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RAD51 discrimination between single- and double-strand DNA: a matter of flexibility and enthalpy
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

RAD51 discrimination between single- and double-strand DNA: a matter of flexibility and enthalpy

Shyamal Subramanyam and Maria Spies
The EMBO journal, Vol.39(7), pp.e104547-n/a
04/01/2020
DOI: 10.15252/embj.2020104547
PMCID: PMC7110141
PMID: 32090346
url
https://doi.org/10.15252/embj.2020104547View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

In selecting ssDNA over dsDNA, the RAD51 DNA strand exchange protein has to overcome the entropy associated with straightening of single-strand DNA upon nucleoprotein filament formation. New work in The EMBO Journal (Paoletti et al, 2020), combined biophysical analysis of the RAD51-ssDNA interaction with mathematical modeling to show that the flexibility of DNA positively correlates with nucleation and extension of the RAD51 nucleoprotein filament and that the entropic penalty associated with restricting ssDNA flexibility is offset by a strong RAD51-RAD51 interaction within the nucleoprotein filament.
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Cell Biology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Science & Technology

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