The WH domain was also identified as being important in this process as it also adds to the widening of the minor groove. Another region of the OCR, the AAA+ region was also identified as contributing to the unwinding and bending of the DNA helix. The authors therefore concluded that both were crucial domains of the OCR in DNA helix unwinding. The authors concluded that OCR may also be involved in the higher order assembly processes which occur, but there was no such observation made in this study. Although the study was effective in its purpose it would be prudent to conduct similar research into other archaea in order to establish whether the exact same processes do hold across species. The next appropriate step in the research would be to further study the higher order processes which occur after the DNA unwinding.

It should be possible for this particular study to be continued in order to gain further understanding...

pernix for continuity purposes. This would further illustrate the entire DNA structural replication process.
The study is relevant to Block 2 in class, as the article highlights information relating to the structural basis of DNA replication. Although the study is conducted on archaea DNA replication is already known to share a great deal of similarities between archaea and eukaryotes. It is more appropriate to conduct structural research on archaea than eukaryote DNA as the structure is far simpler. The illustration of a first step in the replication origin assembly of archaea is potentially also the first step in eukaryote DNA replication given other similarities between the two processes.

References

Gaudier, J.J., Schuwirth, B.S., Westcott, S.L. And Wigley, D.B. "Structural basis of DNA replication origin recognition by an ORC protein." Science 317 (1213), p. 1213-1216; 31 August 2007.