Single-molecule imaging reveals target-search mechanisms during DNA mismatch repair

摘要

Virtually all aspects of DNA metabolism require that proteins search through a vast excess of nonspecific DNA to locate specific DNA sequences known as "binding targets." For example, chromosome duplication, gene expression, and genome maintenance all rely on the ability to find specific DNA sites or structures. One feature common to all DNA-binding proteins is that they must locate their target sites through some form of diffusion (i.e., passive movement). Here, we used a technique termed "single-molecule imaging" to determine how proteins involved in DNA repair use different modes of diffusion to locate their respective targets.