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Single-molecule views on homologous recombination

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 September 2013

Andrea Candelli ,
Mauro Modesti ,
Erwin J. G. Peterman  and
Gijs J. L. Wuite
Andrea Candelli
Affiliation:
LaserLaB and Department of Physics and Astronomy, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Mauro Modesti
Affiliation:
Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille, CNRS, UMR7258, Marseille F-13009, France Inserm U1068, Marseille F-13009, France Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Marseille F-13009, France Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille F-13284, France
Erwin J. G. Peterman
Affiliation:
LaserLaB and Department of Physics and Astronomy, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Gijs J. L. Wuite*
Affiliation:
LaserLaB and Department of Physics and Astronomy, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
*
*Author for Correspondence: G. J. L. Wuite, LaserLaB and Department of Physics and Astronomy, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. gwuite@nat.vu.nl
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Abstract

All organisms need homologous recombination (HR) to repair DNA double-strand breaks. Defects in recombination are linked to genetic instability and to elevated risks in developing cancers. The central catalyst of HR is a nucleoprotein filament, consisting of recombinase proteins (human RAD51 or bacterial RecA) bound around single-stranded DNA. Over the last two decades, single-molecule techniques have provided substantial new insights into the dynamics of homologous recombination. Here, we survey important recent developments in this field of research and provide an outlook on future developments.

Type
Review Article
Information
Quarterly Reviews of Biophysics , Volume 46 , Issue 4 , November 2013 , pp. 323 - 348
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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