DNA secondary structure of the released strand stimulates WRN helicase action on forked duplexes without coordinate action of WRN exonuclease

Journal Article · Fri Aug 12 04:00:00 EDT 2011 · Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BBRC.2011.06.184· OSTI ID:22207444

Ahn, Byungchan ^[1]; Bohr, Vilhelm A. ^[2]

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1. Department of Life Sciences, University of Ulsan, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)
2. Laboratory of Molecular Gerontology, Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD (United States)

Highlights: {yields} In this study, we investigated the effect of a DNA secondary structure on the two WRN activities. {yields} We found that a DNA secondary structure of the displaced strand during unwinding stimulates WRN helicase without coordinate action of WRN exonuclease. {yields} These results imply that WRN helicase and exonuclease activities can act independently. -- Abstract: Werner syndrome (WS) is an autosomal recessive premature aging disorder characterized by aging-related phenotypes and genomic instability. WS is caused by mutations in a gene encoding a nuclear protein, Werner syndrome protein (WRN), a member of the RecQ helicase family, that interestingly possesses both helicase and exonuclease activities. Previous studies have shown that the two activities act in concert on a single substrate. We investigated the effect of a DNA secondary structure on the two WRN activities and found that a DNA secondary structure of the displaced strand during unwinding stimulates WRN helicase without coordinate action of WRN exonuclease. These results imply that WRN helicase and exonuclease activities can act independently, and we propose that the uncoordinated action may be relevant to the in vivo activity of WRN.

• OSTI ID: 22207444
• Journal Information: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Journal Name: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 411; ISSN 0006-291X; ISSN BBRCA9
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
AGING
DNA
GENES
IN VIVO
MUTATIONS
PHENOTYPE
PROTEINS
RANDOM PHASE APPROXIMATION
SUBSTRATES