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A helicase staircase

Nature Structural & Molecular Biology volume 13, pages 671–672 (2006)Cite this article

A new crystal structure reveals the path taken by single-stranded (ss) DNA through the central channel of a hexameric helicase. The path resembles a spiral staircase and provides an answer to the question of how hexameric helicases translocate on ssDNA.

The primary function for DNA helicases is unwinding of double-stranded (ds) DNA to form ssDNA intermediates during DNA replication, repair and recombination1. RNA helicases are also ubiquitous and are known to assist in transcription, RNA transport, translation and RNA processing5. Disease states such as xeroderma pigmentosum, Cockayne syndrome, Bloom syndrome and Werner syndrome have been linked to defects in specific genes coding for DNA helicases6. Some viral helicases are targets for antiviral drug development. The prominent role of both human and viral helicases in human disease, coupled with the central importance of these proteins in the most basic aspects of nucleic acid metabolism, makes this class of enzymes an attractive target for study.

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Figure 1: Mechanism for translocation of BPV E1 on ssDNA.

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  1. the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, 72205, Arkansas, USA

    Kevin D Raney

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Raney, K. A helicase staircase. Nat Struct Mol Biol 13, 671–672 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nsmb0806-671

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