ArticleMolecular and cellular neurosciences2023
The Tardigrade damage suppressor protein Dsup promotes DNA damage in neurons.
Article in Molecular and cellular neurosciences, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers.
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Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 24 citations in OpenAlex.
- Different modes of engagement with the nucleosome acidic patch yield distinct functional outcomes.Nucleic acids research · 2026Article
- Expression of tardigrade extremotolerance-associated proteins improves recovery but not acute stress response of human microvascular endothelial cells.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Molecular basis of radiation resistance in tardigrades and the medical implications.World journal of radiology · 2026Review
- Insights into Tardigrade Damage-Suppression Protein, Dsup.Biomolecules · 2026Review
- Different modes of engagement with the nucleosome acidic patch yield distinct functional outcomes.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Tardigrade Dsup extendsScience advances · 2025Article
- Targeting DNA damage in ageing: towards supercharging DNA repair.Nature reviews. Drug discovery · 2025Review
- Multivalent binding of the tardigrade Dsup protein to chromatin promotes yeast survival and longevity upon exposure to oxidative damage.Nature communications · 2025Article
- Radioprotection of healthy tissue via nanoparticle-delivered mRNA encoding for a damage-suppressor protein found in tardigrades.Nature biomedical engineering · 2025Article
- DSUP modified mesenchymal stem cells exert significant radiation protective effect by enhancing the hematopoietic niche.Stem cell research & therapy · 2025Article
- Article
- A bacterial expression cloning screen reveals single-stranded DNA-binding proteins as potent desicco-protectants.Cell reports · 2024Article
- Article
- The tardigrade Hypsibius exemplaris dramatically upregulates DNA repair pathway genes in response to ionizing radiation.Current biology : CB · 2024Article
- Mitigating age-related somatic mutation burden.Trends in molecular medicine · 2023Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
Tardigrades are microscopic invertebrates, which are capable of withstanding extreme environmental conditions, including high levels of radiation. A Tardigrade protein, Dsup (Damage Suppressor), protects the Tardigrade's DNA during harsh environmental stress and X-rays. When expressed in cancer cells, Dsup protects DNA from single- and double-strand breaks (DSBs) induced by radiation, increases survival of irradiated cells, and protects DNA from reactive oxygen species. These unusual properties of Dsup suggested that understanding how the protein functions may help in the design of small molecules that could protect humans during radiotherapy or space travel. Here, we investigated if Dsup is protective in cortical neurons cultured from rat embryos. We discovered that, in cortical neurons, the codon-optimized Dsup localizes to the nucleus and, surprisingly, promotes neurotoxicity, leading to neurodegeneration. Unexpectedly, we found that Dsup expression results in the formation of DNA DSBs in cultured neurons. With electron microscopy, we discovered that Dsup promotes chromatin condensation. Unlike Dsup's protective properties in cancerous cells, in neurons, Dsup promotes neurotoxicity, induces DNA damage, and rearranges chromatin. Neurons are sensitive to Dsup, and Dsup is a doubtful surrogate for DNA protection in neuronal cells.
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Registered trials
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