Conclusions
High PARP activity and HR-related gene expression in hiPS cells were achieved through reprogramming and likely facilitate precise genome editing in these cells in exchange for a high possibility of cell death.
Methods
We analyzed the expression of DNA repair-related genes in hiPS cells using microarray and western blotting analyses and assessed changes in PARP activity through reprogramming.
Results
Through reprogramming, hiPS cells were found to upregulate poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) activity and genes regulating homologous recombination (HR). Simultaneously, the expression level of genes involved in non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) was not high, suggesting that at least at the gene expression level, frequently occurring DNA scission is preferentially dealt with via HR instead of NHEJ. Also, reflecting the high proliferative activity, genes related to mismatch repair (MMR) were upregulated through reprogramming. Conversely, error-prone polymerase was downregulated through reprogramming. These are also likely to be the mechanisms preventing changes in genetic information. Conclusions: High PARP activity and HR-related gene expression in hiPS cells were achieved through reprogramming and likely facilitate precise genome editing in these cells in exchange for a high possibility of cell death.