Research news: Active gene declares “I feel safer with my PAL around”
The PALB2 gene safeguards active genes when they experience stress during DNA replication. This is the conclusion of a new research paper from the Esashi lab in collaboration with an international group of researchers, published in PNAS online on 3 July 2017.
The paper “MRG15-mediated tethering of PALB2 to unperturbed chromatin protects active genes from genotoxic stress” is significant as it shed lights on why people who have inherited a faulty PALB2 gene are at a higher risk of developing cancer.
Lead author Jean-Yves Bleuyard explained: “We discovered an elegant mechanism by which PALB2 protects more vulnerable regions of the genome from DNA damage. Namely, PALB2 is constantly tethered to active genes, and this steady-state presence of PALB2 safeguards active genes when they experience stress during DNA replication. In the absence of this mechanism, cells accumulate DNA damages at active genes, which may ultimately lead to the conversion of pre-cancerous to cancerous cells.”
To find out more visit the Esashi lab research pages or read the full story: “MRG15-mediated tethering of PALB2 to unperturbed chromatin protects active genes from genotoxic stress”.
