DNA repair is essential in maintaining genome integrity and defects in different steps of the process have been linked to cancer and aging. It is a long lasting question how DNA repair is spatially and temporarily organized in the highly compartmentalized nucleus and whether the diverse nuclear compartments regulate differently the efficiency of repair. Increasing evidence suggest the involvement of nuclear pore complexes in repair of double-strand breaks (DSBs) in yeast. Here, we show that the human nucleoporin 153 (NUP153) has a role in repair of DSBs and in the activation of DNA damage checkpoints. We explore the mechanism of action of NUP153 and we propose its potential as a novel therapeutic target in cancers.Oncogene ( Keywords: DNA repair; nuclear pore; 53BP1 INTRODUCTION DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are particularly dangerous as their inefficient or inaccurate repair can result in mutations and chromosomal translocations that may induce cancer. 1 DSBs can be repaired by one of two major pathways: homology-based repair (homologous recombination (HR)) using the intact chromatid as a template present in proximity in S and G2 phases of the cell cycle, or direct joining across the break site (non-homologous end joining (NHEJ)). 2 The coordination between cell cycle progression and DSB repair (DSBR) is regulated by the DNA damage response (DDR) signalling pathway, which activates the cell cycle checkpoints in the presence of DNA breaks. 3 This pathway is initiated by the recruitment of the MRN (MRE11 --RAD50 --NBS1) sensor complex to sites of damage. The recruitment of MRN subsequently activates the ATM kinase, which associates with DSBs and phosphorylates the histone variant H2AX (g-H2AX). 2 MDC1 can then bind to gH2AX and recruit new MRN and ATM proteins, leading to spreading of the repair machinery along the chromosome. MDC1 also recruits ubiquitin ligases, such as RNF8 and RNF168, which facilitate the recruitment of the downstream factors 53BP1 and BRCA1. 2 When the DNA is resected to singlestranded DNA, it is recognized by replication protein A, which results in the recruitment of ATR. 2 Both the ATM and the ATR dependent branches of the pathway lead to the activation of the checkpoint kinases, CHK1 and CHK2, which stall damaged cells in their cell cycle until the lesions are resolved. 3 DNA repair, like all DNA-dependent processes, occur in the highly compartmentalized nucleus. Most nuclear events do not occur ubiquitously, but are limited to defined sites. 2 Several studies in yeast have shown that dedicated DNA repair centres exist as preferential sites of repair. 2,4 Furthermore, persistent DSBs in yeast migrate from their internal nuclear positions to the nuclear periphery, where they associate with nuclear pores. 5,6 This sequestration to the nuclear periphery was shown to require