Protein interactions and post-translational modification of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe Pif1 family DNA helicase, Pfh1

摘要

The Pif1 family of 5'-3' DNA helicases is conserved from yeasts to humans and plays an important role in maintaining the integrity of eukaryotic chromosomes. Saccharomyces cerevisiae Pif1 family homologs, Pif1 and Rrm3, function in nuclear DNA replication, telomere length regulation, and mitochondrial genome integrity. Similar to higher eukaryotic organisms, Schizosaccharomyces pombe has a single Pif1 family protein, Pfh1. Nuclear and mitochondrial isoforms of Pfh1 play essential roles in the replication of chromosomal and mitochondrial DNA, respectively. Findings also suggest that Pfh1 functions in DNA repair. In order to better understand Pfh1 mechanism of action, I am studying Pfh1-interacting proteins and post-translational modification by mass spectrometry.