Friday, July 19, 2019

Researchers report the function of reverse-twisting DNA

Normally, the two strands of the DNA double helix wind around each other in a right-handed spiral. However, there is another conformation called Z-DNA in which the strands twist to the left. The function of Z-DNA has remained a mystery since its discovery. A newly published paper unambiguously establishes that the Z-conformation is key to regulating interferon responses involved in fighting viruses and cancer. The researchers analyzed families with variants in the Z-binding domain of the ADAR gene.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/researchers-report-the-function-of-reverse-twisting-dna