The dual nature of mismatch repair as antimutator and mutator: for better or for worse

摘要: DNA is constantly under attack by a number of both exogenous and endogenous agents that challenge its integrity. Among the mechanisms have evolved to counteract this deleterious action, mismatch repair (MMR) has specialized in removing biosynthetic errors occur when replicating genome. Malfunction or inactivation system results an increase spontaneous mutability strong predisposition tumor development. Besides key corrective role, MMR proteins are involved other pathways metabolism such as mitotic meiotic recombination processing oxidative damage. Surprisingly, also required for certain mutagenic processes. The beneficial consequences contributing generation vast repertoire antibodies through class switch somatic hypermutation However, non-canonical detrimental effects; it promotes repeat expansions associated with neuromuscular neurodegenerative diseases may contribute cancer/disease-related aberrant mutations translocations. reaction responsible replication error correction been most thoroughly studied subject numerous reviews. This review describes briefly biochemistry focuses primarily on activities described mammals well emerging research implicating interplay chromatin.