Chromatin's Role in Repair of Radiation-induced Damage

本研究的目的是确定染色质在辐射诱导的双链断裂（DSB）修复过程中发挥的基本作用。 细胞存活和基因组完整性的维持严重依赖于哺乳动物细胞中通过非同源末端连接（NHEJ）途径对DSB的修复。 如果修复不当，DSB会导致染色体重排等畸变，并可能导致癌症的形成。 为了充分理解辐射诱导的DSB的修复，重要的是要考虑自然背景-染色质。 将基因组包装到染色质中可能会影响DNA修复过程，这与基因表达的情况类似。 因此，我们已经发现了一种新的染色质组装因子，称为ASF 1，在体内辐射诱导的，内源性的和发育程序化的DNA损伤的修复所必需的。 令人惊讶的是，ASF 1甚至是DNA修复过程所必需的，例如NHEJ，它不会引起染色质组装到新合成的DNA上。 我们将测试的假设，染色质结构被改变的ASF 1染色质组装因子在NHEJ和染色质结构的变化是必不可少的和内在的DNA损伤的修复。 为了深入了解辐射诱导的DNA损伤的修复，该方法将在酵母内诱导高度特异性的核酸内切酶，以产生只能由NHEJ修复的同步限定的DSB。 使用这个模型系统，我们将首次映射染色质结构的变化，之前，伴随和跟随修复的DSB由NHEJ。 最后，我们将通过研究ASF 1和染色质结构在哺乳动物细胞中的作用，确定染色质结构对NHEJ影响的一般性。 使用模型遗传系统来诱导定义的DSB的拟议实验的结果将为理解辐射诱导的DSB修复过程中染色质结构的基本但以前被忽视的作用提供基础。 因此，这些研究可直接应用于因辐射引起的基因组完整性丧失而导致的人类疾病，包括许多形式的癌症。

The goal of this research is to define the fundamental role that chromatin plays during the repair of radiation-induced double-strand breaks (DSBs). Cell survival and maintenance of genome integrity are critically dependent on the repair of DSBs by the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway in mammalian cells. If repaired incorrectly, DSBs result in abberations such as chromosomal rearrangements and can lead to formation of cancers. In order to fully understand the repair of radiation- induced DSBs, it is important to consider the natural context - chromatin. The packaging of the genome into chromatin is likely to influence DNA repair processes by analogy to the situation with gene expression. Accordingly, we have discovered a novel chromatin assembly factor, termed ASF1, essential for the repair of radiation-induced, endogenous and developmentally-programmed DNA damage in vivo. Surprisingly, ASF1 is even required for DNA repair processes, such as NHEJ, that do not invoke the assembly of chromatin onto newly-synthesized DNA. We will test the hypothesis that chromatin structure is altered by the ASF1 chromatin assembly factor during NHEJ and that changes to the chromatin structure are essential and intrinsic to the repair of DNA damage. In order to gain insight into the repair of radiation-induced DNA damage, the approach will be to induce a highly specific endonuclease within yeast to generate a synchronous defined DSB that can only be repaired by NHEJ. Using this model system, we will map for the first time the changes to the chromatin structure that precede, accompany and follow the repair of a DSB by NHEJ. Finally, we will determine the generality of the influence of chromatin structure on NHEJ, by examining the role of ASF1 and chromatin structure in mammalian cells. The findings of the proposed experiments using model genetic systems to induce a defined DSB will provide the foundation for understanding the fundamental, yet previously overlooked, role of chromatin structure during the repair of radiation-induced DSBs. As such, these studies are directly applicable to human diseases that result from radiation-induced loss of genome integrity, including many forms of cancer.