| Function | Catalytic subunit of two functionally distinct, structure-specific, heterodimeric DNA endonucleases MUS81-EME1 and MUS81-EME2 that are involved in the maintenance of genome stability. Both endonucleases have essentially the same substrate specificity though MUS81-EME2 is more active than its MUS81-EME1 counterpart. Both cleave 3'-flaps and nicked Holliday junctions, and exhibit limited endonuclease activity with 5' flaps and nicked double-stranded DNAs. MUS81-EME2 which is active during the replication of DNA is more specifically involved in replication fork processing. Replication forks frequently encounter obstacles to their passage, including DNA base lesions, DNA interstrand cross-links, difficult-to-replicate sequences, transcription bubbles, or tightly bound proteins. One mechanism for the restart of a stalled replication fork involves nucleolytic cleavage mediated by the MUS81-EME2 endonuclease. By acting upon the stalled fork, MUS81-EME2 generates a DNA double-strand break (DSB) that can be repaired by homologous recombination, leading to the restoration of an active fork. MUS81-EME2 could also function in telomere maintenance. MUS81-EME1, on the other hand, is active later in the cell cycle and functions in the resolution of mitotic recombination intermediates including the Holliday junctions, the four-way DNA intermediates that form during homologous recombination. |
| Protein Name | Structure-Specific Endonuclease Subunit Mus81Crossover Junction Endonuclease Mus81Mus81 Endonuclease Homolog |
| Database Links | Reactome: R-HSA-5693568Reactome: R-HSA-6783310 |
| Cellular Localisation | NucleusNucleolusRecruited To Foci Of Dna Damage In S-Phase Cells |
| Alternative Antibody Names | Anti-Structure-Specific Endonuclease Subunit Mus81 antibodyAnti-Crossover Junction Endonuclease Mus81 antibodyAnti-Mus81 Endonuclease Homolog antibodyAnti-MUS81 antibody |
Information sourced from Uniprot.org
