recombinase

(noun)

Any of several enzymes that mediate recombination of DNA fragments between maternal and paternal chromosomes in prokaryotes.

Examples of recombinase in the following topics:

  • Gene Inversion

    • Gene Inversion utilizes recombinases to invert DNA sequences, resulting in an ON to OFF switch in the gene located within this switch.
    • For this to occur, there is typically one or more cofactors (to name a few: DNA-binding proteins and the presence or absence of DNA binding sites) and a site specific recombinase.
    • The inversion is mediated by two recombinases, FimB and FimE, and regulatory proteins H-NS, Integration Host Factor (IHF) and Leucine responsive protein (LRP).
    • The FimE recombinase has the capability to only invert the element and turn expression from on to off, while FimB can mediate the inversion in both directions.
    • FimB and FimE are recombinases that can change the orientation of the FimA promoter by inverting the IRR and IRL.

  • Antibody Structure

    • An enzyme called DNA recombinase randomly excises most of these segments out of the gene, splicing one V segment to one J segment.
    • (a) As a germ-line B cell matures, an enzyme called DNA recombinase randomly excises V and J segments from the light chain gene.