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Related Concept Videos

DNA Helicases00:55

DNA Helicases

DNA unwinding helicase enzymes are a type of motor protein. Motor proteins can translocate along filaments or polymers using energy generated from ATP hydrolysis. Helicases are involved in all the important cellular processes where DNA unwinding is required, such as DNA replication, repair, recombination, and transcription. They are present in all living organisms, but vary in their structure, function, and mechanism of action. For example, in prokaryotes, DnaB helicase binds and translocates...
DNA Topoisomerases02:02

DNA Topoisomerases

Topoisomerases are enzymes that relax overwound DNA molecules during various cell processes, including DNA replication and transcription. These enzymes regulate positive and negative DNA supercoiling without changing the nucleotide sequence. DNA overwinding in a clockwise direction results in positively supercoiled DNA, whereas underwinding in a counterclockwise direction produces negatively supercoiled DNA.
Types and Mechanism of action
Topoisomerases are divided into two main types.  Type I...
Homologous Recombination02:31

Homologous Recombination

The basic reaction of homologous recombination (HR) involves two chromatids that contain DNA sequences sharing a significant stretch of identity. One of these sequences uses a strand from another as a template to synthesize DNA in an enzyme-catalyzed reaction. The final product is a novel amalgamation of the two substrates. To ensure an accurate recombination of sequences, HR is restricted to the S and G2 phases of the cell cycle. At these stages, the DNA has been replicated already and the...
Homologous Recombination02:31

Homologous Recombination

The basic reaction of homologous recombination (HR) involves two chromatids that contain DNA sequences sharing a significant stretch of identity. One of these sequences uses a strand from another as a template to synthesize DNA in an enzyme-catalyzed reaction. The final product is a novel amalgamation of the two substrates. To ensure an accurate recombination of sequences, HR is restricted to the S and G2 phases of the cell cycle. At these stages, the DNA has been replicated already and the...
Restarting Stalled Replication Forks02:37

Restarting Stalled Replication Forks

DNA replication is initiated at sites containing predefined DNA sequences known as origins of replication. DNA is unwound at these sites by the minichromosome maintenance (MCM) helicase and other factors such as Cdc45 and the associated GINS complex.The unwound single strands are protected by replication protein A (RPA) until DNA polymerase starts synthesizing DNA at the 5’ end of the strand in the same direction as the replication fork. To prevent the replication fork from falling apart, a...
The Replisome03:01

The Replisome

DNA replication is carried out by a large complex of proteins that act in a coordinated matter to achieve high-fidelity DNA replication. Together this complex is known as the DNA replication machinery or the replisome.
The synthesis of the leading and lagging strands is a highly coordinated process. To explain this, the “Trombone model” was proposed by Bruce Alberts in 1980. The DNA loop formation starts when a primer is synthesized on the parent lagging strand. The loop grows with the...

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Hybrid Ensemble and Single-molecule Assay to Image the Motion of Fully Reconstituted CMG
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RNA helicases--one fold for many functions.

Eckhard Jankowsky1, Margaret E Fairman

  • 1Department of Biochemistry and Center for RNA Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. eckhard.jankowsky@case.edu

Current Opinion in Structural Biology
|June 19, 2007
PubMed
Summary

RNA helicases are enzymes crucial for RNA metabolism. Despite a conserved structure, they perform diverse functions like unwinding RNA and displacing proteins, illuminated by recent studies.

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A Fluorescence-based Exonuclease Assay to Characterize DmWRNexo, Orthologue of Human Progeroid WRN Exonuclease, and Its Application to Other Nucleases
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A Fluorescence-based Exonuclease Assay to Characterize DmWRNexo, Orthologue of Human Progeroid WRN Exonuclease, and Its Application to Other Nucleases

Published on: December 23, 2013

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Structural Biology

Background:

  • RNA helicases are essential enzymes involved in nearly all RNA metabolic processes.
  • These enzymes possess a highly conserved structural fold.
  • Diverse biochemical activities are exhibited by different RNA helicases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the mechanisms underlying the diverse functions of RNA helicases.
  • To understand how a conserved helicase structure facilitates varied biochemical activities.
  • To integrate recent structural and functional insights into RNA helicase mechanisms.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent structural studies on RNA helicases.
  • Analysis of functional data characterizing RNA helicase activities.
  • Comparative analysis of conserved helicase folds across different enzymes.

Main Results:

  • RNA helicases exhibit a range of activities including RNA duplex unwinding, protein displacement, and strand annealing.
  • Structural and functional data reveal how the conserved helicase fold accommodates diverse biochemical functions.
  • Emerging insights highlight the mechanistic basis for functional specialization within the RNA helicase family.

Conclusions:

  • The conserved RNA helicase fold is adaptable, enabling a wide spectrum of RNA metabolism functions.
  • Recent structural and functional studies are key to understanding the mechanistic diversity of these enzymes.
  • Further research will continue to refine our understanding of RNA helicase mechanisms and their roles in cellular processes.