Scientists discover protein's starring role in genome stability, and possibly cancer prevention
Thursday, January 28, 2016 - 21:10
in Biology & Nature
The scientists found that genome instability increases in cells as XPG levels decrease. The green spots mark locations of DNA double-strand breaks. If you have a soft spot for unsung heroes, you'll love a DNA repair protein called XPG. Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) discovered that XPG plays a previously unknown and critical role helping to maintain genome stability in human cells. Their findings also raise the possibility that the protein helps prevent breast, ovarian, and other cancers associated with defective BRCA genes.