title: The rad2 gene of haloarchaeum Halobacterium salinarum is functional in the repair of ultraviolet light induced DNA photoproducts.
abstract: There are a lot of bacterial and eukaryotic DNA repair gene homologs among sequenced archaeal genomes but there is little information about DNA repair mechanisms and the interaction of involved repair proteins. In order to study DNA repair mechanisms in the third domain of life, we studied these processes in the model archaeon, Halobacterium salinarum. H. salinarum has homologs of eukaryotic nucleotide excision repair genes such as rad2 gene. A functional analysis of rad2 was performed by knocking down of this gene. We introduced an antisense RNA expression vector into the cells and the sensitivity of transformants against ultraviolet light exposure was measured to determine whether rad2 gene performs any role in the repair of the DNA lesions induced by UV light or not. Our data suggests that rad2 is functional in this pathway and knocked down strains were unable to completely repair the UV induced DNA damages. In this study, for the first time antisense RNA is used for functional analysis of a gene in H. salinarum and it is shown that antisense RNA could be used as a reliable genetic tool for understanding of the archaeal genetics.
authors: Extremophiles Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: e.vafadar@alumni.ut.ac.ir.
authors: Ehsan
authors: E
authors: Vafadarnejad
authors: Extremophiles Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: alamoze@yahoo.com.
authors: Mohammad Ali
authors: MA
authors: Amoozgar
authors: Extremophiles Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Javad
authors: J
authors: Khansha
authors: Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, College of Science, University of Payam-e-Noor, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Ramin
authors: R
authors: Fallahzade
mesh_terms: D019843:Archaeal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004260:DNA Repair; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019617:Halobacterium salinarum / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D019843:Archaeal Proteins; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases
keywords: DNA repair; Haloarchaea; Halobacterium; Nucleotide excision repair