A gene contained in laboratory yeast has helped an international team of researchers uncover new findings about the process by which protein molecules bind to control sequences in genes in order to initiate gene expression, says a new study.
Non-coding RNAs and Oxidative Stress
Oxidative stress is the result of an imbalance between the production and elimination of oxidative agents by antioxidants, often the result of the excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species during pathologic events such as cardiovascular disorders, cancer, and several age-related conditions.
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Reactive oxygen species are free radicals and can damage local cell components by electron transfer, changing the redox state of proteins and rendering them useless, altering the signaling pathways of the cell, or directly destroying DNA or membrane components. Oxidative stress also induces the expression of several transcription factors that go on to cause a signaling cascade, activating hundreds of genes associated with growth, immune response, and cell cycle transition.