A means to a DNA end: The many roles of Ku

Ku is of central importance to DNA repair in eukaryotes. In addition, Ku has a key role in a number of other fundamental cellular processes such as telomere maintenance, transcription and apoptosis. The mechanism by which Ku mediates these processes is not entirely understood, but the current knowledge indicates that the function of Ku in these processes might be mechanistically related to its role in DNA repair. Interestingly, recent findings showed that Ku also exists in Archaea and Bacteria, shedding light on aspects of its conservation and evolution.