DNA repair mechanisms and gametogenesis

In mammals, there is a complex and intriguing relationship between DNA repa ir and gametogenesis. DNA repair mechanisms are involved not only in the re pair of different types of DNA damage in developing germline cells, but als o take part in the meiotic recombination process. Furthermore, the DNA repa ir mechanisms should tolerate mutations occurring during gametogenesis, to a limited extent. In the present review, several gametogenic aspects of DNA mismatch repair, homologous recombination repair and postreplication repai r are discussed, in addition, the role oi DNA damage-induced cell cycle che ckpoint control is considered briefly. It appears that many genes encoding proteins that take part in DNA repair mechanisms show enhanced or specializ ed expression during mammalian gametogenesis, and several gene knockout mou se models show male or female infertility. On the basis of such knowledge a nd models, future experiments may provide more information about the precis e relationship between DNA repair, chromatin dynamics, and genomic stabilit y versus instability during gametogenesis.