Featured Publications
Structural basis for the activation and suppression of transposition during evolution of the RAG recombinase
Zhang Y, Corbett E, Wu S, Schatz DG. Structural basis for the activation and suppression of transposition during evolution of the RAG recombinase. The EMBO Journal 2020, 39: embj2020105857. PMID: 32945578, PMCID: PMC7604617, DOI: 10.15252/embj.2020105857.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTarget site DNASite DNARAG1/RAG2 recombinaseSuppression of transpositionCryo-electron microscopyStrand transfer complexAntigen receptor genesDomesticated transposaseTarget DNARAG recombinaseEvolutionary adaptationPaste transpositionStructural basisTransposition activityMechanistic principlesFunctional assaysTransposon endDNAReceptor geneBase unstackingDomesticationTransposaseRecombinaseAdaptive immunityFinal stepStructural insights into the evolution of the RAG recombinase
Liu C, Zhang Y, Liu CC, Schatz DG. Structural insights into the evolution of the RAG recombinase. Nature Reviews Immunology 2021, 22: 353-370. PMID: 34675378, DOI: 10.1038/s41577-021-00628-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRAG recombinaseComparative genome analysisGenomes of eukaryotesProtein-DNA complexesSingle amino acid mutationAntigen receptor genesMolecular domesticationRag familyAmino acid mutationsJawed vertebratesVertebrate immunityTransposable elementsEvolutionary adaptationGenome analysisStructural biologyDNA bindingStructural insightsGene 1Acid mutationsCleavage activityRecombinaseReceptor geneStructural evidenceRecombinationAdaptive immunityTransposon molecular domestication and the evolution of the RAG recombinase
Zhang Y, Cheng TC, Huang G, Lu Q, Surleac MD, Mandell JD, Pontarotti P, Petrescu AJ, Xu A, Xiong Y, Schatz DG. Transposon molecular domestication and the evolution of the RAG recombinase. Nature 2019, 569: 79-84. PMID: 30971819, PMCID: PMC6494689, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1093-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRAG1-RAG2 recombinaseMolecular domesticationRAG recombinaseCryo-electron microscopy structureTwo-tiered mechanismAmino acid residuesJawed vertebratesMicroscopy structureEvolutionary adaptationDNA substratesTransposition activityAcid residuesDomesticationDNA cleavageAcidic regionDiverse repertoireAdaptive immune systemRecombinaseTransposonCell receptorTransposasePivotal eventRecombinationCleavageVertebrates
2012
Localized epigenetic changes induced by DH recombination restricts recombinase to DJH junctions
Subrahmanyam R, Du H, Ivanova I, Chakraborty T, Ji Y, Zhang Y, Alt FW, Schatz DG, Sen R. Localized epigenetic changes induced by DH recombination restricts recombinase to DJH junctions. Nature Immunology 2012, 13: 1205-1212. PMID: 23104096, PMCID: PMC3685187, DOI: 10.1038/ni.2447.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsB-LymphocytesCell LineChromatinEpigenesis, GeneticGene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Heavy ChainGenes, Immunoglobulin Heavy ChainHistonesImmunoglobulin Heavy ChainsImmunoglobulin Joining RegionImmunoglobulin Variable RegionMicePrecursor Cells, B-LymphoidRecombinasesRecombination, Genetic
2004
Antigen receptor genes and the evolution of a recombinase
Schatz DG. Antigen receptor genes and the evolution of a recombinase. Seminars In Immunology 2004, 16: 245-256. PMID: 15522623, DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2004.08.004.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAntigen receptor genesReceptor geneDNA repair factorsSite-specific recombination reactionRAG transposonVertebrate genomesJawed vertebratesEvolutionary implicationsRAG2 proteinsTransposable elementsRepair factorsGenesAdaptive immune systemHorizontal transmissionRAG1VertebratesGenomeImmune systemTransposonGermlineRecombinaseRAG2ProteinRecombination reactionRecombination
1990
RAG-1 and RAG-2, Adjacent Genes That Synergistically Activate V(D)J Recombination
Oettinger M, Schatz D, Gorka C, Baltimore D. RAG-1 and RAG-2, Adjacent Genes That Synergistically Activate V(D)J Recombination. Science 1990, 248: 1517-1523. PMID: 2360047, DOI: 10.1126/science.2360047.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAmino Acid SequenceAnimalsBase SequenceBiological EvolutionCattleCell LineChickensCricetinaeDNADNA NucleotidyltransferasesDNA-Binding ProteinsDogsFemaleGene Rearrangement, B-LymphocyteGene Rearrangement, T-LymphocyteHomeodomain ProteinsHumansMaleMiceMolecular Sequence DataMultigene FamilyNuclear ProteinsNucleic Acid HybridizationOpossumsProteinsRabbitsRecombination, GeneticRestriction MappingTransfectionTurtlesVDJ RecombinasesConceptsRAG-2RAG-1Adjacent genesRecombinase activityFrequency of recombinationPutative proteinUntranslated sequenceSingle exonGenomic rearrangementsExpression patternsVast repertoireGenesComplementary DNAAmino acidsT cell receptorCell receptorRecombinationSequenceKilobasesExonsCotransfectionRecombinaseSpeciesProteinDNA