title: Site-specific recombinases: molecular machines for the Genetic Revolution.
abstract: The fields of molecular genetics, biotechnology and synthetic biology are demanding ever more sophisticated molecular tools for programmed precise modification of cell genomic DNA and other DNA sequences. This review presents the current state of knowledge and development of one important group of DNA-modifying enzymes, the site-specific recombinases (SSRs). SSRs are Nature's 'molecular machines' for cut-and-paste editing of DNA molecules by inserting, deleting or inverting precisely defined DNA segments. We survey the SSRs that have been put to use, and the types of applications for which they are suitable. We also discuss problems associated with uses of SSRs, how these problems can be minimized, and how recombinases are being re-engineered for improved performance and novel applications.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, Bower Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, U.K.
authors.forename: Femi J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Olorunniji
authors.affiliation: SynthSys-Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, CH Waddington Building, The King's Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JD, Scotland, U.K.
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Rosser
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, Bower Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, U.K. Marshall.Stark@glasgow.ac.uk.
authors.forename: W Marshall
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Stark
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004247:DNA; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases; C077570:Site-specific recombinase
keywords: RMCE; genome engineering; recombinase; site-specific recombination; synthetic biology