title: RAG-1 mutations that affect the target specificity of V(D)j recombination: a possible direct role of RAG-1 in site recognition.
abstract: The RAG-1 protein plays an essential role in V(D)j recombination, but its exact function has not yet been defined. Here we report that a particular mutation in RAG-1 affects recombination by altering the specificity of target sequence usage. Recombination mediated by wild-type RAG-1 is tolerant of a wide range of coding sequences adjacent to the recombination signal. With the mutant RAG-1, recombination is much more demanding; efficient recombination is only found when particular dinucleotides are adjacent to the signal sequence heptamer. The mutant is also more sensitive than wild-type RAG-1 to certain alterations within the signal sequence. We suggest that the RAG-1 protein may interact physically with the target DNA at the coding-signal sequence border.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sadofsky
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hesse
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: van Gent
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gellert
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D016654:Genes, RAG-1; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009154:Mutation; D010957:Plasmids; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; C064658:RAG-1 protein