Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 9, 2026

Characterizing DNA Repair Processes at Transient and Long-lasting Double-strand DNA Breaks by Immunofluorescence Microscopy
Published on: June 8, 2018
DNA in motion during double-strand break repair
Judith Miné-Hattab1, Rodney Rothstein
1Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), CNRS UMR 8197, Ecole Normale Supérieure, 46, rue d'Ulm, 75005 Paris, France; Department of Genetics & Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
DNA mobility increases significantly after double-strand breaks (DSBs) in yeast. This enhanced chromosome movement aids DNA repair but also raises recombination rates, with implications for genome stability.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Cell Biology
Background:
- DNA organization and dynamics are crucial for fundamental biological processes, including gene regulation and DNA repair.
- Understanding how DNA behaves under stress, particularly DNA damage, is essential for comprehending genome stability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent findings on DNA mobility in the context of DNA damage.
- To highlight the impact of double-strand breaks (DSBs) on DNA dynamics in yeast.
- To explore the relationship between DNA mobility, homologous recombination (HR), and genome integrity.
Main Methods:
- This review synthesizes findings from recent studies on DNA mobility and double-strand breaks (DSBs) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
- Analysis of experimental data investigating the role of homologous recombination (HR) proteins in regulating DNA dynamics post-damage.
Main Results:
- DNA mobility dramatically increases in yeast cells with double-strand breaks (DSBs).
- Increased chromosome exploration of nuclear volume facilitates homologous pairing for repair.
- Enhanced DNA dynamics also leads to a higher rate of ectopic recombination, impacting genome stability.
Conclusions:
- DNA mobility is significantly altered by double-strand breaks (DSBs), influencing both repair efficiency and recombination outcomes.
- Homologous recombination (HR) proteins play a key role in regulating DNA dynamics after damage.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the regulatory mechanisms governing chromosome dynamics following DNA damage.
Related Concept Videos
Homologous Recombination
Fixing Double-strand Breaks
Fixing Double-strand Breaks
DNA Damage can Stall the Cell Cycle
DNA Damage Can Stall the Cell Cycle
Overview of DNA Repair
Chemically...

