TraA (original) (raw)

The traA gene codes for relaxase, which is an enzyme that initiates plasmid DNA transfer during bacterial conjugation. Relaxase forms a relaxosome complex with auxiliary proteins to initiate conjugation. Relaxosome binds to the origin of transfer (oriT) sequence and cleaves the DNA strand that will be transferred (the T strand). Among actinomycetales, it is common to find that the traA gene codes for both relaxase and helicase.