DNA double-strand break repair: Putting zinc fingers on the sore spot

Zinc-Finger (ZnF) proteins represent one of the most abundant group of proteins in the human genome. At first characterized as DNA binding proteins, it has become increasingly clear that ZnF-proteins have the ability to bind a large variety of substrates such as RNAs, proteins and post-translational modifications, suggesting potential roles in a variety of biological processes. Indeed, several studies have implicated ZnF-proteins for instance in transcription regulation, signal transduction and cell migration. Intriguingly, more recently these proteins have emerged as important protectors of the genome, particularly by orchestrating the repair of highly deleterious DNA double-strand breaks. Here we provide a comprehensive summary of the roles of ZnF domain-containing proteins in DNA double-strand break repair and discuss how their dysfunction impacts genome stability and human disease.

Automated summary

Zinc-Finger proteins are a highly abundant group of proteins in the human genome, with the ability to bind various substrates beyond just DNA. They play crucial roles in biological processes such as transcription regulation and cell migration, and have emerged as key players in orchestrating the repair of DNA double-strand breaks for genome stability and human disease prevention.