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Editorial
. 2014;13(8):1213-5.
doi: 10.4161/cc.28382. Epub 2014 Mar 4.

UvrD helicase: the little engine that could

Robert M Brosh Jr  1
Affiliations
Editorial

UvrD helicase: the little engine that could

Robert M Brosh Jr. Cell Cycle. 2014.
No abstract available

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Figures

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Figure 1. A simple way to envision the action of UvrD to promote RNA polymerase backtracking is the train engine analogy, in which a locomotive (RNA polymerase) encounters a railroad track buckle (DNA damage) and stalls. A second locomotive (UvrD in blue) is positioned at the rear end of the first locomotive, and the UvrD throttle is engaged to quickly and efficiently drag the stalled RNA polymerase locomotive away from the track buckle, so the repair crew can fix it. In this scenario, UvrD utilizes its force-producing ATP hydrolysis to haul the large 5-subunit RNA polymerase complex of ~400 kiloDalton backward, overcoming the driving force of the elongating RNA polymerase to translocate again toward the damage and obstruct the buckle. Once the lesion is repaired, RNA synthesis can resume. Artwork by Jimmy Burril of the NIA Visual Media Section.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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