Probing Molecular Interactions During RecA-Mediated DNA Strand Exchange Using Nucleotide Analogs

莱斯大学化学系的启动补助金 支持Scott F.辛格尔顿 研究 着重于对链交换过程的分子理解 由大肠杆菌的RecA蛋白介导， 重组酶 这项工作制定了具体的结构和机制， 基于化学动力学的链交换过程模型 例如，对核苷酸影响的研究 动力学参数的修正。 瞬态和稳态 使用DNA链进行动力学实验，所述DNA链含有 在稳定性中引入保守变化的核苷酸类似物 以及底物、产物和中间体物质的构象。 结果允许表征的关系， 动力学和热力学参数与每个可识别的 交换过程中的步骤和交换过程的物理化学性质 参与的DNA分子。 该研究为从分子水平了解同源 基因重组是DNA修复的重要生物学过程， 复制、调节和分化。

This starter grant award of the Chemistry Division to Rice University supports the research of Professor Scott F. Singleton. The research focuses on a molecular understanding of the strand exchange process mediated by the RecA protein of Escherichia coli, a nucleic acid recombinase. The work formulates specific structural and mechanistic models for the strand exchange process based on chemical kinetic investigations into, for example, the influence of nucleotide modifications on the kinetic parameters. Transient and steady-state kinetic experiments are performed using DNA strands which contain nucleotide analogs that introduce conservative changes in the stabilities and conformations of the substrate, product, and intermediate species. The results allow characterization of the relationships between the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters associated with each identifiable step in the exchange process and the physicochemical properties of the participating DNA molecules. The research advances the a molecular level understanding of homologous genetic recombination, a biological process important in DNA repair, replication, regulation, and differentiation.