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Pal S, Yuvaraj R, Krishnan H, Venkatraman B, Abraham J, Gopinathan A. Unraveling radiation resistance strategies in two bacterial strains from the high background radiation area of Chavara-Neendakara: A comprehensive whole genome analysis. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304810. [PMID: 38857267 PMCID: PMC11164402 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
This paper reports the results of gamma irradiation experiments and whole genome sequencing (WGS) performed on vegetative cells of two radiation resistant bacterial strains, Metabacillus halosaccharovorans (VITHBRA001) and Bacillus paralicheniformis (VITHBRA024) (D10 values 2.32 kGy and 1.42 kGy, respectively), inhabiting the top-ranking high background radiation area (HBRA) of Chavara-Neendakara placer deposit (Kerala, India). The present investigation has been carried out in the context that information on strategies of bacteria having mid-range resistance for gamma radiation is inadequate. WGS, annotation, COG and KEGG analyses and manual curation of genes helped us address the possible pathways involved in the major domains of radiation resistance, involving recombination repair, base excision repair, nucleotide excision repair and mismatch repair, and the antioxidant genes, which the candidate could activate to survive under ionizing radiation. Additionally, with the help of these data, we could compare the candidate strains with that of the extremely radiation resistant model bacterium Deinococccus radiodurans, so as to find the commonalities existing in their strategies of resistance on the one hand, and also the rationale behind the difference in D10, on the other. Genomic analysis of VITHBRA001 and VITHBRA024 has further helped us ascertain the difference in capability of radiation resistance between the two strains. Significantly, the genes such as uvsE (NER), frnE (protein protection), ppk1 and ppx (non-enzymatic metabolite production) and those for carotenoid biosynthesis, are endogenous to VITHBRA001, but absent in VITHBRA024, which could explain the former's better radiation resistance. Further, this is the first-time study performed on any bacterial population inhabiting an HBRA. This study also brings forward the two species whose radiation resistance has not been reported thus far, and add to the knowledge on radiation resistant capabilities of the phylum Firmicutes which are abundantly observed in extreme environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sowptika Pal
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Ramani Yuvaraj
- Radiological and Environmental Safety Division, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Hari Krishnan
- Radiological and Environmental Safety Division, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Balasubramanian Venkatraman
- Radiological and Environmental Safety Division, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Jayanthi Abraham
- Microbial Biotechnology Laboratory, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Anilkumar Gopinathan
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
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Dixit AR, Meyers AD, Richardson B, Richards JT, Richards SE, Neelam S, Levine HG, Cameron MJ, Zhang Y. Simulated galactic cosmic ray exposure activates dose-dependent DNA repair response and down regulates glucosinolate pathways in arabidopsis seedlings. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1284529. [PMID: 38162303 PMCID: PMC10757676 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1284529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Outside the protection of Earth's magnetic field, organisms are constantly exposed to space radiation consisting of energetic protons and other heavier charged particles. With the goal of crewed Mars exploration, the production of fresh food during long duration space missions is critical for meeting astronauts' nutritional and psychological needs. However, the biological effects of space radiation on plants have not been sufficiently investigated and characterized. To that end, 10-day-old Arabidopsis seedlings were exposed to simulated Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR) and assessed for transcriptomic changes. The simulated GCR irradiation was carried out in the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) at Brookhaven National Lab (BNL). The exposures were conducted acutely for two dose points at 40 cGy or 80 cGy, with sequential delivery of proton, helium, oxygen, silicon, and iron ions. Control and irradiated seedlings were then harvested and preserved in RNAlater at 3 hrs post irradiation. Total RNA was isolated for transcriptomic analyses using RNAseq. The data revealed that the transcriptomic responses were dose-dependent, with significant upregulation of DNA repair pathways and downregulation of glucosinolate biosynthetic pathways. Glucosinolates are important for plant pathogen defense and for the taste of a plant, which are both relevant to growing plants for spaceflight. These findings fill in knowledge gaps of how plants respond to radiation in beyond-Earth environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anirudha R. Dixit
- AETOS Systems Inc., LASSO II Contract, Huntsville, AL, United States
| | - Alexander D. Meyers
- NASA Postdoctoral Program, John F. Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, FL, United States
| | | | | | | | - Srujana Neelam
- NASA Postdoctoral Program, John F. Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, FL, United States
| | - Howard G. Levine
- NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Kennedy Space Center, FL, United States
| | - Mark J. Cameron
- Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Ye Zhang
- NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Kennedy Space Center, FL, United States
