Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 12, 2026
09:33
An Optical Assay for Synaptic Vesicle Recycling in Cultured Neurons Overexpressing Presynaptic Proteins
Published on: June 26, 2018
Metabolism of postsynaptic recombination intermediates.
Carrie A Adelman1, Simon J Boulton
1DNA Damage Response Laboratory, Cancer Research UK, London Research Institute, South Mimms, UK.
FEBS Letters
|May 25, 2010
Summary
Homologous recombination (HR) repairs DNA damage. Recent findings reveal RTEL1, HELQ, and RFS-1 proteins are crucial for processing intermediates after DNA strand exchange during HR repair.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Cell Biology
Background:
- DNA double-strand breaks and collapsed replication forks are genotoxic lesions.
- Homologous recombination (HR) is a critical DNA repair pathway for these lesions.
- Accurate DNA restoration relies on HR using a homologous template.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent findings on homologous recombination (HR) mechanisms.
- To elucidate the roles of specific proteins in post-strand exchange events during HR.
- To address ambiguities in understanding HR intermediate processing.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent studies on HR.
- Focus on proteins involved in post-synaptic RAD51 filament metabolism.
- Analysis of synthesis-dependent strand annealing (SDSA) intermediate processing.
Main Results:
- RTEL1, HELQ, and RFS-1 are implicated in post-strand exchange events.
- These proteins play roles in processing HR intermediates.
- New insights into the metabolism of postsynaptic RAD51 filaments are discussed.
Conclusions:
- RTEL1, HELQ, and RFS-1 are key regulators in later stages of HR.
- Understanding these proteins advances knowledge of DNA repair fidelity.
- Further research into HR mechanisms is warranted.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Drug Metabolism: Phase II Reactions
Phase II reactions are essential for the detoxification and elimination of drugs from the body. These reactions involve the conjugation of parent drugs or their phase I metabolites with endogenous molecules, resulting in more hydrophilic drug conjugates. The primary conjugation reactions in this phase are sulfation and glucuronidation. Both sulfation and glucuronidation typically produce biologically inactive metabolites. However, in some cases involving prodrugs, active metabolites may be...
02:53Conservative Site-specific Recombination and Phase Variation
Because the DNA segments are cut and reorganized in a direction-specific manner, site-specific recombination has emerged as an efficient genetic engineering technique. Flippase and Cyclization recombinases or Flp and Cre, respectively, are two members of the tyrosine recombinase family derived from bacteriophages, that are used to mediate site-specific DNA insertions, deletions, and targeted expression of proteins in mammalian cell lines.
The recognition sites for Cre recombinase called LoxP...
The recognition sites for Cre recombinase called LoxP...
02:32Exon Recombination
The evolution of new genes is critical for speciation. Exon recombination, also known as exon shuffling or domain shuffling, is an important means of new gene formation. It is observed across vertebrates, invertebrates, and in some plants such as potatoes and sunflowers. During exon recombination, exons from the same or different genes recombine and produce new exon-intron combinations, which might evolve into new genes.
Exon shuffling follows “splice frame rules.” Each exon has three reading...
Exon shuffling follows “splice frame rules.” Each exon has three reading...
01:29Amino Acid Biosynthetic Pathways
Amino acid biosynthesis is essential for cell growth, protein synthesis, and metabolic regulation. Cells generate essential and non-essential amino acids from metabolic intermediates to sustain vital biological functions. These intermediates originate from key metabolic pathways: glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and the pentose phosphate pathway. Important precursors include α-ketoglutarate, pyruvate, oxaloacetate, phosphoenolpyruvate, and erythrose-4-phosphate, which provide...
02:13Energy Diagrams, Transition States, and Intermediates
Free-energy diagrams, or reaction coordinate diagrams, are graphs showing the energy changes that occur during a chemical reaction. The reaction coordinate represented on the horizontal axis shows how far the reaction has progressed structurally. Positions along the x-axis close to the reactants have structures resembling the reactants, while positions close to the products resemble the products. Peaks on the energy diagram represent stable structures with measurable lifetimes, while other...
01:26Chemical Synapses
Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...