Transcriptional profiling in C. elegans suggests DNA damage dependent apoptosis as an ancient function of the p53 family
2008

C. elegans Study on p53 Family and DNA Damage

Sample size: 1000 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Greiss Sebastian, Schumacher Björn, Grandien Kaj, Rothblatt Jonathan, Gartner Anton

Primary Institution: Wellcome Trust Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression, The University of Dundee

Hypothesis

Does cep-1 have additional functions in the DNA damage response apart from the transcriptional induction of egl-1 and ced-13?

Conclusion

The study indicates that DNA damage induced apoptosis via the transcriptional induction of BH3 domain proteins is likely an ancient function of the p53 family.

Supporting Evidence

  • 83 genes were induced more than two fold upon ionizing radiation.
  • Only three IR-induced genes are dependent on cep-1.
  • The majority of IR-induced genes are involved in general stress responses.

Takeaway

This study looks at how a gene in worms helps them respond to DNA damage, showing that this process has been around for a long time.

Methodology

Genome-wide transcriptional profiling using Affymetrix GeneChip arrays after exposing C. elegans to ionizing radiation.

Limitations

The study primarily focuses on a single p53-like gene in C. elegans, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other organisms.

Participant Demographics

C. elegans strains used were developmentally synchronized young adult hermaphrodites.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-2164-9-334

Want to read the original?

Access the complete publication on the publisher's website

View Original Publication