The Hexameric Helicase DnaB Adopts a Nonplanar Conformation during Translocation.
Itsathitphaisarn, O., Wing, R.A., Eliason, W.K., Wang, J., Steitz, T.A.(2012) Cell 151: 267-277
- PubMed: 23022319 
- DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2012.09.014
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
4ESV - PubMed Abstract: 
DNA polymerases can only synthesize nascent DNA from single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) templates. In bacteria, the unwinding of parental duplex DNA is carried out by the replicative DNA helicase (DnaB) that couples NTP hydrolysis to 5' to 3' translocation. The crystal structure of the DnaB hexamer in complex with GDP-AlF(4) and ssDNA reported here reveals that DnaB adopts a closed spiral staircase quaternary structure around an A-form ssDNA with each C-terminal domain coordinating two nucleotides of ssDNA ...