Chromatin remodeling and the maintenance of genome integrity.
DNA damage of any type is threatening for a cell. If lesions are left unrepaired, genomic instability can arise, faithful transmission of genetic information is greatly compromised eventually leading the cell to undergo apoptosis or carcinogenesis. In order to access/detect and repair these damages, repair factors must circumvent the natural repressive barrier of chromatin. This review will present recent progress showing the intricate link between chromatin, its remodeling and the DNA repair process. Several studies demonstrated that one of the first events following specific types of DNA damage is the phosphorylation of histone H2A. This mark or the damage itself are responsible for the association of chromatin-modifying complexes near damaged DNA. These complexes are able to change the chromatin structure around the wounded DNA in order to allow the repair machinery to gain access and repair the lesion. Chromatin modifiers include ATP-dependent remodelers such as SWI/SNF and Rad54 as well as histone acetyltransferases (HATs) like SAGA/NuA4-related complexes and p300/CBP, which have been shown to facilitate DNA accessibility and repair in different pathways leading to the maintenance of genome integrity.
Allard
Stéphane
S
Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de l'Université Laval, Hôtel-Dieu de Québec (CHUQ), 9 rue McMahon, Québec, Canada G1R 2J6.
Masson
Jean-Yves
JY
Côté
Jacques
J
D000123:Acetyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D042002:Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016678:Genome; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D017412:Ribonucleoprotein, U1 Small Nuclear / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D006657:Histones; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D017412:Ribonucleoprotein, U1 Small Nuclear; C089969:snf protein, Drosophila; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D000123:Acetyltransferases; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases