Hepatitis C helicase unwinds DNA in a spring-loaded, 3-step process

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Using single-molecule fluorescence analysis Institute for Genomic Biology professor Sua Myong and physics professor Taekjip Ha led a team that discovered the mechanism by which the hepatitis C helicase unwinds DNA and RNA for replication. Ha is also ...
Using single-molecule fluorescence analysis, Institute for Genomic Biology professor Sua Myong and physics professor Taekjip Ha led a team that discovered the mechanism by which the hepatitis C helicase unwinds DNA and RNA for replication. Ha is also affiliated with the Institute for Genomic Biology and the Howard Hughes Medical Center. Credit: Photo by L. Brian Stauffer, U. of I. News Bureau

The process by which genes are duplicated is mysterious and complex, involving a cast of characters with diverse talents and the ability to play well with others in extremely close quarters. A key player on this stage is an enzyme called a helicase. Its job is to unwind the tightly coiled chain of nucleic acids – the DNA or RNA molecule that spells out the organism’s genetic code – so that another enzyme, a polymerase, can faithfully copy each nucleotide in the code.


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