#helicase

[amoebasisters]

What’s you favorite DNA horror movie?

[bpod-bpod]

Bound for Life

DNA replication is crucial for life; without it we wouldn’t grow. A key step in replication is the formation of a fork. A replication fork can be compared to the zip on your jeans – the DNA helix is unwound by an enzyme, helicase, allowing other enzymes access to copy the DNA. However, how helicase binds to DNA was a mystery. Researchers at MRC LMS and Imperial College London discovered in yeast that helicase, made of six proteins called Mcm2–7, is loaded onto the DNA in four steps and undergoes structural changes throughout the process. Seen here in cryo-EM images are the first three steps (rows top to bottom) with helicase highlighted in green and the loading complex in blue around the DNA coloured red. DNA replication in yeast and humans is extremely similar so this research has the potential to be applied in healthcare, such as inhibiting DNA replication in cancer.

Read more about this research here

Written by Lauren Green

Image from work by Zuanning Yuana, Sarah Schneider, Thomas Dodd and Alberto Riera, and colleagues

DNA Replication Group, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, UK

Image copyright held by the original authors

Research published in PNAS, July 2020

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[olivia-studies-neuroscience]

*Science joke Warning*

What do teenage boys and helicase enzymes have in common?

They both wanna unzip your genes 

[amoebasisters]

It's October---and Halloween will be here before you know it!  Just a few DNA blockbusters to keep in mind when you plan your Halloween party.

[amoebasisters]

To celebrate #DNAday, we're featuring some of our DNA comics, GIFs, and videos! Making more DNA in DNA replication? A little GIF about those leading and lagging strands!

[kelemengabi]

DNA helix hydrosol Vortex

[moondustattwilight-blog]

Are you the enzyme helicase because I’d let you unzip my genes any day ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[fabulousgrapes]

Q: Why are teenage boys like the enzyme helicase?

A: Because they want to unzip your genes