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protein

DNA repair nuclease/redox regulator APEX1

APEX1
protein:P27695disease:adad:direction:up

Gene

APEX1

Organism

Homo sapiens(9606)

Length

318 aa

Mass

35,555 Da

AI summarysource-grounded · cited inline
claude-haiku-4-5-20251001

APEX1 is a multifunctional 35.5 kDa protein that plays dual roles in cellular DNA repair and redox regulation (UniProt: P27695). As an apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease, it initiates base excision repair of oxidative DNA lesions by catalyzing phosphodiester backbone cleavage. Beyond DNA repair, APEX1 regulates transcriptional factors through reversible redox modification of their DNA-binding domains, exemplified by the FOS/JUN AP-1 complex, thereby controlling cellular responses to oxidative stress.

APEX1 operates primarily in the nucleus where it coordinates multiple DNA maintenance pathways, including immunoglobulin class switch recombination and mRNA turnover regulation via MYC control (UniProt: P27695). The protein also associates with ribosomal RNA quality control processes. UniProt records no inherent disease associations in its curated disease database.

APEX1 is upregulated in Alzheimer's Disease brain tissue. Chaparral AD proteomics data from post-mortem AD brain versus age-matched controls show increased APEX1 levels with a mean log2 fold-change of 1.29 across subcellular fractions (Chaparral AD proteomics). This elevation suggests enhanced oxidative stress response and DNA repair activation in AD pathology, potentially reflecting the accumulation of oxidative damage characteristic of neurodegeneration.

Generated from the curated entity record below. May contain errors — verify against source links.

Proteomics Evidence · AD

↑ Up in AD

P3

+1.292

P2

not detected

S2

not detected

S3

not detected

Mean log₂FC across detected fractions: +1.2916 (1 of 4 fractions detected)

Human post-mortem AD brain vs age-matched controls, TMT-labeled, 4 subcellular fractions (P2, P3, S2, S3), DDA proteomics.

Related Publications

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Function

Multifunctional protein that plays a central role in the cellular response to oxidative stress. The two major activities of APEX1 are DNA repair and redox regulation of transcriptional factors (PubMed:11118054, PubMed:11452037, PubMed:15831793, PubMed:18439621, PubMed:18579163, PubMed:21762700, PubMed:24079850, PubMed:8355688, PubMed:9108029, PubMed:9560228). Functions as an apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endodeoxyribonuclease in the base excision repair (BER) pathway of DNA lesions induced by oxidative and alkylating agents. Initiates repair of AP sites in DNA by catalyzing hydrolytic incision of the phosphodiester backbone immediately adjacent to the damage, generating a single-strand break with 5'-deoxyribose phosphate and 3'-hydroxyl ends. Also incises at AP sites in the DNA strand of DNA/RNA hybrids, single-stranded DNA regions of R-loop structures, and single-stranded RNA molecules (PubMed:15380100, PubMed:16617147, PubMed:18439621, PubMed:19123919, PubMed:19188445, PubMed:19934257, PubMed:20699270, PubMed:21762700, PubMed:24079850, PubMed:8932375, PubMed:8995436, PubMed:9804799). Operates at switch sites of immunoglobulin (Ig) constant regions where it mediates Ig isotype class switch recombination. Processes AP sites induced by successive action of AICDA and UNG. Generates staggered nicks in opposite DNA strands resulting in the formation of double-strand DNA breaks that are finally resolved via non-homologous end joining repair pathway (By similarity). Has 3'-5' exodeoxyribonuclease activity on mismatched deoxyribonucleotides at the 3' termini of nicked or gapped DNA molecules during short-patch BER (PubMed:11832948, PubMed:1719477). Possesses DNA 3' phosphodiesterase activity capable of removing lesions (such as phosphoglycolate and 8-oxoguanine) blocking the 3' side of DNA strand breaks (PubMed:15831793, PubMed:7516064). Also acts as an endoribonuclease involved in the control of single-stranded RNA metabolism. Plays a role in regulating MYC mRNA turnover by preferentially cleaving in between UA and CA dinucleotides of the MYC coding region determinant (CRD). In association with NMD1, plays a role in the rRNA quality control process during cell cycle progression (PubMed:19188445, PubMed:19401441, PubMed:21762700). Acts as a loading factor for POLB onto non-incised AP sites in DNA and stimulates the 5'-terminal deoxyribose 5'-phosphate (dRp) excision activity of POLB (PubMed:9207062). Exerts reversible nuclear redox activity to regulate DNA binding affinity and transcriptional activity of transcriptional factors by controlling the redox status of their DNA-binding domain, such as the FOS/JUN AP-1 complex after exposure to IR (PubMed:10023679, PubMed:11118054, PubMed:11452037, PubMed:18579163, PubMed:8355688, PubMed:9108029). Involved in calcium-dependent down-regulation of parathyroid hormone (PTH) expression by binding to negative calcium response elements (nCaREs). Together with HNRNPL or the dimer XRCC5/XRCC6, associates with nCaRE, acting as an activator of transcriptional repression (PubMed:11809897, PubMed:14633989, PubMed:8621488). May also play a role in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression by participating in DNA demethylation (PubMed:21496894). Stimulates the YBX1-mediated MDR1 promoter activity, when acetylated at Lys-6 and Lys-7, leading to drug resistance (PubMed:18809583). Plays a role in protection from granzyme-mediated cellular repair leading to cell death (PubMed:18179823). Binds DNA and RNA. Associates, together with YBX1, on the MDR1 promoter. Together with NPM1, associates with rRNA (PubMed:19188445, PubMed:19401441, PubMed:20699270)

Sources

Last updated 5/8/2026, 6:31:44 AM