Missing piece of first-responder DNA repair machine revealed
Missing piece of first-responder DNA repair machine revealed
Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Scripps Research Institute have revealed the role played by the least-understood part of a first-responder molecule that rushes in to bind and repair breaks in DNA strands, a process that helps people avoid cancer.
With this final piece of the puzzle in place, scientists can better understand how the repair mechanism fends off cancer in healthy people, and conversely, how it helps cancer cells resist chemotherapy. This could enable researchers to develop more effective therapies with fewer side effects. http://newscenter.lbl.gov/press-releases/2009/10/01/dna-repair-uncovered/