MUS81

This gene encodes a structure-specific endonuclease which belongs to the XPF/MUS81 endonuclease family and plays a critical role in the resolution of recombination intermediates during DNA repair after inter-strand cross-links, replication fork collapse, and DNA double-strand breaks. The encoded protein associates with one of two closely related essential meiotic endonuclease proteins (EME1 or EME2) to form a complex that processes DNA secondary structures. It contains an N-terminal DEAH helicase domain, an excision repair cross complementation group 4 (ERCC4) endonuclease domain, and two tandem C-terminal helix-hairpin-helix domains. Mice with a homozygous knockout of the orthologous gene have significant meiotic defects including the failure to repair a subset of DNA double strand breaks. [provided by RefSeq, Jun 2017]

Full Name

MUS81 Structure-Specific Endonuclease Subunit

Function

Interacts with EME1 and EME2 to form a DNA structure-specific endonuclease with substrate preference for branched DNA structures with a 5'-end at the branch nick. Typical substrates include 3'-flap structures, replication forks and nicked Holliday junctions. Plays an essential role in mitosis for the processing of stalled or collapsed replication forks (PubMed:28575661).

Biological Process

DNA catabolic process, endonucleolytic Source: MGI
DNA repair Source: UniProtKB
Double-strand break repair Source: ComplexPortal
Double-strand break repair via break-induced replication Source: GO_Central
Mitotic intra-S DNA damage checkpoint signaling Source: GO_Central
Osteoblast proliferation Source: CACAO
Replication fork processing Source: ComplexPortal
Resolution of meiotic recombination intermediates Source: GO_Central
Response to intra-S DNA damage checkpoint signaling Source: MGI

Cellular Location

Nucleolus
Note: Recruited to foci of DNA damage in S-phase cells.