RecQ helicase, in concert with RecA and SSB proteins, initiates and disrupts DNA recombination.
RecQ helicase is important to homologous recombination and DNA repair in Escherichia coli. We demonstrate that RecQ helicase, in conjunction with RecA and SSB proteins, can initiate recombination events in vitro. In addition, RecQ protein is capable of unwinding a wide variety of DNA substrates, including joint molecules formed by RecA protein. These data are consistent with RecQ helicase assuming two roles in the cell; it can be (1) an initiator of homologous recombination, or (2) a disrupter of joint molecules formed by aberrant recombination. These findings also shed light on the function of the eukaryotic homologs of RecQ helicase, the Sgs1, Blm, and Wrn helicases.
Harmon
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FG
Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Microbiology, Graduate Group in Microbiology, University of California, Davis, California 95616 USA.
Kowalczykowski
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SC
D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004247:DNA / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004265:DNA Helicases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011938:Rec A Recombinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D053484:RecQ Helicases; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004247:DNA; D011938:Rec A Recombinases; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; C506724:RecQ protein, E coli; D004265:DNA Helicases; D053484:RecQ Helicases