The DNA binding properties of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rad51 protein.

Published in Journal of Biological Chemistry

Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rad51 protein is the paradigm for eukaryotic ATP-dependent DNA strand exchange proteins. To explain some of the unique characteristics of DNA strand exchange promoted by Rad51 protein, when compared with its prokaryotic homologue the Escherichia coli RecA protein, we analyzed the DNA binding properties of the Rad51 protein....

Coupling of DNA helicase function to DNA strand exchange activity.

Published in Methods in Molecular Biology

Purification and characterization of the coliphage N4-coded single-stranded DNA binding protein.

Published in Journal of Biological Chemistry

We have purified and characterized a single-stranded DNA binding protein (N4 SSB) induced after coliphage N4 infection. It has a monomeric molecular weight of 31,000 and contains 10 tyrosine and 1-2 tryptophan amino acid residues. Its fluorescence spectrum is dominated by the tyrosine residues, and their fluorescence is quenched when the protein bi...

Essential monomer-monomer contacts define the minimal length for the N-terminus of RecA protein.

Published in Molecular Microbiology

The DNA binding site(s) of the Escherichia coli RecA protein.

Published in Journal of Biological Chemistry

Photochemical cross-linking has been used to identify residues in the Escherichia coli RecA protein that are proximal to and may directly mediate binding of DNA. Ultraviolet irradiation promotes specific and efficient cross-linking of the RecA protein to poly(deoxythymidylic) acid. Cross-linked peptides remaining covalently attached to the polynucl...

The recombination hot spot chi is embedded within islands of preferred DNA pairing sequences in the E. coli genome.

Published in Cell

Autoregulation of gene expression. Quantitative evaluation of the expression and function of the bacteriophage T4 gene 3...

Published in Journal of Molecular Biology

The recombination-deficient mutant RPA (rfa1-t11) is displaced slowly from single-stranded DNA by Rad51 protein.

Published in Journal of Biological Chemistry

Replication protein-A (RPA) is involved in many processes of DNA metabolism, including DNA replication, repair, and recombination. Cells carrying a mutation in the largest subunit of RPA (rfa1-t11: K45E) have defects in meiotic recombination, mating-type switching, and survival after DNA damage caused by UV and methyl methanesulfonate, as well as i...

RecQ helicase, in concert with RecA and SSB proteins, initiates and disrupts DNA recombination.

Published in Genes & Development

RecQ helicase is important to homologous recombination and DNA repair in Escherichia coli. We demonstrate that RecQ helicase, in conjunction with RecA and SSB proteins, can initiate recombination events in vitro. In addition, RecQ protein is capable of unwinding a wide variety of DNA substrates, including joint molecules formed by RecA protein. The...

Rad52 protein has a second stimulatory role in DNA strand exchange that complements replication protein-A function.

Published in Journal of Biological Chemistry

Rad52 protein plays a central role in double strand break repair and homologous recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We have identified a new mechanism by which Rad52 protein stimulates Rad51 protein-promoted DNA strand exchange. This function of Rad52 protein is revealed when subsaturating amounts (relative to the single-stranded DNA concent...