Science.News
Dec 31, 2025
Researchers discover new type of DNA damage hidden in mitochondria
Scientists have discovered a previously unknown form of mitochondrial DNA damage. The newly identified “sticky” DNA markers accumulate much more in mitochondrial DNA than in nuclear DNA, causing them to change energy production and trigger cellular defense mechanisms.
Source
Y. H. Chen, M. Esparza Sanchez, T.I. Hung, J. Tang, W. Xu, J. Yin, Wang, C.A. Chang, H. Zhang, J. Chen, & L. Zhao, Glutathionylated DNA adducts accumulate in mitochondrial DNA and are regulated by AP endonuclease 1 and tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 1, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. United States 122 (47) e2509312122, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2509312122 (2025).
