Identification and Characterization of uvrA, a DNA Repair Gene of Deinococcus radiodurans

Abstract

Gram positive bacteria of the genus Deinococcus possess extraordinary resistance to the lethal and mutagenic effects of most agents that damage DNA, including ultraviolet (UV) radiation and the genotoxin mitomycin C (MMC). The extremely efficient ability to repair DNA damage induced by UV and MMC has been attributed, through complementation analysis, to two putative novel repair endonucleases (UV endonuclease-a and UV endonuc1ease-p) that incise deinococcal chromosomal DNA at or near sites of DNA damage, thereby initiating enzymatic excision of the DNA lesions. These repair endonucleases are encoded by the mtcA, mtcB (endonuclease~(l) and uvsC, uvsD, and uvsE (endonuclease-beta) genes. The gene encoded by mtcA and mtcB was found by DNA sequence analysis to be a single gene encoding a protein identified as the homolog of E. coli UvrA. UvrA is one protein of the UvrABC exonuclease complex in E. coli that recognizes thymine dimers and other bulky damage on nucleotide strands after UV induced DNA damage or other bulky DNA damage, such as MMC adducts. The nucleotide sequence of the uvrA homolog in D. radiodurans is over 60% homologous with E. coli and M. luteus uvrA nucleotide.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1996
Accession Number
AD1011479

Entities

People

  • Heidi J. Agostini

Organizations

  • Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Cell Membrane
  • Cell Physiological Processes
  • Chemical Compounds
  • Chemical Synthesis
  • Chemistry
  • Dna Sequence Analysis
  • Genetics
  • Health Services
  • Nucleotides
  • Organic Chemistry

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Geochemistry
  • Molecular and genetic basis of cancer.
  • Nuclear and Radiation Engineering.

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology