Figure 2 | Non-homologous end joining (NHEJ).   The Ku70–Ku86 heterodimer encircles a broken end, then recruits DNA-PKcs (the catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase), augmenting its kinase activity. Activated DNA-PKcs recruits and phosphorylates XRCC4 (X-ray cross complementing group 4) and Artemis, activating the latter's ability to open the hairpin coding ends. Polymerase activity might be supplied by DNA polymerase , and the ligation step is carried out by DNA ligase IV, which binds XRCC4.

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