Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Studying RNA Interactors of Protein Kinase RNA-Activated during the Mammalian Cell Cycle
10:05

Studying RNA Interactors of Protein Kinase RNA-Activated during the Mammalian Cell Cycle

Published on: March 5, 2019

The multifaceted functions of DNA-PKcs: implications for the therapy of human diseases

Jinghong Wu1, Liwei Song2, Mingjun Lu1

  • 1Cancer Research Center Beijing Chest Hospital Capital Medical University/Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute Beijing China.

Medcomm
|June 20, 2024
PubMed

Insights

DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs) is crucial for DNA repair and has diverse roles in immunity and development. Understanding DNA-PKcs

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cellular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs), forms the DNA-PK holoenzyme with Ku70/Ku80.
  • This holoenzyme initiates nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) for DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair.
  • DNA-PKcs is vital for DNA end processing and joining during NHEJ.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the multifaceted roles of DNA-PKcs in human diseases.
  • To discuss the therapeutic potential of DNA-PKcs inhibitors in clinical trials.
  • To provide insights into DNA-PKcs-associated diseases.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of DNA-PKcs functions and disease associations.
  • Analysis of preclinical data on DNA-PKcs inhibitors in cancer treatment.
  • Discussion of current progress in clinical trials for DNA-PKcs inhibitors.

Main Results:

  • DNA-PKcs has diverse functions beyond DSB repair, including roles in V(D)J recombination, class switch recombination (CSR), and innate immunity.
  • DNA-PKcs deficiency is linked to neurological, cancer, and immunological disorders.
  • DNA-PKcs inhibitors show promise in preclinical cancer models.

Conclusions:

  • DNA-PKcs plays a critical role in maintaining genomic stability and has broader biological functions.
  • Targeting DNA-PKcs presents a promising therapeutic strategy for various diseases, particularly cancer.
  • Further research into DNA-PKcs inhibitors is warranted for clinical application.
Keywords:
DNA damageDNA‐PKcsV(D)J recombinationclass switch recombinationinnate immunity

More Related Videos

A Bilingual Computational Workflow for Identifying Potential PLK1 Inhibitors in American Sign Language and English14:34

A Bilingual Computational Workflow for Identifying Potential PLK1 Inhibitors in American Sign Language and English

Published on: April 3, 2026

Single-Molecule Fluorescence Visualization of DNA Polymerase Dynamics at G-Quadruplexes05:37

Single-Molecule Fluorescence Visualization of DNA Polymerase Dynamics at G-Quadruplexes

Published on: April 4, 2025

Related Concept Videos

Proofreading01:43

Proofreading

Synthesis of new DNA molecules starts when DNA polymerase links nucleotides together in a sequence that is complementary to the template DNA strand. DNA polymerase has a higher affinity for the correct base to ensure fidelity in DNA replication. The DNA polymerase furthermore proofreads during replication, using an exonuclease domain that cuts off incorrect nucleotides from the nascent DNA strand.Errors during Replication Are Corrected by the DNA Polymerase EnzymeGenomic DNA is synthesized in...
Covalently Linked Protein Regulators02:04

Covalently Linked Protein Regulators

Proteins can undergo many types of post-translational modifications, often in response to changes in their environment. These modifications play an important role in the function and stability of these proteins. Covalently linked molecules include functional groups, such as methyl, acetyl, and phosphate groups, and also small proteins, such as ubiquitin. There are around 200 different types of covalent regulators that have been identified.
These groups modify specific amino acids in a protein.
DNA Helicases00:55

DNA Helicases

DNA unwinding helicase enzymes are a type of motor protein. Motor proteins can translocate along filaments or polymers using energy generated from ATP hydrolysis. Helicases are involved in all the important cellular processes where DNA unwinding is required, such as DNA replication, repair, recombination, and transcription. They are present in all living organisms, but vary in their structure, function, and mechanism of action. For example, in prokaryotes, DnaB helicase binds and translocates...
The Central Dogma01:20

The Central Dogma

The central dogma explains the flow of genetic information from DNA nucleotides to the amino acid sequence of proteins.
RNA is the Missing Link Between DNA and Proteins
In the early 1900s, scientists discovered that DNA stores all the information needed for cellular functions and that proteins perform most of these functions. However, the mechanisms of converting genetic information into functional proteins remained unknown for many years. Initially, it was believed that a single gene is...
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
Proofreading01:31

Proofreading

Synthesis of new DNA molecules is carried out by the enzyme DNA polymerase, which adds nucleotides on the daughter strand complementary to the template DNA strand. DNA polymerase has a higher affinity to add the correct base and ensures fidelity during DNA replication. Furthermore,  it exhibits proofreading activity during replication, using an exonuclease domain that cuts off incorrect nucleotides from the nascent DNA strand.
Errors During Replication are Corrected by the DNA Polymerase Enzyme