The Mre11–Rad50-(Nbs1/Xrs2) complex is an evolutionarily conserved factor for the repair of DNA double-strand breaks and other DNA termini in all kingdoms of life. It is an intricate DNA associated molecular machine that cuts, among other functions, a large variety of free and obstructed DNA termini for DNA repair by end joining or homologous recombination, yet leaves undamaged DNA intact. Recent years have brought progress in both the structural and functional analyses of Mre11–Rad50 orthologs, revealing mechanisms of DNA end recognition, endo/exonuclease activities, nuclease regulation and DNA scaffolding. Here, I review our current understanding and recent progress on the functional architecture Mre11–Rad50 and how this chromosome associated coiled-coil ABC ATPase acts as DNA topology specific endo-/exonuclease.
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April 2023
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The cover of this edition of Biochemical Society Transactions features a super-resolution image of mouse heart mitochondria. Shammas, Huang and Narendra discuss the present understanding of neurodegeneration and myopathy caused by mutations in the mitochondrial proteins CHCHD2 and CHCHD10, and putting forth potential therapeutic strategies to combat these diseases in ‘CHCHD2 and CHCHD10-related neurodegeneration: molecular pathogenesis and the path to precision therapy’ on pp 797-809.
Review Article|
March 09 2023
Mre11–Rad50: the DNA end game
Karl-Peter Hopfner
1Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Munich, Germany
2Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Munich, Germany
Correspondence: Karl-Peter Hopfner (hopfner@genzentrum.lmu.de)
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
January 23 2023
Revision Received:
February 09 2023
Accepted:
February 17 2023
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society
2023
Biochem Soc Trans (2023) 51 (2): 527–538.
Article history
Received:
January 23 2023
Revision Received:
February 09 2023
Accepted:
February 17 2023
Citation
Karl-Peter Hopfner; Mre11–Rad50: the DNA end game. Biochem Soc Trans 26 April 2023; 51 (2): 527–538. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST20220754
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