These include endonuclease III, formamidopyrimidine N-glycosylase and AP endonuclease. By studying the protein DNA interactions using various molecular techniques. By performing site directed mutagenesis to understand the structure and function of these repair enzymes. Since E. coli repair enzymes are highly homologous to enzymes purified from yeast, human and other eukaryotic cells, bacterial repair enzymes thus provide good models for understanding the role and reaction mechanism of similar enzymes in eukaryotic cells, especially human cells. The laboratory is also interested in the development of a simple assay system for the quantification and detection of DNA damage generated by ionizing radiation and other DNA damaging agents.
Several techniques are currently in use for the detection and quantification of DNA damages.
We are also exploring the possibility of converting DNA repair enzymes into lesion-specific tight binding proteins for quantification and detection of oxidative DNA damage. Ionizing radiation produces a wide spectrum of DNA damage, and the spectra vary dependent on the extent of oxygenation in cells. Repair of the damage generated by ionizing radiation is still not clear. It is the continued interest and effort of this laboratory to search for novel enzymes involved in the repair of ionizing radiation-induced DNA damage, generated both under toxic and anaerobic conditions. Yao, M. and Y.W. Kow. 1996.