Basis of dATP inhibition of RNRs

Ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) are essential enzymes producing de novo deoxynucleotide (dNTP) building blocks for DNA replication and repair and regulating dNTP pools important for fidelity of these processes. A new study reveals that the class Ia Escherichia coli RNR is regulated by dATP via stabilization of an inactive α4β4 quaternary structure, slowing formation of the active α2β2 structure. The results support the importance of the regulatory α4β4 complex providing insight in design of experiments to understand RNR regulation in vivo.