The protein DdrC repairs damaged DNA fragments, restores genomic coherence and makes cells resistant to extreme conditions.
Researchers at Western University in Canada have discovered a new protein that can prevent DNA damage. This is a significant discovery in the field of molecular biology. The results were published in Nucleic acid researchhighlights the crucial role of the creatively named DNA Damage Repair Protein C, or DdrC for short, in facilitating the repair of damaged DNA (1).
Longevity.Technology: Although much more research is needed, the discovery of DdrC opens new opportunities to improve the understanding of DNA damage and repair mechanisms. Longevity observers will be interested in this work, particularly those who subscribe to the DNA damage theory of aging, which describes aging as the accumulation of unresolved DNA damage over time that contributes to age-related disease and genomic instability.
DdrC was discovered in a bacterium called Deinococcus radioduransknown for its exceptional resistance to extreme conditions that would otherwise damage DNA. For example, it can withstand radiation levels 5,000 to 10,000 times higher than those that would be lethal to human cells.
D. radiodurans also repairs DNA breaks that would normally be fatal to most organisms. Human cells, for example, struggle to repair more than two breaks in their billion-base-pair genome, and failure to do so results in cell death. According to the researchers, DdrC enables the bacterium to repair hundreds of broken DNA fragments, restoring genomic coherence.
“It’s as if you had a player in the NFL who played every game without a helmet or pads,” said lead researcher Robert Szabla. “He would suffer a concussion and multiple broken bones in every single game, but then miraculously recover completely overnight and get back up in time for practice the next day.” (2)
Using advanced imaging techniques, including the powerful X-ray facility at the Canadian Light Source in Saskatoon, the researchers mapped the 3D structure of DdrC to reveal its function. The protein appears to work by scanning DNA for breaks and then capturing the damaged section like a mousetrap. This action not only prevents further damage but also acts as a signal to the cell that repair is needed.
Unlike most proteins, which rely on complex networks for their function, DdrC appears to work independently, which is rare in biological systems. Its effectiveness was demonstrated when the protein was introduced into E. coli, where it increased the bacterium’s resistance to UV radiation by more than 40-fold.
The researchers suspect that DdrC could potentially be used to improve DNA repair mechanisms in a wide range of organisms, including humans.
“The ability to rearrange, edit and manipulate DNA in specific ways is the holy grail of biotechnology,” Szabla said. “What if you had a scanning system like DdrC that monitored your cells and neutralized damage when it occurred? This could form the basis of a potential cancer vaccine.”
The Western University team intends to conduct further investigations and identify other proteins within D. radiodurans which may provide additional tools for DNA repair.
(1) https://academic.oup.com/nar/advance-article/doi/10.1093/nar/gkae635/7717837
(2) https://www.lightsource.ca/public/news/2024-25-q2-jul-sept/newly-discovered-protein-stops-dna-damage.php
