Oxidative lesions are an umbrella category of lesions caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), other byproducts of cellular metabolism, and exogenous factors such as ionizing or ultraviolet radiation. Byproducts of oxidative respiration are the main source of reactive species which cause a background level of oxidative lesions in the cell. DNA and RNA are both affected by this, and it has been found that RNA oxidative lesions are more abundant in humans compared to DNA. This may be due cytoplasmic RNA having closer proximity to the electron transport chain. Known oxidative lesions characterized in DNA and RNA are many in number, as oxidized products are unstable and may resolve quickly. The hydroxyl radical and singlet oxygen are common reactive oxygen species responsible for these lesions. 8-oxo-guanine (8-oxoG) is the most abundant and well characterized oxidative lesion, found in both RNA and DNA. Accumulation of 8-oxoG may cause dire damage within the mitochondria and is thought to be a key player in the aging process. RNA oxidation has direct consequences in the production of proteins. mRNA affected by oxidative lesions is still recognized by ribosome, but the ribosome will undergo stalling and dysfunction. This results in proteins having either decreased expression or truncation, leading to aggregation and general dysfunction.