Posttranslational modification of the adapter protein DAXX in the cellular response to genotoxic stress

Maintaining the chromosome continuity and complete genetic information in human cells is crucial for cell survival and the whole organism. It prevents life-threatening pathologies and preserves genetic continuity. However, cellular DNA is exposed to both endogenous and exogenous stress damaging its content and integrity. This stress activates mechanisms involving detection and repair of these damaged sites (DDR). One of the most serious types of DNA damage double-stranded breaks (DSB) occuring when both strands are severed. DSBs trigger wave of PTMs that regulate protein interactions, nuclear localization and catalytic activity of hundreds of proteins. Such modifications include acetylation, methylation, SUMOylation, ubiquitinylation and especially phosphorylation. The most important kinases involved in DDR kinases are ATM, ATR and DNA-PK. These kinases are activated immediately after the detection of the damaged area. DAXX (Death-associated protein 6) is an adapter and predominantly nuclear protein, which is involved in chromatin remodeling, gene expression modulation, antiviral response and depositing histone H3.3 variants into chromatin or telomeres. Daxx is essential for murine embryogenesis, since the homozygous deletion is lethal in E9.5-10. In 2006 a study mapping the substrates of kinases..