Mechanism of homologous recombination from the RecA–ssDNA/dsDNA structures

@article{Chen2008MechanismOH,
  title={Mechanism of homologous recombination from the RecA–ssDNA/dsDNA structures},
  author={Zhucheng Chen and Haijuan Yang and Nikola P Pavletich},
  journal={Nature},
  year={2008},
  volume={453},
  pages={489-494}
}
The RecA family of ATPases mediates homologous recombination, a reaction essential for maintaining genomic integrity and for generating genetic diversity. [] Key Method Here we have solved the crystal structures of the Escherichia coli RecA–ssDNA and RecA–heteroduplex filaments. They show that ssDNA and ATP bind to RecA–RecA interfaces cooperatively, explaining the ATP dependency of DNA binding. The ATP γ-phosphate is sensed across the RecA–RecA interface by two lysine residues that also stimulate ATP…
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596 Citations

Mechanism of strand exchange from RecA-DNA synaptic and D-loop structures
TLDR
Cryo-electron microscopy structures of the bacterial recombination protein RecA with DNA, and of RecA–D-loop complexes, provide insights into the double-stranded DNA opening, homology search and strand-exchange processes of homologous recombination.
The N-terminal domain of Escherichia coli RecA have multiple functions in promoting homologous recombination
TLDR
Structural and functional studies of the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the RecA protein suggest that the second function of NTD may be similar to that of Arg243 and Lys245, which were implicated earlier as binding sites of donor dsDNA.
Loop L 1 governs the DNA-binding specificity and order for RecA-catalyzed reactions in homologous recombination and DNA repair
TLDR
The D161A-replacement of Asp-161 in the flexible loop L1 of wild-type RecA determines the preference for single-stranded DNA-binding to the primary site and regulates the DNA- binding order in RecA-catalyzed recombinase reactions.
Complementary strand relocation may play vital roles in RecA-based homology recognition
TLDR
It is proposed that homology recognition is governed by transitions to and from the intermediate structure, where the transitions depend on differential extension in the dsDNA.
Structure/function relationships in RecA protein-mediated homology recognition and strand exchange
TLDR
A detailed discussion of structural features of the presynaptic filament that play important functional roles and includes many diagrams showing multiple filament turns that are not evident in single turn structures are provided.
RecO-mediated DNA homology search and annealing is facilitated by SsbA
TLDR
It is reported that RecO-mediated strand annealing is facilitated by cognate SsbA, but not by a heterologous one, and both proteins lose affinity for duplex DNA.
Modeling the early stage of DNA sequence recognition within RecA nucleoprotein filaments
TLDR
The results indicate that it is possible for the double-stranded DNA to access the RecA-bound ssDNA while initially retaining its Watson–Crick pairing, and emphasize the importance of RecA L2 loop mobility for both recognition and strand exchange.
Cryo-EM structures of human RAD51 recombinase filaments during catalysis of DNA-strand exchange
TLDR
Cryo-EM is used to solve the structures of human RAD51 in complex with DNA molecules, in presynaptic and postsynaptic states, at near-atomic resolution, and reveals both conserved and distinct structural features of the human RAD 51–DNA complexes compared with their prokaryotic counterpart.
Determining the RAD51-DNA Nucleoprotein Filament Structure and Function by Cryo-Electron Microscopy.
Dynamics of Protein–ssDNA Interactions in the Bacteriophage T4 Homologous Recombination System
TLDR
Current models for the assembly and dynamic instability of the T4 presynaptic filament are explored and how mechanistic features of this system may be conserved in other recombination systems are shown.
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