DNA Repair Defects and Telomere Dysfunction in Diseases

Dear Colleagues,

Faithful transmission of genetic material to the next generation is one of the primary objectives of an organism. This should be attained despite the constant damage induced by endogenous and environmental agents on DNA. Evolution has invested in DNA repair mechanisms to combat the incurred DNA damage. These repair mechanisms are biologically significant in maintaining genome integrity and in turn to prevent diverse human diseases. In effective protection from DNA damage may lead to genetic instability as well. Genome instability is a hallmark of cancer cells, but are also a cause of genetic diseases in humans. Patients with genome instability/chromosome breakage syndromes show reduced DNA repair and higher disease prevalence. Telomeres have special roles in protecting the chromosomes as well as genome integrity. Telomere function may have contrasting consequences—inducing replicative senescence or promoting tumorigenesis. The roles may vary between cell types, depending on the expression of telomerase enzyme, the level of mutations present, the efficiency or deficiency of related DNA repair pathways and oxidative stress levels in the cell milieu. Telomeropathies are an emerging spectrum of human disorders, which exhibit telomere related defects. Improving our understanding of these mechanisms may provide new avenues for disease management.

This Special Issue provides the platform to publish original research as well as review articles in an Open Access format in the exciting crossroad between DNA repair and telomere dynamics. We aim for a comprehensive collection of articles, which cover either of the topics, DNA damage response/repair and/or telomere function, with special reference to human health and diseases. Studies on other models are also welcome. Articles on molecular mechanisms and the targeting of either of these pathways in theranostics would also be of major interest.

Dr. Prakash Hande
Guest Editor

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