A cellular single-stranded DNA-dependent ATPase associated with simian virus 40 chromatin

A single-stranded DNA-dependent ATPase from monkey kidney tissue culture cells (CV-1) has been found associated with SV40 chromatin. This ATPase activity is distinguishable from the ATPase activity of T-antigen by the following properties: the Km for ATP, elution from phosphocellulose, and stimulation of the ATPase activity by single-stranded DNA but not by double-stranded DNA. The ATPase has been isolated and characterized from the nuclei of uninfected cells. ATP hydrolysis is dependent on single-stranded DNA and a divalent cation. The km values for ATP and single-stranded DNA are 0.024 mM and 0.09 microgram/ml, respectively. The affinity of the ATPase for single-stranded DNA is sufficiently high that the enzyme co-sediments with single-stranded DNA in glycerol gradients. The binding of single-stranded DNA is independent of ATP and MgCl2; however, ATP hydrolysis increases the exchange of enzyme between different DNA molecules. Form I (superhelical) SV40 DNA is also a substrate for ATPase binding, but relaxed Form I, Form II (nicked circular), and double-stranded linear SV40 DNAs are not substrates. Because the DNA helix within chromatin is not under the same kind of tortional strain as Form I DNA, we hypothesize that the ATPase is bound to the single-stranded regions of replication forks in the SV40 chromatin.     

Purification and characterization of a deoxyribonucleic acid dependent adenosinetriphosphatase from mouse FM3A cells: effects of ribonucleoside triphosphates on the interaction of the enzyme with single-stranded DNA

There are at least four forms of DNA-dependent ATPase in mouse FM3A cells [Tawaragi, Y., Enomoto, T., Watanabe, Y., Hanaoka, F., & Yamada, M. (1984) Biochemistry 23, 529-533]. One of these, ATPase B, has been purified and characterized in detail. During the purification of the enzyme, we encountered the difficulties that the enzyme could not be recovered well from the single-stranded DNA-cellulose column and that the enzyme activity was distributed very broadly. The problems were resolved by the addition of ATP in the elution buffer. The ATPase has a sedimentation coefficient of 5.5 S in both high salt and low salt. The enzyme hydrolyzes rNTPs and dATP, but ATP and dATP are preferred substrates. Adenosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (ATP-gamma-S), 5'-adenylyl methylenediphosphate (AMP-PCP), and 5'-adenylyl imidodiphosphate (AMP-PNP) inhibit the enzyme activity. The enzyme is insensitive to ouabain, oligomycin, novobiocin, and ethidium bromide. A divalent cation (Mg2+ congruent to Mn2+ greater than Ca2+) as well as a nucleic acid cofactor is required for activity. Poly(dT), single-stranded circular DNA, and heat-denatured DNA were very effective. Native DNA was little effective with an efficiency of 29% of that obtained with heat-denatured DNA. In addition, the enzyme showed almost no activity with poly(dA).poly(dT) although it showed very high activity with the noncomplementary combination of poly(dT) and poly(dC), suggesting that ATPase B requires single-stranded DNA for activity. ATP altered the affinity of ATPase B for single-stranded DNA. The interaction of the enzyme with DNA was studied by Sephadex G-200 gel filtration assay.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Characterization of the ATPase activity of the Escherichia coli RecG protein reveals that the preferred cofactor is negatively supercoiled DNA

RecG is a member of the superfamily 2 helicase family. Its possible role in vivo is ATP hydrolysis driven regression of stalled replication forks. To gain mechanistic insight into how this is achieved, a coupled spectrophotometric assay was utilized to characterize the ATPase activity of RecG in vitro. The results demonstrate an overwhelming preference for negatively supercoiled DNA ((-)scDNA) as a cofactor for the hydrolysis of ATP. In the presence of (-)scDNA the catalytic efficiency of RecG and the processivity (as revealed through heparin trapping), were higher than on any other cofactor examined. The activity of RecG on (-)scDNA was not due to the presence of single-stranded regions functioning as loading sites for the enzyme as relaxed circular DNA treated with DNA gyrase, resulted in the highest levels of ATPase activity. Relaxation of (-)scDNA by a topoisomerase resulted in a 12-fold decrease in ATPase activity, comparable to that observed on both linear double-stranded (ds)DNA and (+)scDNA. In addition to the elevated activity in the presence of (-)scDNA, RecG also has high activity on model 4Y-substrates (i.e. chicken foot structures). This is due largely to the high apparent affinity of the enzyme for this DNA substrate, which is 46-fold higher than a 2Y-substrate (i.e. a three-way with two single-stranded (ss)DNA arms). Finally, the enzyme exhibited significant, but lower activity on ssDNA. This activity was enhanced by the Escherichia coli stranded DNA-binding protein (SSB) protein, which occurs through stabilizing of the binding of RecG to ssDNA. Stabilization is not afforded by the bacteriophage gene 32 protein, indicating a species specific, protein-protein interaction is involved. These results combine to provide significant insight into the manner and timing of the interaction of RecG with DNA at stalled replication forks.     

