SMC proteins, new players in the maintenance of genomic stability.
Homologous recombination (HR) is one of the key mechanisms responsible for the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), including those that occur during DNA replication. Recent studies in yeast and mammals have uncovered that the SMC complexes cohesins and Smc5-Smc6 are recruited to induced DSBs, and play a role in the maintenance of genome stability by favouring SCR as the main recombinational DSB repair mechanism. These new results raise intriguing questions such as whether SMC proteins might play a functional role at collapsed replication forks, which may represent the main source of spontaneous recombinogenic damage. A deeper knowledge of the role of SMC proteins in DSB repair should contribute to a better understanding of chromosome dynamics and stability.
Cortés-Ledesma
Felipe
F
Department of Molecular Biology, CABIMER, CSIC-Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain.
de Piccoli
Giaccomo
G
Haber
James E
JE
Aragón
Luis
L
Aguilera
Andrés
A
D000818:Animals; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000502:physiology*; D042822:Genomic Instability / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange / Q000502:physiology; D014981:Xenopus; D015003:Yeasts; D000097722:Cohesins
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D000097722:Cohesins