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Identification of a DNA nonhomologous end-joining complex in bacteria

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-07, 13:33 authored by Geoffrey R Weller, Boris Kysela, Rajat Roy, Louise M Tonkin, Elizabeth Scanlan, Marina Della, Susanne Krogh Devine, Jonathan P Day, Adam Wilkinson, Fabrizio d'Adda di Fagagna, Kevin M Devine, Richard P Bowater, Penny Jeggo, Stephen P Jackson, Aidan DohertyAidan Doherty
In eukaryotic cells, double-strand breaks (DSBs) in DNA are generally repaired by the pathway of homologous recombination or by DNA nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ). Both pathways have been highly conserved throughout eukaryotic evolution, but no equivalent NHEJ system has been identified in prokaryotes. The NHEJ pathway requires a DNA end-binding component called Ku. We have identified bacterial Ku homologs and show that these proteins retain the biochemical characteristics of the eukaryotic Ku heterodimer. Furthermore, we show that bacterial Ku specifically recruits DNA ligase to DNA ends and stimulates DNA ligation. Loss of these proteins leads to hypersensitivity to ionizing radiation in Bacillus subtilis. These data provide evidence that many bacteria possess a DNA DSB repair apparatus that shares many features with the NHEJ system of eukarya and suggest that this DNA repair pathway arose before the prokaryotic and eukaryotic lineages diverged.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Science

ISSN

1095-9203

Publisher

American Association for the Advancement of Science

Issue

5587

Volume

297

Page range

1686-9

Department affiliated with

  • Biochemistry Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2006-11-27