scispace - formally typeset
Journal ArticleDOI

Instability and decay of the primary structure of DNA

Tomas Lindahl
- 22 Apr 1993 - 
- Vol. 362, Iss: 6422, pp 709-715
Reads0
Chats0
TLDR
The spontaneous decay of DNA is likely to be a major factor in mutagenesis, carcinogenesis and ageing, and also sets limits for the recovery of DNA fragments from fossils.
Abstract
Although DNA is the carrier of genetic information, it has limited chemical stability. Hydrolysis, oxidation and nonenzymatic methylation of DNA occur at significant rates in vivo, and are counteracted by specific DNA repair processes. The spontaneous decay of DNA is likely to be a major factor in mutagenesis, carcinogenesis and ageing, and also sets limits for the recovery of DNA fragments from fossils.

read more

Citations
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI

Specific killing of BRCA2-deficient tumours with inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase

TL;DR: It is proposed that, in the absence of PARP1, spontaneous single-strand breaks collapse replication forks and trigger homologous recombination for repair and exploited in order to kill BRCA2-deficient tumours by PARP inhibition alone.

sources and effects of ionizing radiation

TL;DR: This annex is aimed at providing a sound basis for conclusions regarding the number of significant radiation accidents that have occurred, the corresponding levels of radiation exposures and numbers of deaths and injuries, and the general trends for various practices, in the context of the Committee's overall evaluations of the levels and effects of exposure to ionizing radiation.
Journal ArticleDOI

Genome maintenance mechanisms for preventing cancer

TL;DR: This review summarizes the main DNA caretaking systems and their impact on genome stability and carcinogenesis.
Journal Article

Mutations in the p53 Tumor Suppressor Gene: Clues to Cancer Etiology and Molecular Pathogenesis

TL;DR: The p53 tumor suppressor gene has become a paradigm in cancer research because it is commonly mutated in human cancer and the spectrum of p53 mutations in these cancers is providing clues to the etiology and molecular pathogenesis of neoplasia as discussed by the authors.
References
More filters
Book

The metabolic basis of inherited disease

TL;DR: The metabolic basis of inherited disease, the metabolic basis for inherited disease as mentioned in this paper, The metabolic basis in inherited disease and inherited diseases, and inherited disease diagnosis and management, in the context of inherited diseases
Journal ArticleDOI

Telomeres shorten during ageing of human fibroblasts.

TL;DR: The amount and length of telomeric DNA in human fibroblasts does in fact decrease as a function of serial passage during ageing in vitro and possibly in vivo.
Journal Article

Production of Large Amounts of Hydrogen Peroxide by Human Tumor Cells

TL;DR: Constitutive generation of large amounts of reactive oxygen intermediates, if it occurs in vivo, might contribute to the ability of some tumors to mutate, inhibit antiproteases, injure local tissues, and therefore promote tumor heterogeneity, invasion, and metastasis.
Journal ArticleDOI

Mitochondrial DNA mutation associated with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy

TL;DR: This finding demonstrated that a nucleotide change in a mitochondrial DNA energy production gene can result in a neurological disease.