Recent insights into eukaryotic double-strand DNA break repair unveiled by single-molecule methods

Trends Genet. 2023 Oct 6:S0168-9525(23)00221-4. doi: 10.1016/j.tig.2023.09.004. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTGenome integrity and maintenance are essential for the viability of all organisms. A wide variety of DNA damage types have been described, but double-strand breaks (DSBs) stand out as one of the most toxic DNA lesions. Two major pathways account for the repair of DSBs: homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). Both pathways involve complex DNA transactions catalyzed by proteins that sequentially or cooperatively work to repair the damage. Single-molecule methods allow visualization of these complex transactions and characterization of the protein:DNA intermediates of DNA repair, ultimately allowing a comprehensive breakdown of the mechanisms underlying each pathway. We review current understanding of the HR and NHEJ responses to DSBs in eukaryotic cells, with a particular emphasis on recent advances through the use of single-molecule techniques.PMID:37806853 | DOI:10.1016/j.tig.2023.09.004
Source: Trends in Genetics : TIG - Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: Source Type: research