A team of Mayo Clinic researchers has uncovered a key step in the molecular pathway of repairing DNA double-strand breaks. The findings are published in the current edition of the journal Cell.
Double-strand breaks in DNA can result from external agents such as ultraviolet (UV) radiation or mutagenic chemicals. If left unrepaired, a single DNA double-strand break can lead to cell death or cancer. As a consequence, cells have evolved elaborate machinery made of proteins that detect and repair these DNA lesions. A basic understanding of how this DNA repair machinery functions is important to finding ways of correcting the DNA double-strand break repair proces when it goes awry. Studying DNA repair at the atomic level is necesary to understand the process.