title: Human claspin is a ring-shaped DNA-binding protein with high affinity to branched DNA structures.
abstract: Claspin is an essential protein for the ATR-dependent activation of the DNA replication checkpoint response in Xenopus and human cells. Here we describe the purification and characterization of human Claspin. The protein has a ring-like structure and binds with high affinity to branched DNA molecules. These findings suggest that Claspin may be a component of the replication ensemble and plays a role in the replication checkpoint by directly associating with replication forks and with the various branched DNA structures likely to form at stalled replication forks because of DNA damage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA.
authors.forename: Funda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sar
authors.forename: Laura A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Lindsey-Boltz
authors.forename: Deepa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Subramanian
authors.forename: Deborah L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Croteau
authors.forename: Stephanie Q
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Hutsell
authors.forename: Jack D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Griffith
authors.forename: Aziz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sancar
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000235:genetics; D020836:Protein Structure, Quaternary; D014981:Xenopus; D029867:Xenopus Proteins
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; C416368:CLSPN protein, Xenopus; C488158:CLSPN protein, human; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D004247:DNA