David A. Scicchitano Collegiate Professor; Professor of Biology; Dean of Science, NYU Abu Dhabi Ph.D. 1986, Penn State; B.A. 1981, Susquehanna. Office Address: New York University Department of Biology 1009 Silver Center 100 Washington Square East New York, NY 10003-6688 Email: Phone: (212) 998-8229 Fax: (212) 995-4015 List of Publications from Pubmed

Research

The research in my laboratory primarily involves the study of interactions of chemical and physical agents with DNA, and the processing of the resulting damage by cells. To that end, we have been examining the removal of chemical adducts from discrete regions of the genome. This is being done in an effort to characterize a phenomenon known as DNA repair heterogeneity that is typified by the preferential removal of DNA damage from active genetic loci. The implications of biases in DNA repair are vast: Certain segments of the chromosome might be more susceptible to mutagenesis than other domains, making them hot spots for the induction of a variety of detrimental biological outcomes including tumorigenesis and cell death.

A second area of ongoing research involves investigating the effect of site-specific DNA damage on transcription by a variety of RNA polymerases. We use oligonucleotides containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, an important class of chemical carcinogens, for these studies. We have shown that some of these adducts impede transcription elongation; furthermore, the degree of inhibition is dependent upon the stereochemical configuration of the DNA lesion.

Teaching

Molecular and Cell Biology I and II, and part of Principles of Biology I.

Biosketch

Doctoral Mentor: Anthony E. Pegg; Department of Physiology; The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center; The Pennsylvania State University

Postdoctoral Mentor: Philip C. Hanawalt; Department of Biological Sciences; Stanford University

Professional Experience: Research Scientist; American Health Foundation

Areas of Research/Interest

The interaction of mammalian RNA polymerases with damaged sites in expressed genes

External Affiliations

American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Association for Cancer Research.

Fellowships/Honors

New York University Whitehead Fellowship for Junior Faculty, 1994; New York University Golden Dozen Award for Outstanding Accomplishments in Teaching, 1994.

Publications

O6-methylguanine induces altered proteins at the level of transcription in human cells. Nucleic Acids Res   (2010 Dec) Burns JA, Dreij K, Cartularo L, Scicchitano DA

Benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide stimulates an inflammatory response in normal human lung fibroblasts through a p53 and JNK mediated pathway. Carcinogenesis   (2010 Jun) Dreij K, Rhrissorrakrai K, Gunsalus KC, Geacintov NE, Scicchitano DA

Transcription elongation past O6-methylguanine by human RNA polymerase II and bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase. Nucleic Acids Res   (2008 Nov) Dimitri A, Burns JA, Broyde S, Scicchitano DA

Transcription of DNA containing the 5-guanidino-4-nitroimidazole lesion by human RNA polymerase II and bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase. DNA Repair (Amst)   (2008 Aug 2) Dimitri A, Jia L, Shafirovich V, Geacintov NE, Broyde S, Scicchitano DA

Transcription processing at 1,N2-ethenoguanine by human RNA polymerase II and bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase. J Mol Biol   (2008 Jan 11) Dimitri A, Goodenough AK, Guengerich FP, Broyde S, Scicchitano DA

Increased flexibility enhances misincorporation: temperature effects on nucleotide incorporation opposite a bulky carcinogen-DNA adduct by a Y-family DNA polymerase. J Biol Chem   (2007 Jan 12) Perlow-Poehnelt RA, Likhterov I, Wang L, Scicchitano DA, Geacintov NE, Broyde S

Transcription past DNA adducts derived from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Mutat Res   (2005 Sep 4) Scicchitano DA

Transcription and DNA adducts: what happens when the message gets cut off? DNA Repair (Amst)   (2004 Dec 2) Scicchitano DA, Olesnicky EC, Dimitri A

The spacious active site of a Y-family DNA polymerase facilitates promiscuous nucleotide incorporation opposite a bulky carcinogen-DNA adduct: elucidating the structure-function relationship through experimental and computational approaches. J Biol Chem   (2004 Aug 27) Perlow-Poehnelt RA, Likhterov I, Scicchitano DA, Geacintov NE, Broyde S

Human RNA polymerase II is partially blocked by DNA adducts derived from tumorigenic benzo[c]phenanthrene diol epoxides: relating biological consequences to conformational preferences. Nucleic Acids Res   (2003 Oct 15) Schinecker TM, Perlow RA, Broyde S, Geacintov NE, Scicchitano DA

Construction and purification of site-specifically modified DNA templates for transcription assays. Nucleic Acids Res   (2003 Apr 1) Perlow RA, Schinecker TM, Kim SJ, Geacintov NE, Scicchitano DA

Base excision repair and nucleotide excision repair contribute to the removal of N-methylpurines from active genes. DNA Repair (Amst)   (2002 Aug 6) Plosky B, Samson L, Engelward BP, Gold B, Schlaen B, Millas T, Magnotti M, Schor J, Scicchitano DA

