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Protein efficiency. Because of the Human Genome Project, images of the double helix of DNA are everywhere. But according to CAS Professor of Chemistry Thomas Tullius, while researchers have identified the proteins encoded in the human genome, how they combine to regulate a cell’s development also needs to be investigated.

The double helix of genes is constructed of nucleotide base pairs that carry the information used to make proteins. These proteins are the heritable genetic material that directs a cell’s development, and must bind to the correct base pairs, out of three billion possibilities, to function correctly.

Rather than scanning the entire genome for the correct binding site, Tullius and others have hypothesized that markers along the helix help proteins narrow in on their targets. Now, he and colleagues have created a technique to make high-resolution images of those markers, and create a clearer picture of just how DNA and proteins work together to regulate life functions.

Their technique uses ionizing radiation to produce a hydroxyl radical within the cell. Employing this method, Tullius and his team were able to produce a high-resolution image of a protein (the bacteriophage lambda repressor) bound to a site on the DNA inside of living E. coli cells.

"Finding out which proteins occupy which DNA binding sites, and under what circumstances, is the essence of the problem," says Tullius.

Tooth unfair-y. New research has discovered that young children who get cavities are more prone to tooth decay as they grow older, even if they are diligent about brushing and flossing later in life.

School of Dental Medicine researcher Anna Galganny Almeida and colleagues have been studying children of preschool age and younger with early childhood caries (ECC). Their findings suggest that these children may need more aggressive dental therapies such as antimicrobials, fluoride treatments, and counseling about cavity-causing foods – because even vigilant brushing and flossing are not enough to prevent cavities as they get older.

The study included 42 children with ECC and 31 who did not have cavities. After two years, 79 percent of children with ECC had developed additional tooth decay, compared with 29 percent of children without cavities. This, Almeida says, illustrates the high susceptibility of children with early cavities to the development of tooth decay in the future.

"Even regular office visits and increased dietary counseling do not appear to be successful in preventing new cavities," the researchers say, concluding, "More aggressive preventive therapies may be required to prevent the future development of cavities in children who experience ECC."

The study appeared in the July/August issue of Pediatric Dentistry and was reported by Reuters.

"Research Briefs" is written by Joan Schwartz in the Office of the Provost. To read more about BU research, visit http://www.bu.edu/research.

23 February 2001
Boston University
Office of University Relations