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DNA Helicase. Role of DNA Helicase. DNA is an ATP-driven motor protein. Its role is to unwind the duplex DNA in order to provide a single-stranded DNA for replication, transcription, and recombination for instance. . Discovery.
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Role of DNA Helicase DNA is an ATP-driven motor protein. Its role is to unwind the duplex DNA in order to provide a single-stranded DNA for replication, transcription, and recombination for instance.
Discovery The first eukaryotic DNA helicase discovery was in 1978 and found in the lily plant. Since then, DNA helicases were discovered and isolated in other bacteria, viruses, yeast, flies, and higher eukaryotes
How it works? DNA Helicases possess common sequence motifs located in the interior of their primary structure. These are thought to be specifically involved in ATP binding, ATP hydrolysis and translocation on the nucleic acid substrate.
Conformation of DNA helicase • JMOL FIRST GLANCE DNA HELICASE
KEY DISEASES ASSOCIATED WITH DNA HELICASE DYSFUNCTION • Alzheimer’s Disease • Neurological diseases • Predisposition to cancer • Premature ageing • Skin abnormalities
Fun Fact DNA Helicase in humans deforms at 40 C
DNA Helicase as a cause of human disease • UV sensitivity; skin cancers, neurological abnormalities, XP phenotypes, dwarfism, mental retardation, retinal and and skeletal abnormalities, brittle hair, mental retardation, reduced stature, ichthyotic skin, unusual facies, predisposition to many cancers: non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukemia; dwarfism, sun-induced erythema, type II diabetes, narrow face/prominent ears, male infertility, female sub-fertility, premature aging features: cataracts, type II diabetes, osteoporosis, atherosclerosis, graying and loss of hair; mesenchymal tumors: sarcomas, melanoma, thyroid cancer
DNA Helicase Joke If I were an enzyme I would be DNA helicase so I could unzip your genes.