Molecular imaging reveals how shape-shifting protein complex captures DNA and holds separate sections together

Researchers at Kanazawa University and the National Institute of Genetics in Japan have used high-speed atomic force microscopy to observe how a group of proteins known as Smc5/6 interacts with DNA. The images reveal how this structure opens and closes, captures DNA and brings separate sections together. The researchers also observed Smc5/6 holding twisted sections of DNA in place, producing more tightly packed arrangements. The findings, published in Nature Communications, provide new insights into the molecular processes that contribute to the maintenance and repair of genetic material.