SIRT7 is a class III histone deacetylase that belongs to the sirtuin family. The past two decades have seen numerous breakthroughs in terms of understanding SIRT7 biological function. We now know that this enzyme is involved in diverse cellular processes, ranging from gene regulation to genome stability, ageing and tumorigenesis. Genomic instability is one hallmark of cancer and ageing; it occurs as a result of excessive DNA damage. To counteract such instability, cells have evolved a sophisticated regulated DNA damage response mechanism that restores normal gene function. SIRT7 seems to have a critical role in this response, and it is recruited to sites of DNA damage where it recruits downstream repair factors and directs chromatin regulation. In this review, we provide an overview of the role of SIRT7 in DNA repair and maintaining genome stability. We pay particular attention to the implications of SIRT7 function in cancer and ageing.

SIRT7 是属于 sirtuin 家族的 III 类组蛋白脱乙酰酶。在过去的二十年里，在理解 SIRT7 生物学功能方面取得了许多突破。我们现在知道这种酶参与多种细胞过程，从基因调控到基因组稳定性、衰老和肿瘤发生。基因组不稳定是癌症和衰老的标志之一。它是由于过度的 DNA 损伤而发生的。为了抵消这种不稳定性，细胞已经进化出一种复杂的受调控的 DNA 损伤反应机制，可以恢复正常的基因功能。SIRT7 似乎在这种反应中起关键作用，它被招募到 DNA 损伤位点，在那里它招募下游修复因子并指导染色质调节。在本次审查中，我们概述了 SIRT7 在 DNA 修复和维持基因组稳定性中的作用。我们特别关注 SIRT7 功能在癌症和衰老中的影响。