Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 3, 2025
07:55
Visualization of DNA Repair Proteins Interaction by Immunofluorescence
Published on: June 26, 2020
10.2K
DDX41: exploring the roles of a versatile helicase
Lacey Winstone1, Yohan Jung1, Yuliang Wu1
1Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada.
Biochemical Society Transactions
|February 13, 2024
Summary
Mutations in DDX41 helicase are linked to myeloid cancers. Understanding DDX41
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Hematology
- Oncology
Background:
- DDX41 is a conserved DEAD-box helicase.
- Mutations in DDX41 are associated with myeloid neoplasms, such as myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia.
- The precise role of DDX41 in disease pathogenesis is still under investigation.
Approach:
- This review summarizes current knowledge on DDX41's diverse cellular functions.
- It highlights the challenges in developing drugs targeting DDX41.
- The review focuses on the latest research findings.
Key Points:
- DDX41 plays critical roles in pre-mRNA splicing, innate immune sensing, ribosome biogenesis, translational regulation, and R-loop metabolism.
- Understanding these functions is key to elucidating its role in hematologic malignancies.
- Drug development targeting DDX41 presents unique challenges.
Conclusions:
- Further research into DDX41's molecular and cellular mechanisms is crucial.
- This knowledge could lead to novel therapeutic strategies for DDX41 mutation-related hematologic malignancies.
- Targeting DDX41 offers potential for new cancer treatments.
Related Concept Videos
00:55DNA Helicases
21.3K
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...
21.3K
02:31Homologous Recombination
50.5K
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...
50.5K
02:04Fixing Double-strand Breaks
12.6K
The double-stranded structure of DNA has two major advantages. First, it serves as a safe repository of genetic information where one strand serves as the back-up in case the other strand is damaged. Second, the double-helical structure can be wrapped around proteins called histones to form nucleosomes, which can then be tightly wound to form chromosomes. This way, DNA chains up to 2 inches long can be contained within microscopic structures in a cell. A double-stranded break not only damages...
12.6K
02:02DNA Topoisomerases
31.3K
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. ...
Types and Mechanism of action
Topoisomerases are divided into two main types. ...
31.3K
02:37Restarting Stalled Replication Forks
5.8K
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,...
5.8K
02:37DNA Damage can Stall the Cell Cycle
9.2K
In response to DNA damage, cells can pause the cell cycle to assess and repair the breaks. However, the cell must check the DNA at certain critical stages during the cell cycle. If the cell cycle pauses before DNA replication, the cells will contain twice the amount of DNA. On the other hand, if cells arrest after DNA replication but before mitosis, they will contain four times the normal amount of DNA. With a host of specialized proteins at their disposal,cells must use the right protein at...
9.2K