Characterisation of a Novel Human Tyrosyl DNA phosphodiesterase

人类细胞拥有一类称为拓扑异构酶的蛋白质，可以阻止DNA扭曲或过度缠绕。偶尔，这些蛋白质会意外地破坏DNA，从而使我们的遗传物质不稳定。如果不能正确修复，这种DNA断裂可能导致细胞死亡或癌症。在这里，我们已经确定了一种全新的人类酶，可以通过修复这些断裂来保护DNA免受拓扑异构酶诱导的DNA损伤。我们现在希望详细描述这种新型人类酶的功能，并研究其对DNA稳定性和人类健康的重要性。

Human cells possess a class of proteins known as topoisomerases that stop DNA from becoming twisted or overwound. Occassionally, these proteins accidentally break DNA and thereby render our genetic material unstable. If not repaired properly, such DNA breaks can lead to cell death or cancer. Here, we have identified a completely novel human enzyme that can safeguard DNA against topoisomerase-induced DNA damage by repairing these breaks if they arise. We now wish to characterise the function of this novel human enzyme in detail, and investigate its importance to DNA stability and human health.