Preferential binding to branched DNA strands and strand-annealing activity of the human Rad51B, Rad51C, Rad51D and Xrcc2 protein complex

Hiroshi Yokoyama, Naoyuki Sarai, Wataru Kagawa, Rima Enomoto, Takehiko Shibata, Hitoshi Kurumizaka*, Shigeyuki Yokoyama

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    72 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The Rad51B, Rad51C, Rad51D and Xrcc2 proteins are Rad51 paralogs, and form a complex (BCDX2 complex) in mammalian cells. Mutant cells defective in any one of the Rad51-paralog genes exhibit spontaneous genomic instability and extreme sensitivity to DNA-damaging agents, due to inefficient recombinational repair. Therefore, the Rad51 paralogs play important roles in the maintenance of genomic integrity through recombinational repair. In the present study, we examined the DNA-binding preference of the human BCDX2 complex. Competitive DNA-binding assays using seven types of DNA substrates, single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), double-stranded DNA, 5′- and 3′-tailed duplexes, nicked duplex DNA, Y-shaped DNA and a synthetic Holliday junction, revealed that the BCDX2 complex preferentially bound to the two DNA substrates with branched structures (the Y-shaped DNA and the synthetic Holliday junction). Furthermore, the BCDX2 complex catalyzed the strand-annealing reaction between a long linear ssDNA (1.2 kb in length) and its complementary circular ssDNA. These properties of the BCDX2 complex may be important for its roles in the maintenance of chromosomal integrity.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)2556-2565
    Number of pages10
    JournalNucleic Acids Research
    Volume32
    Issue number8
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2004

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Genetics

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