The genetics and biochemistry of genetic recombination in E. coli has been studied for over four decades and provides a useful model system to understand recombination in other organisms. Here we provide an overview of the mechanisms of recombination and how such processes contribute to DNA repair. We describe the E. coli functions that are known to contribute to these mechanisms, step by step, and summarize their biochemical properties in relation to the role these proteins play in vivo. We feature areas of investigation that are newly emerging, as well as work that provides a historical perspective to the field. Finally, we highlight some of the questions that remain unanswered.

中文翻译：

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重组机制：来自大肠杆菌的教训。

大肠杆菌中基因重组的遗传学和生物化学已经研究了四十多年，并提供了一个有用的模型系统来了解其他生物体中的重组。在这里，我们概述了重组机制以及这些过程如何促进 DNA 修复。我们逐步描述了已知有助于这些机制的大肠杆菌功能，并总结了与这些蛋白质在体内发挥的作用相关的生化特性。我们的特色是新兴的调查领域，以及为该领域提供历史视角的工作。最后，我们强调一些仍未得到解答的问题。