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Duarte GT, Volkova PY, Fiengo Perez F, Horemans N. Chronic Ionizing Radiation of Plants: An Evolutionary Factor from Direct Damage to Non-Target Effects. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:1178. [PMID: 36904038 PMCID: PMC10005729 DOI: 10.3390/plants12051178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In present times, the levels of ionizing radiation (IR) on the surface of Earth are relatively low, posing no high challenges for the survival of contemporary life forms. IR derives from natural sources and naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), the nuclear industry, medical applications, and as a result of radiation disasters or nuclear tests. In the current review, we discuss modern sources of radioactivity, its direct and indirect effects on different plant species, and the scope of the radiation protection of plants. We present an overview of the molecular mechanisms of radiation responses in plants, which leads to a tempting conjecture of the evolutionary role of IR as a limiting factor for land colonization and plant diversification rates. The hypothesis-driven analysis of available plant genomic data suggests an overall DNA repair gene families' depletion in land plants compared to ancestral groups, which overlaps with a decrease in levels of radiation exposure on the surface of Earth millions of years ago. The potential contribution of chronic IR as an evolutionary factor in combination with other environmental factors is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Nele Horemans
- Belgian Nuclear Research Centre—SCK CEN, 2400 Mol, Belgium
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
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De S, Jose J, Pal A, Roy Choudhury S, Roy S. Exposure to Low UV-B Dose Induces DNA Double-Strand Breaks Mediated Onset of Endoreduplication in Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek Seedlings. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 63:463-483. [PMID: 35134223 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcac012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Multiple lines of evidence indicate that solar UV-B light acts as an important environmental signal in plants, regulating various cellular and metabolic activities, gene expression, growth and development. Here, we show that low levels of UV-B (4.0 kJ m-2) significantly influence plant response during early seedling development in the tropical legume crop Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek. Exposure to low doses of UV-B showed relatively less growth inhibition yet remarkably enhanced lateral root formation in seedlings. Both low and high (8.0 kJ m-2) doses of UV-B treatment induced DNA double-strand breaks and activated the SOG1-related ATM-ATR-mediated DNA damage response pathway. These effects led to G2-M-phase arrest with a compromised expression of the key cell cycle regulators, including CDKB1;1, CDKB2;1 and CYCB1;1, respectively. However, along with these effects, imbibitional exposure of seeds to a low UV-B dose resulted in enhanced accumulation of FZR1/CCS52A, E2Fa and WEE1 kinase and prominent induction of endoreduplication in 7-day-old seedlings. Low dose of UV-B mediated phenotypical responses, while the onset of endoreduplication appeared to be regulated at least in part via UV-B induced reactive oxygen species accumulation. Transcriptome analyses further revealed a network of co-regulated genes associated with DNA repair, cell cycle regulation and oxidative stress response pathways that are activated upon exposure to low doses of UV-B.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayanti De
- Department of Botany, UGC Center for Advanced Studies, The University of Burdwan, Golapbag Campus, Burdwan, West Bengal 713104, India
| | - Jismon Jose
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh 517507, India
| | - Amita Pal
- Division of Plant Biology, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal 700054, India
| | - Swarup Roy Choudhury
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh 517507, India
| | - Sujit Roy
- Department of Botany, UGC Center for Advanced Studies, The University of Burdwan, Golapbag Campus, Burdwan, West Bengal 713104, India
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Banerjee S, Roy S. An insight into understanding the coupling between homologous recombination mediated DNA repair and chromatin remodeling mechanisms in plant genome: an update. Cell Cycle 2021; 20:1760-1784. [PMID: 34437813 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2021.1966584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants, with their obligatory immobility, are vastly exposed to a wide range of environmental agents and also various endogenous processes, which frequently cause damage to DNA and impose genotoxic stress. These factors subsequently increase genome instability, thus affecting plant growth and productivity. Therefore, to survive under frequent and extreme environmental stress conditions, plants have developed highly efficient and powerful defense mechanisms to repair the damages in the genome for maintaining genome stability. Such multi-dimensional signaling response, activated in presence of damage in the DNA, is collectively known as DNA Damage Response (DDR). DDR plays a crucial role in the remarkably efficient detection, signaling, and repair of damages in the genome for maintaining plant genome stability and normal growth responses. Like other highly advanced eukaryotic systems, chromatin dynamics play a key role in regulating cell cycle progression in plants through remarkable orchestration of environmental and developmental signals. The regulation of chromatin architecture and nucleosomal organization in DDR is mainly modulated by the ATP dependent