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PMID: 19442245 Published · ppublish English Lecture Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

The search for a human Holliday junction resolvase.

Biochemical Society transactions ·Vol. 37 ·No. Pt 3 ·2009-06-00 ·Pages 519-26

West SC

Abstract

Four-way DNA intermediates, known as Holliday junctions, are formed during mitotic and meiotic recombination, and their efficient resolution is essential for proper chromosome segregation. Bacteria, bacteriophages and archaea promote Holliday junction resolution by the introduction of symmetrically related nicks across the junction, in reactions mediated by Holliday junction resolvases. In 2008, after a search that lasted almost 20 years, a Holliday junction resolvase was identified in humans. The protein, GEN1, was identified using MS following the brute-force fractionation of extracts prepared from human cells grown in tissue culture. GEN1 fits the paradigm developed from studies of prokaryotic Holliday junction resolvases, in that it specifically recognizes junctions and resolves them using a mechanism similar to that exhibited by the Escherichia coli RuvC protein.

MeSH Terms
DNA, Cruciform/genetics,metabolism Holliday Junction Resolvases/genetics,metabolism Humans Models, Biological Nucleic Acid Conformation Saccharomyces cerevisiae/enzymology,genetics Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins/genetics,metabolism
Chemicals
DNA, Cruciform Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins Holliday Junction Resolvases
Authors & Affiliations
1 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
West Stephen C
London Research Institute, Clare Hall Laboratories, Cancer Research UK, South Mimms, Hertfordshire, UK. stephen.west@cancer.org.uk
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Article Info
Journal
Biochemical Society transactions
Abbr.
Biochem Soc Trans
ISSN
1470-8752
DOI
10.1042/BST0370519
Email
stephen.west@cancer.org.uk
Published
2009-06-00
Pages
519-26
Language
English
Region
England
NLM ID
7506897
PMCID
PMC4120095
Subset
IM
Grants
Breast Cancer Now · 2009MAYPR01 · United Kingdom
European Research Council · 249145 · International
Cancer Research UK · A3563 · United Kingdom
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1042/BST0370519 PMC Full Text View journal details
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