Biological function of the DNA repair enzyme APN-1 in C. elegans

线虫 DNA 修复酶 APN-1 的生物学功能

• 批准号: 202432-2012
• 负责人: Ramotar, Dindial
• 金额: $ 3.5万
• 依托单位: Université de Montréal
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2015-01-01 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=569839
• 关键词: Biological; function; DNA; repair; enzyme

Normal daily metabolism and many wide spread chemical agents in the environment can damage our genetic material (DNA). Damages to the DNA must be repaired otherwise cells would accumulate genetic alterations at an enormous rate escalating the risk of developing diseases such as cancers. However, all cells possess many different types of DNA repair proteins that efficiently restore the damaged DNA to its native form. Some of these proteins repair only specific damages to DNA. In several unfortunate cases, there are individuals that have deficiency in specific type of DNA repair proteins, for example, patients suffering from the disease Xeroderma pigmentosum cannot repair sunlight-induced DNA damages. As a result, these patients have a high incidence of skin cancer. We have identified two DNA repair proteins in a small worm called Caenorhabditis elegans, an organism that has been used as a simple model system to understand many biological processes. We are in the process of determining the biological role of these DNA repair proteins in C. elegans, by understanding the types of DNA lesions they can repair. We will use special techniques to prevent these DNA repair proteins from correcting damaged DNA in C. elegans. Under this condition, the worm is not expected to survive when expose to environmental DNA damaging agents and especially when other DNA repair processes are absent. Worms lacking these DNA repair proteins may be used as a sensitive reporter system to measure the level of contaminants in the environment (soil and water).

正常的每日新陈代谢和环境中许多广泛的化学剂会损害我们的遗传物质（DNA）。 必须修复对DNA的损害，否则细胞会以巨大的速度积累遗传改变，从而升级癌症等疾病的风险。 但是，所有细胞都有许多不同类型的DNA修复蛋白，可有效地将受损的DNA恢复为天然形式。 这些蛋白质中的一些仅修复对DNA的特定损害。 在几种不幸的情况下，有些人在特定类型的DNA修复蛋白中缺乏症状，例如，患有病心脏皮肤色素的患者无法修复阳光引起的DNA损害。 结果，这些患者的皮肤癌发病率很高。 我们已经在一个称为Caenorhabditis elegans的小蠕虫中鉴定出了两种DNA修复蛋白，这是一种有机体，已被用作一种简单的模型系统来了解许多生物学过程。 我们正在通过了解它们可以修复的DNA病变的类型来确定这些DNA修复蛋白在秀丽隐杆线虫中的生物学作用。我们将使用特殊的技术来防止这些DNA修复蛋白纠正秀丽隐杆线虫中受损的DNA。 在这种情况下，当暴露于环境DNA损害剂时，尤其是在没有其他DNA修复过程时，预计蠕虫将无法生存。 缺乏这些DNA修复蛋白的蠕虫可以用作敏感的记者系统，以测量环境中污染物的水平（土壤和水）。