简介:CleavageofchromosomalDNAintooligonucleosomalsizefragmentsisanintegralpartofapoptosis.ElegantbiochemicalworkidentifiedtheDNAfragmentationfactor(DFF)asamajorapoptoticendonucleaseforDNAfragmentationinvitroGeneticstudiesinmicesupporttheimportenceofDFFinDNAfragmentationandpossiblyinapoptosisinvivo.RecentworkalsosuggeststheexistenceofadditionalendonucleasesforDNAdegradation.Understandingtherolesofindividualendonucleasesinapoptosis,andhowtheymightcoordinatetodegradeDNAindifferenttissuesduringnormaldevelopmentandhomeostasis,aswellasinvariousdiseasedstates,willbeamajorresearchfocusinthenearfuture.