DNA-PKcs and Artemis function in the end-joining phase of immunoglobulin heavy chain class switch recombination.

ABSTRACT: The DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) and Artemis are classical nonhomologous DNA end-joining (C-NHEJ) factors required for joining a subset of DNA double-strand breaks (DSB), particularly those requiring end processing. In mature B cells, activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) initiates class switch recombination (CSR) by introducing lesions into S regions upstream of two recombining C(H) exons, which are processed into DSBs and rejoined by C-NHEJ to complete CSR. The function of DNA-PKcs in CSR has been controversial with some reports but not others showing that DNA-PKcs-deficient mice are significantly impaired for CSR. Artemis-deficient B cells reportedly undergo CSR at normal levels. Overall, it is still not known whether there are any CSR-associated DSBs

SUBMITTER: Franco S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2275379 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature