Japanese Team Films Smc5/6 Protein Capturing and Compacting DNA
Kanazawa – November 04, 2026 -- Researchers at Kanazawa University and the National Institute of Genetics have recorded the Smc5/6 protein complex switching between two shapes to capture DNA, tether separate DNA sections and compact twisted strands. The team used high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) and published the results in Nature Communications 17, 10398 (2026).
HS-AFM video shows Smc5/6 alternating between I-shaped and O-shaped forms
HS-AFM tracks molecular movements at the nanometre scale and records image sequences over time, unlike conventional methods that mainly provide static views. The team applied it to purified Smc5/6 from budding yeast under controlled laboratory conditions.
Smc5/6 adopted two distinct configurations. In the I-shaped form, its two long arms lay close together. In the O-shaped form, the arms separated into an open structure.