MutL homologs in restriction-modification systems and the origin of eukaryotic MORC ATPases.

ABSTRACT: The provenance and biochemical roles of eukaryotic MORC proteins have remained poorly understood since the discovery of their prototype MORC1, which is required for meiotic nuclear division in animals. The MORC family contains a combination of a gyrase, histidine kinase, and MutL (GHKL) and S5 domains that together constitute a catalytically active ATPase module. We identify the prokaryotic MORCs and establish that the MORC family belongs to a larger radiation of several families of GHKL proteins (paraMORCs) in prokaryotes. Using contextual information from conserved gene neighborhoods we show that these proteins primarily function in restriction-modification systems, in conjunction with diverse superfamily II DNA helicases and endonucleases. The common ancestor of these GHKL proteins, Mut

SUBMITTER: Iyer LM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2292703 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature