The area of scientific interest includes a research on the role of poly-ADP-ribosylation in DNA reparation and aging, and on prion protein neurotoxicity. In 1992, A. Bürkle and K. Grube characterized positive correlation between poly-ADP-ribosylation activity (PARP1) in peripheral monocytes, induced by single-strand breaks, and life span of mammals. PARP1 activity in human peripheral monocytes was 5 times higher than in rat’s monocytes due to self-activation of the enzyme by means of ribosylation. The level of that enzyme was 2 times higher that content of ribosylated PARP-1 in the rat’s cells. As an organism grows older, PARP activity lowers both in human and in rats. On the other hand, PARP activity in immortalized lymphocytes taken from French long-lived persons, who were 100- and more years old, was higher than that in the cells belonging to the representatives of the control group (20- to 70 years old). Thus, high and carefully controlled PARP activity may promote life extension via supression of genome instability and oncogenesis.
Place of employment — Chair of Molecular Toxicology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Germany.
Contacts — Molecular Toxicology Group, University of Konstanz, Box X911, D-78457, Konstanz, Germany. +49 (7531) 88-4035alexander.buerkle@uni-kon-stanz.de .
Publications — Aging of different avian cultured cells: Lack of ROS-induced damage and quality control mechanisms. Strecker V, Mai S, Muster B, Beneke S, Bürkle A, Bereiter-Hahn J, Jendrach M. Mech Ageing Dev. 2009 Rapamycin inhibits poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation in intact cells. Fahrer J, Wagner S, Bürkle A, Königsrainer A. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2009;386:232–236.DNA repair and PARP in aging. Bürkle A. Free Radic Res. 2006 Dec;40(12):1295–1302.
