Mutational signatures of non-homologous and polymerase theta-mediated end-joining in embryonic stem cells.

ABSTRACT: Cells employ potentially mutagenic DNA repair mechanisms to avoid the detrimental effects of chromosome breaks on cell survival. While classical non-homologous end-joining (cNHEJ) is largely error-free, alternative end-joining pathways have been described that are intrinsically mutagenic. Which end-joining mechanisms operate in germ and embryonic cells and thus contribute to heritable mutations found in congenital diseases is, however, still largely elusive. Here, we determined the genetic requirements for the repair of CRISPR/Cas9-induced chromosomal breaks of different configurations, and establish the mutational consequences. We find that cNHEJ and polymerase theta-mediated end-joining (TMEJ) act both parallel and redundant in mouse embryonic stem cells and account for virtually all end

SUBMITTER: Schimmel J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5730883 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature