Biomaterial Database

Helicase-catalyzed DNA unwinding: energy coupling by DNA motor proteins. 1995

K J Moore, and T M Lohman

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.

DNA helicases catalyze the unwinding of double-stranded (ds) DNA to yield the single-stranded (ss) DNA intermediates required in DNA replication, recombination, and repair. DNA helicases couple the free energy of nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) binding and hydrolysis to separate the two complementary DNA strands while also translocating vectorially along the DNA substrate. As such, helicases are functionally DNA motor proteins. The functional form of helicases generally appears to be oligomeric (usually dimers or hexamers), which provides the helicase with multiple DNA binding sites that are required for translocation and DNA unwinding. The affinity of ss- versus dsDNA for these multiple DNA binding sites is modulated allosterically by NTP binding, hydrolysis, and product release, which is central to helicase-catalyzed DNA unwinding. The mechanistic details of the DNA unwinding, translocation, and NTPase reactions are only starting to emerge. We discuss energy coupling by DNA helicases in general, and by the dimeric E. coli Rep helicase in particular, focusing on the similarities of these enzymes to classical motor proteins.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007700	Kinetics	The rate dynamics in chemical or physical systems.
D008954	Models, Biological	Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of biological processes or diseases. For disease models in living animals, DISEASE MODELS, ANIMAL is available. Biological models include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment.	Biological Model,Biological Models,Model, Biological,Models, Biologic,Biologic Model,Biologic Models,Model, Biologic
D009690	Nucleic Acid Conformation	The spatial arrangement of the atoms of a nucleic acid or polynucleotide that results in its characteristic 3-dimensional shape.	DNA Conformation,RNA Conformation,Conformation, DNA,Conformation, Nucleic Acid,Conformation, RNA,Conformations, DNA,Conformations, Nucleic Acid,Conformations, RNA,DNA Conformations,Nucleic Acid Conformations,RNA Conformations
D011487	Protein Conformation	The characteristic 3-dimensional shape of a protein, including the secondary, supersecondary (motifs), tertiary (domains) and quaternary structure of the peptide chain. PROTEIN STRUCTURE, QUATERNARY describes the conformation assumed by multimeric proteins (aggregates of more than one polypeptide chain).	Conformation, Protein,Conformations, Protein,Protein Conformations
D004265	DNA Helicases	Proteins that catalyze the unwinding of duplex DNA during replication by binding cooperatively to single-stranded regions of DNA or to short regions of duplex DNA that are undergoing transient opening. In addition, DNA helicases are DNA-dependent ATPases that harness the free energy of ATP hydrolysis to translocate DNA strands.	ATP-Dependent DNA Helicase,DNA Helicase,DNA Unwinding Protein,DNA Unwinding Proteins,ATP-Dependent DNA Helicases,DNA Helicase A,DNA Helicase E,DNA Helicase II,DNA Helicase III,ATP Dependent DNA Helicase,ATP Dependent DNA Helicases,DNA Helicase, ATP-Dependent,DNA Helicases, ATP-Dependent,Helicase, ATP-Dependent DNA,Helicase, DNA,Helicases, ATP-Dependent DNA,Helicases, DNA,Protein, DNA Unwinding,Unwinding Protein, DNA,Unwinding Proteins, DNA
D004269	DNA, Bacterial	Deoxyribonucleic acid that makes up the genetic material of bacteria.	Bacterial DNA
D004277	DNA, Single-Stranded	A single chain of deoxyribonucleotides that occurs in some bacteria and viruses. It usually exists as a covalently closed circle.	Single-Stranded DNA,DNA, Single Stranded,Single Stranded DNA
D004734	Energy Metabolism	The chemical reactions involved in the production and utilization of various forms of energy in cells.	Bioenergetics,Energy Expenditure,Bioenergetic,Energy Expenditures,Energy Metabolisms,Expenditure, Energy,Expenditures, Energy,Metabolism, Energy,Metabolisms, Energy
D004926	Escherichia coli	A species of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria (GRAM-NEGATIVE FACULTATIVELY ANAEROBIC RODS) commonly found in the lower part of the intestine of warm-blooded animals. It is usually nonpathogenic, but some strains are known to produce DIARRHEA and pyogenic infections. Pathogenic strains (virotypes) are classified by their specific pathogenic mechanisms such as toxins (ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI), etc.	Alkalescens-Dispar Group,Bacillus coli,Bacterium coli,Bacterium coli commune,Diffusely Adherent Escherichia coli,E coli,EAggEC,Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli,Enterococcus coli,Diffusely Adherent E. coli,Enteroaggregative E. coli,Enteroinvasive E. coli,Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli
D006868	Hydrolysis	The process of cleaving a chemical compound by the addition of a molecule of water.