DNA DSBs and Genomic Integrity

Androgen-induced TOP2B-mediated double-strand breaks and prostate cancer gene rearrangements, Michael C. Haffner et. al. (Nature Genetics 42, 668–675 (2010)), reminds us that DNA double-strand breaks can induce genomic rearrangements and cancer. The study relates DSBs to androgen signaling.

Organisms have remedial tools able to check potentially devastating effects of DSBs. How viable are multi-cellular life forms without such tools? The answer indicates a natural entry for a front loading concept.