title: The end-joining reaction in V(D)J recombination.
abstract: V(D)J recombination consists of a DNA cleavage reaction catalysed by RAG1 and RAG2, followed by an end-joining reaction that utilizes the cell's double-strand break repair machinery. Genes essential for the end-joining reaction include: XRCC4 encoding a protein of unknown enzymatic function; XRCC5 and XRCC6 encoding 86 and 70 kDa subunits of the Ku autoantigen, a DNA end-binding protein that is also the regulatory subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK); and XRCC7 encoding the catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) of DNA-PK. Recent progress in understanding the cleavage reaction, coupled with what was previously known about Ku, DNA-PK, and double-strand break repair, provide the foundation for a working model of how V(D)J recombination might be catalysed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Stanford University Medical Center, CA 94305, USA.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Smider
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000916:Antibody Diversity; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004265:DNA Helicases; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D000072200:Ku Autoantigen; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009154:Mutation; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D011946:Receptors, Antigen / Q000235:genetics*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D016511:Severe Combined Immunodeficiency / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011946:Receptors, Antigen; D004247:DNA; D004265:DNA Helicases; C106893:XRCC5 protein, human; C000606509:Xrcc6 protein, human; D000072200:Ku Autoantigen