We have recently determined the solution structure of the catalytic domain of a resolvase monomer. Overview of DNA Repair. DNA repair proteins repair DNA damage that arises from a variety of sources. In these reactions, DNA becomes damaged by virtue of its low chemical stability. Normal cellular metabolism can also lead to DNA damage.
Normal metabolism occurs through the processing of food sources.
Improper electron transfer can result in free radicals, and such endogenous free radicals can cause DNA damage. Depending on environmental conditions, DNA damage from environmental influences can be very extensive. On average the combination of all these factors result in typical damage events that occur at frequencies of anywhere from 10,000 to 1 million times per living cell per day. Clearly, DNA damage events in a humans occur at astonishingly high numbers per day. Thus, DNA damage repair is essential for life.