How does Helicase unwind the dna strands?what is the chemical Process

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Helicases unwind DNA strands by utilizing the free energy released from ATP hydrolysis, converting ATP and water into ADP and inorganic phosphate. This energy enables helicases to move directionally along DNA, whether double-stranded or single-stranded, and facilitates the separation of the two DNA strands. The precise mechanism by which helicases couple this chemical reaction to their movement and strand separation remains an area of active research. Some insights suggest that helicases may create a negative electrostatic charge around them, which could help in breaking hydrogen bonds during the unwinding process. Recent review papers provide further details on helicase function and ongoing studies aimed at elucidating their mechanisms.
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how does Helicase unwind the dna strands?what is the chemical Process involved?what is the chemical reaction?
 
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Helicases use the free energy from ATP hydrolysis (ATP + H2O --> ADP + PO4) in order to move directionally along DNA (double stranded and/or single stranded) as well as peel apart the two strands of DNA. How these enzymes couple this chemical reaction to movement of the helicase and strand separation is not completely understood and is an active area of research.

Here's a few recent review papers I talking more about how helicases work and ongoing experimental work trying to tease out their mechanism:

http://www.nature.com/nrm/journal/v9/n5/full/nrm2394.html
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=7881876
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959440X11000042
 
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicase

Helicases as said above use ATP to move along the DNA strand, along the way they break hydrogen bonds I think by creating an area of negative electrostatic charge around them...At least that is what my mind is saying, but I may be mistaken
 

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