The Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) announced on the 5th that a research team led by Professor Gi Young-hoon from the Department of New Biology has identified a new pathway for repairing deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in human cells.
DNA contains important genetic information that regulates life activities, but it can be easily damaged by radiation and chemicals. In particular, damage known as 'double-strand breaks,' where both strands of the DNA molecule are severed, can lead to cell death or the development of cancer if not properly repaired.
The research team revealed that damaged DNA exists at a structure known as the 'nuclear pore complex' in the nuclear envelope. This provides evidence that when DNA is damaged, it moves to a specific location to encounter proteins necessary for repair. Until now, such movement has been reported in organisms like yeast or fruit flies, but this is the first confirmation in human cells.
The research team also identified essential protein regions that bind to the nuclear envelope proteins during the repair of damaged DNA. They noted that these results could lead to new cancer treatment strategies that regulate the DNA damage repair process or inhibit the repair capability of cancer cells.
Professor Gi Young-hoon said, 'This research is an important achievement that newly reveals the DNA repair pathway in human cells and provides clues to understanding the occurrence of cancer and treatment resistance.' He added, 'The interaction process between nuclear envelope proteins and DNA could also contribute to future anti-cancer drug development.'
The study also involved Professor Myung Kyung-jae from the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) and Professor Michele Pagano from New York University School of Medicine. The research findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) in May.
References
PNAS (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2415069122