Browse by author
Lookup NU author(s): Professor Alexander Burkle
Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.
Genomic instability comprises a broad spectrum of mutational alterations in the genome, such as point mutations in DNA, microsatellite expansions or contractions, amplifications and deletions of DNA sequences, gene rearrangements and structural or numerical chromosomal aberrations. A substantial body of data demonstrates an increase of genomic instability during normal ageing. This includes cytogenetic changes; loss of rDNA; formation of extrachromosomal circular DNA species; loss of telomeric repeats; increased microsatellite instability; as well as point mutations and deletions in global nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. Evidence has accumulated supporting a causative role of genomic instability in ageing. Genomic instability can be counteracted by a number of proteins including antioxidant enzymes, the WRN protein (deficient in Werner syndrome), telomerase, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 and a range other others, as well as by multi-protein systems such as DNA mismatch repair, base-excision repair and nucleotide-excision repair. Important research tasks for the future will be to elucidate how and what extent the various expressions of genomic instability contribute to the ageing process and to understand the molecular mechanisms and regulation of the above factors and pathways involved in limiting the induction of ageing-associated genomic instability. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Author(s): Burkle A
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Mechanisms of Ageing and Development
Year: 2002
Volume: 123
Issue: 8
Pages: 899-906
ISSN (print): 0047-6374
ISSN (electronic): 1872-6216
Publisher: Elsevier Ireland Ltd
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0047-6374(02)00027-1
DOI: 10.1016/S0047-6374(02)00027-1
Altmetrics provided by Altmetric
