Zhang J H, Xu M
Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Ohio 45267-0521, USA.
Cell Res. 2000 Sep;10(3):205-11. doi: 10.1038/sj.cr.7290049.
Cleavage of chromosomal DNA into oligonucleosomal size fragments is an integral part of apoptosis. Elegant biochemical work identified the DNA fragmentation factor (DFF) as a major apoptotic endonuclease for DNA fragmentation in vitro. Genetic studies in mice support the importance of DFF in DNA fragmentation and possibly in apoptosis in vivo. Recent work also suggests the existence of additional endonucleases for DNA degradation. Understanding the roles of individual endonucleases in apoptosis, and how they might coordinate to degrade DNA in different tissues during normal development and homeostasis, as well as in various diseased states, will be a major research focus in the near future.
将染色体DNA切割成寡核小体大小的片段是细胞凋亡不可或缺的一部分。出色的生化研究确定DNA片段化因子（DFF）是体外DNA片段化的主要凋亡核酸内切酶。小鼠的遗传学研究支持DFF在DNA片段化以及可能在体内细胞凋亡中的重要性。最近的研究还表明存在其他用于DNA降解的核酸内切酶。了解各个核酸内切酶在细胞凋亡中的作用，以及它们在正常发育、体内平衡以及各种疾病状态下如何在不同组织中协同作用以降解DNA，将是近期的一个主要研究重点。
