DNA metabolism articles from across Nature Portfolio

Genome-scale in vitro reconstitution of DNA replication through chromatin establishes a crucial role for the origin recognition complex in organizing nucleosome arrays that are crucial for the initiation of replication.

Mutations in mitochondrial DNA can cause several life-limiting diseases, raising interest in mitochondrial gene editing via nucleases and base editors. In this Primer, Shoop et al. discuss mitochondrial gene editing tools, analyses and limitations in the field.

Shin et al. gain structural insight into how pyrimidine synthesis is coupled to cell cycle regulation through the modulation of CAD activity, and identify allostery as a major means to regulate de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis during the mammalian cell cycle.

RNA targeting by the Sulfuricurvum type V single-effector nuclease SuCas12a2 drives abortive infection through non-specific cleavage of double-stranded DNA—after recognition of an RNA target through an activating protospacer-flanking sequence, SuCas12a2 efficiently degrades ssRNA, ssDNA and dsDNA.

Using single-molecule visualization and manipulation, Chang et al. show that the eukaryotic Smc5/6 complex preferentially binds to and stabilizes ssDNA-dsDNA junctions, which could serve as the molecular basis for its diverse roles in genome maintenance.