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- Title
AlkB-mediated oxidative demethylation reverses DNA damage in Escherichia coli.
- Authors
Falnes, Pål Ø; Johansen, Rune F; Seeberg, Erling
- Abstract
The bacterial AlkB protein is known to be involved in cellular recovery from alkylation damage; however, the function of this protein remains unknown. AlkB homologues have been identified in several organisms, including humans, and a recent sequence alignment study has suggested that these proteins may belong to a superfamily of 2-oxoglutarate-dependent and iron-dependent oxygenases (2OG-Fe(ii)-oxygenases). Here we show that AlkB from Escherichia coli is indeed a 2-oxoglutarate-dependent and iron-dependent DNA repair enzyme that releases replication blocks in alkylated DNA by a mechanism involving oxidative demethylation of 1-methyladenine residues. This mechanism represents a new pathway for DNA repair and the third type of DNA damage reversal mechanism so far discovered.
- Publication
Nature, 2002, Vol 419, Issue 6903, p178
- ISSN
0028-0836
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1038/nature01048