• Scientists discover the enzyme that lets cancer rapidly rewire its DNA Researchers identify the enzyme that sets off cancerâ s most chaotic genetic explosion â and it could be a powerful new treatment target. • Scientists at the University of California San Diego have identified the enzyme responsible for chromothripsis, a dramatic genetic event in which a chromosome breaks into many fragments and is stitched back together in the wrong order. • This chaotic reshuffling allows cancer cells to evolve quickly and develop resistance to treatment. • Although chromothripsis was first recognized more than ten years ago as a major force in cancer progression, researchers had not known what actually set it in motion. • The new findings, published inScience, uncover the cause and point to potential new strategies for treating some of the most aggressive cancers. • Cancer cells use several tactics to survive therapy, but chromothripsis stands out because of its sheer scale.
Article Summaries:
- Scientists discover the enzyme that lets cancer rapidly rewire its DNA Researchers identify the enzyme that sets off cancerâs most chaotic genetic explosion â and it could be a powerful new treatment target. - Date: - February 16, 2026 - Source: - University of California - San Diego - Summary: - Researchers have uncovered the enzyme behind chromothripsis, a chaotic chromosome-shattering event seen in about one in four cancers. The enzyme, N4BP2, breaks apart DNA trapped in tiny cellular structures, unleashing a burst of genetic changes that can help tumors rapidly adapt and resist therapy. Bl
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