Wrestling off RAD51: a novel role for RecQ helicases.
Homologous recombination (HR) is essential for the accurate repair of DNA double-strand breaks and damaged replication forks. However, inappropriate or aberrant HR can also result in genome rearrangements. The maintenance of cell viability is, therefore, a careful balancing act between the benefits of HR (the error-free repair of DNA strand breaks) and the potential detrimental outcomes of HR (chromosomal rearrangements). Two papers have recently provided a mechanistic insight into how HR may be tempered by RecQ helicases to prevent genome instability and diseases that are a consequence of this, such as cancer.
Wu
Leonard
L
Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Department of Medical Oncology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK. leonard.wu@imm.ox.ac.uk
D000818:Animals; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D004249:DNA Damage; D004260:DNA Repair; D004261:DNA Replication; D016678:Genome; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D051135:Rad51 Recombinase / Q000502:physiology*; D053484:RecQ Helicases / Q000502:physiology*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000378:metabolism
D051135:Rad51 Recombinase; D053484:RecQ Helicases