title: Transcriptional mutagenesis: causes and involvement in tumour development.
abstract: The majority of human cells do not multiply continuously but are quiescent or slow-replicating and devote a large part of their energy to transcription. When DNA damage in the transcribed strand of an active gene is bypassed by a RNA polymerase, they can miscode at the damaged site and produce mutant transcripts. This process is known as transcriptional mutagenesis and, as discussed in this Perspective, could lead to the production of mutant proteins and might therefore be important in tumour development.
authors.affiliation: Université Paris Sud-11, Institut de Génétique et Microbiologie, CNRS UMR 8621, Bât 400, F-91405 Orsay Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brégeon
authors.forename: Paul W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Doetsch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004249:DNA Damage; D004261:DNA Replication; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D016296:Mutagenesis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009385:Neoplastic Processes; D014158:Transcription, Genetic