Human MUS81: A Fence-Sitter in Cancer

Sisi Chen; Xinwei Geng; Madiha Zahra Syeda; Zhengming Huang; Chao Zhang; Songmin Ying

doi:10.3389/fcell.2021.657305

Human MUS81: A Fence-Sitter in Cancer

Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021 Mar 15:9:657305. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.657305. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Sisi Chen^{1

2}, Xinwei Geng², Madiha Zahra Syeda², Zhengming Huang², Chao Zhang², Songmin Ying^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ International Institutes of Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China.
² Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease of Zhejiang Province, Department of Pharmacology and Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.

Abstract

MUS81 complex, exhibiting endonuclease activity on specific DNA structures, plays an influential part in DNA repair. Research has proved that MUS81 is dispensable for embryonic development and cell viability in mammals. However, an intricate picture has emerged from studies in which discrepant gene mutations completely alter the role of MUS81 in human cancers. Here, we review the recent understanding of how MUS81 functions in tumors with distinct genetic backgrounds and discuss the potential therapeutic strategies targeting MUS81 in cancer.

Keywords: DNA damage response; cancer therapy; chromosomal instability; endonuclease; human MUS81.

Publication types

Review