Helicase-catalyzed DNA unwinding: energy coupling by DNA motor proteins (original) (raw)
Related papers
Mechanisms of Helicase-Catalyzed DNA Unwinding
Annual Review of Biochemistry, 1996
DNA helicases are essential motor proteins that function to unwind duplex DNA to yield the transient single-stranded DNA intermediates required for replication, recombination, and repair. These enzymes unwind duplex DNA and translocate along DNA in reactions that are coupled to the binding and hydrolysis of 5′-nucleoside triphosphates (NTP). Although these enzymes are essential for DNA metabolism, the molecular details of their mechanisms are only beginning to emerge. This review discusses mechanistic aspects of helicasecatalyzed DNA unwinding and translocation with a focus on energetic (thermodynamic), kinetic, and structural studies of the few DNA helicases for which such information is available. Recent studies of DNA and NTP binding and DNA unwinding by the Escherichia coli (E. coli) Rep helicase suggest that the Rep helicase dimer unwinds DNA by an active, rolling mechanism. In fact, DNA helicases appear to be generally oligomeric (usually dimers or hexamers), which provides th...
Escherichia coli Rep helicase unwinds DNA by an active mechanism
Biochemistry, 1993
DNA helicases unwind duplex DNA to form the single-stranded (ss) DNA intermediates required for replication, recombination, and repair in reactions that require nucleoside 5'-triphosphate hydrolysis. Helicases generally require a ss-DNA flanking the duplex in order to initiate unwinding in uitro; however, the precise function of the ss-DNA is not understood. If a helicase unwinds DNA by a "passive" mechanism, it would bind to and translocate unidirectionally along the ss-DNA and facilitate duplex unwinding by translocating onto the ss-DNA that is formed transiently by thermal fluctuations in the duplex. We have examined the kinetics of DNA unwinding by Escherichia coli Rep protein (a 3' to 5' helicase) by rapid quench-flow methods using a series of novel, nonnatural DNA substrates possessing 3' flanking ss-DNA within which is embedded either a segment of ss-DNA possessing reversed backbone polarity or a rron-DNA [poly(ethylene glycol)] spacer, either of which should block unwinding by a passive helicase. The E. coli Rep helicase effectively unwinds these DNA substrates, ruling out a passive mechanism of unwinding. Instead, the results are consistent with an "active" rolling mechanism during which Rep binds to ss-DNA and duplex DNA simultaneously.
Helicase-catalyzed DNA unwinding
The Journal of biological chemistry, 1993
DNA helicases are ubiquitous and multiple helicases have been identified in a number of prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Although it is clear that not all helicases function identically, many of these enzymes possess similar properties that appear to be of general importance for their mechanism of action. For example, the assembly states of most (possibly all) helicases are oligomeric. The prime consequence of an oligomeric helicase is that it possesses multiple DNA binding sites, a feature that is required for any "active" mechanism of DNA unwinding, since it enables a helicase to bind both ss- and duplex DNA or two strands of ss-DNA simultaneously at an unwinding fork. Modulation of the relative affinities of ss- versus duplex DNA for these multiple binding sites through ATP binding and hydrolysis, as has been observed for the E. coli Rep dimer, can provide a mechanism for translocation and processive unwinding of DNA. Along with studies of DNA unwinding, further understandin...
Escherichia coli DNA helicases: mechanisms of DNA unwinding
Molecular Microbiology, 1992
DNA helicases are ubiquitous enzymes that catalyse the unwinding of duplex DNA during replication, recombination and repair. These enzymes have been studied extensively; however, the specific details of how any helicase unwinds duplex DNA are unknown. Although it is clear that not all helicases unwind duplex DNA in an identicai way, many helicases possess similar properties, which are thus likely to be of general importance to their mechanism of action. For example, since helicases appear generally to be oligomeric enzymes, the hypothesis is presented in this review that the functionally active forms of DNA helicases are oligomeric. The oligomeric nature of helicases provides them with multiple DNA-binding sites, aliowing the transient formation of ternary structures, such that at an unwinding fork, the helicase can bind either singie-stranded and duplex DNA simultaneously or two strands of singie-stranded DNA. Modulation of the relative affinities of these binding sites for single-stranded versus duplex DNA through ATP binding and hydrolysis would then provide the basis for a cycling mechanism for processive unwinding of DNA by helicases. The properties of the Escherichia coli DNA helicases are reviewed and possible mechanisms by which helicases might unwind duplex DNA are discussed in view of their oiigomeric structures, with emphasis on the E. coii Rep, RecBCD and phage T7 gene 4 helicases.
Grip it and rip it: structural mechanisms of DNA helicase substrate binding and unwinding
Maintenance and faithful transmission of genomic information depends on the efficient execution of numerous DNA replication, recombination, and repair pathways. Many of the enzymes that catalyze steps within these pathways require access to sequence information that is buried in the interior of the DNA double helix, which makes DNA unwinding an essential cellular reaction. The unwinding process is mediated by specialized molecular motors called DNA helicases that couple the chemical energy derived from nucleoside triphosphate hydrolysis to the otherwise nonspontaneous unwinding reaction. An impressive number of high-resolution helicase structures are now available that, together with equally important mechanistic studies, have begun to define the features that allow this class of enzymes to function as molecular motors. In this review, we explore the structural features within DNA helicases that are used to bind and unwind DNA. We focus in particular on "aromatic-rich loops" that allow some helicases to couple single-stranded DNA binding to ATP hydrolysis and "wedge/pin" elements that provide mechanical tools for DNA strand separation when connected to translocating motor domains.
