Lynn Zechiedrich

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Elizabeth Lynn Zechiedrich
Alma materUniversity of Arkansas
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Scientific career
InstitutionsBaylor College of Medicine
ThesisCatalytic mechanism of eukaryotic topoisomerase II (1990)

Elizabeth Lynn Zechiedrich is an American biochemist who is the Kyle and Josephine Morrow Chair in Molecular Virology and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine. Her research considers the structure-function properties of DNA and DNA topoisomerases. She was elected to the National Academy of Inventors in 2017.

Early life and education[]

Zechiedrich was born in Houston, Texas, and grew up in Arkansas. She attended Van Buren Junior High School and Northside High School.[citation needed] Zechiedrich studied zoology, music, and mathematics at the University of Arkansas. She moved to Vanderbilt University School of Medicine for graduate studies, where she started to study toposiomerases.[1] After graduating, Zechiedrich moved to the West Coast of the United States, where she joined the University of California, Berkeley as a postdoctoral researcher.[citation needed]

Research and career[]

In 1997, Zechiedrich was appointed to the faculty at the Baylor College of Medicine.[2] Her research considers the structure-function properties of DNA and DNA topoisomerases. DNA topisomerases are enzymes that modulate DNA structure and function (for example replication, recombination and chromosome segregation), and they are often targets of anti-cancer drugs. Zechiedrich has developed novel mathematical and experimental approaches to characterize the topography of DNA.[3][4]

Zechiedrich has focused on better understanding fluoroquinolones, broad-spectrum antibiotics that target type-2 topoisomerases.[2] These quinolone antibiotics stabilize topoisomerase-DNA cleavage intermediates. She is interested in how Escherichia coli interact with fluoroquinolones.[2] The breaking and resealing of topoisomerases modulates the formation of DNA supercoils and knots,[5] which are overproduced by certain anticancer and antibiotic drugs and can cause cell death. She showed that this coiling and knotting transmits stress along the DNA backbone, which promotes the separation of helical strains and exposes DNA bases.[6] She made use of electron cryotomography to better understand the three-dimensional structures of DNA.[6]

Zechiedrich’s laboratory constructs small circles on DNA that can be used to study supercoiling and the function of therapeutic topoisomerase inhibitors.[2] The dynamic movement of the DNA mini-circles was investigated using atomic force microscopy by at the University of Sheffield.[7][8][9] These overwound or supercoilled sections of DNA can be used as substrates for enzymes that act on DNA, as well as serving as gene therapy vectors.[10] DNA circles offer many advantages as vectors for gene therapies: they are non-toxic, long-lasting, survive serum and can withstand nebulization.[10] A team of scientists patented these DNA circles, which led to the currently inactive spin-out company Twister Biotech, Inc.[10]

Awards and honors[]

  • 1997 Burroughs Wellcome Fund New Investigator Award in the Toxicological Sciences[11]
  • 2009 Applied Biosystems SOLiDTM 3 System $10K Genome Award[11]
  • 2011 John S. Dunn Foundation Collaborative Research Award[12]
  • 2013 Baylor Research Advocates for Student Scientists mentor of the year award[13]
  • 2017 Elected to the National Academy of Inventors[14]
  • 2018 Baylor College of Medicine Woman of Excellence[15]
  • 2020 Barbara and Corbin J. Robertson Jr. Presidential Award for Excellence in Education[16]

Selected publications[]

  • Adams DE; Shekhtman EM; Zechiedrich EL; Schmid MB; Cozzarelli NR (October 1, 1992). "The role of topoisomerase IV in partitioning bacterial replicons and the structure of catenated intermediates in DNA replication". Cell. 71 (2): 277–288. doi:10.1016/0092-8674(92)90356-H. ISSN 0092-8674. PMID 1330320. Wikidata Q46625387.
  • A B Khodursky; E L Zechiedrich; N R Cozzarelli (December 1, 1995). "Topoisomerase IV is a target of quinolones in Escherichia coli". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 92 (25): 11801–11805. Bibcode:1995PNAS...9211801K. doi:10.1073/PNAS.92.25.11801. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 40490. PMID 8524852. Wikidata Q33724600.
  • E L Zechiedrich; A B Khodursky; S Bachellier; R Schneider; D Chen; D M Lilley; N R Cozzarelli (March 1, 2000). "Roles of topoisomerases in maintaining steady-state DNA supercoiling in Escherichia coli". Journal of Biological Chemistry. 275 (11): 8103–8113. doi:10.1074/JBC.275.11.8103. ISSN 0021-9258. PMID 10713132. Wikidata Q73538480.

References[]

  1. ^ Zechiedrich, Elizabeth Lynn (1990). Catalytic mechanism of eukaryotic topoisomerase II (Thesis).
  2. ^ a b c d "E. Lynn Zechiedrich, Ph.D."{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ "Baylor researchers unravel mystery of DNA conformation". EurekAlert!. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  4. ^ "Research Casts New Light on 3D Structure of DNA | Sci-News.com". Breaking Science News | Sci-News.com. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  5. ^ Cepelewicz, Jordana (October 29, 2018). "Scientists Learn the Ropes on Tying Molecular Knots". Quanta Magazine. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Dynamic twists and loops can enable DNA to modulate its function". ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  7. ^ "First videos to show the helix of 'dancing DNA' developed by scientists | News | The University of Sheffield". www.sheffield.ac.uk. February 16, 2021. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  8. ^ Leeds, University of. "Visualisation of 'dancing DNA'". www.leeds.ac.uk. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  9. ^ Saplakoglu, Yasemin (February 18, 2021). "Incredibly detailed video shows DNA twisting into weird shapes to squeeze into cells". livescience.com. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  10. ^ a b c "Dr. Zechiedrich named National Academy of Inventors Fellow".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ a b "ELIZABETH ZECHIEDRICH | Profiles RNS". profiles.viictr.org. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  12. ^ "Funding Opportunities – Gulf Coast Consortia". Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  13. ^ "Baylor Research Advocates for Student Scientists (BRASS) mentor of the year award | Profiles RNS". profiles.viictr.org. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  14. ^ "National Academy of Inventors". Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  15. ^ "2018 Women of Excellence".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ^ "Top educational leaders recognized at Baylor College of Medicine". TMC News. May 20, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2021.

External links[]

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