Cell-cycle responses to DNA damage in G2.
Cellular reproduction, at its basic level, is simply the passing of genetic information from a single parent cell into two daughter cells. As the cellular genome encodes all the information that defines a cell, it is crucial that the genome be accurately replicated. Furthermore, the duplicated genome must be properly segregated so that each daughter cell contains the exact same information as the parent cell. The processes by which this occurs is known as the cell cycle. The failure of either duplication or segregation of the genome can have disastrous consequences for an organism, including cancer and death. This article discusses what is known about checkpoints, the surveillance mechanisms that monitor both the fidelity and accuracy of DNA replication and segregation. Specifically, we will focus on the G2 checkpoint that is responsible for ensuring proper segregation of the duplicated genome into the daughter cells and how this checkpoint functions to arrest entry into mitosis in response to DNA damage.
Cuddihy
Andrew R
AR
Trescowthick Research Laboratories, Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute, Melbourne, Victoria 8006 Australia.
O'Connell
Matthew J
MJ
D002453:Cell Cycle; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004249:DNA Damage; D045643:DNA Repair Enzymes; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004720:Endonucleases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005057:Eukaryotic Cells / Q000166:cytology; D016195:G2 Phase / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D018816:Genes, cdc; D018000:Receptors, Peptide / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins; D015398:Signal Transduction
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D018000:Receptors, Peptide; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins; C070309:anthrax toxin receptors; D004720:Endonucleases; C069266:RAD1 protein, S cerevisiae; C499354:rad1 protein, S pombe; C085710:mcm2 protein, S pombe; D045643:DNA Repair Enzymes