Identification of Genes Involved in Repair of DNA Double-Strand Breaks in Mammalian Cells

Abstract excerpt

At least two mechanisms of DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair operate in mammalian cells. Homologous recombination, which plays a major role in lower organisms, plays a less significant role in higher organisms. In contrast, the majority of DSBs in mammalian cells are rejoined by a mechanism, termed non-homologous end joining (NHEJ), that does not depend upon extensive regions of homology. This process is also...