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 stepTransposon 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 eventRecombinationCleavageVertebratesStructures 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
2016
Collaboration of RAG2 with RAG1-like proteins during the evolution of V(D)J recombination
Carmona LM, Fugmann SD, Schatz DG. Collaboration of RAG2 with RAG1-like proteins during the evolution of V(D)J recombination. Genes & Development 2016, 30: 909-917. PMID: 27056670, PMCID: PMC4840297, DOI: 10.1101/gad.278432.116.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRecombination-activating gene 1Transib transposaseAbsence of RAG2RAG1/RAG2Antigen receptor genesJawed vertebratesRAG2 proteinsTransposable elementsRAG1 proteinRegulatory featuresDNA substratesGene 1RAG2Receptor geneRecombination activityProteinRecombinationTransposaseAdaptive immunityVertebratesTransposonGenesEvolutionLow levelsOrigin
1999
Transposition mediated by RAG1 and RAG2 and the evolution of the adaptive immune system
Schatz D. Transposition mediated by RAG1 and RAG2 and the evolution of the adaptive immune system. Immunologic Research 1999, 19: 169-182. PMID: 10493171, DOI: 10.1007/bf02786485.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsConceptsTransposable elementsAncestral receptor geneAdaptive immune systemReceptor gene segmentsReceptor geneAntigen receptor genesRAG proteinsRAG2 proteinsChromosomal DNAFunctional transposaseMillion yearsGene segmentsRAG1Dramatic supportImmune systemGenesRecent findingsUnusual structureProteinVertebratesTransposaseRAG2DNAEvolutionRecombination