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The A rabidopsis RAD 51 paralogs RAD 51B , RAD 51 D and XRCC 2 play partially redundant roles in somatic DNA repair and gene regulation
Author(s) -
Wang Yingxiang,
Xiao Rong,
Wang Haifeng,
Cheng Zhihao,
Li Wuxing,
Zhu Genfeng,
Wang Ying,
Ma Hong
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/nph.12498
Subject(s) - biology , mutant , gene , transcriptome , genetics , dna repair , dna damage , homologous recombination , dna , microbiology and biotechnology , gene expression
Summary The eukaryotic RAD 51 gene family has seven ancient paralogs conserved between plants and animals. Among these, RAD 51 , DMC 1 , RAD 51 C and XRCC 3 are important for homologous recombination and/or DNA repair, whereas single mutants in RAD 51 B , RAD 51 D or XRCC 2 show normal meiosis, and the lineages they represent diverged from each other evolutionarily later than the other four paralogs, suggesting possible functional redundancy. The function of A rabidopsis RAD 51 B , RAD 51 D and XRCC 2 genes in mitotic DNA repair and meiosis was analyzed using molecular genetic, cytological and transcriptomic approaches. The relevant double and triple mutants displayed normal vegetative and reproductive growth. However, the triple mutant showed greater sensitivity than single or double mutants to DNA damage by bleomycin. RNA ‐Seq transcriptome analysis supported the idea that the triple mutant showed DNA damage similar to that caused by bleomycin. On bleomycin treatment, many genes were altered in the wild‐type but not in the triple mutant, suggesting that the RAD 51 paralogs have roles in the regulation of gene transcription, providing an explanation for the hypersensitive phenotype of the triple mutant to bleomycin. Our results provide strong evidence that A rabidopsis XRCC 2 , RAD 51 B and RAD 51 D have complex functions in somatic DNA repair and gene regulation, arguing for further studies of these ancient genes that have been maintained in both plants and animals during their long evolutionary history.