title: A role for RNA synthesis in homologous pairing events.
abstract: The relationship between RNA synthesis and homologous pairing in vitro, catalyzed by RecA protein, was examined by using an established strand transfer assay system. When a short DNA duplex is mixed with single-stranded circles, RecA protein promotes the transfer of the minus strand of the duplex onto the complementary region of the plus-strand circle, with the displacement of the plus strand of the duplex. However, if minus-strand RNA is synthesized from the duplex pairing partner, joint molecules containing the RNA transcript, the plus strand of the DNA duplex, and the plus-strand circle are also observed to form. This reaction, which is dependent on RNA polymerase, sequence homology, and RecA protein, produces a joint molecule that can be dissolved by treatment with RNase H but not RNase A. Under these reaction conditions, product molecules form even when the length of shared homology between duplex and circle is reduced to 15 bp.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Jefferson Cancer Institute, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kotani
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Kmiec
mesh_terms: D004270:DNA, Circular / Q000737:chemistry*; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000737:chemistry*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D011938:Rec A Recombinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D004270:DNA, Circular; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D012313:RNA; D011938:Rec A Recombinases