Unraveling DNA helicases. Motif, structure, mechanism and function
European Journal of Biochemistry, 2004
DNA helicases are molecular ÔmotorÕ enzymes that use the energy of NTP hydrolysis to separate transiently energetically stable duplex DNA into single strands. They are therefore essential in nearly all DNA metabolic transactions. They act as essential molecular tools for the cellular machinery. Since the discovery of the first DNA helicase in Escherichia coli in 1976, several have been isolated from both prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems. DNA helicases generally bind to ssDNA or ssDNA/dsDNA junctions and translocate mainly unidirectionally along the bound strand and disrupt the hydrogen bonds between the duplexes. Most helicases contain conserved motifs which act as an engine to drive DNA unwinding. Crystal structures have revealed an underlying common structural fold for their function. These structures suggest the role of the helicase motifs in catalytic function and offer clues as to how these proteins can translocate and unwind DNA. The genes containing helicase motifs may have evolved from a common ancestor. In this review we cover the conserved motifs, structural information, mechanism of DNA unwinding and translocation, and functional aspects of DNA helicases.
Nucleic Acids Research, 2010
The oligomeric state of Superfamily I DNA helicases is the subject of considerable and ongoing debate. While models based on crystal structures imply that a single helicase core domain is sufficient for DNA unwinding activity, biochemical data from several related enzymes suggest that a higher order oligomeric species is required. In this work we characterize the helicase activity of the AddAB helicase-nuclease, which is involved in the repair of double-stranded DNA breaks in Bacillus subtilis. We show that the enzyme is functional as a heterodimer of the AddA and AddB subunits, that it is a rapid and processive DNA helicase, and that it catalyses DNA unwinding using one single-stranded DNA motor of 3 0 !5 0 polarity located in the AddA subunit. The AddB subunit contains a second putative ATPbinding pocket, but this does not contribute to the observed helicase activity and may instead be involved in the recognition of recombination hotspot sequences.
Unraveling DNA helicases. Motif, structure, mechanism and function (vol 271, pg 1849, 2004)
DNA helicases are molecular ÔmotorÕ enzymes that use the energy of NTP hydrolysis to separate transiently energetically stable duplex DNA into single strands. They are therefore essential in nearly all DNA metabolic transactions. They act as essential molecular tools for the cellular machinery. Since the discovery of the first DNA helicase in Escherichia coli in 1976, several have been isolated from both prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems. DNA helicases generally bind to ssDNA or ssDNA/dsDNA junctions and translocate mainly unidirectionally along the bound strand and disrupt the hydrogen bonds between the duplexes. Most helicases contain conserved motifs which act as an engine to drive DNA unwinding. Crystal structures have revealed an underlying common structural fold for their function. These structures suggest the role of the helicase motifs in catalytic function and offer clues as to how these proteins can translocate and unwind DNA. The genes containing helicase motifs may have evolved from a common ancestor. In this review we cover the conserved motifs, structural information, mechanism of DNA unwinding and translocation, and functional aspects of DNA helicases.
DNA synthesis provides the driving force to accelerate DNA unwinding by a helicase
Nature, 2005
Helicases are molecular motors that use the energy of nucleoside 5 0 -triphosphate (NTP) hydrolysis to translocate along a nucleic acid strand and catalyse reactions such as DNA unwinding. The ring-shaped helicase 1 of bacteriophage T7 translocates along single-stranded (ss)DNA at a speed of 130 bases per second 2 ; however, T7 helicase slows down nearly tenfold when unwinding the strands of duplex DNA 3 . Here, we report that T7 DNA polymerase, which is unable to catalyse strand displacement DNA synthesis by itself, can increase the unwinding rate to 114 base pairs per second, bringing the helicase up to similar speeds compared to its translocation along ssDNA. The helicase rate of stimulation depends upon the DNA synthesis rate and does not rely on specific interactions between T7 DNA polymerase and the carboxy-terminal residues of T7 helicase. Efficient duplex DNA synthesis is achieved only by the combined action of the helicase and polymerase. The strand displacement DNA synthesis by the DNA polymerase depends on the unwinding activity of the helicase, which provides ssDNA template. The rapid trapping of the ssDNA bases by the DNA synthesis activity of the polymerase in turn drives the helicase to move forward through duplex DNA at speeds similar to those observed along ssDNA.
Journal of Molecular Biology, 2002
DNA helicases are molecular motors that use the energy from NTP hydrolysis to drive the process of duplex DNA strand separation. Here, we measure the translocation and energy coupling efficiency of a replicative DNA helicase from bacteriophage T7 that is a member of a class of helicases that assembles into ring-shaped hexamers. Presteady state kinetics of DNA-stimulated dTTP hydrolysis activity of T7 helicase were measured using a real time assay as a function of ssDNA length, which provided evidence for unidirectional translocation of T7 helicase along ssDNA. Global fitting of the kinetic data provided an average translocation rate of 132 bases per second per hexamer at 18 8C. While translocating along ssDNA, T7 helicase hydrolyzes dTTP at a rate of 49 dTTP per second per hexamer, which indicates that the energy from hydrolysis of one dTTP drives unidirectional movement of T7 helicase along two to three bases of ssDNA. One of the features that distinguishes this ring helicase is its processivity, which was determined to be 0.99996, which indicated that T7 helicase travels on an average about 75 kb of ssDNA before dissociating. We propose that the ability of T7 helicase to translocate unidirectionally along ssDNA in an efficient manner plays a crucial role in DNA unwinding.