Question

Work by Goldman, Janmey, and colleagues has shown the following about nuclear DNA: a. A cage made of vimentin fibers protects nuclear DNA from stresses such as UV radiation. b. Microfilaments made of actin fibers protects nuclear DNA from stresses such as UV radiation. c. A cage made of vimentin fibers protects nuclear DNA from damage during cell migration d. Microfilaments made of actin fibers protects nuclear DNA from damage during cell migration.

Answer 1

The correct answer is: c. A cage made of vimentin fibers protects nuclear DNA from damage during cell migration.

Step-by-step explanation:

• The cells that undergo migration from one place to the other, like macrophages, neutrophils, monocytes, etc, tend to move through capillaries.
• As they move (squeeze) through the fine vessels of the blood or the lymphatic tissue, they need to distort their shape.
• While distorting their shape, there are chances that the nucleus that contains the genetic material can get distorted too, thereby causing breakage of the genetic material.
• This is prevented by a protective mesh formed by the structural protein called Vimentin, around the nucleus.
• The Vimentin protein forms fibres by first forming the Type III intermediate filament structures by the process of homo- and hetero-dimerisation.