In light of recent studies in which elimination of the NHEJ factors, DNA-PKcs or 53BP1 reduced ICL sensitivity in BRCA-FA cells (Adamo et al, 2010; Bunting & Nussenzweig, 2010; Aly & Ganesan, 2011), we asked whether loss of these NHEJ factors also reduced ICL sensitivity in FANCJ-deficient cells. This evidence concerns the gene BRIP1 and Friedreich ataxia.