Findings from Columbia University Provides New Data on Biology (The Clock-like Accumulation of Germline and Somatic Mutations Can Arise From the Interplay of Dna Damage and Repair).

A study conducted by researchers at Columbia University explores the rates at which mutations accumulate in human cell types and the underlying causes of this variation. The study identifies two mutation signatures, SBS signature 1 and SBS signature 5, which accumulate linearly with age of diagnosis in cancers. The researchers develop a mathematical model that includes DNA replication errors, unrepaired damage, and damage repaired incorrectly to better understand the clock-like behavior of these signatures. The study concludes that the rate of mutation accumulation depends on the interplay of DNA damage, repair, and replication processes. [Extracted from the article]