DNA repair

Pathology

DNA damage

Base excision repair

Disease

Biology

Nucleotide excision repair

Nucleic acid

Cockayne syndrome

Cell biology

Premature aging

Genetics

Medicine

The American Journal of Human Genetics

Genetic information is constantly being attacked by intrinsic and extrinsic damaging agents, such as reactive oxygen species, atmospheric radiation, environmental chemicals, and chemotherapeutics. If DNA modifications persist, they can adversely affect the polymerization of DNA or RNA, leading to replication fork collapse or transcription arrest, or can serve as mutagenic templates during nucleic acid synthesis reactions. To combat the deleterious consequences of DNA damage, organisms have developed complex repair networks that remove chemical modifications or aberrant base arrangements and restore the genome to its original state.

DNA Damage and Associated DNA Repair Defects in Disease and Premature Aging