The activation mechanisms of master kinases in the DNA damage response

DNA damage can be introduced by intrinsic or extrinsic stimuli and threaten the transmission of genetic information and ultimately, survival. Eukaryotes have evolved a sophisticated mechanism, DNA damage response (DDR), to counteract this threat posed by DNA damage. The DDR requires a series of proteins involved in multiple DNA repair pathways, of which ATM, ATR and DNA–PK serve as the three most critical kinases. The signaling mechanisms...