Korjausproteiinit

Korjausproteiinit, also known as repair proteins, are a class of proteins that play a crucial role in maintaining genomic stability and repairing damaged DNA. These proteins are essential for cellular function and survival, as unrepaired DNA damage can lead to mutations, genomic instability, and ultimately, diseases like cancer.

There are numerous types of repair proteins, each specializing in different DNA repair pathways. Some of the major pathways include base excision repair (BER), nucleotide excision repair (NER), mismatch repair (MMR), and double-strand break repair (DSBR). BER primarily corrects small base modifications, while NER handles bulky, helix-distorting lesions. MMR is responsible for fixing errors that occur during DNA replication. DSBR encompasses homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ), which are critical for repairing breaks in the DNA backbone.

The activity of repair proteins is tightly regulated, ensuring that DNA repair occurs efficiently and accurately. Defects in DNA repair pathways, often due to mutations in the genes encoding these proteins, can have severe consequences. This can lead to increased susceptibility to cancer, developmental abnormalities, and premature aging syndromes. Consequently, understanding the mechanisms of DNA repair and the functions of repair proteins is a significant area of research in molecular biology and medicine, with implications for developing new therapeutic strategies for various diseases.