Two closely related RecQ helicases have antagonistic roles in homologous recombination and DNA repair in Arabidopsis thaliana.

ABSTRACT: RecQ helicases are involved in the processing of DNA structures arising during replication, recombination, and repair throughout all kingdoms of life. Mutations of different RecQ homologues are responsible for severe human diseases, such as Blooms (BLM) or Werner (WRN) syndrome. The loss of RecQ function is often accompanied by hyperrecombination caused by a lack of crossover suppression. In the Arabidopsis genome seven different RecQ genes are present. Two of them (AtRECQ4A and 4B) arose because of a recent duplication and are still nearly 70% identical on a protein level. Knockout of these genes leads to antagonistic phenotypes: the RECQ4A mutant shows sensitivity to DNA-damaging agents, enhanced homologous recombination (HR) and lethality in a mus81 background. Moreover, mutation of REC

SUBMITTER: Hartung F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2141863 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature