Editing DNA ligase (section)

== As a drug target ==
In recent studies, human DNA ligase I was used in [[Computer-aided drug design]] to identify DNA ligase inhibitors as possible therapeutic agents to treat cancer.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Tomkinson AE, Howes TR, Wiest NE | title = DNA ligases as therapeutic targets | journal = Translational Cancer Research | volume = 2 | issue = 3 | date = June 2013 | pmid = 24224145 | pmc = 3819426 }}</ref> Since excessive cell growth is a hallmark of cancer development, targeted chemotherapy that disrupts the functioning of DNA ligase can impede adjuvant cancer forms. Furthermore, it has been shown that DNA ligases can be broadly divided into two categories, namely, ATP- and NAD<sup>+</sup>-dependent. Previous research has shown that although NAD<sup>+</sup>-dependent DNA ligases have been discovered in sporadic cellular or viral niches outside the bacterial domain of life, there is no instance in which a NAD<sup>+</sup>-dependent ligase is present in a [[Eukaryote|eukaryotic]] organism. The presence solely in non-eukaryotic organisms, unique substrate specificity, and distinctive domain structure of NAD+ dependent compared with ATP-dependent human DNA ligases together make NAD<sup>+</sup>-dependent ligases ideal targets for the development of new antibacterial drugs.<ref name="Shuman 17365–17369" />