TY - JOUR
T1 - Reversible inactivation of the Escherichia coli RecBCD enzyme by the recombination hotspot χ in vitro
T2 - Evidence for functional inactivation or loss of the RecD subunit
AU - Dixon, Dan A.
AU - Churchill, Jason J.
AU - Kowalczykowski, Stephen C.
PY - 1994/4/12
Y1 - 1994/4/12
N2 - Genetic recombination in Escherichia coli is stimulated by a RecBCD enzyme-mediated event at DNA sequences known as Chi (χ) sites (5'-GCTGGTGG- 3'). Previously, it was shown that χ acts to regulate the nuclease activity of RecBCD; here, we demonstrate that, under appropriate conditions, interaction with χ sites can also result in an inactivation of helicase activity of RecBCD. The unwinding of double-stranded DNA-containing χ sites, under conditions of limiting Mg2+ ion, results in the reversible inactivation of RecBCD; addition of excess Mg2+ to the reaction reactivates all activities of RecBCD. Inactivation is the consequence of a χ-dependent modification of RecBCD that appears to result from an inability of the χ- modified RecBCD to reinitiate unwinding of intact DNA molecules. This characteristic behavior of RecBCD and χ is displayed by the reconstituted RecBC (i.e., without the RecD subunit), except that it is not dependent on χ interaction. This biochemical similarity between the χ-modified RecBCD and RecBC enzymes implies that recognition of χ results in a dissociation or functional inactivation of RecD subunit and lends support to the hypothesis that interaction with χ results in ejection of the RecD subunit.
AB - Genetic recombination in Escherichia coli is stimulated by a RecBCD enzyme-mediated event at DNA sequences known as Chi (χ) sites (5'-GCTGGTGG- 3'). Previously, it was shown that χ acts to regulate the nuclease activity of RecBCD; here, we demonstrate that, under appropriate conditions, interaction with χ sites can also result in an inactivation of helicase activity of RecBCD. The unwinding of double-stranded DNA-containing χ sites, under conditions of limiting Mg2+ ion, results in the reversible inactivation of RecBCD; addition of excess Mg2+ to the reaction reactivates all activities of RecBCD. Inactivation is the consequence of a χ-dependent modification of RecBCD that appears to result from an inability of the χ- modified RecBCD to reinitiate unwinding of intact DNA molecules. This characteristic behavior of RecBCD and χ is displayed by the reconstituted RecBC (i.e., without the RecD subunit), except that it is not dependent on χ interaction. This biochemical similarity between the χ-modified RecBCD and RecBC enzymes implies that recognition of χ results in a dissociation or functional inactivation of RecD subunit and lends support to the hypothesis that interaction with χ results in ejection of the RecD subunit.
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M3 - Article
C2 - 8159691
AN - SCOPUS:0028345348
VL - 91
SP - 2980
EP - 2984
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
SN - 0027-8424
IS - 8
ER -