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 eventRecombinationCleavageVertebrates
2016
Collaboration of RAG2 with RAG1-like proteins during the evolution of V(D)J recombination
Carmona LM, Fugmann SD, Schatz DG. Collaboration of RAG2 with RAG1-like proteins during the evolution of V(D)J recombination. Genes & Development 2016, 30: 909-917. PMID: 27056670, PMCID: PMC4840297, DOI: 10.1101/gad.278432.116.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRecombination-activating gene 1Transib transposaseAbsence of RAG2RAG1/RAG2Antigen receptor genesJawed vertebratesRAG2 proteinsTransposable elementsRAG1 proteinRegulatory featuresDNA substratesGene 1RAG2Receptor geneRecombination activityProteinRecombinationTransposaseAdaptive immunityVertebratesTransposonGenesEvolutionLow levelsOrigin
2007
Activation-induced Cytidine Deaminase-mediated Sequence Diversification Is Transiently Targeted to Newly Integrated DNA Substrates*
Yang SY, Fugmann SD, Gramlich HS, Schatz DG. Activation-induced Cytidine Deaminase-mediated Sequence Diversification Is Transiently Targeted to Newly Integrated DNA Substrates*. Journal Of Biological Chemistry 2007, 282: 25308-25313. PMID: 17613522, DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m704231200.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsActivation-induced cytidine deaminaseChicken B cell line DT40B cell line DT40Cytidine deaminaseNon-Ig lociNon-Ig genesSequence diversificationDNA substratesTranscription cassetteMutation targetsCassetteMolecular characteristicsMolecular featuresDeaminaseDT40TranscriptionGenesLociDNADiversificationMutabilityTargetingIgTarget
2004
Synapsis of Recombination Signal Sequences Located in cis and DNA Underwinding in V(D)J Recombination
Ciubotaru M, Schatz DG. Synapsis of Recombination Signal Sequences Located in cis and DNA Underwinding in V(D)J Recombination. Molecular And Cellular Biology 2004, 24: 8727-8744. PMID: 15367690, PMCID: PMC516766, DOI: 10.1128/mcb.24.19.8727-8744.2004.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRecombination signal sequencesDNA substratesSignal sequenceDNA distortionHigh mobility group proteinsProtein conformational changesSame DNA moleculeDouble-strand DNA cleavageRAG proteinsRAG2 proteinsDNA underwindingGroup proteinsSite of cleavagePreferred substrateConformational changesDNA moleculesDNA cleavageProteinRelaxed substrateUnderwindingRecombinationCleavageSequenceSuch substratesHMG1