Modeling Moving 'Washers' that Help DNA Replicate
Published:10 Aug.2022 Source:Rice University
Knowing the structure of a complex biological system isn't nearly enough to understand how it works. It helps to know how the system moves. In that light, Rice University researchers have modelled a key mechanism by which DNAreplicates.
Combining structural experiments and computer simulations, bioscientist Yang Gao, theoretical physicist Peter Wolynes, graduate student Shikai Jin and their colleagues have uncovered details about howhelicases, a family of ringlike motor proteins, wrangle DNA during replication. Their work could reveal new targets for disease-fighting drugs.