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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 17, 2025

Real-time Observation of the DNA Strand Exchange Reaction Mediated by Rad51

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Published on: February 13, 2019

Hot on RAD51C: structure and functions of RAD51C-XRCC3.

Barnabas Szakal¹, Dana Branzei^1,2

¹IFOM ETS, The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy.

Molecular Oncology

|September 8, 2023

Summary

Researchers solved the structure of the RAD51C-XRCC3 (CX3) heterodimer, revealing two distinct roles in DNA replication fork stability and restart mechanisms during replication stress.

Keywords:

DNA binding Fork protection Fork restart RAD51 filament capping RAD51 paralogs RAD51-XRCC3

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Last Updated: Jul 17, 2025

Real-time Observation of the DNA Strand Exchange Reaction Mediated by Rad51

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Detection of Homologous Recombination Intermediates via Proximity Ligation and Quantitative PCR in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

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Published on: September 11, 2022

Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
DNA Replication
Protein Structure

Background:

RAD51C-XRCC3 (CX3) is a crucial heterodimer involved in DNA repair and replication fork stability.
Understanding the structural basis of CX3 function is essential for comprehending genome integrity maintenance.

Purpose of the Study:

To determine the high-resolution structure of the RAD51C-XRCC3 (CX3) heterodimer bound to an ATP analog.
To elucidate the distinct functional roles of the CX3 heterodimer in maintaining replication fork stability.

Main Methods:

X-ray crystallography to solve the structure of the CX3 heterodimer.
Biochemical assays to assess the functional roles of identified structural interfaces.

Main Results:

The study identified two primary structural interfaces within the CX3 heterodimer.
One interface facilitates CX3 assembly on nascent DNA, crucial for replication fork restart after stress.
The second interface is vital for 5' RAD51 filament capping, influencing filament dynamics and fork protection.

Conclusions:

The solved CX3 structure reveals separable roles in replication fork stability and restart.
CX3's ability to assemble on DNA and cap filaments are distinct functions critical for genome stability.