The DNA packed inside every human cell contains instructions for life, written in billions of letters of genetic code. Every time a cell divides, the complete code, divided among 46 chromosomes, must ...

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are pluripotent stem cells that can produce all cell types of an organism. ES cells proliferate rapidly and have been thought to experience high levels of intrinsic ...

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) replication is fundamental to life, yet the precise mechanics of how helicases unwind the genome for replication remain unclear. A recent study published in Nature used ...

“Our lab is generally interested in discovering and characterizing previously unknown or poorly understood factors that are essential for genome maintenance. This is particularly important in the ...

When an SSB appears, polymerase epsilon approaches the nick before retracing its steps thanks to its exonuclease, allowing fork reversal to take place. The nick is repaired as an SSB, and replication ...

Researchers have modeled a key mechanism by which DNA replicates. The study could help identify new targets to treat disease. Knowing the structure of a complex biological system isn't nearly enough ...

CDT1 inhibits the helicase activity of the MCM complex, thereby suppressing nascent strand synthesis in DNA replication in cultured human cells. This action results in fork collapse and DNA damage, ...

Not all DNA looks like the familiar twisted ladder. Sometimes, parts of our genetic code fold into unusual shapes. One such structure, the G-quadruplex (G4), looks like a knot. These knots can play ...

Cardiff University researchers discovered how a particularly severe type of DNA damage occurs, giving fresh insight into mutation mechanisms that contribute to cancer and inherited genetic diseases.