chromatin remodelers (ACRs), chromatin modifiers, and histone chaperones. ACRs are mainly responsible for transcriptional regulation of several homologous recombination (HR) repair genes in plants under genotoxic stress. The HR-based repair of DNA damage has been considered as the most error-free mechanism of repair and represents one of the essential sources of genetic diversity and new allelic combinations in plants. The initiation of DDR signaling and DNA damage repair pathway requires recruitment of epigenetic modifiers for remodeling of the damaged chromatin while accumulating evidence has shown that chromatin remodeling and DDR share part of the similar signaling pathway through the altered epigenetic status of the associated chromatin region. In this review, we have integrated information to provide an overview on the association between chromatin remodeling mediated regulation of chromatin structure stability and DDR signaling in plants, with emphasis on the scope of the utilization of the available knowledge for the improvement of plant health and productivity.Abbreviation: ADH: Alcohol Dehydrogenase; AGO2: Argonaute 2; ARP: Actin-Related Protein; ASF:1- Anti-Silencing Function-1; ATM: Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated; ATR: ATM and Rad3- Related; AtSWI3c: Arabidopsis thaliana Switch 3c; ATXR5: Arabidopsis Trithorax-Related5; ATXR6: Arabidopsis Trithorax-Related6; BER: Base Excision Repair; BRCA1: Breast Cancer Associated 1; BRM: BRAHMA; BRU1: BRUSHY1; CAF:1- Chromatin Assembly Factor-1; CHD: Chromodomain Helicase DNA; CHR5: Chromatin Remodeling Protein 5; CHR11/17: Chromatin Remodeling Protein 11/17; CIPK11- CBL- Interacting Protein Kinase 11; CLF: Curly Leaf; CMT3: Chromomethylase 3; COR15A: Cold Regulated 15A; COR47: Cold Regulated 47; CRISPR: Clustered Regulatory Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats; DDM1: Decreased DNA Methylation1; DRR: DNA Repair and Recombination; DSBs: Double-Strand Breaks; DDR: DNA Damage Response; EXO1: Exonuclease 1; FAS1/2: Fasciata1/2; FACT: Facilitates Chromatin Transcription; FT: Flowering Locus T; GMI1: Gamma-Irradiation And Mitomycin C Induced 1; HAC1: Histone Acetyltransferase of the CBP Family 1; HAM1: Histone Acetyltransferase of the MYST Family 1; HAM2: Histone Acetyltransferase of the MYST Family 2; HAF1: Histone Acetyltransferase of the TAF Family 1; HAT: Histone Acetyl Transferase; HDA1: Histone Deacetylase 1; HDA6: Histone Deacetylase 6; HIRA: Histone Regulatory Homolog A; HR- Homologous recombination; HAS: Helicase SANT Associated; HSS: HAND-SLANT-SLIDE; ICE1: Inducer of CBF Expression 1; INO80: Inositol Requiring Mutant 80; ISW1: Imitation Switch 1; KIN1/2: Kinase 1 /2; MET1: Methyltransferase 1; MET2: Methyltransferase 2; MINU: MINUSCULE; MMS: Methyl Methane Sulfonate; MMS21: Methyl Methane Sulfonate Sensitivity 21; MRN: MRE11, RAD50 and NBS1; MSI1: Multicopy Suppressor Of Ira1; NAP1: Nucleosome Assembly Protein 1; NRP1/NRP2: NAP1-Related Protein; NER: Nucleotide Excision Repair; NHEJ: Non-Homologous End Joining; PARP1: Poly-ADP Ribose Polymerase; PIE1: Photoperiod Independent Early Flowering 1; PIKK: Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase-Like Kinase; PKL: PICKLE; PKR1/2: PICKLE Related 1/2; RAD: Radiation Sensitive Mutant; RD22: Responsive To Desiccation 22; RD29A: Responsive To Desiccation 29A; ROS: Reactive Oxygen Species; ROS1: Repressor of Silencing 1; RPA1E: Replication Protein A 1E; SANT: Swi3, Ada2, N-Cor and TFIIIB; SEP3: SEPALLATA3; SCC3: Sister Chromatid Cohesion Protein 3; SMC1: Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes Protein 1; SMC3: Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes Protein 3; SOG1: Suppressor of Gamma Response 1; SWC6: SWR1 Complex Subunit 6; SWR1: SWI2/SNF2-Related 1; SYD: SPLAYED; SMC5: Structural Maintenance of Chromosome 5; SWI/SNF: Switch/Sucrose Non-Fermentable; TALENs: Transcription Activators Like Effector Nucleases; TRRAP: Transformation/Transactivation Domain-Associated Protein; ZFNs: Zinc Finger Nucleases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samrat Banerjee
- Department of Botany, UGC Centre for Advanced Studies, the University of Burdwan, Golapbag Campus, Burdwan, West Bengal, India
| | - Sujit Roy
- Department of Botany, UGC Centre for Advanced Studies, the University of Burdwan, Golapbag Campus, Burdwan, West Bengal, India
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Roeber VM, Bajaj I, Rohde M, Schmülling T, Cortleven A. Light acts as a stressor and influences abiotic and biotic stress responses in plants. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2021; 44:645-664. [PMID: 33190307 DOI: 10.1111/pce.13948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Light is important for plants as an energy source and a developmental signal, but it can also cause stress to plants and modulates responses to stress. Excess and fluctuating light result in photoinhibition and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation around photosystems II and I, respectively. Ultraviolet light causes photodamage to DNA and a prolongation of the light period initiates the photoperiod stress syndrome. Changes in light quality and quantity, as well as in light duration are also key factors impacting the outcome of diverse abiotic and biotic stresses. Short day or shady environments enhance thermotolerance and increase cold acclimation. Similarly, shade conditions improve drought stress tolerance in plants. Additionally, the light environment affects the plants' responses to biotic intruders, such as pathogens or insect herbivores, often reducing growth-defence trade-offs. Understanding how plants use light information to modulate stress responses will support breeding strategies to enhance crop stress resilience. This review summarizes the effect of light as a stressor and the impact of the light environment on abiotic and biotic stress responses. There is a special focus on the role of the different light receptors and the crosstalk between light signalling and stress response pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venja M Roeber
