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  • Title: AlkB-mediated oxidative demethylation reverses DNA damage in Escherichia coli.
    Author: Falnes PØ, Johansen RF, Seeberg E.
    Journal: Nature; 2002 Sep 12; 419(6903):178-82. PubMed ID: 12226668.
    Abstract:
    The bacterial AlkB protein is known to be involved in cellular recovery from alkylation damage; however, the function of this protein remains unknown. AlkB homologues have been identified in several organisms, including humans, and a recent sequence alignment study has suggested that these proteins may belong to a superfamily of 2-oxoglutarate-dependent and iron-dependent oxygenases (2OG-Fe(ii)-oxygenases). Here we show that AlkB from Escherichia coli is indeed a 2-oxoglutarate-dependent and iron-dependent DNA repair enzyme that releases replication blocks in alkylated DNA by a mechanism involving oxidative demethylation of 1-methyladenine residues. This mechanism represents a new pathway for DNA repair and the third type of DNA damage reversal mechanism so far discovered.
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