碱基切除修复与分枝杆菌基因组稳定性

Base Excision Repair and the Maintenance of Mycobacterium Genome Stability

维持基因组稳定是生物生存的基础。碱基切除修复(base excision repair,BER)是修复损伤DNA、维持基因组稳定的主要方式之一。碱基切除修复对结核分枝杆菌等胞内致病菌尤其重要。fpg编码碱基切除修复的关键酶。本文通过比较分枝杆菌的基因组,发现结核菌较其他非致病分枝杆菌具有更多的碱基切除修复基因。这提示碱基切除修复可能对结核菌在宿主体内存活和致病至关重要。这条途径也许是新结核病药物研发的重要靶标。

The maintenance of genome stability is the crux for organism survival. Base excision repair （BER） is a major DNA repair pathway. This is particularly important for Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other intracellular pathogens. Fpg is the key enzyme in base excision repair. Mycobaterium genome comparison revealed that pathogenic M.tuberculosis harbor more genes involved in the BER than other mycobacteria. This might implicate that BER is closely related to the intracellular survival and pathogenesis of this bug. This justifies the BER pathway and crucial enzymes as promising targets for novel antibiotics.