Ionic inhibition of formation of RecA nucleoprotein networks blocks homologous pairing.

Conditions that favor the complete coating of single-stranded DNA by RecA protein promote the association of these presynaptic filaments with naked double-stranded DNA to form large nucleoprotein networks before homologous pairing occurs. These RecA nucleoprotein networks sequester virtually all of the DNA in the reaction mixture. Conditions that are suboptimal for the formation of the RecA presynaptic filament rendered both the formation of RecA-DNA networks and the subsequent formation of joint molecules sensitive to inhibition by excess ATP or by pyrophosphate when these were added during synapsis. The rate of homologous pairing was directly related to the degree of inhibition of network formation. Various multivalent cations added during synapsis restored both the formation of networks and the pairing of homologous molecules. These observations support the view that the nucleoprotein network is a synaptic intermediate by means of which RecA protein facilitates the conjunction of DNA molecules and the subsequent processive search for homology. Inhibition by multivalent anions and restoration by multivalent cations suggests in addition, that negative charge repulsion inhibits the binding of naked duplex DNA to presynaptic filaments.