Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Visualization and Quantitative Analysis of Genotoxin-Induced PARP1/PARP2 Activation in Cells Using a Fluorescent Fusion Protein-Based Reporter
Published on: April 17, 2026
The emerging role of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 in longevity
Alexander Bürkle1, Christine Brabeck, Jörg Diefenbach
1Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, P.O. Box X911, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany. alexander.buerkle@uni-konstanz.de
Abstract:
In the present paper, the involvement of the family of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs), and especially of PARP-1, in mammalian longevity is reviewed. PARPs catalyse poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation, a covalent post-translational protein modification in eukaryotic cells. PARP-1 and PARP-2 are activated by DNA strand breaks, play a role in DNA base-excision repair (BER) and are survival factors for cells exposed to low doses of ionising radiation or alkylating agents. PARP-1 is the main catalyst of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation in living cells under conditions of DNA breakage, accounting for about 90% of cellular poly(ADP-ribose). DNA-damage-induced poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation also functions as a negative regulator of DNA damage-induced genomic instability. Cellular poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation capacity in permeabilised mononuclear blood cells (MNC) is positively correlated with life span of mammalian species. Furthermore PARP-1 physically interacts with WRN, the protein deficient in Werner syndrome, a human progeroid disorder, and PARP-1 and WRN functionally cooperate in preventing carcinogenesis in vivo. Some of the other members of the PARP family have also been revealed as important regulators of cellular functions relating to ageing/longevity. In particular, tankyrase-1, tankyrase-2, PARP-2 as well as PARP-1 have been found in association with telomeric DNA and are able to poly(ADP-ribosyl)ate the telomere-binding proteins TRF-1 and TRF-2, thus blocking their DNA-binding activity and controlling telomere extension by telomerase.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Bacterial RNA Polymerase
In most genes, the transcription site is a single base present upstream of the coding sequence. Though RNAP is a catalytically efficient enzyme, it does not recognize...
Bacterial RNA Polymerase
In most genes, the transcription site is a single base present upstream of the coding sequence. Though RNAP is a catalytically efficient enzyme, it does not recognize...
Eukaryotic RNA Polymerases
All three eukaryotic RNAPs require specific transcription factors, of which the...
Eukaryotic RNA Polymerases
All three eukaryotic RNAPs require specific transcription factors, of which the...
RNA Stability
RNA Stability

