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

The DNA Replication Fork01:02

The DNA Replication Fork

An organism’s genome needs to be duplicated in an efficient and error-free manner for its growth and survival. The replication fork is a Y-shaped active region where two strands of DNA are separated and replicated continuously. The coupling of DNA unzipping and complementary strand synthesis is a characteristic feature of a replication fork.   Organisms with small circular DNA, such as E. coli, often have a single origin of replication; therefore, they have only two replication forks, one in...
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...
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...
DNA Damage can Stall the Cell Cycle02:36

DNA Damage can Stall the Cell Cycle

In response to DNA damage, cells can pause the cell cycle to assess and repair the breaks. However, the cell must check the DNA at certain critical stages during the cell cycle. If the cell cycle pauses before DNA replication, the cells will contain twice the amount of DNA. On the other hand, if cells arrest after DNA replication but before mitosis, they will contain four times the normal amount of DNA. With a host of specialized proteins at their disposal,cells must use the right protein at...
Restarting Stalled Replication Forks02:37

Restarting Stalled Replication Forks

DNA replication is initiated at sites containing predefined DNA sequences known as origins of replication. DNA is unwound at these sites by the minichromosome maintenance (MCM) helicase and other factors such as Cdc45 and the associated GINS complex.The unwound single strands are protected by replication protein A (RPA) until DNA polymerase starts synthesizing DNA at the 5’ end of the strand in the same direction as the replication fork. To prevent the replication fork from falling apart, a...
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

DNA Structure-Dependent Enrichment of Oxidative Lesions.

Chemical research in toxicology·2026
Same author

Oxidative DNA Damage Exacerbates the Mutagenic Potential of Alternative DNA Structures via Altered DNA Repair Processing.

Environmental and molecular mutagenesis·2026
Same author

The DNA helicase HELQ promotes replication fork reversal in coordination with BRCA2- and FANCD2-mediated repair pathways.

Nucleic acids research·2026
Same author

Aging alters DNA structure-induced genetic instability in mice.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Characterization of Hairpin Loops and Cruciforms Across 118,019 Genomes Spanning the Tree of Life.

Genome biology and evolution·2026
Same author

Non-B DNA structures and their contributions to genetic diversity, aging, and disease.

Nucleic acids research·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 8, 2026

Demonstration of the DNA Fiber Assay for Investigating DNA Damage and Repair Dynamics Induced by Nanoparticles
13:09

Demonstration of the DNA Fiber Assay for Investigating DNA Damage and Repair Dynamics Induced by Nanoparticles

Published on: March 3, 2023

Methods to detect replication-dependent and replication-independent DNA structure-induced genetic instability.

Guliang Wang1, Sally Gaddis, Karen M Vasquez

  • 1Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Dell Pediatric Research Institute, 1400 Barbara Jordan Blvd. R1800, Austin, TX 78723, United States.

Methods (San Diego, Calif.)
|August 20, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Alternative DNA structures, or non-B DNA, impact genetic stability and disease. This review details methods to study non-B DNA mutations and a new tool to find H-DNA and Z-DNA motifs in genomes.

Keywords:
2-D gel electrophoresisDNA structureGenetic instabilityMutationReplicationSearch engine

More Related Videos

Quantifying Replication Stress in Ovarian Cancer Cells Using Single-Stranded DNA Immunofluorescence
06:25

Quantifying Replication Stress in Ovarian Cancer Cells Using Single-Stranded DNA Immunofluorescence

Published on: February 10, 2023

Using Next Generation Sequencing to Identify Mutations Associated with Repair of a CAS9-induced Double Strand Break Near the CD4 Promoter
06:59

Using Next Generation Sequencing to Identify Mutations Associated with Repair of a CAS9-induced Double Strand Break Near the CD4 Promoter

Published on: March 31, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 8, 2026

Demonstration of the DNA Fiber Assay for Investigating DNA Damage and Repair Dynamics Induced by Nanoparticles
13:09

Demonstration of the DNA Fiber Assay for Investigating DNA Damage and Repair Dynamics Induced by Nanoparticles

Published on: March 3, 2023

Quantifying Replication Stress in Ovarian Cancer Cells Using Single-Stranded DNA Immunofluorescence
06:25

Quantifying Replication Stress in Ovarian Cancer Cells Using Single-Stranded DNA Immunofluorescence

Published on: February 10, 2023

Using Next Generation Sequencing to Identify Mutations Associated with Repair of a CAS9-induced Double Strand Break Near the CD4 Promoter
06:59

Using Next Generation Sequencing to Identify Mutations Associated with Repair of a CAS9-induced Double Strand Break Near the CD4 Promoter

Published on: March 31, 2022

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • DNA exists in various secondary structures beyond the canonical B-DNA form.
  • These non-B DNA conformations are implicated in crucial cellular processes like genetic instability and disease etiology.
  • Recent research has significantly advanced our understanding of DNA structure-induced mutagenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current methodologies for identifying mutations in non-B DNA regions.
  • To elucidate mechanisms underlying DNA structure-induced genetic instability.
  • To introduce a novel web-based tool for detecting specific non-B DNA motifs.

Main Methods:

  • Summarizing and highlighting current techniques for mutation identification at non-B DNA sites.
  • Describing replication-dependent and replication-independent mutagenesis models.
  • Introducing a web-based search engine for identifying H-DNA and Z-DNA forming motifs.

Main Results:

  • Characterization of mechanisms driving DNA structure-induced mutagenesis.
  • Proposal of distinct replication-dependent and replication-independent models.
  • Development of a tool for genomic screening of H-DNA and Z-DNA.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding non-B DNA structures is key to comprehending genetic instability.
  • New methodologies and tools enhance the study of DNA structure-mutagenesis relationships.
  • The developed search engine aids in identifying potentially functional DNA structural motifs across genomes.