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Emergency Response
27 June 2015

Emergency Response

Our DNA is constantly being damaged, and failure to fix it can cause mutations, leading to cancer. But cells have numerous safety nets, like the DNA damage response (DDR), a cascade of proteins that summon a molecular toolkit to the flaw and, the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC), which stops them dividing until the DNA is fixed. Examining microscopic worms called C. elegans researchers have found that the DDR and SAC work together. The image shows worm cells in purple, and the bright spots on the left show where DNA is being repaired. These worms are missing components of the SAC (top) and DDR (middle and bottom). They’ve all got more damaged DNA sites than normal worms. So not only do they overhaul, SAC and DDR also help prevent damage. As some chemotherapies work by kick-starting DDR and SAC to kill damaged cells, this knowledge could help optimise cancer treatments.

Written by Esther Redhouse White

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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