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

ARAVIND113122

how does Helicase unwind the dna strands?what is the chemical Process involved?what is the chemical reaction?

Ygggdrasil

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...l/nrm2394.html
http://journals.cambridge.org/action...ne&aid=7881876
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science...59440X11000042

That Neuron

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