title: The yeast Snm1 protein is a DNA 5'-exonuclease.
abstract: Interstrand cross-links (ICL) in DNA arise from bifunctional alkylating agents, including nitrogen mustards, mitomycin C and psoralens. Such adducts prevent normal transcription or replication and are mutagenic. Therefore, cellular mechanisms for removing ICL damage are needed to maintain genome stability. Normal ICL repair requires the action of a number of genes, some specific for such damage. The yeast Snm1 protein is one such protein, but its function has been unknown. Incision for ICL repair is normal in mutants lacking Snm1, so it appears to act after the earliest steps. We have used recombinant SNM1 constructs in an Escherichia coli (E. coli) expression system to demonstrate that the yeast gene encodes a 5'-exonuclease. The exonuclease activity is required for Snm1 to be functional in ICL repair.
authors.affiliation: Oregon Health and Sciences University, Molecular and Medical Genetics, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, L-103, Portland, OR 97239-3098, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaoroang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hejna
authors.forename: Robb E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Moses
mesh_terms: D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004260:DNA Repair; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology; D015870:Gene Expression; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D043264:Phosphodiesterase I / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000201:enzymology*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases; C090162:PSO2 protein, S cerevisiae; D043264:Phosphodiesterase I