#Id: 6113
#Unit 3. Fundamental Processes
In Escherichia coli, MutS scans the DNA, recognizing mismatches from the distortion they cause in the DNA backbone.
MutS has an ATPase activity that is required for mismatch repair and recruits MutL, a second protein component of the repair system. MutL, in turn, activates MutH, an enzyme that causes an incision or nick on one strand near the site of the mismatch. Nicking is followed by the action of a specific helicase (UvrD) helicase unwinds the DNA, starting from the incision and moving in the direction of the site of the mismatch, and the filled in by DNA polymerase III