Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST, UK.
Biochem Soc Trans. 2011 Jan;39(1):15-9. doi: 10.1042/BST0390015.
The process of information exchange between two homologous DNA duplexes is known as homologous recombination (HR) or double-strand break repair (DSBR), depending on the context. HR is the fundamental process underlying the genome shuffling that expands genetic diversity (for example during meiosis in eukaryotes). DSBR is an essential repair pathway in all three domains of life, and plays a major role in the rescue of stalled or collapsed replication forks, a phenomenon known as recombination-dependent replication (RDR). The process of HR in the archaea is gradually being elucidated, initially from structural and biochemical studies, but increasingly using new genetic systems. The present review focuses on our current understanding of the structures, functions and interactions of archaeal HR proteins, with an emphasis on recent advances. There are still many unknown aspects of archaeal HR, most notably the mechanism of branch migration of Holliday junctions, which is also an open question in eukarya.
同源 DNA 双链之间的信息交换过程被称为同源重组 (HR) 或双链断裂修复 (DSBR)，具体取决于上下文。HR 是基因组改组的基础过程，可扩大遗传多样性（例如在真核生物减数分裂期间）。DSBR 是所有三个生命领域的基本修复途径，在停滞或崩溃的复制叉的挽救中起着重要作用，这种现象称为重组依赖复制 (RDR)。古菌中的 HR 过程逐渐被阐明，最初是通过结构和生化研究，但越来越多地使用新的遗传系统。本综述重点介绍了我们对古菌 HR 蛋白的结构、功能和相互作用的当前理解，重点介绍了最新进展。古菌 HR 仍有许多未知方面，最显著的是 Holliday 连接分支迁移的机制，这在真核生物中也是一个悬而未决的问题。
