Navigating the base excision repair pathway in chromatin-focus on oxidative DNA damage

Chromatin environment influences all nuclear processes, including DNA repair. Conversely, DNA damage itself triggers chromatin modifications and remodeling, which are essential for efficient DNA repair and its coordination with transcription, replication, and epigenetic regulation to preserve genome function. While chromatin dynamics associated with double-strand break repair and nucleotide excision repair are well understood, those accompanying base excision repair (BER) remain comparatively poorly characterized. Yet, BER is responsible for eliminating a wide spectrum of chemically diverse and non-helix-distorting base modifications, arising from both endogenous and exogenous sources, and is implicated in numerous pathologies. This review examines how BER operates in the context of chromatin, with a focus on its interplay with other repair factors, chromatin modifications, and remodeling. It also explores the diversity of BER substrates, the blurred distinction between base lesions and programmed modifications, and the intricate link between BER, transcriptional regulation, and epigenetic reprogramming. Together, these insights highlight BER's pivotal role in maintaining genome stability, shaping transcriptional programs, and preventing disease.