Stages, scaffolds and strings in the spatial organisation of non-homologous end joining: Insights from X-ray diffraction and Cryo-EM

Non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) is the preferred pathway for repair of DNA double-strand breaks in humans. Here we describe three structural aspects pathway: stages, scaffolds and strings. We discuss orchestration to guarantee robust efficient NHEJ. focus on studies over past two decades, not only using X-ray diffraction, but also increasingly exploiting cryo-EM investigate macromolecular assemblies.