DNA Repair
Developing neurons sustain and rapidly repair DNA double-strand breaks during migration, study finds
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A study in Nature reports that newborn neurons can incur double-strand DNA breaks while squeezing through tight spaces in the developing brain, and that healthy cells typically repair most of this damage within about a day.
Scientists at Scripps Research have revealed how cells activate an emergency DNA repair system when standard pathways fail, a process that some cancer cells rely on for survival. This backup mechanism, known as break-induced replication, is error-prone and could become a target for new cancer therapies. The findings highlight vulnerabilities in tumors with defective SETX protein.
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Researchers at Utrecht University have engineered a fluorescent sensor that lets scientists observe DNA damage and repair in real time inside living cells and even within whole organisms. Built from components of a natural cellular protein, the tool provides continuous views of repair dynamics while minimizing interference with the cell’s own machinery. The work, reported in Nature Communications, could aid cancer research, drug testing and studies of aging.