RECQ1 possesses DNA branch migration activity.

ABSTRACT: RecQ helicases are essential for the maintenance of genome stability. Five members of the RecQ family have been found in humans, including RECQ1, RECQ5, BLM, WRN, and RECQ4; the last three are associated with human diseases. At this time, only BLM and WRN helicases have been extensively characterized, and the information on the other RecQ helicases has only started to emerge. Our current paper is focused on the biochemical properties of human RECQ1 helicase. Recent cellular studies have shown that RECQ1 may participate in DNA repair and homologous recombination, but the exact mechanisms of how RECQ1 performs its cellular functions remain largely unknown. Whereas RECQ1 possesses poor helicase activity, we found here that the enzyme efficiently promotes DNA branch migration. Further analysis

SUBMITTER: Bugreev DV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2459305 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature