The Structural Basis of Specific Base-Excision Repair by Uracil-DNA Glycosylase

R. Savva, K. E. McAuley-Hecht, T. Brown and L. Pearl. Nature 373 (6514), 487-493, 1995.

Abstract

The 1.75-A crystal structure of the uracil-DNA glycosylase from herpes simplex virus type-1 reveals a new fold, distantly related to dinucleotide-binding proteins. Complexes with a trideoxynucleotide, and with uracil, define the DNA-binding site and allow a detailed understanding of the exquisitely specific recognition of uracil in DNA. The overall structure suggests binding models for elongated single- and double-stranded DNA substrates. Conserved residues close to the uracil-binding site suggest a catalytic mechanism for hydrolytic base excision.