Comparative analysis of genome maintenance genes in naked mole rat, mouse, and human

SL MacRae, Q Zhang, C Lemetre, I Seim… - Aging …, 2015 - Wiley Online Library
SL MacRae, Q Zhang, C Lemetre, I Seim, RB Calder, J Hoeijmakers, Y Suh, VN Gladyshev
Aging Cell, 2015Wiley Online Library
Genome maintenance (GM) is an essential defense system against aging and cancer, as
both are characterized by increased genome instability. Here, we compared the copy
number variation and mutation rate of 518 GM‐associated genes in the naked mole rat
(NMR), mouse, and human genomes. GM genes appeared to be strongly conserved, with
copy number variation in only four genes. Interestingly, we found NMR to have a higher copy
number of CEBPG, a regulator of DNA repair, and TINF 2, a protector of telomere integrity …
Summary
Genome maintenance (GM) is an essential defense system against aging and cancer, as both are characterized by increased genome instability. Here, we compared the copy number variation and mutation rate of 518 GM‐associated genes in the naked mole rat (NMR), mouse, and human genomes. GM genes appeared to be strongly conserved, with copy number variation in only four genes. Interestingly, we found NMR to have a higher copy number of CEBPG, a regulator of DNA repair, and TINF2, a protector of telomere integrity. NMR, as well as human, was also found to have a lower rate of germline nucleotide substitution than the mouse. Together, the data suggest that the long‐lived NMR, as well as human, has more robust GM than mouse and identifies new targets for the analysis of the exceptional longevity of the NMR.
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