Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA): ringmaster of the genome.

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) protein is one of the central molecules responsible for decisions of life and death of the cell. The PCNA gene is induced by p53, while PCNA protein interacts with p53-controlled proteins Gadd45, MyD118, CR6 and, most importantly, p21, in the process of deciding cell fate. If PCNA protein is present in abundance in the cell in the absence of p53, DNA replication occurs. On the other hand, if PCNA protein levels are high in the cell in the presence of p53, DNA repair takes place. If PCNA is rendered non-functional or is absent or present in low quantities in the cell, apoptosis occurs. The evolution from prokaryotes to eukaryotes involved a change of function of PCNA from a 'simple' sliding clamp protein of the DNA polymerase complex to an executive molecule controlling critical cellular decision pathways. The evolution of multicellular organisms led to the development of multicellular processes such as differentiation, senescence and apoptosis. PCNA, already an essential molecule in the life of single cellular organisms, then became a protein critical for the survival of multicellular organisms.

Identification of genes regulated by UV/salicylic acid.

PURPOSE: Previous work from the authors' group and others has demonstrated that some of the effects of UV irradiation on gene expression are modulated in response to the addition of salicylic acid to irradiated cells. The presumed effector molecule responsible for this modulation is NF-kappaB. In the experiments described here, differential-display RT-PCR was used to identify those cDNAs that are differentially modulated by UV radiation with and without the addition of salicylic acid. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Differential-display RT-PCR was used to identify differentially expressed genes. RESULTS: Eight such cDNAs are presented: lactate dehydrogenase (LDH-beta), nuclear encoded mitochondrial NADH ubiquinone reductase 24 kDa (NDUFV2), elongation initiation factor 4B (eIF4B), nuclear dots protein SP100, nuclear encoded mitochondrial ATPase inhibitor (IF1), a cDNA similar to a subunit of yeast CCAAT transcription factor HAP5, and two expressed sequence tags (AA187906 and AA513156). CONCLUSIONS: Sequences of four of these genes contained NF-kappaB DNA binding sites of the type that may attract transrepressor p55/p55 NF-kappaB homodimers. Down-regulation of these genes upon UV irradiation may contribute to increased cell survival via suppression of p53 independent apoptosis.