DNA-binding properties of Smc6, a core component of the Smc5-6 DNA repair complex

The Smc5-6 complex is an essential regulator of chromosome integrity and a key component of the DNA damage response. As an essential DNA repair factor, the Smc5-6 complex is expected to interact with DNA and/or chromatin during the execution of its functions. How the Smc6 protein promotes the binding of the Smc5-6 complex to DNA lesions is currently unknown. We show here that Smc6 is a strong DNA-binding protein with a clear preference for single-stranded DNA substrates. Importantly, Smc6 associates with DNA in the absence of other Smc5-6 complex components and its activity is modulated by nucleotides. Our results also show that the minimal size of single-stranded DNA required for tight association with Smc6 is ~60 nucleotides in length. Taken together, our results suggest that Smc6 contributes to DNA repair in vivo by targeting the Smc5-6 complex to single-stranded DNA substrates created during the processes of homologous recombination and/or DNA replication.