New study unravels complete sequence of DNA repair mechanism
Every living organism has DNA, and every living organism engages in DNA replication, the process by which DNA makes an exact copy of itself during cell division. While it s a tried-and-true process, problems can arise.
Break-induced replication (BIR) is a way to solve those problems. In humans, it is employed chiefly to repair breaks in DNA that cannot be fixed otherwise. Yet BIR itself, through its repairs to DNA and how it conducts those repairs, can introduce or cause genomic rearrangements and mutations contributing to cancer development. It s kind of a double-edged sword, says Anna Malkova, professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Iowa, who has studied BIR since 1995. The basic ability to repair is a good thing, and some DNA breaks can t be repaired by other methods. So, the idea is very good. But the outcomes can be bad.
Biologists unravel full sequence of DNA repair mechanism
Biologists unravel full sequence of DNA repair mechanism Photo by Daniil Kuzelev/Unsplash.
By: Richard C. Lewis | 2021.01.25 | 10:02 am
Every living organism has DNA, and every living organism engages in DNA replication, the process by which DNA makes an exact copy of itself during cell division. While it’s a tried-and-true process, problems can arise.
Break-induced replication (BIR) is a way to solve those problems. In humans, it is employed chiefly to repair breaks in DNA that cannot be fixed otherwise. Yet BIR itself, through its repairs to DNA and how it conducts those repairs, can introduce or cause genomic rearrangements and mutations contributing to cancer development.