Seminar: DNA polymerases that defend genomes against double-strand breaks

Dr. Richard D. Wood, Professor
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis
The Virginia Harris Cockrell Cancer Research Center
https://gsbs.uth.edu/faculty/faculty-directory/faculty-profiles.htm?id=1347028

Title: DNA polymerases that defend genomes against double-strand breaks
Speaker: Prof. Richard D. Wood, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Date: November 11, Friday
Time: 11:00 - 12:00
Venue: C015, Level C, Lab 1

Short description: This talk will discuss two evolutionarily conserved DNA polymerases, pol zeta (ζ) and pol theta (θ). Both are critical for maintaining genome stability, preventing genomic DNA breaks by different mechanisms.

Recent publications:

1.         Lange SS, Tomida J, Boulware KS, Bhetawal S, Wood RD. The Polymerase Activity of Mammalian DNA Pol ζ Is Specifically Required for Cell and Embryonic Viability. PLoS Genet. 2016;12:e1005759.

2.         Wood R, Doublié S. DNA polymerase θ (POLQ), double-strand break repair, and cancer. DNA Repair. 2016;44:22-32.

3.         Tomida J, Takata K, Lange SS, Schibler AC, Yousefzadeh MJ, Bhetawal S, Dent SY, Wood RD. REV7 is essential for DNA damage tolerance via two REV3L binding sites in mammalian DNA polymerase ζ. Nucleic Acids Res. 2015;43:1000-11.

4.         Yousefzadeh MJ, Wyatt DW, Takata K, Mu Y, Hensley SC, Tomida J, Bylund GO, Doublié S, Johansson E, Ramsden DA, McBride KM, Wood RD. Mechanism of suppression of chromosomal instability by DNA polymerase POLQ. PLoS Genetics. 2014;10:e1004654.