Abstract
The rate of branch migration in double stranded DNA has been measured by the use of a unique substrate formed by the action of the EcoRI restriction endonuclease on the dimeric figure-8 configuration of the replicative form DNA of phage G4. The figure-8 and the X-form derived from it contain a junction of the kind postulated to occur in the Holliday structure and to be an essential feature of a number of models of recombination. In the X-form this junction can branch migrate to an irreversible terminal configuration consisting of two linear monomers. The disappearance of X-forms was measured by electron microscopy. A treatment of branch migration as a random walk process was developed to permit the determination of the rate of the intrinsic process, a step movement of the junction by a distance of one base pair. A value of about 6 kilobase pairs per sec at 37 degrees was obtained.
Full text
PDF![2299](https://cdn.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/blobs/a3cd/430537/75c851ab3c49/pnas00037-0138.png)
![2300](https://cdn.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/blobs/a3cd/430537/d311e1fc2fcc/pnas00037-0139.png)
![2301](https://cdn.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/blobs/a3cd/430537/69a939f89a7e/pnas00037-0140.png)
![2302](https://cdn.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/blobs/a3cd/430537/3574b14dd6fc/pnas00037-0141.png)
![2303](https://cdn.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/blobs/a3cd/430537/ef959965db3b/pnas00037-0142.png)
Images in this article
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Blin N., von Gabain A., Bujard H. Isolation of large molecular weight DNA from agarose gels for further digestion by restriction enzymes. FEBS Lett. 1975 Apr 15;53(1):84–86. doi: 10.1016/0014-5793(75)80688-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Broker T. R. An electron microscopic analysis of pathways for bacteriophage T4 DNA recombination. J Mol Biol. 1973 Nov 25;81(1):1–16. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(73)90243-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Broker T. R., Lehman I. R. Branched DNA molecules: intermediates in T4 recombination. J Mol Biol. 1971 Aug 28;60(1):131–149. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(71)90453-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Clayton D. A., Davis R. W., Vinograd J. Homology and structural relationships between the dimeric and monomeric circular forms of mitochondrial DNA from human leukemic leukocytes. J Mol Biol. 1970 Jan 28;47(2):137–153. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(70)90335-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Denhardt D. T., Sinsheimer R. L. The process of infection with bacteriophage phi-X174. 3. Phage maturation and lysis after synchronized infection. J Mol Biol. 1965 Jul;12(3):641–646. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(65)80318-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Denhardt D. T., Sinsheimer R. L. The process of infection with bacteriophage phi-X174. IV. Replication of the viral DNA in a synchronized infection. J Mol Biol. 1965 Jul;12(3):647–662. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(65)80319-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Doniger J., Warner R. C., Tessma I. Role of circular dimer DNA in the primary recombination mechanism of bacteriophage S13. Nat New Biol. 1973 Mar 7;242(114):9–12. doi: 10.1038/newbio242009a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hotchkiss R. D. Models of genetic recombination. Annu Rev Microbiol. 1974;28(0):445–468. doi: 10.1146/annurev.mi.28.100174.002305. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Kim J., Sharp P. A., Davidson N. Electron microscope studies of heteroduplex DNA from a deletion mutant of bacteriophage phiX-174. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1972 Jul;69(7):1948–1952. doi: 10.1073/pnas.69.7.1948. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Meselson M. Formation of hybrid DNA by rotary diffusion during genetic recombination. J Mol Biol. 1972 Nov 28;71(3):795–798. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(72)80040-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Radding C. M. Molecular mechanisms in genetic recombination. Annu Rev Genet. 1973;7:87–111. doi: 10.1146/annurev.ge.07.120173.000511. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Rush M. G., Warner R. C. Alkali denaturation of covalently closed circular duplex deoxyribonucleic acid. J Biol Chem. 1970 May 25;245(10):2704–2708. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Sigal N., Alberts B. Genetic recombination: the nature of a crossed strand-exchange between two homologous DNA molecules. J Mol Biol. 1972 Nov 28;71(3):789–793. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(72)80039-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Sobell H. M. Symmetry in protein-nucleic acid interaction and its genetic implications. Adv Genet. 1973;17:411–490. doi: 10.1016/s0065-2660(08)60175-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Thompson B. J., Escarmis C., Parker B., Slater W. C., Doniger J., Tessman I., Warner R. C. Figure-8 configuration of dimers of S13 and phiX174 replicative form DNA. J Mol Biol. 1975 Feb 5;91(4):409–419. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(75)90269-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]