THE TRANSLIN RING SPECIFICALLY RECOGNIZES DNA ENDS AT RECOMBINATION HOT-SPOTS IN THE HUMAN GENOME

We previously showed that consensus sequences exist at the chromosomal breakpoints in lymphoid malignancies and that these sequences are spe cifically recognized by a novel DNA binding protein, Translin. In the present study, the native form of Translin was established to be a rin g-shaped structure by electron microscopy and crystallographic studies . It was also determined that this multimeric Translin formed by the s ubunits is responsible for its binding to target sequences situated on ly at single-stranded DNA ends. Furthermore, DNA-damaging reagents wer e found to initiate a signaling pathway for the active nuclear transpo rt of Translin. The results support the hypothesis that staggered brea ks occur at recombination hot spots and Translin has a pivotal functio n in recognition of the generated single-stranded DNA ends.