Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have developed a procedure that tracks the breakdown in DNA chromosomes, a step they say could lead to future therapeutic treatments to repair the damage."This is the first paper that distinguishes breaks in chromosomes versus breaks in DNA,” said Kerry Bloom, a professor of biology. “Chromosomal breaks are important in many diseases that stem from chromosomal translocation, in which genes get switched around."Our new system allows for visualizing DNA ends at the site of a double-stranded break in living cells. We showed that a protein complex we call RMX holds broken ends of DNA together and counteracts forces that can be destructive to damaged chromosomes."Chromosome damage triggers many fatal or debilitating illnesses, including cancer, Bloom said. Bloom is part of the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center staff.
