A recombinase diversified: new functions of the RAG proteins.
The RAG proteins were long thought to serve merely as a nuclease, initiating recombination by cleaving DNA. Recent work has shown, however, that these proteins are essential for many steps in the recombination pathway, such as opening hairpins and joining broken DNA ends, and that they can also act as a transposase, targeting distorted DNA structures such as hairpins.
Brandt
Vicky L
VL
Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. vbrandt@bcm.tmc.edu
Roth
David B
DB
D000818:Animals; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000502:physiology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D015321:Gene Rearrangement / Q000502:physiology*; D016654:Genes, RAG-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000502:physiology; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D045567:VDJ Recombinases
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C499311:RAG2 protein, human; C064655:V(D)J recombination activating protein 2; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases; D045567:VDJ Recombinases