Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40592829›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Autoregulation of the real-time kinetics of the human mitochondrial replicative helicase.

Ismael Plaza-G A, María Ortiz-Rodríguez, Seth P Buchanan, Samuel Miguez-Amil, Kateryna M Lemishko, Fernando Moreno-Herrero, Rafael Fernandez-Leiro, Grzegorz L Ciesielski, Borja Ibarra

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Regulation of Pfh1 helicase activity by nucleic acid interactions and mitochondrial SSB.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2026
    Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Ismael Plaza-G AInstituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia, IMDEA Nanociencia, Madrid, Spain.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8271-2532
María Ortiz-RodríguezInstituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia, IMDEA Nanociencia, Madrid, Spain.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7481-2568
Seth P BuchananDepartment of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0003-9235-2328
Samuel Miguez-AmilStructural Biology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9279-6442
Kateryna M LemishkoInstituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia, IMDEA Nanociencia, Madrid, Spain.
Fernando Moreno-HerreroCentro Nacional de Biotecnología (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4083-1709
Rafael Fernandez-LeiroStructural Biology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7941-0357
Grzegorz L CiesielskiDepartment of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA. g.ciesielski@unf.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6528-6781
Borja IbarraInstituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia, IMDEA Nanociencia, Madrid, Spain. borja.ibarra@imdea.org.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6597-797X

Funding

The Mechanism of Elimination of the Mitochondrial DNA ReplisomeR15GM139104 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA · PI Grzegorz Leszek Ciesielski · 2021 to 2026
$1.1M
"la Caixa" Foundation (Caixa Foundation) HR24-00604Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness | Agencia Estatal de Investigación (Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación) PGC2018-099341-B-I00Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness | Agencia Estatal de Investigación (Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación) PID2020-120258GB-I00Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness | Agencia Estatal de Investigación (Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación) PID2021-126755NB-I00Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness | Agencia Estatal de Investigación (Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación) PID2023-146255NB-I00NIGMS NIH HHS R15 GM139104U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) GM139104
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The human mitochondrial helicase Twinkle is essential for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication and integrity. Using biochemical and single-molecule techniques, we investigated Twinkle's real-time kinetics, including DNA loading, unwinding, and rewinding, and their regulation by its N-terminal Zinc-binding domain (ZBD), C-terminal tail, and mitochondrial SSB protein (mtSSB). Our results indicate that Twinkle rapidly scans dsDNA to locate the fork, where specific interactions halt diffusion. During unwinding, ZBD-DNA interactions and C-terminal tail control of ATPase activity downregulate kinetics, slowing down the helicase. Binding of mtSSB to DNA likely outcompetes ZBD-DNA interactions, alleviating the downregulatory effects of this domain. Furthermore, we show that ZBD-DNA interactions and ATP binding also regulate rewinding kinetics following helicase stalling. Our findings reveal that ZBD and C-terminal tail play a major role in regulation of Twinkle´s real-time kinetics. Their interplay constitutes an auto-regulatory mechanism that may be relevant for coordinating the mtDNA maintenance activities of the helicase.

Indexed as

DNA HelicasesDNA, MitochondrialDNA ReplicationMitochondriaMitochondrial ProteinsAdenosine TriphosphateDNA-Binding ProteinsHomeostasisHumansKineticsProtein BindingProtein DomainsAdenosine TriphosphateDNA-Binding ProteinsDNA HelicasesDNA, MitochondrialMitochondrial ProteinsTWNK protein, human

Identifiers

PMID40592829
PMCPMC12214949

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.