CleavageofchromosomalDNAintooligonucleosomalsizefragmentsisanintegralpartofapoptosis.ElegantbiochemicalworkidentifiedtheDNAfragmentationfactor(DFF)asamajorapoptoticendonucleaseforDNAfragmentationinvitroGeneticstudiesinmicesupporttheimportenceofDFFinDNAfragmentationandpossiblyinapoptosisinvivo.RecentworkalsosuggeststheexistenceofadditionalendonucleasesforDNAdegradation.Understandingtherolesofinpidualendonucleasesinapoptosis,andhowtheymightcoordinatetodegradeDNAindifferenttissuesduringnormaldevelopmentandhomeostasis,aswellasinvariousdiseasedstates,willbeamajorresearchfocusinthenearfuture.
