Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 20, 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

Overview for the histone codes for DNA repair

Elizabeth A Williamson1, Justin W Wray, Pranshu Bansal

  • 1Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.

Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science
|July 4, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Cellular DNA damage is constantly repaired by various pathways. Histone modifications are crucial for signaling DNA damage, recruiting repair proteins, and enabling access to damaged sites.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • DNA damage is a continuous cellular process arising from metabolism, replication, and genotoxic agents.
  • Unrepaired DNA damage can lead to genomic mutations.
  • Understanding DNA damage signaling pathways is critical for cellular health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of histone modifications in signaling DNA damage.
  • To explore how histone modifications recruit DNA repair proteins.
  • To examine the relationship between histone modifications, damage type, and repair pathway activation.

Main Methods:

  • The study discusses various histone modifications.
  • It analyzes how these modifications correlate with specific DNA damage types.
  • The research explores the link between histone modifications and activated DNA repair pathways.

Main Results:

  • Histone modifications are proposed as key signals for DNA damage.
  • These modifications facilitate the recruitment of DNA repair proteins to damage sites.
  • Histone modifications create an accessible chromatin structure for repair proteins.

Conclusions:

  • Histone modifications play a vital role in the DNA damage response (DDR).
  • Specific histone modifications are associated with distinct DNA damage types and repair mechanisms.
  • Further research into histone modifications can illuminate therapeutic strategies for DNA repair deficiencies.

More Related Videos

Preparation of Nucleosome Core Particles Complexed with DNA Repair Factors for Cryo-Electron Microscopy Structural Determination07:59

Preparation of Nucleosome Core Particles Complexed with DNA Repair Factors for Cryo-Electron Microscopy Structural Determination

Published on: August 17, 2022

Laser Microirradiation to Study In Vivo Cellular Responses to Simple and Complex DNA Damage10:44

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

Published on: January 31, 2018

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,...
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...
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...
The Nucleosome Core Particle01:12

The Nucleosome Core Particle

Nucleosomes are the DNA-histone complex, where the DNA strand is wound around the histone core. The histone core is an octamer containing two copies of H2A, H2B, H3, and H4 histone proteins.
Nucleosomes, paradoxically, perform two opposite functions simultaneously. On the one hand, their primary aim is to protect the delicate DNA strands from physical damage and help achieve a higher compaction ratio. On the other hand, they must allow polymerase enzymes to access histone-bound DNA during...
The Nucleosome Core Particle02:10

The Nucleosome Core Particle

Nucleosomes are the DNA-histone complex, where the DNA strand is wound around the histone core. The histone core is an octamer containing two copies of H2A, H2B, H3, and H4 histone proteins.
The paradox
Nucleosomes, paradoxically, perform two opposite functions simultaneously. On the one hand, their main responsibility is to protect the delicate DNA strands from physical damage and help achieve a higher compaction ratio. While on the other hand, they must allow polymerase enzymes to access DNA...