Eliminating damaged germline cells preserves germline integrity

The germline is the cell lineage of an organism that passes on its genetic material to its progeny. Genetic damage to the germline can cause developmental defects and even death of that same progeny. It is thought that biological mechanisms exist that ensure aberrant germline cells are eliminated to maintain germline integrity, although the specific molecular basis for this is unknown. In a new study published in Communications Biology, researchers from the University of Tsukuba identified the transcription factor Myc as a central molecular actor within the process of preserving the genomic integrity of the germline after DNA damage.

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