- Institute of Biology/Applied Genetics, Dahlem Centre of Plant Sciences (DCPS), Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ishita Bajaj
- Institute of Biology/Applied Genetics, Dahlem Centre of Plant Sciences (DCPS), Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mareike Rohde
- Institute of Biology/Applied Genetics, Dahlem Centre of Plant Sciences (DCPS), Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Schmülling
- Institute of Biology/Applied Genetics, Dahlem Centre of Plant Sciences (DCPS), Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anne Cortleven
- Institute of Biology/Applied Genetics, Dahlem Centre of Plant Sciences (DCPS), Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Verma P, Tandon R, Yadav G, Gaur V. Structural Aspects of DNA Repair and Recombination in Crop Improvement. Front Genet 2020; 11:574549. [PMID: 33024442 PMCID: PMC7516265 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.574549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The adverse effects of global climate change combined with an exponentially increasing human population have put substantial constraints on agriculture, accelerating efforts towards ensuring food security for a sustainable future. Conventional plant breeding and modern technologies have led to the creation of plants with better traits and higher productivity. Most crop improvement approaches (conventional breeding, genome modification, and gene editing) primarily rely on DNA repair and recombination (DRR). Studying plant DRR can provide insights into designing new strategies or improvising the present techniques for crop improvement. Even though plants have evolved specialized DRR mechanisms compared to other eukaryotes, most of our insights about plant-DRRs remain rooted in studies conducted in animals. DRR mechanisms in plants include direct repair, nucleotide excision repair (NER), base excision repair (BER), mismatch repair (MMR), non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR). Although each DRR pathway acts on specific DNA damage, there is crosstalk between these. Considering the importance of DRR pathways as a tool in crop improvement, this review focuses on a general description of each DRR pathway, emphasizing on the structural aspects of key DRR proteins. The review highlights the gaps in our understanding and the importance of studying plant DRR in the context of crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prabha Verma
- National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Reetika Tandon
- National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Gitanjali Yadav
- National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Vineet Gaur
- National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi, India
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Lee JH, Kwon MC, Jung ES, Lee CH, Oh MM. Physiological and Metabolomic Responses of Kale to Combined Chilling and UV-A Treatment. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E4950. [PMID: 31597250 PMCID: PMC6801958 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20194950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 09/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Short-term abiotic stress treatment before harvest can enhance the quality of horticultural crops cultivated in controlled environments. Here, we investigated the effects of combined chilling and UV-A treatment on the accumulation of phenolic compounds in kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala). Five-week-old plants were subjected to combined treatments (10 °C plus UV-A LED radiation at 30.3 W/m2) for 3-days, as well as single treatments (4 °C, 10 °C, or UV-A LED radiation). The growth parameters and photosynthetic rates of plants under the combined treatment were similar to those of the control, whereas UV-A treatment alone significantly increased these parameters. Maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm) decreased and H2O2 increased in response to UV-A and combined treatments, implying that these treatments induced stress in kale. The total phenolic contents after 2- and 3-days of combined treatment and 1-day of recovery were 40%, 60%, and 50% higher than those of the control, respectively, and the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity also increased. Principal component analysis suggested that stress type and period determine the changes in secondary metabolites. Three days of combined stress treatment followed by 2-days of recovery increased the contents of quercetin derivatives. Therefore, combined chilling and UV-A treatment could improve the phenolic contents of leafy vegetables such as kale, without growth inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Hui Lee
- Division of Animal, Horticultural and Food Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea.
- Brain Korea 21 Center for Bio-Resource Development, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea.
| | - Min Cheol Kwon
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea.
| | - Eun Sung Jung
- Department of Systems Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea.
| | - Choong Hwan Lee
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea.
- Department of Systems Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea.
- Research Institute for Bioactive-Metabolome Network, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea.
| | - Myung-Min Oh
- Division of Animal, Horticultural and Food Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea.
- Brain Korea 21 Center for Bio-Resource Development, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea.
