When
Dr. Guo-Min Li
Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Mismatch Repair Factor MLH1: Discovery and Diverse Functions
Host: Dr. Rui Xiong
DNA mismatch repair (MMR) is an important genome-maintenance system by specifically removing misincorporated nucleotides in the newly synthesized strand during DNA replication. Defects in MMR cause genome instability, cancer, and other abnormalities. MutLa, a key MMR protein consisting of subunits MLH1and PMS2, is the first eukaryotic protein identified, which sets the foundation for studying eukaryotic MMR. MutLa has multiple biochemical and cellular activities, including an ATPase activity, endonuclease activity, physical interactions with almost all other MMR proteins (MutSa, MutSb, PCNA and exonuclease 1), suppression of Exo1 nuclease activity, regulation of male fertility. In this talk, l will reflect on the discovery of MLH1 and highlighting MLH1’s diverse biochemical and cellular functions, including those in cancer immunotherapy, neurodegenerative diseases and infertility.