Molecular genetic systems to study the role of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation in the cellular response to DNA damage

To study biological functions of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), low-molecular-mass inhibitors have been used extensively, and the experimental results obtained led to the view that PARP plays a role in DNA repair as well as in other cellular processes, eg DNA replication, cell proliferation, and differentiation. Accumulating evidence that these inhibitors have side effects on other metabolic pathways prompted us to develop two molecular genetic systems for the modulation of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation in living cells: i) the first approach is centered on the DNA-binding domain (DBD) of PARP, which recognizes DNA strand breaks through its zinc fingers, leading to enzyme activation. We have established stable cell culture systems for either constitutive or inducible overexpression of the DBD. In these cells we observe a drastic trans-dominant inhibition of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation which is associated with sensitization of cells to gamma-irradiation; and ii) in an attempt to specifically increase the poly(ADP-ribose) formation capacity in living cells, the hamster cell line CO60 was stably transfected to obtain constitutive overexpression of full-length human PARP. These molecular genetic systems may be useful for the elucidation of the precise role of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation in the biological response to DNA damage.