ELG1 is a conserved gene uncovered in a number of genetic screens in yeast aimed at identifying factors important in the maintenance of genome stability. Elg1`s activity prevents gross chromosomal rearrangements, maintains proper telomere length regulation, helps repairing DNA damage created by a number of genotoxins and participates in sister chromatid cohesion. Elg1 is evolutionarily conserved, and its mammalian ortholog (also known as ATAD5) is embryonic lethal when lost in mice, acts as a tumor suppressor in mice and humans, exhibits physical interactions with components of the human Fanconi Anemia pathway and may be responsible for some of the phenotypes associated with neurofibromatosis.
ELG1 plays a role in many basic eukaryotic processes, including DNA replication and repair, telomere length maintenance and chromatin silencing. We present our results aimed at understanding the functions of this central, yet elusive, gene.