DNA adducts from a tumorigenic metabolite of benzo[a]pyrene block human RNA polymerase II elongation in a sequence- and stereochemistry-dependent manner. J Mol Biol   (2002 Aug 2) Perlow RA, Kolbanovskii A, Hingerty BE, Geacintov NE, Broyde S, Scicchitano DA

[Reconversion after Hartmann's procedure. Our experience]. Ann Ital Chir   (1998 Jan-Feb) Benedetti M, Marchesi R, Zanardi A, Pastorelli A, Scicchitano D, Castagnoli L, Pandolfi U, Tinozzi S

Bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase transcription elongation is inhibited by site-specific, stereospecific benzo[c]phenanthrene diol epoxide DNA lesions. Biochemistry   (2001 May 1) Roth RB, Amin S, Geacintov NE, Scicchitano DA

[Inflammatory pseudotumor of the lung. Diagnostic-therapeutic effectiveness of its radical resection]. Minerva Chir   (2000 Nov) Rizzo S, Marchesi R, Ronchi V, Scicchitano D, Luinetti O, Pandolfi U

Transcription and DNA damage: a link to a kink. Environ Health Perspect   (1997 Feb) Scicchitano DA, Mellon I

Functional nucleotide excision repair is required for the preferential removal of N-ethylpurines from the transcribed strand of the dihydrofolate reductase gene of Chinese hamster ovary cells. Mol Cell Biol   (1997 Feb) Sitaram A, Plitas G, Wang W, Scicchitano DA

Incorrect base insertion and prematurely terminated transcripts during T7 RNA polymerase transcription elongation past benzo[a]pyrenediol epoxide-modified DNA. J Mol Biol   (1996 Nov 29) Choi DJ, Roth RB, Liu T, Geacintov NE, Scicchitano DA

3-Methyladenine and 7-methylguanine exhibit no preferential removal from the transcribed strand of the dihydrofolate reductase gene in Chinese hamster ovary B11 cells. Biochemistry   (1995 Feb 7) Wang W, Sitaram A, Scicchitano DA

Site-specific benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide-DNA adducts inhibit transcription elongation by bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase. Biochemistry   (1994 Jan 25) Choi DJ, Marino-Alessandri DJ, Geacintov NE, Scicchitano DA

Intragenomic repair heterogeneity of DNA damage. Environ Health Perspect   (1992 Nov) Scicchitano DA, Hanawalt PC

Two expressed human genes sustain slightly more DNA damage after alkylating agent treatment than an inactive gene. Mutat Res   (1991 Nov) Bartlett JD, Scicchitano DA, Robison SH

Lack of sequence-specific removal of N-methylpurines from cellular DNA. Mutat Res   (1990 Nov-Dec) Scicchitano DA, Hanawalt PC

Measurements of genomic and gene-specific DNA repair of alkylation damage in cultured human T-lymphocytes. Basic Life Sci   (1990) Hartshorn JN, Scicchitano DA, Robison SH

Repair of N-methylpurines in specific DNA sequences in Chinese hamster ovary cells: absence of strand specificity in the dihydrofolate reductase gene. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A   (1989 May) Scicchitano DA, Hanawalt PC

Use of oligodeoxynucleotides containing O6-alkylguanine for the assay of O6-alkylguanine-DNA-alkyltransferase activity. Cancer Res   (1988 Mar 1) Dolan ME, Scicchitano D, Pegg AE

Inhibition of O6-alkylguanine-DNA-alkyltransferase by metals. Mutat Res   (1987 Nov) Scicchitano DA, Pegg AE

Specificity of O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase. IARC Sci Publ   (1987) Pegg AE, Scicchitano D, Morimoto K, Dolan ME

Repair of oligodeoxynucleotides containing O6-methylguanine by O6-alkylguanine-DNA-alkyltransferase. Carcinogenesis   (1986 Aug) Scicchitano D, Jones RA, Kuzmich S, Gaffney B, Lasko DD, Essigmann JM, Pegg AE

Studies of the repair of O6-alkylguanine and O4-alkylthymine in DNA by alkyltransferases from mammalian cells and bacteria. Environ Health Perspect   (1985 Oct) Pegg AE, Dolan ME, Scicchitano D, Morimoto K

Repair of O6-propylguanine and O6-butylguanine in DNA by O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferases from rat liver and E. coli. Carcinogenesis   (1985 Jul) Morimoto K, Dolan ME, Scicchitano D, Pegg AE

Comparison of the rates of repair of O6-alkylguanines in DNA by rat liver and bacterial O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase. Cancer Res   (1984 Sep) Pegg AE, Scicchitano D, Dolan ME

Comparison of repair of methylated pyrimidines in poly(dT) by extracts from rat liver and Escherichia coli. Biochem Biophys Res Commun   (1984 Aug 30) Dolan ME, Scicchitano D, Singer B, Pegg AE

Kinetics of repair of O6-methylguanine in dna by O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase in vitro and in vivo. Biochem Biophys Res Commun   (1982 Dec 15) Scicchitano D, Pegg AE