DUF-721 and N-terminal extension of the helicase loader DciA bind ssDNA to promote replicative DnaB helicase loading in Caulobacter crescentus.

ABSTRACT: The establishment of replication forks relies on a dedicated molecular system by which a ring-shaped replicative DNA helicase is loaded onto the chromosome DNA, facilitating the unwinding of duplex DNA into single-stranded DNA. In most bacteria, the DnaB helicase coevolved with its accessory protein DciA loader, a member of the domain of unknown function (DUF)-721-containing protein family. In the model bacterium Caulobacter crescentus, DciA promotes helicase loading and the C-terminal extension of DUF-721 serves as a specific binding site for the cognate DnaB helicase. However, the mechanistic role of DUF-721 in DnaB helicase loading remains unknown. Here, we provide evidence that the ssDNA binding activity of DUF-721 is crucial for DnaB helicase loading in C. crescentus. Using plasmid co

SUBMITTER: Watanabe K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12547741 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature