Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 20, 2026

Recombineering Homologous Recombination Constructs in Drosophila
Published on: July 13, 2013
Restraining the V(D)J recombinase
1Department of Pathology, Program in Molecular Pathogenesis, Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016, USA. roth@saturn.med.nyu.edu
Abstract:
Chromosome breakage--a dangerous event that has triggered the evolution of several double-strand break repair pathways--has been co-opted by the immune system as an integral part of B- and T-cell development. This is a daring strategy, as improper repair can be deadly for the cell, if not for the whole organism. Even more daring, however, is the choice of a promiscuous transposase as the nuclease responsible for chromosome breakage, as the possibility of transposition brings an entirely new set of risks. What mechanisms constrain the dangerous potential of the recombinase and preserve genomic integrity during immune-system development?
Related Concept Videos
Recombinant DNA Technology
Recombinant DNA
Conservative Site-specific Recombination and Phase Variation
The recognition sites for Cre recombinase called LoxP...
Inhibition of CDK Activity
Inhibition of Cdk Activity
Restriction Enzymes
The host bacteria protect their own genomic DNA from these enzymes by methylating these sites. Some...
