title: Two replication initiators - one mechanism for replication origin opening?
abstract: DNA replication initiation has been well-characterized; however, studies in the past few years have shown that there are still important discoveries to be made. Recent publications concerning the bacterial DnaA protein have revealed how this replication initiator, via interaction with specific sequences within the origin region, causes local destabilization of double stranded DNA. Observations made in the context of this bacterial initiator have also been converging with those recently made for plasmid Rep proteins. In this mini review we discuss the relevance of new findings for the RK2 plasmid replication initiator, TrfA, with regard to new data on the structure of complexes formed by the chromosomal replication initiator DnaA. We discuss structure-function relationships of replication initiation proteins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Kladki 24, 80-822 Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zabrocka
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Kladki 24, 80-822 Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wegrzyn
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Kladki 24, 80-822 Gdansk, Poland. Electronic address: igor.konieczny@biotech.ug.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Konieczny
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004265:DNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004261:DNA Replication; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics*; D018741:Replication Origin
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C066312:DnaA protein, Bacteria; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C067405:TrfA protein, E coli; C506744:rep protein, E coli; D004265:DNA Helicases
keywords: DNA replication initiation; DnaA; Plasmid RK2; Rep proteins