Poly ADP-ribosylation: a histone shuttle mechanism in DNA excision repair

In DNA excision repair of mammalian cells, the processing of ADP-ribose by the poly ADP-ribosylation system of chromatin is stimulated several thousand-fold. Most of this turnover is associated with the automodification reaction of the nuclear enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and the degradation of polymerase-bound polymers by the enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase. The automodification cycle catalyzes a temporary dissociation from and reassociation of histones with DNA. It is proposed that this mechanism, termed "histone shuttle", may guide specific proteins to sites of repair. In addition, histone shuttling driven by the poly ADP-ribosylation system seems to be involved in nucleosomal unfolding of chromatin in DNA excision repair.