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Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Assessment of Global DNA Double-Strand End Resection using BrdU-DNA Labeling coupled with Cell Cycle Discrimination Imaging
Published on: April 28, 2021
[Base excision repair]
Tomasz Sliwiński1, Janusz Błasiak
1Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Lodz, 12/16 Banacha St., 90-237 Lodz, Poland.
Abstract:
Damage to DNA bases resulting from deamination, oxidation, and alkylation is mainly repaired by base-excision repair. BER is initiated by DNA glycosylases, which recognize damaged bases and excise them from DNA by hydrolyzing the N-glycosidic bond between the base and the sugar phosphate backbone of DNA to generate an abasic site. Different human and E. coli DNA glycosylases have been cloned and characterized, each one with unique substrate specificity. Some of them additionally have AP lyase activity, which enables them to cleave the bond between the sugar and phosphate 3' to the damaged site. BER consist of two repair pathways (short or long) in which one or more nucleotides are introduced respectively. In conclusion, it seems to be likely that BER pathways are essential for genomic repair and stability in living cells.
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