scholarly journals DNA-dependent protein kinase in nonhomologous end joining: a lock with multiple keys?

2007 ◽  
Vol 179 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Weterings ◽  
David J. Chen

The DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) is one of the central enzymes involved in DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair. It facilitates proper alignment of the two ends of the broken DNA molecule and coordinates access of other factors to the repair complex. We discuss the latest findings on DNA-PK phosphorylation and offer a working model for the regulation of DNA-PK during DSB repair.

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. eaay0922 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajashree A. Deshpande ◽  
Logan R. Myler ◽  
Michael M. Soniat ◽  
Nodar Makharashvili ◽  
Linda Lee ◽  
...  

The repair of DNA double-strand breaks occurs through nonhomologous end joining or homologous recombination in vertebrate cells—a choice that is thought to be decided by a competition between DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) and the Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 (MRN) complex but is not well understood. Using ensemble biochemistry and single-molecule approaches, here, we show that the MRN complex is dependent on DNA-PK and phosphorylated CtIP to perform efficient processing and resection of DNA ends in physiological conditions, thus eliminating the competition model. Endonucleolytic removal of DNA-PK–bound DNA ends is also observed at double-strand break sites in human cells. The involvement of DNA-PK in MRN-mediated end processing promotes an efficient and sequential transition from nonhomologous end joining to homologous recombination by facilitating DNA-PK removal.


2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 3127-3139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie S. Martin ◽  
Nicole Winkelmann ◽  
Mark I. R. Petalcorin ◽  
Michael J. McIlwraith ◽  
Simon J. Boulton

ABSTRACT The BRCA2 tumor suppressor is implicated in DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair by homologous recombination (HR), where it regulates the RAD51 recombinase. We describe a BRCA2-related protein of Caenorhabditis elegans (CeBRC-2) that interacts directly with RAD-51 via a single BRC motif and that binds preferentially to single-stranded DNA through an oligonucleotide-oligosaccharide binding fold. Cebrc-2 mutants fail to repair meiotic or radiation-induced DSBs by HR due to inefficient RAD-51 nuclear localization and a failure to target RAD-51 to sites of DSBs. Genetic and cytological comparisons of Cebrc-2 and rad-51 mutants revealed fundamental phenotypic differences that suggest a role for Cebrc-2 in promoting the use of an alternative repair pathway in the absence of rad-51 and independent of nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ). Unlike rad-51 mutants, Cebrc-2 mutants also accumulate RPA-1 at DSBs, and abnormal chromosome aggregates that arise during the meiotic prophase can be rescued by blocking the NHEJ pathway. CeBRC-2 also forms foci in response to DNA damage and can do so independently of rad-51. Thus, CeBRC-2 not only regulates RAD-51 during HR but can also function independently of rad-51 in DSB repair processes.


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