Mammalian DNA polymerase alpha: a replication-competent holoenzyme form from calf thymus

Calf thymus DNA polymerase alpha, like the replication-specific DNA polymerase III holoenzyme of Escherichia coli, can be isolated as a distinct complex. A specific multiprotein form of the polymerase alpha, a form designated replication-competent (RC) holoenzyme, consists of a complex of a polymerase-primase core and at least six other polypeptides. The RC holoenzyme can efficiently replicate several naturally occurring templates, including the genomic DNA of the porcine circovirus (PCV). The DNA of this virion consists of a single-stranded circle with a defined replication origin, and its replication requires the cellular DNA replication machinery. It might therefore provide an invaluable opportunity to investigate chromosomal replication mechanisms, analogous to the way that studies on E. coli bacteriophage DNA replication elucidated host DNA replication mechanisms. Calf RC holoenzyme alpha selectively initiates PCV DNA replication in vitro at a site that possibly represents a consensus sequence of cellular DNA replication origins. The cell-free PCV replication system will be exploited for the in vitro dissection and reconstitution of the RC holoenzyme and the functional analysis of its component polypeptides.     

The primase activity of DNA polymerase alpha from calf thymus

The nearly homogeneous 9 S DNA polymerase alpha from calf thymus contains a primase activity that allows priming of DNA synthesis on single-stranded templates in the presence of ribonucleoside triphosphates. Both on synthetic and natural single-stranded templates, RNA primers of 8-15 nucleotides in length are formed. In the absence of dNTPs, primers of some hundred nucleotides in length are observable. ATP and/or GTP are required for the priming reaction. UTP and CTP cannot initiate the RNA synthesis. M13 single-stranded DNA can be converted to the nicked double helical form upon primase-primed replication by the 9 S enzyme. Priming occurs mostly at specific sites on the M13 genome and replication products of up to 6000 nucleotides in length are formed. In the presence of the single-stranded DNA binding protein from Escherichia coli, specificity of priming is strongly increased. The primase is inhibited by salt and actinomycin; it is insensitive to alpha-amanitin and N-ethylmaleimide. Due to the strong complex formation between DNA polymerase and primase, it has not been possible to separate the two activities of the multisubunit 9 S enzyme.     

Purification and partial characterization of a DNA polymerase alpha species from calf thymus.

We have purified a DNA polymerase alpha species from calf thymus to near homogeneity. The enzyme sediments at 5.7 S and contains two polypeptides of 123000 and 134000 daltons in about equimolar ratio. The enzyme is inhibited by aphidicolin and N-ethylmaleimide, and retains its activity in buffers containing moderate salt conditions. Activated DNA is a better substrate than poly-(dA) . (dT) 10.     

DNA primase associated with 10 S DNA polymerase alpha from calf thymus

Among multiple subspecies of DNA polymerase alpha of calf thymus, only 10 S DNA polymerase alpha had a capacity to initiate DNA synthesis on an unprimed single-stranded, circular M13 phage DNA in the presence of ribonucleoside triphosphates (DNA primase activity). The primase was copurified with 10 S DNA polymerase alpha through the purification and both activities cosedimented at 10 S through gradients of either sucrose or glycerol. Furthermore, these two activities were immunoprecipitated at a similar efficiency by a monoclonal antibody directed against calf thymus DNA polymerase alpha. These results indicate that the primase is tightly bound to 10 S DNA polymerase alpha. The RNA polymerizing activity was resistant to alpha-amanitin, required high concentration of all four ribonucleoside triphosphates (800 microM) for its maximal activity, and produced the limited length of oligonucleotides (around 10 nucleotides long) which were necessary to serve as a primer for DNA synthesis. Covalent bonding to RNA to DNA was strongly suggested by the nearest neighbour frequency analysis and the DNAase treatment. The DNA synthesis primed by the RNA oligomers may be carried out by the associating DNA polymerase alpha because it was strongly inhibited by araCTP, resistant to d2TTP, and was also inhibited by aphidicolin but at relatively high concentration. The primase preferred single-stranded DNA as a template, but it also showed an activity on the double-stranded DNA from calf thymus at an efficiency of approx. 10% of that with single-stranded DNA.     

