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. 1994 Mar;176(5):1405–1412. doi: 10.1128/jb.176.5.1405-1412.1994

The recA gene from the thermophile Thermus aquaticus YT-1: cloning, expression, and characterization.

E Angov 1, R D Camerini-Otero 1
PMCID: PMC205206  PMID: 8113181

Abstract

We have cloned, expressed, and purified the RecA analog from the thermophilic eubacterium Thermus aquaticus YT-1. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence indicates that the T. aquaticus RecA is structurally similar to the Escherichia coli RecA and suggests that RecA-like function has been conserved in thermophilic organisms. Preliminary biochemical analysis indicates that the protein has an ATP-dependent single-stranded DNA binding activity and can pair and carry out strand exchange to form a heteroduplex DNA under reaction conditions previously described for E. coli RecA, but at 55 to 65 degrees C. Further characterization of a thermophilically derived RecA protein should yield important information concerning DNA-protein interactions at high temperatures. In addition, a thermostable RecA protein may have some general applicability in stabilizing DNA-protein interactions in reactions which occur at high temperatures by increasing the specificity (stringency) of annealing reactions.

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Selected References

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