title: Ordered assembly of the V(D)J synaptic complex ensures accurate recombination.
abstract: Recombination of gene segments at the immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor loci requires that the RAG1 and RAG2 proteins bring together DNA signal sequences (RSSs) with 12- and 23-bp spacers into a synaptic complex and cleave the DNA. A RAG1/2 multimer that can cleave both signals is shown to assemble on an isolated RSS, and the complementary RSS enters this complex as naked DNA. When RAG1/2 is allowed to bind 12 and 23 RSSs separately prior to their mixing, synaptic complex assembly and cleavage activity are greatly reduced, indicating that only a complex initially assembled on a single RSS leads to productive cleavage. RAG1/2 complexes assembled on 12 RSSs will only incorporate 23 partners, while complexes assembled on 23 RSSs show a 5- to 6-fold preference for 12 partners. Thus, initial assembly on a 12 RSS most accurately reflects the strict 12/23 coupled cleavage observed in the cell. Additional cellular factors such as chromatin may ensure that RAG1/2 first assembles on a 12 RSS, and then a free 23 RSS enters to activate cleavage.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Building 5/Room 241, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gellert
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002384:Catalysis; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004951:Esterification; D015322:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D025941:Protein Interaction Mapping; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D045567:VDJ Recombinases
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; C499308:Rag2 protein, mouse; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C064655:V(D)J recombination activating protein 2; C064658:RAG-1 protein; D004247:DNA; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases; D045567:VDJ Recombinases