Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 30, 2026

Visualization of DNA Repair Proteins Interaction by Immunofluorescence
07:55

Visualization of DNA Repair Proteins Interaction by Immunofluorescence

Published on: June 26, 2020

Eme1 is involved in DNA damage processing and maintenance of genomic stability in mammalian cells

Jacinth Abraham1, Bénédicte Lemmers, M Prakash Hande

  • 1Advanced Medical Discovery Institute, Ontario Cancer Institute, 620 University Avenue, Suite 706, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2C1, Canada.

The EMBO Journal
|November 12, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Mouse Eme1 protein, with Mus81, cleaves branched DNA structures crucial for DNA repair. Eme1 deficiency causes genomic instability, highlighting its role in maintaining genome integrity.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Eme1 protein, in complex with Mus81, forms an endonuclease.
  • This complex cleaves branched DNA structures that arise during stalled DNA replication.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and characterize mouse Eme1.
  • To investigate the function of mammalian Eme1 in DNA repair and genome stability.

Main Methods:

  • Identified mouse Eme1 and confirmed its interaction with Mus81.
  • Assessed the cleavage preference of the Eme1-Mus81 complex in vitro.
  • Analyzed the sensitivity of Eme1-/- embryonic stem (ES) cells to various DNA damaging agents.
  • Evaluated the role of Eme1 in homologous recombination and sister chromatid exchange (SCE).

Main Results:

  • The mouse Eme1-Mus81 complex preferentially cleaves 3'-flap structures and replication forks.
  • Eme1-/- ES cells exhibit hypersensitivity to mitomycin C and cisplatin, but not to ionizing radiation, UV radiation, or hydroxyurea.
  • Eme1 is not essential for resolving DNA intermediates in homologous recombination.
  • Eme1 deficiency leads to spontaneous genomic instability and increased SCE following DNA damage.

Conclusions:

  • Mammalian Eme1 plays a critical role in DNA repair pathways.
  • Eme1 is essential for maintaining genome integrity, particularly in response to specific DNA damaging agents.

More Related Videos

Visualizing and Quantifying Endonuclease-Based Site-Specific DNA Damage10:59

Visualizing and Quantifying Endonuclease-Based Site-Specific DNA Damage

Published on: August 21, 2021

Related Concept Videos

Nucleotide Excision Repair01:38

Nucleotide Excision Repair

DNA Distortion and Damage
Cells are regularly exposed to mutagens—factors in the environment that can damage DNA and generate mutations. UV radiation is one of the most common mutagens and is estimated to introduce a significant number of changes in DNA. These include bends or kinks in the structure, which can block DNA replication or transcription. If these errors are not fixed, the damage can cause mutations, which in turn can result in cancer or disease depending on which sequences are...
Nucleotide Excision Repair01:46

Nucleotide Excision Repair

Exposure to mutagens can damage DNA and result in bulky lesions that distort the double-helix structure or impede proper transcription. Damaged DNA can be detected and repaired in a process called nucleotide excision repair (NER). NER employs a set of specialized proteins that first scan DNA to detect a damaged region. Next, NER proteins separate the strands and excise the damaged area. Finally, they coordinate the replacement with new, matching nucleotides.DNA distortion and damageCells are...
Mismatch Repair01:20

Mismatch Repair

Organisms are capable of detecting and fixing nucleotide mismatches that occur during DNA replication. This sophisticated process requires identifying the new strand and replacing the erroneous bases with correct nucleotides. Mismatch repair is coordinated by many proteins in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
The Mutator Protein Family Plays a Key Role in DNA Mismatch Repair
The human genome has more than 3 billion base pairs of DNA per cell. Prior to cell division, that vast amount of genetic...
Mismatch Repair01:48

Mismatch Repair

Organisms are capable of detecting and fixing nucleotide mismatches that occur during DNA replication. This sophisticated process requires identifying the new strand and replacing the erroneous bases with correct nucleotides. Mismatch repair is coordinated by many proteins in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes.The Mutator Protein Family Plays a Key Role in DNA Mismatch RepairThe human genome has more than 3 billion base pairs of DNA per cell. Prior to cell division, that vast amount of genetic...
Overview of DNA Repair02:25

Overview of DNA Repair

In order to be passed through generations, genomic DNA must be undamaged and error-free. However, every day, DNA in a cell undergoes several thousand to a million damaging events by natural causes and external factors. Ionizing radiation such as UV rays, free radicals produced during cellular respiration, and hydrolytic damage from metabolic reactions can alter the structure of DNA. Damages caused include single-base alteration, base dimerization, chain breaks, and cross-linkage.
Chemically...
Overview of DNA Repair02:25

Overview of DNA Repair

In order to be passed through generations, genomic DNA must be undamaged and error-free. However, every day, DNA in a cell undergoes several thousand to a million damaging events by natural causes and external factors. Ionizing radiation such as UV rays, free radicals produced during cellular respiration, and hydrolytic damage from metabolic reactions can alter the structure of DNA. Damages caused include single-base alteration, base dimerization, chain breaks, and cross-linkage.
Chemically...