Apparent stimulation of calf thymus DNA polymerase alpha by ATP.

The mechanism by which millimolar concentrations of ATP stimulate the activity and increase the processivity of calf thymus DNA polymerase alpha has been investigated with poly(dA)/oligo(dT) as template/primer to eliminate possible effects due to primer synthesis. The effect of ATP on the rate of DNA synthesis with this template/primer was found to be dependent upon whether or not the ATP was neutralized and the species of buffer used in the reaction. The present studies suggest that ATP stimulation of calf thymus DNA polymerase can be attributed to changes in the pH of the reaction mixture, a shift in the magnesium ion optimum, or both. Furthermore, effects of ATP on the processivity of DNA polymerase alpha could be mimicked by lowering the pH of the reaction mixture.     

The elongation of mismatched primers by DNA polymerase alpha from calf thymus

The ability of the 9S and 5.7S DNA polymerase alpha subspecies from calf thymus in elongating a mismatched primer terminus has been investigated. With poly(dA) as template, the elongation rate for (dT)8dG, (dT)8dC and (dT)10dGdT is 20-fold lower for the 9S enzyme and 5-fold lower for the 5.7S enzyme as compared to (dT)10. The presence of a second mismatch at the primer terminus reduces the elongation rate further by a factor of two. Exonucleolytic excision of the mismatches can be excluded. With (dT)8dG (dT)n as primer we show, that at least five T-residues have to follow the mismatch in order to establish the elongation rate of a perfectly paired primer. The KM value for (dT)10 dG as primer is 400 nM as compared to 10 nM for (dT)10. Addition of Mn2+ increases the relative efficiency of elongation of the mismatched primers.     

Synthetic RNA-dependent DNA polymerase from calf thymus

A RNA dependent-DNA polymerase was purified about 450-fold from the soluble fraction of calf thymus. This enzyme was able to copy the polyribonucleic acid strand of synthetic ribonucleic acid primed with complementary oligodeoxynucleotides, i.e., poly(rA)·(dT)₁₀. This enzyme activity was separated from the DNA-dependent DNA polymerases by both DEAE-cellulose columm chromatography and glycerol gradient centrifugation. Some properties of this enzyme were described.     

Duplication of single stranded DNA catalyzed by calf thymus DNA polymerase alpha.

Purified calf thymus DNA polymerase alpha is inactive with native DNA as template and shows little activity with denatured DNA. DNA synthesis with denatured DNA as template is greatly stimulated by the addition of a nuclease which initially copurifies with DNA polymerase but is separated from the polymerase on DEAE-cellulose chromatography. A limit digest of nuclease treated native DNA which is then denatured is replicated 80-95%; extensive replication is also obtained with native DNA partially degraded by pancreatic DNase and then denatured. The product of the reaction with calf thymus nuclease-treated DNA as template is double-stranded DNA with a hairpin (looped back) structure.     

Interactions of calf thymus DNA polymerase alpha with primer/templates.

The interactions of calf thymus DNA polymerase alpha (pol alpha) with primer/templates were examined. Simply changing the primer from DNA to RNA had little effect on primer/template binding or dNTP polymerization (Km, Vmax and processivity). Surprisingly, however, adding a 5'-triphosphate to the primer greatly changed its interactions with pol alpha (binding, Vmax and Km and processivity). While changing the primer from DNA to RNA greatly altered the abilit of pol alpha to discriminate against nucleotide analogs, it did not compromise the ability of pol alpha to discriminate against non-cognate dNTPs. Thus the nature of the primer appears to affect 'sugar fidelity', without altering 'base fidelity'. DNase protection assays showed that pol alpha strongly protected 9 nt of the primer strand, 13 nt of the duplex template strand and 14 nt of the single-stranded template from hydrolysis by DNase I and weakly protected several bases outside this core region. This large DNA binding domain may account for the ability of a 5'-triphosphate on RNA primers to alter the catalytic properties of pol alpha.     

