Chapters authored
Genomic Instability and DNA Repair in Cancer
Mutations in genome are essential for evolution but if the frequency of mutation increases it can evince to be detrimental, for a steady maintenance there exist a detailed complex system of surveillance and repair of DNA defects. Therefore, fault in DNA repair processes raises the probability of genomic instability and cancer in organisms. Genome instability encompasses various aspects of mutations from indels to various somatic variants. The chapter tries to present an overview of how cancer puts up several ways to ensure suppression of the fidelity in our DNA repair system. Cancer cells assure failure of efficient DNA repair mechanisms by innumerous ways, by mutation and epigenetic modifications in repair genes themselves or genes controlling their expression and functions, other by some catastrophic events like kataegis, chromothripsis and chromoplexy. These are clustered mutations taking place at a particular genomic locus which deluge the repair process. Cancer generation and evolution is dependent largely on genome instability, so it applies many strategies to overcome one of its basic obstacles that is DNA repair, targeting these DNA repair genes has also demonstrated to be helpful in cancer therapy; but an intricate understanding of recalcitrant process and mechanisms of drug resistant in cancer will further enhance the potential in them.
Part of the book: DNA
Responses of Endoplasmic Reticulum to Plant Stress
Global climate change has resulted in alterations in the biotic and abiotic conditions of the planet. This has led to changes in the agricultural system resulting from reduced water availability, increased temperature increase in the population and occurrences of pests and diseases. Plants are adversely affected when they experience any stress retarding their growth, development and productivity. Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) is an organelle that shows a tremendous response when subjected to stress conditions. Therefore, to explore and comprehend plants’ multidimensional interactions when subjected to stress conditions, an insight into the molecular stress signalling in the ER in response to the stress situation is discussed in this chapter.
Part of the book: Updates on Endoplasmic Reticulum