Expression of the human XPB/ERCC-3 excision repair gene-homolog in the sponge Geodia cydonium after exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

Abstract The marine demosponge Geodia cydonium encodes a gene, termed GCXPB , which displays 62% identity to the human XPB/ERCC-3 gene that specifically corrects the repair defect in xeroderma pigmentosum and in Cockayne's syndrome. The cDNA was isolated and characterized the deduced aa sequence, XPB_GEOCY, with the calculated size of 91,541 Da comprises the characteristic domains found in the related helicases. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that the sponge sequence is grouped to the metazoan related XPB/ERCC-3 polypeptides. Northern Blot analyses have been performed with sponge samples collected at different depths, thus exposed to different intensities of UV sunlight in the field. T…