Shedding light on the role of histone chaperones during DNA damage after UV-B exposure in plants

PAULA CASATI

Congreso; Joint LV Reunión SAIB and XIV PABMB Congress; 2019

Terrestrial life evolved only after the stratospheric ozone layer formed and could absorb most damaging UV-B (280-315 nm) in solar radiation. The strong absorption of UV-B by biological molecules, particularly DNA, makes this radiation extremely dangerous. Because plants must absorb photons to power photosynthesis, they are inevitably exposed to damaging UV-B. Chromatin remodeling in response to UV-B has been implicated in plants. In particular, the package of DNA in the chromatin affects the structure and accessibility of DNA, and therefore the velocity of formation and repair of damage in DNA molecules. Thus, we explored the role of chromatin proteins in DNA damage and repair after UV-B exposure. In particular, we investigated the role of histone acetylation and the participation of histone chaperones in DNA repair and UV-B damage responses, and the function of chromatin proteins in the regulation of the cell cycle after exposure. Our results indicate that chromatin remodeling is a key process in DNA repair after a UV-B treatment, and that lines deficient in this process are more sensitive to UV-B.