|
 |
|
|
| Subject Categories: Genome Stability & Dynamics |
|
| The EMBO Journal
(2008) 27, 581–588, doi:10.1038/emboj.2008.11 |
|
| Quality control of DNA break metabolism: in the 'end', it's a good thing |
|
|
| Roland Kanaar1, 2, Claire Wyman1, 2 and Rodney Rothstein3 |
|
|
1 Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Cancer Genomics Center, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 2 Department of Radiation Oncology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 3 Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA To whom correspondence should be addressed Roland Kanaar, Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Cancer Genomics Center, Erasmus Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 10 704 3168; Fax: +31 10 704 4747; E-mail: r.kanaar@erasmusmc.nl Received 13 December 2007; Accepted 14 January 2008. |
|
|
|
| Abstract |
|
| DNA ends pose specific problems in the control of genetic information quality. Ends of broken DNA need to be rejoined to avoid genome rearrangements, whereas natural DNA ends of linear chromosomes, telomeres, need to be stable and hidden from the DNA damage response. Efficient DNA end metabolism, either at induced DNA breaks or telomeres, does not result from the machine-like precision of molecular reactions, but rather from messier, more stochastic processes. The necessary molecular interactions are dynamically unstable, with constructive and destructive processes occurring in competition. In the end, quality control comes from the constant building up and tearing down of inappropriate, but also appropriate reaction steps in combination with factors that only slightly shift the equilibrium to eventually favour appropriate events. Thus, paradoxically, enzymes antagonizing DNA end metabolism help to ensure that genome maintenance becomes a robust process. |
|
| Keywords: DNA double-strand breaks, homologous recombination, non-homologous DNA end-joining, telomeres |
|
|
|
Top of page MORE ARTICLES LIKE THISThese links to content published by NPG are automatically generated NEWS AND VIEWSThe double (strand break) life of Par-3 Nature Cell Biology News and Views (01 Apr 2007) |
|
|
| |
| |
| |
 | Email link to a friend |
| |
 | Download PDF |
| |
 | Full text |
| |
| |
| |
 | Next article |
| |
 | Table of contents |
| |
| |
 | Rights and permissions |
| |
 | Reprints |
| |
| |
| |
 Register for table of contents by email | |
| |
| |
| |