Rapid activation of ATM on DNA flanking double-strand breaks.

Published in Nature Cell Biology

The tumour-suppressor gene ATM, mutations in which cause the human genetic disease ataxia telangiectasia (A-T), encodes a key protein kinase that controls the cellular response to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). DNA DSBs caused by ionizing radiation or chemicals result in rapid ATM autophosphorylation, leading to checkpoint activation and phosphor...