Further studies on calf thymus DNA polymerase delta purified to homogeneity by a new procedure

DNA polymerase delta from calf thymus has been purified to apparent homogeneity by a new procedure which utilizes hydrophobic interaction chromatography with phenyl-Sepharose at an early step to separate most of the calcium-dependent protease activity from DNA polymerase delta and alpha. The purified enzyme migrates as a single protein band on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under nondenaturing conditions. The sedimentation coefficient of the enzyme is 7.9 S, and the Stokes radius is 53 A. A molecular weight of 173K has been calculated for the native enzyme. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the homogeneous enzyme reveals two polypeptides of 125 and 48 kDa. This subunit structure differs from that of DNA polymerase delta prepared by our previous procedure, which was composed of subunits of 60 and 49 kDa [Lee, M. Y. W. T., Tan, C.-K., Downey , K. M., & So, A. G. (1981) Prog . Nucleic Acid Res. Mol. Biol. 26, 83-96], suggesting that the 60-kDa polypeptide may have been derived from the 125-kDa polypeptide during enzyme purification, possibly as the result of cleavage of an unusually sensitive peptide bond. DNA polymerase delta is separated from DNA polymerase alpha by hydrophobic interaction chromatography on phenyl-Sepharose; DNA polymerase delta is eluted at pH 7.2 and DNA polymerase alpha at pH 8.5. DNA polymerase delta can also be separated from DNA polymerase alpha by chromatography on hydroxylapatite; DNA polymerase alpha binds to hydroxylapatite in the presence of 0.5 M KCl, whereas DNA polymerase delta is eluted at 90 mM KCl.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Subunits of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe RNA polymerase II: enzyme purification and structure of the subunit 3 gene.

To improve our understanding of the structure and function of eukaryotic RNA polymerase II, we purified the enzyme from the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. The highly purified RNA polymerase II contained more than eleven polypeptides. The sizes of the largest the second-, and the third-largest polypeptides as measured by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were about 210, 150, and 40 kilodaltons (kDa), respectively, and are similar to those of RPB1, 2, and 3 subunits of Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNA polymerase II. Using the degenerated primers designed after amino acid micro-sequencing of the 40 kDa third-largest polypeptide (subunit 3), we cloned the subunit 3 gene (rpb3) and determined its DNA sequence. Taken together with the sequence of parts of PCR-amplified cDNA, the predicted coding sequence of rpb3, interrupted by two introns, was found to encode a polypeptide of 297 amino acid residues in length with a molecular weight of 34 kDa. The S. pombe subunit 3 contains four structural domains conserved for the alpha-subunit family of RNA polymerase from both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. A putative leucine zipper motif was found to exist in the C-terminal proximal conserved region (domain D). Possible functions of the conserved domains are discussed.     

Immunochemical studies of DNA polymerase delta: relationships with DNA polymerase alpha

A panel of murine hybridoma cell lines which produce antibodies against polypeptides present in human placental DNA polymerase delta preparations was developed. Eight of these antibodies were characterized by virtue of their ability to inhibit DNA polymerase delta activity and immunoblot the 170-kDa catalytic polypeptide. Six of these eight antibodies inhibit DNA polymerase delta but not DNA polymerase alpha, showing that the two proteins are distinct. However, the other two monoclonal antibodies inhibited both DNA polymerase delta and alpha activities, providing the first evidence that these two proteins have a structural relationship. In addition to antibodies against the catalytic polypeptide we also identified 11 antibodies which recognize 120-, 100-, 88-, 75-, 62-, 36-, and 22-kDa polypeptides in DNA polymerase delta preparations, suggesting that these proteins might be part of a replication complex. The antibody to the 36-kDa polypeptide was shown to be directed against proliferating cell nuclear antigen/cyclin. These antibodies should prove useful for studies aimed at distinguishing between DNA polymerases alpha and delta and for the investigation of the functional roles of DNA polymerase delta polypeptides.     

Mitochondrial DNA polymerases from yeast to man: a new family of polymerases

We report the sequence of a 4.5-kb cDNA clone isolated from a human melanoma library which bears high amino acid sequence identity to the yeast mitochondrial (mt) DNA polymerase (Mip1p). This cDNA contains a 3720-bp open reading frame encoding a predicted 140-kDa polypeptide that is 43% identical to Mip1p. The N-terminal part of the sequence contains a 13 glutamine stretch encoded by a CAG trinucleotide repeat which is not found in the other DNA polymerases γ (Pol γ). Multiple amino acid sequence alignments with Pol γ from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Pichia pastoris, Drosophila melanogaster, Xenopus laevis and Mus musculus show that these DNA polymerases form a family strongly conserved from yeast to man and are only loosely related to the Family A DNA polymerases.     

