DNA metabolism articles from across Nature Portfolio

Wang, Guo, Zhang and colleagues obtain four cryo-electron microscopy snapshots that show how IscB is kept off by two RNA lids, with a car-pedal-like guide shift activating cleavage after ~11-nt pairing. They also engineer hinge regions that boost flexibility and improve genome editing in cells.

Zheng et al. show that extending the guide RNA restores the reduced activity of a high-fidelity CRISPR–Cas9 enzyme while preserving accuracy, revealing how strengthened PAM-distal interactions can improve genome-editing performance.

DNA polymerases are molecular machines that copy genetic material using a template. Here, authors characterize the ability of diverse polymerases to synthesize DNA without a template and show that environmental conditions can alter sequence composition, enabling guided kilobasescale DNA synthesis.

I-motifs are non-canonical secondary DNA structures that form dynamically in certain C-rich DNA regions. Here, the authors show that PCBP1 binds and unfolds i-motifs in a protonation- and structure-dependent manner, controlling their formation during the cell cycle to maintain genomic stability.

Smc5/6 association with DNA junctions can support genomic functions. Here, the authors show that Smc5/6 junction polarity preferences, targeting, and dwell times are determined by its structural modules as well as the RPA and PCNA genomic factors.

Aditi U. Gurkar is an associate professor at the Aging Institute of the University of Pittsburgh, studying the mechanisms of ageing. We reached out to Aditi to discuss her career, perspective on the cellular ageing field, outreach efforts, and how to practice what we teach when it comes to longevity-promoting practices.

A study that showed that programmed DNA elimination in somatic genomes of ciliates involves excision of intrusive, transposon-derived sequences from genes.

A 2017 cryo-electron microscopy structure that resolved the orientation of the replicative helicase CMG at the DNA replication fork caused a major shift in our understanding of DNA replication.

Adequate levels of nucleotides are essential to ensure genetic stability of proliferating cells. A study finds gap-junction-mediated transport of nucleotides in specific tissues of Drosophila.