Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

The Holliday junction (HJ) is a key intermediate in homologous recombination. It can be formed both as a consequence of RecA/ Rad51-catalysed strand invasion reactions, and by the reversal of impeded replication forks. HJs constitute physical connections between two DNA duplexes and therefore they have to be removed to enable DNA segregation during cell division. Nucleases, DNA helicases and topoisomerases are variously employed in different strategies of HJ removal, which in turn can influence whether a crossover or non-crossover recombinant DNA molecule is generated. This review will focus on two main types of endonuclease, the HJ resolvases and the Mus81 nucleases, which process HJs and/or related intermediates (e.g. forks, D-loops and nicked HJs). It will describe what is currently known about their mechanisms of action and biological functions. © 2006 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Original publication

DOI

10.1007/4735_2006_0208

Type

Journal article

Journal

Topics in Current Genetics

Publication Date

02/05/2007

Volume

17

Pages

221 - 249