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Roldán-Arjona T, Ariza RR, Córdoba-Cañero D. DNA Base Excision Repair in Plants: An Unfolding Story With Familiar and Novel Characters. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:1055. [PMID: 31543887 PMCID: PMC6728418 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.01055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Base excision repair (BER) is a critical genome defense pathway that deals with a broad range of non-voluminous DNA lesions induced by endogenous or exogenous genotoxic agents. BER is a complex process initiated by the excision of the damaged base, proceeds through a sequence of reactions that generate various DNA intermediates, and culminates with restoration of the original DNA structure. BER has been extensively studied in microbial and animal systems, but knowledge in plants has lagged behind until recently. Results obtained so far indicate that plants share many BER factors with other organisms, but also possess some unique features and combinations. Plant BER plays an important role in preserving genome integrity through removal of damaged bases. However, it performs additional important functions, such as the replacement of the naturally modified base 5-methylcytosine with cytosine in a plant-specific pathway for active DNA demethylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Roldán-Arjona
- Maimónides Biomedical Research Institute of Córdoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain
- Department of Genetics, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
- Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Rafael R. Ariza
- Maimónides Biomedical Research Institute of Córdoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain
- Department of Genetics, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
- Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Dolores Córdoba-Cañero
- Maimónides Biomedical Research Institute of Córdoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain
- Department of Genetics, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
- Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain
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10
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Al Khateeb W. Plants genotoxicity as pollution bioindicator in Jordan using comet assay. PHYSIOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF PLANTS : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2018; 24:89-97. [PMID: 29398841 PMCID: PMC5787122 DOI: 10.1007/s12298-017-0491-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Revised: 11/23/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to assess genotoxicity in wild plants grown in Jordan as a pollution bioindicator. Comet assay was used to evaluate the level of DNA damage in plants collected from different areas in Jordan. Significant differences in plant DNA damage index and frequency were observed among sites of collection. Results show that plants collected from Aqaba back road and Ghour Assaal had significantly higher damage values. In contrast, plants collected from Wadi Rum, Al Naqab Heights, Swaimeh/Deadsea and Alshoneh Aljanobyeh showed low levels of DNA damage. A similar trend was observed for lipid peroxidation rates. Furthermore, heavy metal analysis showed that plants collected from Aqaba back road and Aqaba airport had the highest Al, Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb contents. A significant correlation was observed between DNA Damage Index, DNA Damage Frequency, lipid peroxidation rate, soil Cu, Cd and Pb biomarkers, indicating that heavy metals pollution is a major source for genotoxicity in these plant species. Finally, our results approved the feasibility of using plants and Comet assay system as a diagnostic tool for pollution in any environment adversely affected by different pollution sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesam Al Khateeb
- Department of Biological Sciences, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan
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11
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Gimenez E, Manzano-Agugliaro F. DNA Damage Repair System in Plants: A Worldwide Research Update. Genes (Basel) 2017; 8:genes8110299. [PMID: 29084140 PMCID: PMC5704212 DOI: 10.3390/genes8110299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Revised: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 10/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Living organisms are usually exposed to various DNA damaging agents so the mechanisms to detect and repair diverse DNA lesions have developed in all organisms with the result of maintaining genome integrity. Defects in DNA repair machinery contribute to cancer, certain diseases, and aging. Therefore, conserving the genomic sequence in organisms is key for the perpetuation of life. The machinery of DNA damage repair (DDR) in prokaryotes and eukaryotes is similar. Plants also share mechanisms for DNA repair with animals, although they differ in other important details. Plants have, surprisingly, been less investigated than other living organisms in this context, despite the fact that numerous lethal mutations in animals are viable in plants. In this manuscript, a worldwide bibliometric analysis of DDR systems and DDR research in plants was made. A comparison between both subjects was accomplished. The bibliometric analyses prove that the first study about DDR systems in plants (1987) was published thirteen years later than that for other living organisms (1975). Despite the increase in the number of papers about DDR mechanisms in plants in recent decades, nowadays the number of articles published each year about DDR systems in plants only represents 10% of the total number of articles about DDR. The DDR research field was done by 74 countries while the number of countries involved in the DDR & Plant field is 44. This indicates the great influence that DDR research in the plant field currently has, worldwide. As expected, the percentage of studies published about DDR systems in plants has increased in the subject area of agricultural and biological sciences and has diminished in medicine with respect to DDR studies in other living organisms. In short, bibliometric results highlight the current interest in DDR research in plants among DDR studies and can open new perspectives in the research field of DNA damage repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estela Gimenez
- Central Research Services, University of Almería, C/ Sacramento s/n, Almería 04120, Spain.
| | - Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro
- Central Research Services, University of Almería, C/ Sacramento s/n, Almería 04120, Spain.
- Engineering Department, University of Almería, C/ Sacramento s/n., Almería 04120, Spain.
