DNA damage repair—molecular insights

The first line of defense against skin cancer is the ability to repair DNA damage caused by UV light. The XPA protein plays an important role in the repair of certain DNA damage, and mutations in this protein have been implicated ...

Fast-forward aging due to DNA damage

The heredity substance DNA is the blueprint of our life. Like an instruction manual it contains all the information needed for cells and the body to function properly. In the process, the DNA is always exposed to threats ...

Protein complex prevents genome instability

An international collaboration between Osaka University and the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI) in Switzerland is investigating the repair process of a serious form of DNA damage that can lead to ...

Researchers describe how free radicals contribute to aging

Aging in part is the result of oxidative damage to proteins caused by free radicals, a byproduct of interaction of our bodies and radiation such as sunlight. A new study by Yale scientists provides some clues into how this ...

A new way of fighting bacteria?

In bacteria, toxin-antitoxin systems consist of a set of two closely linked genes. Situated on the same chromosome, they encode both a protein 'poison' and a counteracting 'antidote'. Under normal conditions, the antitoxin ...

Sall4 is required for DNA repair in stem cells

A protein that helps embryonic stem cells (ESCs) retain their identity also promotes DNA repair, according to a study in The Journal of Cell Biology. The findings raise the possibility that the protein, Sall4, performs a ...

Histone exchanger comes into focus

The packaging of a gene has a major impact on its functional state and must be precisely controlled. A novel blend of methods has unveiled the architecture of a large protein complex that modulates DNA packing, and hints ...

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