Featured Publications
Structures of a RAG-like transposase during cut-and-paste transposition
Liu C, Yang Y, Schatz DG. Structures of a RAG-like transposase during cut-and-paste transposition. Nature 2019, 575: 540-544. PMID: 31723264, PMCID: PMC6872938, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1753-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCryo-electron microscopy structureC-terminal tailUnique structural elementsStrand transfer complexEukaryotic cutEvolutionary progenitorsMicroscopy structureRAG recombinasePaste transpositionApo enzymeSubstrate DNAHelicoverpa zeaConformational changesEarly stepsTransposaseAdaptive immune systemDNATarget siteTransposonTarget DNAPivotal roleActive siteEnzymeTransposition processEssential component
2018
DNA melting initiates the RAG catalytic pathway
Ru H, Mi W, Zhang P, Alt FW, Schatz DG, Liao M, Wu H. DNA melting initiates the RAG catalytic pathway. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology 2018, 25: 732-742. PMID: 30061602, PMCID: PMC6080600, DOI: 10.1038/s41594-018-0098-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRecombination signal sequencesDNA meltingCryo-EM structureBase-specific contactsSignal sequenceDNA transpositionSubstrate bindingRetroviral integrationRAG endonucleaseDimer openingTerminal sequenceGTG sequenceDNA cleavageScissile phosphateDNAUniversal mechanismPiston-like movementSequenceActive siteHeptamerRetrotransposonsCatalytic pathwayTransposonComplexesEndonuclease
2015
Mapping and Quantitation of the Interaction between the Recombination Activating Gene Proteins RAG1 and RAG2* ♦
Zhang YH, Shetty K, Surleac MD, Petrescu AJ, Schatz DG. Mapping and Quantitation of the Interaction between the Recombination Activating Gene Proteins RAG1 and RAG2* ♦. Journal Of Biological Chemistry 2015, 290: 11802-11817. PMID: 25745109, PMCID: PMC4424321, DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.638627.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAmino Acid SequenceAnimalsCatalytic DomainDNA-Binding ProteinsGene Expression RegulationGenome, HumanHEK293 CellsHomeodomain ProteinsHumansInterferometryMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMolecular Sequence DataMutationNuclear ProteinsProtein BindingProtein Interaction MappingProtein Structure, SecondaryThymus GlandV(D)J RecombinationVDJ RecombinasesConceptsRegion of RAG1Α-helixZinc finger regionResidues N-terminalActive siteAcidic amino acidsPulldown assaysAccessory factorsHermes transposaseProteins RAG1Finger regionRAG activityQuantitative Western blottingC-terminusRAG endonucleaseN-terminalCatalytic functionRAG1Amino acidsDNA cleavageRAG2Nuclear concentrationRecombination activityCatalytic centerBiolayer interferometry
2000
Identification of Two Catalytic Residues in RAG1 that Define a Single Active Site within the RAG1/RAG2 Protein Complex
Fugmann S, Villey I, Ptaszek L, Schatz D. Identification of Two Catalytic Residues in RAG1 that Define a Single Active Site within the RAG1/RAG2 Protein Complex. Molecular Cell 2000, 5: 97-107. PMID: 10678172, DOI: 10.1016/s1097-2765(00)80406-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsActive siteDivalent metal ionsSingle active siteMetal ionsTransfer reactionsActive site regionProtein complexesBond breakageCatalysisCatalytic functionRegion of RAG1Strand transfer reactionSecondary structure prediction algorithmsAspartic acid residuesCatalytic residuesRAG2 proteinsComplexesStructure prediction algorithmsPossible structural similaritySite regionAcid residuesRetroviral integrasesRAG1Structural similarityIons