DNA polymerase λ - a novel DNA repair enzyme in higher plant genome

Sujit Roy

doi:10.14719/pst.2014.1.3.59

Abstract

DNA polymerase lambda (Pol λ) is a novel family X DNA polymerase which has been shown to play key role in nuclear DNA repair and meiotic recombination. Recent studies in mammals support function of this enzyme in base excision repair in response to oxidative DNA damage. However, in plants the biological function of Pol ? in oxidative stress response is still largely unknown. This review will survey recent advances in our understanding of role of Pol ? in repair of oxidative DNA damages and its possible potential involvement in plant’s base excision repair (BER) pathway in response to oxidative stress.

Highlights

DNA polymerase lambda (Pol λ) is a novel family X DNA polymerase which has been shown to play key role in nuclear DNA repair and meiotic recombination
Plant DNA is under continuous threat from endogenous and environmental genotoxic factors During their lifetime, plants, with the obligatory dependence on sunlight for energy, are constantly exposed to various environmental stresses and genotoxic agents including UV-B, ozone, desiccation and rehydration, high soil salinity, air and soil pollutants including heavy metals and other pollutants, as well as metabolic byproducts
The PIP box was found to regulate the interaction of Pol λ with PCNA2 for enhancing the fidelity and efficiency of translesion synthesis in oxidative DNA damage repair in Arabidopsis (Amoroso et al, 2011)

Summary

Introduction

DNA polymerase lambda (Pol λ) is a novel family X DNA polymerase which has been shown to play key role in nuclear DNA repair and meiotic recombination. A specialized repair pathway called trans lesion synthesis (TLS) has been shown to be activated in response to prolonged replication block via checkpoint activation which recruits specialized DNA Pols, mainly members of family X and Y polymerases which are capable to bypass the lesion to resume replication.

Results

Conclusion