MutY and MutY homologs (MYH) in genome maintenance.

: The base excision repair carried out by bacterial MutY DNA glycosylase and eukaryotic MutY homolog (MYH) is responsible for removing adenines misincorporated into DNA opposite G and 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-guanines (8-oxoG); thereby preventing G:C to T:A mutations. Escherichia coli MutY (EcMutY) can also remove adenines from A/C and A/5-hydroxyuracil and can remove guanines from G/8-oxoG mismatches at reduced rates. Thus, MutY has a minor role in reducing the mutagenic effects on G:C to A:T transitions and G:C to C:G transversions. The eukaryotic MYH can excise adenines misincorporated opposite GO, G, or C; remove 2-hydroxyadenines mispaired with A,G, and GO; excise G from G/GO mismatch weakly, thereby preventing G:C to T:A transversions. The in vitro and in vivo activities of MYH can be modulated by several proteins including apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease (APE1), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and mismatch recognition enzymes MSH2/MSH6. Recently, MYH has been shown to associate with the checkpoint proteins, Rad9, Rad1, and Hus1 (referred as the 9-1-1 complex). Thus, MYH-mediated base excision repair is coordinated with mismatch repair, DNA replication, cell-cycle progression, and DNA-damage checkpoints. Biallelic germ-line mutations in the human MYH gene are associated with recessive inheritance of multiple colorectal adenomas and carcinoma. MYH mutations can cause G:C to T:A mutations of the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), K-ras, and other genes that control cellular proliferation in the colon.