Promotion of Homology-Directed DNA Repair by Polyamines

The document reports that polyamines, which are commonly increased in cancer cells, not only promote cell growth and proliferation but also play a role in maintaining genome integrity. Specifically, the study found that polyamines facilitate the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in hair follicles through homologous recombination, a process critical for accurate DNA repair. This is in contrast to other repair mechanisms like non-homologous end-joining and single-strand DNA annealing, which were not affected by polyamines. The study further elucidates that polyamines enhance the activity of RAD51 recombinase, a key enzyme in homologous recombination, by improving its ability to capture homologous DNA and form synaptic complexes. This discovery highlights a previously unknown function of polyamines in supporting genome integrity through homology-directed DNA repair.