli.

Asymmetric cell division is a major mechanism generating cell diversity. As cell cycle duration varies among cells in mammalian tissue culture cells, we asked whether their division asymmetry contributes to this variability. We identify among sibling cells an outlier using hierarchical clustering on cell cycle durations of granddaughter cells obtained by lineage tracking of single histone2B-labelled MDCKs. Remarkably, divisions involving outlier cells are not uniformly distributed in lineages, as shown by permutation tests, but appear to emerge from asymmetric divisions taking place at non-stochastic levels: a parent cell influences with 95% confidence and 0.5% error the unequal partitioning of the cell cycle duration in its two progenies. Upon ninein downregulation, this variability propagation is lost, and outlier frequency and variability in cell cycle durations in lineages is reduced. As external influences are not detectable, we propose that a cell-autonomous process, possibly involved in cell specialisation, determines cell cycle duration variability.

Aneugenic effects of the genistein glycosidic derivative substituted at C7 with the unsaturated disaccharide.

Genistein, due to its recognized chemopreventive and antitumour potential, is a molecule of interest as a lead compound in drug design. Recently, we found that the novel genistein derivative, [7-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-ß-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1 → 4)-(6-O-acetyl-hex-2-ene-α-D-erythro pyranosyl)genistein, named G21, induced aberrations in mitotic spindle formation. In the presented study, we investigated the properties of G21 relevant to its genotoxic activity. The inhibition of topoisomerase IIα activity was evaluated in decatenation assay and immunoband depletion assay, the covalent DNA-topoisomerase IIα complexes and histone É£H2AX were detected immunofluorescently. Genotoxic effects of the tested compounds were assessed in micronucleation assay. The presence of centromeres in the micronuclei and the multiplication of centrosomes were evaluated in fluorescence immunolabelled specimens. The inhibition of tubulin polymerization was measured spectrophotometrically. We found that both tested drugs were able to inhibit topoisomerase II activity; however, G21, in contrast to genistein, blocked this enzyme at the concentration far exceeding cytotoxic IC(50). We also found that both compounds caused micronucleation in DU 145 prostate cancer cells, but in contrast to genistein, G21 exhibited aneugenic activity, manifested by the presence of centromeres in micronuclei formed in cells treated with the drug. Aneugenic properties of G21 resulted from the inhibition of tubulin polymerization and centrosome disruption, not observed in the presence of genistein. The study supports and extends our previous observations that the mechanisms of cytotoxicity of genistein and its new glycosidic derivative-G21 are significantly different.

Unsaturated genistein disaccharide glycoside as a novel agent affecting microtubules.

Genistein, due to its recognized chemopreventive and antitumor potential, is a molecule of interest as a lead compound in drug design. While multiple molecular targets for genistein have been identified, so far neither for this isoflavonoid nor for its natural or synthetic derivatives disruption of microtubules and mitotic spindles has been reported. Here we describe such properties of the synthetic glycosidic derivative of genistein significantly more cytotoxic than genistein, 7-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1-->4)-(6-O-acetyl-hex-2-ene-alpha-D-erythro-pyranosyl)genistein, shortly named G21. We found that G21 causes significant mitotic delay, frequent appearance of multipolar spindles, and alteration of the interphase microtubule array.