title: Structural and functional conservation of the human homolog of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe rad2 gene, which is required for chromosome segregation and recovery from DNA damage.
abstract: The rad2 mutant of Schizosaccharomyces pombe is sensitive to UV irradiation and deficient in the repair of UV damage. In addition, it has a very high degree of chromosome loss and/or nondisjunction. We have cloned the rad2 gene and have shown it to be a member of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae RAD2/S. pombe rad13/human XPG family. Using degenerate PCR, we have cloned the human homolog of the rad2 gene. Human cDNA has 55% amino acid sequence identity to the rad2 gene and is able to complement the UV sensitivity of the rad2 null mutant. We have thus isolated a novel human gene which is likely to be involved both in controlling the fidelity of chromosome segregation and in the repair of UV-induced DNA damage. Its involvement in two fundamental processes for maintaining chromosomal integrity suggests that it is likely to be an important component of cancer avoidance mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Sussex University, Falmer, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tavassoli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: al-Harithy
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Sheldrick
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Lehmann
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: F Z
authors.initials: FZ
authors.lastname: Watts
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D015825:Chromosomes, Fungal / Q000502:physiology*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004249:DNA Damage; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases / Q000235:genetics; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D005720:Gamma Rays; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D012568:Schizosaccharomyces / Q000235:genetics* / Q000528:radiation effects; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; C073998:RAD2 protein, S cerevisiae; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases