DNA polymerase clamp loaders and DNA recognition

Clamp loaders are heteropentameric ATPase assemblies that load sliding clamps onto DNA and are critical for processive DNA replication. The DNA targets for clamp loading are double-stranded/single-stranded junctions with recessed 3′ ends (primer-template junctions). Here, we briefly review the crystal structures of clamp loader complexes and the insights they have provided into the mechanism of the clamp loading process.