酵母模式生物研究表观遗传调控基因组稳定性的进展

Research progress on genomic integrity regulated by epigenetics using yeast as a model

基因组的遗传稳定性是维持正常的细胞复制、增殖和分化的关键。外源因素和内源因素造成的DNA损伤及其修复失败,是各种遗传疾病发生的根本原因。表观遗传调控(包括DNA甲基化、组蛋白修饰和非编码RNA)在DNA损伤修复和细胞周期调控方面发挥着重要的作用,也是维持基因组稳定性的基础。酵母作为单细胞真核生物,是最早开展表观遗传学研究的物种之一,特别是在DNA损伤修复和异染色质形成等方面的研究,为揭示遗传稳定性的本质提供了理论依据。国际上前期以酵母为模式生物研究表观遗传学的报道主要集中于组蛋白修饰领域;近期利用裂殖酵母作为模式生物研究RNAi指导的组蛋白修饰也有了一定的进展。文章以酵母作为模式生物,论述了表观遗传修饰在维持基因组遗传稳定性中的研究进展、作用机制和今后的发展趋势。

Genomic integrity is crucial for normal cell replication,proliferation and differentiation.DNA lesions resulted from exogenous and endogenous factors will lead to genomic instability,and consequently the cause for various diseases.Epigenetic regulation（including DNA methylation,histone modifications and non-coding RNA） plays important roles in DNA lesion repair and cell cycle regulation as well as maintaining the genetic integrity.The yeast,a type of single cell eu-karyotic organism,is an ideal model for the researches of epigenetics,especially in the area of DNA lesion repair and the formation of heterochromatin.Previous researches on epigenetics were mainly focus on histone modifications.Recent re-searches have observed that non-coding RNAs are able to direct the cytosine methylation and histone modifications that are related to gene expression regulation.This paper discuss the mechanism,research progress and future development of epi-genetics in maintaining the genomic integrity,using the yeast as a model.