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    Annu Rev Genet. 2004;38:445-76.

    Repair and genetic consequences of endogenous DNA base damage in mammalian cells.

    Source

    Cancer Research UK, London Research Institute, Clare Hall Laboratories, South Mimms, Hertfordshire EN6 3LD, UK. deborah.barnes@cancer.org.uk

    Abstract

    Living organisms dependent on water and oxygen for their existence face the major challenge of faithfully maintaining their genetic material under a constant attack from spontaneous hydrolysis and active oxygen species and from other intracellular metabolites that can modify DNA bases. Repair of endogenous DNA base damage by the ubiquitous base-excision repair pathway largely accounts for the significant turnover of DNA even in nonreplicating cells, and must be sufficiently accurate and efficient to preserve genome stability compatible with long-term cellular viability. The size of the mammalian genome has necessitated an increased complexity of repair and diversification of key enzymes, as revealed by gene knock-out mouse models. The genetic instability characteristic of cancer cells may be due, in part, to mutations in genes whose products normally function to ensure DNA integrity.

    PMID:
    15568983
    [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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