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Three biochemical steps of the non-homologous DNA end-joining (NHEJ) process. This figure outlines the key stages of the NHEJ repair mechanism following DNA double-strand breaks. The process can be divided into three main steps: end synapsis, processing, and ligation. First, the Ku heterodimer recognizes the broken DNA ends, initiating the recruitment of NHEJ proteins that bridge and stabilize the damaged DNA, leading to the formation of a synaptic complex. In most cases, the DNA ends require processing by nucleases (Artemis and APLF), polymerases (pol μ and pol λ), or other modifiers (TDP1 and PNKP) to reveal microhomology between the ends. Once the DNA ends are properly aligned and compatible for ligation, the X4L4 complex completes the repair by sealing the ends
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Yuhao Jiang, Chao Zhao, Chenyang Zhang, Weilin Li, Di Liu, Bailin Zhao
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