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Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Spatial and Temporal Control of Murine Melanoma Initiation from Mutant Melanocyte Stem Cells
Published on: June 7, 2019
Could BRAF mutations in melanocytic lesions arise from DNA damage induced by ultraviolet radiation?
Nancy E Thomas1, Marianne Berwick, Marila Cordeiro-Stone
1Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA. nthomas@med.unc.edu
Abstract:
Although BRAF V600 mutations in melanocytic tumors are not UV-signature mutations, it is plausible that they could still arise from error-prone replication of UV-damaged DNA. We propose a mechanism for their origin, taking into consideration melanocytic-specific BRAF tandem mutations, nearby potential pyrimidine dimer sites, the properties of specialized DNA polymerases, and biological selection.
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