A qPCR-based assay to quantify oxidized guanine and other FPG-sensitive base lesions within telomeric DNA

Telomere shortening is an important risk factor for cancer and accelerated aging. However, it is becoming evident that oxidatively damaged DNA within the telomere sequence may also cause telomere dysfunction. Here we describe a reliable, cost-effective quantitative PCR (qPCR)-based method to measure the amount of oxidized residues within telomeric DNA that are recognized and excised by formamidopyridine DNA glycosylase (FPG). We also report that...