Genomic sites hypersensitive to ultraviolet radiation
Abstract
Identifying sites in the human genome that are extraordinarily sensitive to ultraviolet radiation (UV) would make it easier to measure a person's past UV exposure and thus predict that person's future skin cancer risk. This paper reports that human melanocytes, responsible for skin and hair color, contain over 2,000 such genomic sites that are up to 170-fold more sensitive than the average site. These sites occur at specific locations near genes, so may let UV radiation drive direct changes in cell physiology rather than act through rare mutations.
- Publication:
-
Proceedings of the National Academy of Science
- Pub Date:
- November 2019
- DOI:
- 10.1073/pnas.1907860116
- Bibcode:
- 2019PNAS..11624196P