University of Oxford study reveals new process for cells to repair DNA damage

The findings of the study are expected to be extremely beneficial for the treatment of colorectal cancer. The researchers have found a new process for repairing damaged DNA.

Study in UK: University of Oxford and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have conducted a study and found a new process for repairing damaged DNA. This new process is called nucleophagy in which cells remove harmful DNA protein lesions from the nucleus to promote cell survival and ensure the stability of their genetic material.

This is a natural cleaning mechanism for repairing damaged DNA and ensure cell survival. The patients who are getting chemotherapy for colorectal cancer, get DNA lesions due to the use of the drug. In response to the chemotherapy, the body expresses a protein called TEX264, to activate this repairing process.

First author of the study, Oxford’s Oncology DPhil student Pauline Lascaux, said, "This novel mechanism of DNA damage repair helps us comprehend how our cells maintain genetic integrity and respond to cancer treatments. This breakthrough opens avenues for a better understanding of how our body protects genetic material and how we can enhance the efficacy of cancer therapies for patients. I believe that modulating autophagy activity is the key to overcoming resistance to therapy in colorectal cancer."

More Details of Study

To confirm that the process of nucleophagy is crucial for recovering damaged DNA, the research team used advanced technologies including cell biological, biochemical and bioinformatics tools. Also, it used colorectal cancer patient materials and a zebrafish animal model.

Oxford University's Mathematicians discover new universal class of shapes

Mathematicians from Budapest University of Technology and Economics and the University of Oxford have unveiled a new class of shapes which are also called soft shapes as these are without sharp corners. These shapes are reportedly available in nature in large amounts in the shapes of muscle cells and sea shells.

Professor Gábor Domokos said, "We found that architects - including Zaha Hadid - have constructed these kinds of shapes intuitively whenever they wanted to avoid corners. In fact, a team of young architects constructed one of our three dimensional soft cells using the geometry of the Gömböc shape as an inspiration."

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