The prestigious journal Nucleic Acids Research has published an article describing a new method for direct detection of DNA breaks, termed STRIDE (SensiTive Recognition of Individual DNA Ends), developed at the JU Department of Cell Biophysics. The paper was authored by Dr Mirosław Zarębski, Dr Kamil Solarczyk, and Prof. Jerzy Dobrucki from the JU Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology together with scientists from the University of Massachusetts.
The STRIDE method can be used for microscopic detection of single- or double-strand DNA breaks (sSTRIDE and dSTRIDE). The authors have proved the high sensitivity of the method using the specially developed CRISPR/Cas9 DNA damage induction system, capable of inducing small clusters or individual single- or double-strand DNA breaks, which were then detected with sSTRIDE or dSTRIDE methods.
The technique has already been applied in studying endogenous DNA damage in various types of cells and tissues, as well as the damage resulting from cell aging processes or caused by cytotoxic substances, ionising radiation, and other factors that may lead to DNA strand breaks. The STRIDE method is protected by patent and has been made commercially available.
The paper co-authored by the JU researchers is available at: academic.oup.com.