Structure of the 116-kDa polypeptide of the clathrin-coated vesicle/synaptic vesicle proton pump.

A 116-kDa polypeptide has recently been found to be a common component of vacuolar proton pumps isolated from a variety of sources. The 116-kDa subunit of the proton pump was purified from clathrin-coated vesicles of bovine brain, and internal sequences were obtained from proteolytic peptides. Oligonucleotide probes designed from these peptide sequences were utilized in polymerase chain reactions to isolate partial bovine cDNA clones for the protein. Sequences from these were then utilized to isolate rat brain cDNA clones containing the full-length coding region. RNA blots indicate the presence of an abundant 3.9-kilobase message for the 116-kDa subunit in brain, and primer extension analysis demonstrates that the cloned sequence is full-length. The rat cDNA sequences predict synthesis of a protein of 96,267 Da. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence of the 116-kDa subunit suggests that it consists of two fundamental domains: a hydrophilic amino-terminal half that is composed of greater than 30% charged residues, and a hydrophobic carboxyl-terminal half that contains at least six transmembrane regions. The structural properties of the 116-kDa proton pump polypeptide agree well with its proposed function in coupling ATP hydrolysis by the cytoplasmic subunits to proton translocation by the intramembranous components of the pump.     

A full-length cDNA of hREV3 is predicted to encode DNA polymerase zeta for damage-induced mutagenesis in humans

DNA damage can cause mutations which in turn may lead to carcinogenesis. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, DNA damage-induced mutagenesis pathway requires the REV3 gene. It encodes the catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase zeta that specifically functions in translesion DNA synthesis. We have cloned a cDNA of the human homologue of REV3 (hREV3), which consists of 10,716 bp and codes for a protein of 3130 amino acid residues (352,737 Da). Its C-terminal 755 amino acids show extensive homology with the yeast protein at the C-terminus: 43% identity and 74% similarity. This region contains the six highly conserved DNA polymerase motifs. Furthermore, we have identified four sequence motifs in the N-terminal region outside the polymerase domain that are conserved in DNA polymerase delta from various sources. Three of which are present in DNA polymerase zeta encoded by human, yeast, and plant REV3 genes, indicating that this protein is a member of the DNA polymerase delta family. DNA polymerases delta and zeta are structurally distinguished by the presence of a specific delta IV motif in the former and motifs zeta I and zeta II in the latter, respectively. Human DNA polymerase zeta is ubiquitously expressed in various tissues, consistent with the notion that the hREV3 pathway may be a fundamental mechanism of damage-induced mutagenesis in humans.     

Mammalian DNA ligases. Catalytic domain and size of DNA ligase I.

DNA ligase I is the major DNA ligase activity in proliferating mammalian cells. The protein has been purified to apparent homogeneity from calf thymus. It has a monomeric structure and a blocked N-terminal residue. DNA ligase I is a 125-kDa polypeptide as estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis and by gel chromatography under denaturing conditions, whereas hydrodynamic measurements indicate that the enzyme is an asymmetric 98-kDa protein. Immunoblotting with rabbit polyclonal antibodies to the enzyme revealed a single polypeptide of 125 kDa in freshly prepared crude cell extracts of calf thymus. Limited digestion of the purified DNA ligase I with several reagent proteolytic enzymes generated a relatively protease-resistant 85-kDa fragment. This domain retained full catalytic activity. Similar results were obtained with partially purified human DNA ligase I. The active large fragment represents the C-terminal part of the intact protein, and contains an epitope conserved between mammalian DNA ligase I and yeast and vaccinia virus DNA ligases. The function of the N-terminal region of DNA ligase I is unknown.     

