Publication at Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Králové |
2011
Abstract
H2AX is a variant of histone H2A found in nuclei of eukaryotic cells. In 1998 it was found that after formation of double-strand breaks of DNA (DSB) due to ionizing radiation, H2AX is phosphorylated on serine 139 in the conserved COOH-terminal region.
The gamma H2AX presence is limited to the sites around DSB and the phosphorylation is proportional to the DNA damage extent. Quantification of gamma H2AX is useful for monitoring DNA damage.
The present review covers current knowledge of the role of gamma H2AX and of methods for its detection and quantification.