Proteomics identifies DNA repair toolbox

Various repair mechanisms help our cells to revert continuous damage to their DNA. If they fail, mutations accumulate in the genome that can lead to devastating diseases. DNA repair defects underlie predisposition to certain cancers, such as familial breast cancer, and promote the transformation process in other spontaneous cancers. DNA repair requires many factors, but so far there have not been comprehensive analyses of the intricate pathways involved. Using novel and highly sensitive proteomic technologies, scientists of the Max Planck Institute (MPI) of Biochemistry in Martinsried near Munich now report in the journal Sciencethe first global analysis of the protein recruitment dynamics underlying a critical DNA repair pathway. Their results shed light on the repair mechanism and identified new proteins and drug targets that could be important in maintaining genomic stability and preventing cancer.

Source: www.biochem.mpg.de

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