Maintaining Genetic Integrity Under Extreme Conditions: Novel DNA Damage Repair Biology in the Archaea
Abstract
This work tested the hypothesis that the conserved archaeal Nre protein functions as a PCNA-dependent DNA repair factor. By exploiting the genetic tools available in the halophilic euryarchaeal organism Haloferax volcanii, it was shown that [1] Nre does indeed have a role in DNA damage repair (cells lacking Nre are supersensitive to specific DNA damaging agents and show delayed repair of DNA double strand breaks evidenced by DNA pulsed field gel electrophoresis) and [2] that the function of Nre in DNA damage repair in dependent on its ability to interact through its C-terminal PIP motif with PCNA (cells expressing an Nre protein lacking the PIP motif display similar phenotypes to cells lacking Nre altogether). Thus, the original hypothesis was validated. Further genetic analysis indicates that Nre performs its function, at least in part, in cooperation with the UvrABC excinuclease complex. This work contributes significant to our understanding of the diversity of DNA repair functions in archaea.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 23, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA592024
Entities
People
- Stuart A. MacNeill
Organizations
- University of St Andrews