Summary of the science
Spatial and temporal regulation of the DNA damage response refers to how our cells manage and coordinate their response when DNA is damaged. Think of it like a well-organised team working together to repair a problem. Spatial regulation means that specific proteins and molecules involved in DNA repair are brought to the damaged site, ensuring that they are in the right place at the right time. Temporal regulation means that the response is carefully timed, with different steps occurring in a specific order to efficiently repair the DNA. This regulation is important because it protects our genetic material. Our genetic information refers to the instructions stored in our DNA that determine the characteristics of living organisms (like blue or brown eyes). When these instructions become damaged, it can lead to diseases like cancer.
About the research
The Lukas group investigates the assembly of proteins responsible for protecting the human genome and how they form functional pathways. They study how these proteins arrange themselves within the three-dimensional space of the cell nucleus and how they interact with cellular metabolism and the external environment over time to protect DNA from mutations that can lead to diseases. Their goal is to gain a comprehensive understanding of genome maintenance by exploring not only how DNA repair mechanisms function but also what safeguards prevent DNA damage from occurring and what limits exist for the mechanisms that preserve intact genomes throughout cell generations.
About the illustration
We wanted to focus on the DNA damage response and visualise how it is regulated. We decided to illustrate a strand of DNA that is shown to be damaged and distorted, and that is being repaired by a regulatory protein.