Mechanistic dissection unmasks colibactin as a prevalent mutagenic driver of cancer

Hilmar Berger; Thomas F Meyer

doi:10.1016/j.ccell.2021.10.010

Mechanistic dissection unmasks colibactin as a prevalent mutagenic driver of cancer

Cancer Cell. 2021 Nov 8;39(11):1439-1441. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2021.10.010. Epub 2021 Nov 8.

Authors

Hilmar Berger¹, Thomas F Meyer²

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Infection Oncology, Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian Albrechts University and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany.
² Laboratory of Infection Oncology, Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian Albrechts University and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: t.meyer@ikmb.uni-kiel.de.

PMID: 34752751
DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2021.10.010

Abstract

Gut colonization by colibactin-producing bacteria is associated with colorectal cancer. A mutational signature of this genotoxin in human cancer indicates causality but only partially accounts for cell transformation. Instead, the failure of adequately resolving DNA damage causes genomic aberrations and chromosomal instability, constituting the main starting point for colibactin-driven cancer.

MeSH terms

Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / chemically induced
Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / genetics*
Chromosome Aberrations
Colorectal Neoplasms / chemically induced
Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics*
DNA Damage
Humans
Mutation
Peptides / toxicity*
Polyketides / toxicity*

Substances

Peptides
Polyketides
colibactin