Identity and Function of a Large Gene Network Underlying Mutagenic Repair of DNA Breaks

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1226683
• Publication Date: 2012-12-06T22:38:06Z
• Authors: Abu Amar M. Al Mamun; Mary-Jane Lombardo; Chandan Shee; Andreas M. Lisewski; Caleb Gonzalez; Dongxu Lin; Ralf B. Nehring; Claude Saint-Ruf; Janet L. Gibson; Ryan L. Frisch; Olivier Lichtarge; P. J. Hastings; Susan M. Rosenberg
• Keywords: [SDV.GEN]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Genetics; 0303 health sciences; DNA Repair; [SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio]; [SDV.BBM.MN]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biochemistry, Molecular Biology/Molecular Networks [q-bio.MN]; Sigma Factor; [SDV.GEN] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Genetics; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; [SDV.MP.BAC]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Microbiology and Parasitology/Bacteriology; [SDV] Life Sciences [q-bio]; 03 medical and health sciences; [SDV.BBM.MN] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biochemistry, Molecular Biology/Molecular Networks [q-bio.MN]; Bacterial Proteins; Mutagenesis; Stress, Physiological; Escherichia coli; DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded; Gene Regulatory Networks; [SDV.MP.BAC] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Microbiology and Parasitology/Bacteriology; SOS Response, Genetics

Sewing Up DNA Repair

All cells have a battery of DNA-repair pathways to help ensure genome maintenance and stability, including stress-induced DNA break repair in Escherichia coli. Similar pathways—which can be mutagenic—are known in yeast and human cells and have the potential to accelerate evolution. Sixteen proteins are known to be required for the pathway in E. coli.

Al Mamun et al.

(p. 1344 ) analyzed the E. coli pathway to determine the full complement of protein contributions to the pathway. Ninety-three genes were found to be required for stress-induced DNA break repair. One-third of the proteins identified in the network were involved in electron transfer, functioning in oxidative phosphorylation, and acting through the σ s stress response pathway, which thus represents a critical hub in the network.