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
2021
Structural basis of mismatch recognition by a SARS-CoV-2 proofreading enzyme
Liu C, Shi W, Becker ST, Schatz DG, Liu B, Yang Y. Structural basis of mismatch recognition by a SARS-CoV-2 proofreading enzyme. Science 2021, 373: 1142-1146. PMID: 34315827, PMCID: PMC9836006, DOI: 10.1126/science.abi9310.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCryo-electron microscopy structureRNA synthesisCoronavirus RNA synthesisNascent RNAMicroscopy structureVirus life cycleMismatch recognitionRNA substratesSubstrate specificityStructural basisMolecular mechanismsNonstructural proteinsMolecular determinantsProofreading enzymeReplication fidelityMismatch correctionAnalogue inhibitorsLife cycleExoribonucleaseExonsComplexesRNARational designProteinEnzyme
2008
Two levels of protection for the B cell genome during somatic hypermutation
Liu M, Duke JL, Richter DJ, Vinuesa CG, Goodnow CC, Kleinstein SH, Schatz DG. Two levels of protection for the B cell genome during somatic hypermutation. Nature 2008, 451: 841-845. PMID: 18273020, DOI: 10.1038/nature06547.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsError-free DNA repairB cell genomeGenomic stabilityNumerous oncogenesDNA repairCell genomeBase excisionGenomeMismatch repairImmunoglobulin genesSomatic hypermutationWidespread mutationsHypermutationB-cell tumorsB-cell malignanciesHigh-affinity antibodiesB cellsGenesOncogeneLarge fractionDiversityVital roleMutationsEnzymeRepair
2002
Somatic Hypermutation of Immunoglobulin Genes Merging Mechanisms for Genetic Diversity
Papavasiliou FN, Schatz DG. Somatic Hypermutation of Immunoglobulin Genes Merging Mechanisms for Genetic Diversity. Cell 2002, 109: s35-s44. PMID: 11983151, DOI: 10.1016/s0092-8674(02)00706-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsActivation-induced cytidine deaminaseSomatic hypermutationRNA editing enzymeDNA strand lesionsGenetic diversityEditing enzymeMolecular mechanismsRepair moleculesStrand lesionsCytidine deaminaseHypermutation processHypermutationRecent studiesModification reactionsEffective immune responseRecent advancesHigh-affinity antibodiesImmune responseDiversityEnzymePathwayMechanismDeaminaseDiscovery