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Title: Repair of UV damaged DNA, genes and proteins of yeast and human

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5763197

Our objectives are to determine the molecular mechanism of the incision step of excision repair of ultraviolet (UV) light damaged DNA in eukaryotic organisms, using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system, as well as studying the human homologs of yeast excision repair and postreplication repair proteins. In addition to its single-stranded DNA-dependent A TPase and DNA helicase activities, we have found that RAD3 protein also possesses DNA-RNA helicase activity, and that like RAD3, the Schizosaccharomyces pombe RAD3 homolog, rhp3{sup +}, is an essential gene. We have overexpressed the human RAD3 homolog, ERCC2, in yeast to facilitate its purification. The RAD10 protein was purified to homogeneity and shown to bind DNA. ERCC3y, the yeast homolog of the human ERCC-3/XP-B gene, has been sequenced and shown to be essential for viability. The Drosophila and human homologs of RAD6, required for postreplication repair and UV induced mutagenesis, were shown to complement the rad6 {Delta} mutation of yeast. Since defective DNA repair and enhanced neoplasia characterize several human genetic diseases, and repair proteins are highly conserved between yeast and man, a thorough understanding of the molecular mechanisms of DNA repir in yeast should provide a better understanding of the causes of carcinogenesis.

Research Organization:
Rochester Univ., NY (USA). School of Medicine and Dentistry
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
FG02-88ER60621
OSTI ID:
5763197
Report Number(s):
DOE/ER/60621-4; ON: DE91012170
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English