Title: "Interplay Between the DNA Nucleases MRE11 and Artemis During Normal and Aberrant Lymphocyte-Specific Programmed DNA Rearrangements"
What I Did: During T-cell development, specific chunks of DNA undergo a programmed rearrangement called V(D)J recombination. This process helps generate diverse T-cell receptors -- the "sensors" that identify and bind to foreign antigens. Artemis and MRE11 are DNA nucleases that help facilitate these rearrangements. In the absence of either nuclease, abnormal rearrangements occur. We extracted DNA from the thymus (the primary site of T-cell development) in three mouse models: an Artemis mutant, a MRE11 mutant, and a double-mutant. We used a Nested PCR strategy and Southern Blot to compare the levels of abnormal rearrangements in each mouse model, giving us insights into the potential functions of the DNA nucleases Artemis and MRE11.
Why It Matters: This was part of a larger effort to increase our understanding of Genome Instability, DNA Repair, and T-Cell Development, and the subsequent effects on cancer and rare diseases.