Skip to main content

Radiation resistance

A screen of diploid yeast mutants has identified over a hundred genes involved in the response to ionizing radiation.

Written byJonathan Weitzman
| 1 min read

Register for free to listen to this article
Listen with Speechify
0:00
1:00

Cells must be able to recognize and repair DNA damage if they are to tolerate the effects of radiation. Much of our understanding of mammalian repair mechanisms, and their involvement in cancer, has come from studying yeast. In the Advanced Online Publication issue of Nature Genetics, Craig Bennett and colleagues from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in North Carolina describe a genome-wide screen to isolate genes involved in ionising-radiation resistance in yeast (Nature Gen 2001, DOI:10.1038/ng778).

They screened a set of diploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, with deletions in non-essential genes, for sensitivity to γ-irradiation. Analysis of 3,670 mutants identified 107 new genes that affect the ionising-radiation survival response. These encode proteins involved in chromatin remodelling or segregation, transcription, protein degradation, cytokinesis, or activities of the Golgi or mitochondria.

Many of these are also involved in resistance to other DNA-damaging agents, such as ultraviolet irradiation or genotoxic drugs. Several ...

Interested in reading more?

Become a Member of

The Scientist Logo
Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!
Already a member?
Add The Scientist as a preferred source on Google

Add The Scientist as a preferred Google source to see more of our trusted coverage.

Meet the Author

Related articles background image
The Scientist Digest cover September 2026
September 2026

Multiplex Microscopy Becomes Easier with Encoded Antibodies

A new system that enables researchers to uniquely tag monoclonal antibodies for use in microscopy could help simplify complex imaging studies.

View this Issue
Essential Genes Are Dominantly Activated by Single Transcription Factors

Essential Genes Are Dominantly Activated by Single Transcription Factors

EpiCypher Logo
Rethinking ALS Biomarkers: From Discovery to Clinical Impact

Rethinking ALS Biomarkers: From Discovery to Clinical Impact

Alamar Biosciences logo
Engineering CAR-Neutrophils In Vivo to Target Glioblastoma

Engineering CAR-Neutrophils In Vivo to Target Glioblastoma

Miltenyi
Best Practices for qPCR Assay Design and Optimization

Best Practices for qPCR Assay Design and Optimization

Bio-Rad

Products

Closeup image of a multi channel pipette dispensing pink liquid into a 96-well plate.

The ASSIST PLUS pipetting robot for affordable workflow automation

Integra Logo
Single cells in suspension

Rapidly isolate primary cells and make uniform single-cell suspensions with Corning® Cell Strainers

Corning logo
Abstract image representing cell membranes linked together.

CellBrite® Steady Membrane Stain: Cell surface staining built for real-time imaging

Biotium
sino biological logo

Monod Bio Licenses AI-designed Protein Technologies to SignalChem Biotech for Custom Discovery Assays