A Ku bridge over broken DNA.
The Ku heterodimer is essential for the nonhomologous end-joining pathway of DNA double-strand break repair; it both protects the broken ends and recruits some of the many proteins required to complete repair. The recently determined structure of Ku provides insights into how it can both bind to the DNA ends and allow access by the other proteins required to rejoin them.
Jones
J M
JM
Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Building 5, Room B1-03, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Gellert
M
M
Yang
W
W
D000818:Animals; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D019457:Chromosome Breakage; D004249:DNA Damage; D004265:DNA Helicases; D004260:DNA Repair; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D000072200:Ku Autoantigen; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D020836:Protein Structure, Quaternary / Q000235:genetics
D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D004265:DNA Helicases; C106893:XRCC5 protein, human; C000606509:Xrcc6 protein, human; D000072200:Ku Autoantigen