Selective inhibition of DNA primase activity associated with DNA polymerase alpha from calf thymus

The photo-activatable analogs of ATP, 3'-O-(4-benzoyl) benzoic adenosine 5'-triphosphate (BzATP) and 8-azidoadenosine 5'-triphosphate (8-N3-ATP) were used to study the relationship between the polymerase activity and the closely associated primase activity of calf DNA polymerase alpha. A substantial loss of DNA primase activity occurred during pre-incubation and irradiation of DNA polymerase alpha with either BzATP or 8-N3-ATP. In contrast, polymerase activity was only slightly affected. In reactions carried out after pre-incubation with BzATP or 8-N3-ATP in the absence of UV illumination, inhibition was still observed, but it could be reversed by ATP. The specificity of the inhibition for primase activity, plus the ability of ATP to act as a antagonist of BzATP and 8-N3-ATP, suggest that effective interaction of these analogs with the multisubunit polymerase-primase complex is occurring uniquely at the active site of the DNA primase.     

Subspecies of DNA polymerase alpha from calf thymus with different fidelity in copying synthetic template-primers.

Three different subspecies of DNA polymerase alpha from calf thymus sedimenting at 9 S, 7 S and 5.7 S have been investigated with respect to their accuracy of in vitro DNA synthesis on poly (dA) (dT)16 and poly d(AT) as template-primers. Our results indicate that the structure of DNA polymerase alpha has a strong influence on the accuracy of DNA synthesis. The 9 S enzyme shows a misincorporation frequency of about 1:100 000. An error rate of 1:15 000 is measured for the 7 S species. The 5.7 S enzyme for which an error rate of 1:3 000 is determined, has to be considered as error prone. Lowering the rate of DNA synthesis leads to a decrease in fidelity. The single stranded DNA binding protein from E.coli increases the accuracy of the 5.7 S and the 7 S enzyme by a factor of two. Mn2+ decreases the fidelity of all three subspecies in a concentration dependent manner.     

DNA polymerase lambda from calf thymus preferentially replicates damaged DNA

A new gene (POLL), has been identified encoding the novel DNA polymerase lambda and mapped to mouse chromosome 19 and at human chromosome 10. DNA polymerase lambda contains all the critical residues involved in DNA binding, nucleotide binding, nucleotide selection, and catalysis of DNA polymerization and has been assigned to family X based on sequence homology with polymerase beta, lambda, mu, and terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase. Here we describe a purification of DNA polymerase lambda from calf thymus that preferentially can replicate damaged DNA. By testing polymerase activity on non-damaged and damaged DNA, DNA polymerase lambda was purified trough five chromatographic steps to near homogeneity and identified as a 67-kDa polypeptide that cross-reacted with monoclonal antibodies against DNA polymerase beta and polyclonal antibodies against DNA polymerase lambda. DNA polymerase lambda had no detectable nuclease activities and, in contrast to DNA polymerase beta, was aphidicolin-sensitive. DNA polymerase lambda was a 6-fold more accurate enzyme in an M13mp2 forward mutation assay and 5-fold more accurate in an M13mp2T90 reversion system than human recombinant DNA polymerase beta. The biochemical properties of the calf thymus DNA polymerase lambda, described here for the first time, are discussed in relationship to the proposed role for this DNA polymerase in vivo.     

Proteolytic conversion of rat thymus DNA polymerase alpha to a more active form.

The relationship between two DNA polymerase alpha species from mammalian tissues has been resolved with the isolation of a protease from rat thymus which converts the larger alpha polymerase (7.3S) to a smaller (5.4S) size. The proteolytic activity is present only in the chromatin fraction and the limited proteolysis is accompanied by an increase in activity of the DNA polymerase, possibly consistent with a biological control function for this phenomenon.     

Further studies on partially purified calf thymus DNA polymerase a.

