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Updated: Nov 3, 2025

Characterizing DNA Repair Processes at Transient and Long-lasting Double-strand DNA Breaks by Immunofluorescence Microscopy
Published on: June 8, 2018
Boon and Bane of DNA Double-Strand Breaks
1Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), OT Gatersleben, D-06466 Seeland, Germany.
Abstract:
DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), interrupting the genetic information, are elicited by various environmental and endogenous factors. They bear the risk of cell lethality and, if mis-repaired, of deleterious mutation. This negative impact is contrasted by several evolutionary achievements for DSB processing that help maintaining stable inheritance (correct repair, meiotic cross-over) and even drive adaptation (immunoglobulin gene recombination), differentiation (chromatin elimination) and speciation by creating new genetic diversity via DSB mis-repair. Targeted DSBs play a role in genome editing for research, breeding and therapy purposes. Here, I survey possible causes, biological effects and evolutionary consequences of DSBs, mainly for students and outsiders.
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