Robert D'Annibale

At the ends of chromosomes are segments of DNA called telomeres, which permit cells to replicate, protect DNA, and repair DNA. Multistranded and alternative DNA structures play important roles in gene expression. Novel alternative, multistranded, and helical transitional nucleic acid microarrays have been constructed, viz., Z-DNA, triplex DNA and quadruplex DNA. These microarrays allow for characterization of the structure and function of Z-DNA, triplex DNA and quadruplex DNA under different… Show more

At the ends of chromosomes are segments of DNA called telomeres, which permit cells to replicate, protect DNA, and repair DNA. Multistranded and alternative DNA structures play important roles in gene expression. Novel alternative, multistranded, and helical transitional nucleic acid microarrays have been constructed, viz., Z-DNA, triplex DNA and quadruplex DNA. These microarrays allow for characterization of the structure and function of Z-DNA, triplex DNA and quadruplex DNA under different conditions. They allow for identification of drugs that bind to multistranded nucleic acids and for characterization of genomic elements that contain triplex DNA and telomeres. The novel microarrays will allow for a new approach towards studying gene expression and drug discovery. The new microarrays go beyond the limitations of conventional DNA microarrays, which focus on the primary structure of nucleic acids (i.e., base pairs) and ignore DNA secondary structure. These microarrays can be used for aging, cancer and infectious disease (e.g., tuberculosis, malaria and AIDS) research. The microarrays can also be employed for enhancing or inhibiting of gene expression. With these next generation DNA microarrays, scientists will have access to all of the uncharted structures that control gene expression, and aid in developing new classes of drugs for disease. Supported by a 2010 NYIT ISRC grant. Show less

Millions die every year from infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria and AIDS. More research needs to be performed to find new target sites (exotic DNA) for treatments of these pathologies. The majority of DNA is right-handed double-stranded (ds-) B-DNA. However, other forms of nucleic acids exist, viz., ds-Z-DNA, triple-stranded DNA and four-stranded DNA. Our group has developed novel ds-DNA microarrays that contain tuberculosis genes (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) and malaria genes… Show more

Millions die every year from infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria and AIDS. More research needs to be performed to find new target sites (exotic DNA) for treatments of these pathologies. The majority of DNA is right-handed double-stranded (ds-) B-DNA. However, other forms of nucleic acids exist, viz., ds-Z-DNA, triple-stranded DNA and four-stranded DNA. Our group has developed novel ds-DNA microarrays that contain tuberculosis genes (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) and malaria genes [i.e., Plasmodium falciparum (var, rif and stevor genes)]. Employing the novel microarrays allows for the entire genes or segments to be immobilized as intact, unaltered, nondenatured DNA molecules. These microarrays allow for the discovery of drugs that bind to the immobilized intact genes under different environmental conditions (with or without proteins, supercoiling, ionic conditions, drugs). They also allow characterization of DNA structure and function. Using the new microarrays and bioinformatics, genes can be characterized for the presence of B-DNA and Z-DNA (transcription studies). Genes that contain DNA with the potential for B-DNA to Z-DNA transitions can be studied under specific environmental conditions. These infectious disease-based microarrays will include ds-Z-DNA, ds-B-DNA, B-DNA/Z-DNA junctions, mitochondrial DNA, and helical transitional arrays (B-DNA to Z-DNA). These new microarrays will allow for unprecedented drug discovery and gene expression studies. They will go beyond the limitations of commercially available, conventional ss-DNA microarrays (hybridization), which only focus on DNA primary structure (base pairs) and ignore DNA secondary structure. With these new microarrays, researchers will have access to all of the previously unexplored DNA structures that regulate gene expression. Show less