title: Neonatal lethality with abnormal neurogenesis in mice deficient in DNA polymerase beta.
abstract: DNA polymerase beta (Polbeta) has been implicated in base excision repair in mammalian cells. However, the physiological significance of this enzyme in the body remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that mice carrying a targeted disruption of the Polbeta gene showed growth retardation and died of a respiratory failure immediately after the birth. Histological examination of the embryos revealed defective neurogenesis characterized by apoptotic cell death in the developing central and peripheral nervous systems. Extensive cell death occurred in newly generated post-mitotic neuronal cells and was closely associated with the period between onset and cessation of neurogenesis. These findings indicate that Polbeta plays an essential role in neural development.
authors.affiliation: Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Graduate School of Integrated Science, Yokohama City University, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama 244-0813, USA.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sugo
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aratani
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagashima
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koyama
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics; D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000201:enzymology; D019951:DNA Polymerase beta / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000235:genetics; D017353:Gene Deletion; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics; D020043:Genes, Essential / Q000235:genetics; D005804:Genes, Lethal / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed / Q000235:genetics; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000235:genetics; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D019951:DNA Polymerase beta