Similarities between initiation of V(D)J recombination and retroviral integration

Science. 1996 Mar 15;271(5255):1592-4. doi: 10.1126/science.271.5255.1592.

Abstract

In the first step of V(D)J recombination, the RAG1 and RAG2 proteins cleave DNA between a signal sequence and the adjacent coding sequence, generating a blunt signal end and a coding end with a closed hairpin structure. These hairpins are intermediates leading to the formation of assembled antigen receptor genes. It is shown here that the hairpins are formed by a chemical mechanism of direct trans-esterification, very similar to the early steps of transpositional recombination and retroviral integration. A minor variation in the reaction is sufficient to divert the process from transposition to hairpin formation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Base Sequence
  • DNA / chemistry
  • DNA / metabolism
  • DNA Nucleotidyltransferases / metabolism
  • DNA Transposable Elements
  • DNA-Binding Proteins*
  • Esterification
  • Gene Rearrangement*
  • Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte*
  • Genes, Immunoglobulin
  • HIV / genetics*
  • Homeodomain Proteins*
  • Integrases
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation
  • Proteins / metabolism
  • Recombinases
  • Recombination, Genetic*
  • Thionucleotides / metabolism
  • VDJ Recombinases
  • Virus Integration*

Substances

  • DNA Transposable Elements
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Homeodomain Proteins
  • Proteins
  • Recombinases
  • Thionucleotides
  • V(D)J recombination activating protein 2
  • RAG-1 protein
  • DNA
  • DNA Nucleotidyltransferases
  • Integrases
  • VDJ Recombinases
  • integron integrase IntI1