Crystal structures of mismatch repair protein MutS and its complex with a substrate DNA.
Obmolova, G., Ban, C., Hsieh, P., Yang, W.(2000) Nature 407: 703-710
- PubMed: 11048710 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/35037509
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
1EWQ, 1EWR - PubMed Abstract: 
DNA mismatch repair is critical for increasing replication fidelity in organisms ranging from bacteria to humans. MutS protein, a member of the ABC ATPase superfamily, recognizes mispaired and unpaired bases in duplex DNA and initiates mismatch repair. Mutations in human MutS genes cause a predisposition to hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer as well as sporadic tumours. Here we report the crystal structures of a MutS protein and a complex of MutS with a heteroduplex DNA containing an unpaired base. The structures reveal the general architecture of members of the MutS family, an induced-fit mechanism of recognition between four domains of a MutS dimer and a heteroduplex kinked at the mismatch, a composite ATPase active site composed of residues from both MutS subunits, and a transmitter region connecting the mismatch-binding and ATPase domains. The crystal structures also provide a molecular framework for understanding hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer mutations and for postulating testable roles of MutS.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Genetics and Biochemistry Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.