THE EPIGENETIC PROTECTION SHELL OF EUCHROMATIN DNA

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Oxygen has two gaseous forms (dioxygen and ozone) and six solid allotropic modifications, with cyclooctaoxygen being a predicted form since 1990. Its first synthesis and characterization occurred in 2016 as a sodium crown complex, isolated in cytosine nucleoside hydrochloride complexes. Cyclooctaoxygen sodium was synthesized in vitro from atmospheric oxygen or catalase-generated oxygen, catalyzed by cytosine nucleosides and ninhydrin or low-molecular weight RNA. Thin-layer chromatographic mobility shift assays demonstrated that this cationic complex binds to nucleic acids (RNA and DNA), associates with single-stranded DNA and spermine phosphate, and is non-toxic to cultured mammalian cells at concentrations of 0.1–1.0 mM. It is hypothesized that cyclooctaoxygen forms in eukaryotic cells from dihydrogen peroxide via a catalase reaction involving cytidine and RNA. A molecular biological model suggests an epigenetic shell for eukaryotic DNA, incorporating selenium's interactions. The sperminium hydrogen phosphate/cyclooctaoxygen sodium complex is thought to cover actively transcribed regions of the genome. Cyclooctaoxygen is absent in hypoxic, condensed chromatin, indicating its role in gene regulation and proto-eukaryotic evolution. Glyphosate and its metabolite AMPA are identified as ‘epigenetic poisons’ that destroy the cyclooctaoxygen sodium complex, posing a risk to eukaryotic genomic integrity.