Attempts to prevent the urea conversion of a 200-230,000 molecular weight DNA polymerase alpha to a 150-170,000 molecular weight form by the inclusion of protease inhibitors have not been successful. No other method has been found capable of dissociating a 50-70,000 fragment or subunit from the DNA polymerase subunit. Addition of this 50-70,000 subunit to the polymerase subunit does not aid the binding of the enzyme to DNA, but does have an effect on the utilisation of synthetic template-initiator complexes by the polymerase subunit.     

Processivity of the DNA polymerase alpha-primase complex from calf thymus

The processivity of the DNA polymerase alpha-primase complex from calf thymus was analyzed under various conditions. When multi-RNA-primed M13 DNA was used as the substrate, the DNA polymerase alpha-primase complex was found to incorporate 19 +/- 3 nucleotides per primer binding event. This result was confirmed by product analysis on sequencing gels following DNA synthesis on poly(dT) X (rA)10. The processivity depends strongly on the assay conditions but does not correlate with enzymic activity. Lowering the concentration of Mg2+ ions to less than 2 mM increases the processivity to 60. Replacing Mg2+ by 0.2 mM Mn2+ results in 90 nucleotides being incorporated per primer binding event. Neither the presence of ATP nor the addition of noncognate deoxynucleotide triphosphates affects the processivity of the DNA polymerase alpha-primase complex. Lower processivity was induced by lowering the reaction temperature, by adding spermine, spermidine, or putrescine, in the presence of the antibiotics novobiocin and ciprofloxacin, by adding Escherichia coli single-stranded DNA binding protein, or by adding calf thymus topoisomerase II and RNase H. Three single-stranded DNA binding proteins from calf thymus, including unwinding protein 1, do not affect processivity to any significant extent. Freshly prepared DNA polymerase alpha-primase complex exhibits in addition to its processivity of 20 further discrete processivities of about 55, 90, and 105. This result suggest that further subunits of the polymerase alpha-primase complex are necessary to reconstitute the holoenzyme form of the eukaryotic replicase.     

Structural relationships between two forms of DNA polymerase epsilon from calf thymus.

We previously reported purification of two forms of DNA polymerase epsilon from calf thymus (Crute, J. J., Wahl, A. F., and Bambara, R. A. (1986) Biochemistry 25, 26-36). We have now used the "polymerase trap" photolabeling method to identify the polypeptides containing the polymerase active site in each enzyme preparation. The molecular mass of these polypeptides are 210 and 145 kDa for the polymerases now designated epsilon and epsilon*, respectively. Renaturation of polymerase activity from denaturing gel electrophoresis corroborates the polymerase trap results. Photolabeling of polymerase fractions suggests that the smaller subunit is derived by proteolysis of the larger subunit during purification. Native sedimentation coefficient measurements of polymerase-containing column fractions further suggest a precursor/product relationship between the two polymerases. Response of polymerization activity to a battery of inhibitors normally used to distinguish mammalian nuclear DNA polymerases was found to be essentially identical for polymerases epsilon, epsilon*, and the epsilon* generated in fractions initially containing epsilon. These latter results demonstrate that the loss of the protease-sensitive domain of the active site subunit does not affect catalytic function as measured in a standard DNA polymerase assay. The sole apparent functional difference observed here between the epsilon and epsilon* forms is evidence that only the full-length epsilon form can be directly photocrosslinked to dATP, independent of DNA synthesis. Photolabeling of the post-microsomal supernatant fraction from thymus glands obtained from fetal calves reveals the presence of both the epsilon and epsilon* polypeptide.     

Cloning and expression of a cDNA encoding a catalytically active fragment of calf thymus DNA polymerase alpha

A calf thymus cDNA expression library was constructed in the EcoRI site of lambda gt11 and probed with an antibody raised against calf thymus DNA polymerase alpha. Three classes of antibody-reactive clones were isolated. The largest class carried a 1.9 kilobase calf cDNA insert and expressed a 165-175 kilodalton beta-galactosidase:calf fusion protein which displayed DNA polymerase activity. The characteristic responses of the polymerase activity to alpha-specific inhibitors and antibodies identified the 1.9 kilobase cDNA as a sequence specifically derived from the structural gene encoding the pol alpha catalytic core.