Abstract.
The cells of an ataxia-oculomotor apraxia type 1 (AOA1) patient, homozygous for a new aprataxin mutation (T739C), were treated with camptothecin, an inhibitor of DNA topoisomerase I which induces DNA single-strand breaks. DNA damage was evaluated by cytogenetic analysis of chromosomal aberrations. The results obtained showed marked and dose-related increases in induced chromosomal aberrations in the patient and her heterozygous mother compared to the intrafamilial wild-type control. The alkaline comet assay confirmed this pattern. Moreover, the AOA1 cells did not show hypersensitivity to ionizing radiation, i.e. X-rays. These findings clearly indicate the direct involvement of aprataxin in the DNA single-strand-break repair machinery.
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Received 6 October 2004; received after revision 24 November 2004; accepted 28 December 2004
P. Mosesso and M. Piane contributed equally to this work.
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Mosesso, P., Piane, M., Palitti, F. et al. The novel human gene aprataxin is directly involved in DNA single-strand-break repair. CMLS, Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 62, 485–491 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-004-4441-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-004-4441-0