Selenium (Se) belongs to nutrients that are essential for human health. Biological activity of this compound, however, mainly depends on its dose, with a potential of Se to induce detrimental effects at high doses. Although mechanisms lying behind detrimental effects of Se are poorly understood yet, they involve DNA damage induction. Consequently, DNA damage response and repair pathways may play a crucial role in cellular response to Se. Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae we showed that sodium selenite (SeL), an inorganic form of Se, can be toxic and mutagenic in this organism due to its ability to induce DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Moreover, we reported that a spectrum of mutations induced by this compound in the stationary phase of growth is mainly represented by 1-4 bp deletions. Consequently, we proposed that SeL acts as an oxidizing agent in yeast producing oxidative damage to DNA. As short deletions could be anticipated to arise as a result of action of non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) and oxidative damage to DNA is primarily coped with base excision repair (BER), a contribution of these two pathways towards survival, DSB induction, mutation frequency and types of mutations following SeL exposure was examined in present study. First, we show that while NHEJ plays no role in repairing toxic DNA lesions induced by SeL, cells with impairment in BER are sensitized towards this compound. Of BER activities examined, those responsible for processing of 3'-blocking DNA termini seem to be the most crucial for manifestation of the toxic effects of SeL in yeast. Second, an impact of NHEJ and BER on DSB induction after SeL exposure turned to be inappreciable, as no increase in DNA double-strand breakage in NHEJ and BER single or NHEJ BER double mutant upon SeL exposure was observed. Finally, we demonstrate that impairment in both these pathways does not importantly change mutation frequency after SeL exposure and that NHEJ is not responsible for generation of short deletions after SeL treatment, as these were comparably induced in the wild-type and NHEJ-defective cells.

In rod‐shaped bacteria, the proper placement of the division septum at the midcell relies, at least partially, on the proteins of the Min system as an inhibitor of cell division. The main principle of Min system function involves the formation of an inhibitor gradient along the cell axis; however, the establishment of this gradient differs between two well‐studied gram‐negative and gram‐positive bacteria. While in gram‐negative Escherichia coli, the Min system undergoes pole‐to‐pole oscillation, in gram‐positive Bacillus subtilis, proper spatial inhibition is achieved by the preferential attraction of the Min proteins to the cell poles. Nevertheless, when E.coli Min proteins are inserted into B.subtilis cells, they still oscillate, which negatively affects asymmetric septation during sporulation in this organism. Interestingly, homologs of both Min systems were found to be present in various combinations in the genomes of anaerobic and endospore‐forming Clostridia, including the pathogenic Clostridium difficile. Here, we have investigated the localization and behavior of C.difficile Min protein homologs and showed that MinDE proteins of C.difficile can oscillate when expressed together in B.subtilis cells. We have also investigated the effects of this oscillation on B.subtilis sporulation, and observed decreased sporulation efficiency in strains harboring the MinDE genes. Additionally, we have evaluated the effects of C.difficile Min protein expression on vegetative division in this heterologous host.

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