title: Catalysis by site-specific recombinases.
abstract: Site-specific recombination reactions bring about controlled rearrangements of DNA molecules by cutting the DNA at precise points and rejoining the ends to new partners. The recombinases that catalyse these reactions can be grouped into two families by amino acid sequence homology. We describe our current understanding of how these proteins catalyse recombination, and show how the catalytic mechanisms of the two families differ.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, University of Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Boocock
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Sherratt
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D002384:Catalysis; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004270:DNA, Circular / Q000378:metabolism; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D019426:Integrases; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D009713:Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D045522:Recombinases; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D019895:Transposases; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004270:DNA, Circular; D045522:Recombinases; D014764:Viral Proteins; D004247:DNA; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases; D019426:Integrases; D009713:Nucleotidyltransferases; D019895:Transposases; C115006:integron integrase IntI1