Liquid-liquid phase separation in DNA double-strand break repair.

Abstract

DNA repair factors function through spatiotemporal condensation and dissolution at DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Recent advances have indicated that some DSB repair factors undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and show droplet-like properties, as well as dynamic material exchange. Importantly, LLPS regulates various biological processes, and aberrant LLPS is involved in the pathologic progression of various diseases. In addition, the phenotype of dynamic condensation and dissolution of DNA repair factors during DSB repair presents properties to LLPS. Significantly, RNA, poly (ADP-ribose) [PAR], and post-transcription modification (PTM), such as phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and methylation, are thought to contribute to the LLPS of DSB repair factors. From the perspective of LLPS function during DSB, DNA repair factors may undergo LLPS to act in DSB sensing and DNA damage repair signal transduction, participate in homologous recombination (HR)- and non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ)- mediated DSB repair, and regulate downstream responding pathways. Based on these findings, researchers have focused