Paleček Emil

Prof., RNDr., DrSc.
Born October 3, 1930, † 2018

• Physical biochemistry, biophysical chemistry
• Member of Learned Society since 1994 (founding member)

Educational and professional preparation:

• 1956, RNDr. (chemistry/biochemistry), Faculty of Natural Science, Masaryk University (FNS, MU), Brno;
• 1959, CSc. (chemistry), FNS, MU

Employment and academic positions:

• 1955-present, Institute of Biophysics, CSAS/AS CR;
• 1962-1963, Postdoc, Department of Biochemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, Mass., USA;
• 1967-1970, Head, Department of Biophysical Chemistry, Institute of Biophysics, CSAS; 1990-91, Max-Planck Institut für biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, FRG (six months)

Membership in selected domestic scientific bodies:

• 1993-1997, member, Academic Council, AS CR;
• 2001, member, Council for Sciences, AS CR

Membership and positions in international organizations and societies:

• Founding member, Bioelectrochemical Society
• 1982, Member, editorial board, General Physiology and Biophysics
• 1988, Member, editorial board, Bioelectrochemistry (formerly Bioelectrochemistry and Bioenergetics)
• 2002, Trustee, The Gregor Mendel Trust (formerly „The Brno Initiative“)
• 2001, NATO consultant (for DNA biosensors)

Notable awards:

• 1961, Heyrovský Award (for young scientists), CSAS
• 1976, State Award (for pioneering work on DNA), President of CSSR
• 1990, J.G. Mendel Gold Medal, AS CR
• 2000, Award of AS CR

Selected publications:

• Palecek E.: Oscillographic polarography of highly polymerized deoxyribonucleic acid. Nature 188, 656-657 (1960)
• Palecek E.: Polarographic techniques in nucleic acid research. In: Progress in Nucleic Acid Research and Molecular Biology (Davidson J. N., Cohn W. E., Eds.). Academic Press, New York, Vol. 9, (1969) 31-73
• Palecek E. Premelting changes in DNA conformation. Progr. Nucleic Acid Res. Mol. Biol. 18, 151-213 (1976)
• Lilley D. M., Palecek E.: The supercoil-stabilised cruciform of Col E1 is hyper-reactive to osmium tetroxide. EMBO J. 3, 1187-1192 (1984)
• Palecek E.: Probing of DNA structure in cells with osmium tetroxide, 2,2’-bipyridine. Methods Enzymol. 212, 305-331 (1992)
• McClellan J. A., Boublíková P., Palecek E., Lilley D. M. J.: Superhelical torsion in cellular DNA responds directly to enviromental and genetic factors. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87, 8373-8377 (1990)
• Palecek E.: Contribution to studies of local DNA structures stabilized by supercoiling. Crit. Rev. Biochem. Mol. Biol. 26, 151-226 (1991)
• Palecek E., Vlk D., Stankova V., Brazda V., Vojtesek B., Hupp T. R., Schaper A., Jovin T. M.: Evidence of preferential binding of the tumor suppressor protein p53 to supercoiled DNAs. Oncogene 15, 2201-2209 (1997)
• Palecek E., Fojta, M.: Detecting DNA Hybridization and Damage. Anal. Chem. 73 (2001) 75A-83A
• Palecek E., Brazda V., Jagelska E., Pecinka P., Karlovska L., Brazdova M.: Enhancement of p53 sequence-specific binding by DNA supercoiling. Oncogene (2004), 1-9.