exodeoxyribonuclease V complex

GO:0009338 · Other · Multiprotein complex · Proposed

Exodeoxyribonuclease V complex is a RecB-RecC-RecD enzyme complex that combines ATP-dependent DNA unwinding with exonucleolytic cleavage of DNA to produce 5'-phosphooligonucleotides. [GO:0009338]

UniProt location names: UniProt Consortium, CC BY 4.0. Reference label and route sources.

Components

Component	Type	Part of / acts on	Grounding	Genes	Role
RecBCD enzyme subunit RecB	Protein	part of	`InterPro:IPR004586`	recB	RecB helicase-nuclease subunit of the exodeoxyribonuclease V complex. `InterPro:IPR004586` InterPro IPR004586 is a family entry named RecBCD enzyme subunit RecB and is annotated to exodeoxyribonuclease V activity. `PDB:1W36` RCSB maps PDB:1W36 polymer entity 1 to Escherichia coli exodeoxyribonuclease V beta chain RecB, UniProtKB:P08394.
RecBCD enzyme subunit RecC	Protein	part of	`InterPro:IPR006697`	recC	RecC subunit of the exodeoxyribonuclease V complex. `InterPro:IPR006697` InterPro IPR006697 is a family entry named RecBCD enzyme subunit RecC and is annotated to exodeoxyribonuclease V activity. `PDB:1W36` RCSB maps PDB:1W36 polymer entity 2 to Escherichia coli exodeoxyribonuclease V gamma chain RecC, UniProtKB:P07648.
RecBCD enzyme subunit RecD	Protein	part of	`InterPro:IPR006344`	recD	RecD helicase subunit of the exodeoxyribonuclease V complex. `InterPro:IPR006344` InterPro IPR006344 is a family entry named RecBCD enzyme subunit RecD and is annotated to exodeoxyribonuclease V activity. `PDB:1W36` RCSB maps PDB:1W36 polymer entity 3 to Escherichia coli exodeoxyribonuclease V alpha chain RecD, UniProtKB:P04993.

Canonical examples

NCBITaxon:562 Escherichia coli — Bacterial source of the RecB, RecC, and RecD subunits in the RecBCD:DNA crystal structure deposited as PDB:1W36. [PDB:1W36]

Functions

exodeoxyribonuclease V activity GO:0008854 — RecBCD catalyzes ATP-dependent exonucleolytic cleavage of DNA to yield 5'-phosphooligonucleotides.
- GO:0008854 GO:0008854 defines exodeoxyribonuclease V activity as ATP-dependent exonucleolytic DNA cleavage in either polarity to yield 5'-phosphooligonucleotides.
- InterPro:IPR006697 InterPro describes the RecBCD enzyme as a multisubunit enzyme composed of RecB, RecC, and RecD.
- PDB:1W36 PDB:1W36 contains the E. coli RecB, RecC, and RecD subunits bound to a DNA hairpin polymer entity.

Mechanism graphs

RecBCD processes DNA ends (FUNCTION)

The RecBCD complex uses its RecB, RecC, and RecD subunits to bind DNA and carry out the ATP-dependent exodeoxyribonuclease V reaction.

Subject	Predicate	Object	Evidence
exodeoxyribonuclease V complex	enables	exodeoxyribonuclease V activity	`GO:0009338` GO:0009338 defines the exodeoxyribonuclease V complex by its ATP-dependent DNA cleavage activity. `GO:0008854` GO:0008854 defines the exodeoxyribonuclease V molecular function.
RecBCD enzyme subunit RecB	contributes to	exodeoxyribonuclease V activity	`InterPro:IPR004586` InterPro IPR004586 identifies the RecB family and annotates it to GO:0008854. `PDB:1W36` PDB:1W36 resolves RecB with RecC and RecD.
RecBCD enzyme subunit RecC	contributes to	exodeoxyribonuclease V activity	`InterPro:IPR006697` InterPro IPR006697 identifies the RecC family and annotates it to GO:0008854. `PDB:1W36` PDB:1W36 resolves RecC with RecB and RecD.
RecBCD enzyme subunit RecD	contributes to	exodeoxyribonuclease V activity	`InterPro:IPR006344` InterPro IPR006344 identifies the RecD family and annotates it to GO:0008854. `PDB:1W36` PDB:1W36 resolves RecD with RecB and RecC.
exodeoxyribonuclease V complex	binds	DNA end	`PDB:1W36` PDB:1W36 resolves E. coli RecBCD in complex with a DNA hairpin polymer entity.
DNA end	is cleaved by	exodeoxyribonuclease V activity	`GO:0008854` GO:0008854 defines exodeoxyribonuclease V activity as ATP-dependent exonucleolytic cleavage of DNA.
exodeoxyribonuclease V activity	produces	5'-phosphooligonucleotides	`GO:0008854` GO:0008854 records 5'-phosphooligonucleotides as the products of exodeoxyribonuclease V activity.

Evidence

GO:0009338 Gene Ontology cellular-component term for the exodeoxyribonuclease V complex.
GO:0140535 Gene Ontology cellular-component term for intracellular protein-containing complexes.
GO:1902494 Gene Ontology cellular-component term for catalytic complexes.
GO:0008854 Gene Ontology molecular-function term for exodeoxyribonuclease V activity.
InterPro:IPR004586 InterPro family for RecBCD enzyme subunit RecB.
InterPro:IPR006697 InterPro family for RecBCD enzyme subunit RecC.
InterPro:IPR006344 InterPro family for RecBCD enzyme subunit RecD.
DOI:10.1038/nature02988 Singleton et al. 2004, Crystal structure of RecBCD enzyme reveals a machine for processing DNA breaks, Nature.
PMID:15538360 PubMed identifier for Singleton et al. 2004 as reported by RCSB PDB:1W36 and NCBI ESummary.
PMID:1618858 PubMed identifier for Masterson et al. 1992, the reconstitution study cited by the GO:0009338 definition.
PDB:1W36 RCSB Protein Data Bank entry for the Escherichia coli RecBCD:DNA crystal structure from Singleton et al. 2004.

Curation history

2026-09-24T08:53:21Z codex · CREATED_RECORD — Scaffolded by scripts/new_record.py
2026-09-24T08:54:37Z codex · EXPANDED_RECORD — Added RecBCD synonymy and GO catalytic-complex parentage, RecB/C/D components grounded to exact InterPro families and PDB:1W36 polymer entities, an Escherichia coli canonical example, exodeoxyribonuclease V activity evidence, and a compact DNA-processing function graph.
2026-09-24T08:55:19Z codex · TIGHTENED_WORDING — Removed broad bacterial wording from RecB, RecC, and RecD role prose while retaining the Escherichia coli canonical example.
2026-09-24T09:05:42Z codex · ADDRESS_REVIEW — #1472/#1473: removed weak RecBCD exact synonymy and removed unsupported assembly-essentiality assertions from the RecB, RecC, and RecD component rows.

Source: data/structures/other/exodeoxyribonuclease_v_complex.yaml