Single strands induce recA protein to unwind duplex DNA for homologous pairing.
Single-stranded DNA, whether homologous or not, stimulates purified Escherichia coli recA protein to unwind duplex DNA. This helps to explain how recA promotes a search for homology in genetic recombination. As oligodeoxynucleotide also stimulate unwinding, a common mechanism may relate the function of recA protein in recombination to other functions (SOS) induced by oligonucleotides.
D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D003090:Coliphages; D004265:DNA Helicases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011088:DNA Ligases / Q000378:metabolism; D004264:DNA Topoisomerases, Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000378:metabolism*; D004278:DNA, Superhelical / Q000378:metabolism; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D004278:DNA, Superhelical; D004279:DNA, Viral; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D004265:DNA Helicases; D004264:DNA Topoisomerases, Type I; D011088:DNA Ligases