DNA Break

Last year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry went to three scientists for their work in discovering how DNA repair mechanisms work. With understanding that a human cell can sustain a million molecular lesions a day from oxygen and UV radiation alone, some of which can lead to cancer, how repair is accomplished is crucial knowledge. One new insight about DNA repair comes from researchers at the University of Alberta who found that when double stranded DNA breaks a protein known as “KU” attaches to both ends and prevents repair from proceeding, however, another protein, “RNF138” E3 ligase can counter KU. This suggests a possible drug target for anticancer therapy.     MORE

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