Chromothripsis

KRO-mo-THRIP-sis n.

chromosomes

P. Stephens et al/Cell 2011

The catastrophic shattering of a chromosome, which can spark cancer development. All or part of a chromosome may break into pieces, some of which reassemble. Leftover fragments can form DNA circles (colored dots, above) that replicate wildly. If the circles contain cancer-causing genes, their proliferation fuels tumor growth. Disintegrating chromosomes may be the cause of many childhood cases of medulloblastoma, an often-deadly brain cancer, researchers in Germany and England report in the March 14 Cell

Tina Hesman Saey is the senior staff writer and reports on molecular biology. She has a Ph.D. in molecular genetics from Washington University in St. Louis and a master’s degree in science journalism from Boston University.