Base Excision Repair
Base Excision Repair (BER) is a vital cellular process that repairs damage to DNA caused by exposure to environmental toxins or aging. BER is initiated when an enzyme, termed DNA glycosylase, identifies and removes damaged or incorrectly paired bases from the DNA. A DNA polymerase fills in the gap and a DNA ligase seals the repair. BER is important for maintaining the integrity of the genome by ensuring the correct information is stored in the DNA. As such, BER plays an important role in cell growth, survival and aging. Defects in BER have been associated with various types of cancer and other diseases such as Cockayne Syndrome. Thus, BER is an essential process for maintaining DNA integrity and has a variety of important implications for human health.
← Journal of DNA And RNA Research