1. PNKP is required for maintaining the integrity of progenitor cell populations in adult mice.
- Author
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Shin W, Alpaugh W, Hallihan LJ, Sinha S, Crowther E, Martin GR, Scheidl-Yee T, Yang X, Yoon G, Goldsmith T, Berger ND, de Almeida LG, Dufour A, Dobrinski I, Weinfeld M, Jirik FR, and Biernaskie J
- Subjects
- Adult Stem Cells cytology, Adult Stem Cells metabolism, Animals, Apoptosis, Biomarkers, Cell Differentiation genetics, DNA Damage, DNA Repair, Dermis cytology, Dermis metabolism, Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Germ Cells cytology, Germ Cells metabolism, Hair Follicle cytology, Hair Follicle metabolism, Hyperpigmentation genetics, Immunohistochemistry, Melanins metabolism, Mice, Mice, Knockout, Cell Self Renewal genetics, Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) genetics, Stem Cells cytology, Stem Cells metabolism
- Abstract
DNA repair proteins are critical to the maintenance of genomic integrity. Specific types of genotoxic factors, including reactive oxygen species generated during normal cellular metabolism or as a result of exposure to exogenous oxidative agents, frequently leads to "ragged" single-strand DNA breaks. The latter exhibits abnormal free DNA ends containing either a 5'-hydroxyl or 3'-phosphate requiring correction by the dual function enzyme, polynucleotide kinase phosphatase (PNKP), before DNA polymerase and ligation reactions can occur to seal the break. Pnkp gene deletion during early murine development leads to lethality; in contrast, the role of PNKP in adult mice is unknown. To investigate the latter, we used an inducible conditional mutagenesis approach to cause global disruption of the Pnkp gene in adult mice. This resulted in a premature aging-like phenotype, characterized by impaired growth of hair follicles, seminiferous tubules, and neural progenitor cell populations. These results point to an important role for PNKP in maintaining the normal growth and survival of these murine progenitor populations., (© 2021 Shin et al.)
- Published
- 2021
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