Binding of insertion/deletion DNA mismatches by the heterodimer of yeast mismatch repair proteins MSH2 and MSH3

Curr Biol. 1996 Sep 1;6(9):1185-7. doi: 10.1016/s0960-9822(02)70686-6.

Abstract

DNA-mismatch repair removes mismatches from the newly replicated DNA strand. In humans, mutations in the mismatch repair genes hMSH2, hMLH1, hPMS1 and hPMS2 result in hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) [1-8]. The hMSH2 (MSH for MutS homologue) protein forms a complex with a 160 kDa protein, and this heterodimer, hMutSalpha, has high affinity for a G/T mismatch [9,10]. Cell lines in which the 160 kDa subunit of hMutSalpha is mutated are specifically defective in the repair of base-base and single-nucleotide insertion/deletion mismatches [9,11]. Genetic studies in S. cerevisiae have suggested that MSH2 functions with either MSH3 or MSH6 in mismatch repair, and, in the absence of the latter two genes, MSH2 is inactive [12,13]. MSH6 encodes the yeast counterpart of the 160 kDa subunit of hMutSalpha [12,13]. As in humans, yeast MSH6 forms a complex with MSH2, and the MSH2-MSH6 heterodimer binds a G/T mismatch [14]. Here, we find that MSH2 and MSH3 form another stable heterodimer, and we purify this heterodimer to near homogeneity. We show that MSH2-MSH3 has low affinity for a G/T mismatch but binds to insertion/deletion mismatches with high specificity, unlike MSH2-MSH6.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Base Sequence
  • DNA / chemistry*
  • DNA Repair*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Fungal Proteins / genetics
  • Fungal Proteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • MutS Homolog 2 Protein
  • Mutagenesis, Insertional
  • Nucleic Acid Heteroduplexes*
  • Protein Binding
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Sequence Deletion

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Fungal Proteins
  • Nucleic Acid Heteroduplexes
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • DNA
  • MutS Homolog 2 Protein