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12
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Roy S. Impact of UV Radiation on Genome Stability and Human Health. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2017; 996:207-219. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-56017-5_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
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13
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Manova V, Gruszka D. DNA damage and repair in plants - from models to crops. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2015; 6:885. [PMID: 26557130 PMCID: PMC4617055 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2015.00885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The genomic integrity of every organism is constantly challenged by endogenous and exogenous DNA-damaging factors. Mutagenic agents cause reduced stability of plant genome and have a deleterious effect on development, and in the case of crop species lead to yield reduction. It is crucial for all organisms, including plants, to develop efficient mechanisms for maintenance of the genome integrity. DNA repair processes have been characterized in bacterial, fungal, and mammalian model systems. The description of these processes in plants, in contrast, was initiated relatively recently and has been focused largely on the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Consequently, our knowledge about DNA repair in plant genomes - particularly in the genomes of crop plants - is by far more limited. However, the relatively small size of the Arabidopsis genome, its rapid life cycle and availability of various transformation methods make this species an attractive model for the study of eukaryotic DNA repair mechanisms and mutagenesis. Moreover, abnormalities in DNA repair which proved to be lethal for animal models are tolerated in plant genomes, although sensitivity to DNA damaging agents is retained. Due to the high conservation of DNA repair processes and factors mediating them among eukaryotes, genes and proteins that have been identified in model species may serve to identify homologous sequences in other species, including crop plants, in which these mechanisms are poorly understood. Crop breeding programs have provided remarkable advances in food quality and yield over the last century. Although the human population is predicted to "peak" by 2050, further advances in yield will be required to feed this population. Breeding requires genetic diversity. The biological impact of any mutagenic agent used for the creation of genetic diversity depends on the chemical nature of the induced lesions and on the efficiency and accuracy of their repair. More recent targeted mutagenesis procedures also depend on host repair processes, with different pathways yielding different products. Enhanced understanding of DNA repair processes in plants will inform and accelerate the engineering of crop genomes via both traditional and targeted approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasilissa Manova
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics, Bulgarian Academy of SciencesSofia
| | - Damian Gruszka
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biology and Environment Protection, University of SilesiaKatowice, Poland
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14
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Pedroza-García JA, Nájera-Martínez M, de la Paz Sanchez M, Plasencia J. Arabidopsis thaliana thymidine kinase 1a is ubiquitously expressed during development and contributes to confer tolerance to genotoxic stress. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2015; 87:303-15. [PMID: 25537647 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-014-0277-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2014] [Accepted: 12/12/2014] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Thymidine kinase catalyzes the first step in the nucleotide salvage pathway by transferring a phosphate group to a thymidine molecule. In mammals thymidine kinase supplies deoxyribonucleotides for DNA replication and DNA repair, and the expression of the gene is tightly regulated during the cell cycle. Although this gene is phylogenetically conserved in many taxa, its physiological function in plants remains unknown. The genome of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana has two thymidine kinase genes (AtTK1a and AtTK1b) and microarray data suggest they might have redundant roles. In this study we analyzed the TK1a function by evaluating its expression pattern during development and in response to genotoxic stress. We also studied its role in DNA repair by the characterization of a mutant that contained the T-DNA insertion in the promoter region of the TK1a gene. We found that TK1a is expressed in most tissues during plant development and it was differentially induced by ultraviolet-C radiation because TK1b expression was unaffected. In the mutant, the T-DNA insertion caused a 40 % rise in transcript levels and enzyme activity in Arabidopsis seedlings compared to wild-type plants. This elevation was enough to confer tolerance to ultraviolet-C irradiation in dark conditions, as determined by root growth, and meristem length and structure. TK1a overexpression also provided tolerance to genotoxins that induce double-strand break. Our results suggest that thymidine kinase contributes to several DNA repair pathways by providing deoxythymidine triphosphate that serve as precursors for DNA repair and to balance deoxyribonucleotides pools.
