The mechanics of base excision repair, and its relationship to aging and disease

Base excision repair (BER) is the major pathway responsible for averting the mutagenic and cytotoxic effects of spontaneous hydrolytic, oxidative, and non-enzymatic alkylation DNA damage. In particular, this pathway recognizes and repairs base modifications, such as uracil and 8-hydroxyguanine, as well as abasic sites and DNA single-strand breaks. In this review, we outline the basic mechanics of the BER process, and describe the potential association of this pathway with aging and age-related disease, namely cancer and neurodegeneration.