Isolation of multiple forms of DNA polymerase delta: evidence of proteolytic modification during isolation

The subunit structures of a number of human placenta DNA polymerase delta preparations were investigated by Western blotting with polyclonal antisera and by activity staining following polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. When immunoblots and activity stains were performed on different enzyme preparations, putative catalytic subunits of (a) 170, (b) 120, or (c) 50-70 kilodaltons (kDa) were observed. It was also observed that the lower molecular weight forms could be generated upon storage of the preparations. Western blotting of human placental tissue extracts showed that the major immunoreactive polypeptide was 160-170 kDa. Treatment of the extracts with trypsin or Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease led to the generation of immunoreactive polypeptides of lower molecular weights. These studies suggest that the 120-kDa and lower forms of the enzyme are generated via uncontrolled proteolysis and provide a rationale for the observation of different apparent subunit structures previously reported for DNA polymerase delta. In addition, these findings suggest that DNA polymerase delta has a catalytic domain which resides in a protease-resistant domain.     

Direct interaction of proliferating cell nuclear antigen with the small subunit of DNA polymerase delta

The interaction between proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and DNA polymerase delta is essential for processive DNA synthesis during DNA replication/repair; however, the identity of the subunit of DNA polymerase delta that directly interacts with PCNA has not been resolved until now. In the present study we have used reciprocal co-immunoprecipitation experiments to determine which of the two subunits of core DNA polymerase delta, the 125-kDa catalytic subunit or the 50-kDa small subunit, directly interacts with PCNA. We found that PCNA co-immunoprecipitated with human p50, as well as calf thymus DNA polymerase delta heterodimer, but not with p125 alone, suggesting that PCNA directly interacts with p50 but not with p125. A PCNA-binding motif, similar to the sliding clamp-binding motif of bacteriophage RB69 DNA polymerase, was identified in the N terminus of p50. A 22-amino acid oligopeptide containing this sequence (MRPFL) was shown to bind PCNA by far Western analysis and to compete with p50 for binding to PCNA in co-immunoprecipitation experiments. The binding of p50 to PCNA was inhibited by p21, suggesting that the two proteins compete for the same binding site on PCNA. These results establish that the interaction of PCNA with DNA polymerase delta is mediated through the small subunit of the enzyme.     

Characterization of human DNA polymerase delta and its immunochemical relationships with DNA polymerase alpha and epsilon.

DNA polymerase delta was purified from human placenta and its polymerase catalytic subunit identified as a 125-kDa polypeptide by activity staining. This 125-kDa form of DNA polymerase delta resembles that reported from calf thymus (Lee, M. Y. W. T., Tan, C.-K., Downey, K. M., and So, A. G. (1984) Biochemistry 23, 1906-1913) and differs in molecular properties from a previously described form isolated from human placenta (Lee, M. Y. W. T., and Toomey, N. L. (1987) Biochemistry 26, 1076-1085) and now referred to as DNA polymerase epsilon. The properties of DNA polymerase delta were further investigated to determine its relationships with DNA polymerase epsilon. The two enzymes differed in their response to proliferating cell nuclear antigen. Monoclonal antibodies against DNA polymerase delta were raised and used to examine its immunochemical relationships with DNA polymerase alpha and epsilon. These studies provided evidence that all three proteins are structurally distinct but share a common epitope(s). Immunofluorescence microscopy indicates that DNA polymerase delta and possibly also DNA polymerase epsilon are localized to the nucleus.     

Identification of a fourth subunit of mammalian DNA polymerase delta

A 12-kDa and two 25-kDa polypeptides were isolated with highly purified calf thymus DNA polymerase delta by conventional chromatography. A 16-mer peptide sequence was obtained from the 12-kDa polypeptide which matched a new open reading frame from a human EST () encoding a hypothetical protein of unknown function. The protein was designated as p12. Human EST was identified as the putative human homologue of Schizosaccharomyces pombe Cdm1 by a tBlastn search of the EST data base using S. pombe Cdm1. The open reading frame of human EST encoded a polypeptide of 107 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 12.4 kDa, consistent with the experimental findings. p12 is 25% identical to S pombe Cdm1. Both of the 25-kDa polypeptide sequences matched the hypothetical KIAA0039 protein sequence, recently identified as the third subunit of pol delta. Western blotting of immunoaffinity purified calf thymus pol delta revealed the presence of p125, p50, p68 (the KIAA0039 product), and p12. With the identification of p12 mammalian pol delta can now be shown to consist of four subunits. These studies pave the way for more detailed analysis of the possible functions of the mammalian subunits of pol delta.     

