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Updated: Aug 23, 2026

Visualization of DNA Repair Proteins Interaction by Immunofluorescence
Published on: June 26, 2020
Interactions of viruses with the cellular DNA repair machinery
Matthew D Weitzman1, Christian T Carson, Rachel A Schwartz
1Laboratory of Genetics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. weitzmann@salk.edu
Abstract:
Mammalian cells are equipped with complex machinery to monitor and repair damaged DNA. In addition to responding to breaks in cellular DNA, recent studies have revealed that the DNA repair machinery also recognizes viral genetic material. We review some examples that highlight the different strategies that viruses have developed to interact with the host DNA repair apparatus. While adenovirus (Ad) inactivates the host machinery to prevent signaling and concatemerization of the viral genome, other viruses may utilize DNA repair to their own advantage. Viral interactions with the repair machinery can also have detrimental consequences for the host cells and their ability to maintain the integrity of the host genome. Exploring the interactions between viruses and the host DNA repair machinery has revealed novel host responses to virus infections and has provided new tools to study the DNA damage response.
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