Two related recombinases are required for site-specific recombination at dif and cer in E. coli K12

Blakely, G., May, G. , McCulloch, R. , Arciszewska, L. K., Burke, M., Lovett, S. T. and Sherratt, D. J. (1993) Two related recombinases are required for site-specific recombination at dif and cer in E. coli K12. Cell, 75(2), pp. 351-61. (doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(93)80076-Q) (PMID:8402918)

Abstract

The stable inheritance of ColE1-related plasmids and the normal partition of the E. coli chromosome require the function of the Xer site-specific recombination system. We show that in addition to the XerC recombinase, whose function has already been implicated in this system, a second chromosomally encoded recombinase, XerD, is required. The XerC and XerD proteins show 37% identity and bind to separate halves of the recombination site. Both proteins act catalytically in the recombination reaction. Recombination site asymmetry and the requirement of two recombinases ensure that only correctly aligned sites are recombined. We predict that normal partition of most circular chromosomes requires the participation of site-specific recombination to convert any multimers (arising by homologous recombination) to monomers.

• Item Type: Articles (Letter)
• Additional Information: The work was supported by the Medical Research Council (grants G8921090CB and G9212814CB .
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: May, Dr Gerhard and McCulloch, Professor Richard
• Authors: Blakely, G., May, G., McCulloch, R., Arciszewska, L. K., Burke, M., Lovett, S. T., and Sherratt, D. J.
• Subjects: Q Science > QH Natural history > QH345 Biochemistry; Q Science > QH Natural history > QH426 Genetics; Q Science > QR Microbiology
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity
• Journal Name: Cell
• Publisher: Elsevier (Cell Press)
• ISSN: 0092-8674
• ISSN (Online): 1097-4172