Chromatin remodeling during spermiogenesis: a possible role for the transition proteins in DNA strand break repair.
An important chromatin remodeling process is taking place during spermiogenesis in mammals and DNA strand breaks must be produced to allow the accompanying change in DNA topology. Endogenous DNA strand breaks are indeed detected at mid-spermiogenesis steps but are no longer present in mature sperm. Both in vitro and in vivo evidence suggests that the DNA-binding and condensing activities of a set of basic nuclear "transition proteins" may be crucial to the integrity of the chromatin remodeling process. We propose that these proteins are necessary for the repair of the strand breaks so that DNA fragmentation is minimized in the mature sperm.
Boissonneault
Guylain
G
Département de Biochimie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada J1H 5N4. gboisson@courrier.usherb.ca
D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000378:metabolism*; D019457:Chromosome Breakage / Q000502:physiology*; D000072481:DNA Ligase ATP; D011088:DNA Ligases / Q000378:metabolism; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000502:physiology*; D004250:DNA Topoisomerases, Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D000075223:Poly-ADP-Ribose Binding Proteins; D051381:Rats; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D029867:Xenopus Proteins
D002843:Chromatin; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D007527:Isoenzymes; D000075223:Poly-ADP-Ribose Binding Proteins; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; C053886:spermatid transition proteins; D004250:DNA Topoisomerases, Type II; D011088:DNA Ligases; D000072481:DNA Ligase ATP; C000618816:DNA ligase III alpha protein, Xenopus