According to ScienceDaily, scientists have discovered an unexpected danger in a gene long considered a cancer-fighting guardian. The gene EXO1 produces a protein that works like molecular scissors, carefully repairing damaged DNA. But when cells overproduce this gene, the scissors go rogue—cutting DNA indiscriminately and creating damage instead of preventing it. This overproduction has been linked to cancer development. The discovery challenges a key assumption in medicine: that more of a protective gene is always beneficial. It suggests a new vulnerability in cancer cells that researchers might exploit for treatment or prevention.

Listen to this story

Hear this and more stories in a personalized audio briefing.

Open The Chonkerton