Using genome-wide SNP microarray data from over 100,000 DNA samples in total, two recent studies have provided evidence that clonal mosaicism — the co-existence of cells with two or more distinct karyotypes within an individual — increases with age, demonstrating that our DNA changes in subpopulations of cells over time. Furthermore, these studies also suggest that clonal mosaicism may be a risk factor for cancer and that the identification of such chromosomal abnormalities may be a useful screening tool in the future.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPERS
Jacobs, K. B. et al. Detectable clonal mosaicism and its relationship to aging and cancer. Nature Genet. 44, 651–658 (2012)
Laurie, C. C. et al. Detectable clonal mosaicism from birth to old age and its relationship to cancer. Nature Genet. 44, 642–650 (2012)
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Jones, B. Clonal mosaicism linked to age and cancer risk. Nat Rev Genet 13, 452 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg3282
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg3282
