Featured Publications
Transposon molecular domestication and the evolution of the RAG recombinase
Zhang Y, Cheng TC, Huang G, Lu Q, Surleac MD, Mandell JD, Pontarotti P, Petrescu AJ, Xu A, Xiong Y, Schatz DG. Transposon molecular domestication and the evolution of the RAG recombinase. Nature 2019, 569: 79-84. PMID: 30971819, PMCID: PMC6494689, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1093-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRAG1-RAG2 recombinaseMolecular domesticationRAG recombinaseCryo-electron microscopy structureTwo-tiered mechanismAmino acid residuesJawed vertebratesMicroscopy structureEvolutionary adaptationDNA substratesTransposition activityAcid residuesDomesticationDNA cleavageAcidic regionDiverse repertoireAdaptive immune systemRecombinaseTransposonCell receptorTransposasePivotal eventRecombinationCleavageVertebratesStructures of a RAG-like transposase during cut-and-paste transposition
Liu C, Yang Y, Schatz DG. Structures of a RAG-like transposase during cut-and-paste transposition. Nature 2019, 575: 540-544. PMID: 31723264, PMCID: PMC6872938, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1753-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCryo-electron microscopy structureC-terminal tailUnique structural elementsStrand transfer complexEukaryotic cutEvolutionary progenitorsMicroscopy structureRAG recombinasePaste transpositionApo enzymeSubstrate DNAHelicoverpa zeaConformational changesEarly stepsTransposaseAdaptive immune systemDNATarget siteTransposonTarget DNAPivotal roleActive siteEnzymeTransposition processEssential component
2020
Sequence-dependent dynamics of synthetic and endogenous RSSs in V(D)J recombination
Hirokawa S, Chure G, Belliveau NM, Lovely GA, Anaya M, Schatz DG, Baltimore D, Phillips R. Sequence-dependent dynamics of synthetic and endogenous RSSs in V(D)J recombination. Nucleic Acids Research 2020, 48: gkaa418-. PMID: 32449932, PMCID: PMC7337519, DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa418.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2015
Recruitment of RAG1 and RAG2 to Chromatinized DNA during V(D)J Recombination
Shetty K, Schatz DG. Recruitment of RAG1 and RAG2 to Chromatinized DNA during V(D)J Recombination. Molecular And Cellular Biology 2015, 35: 3701-3713. PMID: 26303526, PMCID: PMC4589606, DOI: 10.1128/mcb.00219-15.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsConserved heptamerRAG2 proteinsChromatin immunoprecipitationNonamer elementsRecombination substratesSignal sequenceNonamer sequencesMutant formsCryptic RSSsRAG1DNA cleavageGene segmentsChromatinCell linesRAG2ProteinRecruitmentRecombinationSequenceMajor roleMutagenesisImmunoprecipitationRepeatsRSSsRAG
2014
The architecture of the 12RSS in V(D)J recombination signal and synaptic complexes
Ciubotaru M, Surleac MD, Metskas LA, Koo P, Rhoades E, Petrescu AJ, Schatz DG. The architecture of the 12RSS in V(D)J recombination signal and synaptic complexes. Nucleic Acids Research 2014, 43: 917-931. PMID: 25550426, PMCID: PMC4333397, DOI: 10.1093/nar/gku1348.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2013
RAG and HMGB1 create a large bend in the 23RSS in the V(D)J recombination synaptic complexes
Ciubotaru M, Trexler AJ, Spiridon LN, Surleac MD, Rhoades E, Petrescu AJ, Schatz DG. RAG and HMGB1 create a large bend in the 23RSS in the V(D)J recombination synaptic complexes. Nucleic Acids Research 2013, 41: 2437-2454. PMID: 23293004, PMCID: PMC3575807, DOI: 10.1093/nar/gks1294.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2011
V(D)J Recombination: Mechanisms of Initiation
Schatz DG, Swanson PC. V(D)J Recombination: Mechanisms of Initiation. Annual Review Of Genetics 2011, 45: 167-202. PMID: 21854230, DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-110410-132552.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsProtein-DNA complexesUbiquitin ligase activityHistone recognitionDomain organizationRAG proteinsRAG2 proteinsLigase activityT-cell receptor genesRecombination signalsDNA breaksHeptamer sequenceLymphocyte developmentDNA breakageDNA cleavageGene segmentsFunctional significanceProper repairReceptor geneRAG1ProteinRecombinationMechanism of initiationComplexesRecent advancesGenes
2007
The Beyond 12/23 Restriction Is Imposed at the Nicking and Pairing Steps of DNA Cleavage during V(D)J Recombination
Drejer-Teel AH, Fugmann SD, Schatz DG. The Beyond 12/23 Restriction Is Imposed at the Nicking and Pairing Steps of DNA Cleavage during V(D)J Recombination. Molecular And Cellular Biology 2007, 27: 6288-6299. PMID: 17636023, PMCID: PMC2099602, DOI: 10.1128/mcb.00835-07.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRecombination signal sequencesDNA cleavageGene segmentsDNA cleavage stepRecombination-activating gene 1Dbeta gene segmentVariable region exonsJbeta gene segmentsRAG proteinsDNA elementsSignal sequenceDirect VbetaRegion exonsGene 1Oligonucleotide substratesLocus sequenceDistinct combinationsProteinRecombinationCleavageNickingCleavage stepSequenceDifferent stepsExons