Observe the DNA repair process in real time

For the first time, researchers at Delft University of Technology witnessed the repair of damaged DNA molecules in real time.

They observed this process at the level of individual DNA molecules. Understanding this repair mechanism is important, because errors in this process can lead to the development of cancer cells.

Researchers from Delft's Kavli Institute of Nanoscience are publishing a paper on this work in the journal Science of Molecular Cell.

Cells have mechanisms to repair successive random damage that occurs in DNA. These failures can vary, from the change to a single part of DNA to the destruction of the entire structure.

These failures occur, for example, due to the effect of ultraviolet light, or of X-rays, or may also occur during cell division, when DNA molecules separate and form 2 new DNA molecule.

If this type of decomposition is not properly repaired, it will be extremely dangerous for the function of the cell and lead to the formation of cancer cells.

One of the major DNA repair mechanisms involved in treating this breakdown is known as Homologous Recombination. This mechanism was first observed in real time by scientists at Delft University of Technology and at the level of individual DNA molecules.

(Photo: nanopedia)

To observe this process, DNA molecules were stretched between a magnetic particle and the glass surface. A force was applied to the magnetic particle with a magnetic field, enabling the researchers to pull and rotate in a controlled way for each DNA molecule.

Because the position of the magnetic particle changes when the DNA molecule is repaired, the researchers are able to observe the repair process in detail.

VISTA-NACESTI