Western University, Canada: Scientists have identified a groundbreaking protein that could revolutionize the fight against cancer. The DNA damage response protein C (DdrC), found in the resilient bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans, has shown the remarkable ability to directly halt DNA damage. Even more promising, this protein appears to be “plug and play,” meaning it could theoretically be inserted into any organism to enhance its DNA repair capabilities.
DdrC plays a crucial role in detecting DNA damage, stopping it in its tracks, and signaling the cell to begin the repair process. Unlike many other proteins that rely on a complex network of helpers, DdrC operates almost independently, making it an attractive candidate for genetic engineering.
Researchers at Western University in Canada discovered that introducing the ddrC gene into the common bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli) resulted in a significant increase in its resistance to UV radiation. “To our huge surprise, it actually made the bacterium over 40 times more resistant to UV radiation damage,” said biochemist Robert Szabla, the first author of the study. “This seems to be a rare example where you have one protein, and it really is like a standalone machine.”
DNA damage is a primary factor in the development of various diseases, including cancer. For example, UV light can damage the DNA in skin cells, increasing the risk of skin cancer. The ability to prevent or even reverse DNA damage could have profound implications for cancer prevention and treatment.
“The ability to rearrange and edit and manipulate DNA in specific ways is the holy grail in biotechnology,” Szabla added. “What if you had a scanning system such as DdrC which patrolled your cells and neutralized damage when it happened? This might form the basis of a potential cancer vaccine.”
The remarkable resilience of D. radiodurans makes it an ideal source for such a tool. This bacterium can survive extreme doses of radiation, far beyond what would be lethal to human cells. It has even survived on the exterior of the International Space Station and in conditions similar to those on Mars, with DdrC playing a key role in its survival.
Szabla and his team are now focused on further research to understand the full range of tools this bacterium uses to repair its DNA. “With a human cell, if there are any more than two breaks in the entire billion base pair genome, it can’t fix itself and it dies,” Szabla explained. “The next step is to prod further, look at what else this cell uses to fix its own genome because we’re sure to find many more tools where we have no idea how they work or how they’re going to be useful until we look.”
The study detailing this discovery has been published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research, marking a significant step forward in biotechnology and the ongoing battle against cancer.
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