Structural basis for DNA 5´-end resection by RecJ

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Cite this article as: eLife 2016;5:e14294 doi: 10.7554/eLife.14294

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Abstract

The resection of DNA strand with a 5´ end at double-strand breaks is an essential step in recombinational DNA repair. RecJ is the only 5´ nuclease involved in the RecF recombination pathway. Here, we report the crystal structures of Deinococcus radiodurans RecJ in complex with deoxythymidine monophosphate (dTMP), ssDNA and the C-terminal region of single-stranded DNA-binding protein (SSB-Ct). A terminal 5´-phosphate-binding pocket determines the 5´-3´ polarity of the deoxy-exonuclease of RecJ; a helical gateway at the entrance to the active site admits ssDNA only; and the continuous stacking interactions between protein and nine nucleotides ensure the processive end resection. The active site of RecJ contains two divalent cations that coordinate the nucleophilic water. The C-terminal domain of RecJ binds the SSB-Ct, which explains how RecJ and SSB work together to efficiently process broken DNA ends for homologous recombination.

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Kaiying Cheng

Key Laboratory of Chinese Ministry of Agriculture for Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Hong Xu

Key Laboratory of Chinese Ministry of Agriculture for Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Xuanyi Chen

Key Laboratory of Chinese Ministry of Agriculture for Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Liangyan Wang

Key Laboratory of Chinese Ministry of Agriculture for Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Bing Tian

Key Laboratory of Chinese Ministry of Agriculture for Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Ye Zhao

Key Laboratory of Chinese Ministry of Agriculture for Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

For correspondence
yezhao@zju.edu.cn

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Yuejin Hua

Key Laboratory of Chinese Ministry of Agriculture for Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.

Reviewing Editor

Stephen C Kowalczykowski, University of California, Davis, United States

Publication history

Received: January 8, 2016
Accepted: April 7, 2016
Accepted Manuscript published: April 8, 2016 (version 1)
Version of Record published: April 25, 2016 (version 2)

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This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.