deoxyribonuclease [DNase]-1 (DNASE1, DNL1, DRNI)

Function

• role in cell death by apoptosis
• binds specifically to G-actin & blocks actin polymerization (putative)
• endonucleolytic cleavage to 5'-phosphodinucleotide & 5'-phosphooligonucleotide end-products

Cofactor: divalent cations, prefers Ca+2 or Mg+2

Structure

belongs to the Dnase 1 family

Compartment

• secreted
• nucleus envelope
• stored in zymogen granules & found in the nuclear envelope

Expression

• principally in tissues of the digestive system
• highest levels found in urine, but also relatively abundant in semen & saliva

Pathology

• DNASE1 phenotypes have been shown to be associated with liver diseases

Polymorphism

at least 6 alleles of DNASE1 are known: DNASE1*1 to DNASE1*6

Pharmacology

• available under the name Pulmozyme (Genentech)
• used to reduce the viscosity of cystic fibrosis sputum by hydrolyzing the extracellular DNA released by degenerating leukocytes that accumulate in response to infection (see dornase alpha)

More general terms

• endodeoxyribonuclease
• glycoprotein

More specific terms

• dornase alfa; nebulized recombinant human DNase (Pulmozyme, rhDNAse, nrhDNAse)

Database

• OMIM: https://mirror.omim.org/entry/125505
• UniProt: http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P24855.html