Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Histone Modification02:32

Histone Modification

The histone proteins have a flexible N-terminal tail extending out from the nucleosome. These histone tails are often subjected to post-translational modifications such as acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination. Particular combinations of these modifications form “histone codes” that influence the chromatin folding and tissue-specific gene expression.
Acetylation
The enzyme histone acetyltransferase adds acetyl group to the histones. Another enzyme, histone deacetylase,...
Overview of DNA Repair02:25

Overview of DNA Repair

In order to be passed through generations, genomic DNA must be undamaged and error-free. However, every day, DNA in a cell undergoes several thousand to a million damaging events by natural causes and external factors. Ionizing radiation such as UV rays, free radicals produced during cellular respiration, and hydrolytic damage from metabolic reactions can alter the structure of DNA. Damages caused include single-base alteration, base dimerization, chain breaks, and cross-linkage.
Chemically...
Fixing Double-strand Breaks02:04

Fixing Double-strand Breaks

The double-stranded structure of DNA has two major advantages. First, it serves as a safe repository of genetic information where one strand serves as the back-up in case the other strand is damaged. Second, the double-helical structure can be wrapped around proteins called histones to form nucleosomes, which can then be tightly wound to form chromosomes. This way, DNA chains up to 2 inches long can be contained within microscopic structures in a cell. A double-stranded break not only damages...
Homologous Recombination02:31

Homologous Recombination

The basic reaction of homologous recombination (HR) involves two chromatids that contain DNA sequences sharing a significant stretch of identity. One of these sequences uses a strand from another as a template to synthesize DNA in an enzyme-catalyzed reaction. The final product is a novel amalgamation of the two substrates. To ensure an accurate recombination of sequences, HR is restricted to the S and G2 phases of the cell cycle. At these stages, the DNA has been replicated already and the...
Histone Modification02:32

Histone Modification

The histone proteins have a flexible N-terminal tail extending out from the nucleosome. These histone tails are often subjected to post-translational modifications such as acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination. Particular combinations of these modifications form “histone codes” that influence the chromatin folding and tissue-specific gene expression.
Acetylation
The enzyme histone acetyltransferase adds acetyl group to the histones. Another enzyme, histone deacetylase,...
Fixing Double-strand Breaks02:04

Fixing Double-strand Breaks

The double-stranded structure of DNA has two major advantages. First, it serves as a safe repository of genetic information where one strand serves as the back-up in case the other strand is damaged. Second, the double-helical structure can be wrapped around proteins called histones to form nucleosomes, which can then be tightly wound to form chromosomes. This way, DNA chains up to 2 inches long can be contained within microscopic structures in a cell. A double-stranded break not only damages...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

HPL-2/HP1 and MET-2/SETDB1 bind distinct co-factors that promote heterochromatic foci, gene repression and organogenesis independently of H3K9 methylation.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Site-saturation functional screens identify PALB2 missense variants associated with increased breast cancer risk.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

CFAP20 salvages arrested RNAPII from the path of co-directional replisomes.

Nature·2026
Same author

The Double Face of Base Excision Repair: Preventing and Triggering Double-Strand Breaks.

BioEssays : news and reviews in molecular, cellular and developmental biology·2025
Same author

Replication-IDentifier links epigenetic and metabolic pathways to the replication stress response.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

A missense variant effect map for the human tumor-suppressor protein CHK2.

American journal of human genetics·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Examination of Proteins Bound to Nascent DNA in Mammalian Cells Using BrdU-ChIP-Slot-Western Technique
09:14

Examination of Proteins Bound to Nascent DNA in Mammalian Cells Using BrdU-ChIP-Slot-Western Technique

Published on: January 14, 2016

The histone code at DNA breaks: a guide to repair?

Haico van Attikum1, Susan M Gasser

  • 1Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland.

Nature Reviews. Molecular Cell Biology
|September 17, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Chromatin modifications, like histone H2A phosphorylation, are crucial for DNA repair. This process recruits essential repair factors to DNA damage sites.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Epigenetics
  • DNA Repair Mechanisms

Background:

  • Chromatin modifications regulate DNA-dependent cellular processes.
  • Mechanisms include histone tail adducts and ATP-dependent nucleosome remodelling.
  • The role of chromatin remodelling in DNA repair is an emerging area of study.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the role of specific chromatin modifications in DNA repair.
  • To understand how histone modifications influence the recruitment of repair machinery.

Main Methods:

  • Investigating histone modifications at DNA damage sites.
  • Analyzing the function of ATP-dependent chromatin-remodelling complexes in DNA repair.

Main Results:

More Related Videos

Laser Microirradiation to Study In Vivo Cellular Responses to Simple and Complex DNA Damage
10:44

Laser Microirradiation to Study In Vivo Cellular Responses to Simple and Complex DNA Damage

Published on: January 31, 2018

Visualizing and Quantifying Endonuclease-Based Site-Specific DNA Damage
10:59

Visualizing and Quantifying Endonuclease-Based Site-Specific DNA Damage

Published on: August 21, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Examination of Proteins Bound to Nascent DNA in Mammalian Cells Using BrdU-ChIP-Slot-Western Technique
09:14

Examination of Proteins Bound to Nascent DNA in Mammalian Cells Using BrdU-ChIP-Slot-Western Technique

Published on: January 14, 2016

Laser Microirradiation to Study In Vivo Cellular Responses to Simple and Complex DNA Damage
10:44

Laser Microirradiation to Study In Vivo Cellular Responses to Simple and Complex DNA Damage

Published on: January 31, 2018

Visualizing and Quantifying Endonuclease-Based Site-Specific DNA Damage
10:59

Visualizing and Quantifying Endonuclease-Based Site-Specific DNA Damage

Published on: August 21, 2021

  • Histone H2A phosphorylation is a key chromatin modification at DNA damage sites.
  • This modification facilitates the recruitment of histone modifiers.
  • It also promotes the assembly of ATP-dependent chromatin-remodelling complexes.

Conclusions:

  • Histone H2A phosphorylation acts as a critical signaling event in DNA repair.
  • This modification bridges the gap between damage detection and the initiation of repair processes.
  • Understanding these mechanisms is vital for comprehending genome stability.