Cell Death and Differentiation (2006) 13, 1003–1016 & 2006 Nature Publishing Group All rights reserved 1350-9047/06 $30.00 www.nature.com/cdd Review p53 in recombination and repair SA Gatz1 and L Wiesmu¨ller*,2 Nbs1; Msh2/3/6, MutS homologue 2/3/6; NER, nucleotide excision repair; NHEJ, nonhomologous end-joining; NO, nitric 1 Universita¨tsklinik fu¨r Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Eythstr. 24, 89075 Ulm, oxide; p53pSer15, p53 phosphorylated on serine 15; PCNA, Germany proliferating cell nuclear antigen; PIKK, phosphatidylinositol 3- 2 Universita¨tsfrauenklinik, Prittwitzstr. 43, 89075 Ulm, Germany kinase-related kinases; Pms2, postmeiotic segregation 2; Parp-1, * Corresponding author: L Wiesmu¨ller, Gynaecological Oncology, Universita¨ts- poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1; Ref-1, redox factor 1; RPA, frauenklinik, Prittwitzstr. 43, 89075 Ulm, Germany. Tel: þ 49-731-500-27640; Fax: þ 49-731-500-26674; replication protein A; SSA, single-strand annealing; TfIIH, E-mail:
[email protected] transcription factor IIH; TK, thymidine kinase; Wrn, Werner syndrome protein; XP, xeroderma pigmentosum; xeroderma Received 16.12.05; revised 20.2.06; accepted 22.2.06; published online 17.3.06 pigmentosum group B/C/D/E/G protein, XPB/XPC/XPD/XPE/ Edited by G Melino XPG Abstract Introduction Convergent studies demonstrated that p53 regulates homo- logous recombination (HR) independently of its classic Soon after having established TP53 as the most frequently altered gene in human tumours in the 1990s,1,2 p53 was tumour-suppressor functions in transcriptionally transacti- understood as a major component of the DNA damage vating cellular target genes that are implicated in growth response pathway.3,4 After the introduction of DNA injuries control and apoptosis.