CELE_F18C5.2, F18C5.2

wrn-1 encodes an ortholog of human WRN, and one of four C. elegans homologs of the RecQ DNA helicase family, that includes E. coli RecQ; by homology, WRN-1 is predicted to function as a helicase, DNA-dependent ATPase, and exonuclease that plays a key role in DNA replication, recombination, and repair; RNA interference studies in C. elegans and the enhancement of many of the resulting phenotypes by ionizing radiation indicate that wrn-1 affects life span and aging and acts at a DNA damage checkpoint; the wrn-1 phenotypes such as premature aging are similar to those of Werner syndrome; immunolocalization studies indicate that WRN-1 expression is nuclear in cells at the embryonic, larval and adult stages.

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