Human DNA polymerase alpha: predicted functional domains and relationships with viral DNA polymerases

The primary sequence of human DNA polymerase alpha deduced from the full-length cDNA contains regions of striking similarity to sequences in replicative DNA polymerases from Escherichia coli phages PRD1 and T4, Bacillus phage phi 19, yeast DNA polymerase I, yeast linear plasmid pGKL1, maize S1 mitochondrial DNA, herpes family viruses, vaccinia virus, and adenovirus. The conservation of these homologous regions across this vast phylogenetic expanse indicates that these prokaryotic and eukaryotic DNA polymerases may all have evolved from a common primordial gene. Based on the sequence analysis and genetic results from yeast and herpes simplex virus studies, these consensus sequences are suggested to define potential sites that subserve essential roles in the DNA polymerase reaction. Two of these conserved regions appear to participate directly in the active site required for substrate deoxynucleotide interaction. One region toward the carboxyl-terminus has the potential to be the DNA interacting domain, whereas a potential DNA primase interaction domain is predicted toward the amino-terminus. The provisional assignment of these domains can be used to identify unique or dissimilar features of functionally homologous catalytic sites in viral DNA polymerases of pathogenetic significance and thereby serve to guide more rational antiviral drug design.     

Absence of accessory subunit in the DNA polymerase gamma purified from yeast mitochondria

In yeast and animals, replication of the mitochondrial genome is carried out by the DNA polymerase gamma. In mammals this polymerase is composed of a catalytic and an accessory subunit. Yeast DNA polymerase gamma was purified over 6600-fold from mitochondria. The catalytic polypeptide of this enzyme was identified as a 135-kDa protein by a photochemical crosslinking procedure and its native molecular weight was estimated between 120 and 140 kDa by gel filtration and glycerol gradient sedimentation. These results indicate that yeast DNA polymerase gamma contains only one subunit and thus has a different quaternary structure from its counterpart in animals.     

Two forms of DNA polymerase delta from mouse cells. Purification and properties

A procedure is described for the purification from cultured mouse cells of two DNA polymerase "delta-like" enzymes, as defined by intrinsic 3'-exonuclease activity, inhibition by aphidicolin, and relative insensitivity to N2-(p-n-butylphenyl)-dGTP. One of the two enzymes has been purified to near homogeneity and, similar to the DNA polymerase delta from calf thymus described by Lee et al. (Lee, M. Y. W. T., Tan, C. K., Downey, K. M., and So, A. G. (1984) Biochemistry 23, 1906-1913), it has a total molecular mass of 178 kDa (from sedimentation velocity of 8.0 S and Stokes radius of 54 A) and is composed of one each of 125- and 50-kDa polypeptides. It also resembles the DNA polymerase delta of Lee et al. in being stimulated by proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). It is the first clear structural and functional counterpart of the calf thymus enzyme. The major difference between the mouse DNA polymerase delta and the calf thymus enzyme of Lee et al. is that, under specific conditions, the mouse enzyme is active with poly(dA).oligo(dT) in the absence of PCNA, whereas the activity of the calf thymus enzyme with this template is reported to be completely dependent on PCNA. The reason for this difference is not known at this time. The second mouse cell enzyme has a molecular mass of 112 kDa (from sedimentation velocity of 6.3 S and Stokes radius of 43.0 A) and consists of a single polypeptide of 123-125 kDa in denaturing gels (p125). On the basis of its apparent formation by dissociation of DNA polymerase delta, and multiple similarities with DNA polymerase delta in enzymatic properties, the p125 is provisionally identified as the 125-kDa polypeptide of DNA polymerase delta. The p125 does not respond to PCNA, suggesting that the 50-kDa polypeptide is required for the stimulation of DNA polymerase delta by PCNA. The presence of the p125 in cell extracts would explain reports that DNA polymerase delta consists of a single polypeptide of approximately 125 kDa and/or thast it has a smaller molecular mass than DNA polymerase delta of Lee et al. and is not affected by PCNA (this does not apply to PCNA-independent DNA polymerase delta-like enzymes with higher molecular mass than the polymerase delta of Lee et al., which have recently been named DNA polymerases epsilon).     

Related functional domains in virus DNA polymerases.

Analysis of the lesions in several drug-resistant DNA polymerase mutants of herpes simplex virus along with comparative analysis of the published polymerase sequences of other human herpesviruses has shown that most lesions (five out of six) are substitutions at amino acid residues conserved in all four polymerases. Furthermore, the majority of lesions are in regions of the polypeptide where there are marked clusterings of conserved residues. On the basis of these data we have identified several domains within the polypeptide which we believe may have important functional roles in the action of the enzyme. The apparent restriction in the potential sites of lesions conferring drug resistance may explain the difficulty in selecting such mutants using acyclovir (ACV) in culture and their failure to emerge so far during ACV therapy. Extension of the comparative analysis to the polymerases of adenovirus type 2, vaccinia virus and phage phi 29 suggests that these enzymes also possess domains homologous to those most conserved in the herpes polymerases (regions I-III) and that these domains have a similar linear spatial distribution on the polypeptides. The results are discussed in relation to the known function of the DNA polymerases.     

