Gene-environment interactions: Roles of DNA repair proteins in preventing disease and injury

Understanding gene-environment interactions are important because people are continuously exposed to variables which may impact their health. In a heterogeneous population people can respond differently after exposure to the same factor. Studying the role of DNA repair capacity in genetic susceptibility is important because DNA in cells must be repaired and cannot be replaced. Proteins involved in DNA repair are often associated with disease or disease susceptibility. Many proteins are involved in DNA repair, however I will present work investigating (i) the endogenous roles of Wrn, Fancd2 and Fancg, (ii) the effects of high-linear energy transfer radiation and intestinal microbiota in DNA double-strand break repair-deficient mice, and (iii) the effects of side-stream tobacco smoke in mice deficient in oxidative DNA damage repair or antioxidant capacity.