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MESH Headings
- Arabidopsis/enzymology
- Arabidopsis/genetics
- Arabidopsis/radiation effects
- Arabidopsis Proteins/genetics
- Arabidopsis Proteins/metabolism
- Base Sequence
- DNA Damage
- DNA, Bacterial/genetics
- DNA, Plant/genetics
- Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental/radiation effects
- Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic/radiation effects
- Gene Expression Regulation, Plant/radiation effects
- Genes, Plant/radiation effects
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Mutagenesis, Insertional
- Plants, Genetically Modified/enzymology
- Plants, Genetically Modified/genetics
- Plants, Genetically Modified/radiation effects
- Promoter Regions, Genetic
- Seedlings/enzymology
- Seedlings/genetics
- Seedlings/radiation effects
- Thymidine Kinase/genetics
- Thymidine Kinase/metabolism
- Ultraviolet Rays/adverse effects
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Affiliation(s)
- José Antonio Pedroza-García
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, México, D.F., México
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15
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Yoshihara R, Nozawa S, Hase Y, Narumi I, Hidema J, Sakamoto AN. Mutational effects of γ-rays and carbon ion beams on Arabidopsis seedlings. JOURNAL OF RADIATION RESEARCH 2013; 54:1050-6. [PMID: 23728320 PMCID: PMC3823791 DOI: 10.1093/jrr/rrt074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
To assess the mutational effects of radiation on vigorously proliferating plant tissue, the mutation spectrum was analyzed with Arabidopsis seedlings using the plasmid-rescue method. Transgenic plants containing the Escherichia coli rpsL gene were irradiated with γ-rays and carbon ion beams (320-MeV (12)C(6+)), and mutations in the rpsL gene were analyzed. Mutant frequency increased significantly following irradiation by γ-rays, but not by 320-MeV (12)C(6+). Mutation spectra showed that both radiations increased the frequency of frameshifts and other mutations, including deletions and insertions, but only γ-rays increased the frequency of total base substitutions. These results suggest that the type of DNA lesions which cause base substitutions were less often induced by 320-MeV (12)C(6+) than by γ-rays in Arabidopsis seedlings. Furthermore, γ-rays never increased the frequencies of G:C to T:A or A:T to C:G transversions, which are caused by oxidized guanine; 320-MeV (12)C(6+), however, produced a slight increase in both transversions. Instead, γ-rays produced a significant increase in the frequency of G:C to A:T transitions. These results suggest that 8-oxoguanine has little effect on mutagenesis in Arabidopsis cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryouhei Yoshihara
- Research Center for Environmental Genomics, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Shigeki Nozawa
- Ion Beam Mutagenesis Research Group, Medical and Biotechnological Application Division, Quantum Beam Science Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 1233 Watanuki, Takasaki, 370-1292, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Hase
- Ion Beam Mutagenesis Research Group, Medical and Biotechnological Application Division, Quantum Beam Science Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 1233 Watanuki, Takasaki, 370-1292, Japan
| | - Issay Narumi
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Toyo University, 1-1-1 Izumino, Itakura, 374-0193, Japan
| | - Jun Hidema
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Ayako N. Sakamoto
- Ion Beam Mutagenesis Research Group, Medical and Biotechnological Application Division, Quantum Beam Science Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 1233 Watanuki, Takasaki, 370-1292, Japan
- Corresponding author. Ion Beam Mutagenesis Research Group, Medical and Biotechnological Application Division, Quantum Beam Science Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 1233 Watanuki, Takasaki, 370-1292, Japan. Tel: +81-27-346-9537; Fax: +81-27-346-9688;
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16
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Meza TJ, Moen MN, Vågbø CB, Krokan HE, Klungland A, Grini PE, Falnes PØ. The DNA dioxygenase ALKBH2 protects Arabidopsis thaliana against methylation damage. Nucleic Acids Res 2012; 40:6620-31. [PMID: 22532610 PMCID: PMC3413135 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gks327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The Escherichia coli AlkB protein (EcAlkB) is a DNA repair enzyme which reverses methylation damage such as 1-methyladenine (1-meA) and 3-methylcytosine (3-meC). The mammalian AlkB homologues ALKBH2 and ALKBH3 display EcAlkB-like repair activity in vitro, but their substrate specificities are different, and ALKBH2 is the main DNA repair enzyme for 1-meA in vivo. The genome of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana encodes several AlkB homologues, including the yet uncharacterized protein AT2G22260, which displays sequence similarity to both ALKBH2 and ALKBH3. We have here characterized protein AT2G22260, by us denoted ALKBH2, as both our functional studies and bioinformatics analysis suggest it to be an orthologue of mammalian ALKBH2. The Arabidopsis ALKBH2 protein displayed in vitro repair activities towards methyl and etheno adducts in DNA, and was able to complement corresponding repair deficiencies of the E. coli alkB mutant. Interestingly, alkbh2 knock-out plants were sensitive to the methylating agent methylmethanesulphonate (MMS), and seedlings from these plants developed abnormally when grown in the presence of MMS. The present study establishes ALKBH2 as an important enzyme for protecting Arabidopsis against methylation damage in DNA, and suggests its homologues in other plants to have a similar function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trine J Meza
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1041 Blindern, N-0316 Oslo, Norway
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17
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Roy S, Choudhury SR, Singh SK, Das KP. AtPolλ, a homolog of mammalian DNA polymerase λ in Arabidopsis thaliana, is involved in the repair of UV-B induced DNA damage through the dark repair pathway. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2011; 52:448-67. [PMID: 21227935 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcr002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Plants are constantly exposed to a wide range of environmental genotoxic stress factors including obligatory exposure to UV radiation in sunlight. Here, we report the functional characterization of a DNA repair protein, AtPolλ, a homolog of mammalian DNA polymerase λ in Arabidopsis, in relation to its role in repair of UV-B-induced DNA damage during early stages of seedling development. The abundance of the AtPolλ transcript and the protein levels were distinctly increased in response to UV-B irradiation in 6-day-old wild-type seedlings. Growth of atpolλ mutant seedlings, deficient in AtPolλ expression, was more sensitive to UV-B radiation compared with wild-type plants when seeds were exposed to UV-B radiation before germination. The atpolλ mutants showed accumulation of relatively higher amounts of DNA lesions than wild-type plants following UV-B exposure and were less proficient in repair of UV-induced DNA damage. Increased accumulation of AtPolλ protein in UV-B-irradiated 6-day-old wild-type seedlings during the dark recovery period has indicated a possible role for the protein in repair of UV-B-induced lesions in the dark. Overexpression of AtPolλ in the atpolλ mutant line partially complemented the repair proficiency of UV-B-induced DNA damage. In vitro repair synthesis assays using whole-cell extracts from the wild-type and atpolλ mutant line have further demonstrated the role of AtPolλ in repair synthesis of UV-B-damaged DNA in the dark through an excision repair mechanism. Overall, our results have indicated the possible involvement of AtPolλ in a plant's response for repair of UV-B-mediated DNA damage during seedling development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujit Roy
- Protein Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Bose Institute, 93/1 Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road, Kolkata 700 009, West Bengal, India.
