Replication-Fork Dynamics

  1. David J. Sherratt3
  1. 1Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, 9747 AG, Groningen, Netherlands
  2. 2Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal H3G 0B1, Canada
  3. 3Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, United Kingdom
  1. Correspondence: a.m.van.oijen{at}rug.nl; david.sherratt{at}bioch.ox.ac.uk
  1. 4 Karl E. Duderstadt and Rodrigo Reyes-Lamothe contributed equally to this manuscript.

Abstract

The proliferation of all organisms depends on the coordination of enzymatic events within large multiprotein replisomes that duplicate chromosomes. Whereas the structure and function of many core replisome components have been clarified, the timing and order of molecular events during replication remains obscure. To better understand the replication mechanism, new methods must be developed that allow for the observation and characterization of short-lived states and dynamic events at single replication forks. Over the last decade, great progress has been made toward this goal with the development of novel DNA nanomanipulation and fluorescence imaging techniques allowing for the direct observation of replication-fork dynamics both reconstituted in vitro and in live cells. This article reviews these new single-molecule approaches and the revised understanding of replisome operation that has emerged.



Also in this Collection

      | Table of Contents

      This Article

      1. Cold Spring Harb. Perspect. Biol. 6: a010157 Copyright © 2014 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved

      Article Category

      Updates/Comments

      1. Submit Updates/Comments
      2. No Updates/Comments published

      Subject Collections

      1. DNA Replication

      Share

      In this Collection