Non-homologous end joining requires that the DNA-PK complex undergo an autophosphorylation-dependent rearrangement at DNA ends.

Repair of chromosome breaks by non-homologous end joining requires the XRCC4-ligase IV complex, Ku, and the DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs). DNA-PKcs must also retain kinase activity and undergo autophosphorylation at six closely linked sites (ABCDE sites). We describe here an end-joining assay using only purified components that reflects cellular requirements for both Ku and kinase-active DNA-PKcs and investigate the mechanistic basis for these requirements. A need for DNA-PKcs autophosphorylation is sufficient to explain the requirement for kinase activity, in part because autophosphorylation is generally required for end-joining factors to access DNA ends. However, DNA-PKcs with all six ABCDE autophosphorylation sites mutated to alanine allows access to ends through autophosphorylation of other sites, yet our in vitro end-joining assay still reflects the defectiveness of this mutant in cellular end joining. In contrast, mutation of ABCDE sites to aspartate, a phosphorylation mimic, supports high levels of end joining that is now independent of kinase activity. This is likely because DNA-PKcs with aspartate substitutions at ABCDE sites allow access to DNA ends while retaining affinity for Ku-bound ends and stabilizing recruitment of the XRCC4-ligase IV complex. Autophosphorylation at ABCDE sites thus apparently directs a rearrangement of the DNA-PK complex that ensures access to broken ends and joining steps are coupled together within a synaptic complex, making repair more accurate.