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18
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Genotoxic stress in plants: Shedding light on DNA damage, repair and DNA repair helicases. MUTATION RESEARCH-REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH 2009; 681:134-149. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2008.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2008] [Revised: 06/24/2008] [Accepted: 06/24/2008] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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19
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Murphy TM, Belmonte M, Shu S, Britt AB, Hatteroth J. Requirement for abasic endonuclease gene homologues in Arabidopsis seed development. PLoS One 2009; 4:e4297. [PMID: 19172180 PMCID: PMC2627920 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0004297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2008] [Accepted: 12/22/2008] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Arabidopsis thaliana has three genes, Ape1L, Ape2, and Arp, that show homology to abasic (apurinic/apyrimidinic) endonuclease genes of bacterial, yeast, or animal cells. In bacteria, yeast, and animals, abasic endonucleases function in base excision repair of oxidized and other modified DNA bases. Here we report that plants with knock-out mutations in any one of Ape1L, Ape2, or Arp show no apparent differences from wild type in growth rate, growth habit, and fertility. However, coincident knock-out mutations in Ape1L and Ape2 are lethal and lead to abortion of developing embryos. Mutations of Arp are not deleterious, even in combination with one of the other two mutations. The results are consistent with the interpretation that the process of base excision repair, involving at least one intact copy of Ape1L or Ape2, is required in the process of embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terence M Murphy
- Section of Plant Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America.
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20
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Gehring M, Reik W, Henikoff S. DNA demethylation by DNA repair. Trends Genet 2009; 25:82-90. [PMID: 19144439 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2008.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 163] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2008] [Revised: 12/01/2008] [Accepted: 12/02/2008] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Active DNA demethylation underlies key facets of reproduction in flowering plants and mammals and serves a general genome housekeeping function in plants. A family of 5-methylcytosine DNA glycosylases catalyzes plant demethylation via the well-known DNA base-excision-repair process. Although the existence of active demethylation has been known for a longer time in mammals, the means of achieving it remain murky and mammals lack counterparts to the plant demethylases. Several intriguing experiments have indicated, but not conclusively proven, that DNA repair is also a plausible mechanism for animal demethylation. Here, we examine what is known from flowering plants about the pathways and function of enzymatic demethylation and discuss possible mechanisms whereby DNA repair might also underlie global demethylation in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Gehring
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue N, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
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21
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Hays JB. Arabidopsis thaliana, a versatile model system for study of eukaryotic genome-maintenance functions. DNA Repair (Amst) 2002; 1:579-600. [PMID: 12509283 DOI: 10.1016/s1568-7864(02)00093-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
The genome of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana encodes many orthologs of human genome-maintenance proteins, and in several important cases plant DNA repair and mutation-antagonism functions resemble their mammalian counterparts more closely than do those of established microbial models. These orthologs, in conjunction with the powerful tools now available for work with Arabidopsis and the practical advantages of its small size and rapid life cycle, now make it an attractive model system for study of eukaryotic DNA repair and mutagenesis. Already, null mutations that inactivate proteins involved in repair of DNA double-strand breaks or in DNA translesion synthesis and are lethal in mice have proved to be tolerated by plants. This review compares in some detail the genome-maintenance activities encoded by plants, mammals and microbes, and describes important Arabidopsis tools and life cycle characteristics. It concludes with selected examples that illustrate Arabidopsis advantages and/or reveal new insights into genome-maintenance functions of general interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- John B Hays
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, 1007 ALS Building, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-7301, USA.
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