Ubiquitin and the DNA double-strand break repair pathway

The ubiquitin system plays a central role in diverse cellular processes including DNA damage response. As such, it is not surprising that its dysfunction contributes to various diseases including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. An understanding of the ubiquitin system is, therefore, important in devising treatments for such diseases. In this review, we discuss the central role of ubiquitin in DNA damage response, specifically DNA double-strand break repair. We focus on recent findings on the role of ubiquitin in the DNA double-strand break repair pathway, possible nodes of modulation, and finally their implications for treatment of various diseases.