REVIEW: The Role of Non-Homologous End Joining and Microhomology-Mediated End Joining in Chromosomal Rearrangements

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Nikolai A. Lomov^1,a*, Nikolai A. Nikolaev^2,3, Vladimir S. Viushkov¹, and Mikhail A. Rubtsov^1,4

¹Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia

²Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia

³Shemyakin–Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117437 Moscow, Russia

⁴Center for Industrial Technologies and Entrepreneurship, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 119435 Moscow, Russia

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received: July 29, 2025; Revised: October 31, 2025; Accepted: November 8, 2025

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Double-strand DNA break (DSB) repair mechanisms vary in their ability to prevent errors during end joining. The joining of DSBs on different chromosomes can result in translocations, potentially leading to tumorigenesis. This review examines the main mechanisms of DSB repair and factors influencing their selection, as well as contribution of these mechanisms to the chromosomal rearrangements in human cells.

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KEY WORDS: double-strand DNA break repair, translocations, non-homologous end joining (NHEJ), microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ)

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297925602102

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