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Wedging out DNA damage

Nature Structural & Molecular Biology volume 16, pages 102–104 (2009)Cite this article

The DNA-repair machinery is faced with the significant challenge of differentiating DNA lesions from unmodified DNA. Two recent publications, one in this issue of Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, uncover a new way of recognizing minimally distorting DNA lesions: insertion of a 3- or 4-amino-acid wedge into DNA to extrude the lesion into a shallow binding pocket that can accommodate various damaged bases.

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Figure 1: Recognition and repair pathway initiation of slightly distorting DNA lesions.

Kim Caesar

Figure 2: EndoV and DDB1–DDB2 complexes.

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Acknowledgements

Work in the O.D.S. laboratory is supported by US National Institutes of Health grants GM080454 and CA092584. A.J.C. is supported by an Integrative Graduate Education and Research Trainseeship predoctoral fellowship (National Science Foundation Award No. 0549370).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Orlando D. Schärer is in the Departments of Pharmacological Sciences and Chemistry Building Room 619, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-3400, USA. orlando@pharm.stonybrook.edu,

    Orlando D Schärer

  2. Arthur J. Campbell is in the Department of Chemistry, Graduate Chemistry Building Room 619, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-3400, USA.,

    Arthur J Campbell

Authors
  1. Orlando D Schärer
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  2. Arthur J Campbell
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Schärer, O., Campbell, A. Wedging out DNA damage. Nat Struct Mol Biol 16, 102–104 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nsmb0209-102

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