Essential Meiotic Endonuclease 1 Homolog 1 (EME1)

EME1 encodes a protein that complexes with methyl methanesulfonate-sensitive UV-sensitive 81 protein to form an endonuclease complex. The encoded protein interacts with specifc DNA structures including nicked Holliday junctions, 3"""-flap structures and aberrant replication fork structures. This protein may be involved in repairing DNA damage and in maintaining genomic stability. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants.The heterodimer had DNA endonuclease activity against 3-prime flap and replication fork substrates, but the activity was much lower against splayed arm or Holliday junction substrates. Neither EME1 nor MUS81 alone showed nuclease activity.The deduced 583-amino acid EME1 protein has a calculated molecular mass of 65 kD and shares 44% identity with EME2.