title: Hierarchies of DNA repair in mammalian cells: biological consequences.
abstract: Mammalian cells exposed to genotoxic agents exhibit heterogeneous levels of repair of certain types of DNA damage in various genomic regions. For UV-induced cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers we propose that at least three levels of repair exist: (1) slow repair of inactive (X-chromosomal) genes, (2) fast repair of active housekeeping genes, and (3) accelerated repair of the transcribed strand of active genes. These hierarchies of repair may be related to chromosomal banding patterns as obtained by Giemsa staining. The possible consequences of defective DNA repair in one or more of these levels may be manifested in different clinical features associated with UV-sensitive human syndromes. Moreover, molecular analysis of hprt mutations reveals that mutations are primarily generated by DNA damage in the poorly repaired non-transcribed strand of the gene.
authors.affiliation: MGC-Department of Radiation Genetics and Chemical Mutagenesis, University of Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Mullenders
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vrieling
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Venema
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: van Zeeland
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016466:CHO Cells; D006224:Cricetinae; D004247:DNA / Q000528:radiation effects; D004249:DNA Damage; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D004247:DNA