ERCC1/XPF protects short telomeres from homologous recombination in Arabidopsis thaliana.

ABSTRACT: Many repair and recombination proteins play essential roles in telomere function and chromosome stability, notwithstanding the role of telomeres in "hiding" chromosome ends from DNA repair and recombination. Among these are XPF and ERCC1, which form a structure-specific endonuclease known for its essential role in nucleotide excision repair and is the subject of considerable interest in studies of recombination. In contrast to observations in mammalian cells, we observe no enhancement of chromosomal instability in Arabidopsis plants mutated for either XPF (AtRAD1) or ERCC1 (AtERCC1) orthologs, which develop normally and show wild-type telomere length. However, in the absence of telomerase, mutation of either of these two genes induces a significantly earlier onset of chromosomal instabilit

SUBMITTER: Vannier JB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2632759 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature