title: Molecular matchmakers.
abstract: Molecular matchmakers are a class of proteins that use the energy released from the hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate to cause a conformational change in one or both components of a DNA binding protein pair to promote formation of a metastable DNA-protein complex. After matchmaking the matchmaker dissociates from the complex, permitting the matched protein to engage in other protein-protein interactions to bring about the effector function. Matchmaking is most commonly used under circumstances that require targeted, high-avidity DNA binding without relying solely on sequence specificity. Molecular matchmaking is an extensively used mechanism in repair, replication, and transcription and most likely in recombination and transposition reactions, too.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill 27599.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sancar
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hearst
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004260:DNA Repair; D004261:DNA Replication; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008957:Models, Genetic; D011485:Protein Binding; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D013604:T-Phages / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004247:DNA