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When something goes wrong during DNA replication, cells call their own version of 911 to pause the process and fix the problem -; a failsafe that is critical to maintaining health and staving off disease.
The DNA damage response is essential for maintaining genome integrity. When DNA damage or replication stress occurs, a checkpoint signaling pathway is activated to arrest the cell cycle and initiate repair of the DNA damage, or trigger apoptosis. Now, researchers from Van Andel Institute (VAI) and the Rockefeller University have revealed how a key piece of the DNA repair process, called the 911 DNA checkpoint clamp, is enlisted to the site of DNA damage.