Transcription, beta-like DNA polymerases and hypermutation - PubMed (original) (raw)

Review

Transcription, beta-like DNA polymerases and hypermutation

C A Reynaud et al. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2001.

Abstract

This paper discusses two aspects of immunoglobulin (Ig) gene hypermutation. In the first approach, a transcription termination signal is introduced in an Ig light chain transgene acting as a mutation substrate, and transgenic lines are generated with control and mutant transgenes integrated in tandem. Analysis of transcription levels and mutation frequencies between mutant and control transgenes clearly dissociates transcription elongation and mutation, and therefore argues against models whereby specific pausing of the RNA polymerase during V gene transcription would trigger an error-prone repair process. The second part reports the identification of two novel beta-like DNA polymerases named Pol lambda and Pol mu, one of which (Pol mu) represents a good candidate for the Ig mutase due to its higher lymphoid expression and its similarity with the lymphoid enzyme terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase. Peculiar features of the expression of this gene, including an unusual splicing variability and a splicing inhibition in response to DNA-damaging agents, are discussed.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Trends Biochem Sci. 1995 Sep;20(9):345-7 - PubMed
    1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2000 Feb 1;97(3):1166-71 - PubMed
    1. Nucleic Acids Res. 1996 Jul 1;24(13):2488-97 - PubMed
    1. Int Immunol. 1996 May;8(5):701-5 - PubMed
    1. FASEB J. 1997 Jan;11(1):68-76 - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

LinkOut - more resources