Subunit composition of DNA polymerases A and B from wheat cell

DNA polymerases A and B purified from wheat (Triticum monococcum) embryos were previously shown to be respectively the plant counterparts of mammalian DNA polymerases α and δ. From wheat cultured cells, we isolated a protein fraction able to replicate a DNA template/primer in a cell-free DNA replication assay. This fraction contains the DNA polymerases pol A and pol B, exhibiting the same biochemical properties as those found in wheat embryo. The catalytic subunits of DNA polymerases pol A and B purified from this fraction were analysed by a DNA polymerase trap assay and their molecular mass were respectively determined as 90 and 125 kDa. This shows that pol A catalytic subunit is shorter than those of yeast or mammal DNA polymerases α (respectively 180 and 165 kDa), whereas pol B catalytic subunit exhibits the same molecular mass as yeast and mammal DNA polymerases δ (125 kDa). Catalytic subunit identification using DNA polymerase trap assay could be a good alternative to isolate and sequence active polypeptides from low purified enzymes. These results contribute to the molecular characterization of DNA replication enzymes in plants and will permit to establish a plant DNA replication model.     

Purification and characterization of a gamma-like DNA polymerase from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

A crude in vitro system which initiates chloroplast DNA synthesis near the D-loop site mapped by electron microscopy [Wu, M., Lou, J. K., Chang, D. Y., Chang, C. H., & Nie, Z. Q. (1986) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 83, 6761-6765] consists of soluble proteins and proteins extracted from purified thylakoid membrane. In this paper, a DNA polymerase activity was purified to near homogeneity from the soluble protein fraction of this in vitro system by sequential chromatographic separations on heparin-agarose, DEAE-cellulose, and single-stranded DNA-agarose columns and sedimentation in a glycerol gradient. In the glycerol gradient, the enzyme activity sedimented at a position corresponding to a 110-kDa protein. Electrophoretic analysis of the highly purified fraction on SDS-polyacrylamide gel revealed a major polypeptide band with an apparent molecular mass of approximately 116 kDa. In situ DNA polymerase activity assay shows that the DNA polymerization function is associated with the 116-kDa band and an 80-kDa band which could be a subunit of the enzyme. Polymerization activity is inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide, ethidium bromide, and dideoxycytosine triphosphate and is relatively resistant to aphidicolin. Poly(dA).(dT)10 and gapped double-stranded DNA are preferred templates. The purified enzyme contains no exonuclease activity and can initiate DNA replication in a supercoiled plasmid DNA template containing the chloroplast DNA replication origin.     

Archaeal DNA replication: identifying the pieces to solve a puzzle.

Archaeal organisms are currently recognized as very exciting and useful experimental materials. A major challenge to molecular biologists studying the biology of Archaea is their DNA replication mechanism. Undoubtedly, a full understanding of DNA replication in Archaea requires the identification of all the proteins involved. In each of four completely sequenced genomes, only one DNA polymerase (Pol BI proposed in this review from family B enzyme) was reported. This observation suggested that either a single DNA polymerase performs the task of replicating the genome and repairing the mutations or these genomes contain other DNA polymerases that cannot be identified by amino acid sequence. Recently, a heterodimeric DNA polymerase (Pol II, or Pol D as proposed in this review) was discovered in the hyperthermophilic archaeon, Pyrococcus furiosus. The genes coding for DP1 and DP2, the subunits of this DNA polymerase, are highly conserved in the Euryarchaeota. Euryarchaeotic DP1, the small subunit of Pol II (Pol D), has sequence similarity with the small subunit of eukaryotic DNA polymerase delta. DP2 protein, the large subunit of Pol II (Pol D), seems to be a catalytic subunit. Despite possessing an excellent primer extension ability in vitro, Pol II (Pol D) may yet require accessory proteins to perform all of its functions in euryarchaeotic cells. This review summarizes our present knowledge about archaeal DNA polymerases and their relationship with those accessory proteins, which were predicted from the genome sequences.