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Analysis of DNA Strand Cleavage at Abasic Sites

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Molecular Toxicology Protocols

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology™ ((MIMB,volume 291))

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Abstract

Abasic sites in DNA arise under a variety of circumstances, including destabilization of bases through oxidative stress, as an intermediate in base excision repair, and through spontaneous loss. Their persistence can yield a blockade to RNA transcription and DNA synthesis and can be a source of mutations. Organisms have developed an enzymatic means of repairing abasic sites in DNA that generally involves a DNA repair pathway that is initiated by a repair protein creating a phosphodiester break (“nick”) adjacent to the site of base loss. Here we describe a method for analyzing the manner in which repair endonucleases differ in the way they create nicks in DNA and how to distinguish between them using cellular crude extracts.

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© 2005 Humana Press Inc.

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Deutsch, W.A., Hegde, V. (2005). Analysis of DNA Strand Cleavage at Abasic Sites. In: Keohavong, P., Grant, S.G. (eds) Molecular Toxicology Protocols. Methods in Molecular Biology™, vol 291. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-840-4:039

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-840-4:039

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-084-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-840-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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