471 / 2019-02-27 17:15:00

DNA damage induces cellular reprogramming of leaf cells to stem cells in the moss Physcomitrella patens

DNA break, reprogramming, DNA damage sensor, stem cell, Physcomitrella patens

全体主题 > Development

DNA damage is generally considered as a threat to the genome integrity and cell viability that excess or irreparable DNA damage normally results in programmed cell death. In land plants, wounding is known as one of inductive stimuli for reprogramming. Here we showed that in the moss Physcomitrella patens, DNA break chemical reagents directly triggered the reprogramming of differentiated leaf cells to chloronema apical stem cells with cell cycle reentry after DNA repair. We further found that single strand breaks were the dominant factor to induce this reprogramming, which did not dependent on dead cells. Conserved DNA damage sensor kinase Ataxia Telangiectasia and Rad3 Related Protein (ATR), but not Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM), was essential for DNA break-induced reprogramming. Several regulators in wounding-induced reprogramming such as STEMIN1, CSP1 and the cell cycle progression maker CYCD;1 were involved in DNA break-induced reprogramming. Our findings indicate that massive but repairable DNA breaks is a novel trigger for cellular reprogramming from differentiated cells to stem cells.