title: Cutting of chi-like sequences by the RecBCD enzyme of Escherichia coli.
abstract: Chi, 5' G-C-T-G-G-T-G-G 3', stimulates coliphage lambda recombination mediated by the major recombination pathway of Escherichia coli, the RecBC pathway. Purified RecBCD enzyme makes a single strand endonuclease cleavage four to six nucleotides to the 3' side of the chi sequence. Three sequences similar to chi, 5' A-C-T-G-G-T-G-G 3', 5' G-T-T-G-G-T-G-G 3' and 5' G-C-T-A-G-T-G-G 3', have partial recombinational hotspot activity in genetic crosses. We report here that purified RecBCD enzyme preferentially cuts four nucleotides to the right of the two most active chi-like octamers. The degree of cutting correlated with the genetic activities of these sequences; this result indicates that these cleavages are essential to the genetic activity of chi and chi-like sequences.
mesh_terms: D010582:Bacteriophage lambda / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D043211:Exodeoxyribonuclease V; D005090:Exodeoxyribonucleases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D005090:Exodeoxyribonucleases; D043211:Exodeoxyribonuclease V; C468322:exodeoxyribonuclease V, E coli