Expression of the yeast PHR1 gene is induced by DNA-damaging agents

Journal Article · Sat Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Molecular and Cellular Biology; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1128/MCB.10.9.4630· OSTI ID:6518926

Sebastian, J; Kraus, B; Sancar, G B ^[1]

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1. Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (USA)

The PHR1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes a photolyase which repairs specifically and exclusively pyrimidine dimers, the most frequent lesions induced in DNA by far-UV radiation. We have asked whether expression of PHR1 is modulated in response to UV-induced DNA damage and to DNA-damaging agents that induce lesions structurally dissimilar to pyrimidine dimers. Using a PHR1-lacZ fusion gene in which expression of beta-galactosidase is regulated by PHR1 5' regulatory elements, we found that exposure of cells to 254-nm light, 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide, methyl methanesulfonate, and N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine induced synthesis of increased amounts of fusion protein. In contrast to these DNA-damaging agents, neither heat shock nor exposure to photoreactivating light elicited a response. Induction by far-UV radiation was evident both when the fusion gene was carried on a multicopy plasmid and when it replaced the endogenous chromosomal copy of PHR1, and it was accompanied by an increase in the steady-state concentration of PHR1-lacZ mRNA. Northern (RNA) blot analysis of PHR1 mRNA encoded by the chromosomal locus was consistent with either enhanced transcription of PHR1 after DNA damage or stabilization of the transcripts. Neither the intact PHR1 or RAD2 gene was required for induction. Comparison of the region of PHR1 implicated in regulation of its expression with other damage-inducible genes from yeast cells revealed a common conserved sequence that is present in the PHR1, RAD2, and RNR2 genes and is required for damage inducibility of the latter two genes. These sequences may constitute elements of a damage-responsive regulon in S. cerevisiae.

• OSTI ID: 6518926
• Journal Information: Molecular and Cellular Biology; (USA), Journal Name: Molecular and Cellular Biology; (USA) Vol. 10:9; ISSN MCEBD; ISSN 0270-7306
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560130 -- Radiation Effects on Microorganisms
560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RECOVERY
BIOLOGICAL REPAIR
CELL CONSTITUENTS
DNA REPAIR
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENZYMES
ESTERS
EUMYCOTA
FUNGI
GALACTOSIDASE
GENE REGULATION
GENES
GENETIC EFFECTS
GLYCOSYL HYDROLASES
HYDROLASES
MESSENGER-RNA
METHYL METHANESULFONATE
MICROORGANISMS
MUTAGENS
NITRO COMPOUNDS
NITROSO COMPOUNDS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
O-GLYCOSYL HYDROLASES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
PLASMIDS
PYRIMIDINE DIMERS
RADIATIONS
RECOVERY
REPAIR
RNA
SACCHAROMYCES
SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE
SULFONIC ACID ESTERS
TRANSCRIPTION
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
YEASTS