title: Human DNA mismatch repair: coupling of mismatch recognition to strand-specific excision.
abstract: Eukaryotic mismatch-repair (MMR) proteins MutSalpha and MutLalpha couple recognition of base mismatches to strand-specific excision, initiated in vivo at growing 3' ends and 5' Okazaki-fragment ends or, in human nuclear extracts, at nicks in exogenous circular substrates. We addressed five biochemical questions relevant to coupling models. Excision remained fully efficient at DNA:MutSalpha ratios of nearly 1 to 1 at various mismatch-nick distances, suggesting a requirement for only one MutSalpha molecule per substrate. As the mismatch-nick DNA contour distance D in exogenous substrates increased from 0.26 to 0.98 kbp, initiation of excision in extracts decreased as D(-0.43) rather than the D(-1) to D(-2) predicted by some translocation or diffusion models. Virtually all excision was along the shorter (3'-5') nick-mismatch, even when the other (5'-3') path was less than twice as long. These observations argue against stochastically directed translocating/diffusing recognition complexes. The failure of mismatched DNA in trans to provoke excision of separate nicked homoduplexes argues against one-stage (concerted) triggering of excision initiation by recognition complexes acting through space. However, proteins associated with gapped DNA did appear to compete in trans with those in cis to mismatch-associated proteins. Thus, as in Escherichia coli, eukaryotic MMR may involve distinct initial-activation and excision-path-commitment stages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-7301, USA.
authors.forename: Huixian
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: John B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Hays
mesh_terms: D002457:Cell Extracts; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D053843:DNA Mismatch Repair; D045643:DNA Repair Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D000070956:MutL Proteins
chemical_list: D002457:Cell Extracts; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C094443:G-T mismatch-binding protein; C500929:MutLalpha protein, human; D004247:DNA; D000070956:MutL Proteins; D045643:DNA Repair Enzymes