title: RecQ Helicases: Conserved Guardians of Genomic Integrity.
abstract: The RecQ family of DNA helicases is highly conserved throughout -evolution, and is important for the maintenance of genome stability. In humans, five RecQ family members have been identified: BLM, WRN, RECQ4, RECQ1 and RECQ5. Defects in three of these give rise to Bloom's syndrome (BLM), Werner's syndrome (WRN) and Rothmund-Thomson/RAPADILINO/Baller-Gerold (RECQ4) syndromes. These syndromes are characterised by cancer predisposition and/or premature ageing. In this review, we focus on the roles of BLM and its S. cerevisiae homologue, Sgs1, in genome maintenance. BLM/Sgs1 has been shown to play a critical role in homologous recombination at multiple steps, including end-resection, displacement loop formation, branch migration and double Holliday junction dissolution. In addition, recent evidence has revealed a role for BLM/Sgs1 in the stabilisation and repair of replication forks damaged during a perturbed S-phase. Finally BLM also plays a role in the suppression and/or resolution of ultra-fine anaphase DNA bridges that form between sister-chromatids during mitosis.
authors.affiliation: Nordea Center for Healthy Ageing, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, 2200N, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Nicolai Balle
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: Ian D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Hickson
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; D001816:Bloom Syndrome; D004265:DNA Helicases; D023281:Genomics; D006801:Humans; D053484:RecQ Helicases / Q000235:genetics; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics; D014898:Werner Syndrome / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; D004265:DNA Helicases; D053484:RecQ Helicases