Home > News > Discovering the secrets of DNA repair
August 19th, 2008
Discovering the secrets of DNA repair
Abstract:
A modified DNA is helping scientists to understand the sophisticated DNA repair mechanisms that allow dormant bacteria to come 'back to life'.
Thomas Carell and Eva Bürckstümmer at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany, have made short DNA strands containing lesions. Carell explains that this is the key to understanding DNA repair. 'So far any study of this enigmatic process has been hampered by a lack of DNA containing this lesion,' he explains.
The lesions are analogues of those triggered when UV light acts on DNA stored in spores such as the Bacillus bacteria spore. In nature, these spores can lie dormant for many years, storing DNA, but then return to life, explains Carell. How spores store DNA and how lesion repair occurs are the questions the German duo would like to answer.
Carell and Bürckstümmer made their DNA strands by synthesising two isomers of a dinucleotide lesion analogue and incorporating them into DNA. They found that one DNA was more stable than the other, suggesting that the natural lesion could have a similar structure to the analogue in the more stable DNA. Carell points out that similar lesion analogues are substrates for the spore DNA repair enzyme so that the new strands could help further studies into the enzyme mechanism.
Source:
rsc.org
Bookmark:
| Related News Press |
News and information
Researchers develop molecular qubits that communicate at telecom frequencies October 3rd, 2025
Next-generation quantum communication October 3rd, 2025
"Nanoreactor" cage uses visible light for catalytic and ultra-selective cross-cycloadditions October 3rd, 2025
Nanomedicine
New molecular technology targets tumors and simultaneously silences two ‘undruggable’ cancer genes August 8th, 2025
New imaging approach transforms study of bacterial biofilms August 8th, 2025
Cambridge chemists discover simple way to build bigger molecules – one carbon at a time June 6th, 2025
Electrifying results shed light on graphene foam as a potential material for lab grown cartilage June 6th, 2025
Discoveries
Researchers develop molecular qubits that communicate at telecom frequencies October 3rd, 2025
Next-generation quantum communication October 3rd, 2025
"Nanoreactor" cage uses visible light for catalytic and ultra-selective cross-cycloadditions October 3rd, 2025
Announcements
Rice membrane extracts lithium from brines with greater speed, less waste October 3rd, 2025
Researchers develop molecular qubits that communicate at telecom frequencies October 3rd, 2025
Next-generation quantum communication October 3rd, 2025
"Nanoreactor" cage uses visible light for catalytic and ultra-selective cross-cycloadditions October 3rd, 2025
Nanobiotechnology
New molecular technology targets tumors and simultaneously silences two ‘undruggable’ cancer genes August 8th, 2025
New imaging approach transforms study of bacterial biofilms August 8th, 2025
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev researchers several steps closer to harnessing patient's own T-cells to fight off cancer June 6th, 2025
Electrifying results shed light on graphene foam as a potential material for lab grown cartilage June 6th, 2025
 |
||
 |
||
| The latest news from around the world, FREE | ||
 |
||
|
|
||
| Premium Products | ||
 |
||
|
Only the news you want to read!
Learn More |
||
 |
||
|
Full-service, expert consulting
Learn More |
||
|
|
||