McCulloch Lab Receives NIEHS ONES Award

Grant Title: The role of human DNA polymerase eta in the mutagenic response to oxidative stress

Investigator: Dr. Scott McCulloch, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, NCSU (scott_mcculloch@ncsu.edu)

Project Period: 08/01/2009 – 07/31/2014

Grant Award: $1,713,165

Oxidative stress is caused by a number of environmental agents such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals, pesticides, and radiation. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are created by normal cell processes and in elevated levels by oxidative stress. This proposal seeks to understand how one DNA lesion caused by ROS, 8-oxo-guanine, is processed by DNA polymerase eta. Specifically, we are looking at what replication accessory proteins are involved in the pol eta lesion bypass process, and what role the bypass of 8-oxo-guanine plays in creating mutations caused by oxidative stress. Our long term goal is to understand how DNA damage caused by environmental exposures is turned into the mutations that drive carcinogenesis.