Cooperation of the ATM and Fanconi Anemia/BRCA Pathways in Double-Strand Break End Resection (Cell Reports)

ATM inhibitors are currently in clinical development as anti-cancer agents. Using a genome-wide CRISPR screen, Cai et al. demonstrate that cancer cells with Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway deficiency are sensitive to ATM inhibition. The authors also show that synthetic lethality between ATM and the FA pathway is due to reduced DNA resection and increased toxic NHEJ.