DNA unwinding enzyme II of Escherichia coli. 2. Characterization of the DNA unwinding activity.

The DNA-stimulated 75000-Mr ATPase described in the preceding paper is shown to be a further catalytic DNA unwinding principle (DNA unwinding enzyme II) made in Escherichia coli cells (the first being the 180000-Mr ATPase of the cells: DNA unwinding enzyme I). Unwinding depends strictly, on the supply of ATP. It occurs only under conditions permitting ATP dephosphorylation and it proceeds as long as enzyme molecules are permitted to enter the enzyme - DNA complex. The enzyme binds specifically to single-stranded DNA yielding a complex of only limited stability. These results are interpreted in terms of a distributive mode of action of the enzyme. It is argued that chain separation starts near a single-stranded DNA region and that, forced by continued adsorption of enzyme molecules to the DNA, it develops along the duplex. This mechanism is different from that deduced previously for DNA unwinding enzyme I. Complicated results were obtained using ATPase prepared from rep3 mutant cells.     

Enzymic unwinding of DNA. 2. Chain separation by an ATP-dependent DNA unwinding enzyme.

The DNA-stimulated ATPase characterized in the accompanying paper is shown to be a DNA unwinding enzyme. Substrates employed were DNA, RNA hybrid duplexes and DNA-DNA partial duplexes prepared by polymerization on fd phage single-stranded DNA template. The enzyme was found to denature these duplexes in an ATP-dependent reaction, without detectably degrading. EDTA, an inhibitor of the Mg2+-requiring ATPase, was found to prevent denaturation suggesting that dephosphorylation of the ATP and not only its presence is required. These results together with those from enzyme-DNA binding studies lead to ideas regarding the mode of enzymic action. It is proposed that the enzyme binds, in an initial step, to a single-stranded part of the DNA substrate molecule and that from here, energetically supported by ATP dephosphorylation, it invades double-stranded parts separating base-paired strands by processive, zipper-like action. It is further proposed that chain separation results from the combined action of several enzyme molecules and that a tendency of the enzyme to aggregate with itself reflects a tendency of the molecules to cooperate. Various functions are conceivable for the enzyme.     

The complex of T4 bacteriophage gene 44 and 62 replication proteins forms an ATPase that is stimulated by DNA and by T4 gene 45 protein

The bacteriophage T4 genome is believed to encode all of the proteins needed for the replication of its own DNA. Included among these proteins are the "polymerase accessory proteins", the products of T4 genes 44, 62 and 45. The first two of these genes specify the synthesis of the 44/62 protein complex, which is here shown to be a DNA-dependent ATPase, hydrolyzing either ATP or dATP to the corresponding nucleoside diphosphate and releasing inorganic phosphate. This nucleotide hydrolysis is greatly stimulated by addition of the gene 45 protein and by single-stranded DNA termini. A rapid micro DNA-cellulose assay is introduced and used to measure accessory protein binding to the complex of T4 gene 32 protein and single-stranded DNA. In the presence of ATP, the 44/62 protein binds to this complex but not to naked DNA, while the 45 protein requires both the 32 protein and the 44/62 protein for detectable binding.     

Translocation of Escherichia coli recA protein from a single-stranded tail to contiguous duplex DNA

Duplex DNA with a contiguous single-stranded tail was nearly as effective as single-stranded DNA in acting as a cofactor for the ATPase activity of recA protein at neutral pH and concentrations of MgCl2 that support homologous pairing. The ATP hydrolysis reached a steady state rate that was proportional to the length of the duplex DNA attached to a short 5' single-stranded tail after a lag. Separation of the single-stranded tail from most of the duplex portion of the molecule by restriction enzyme cleavage led to a gradual decline in ATP hydrolysis. Measurement of the rate of hydrolysis as a function of DNA concentration for both tailed duplex DNA and single-stranded DNA cofactors indicated that the binding site size of recA protein on a duplex DNA lattice, about 4 base pairs, is similar to that on a single-stranded DNA lattice, about four nucleotides. The length of the lag phase preceding steady state hydrolysis depended on the DNA concentration, length of the duplex region, and the polarity of the single-stranded tail, but was comparatively independent of tail length for tails over 70 nucleotides in length. The lag was 5-10 times longer for 3' than for 5' single-stranded tailed duplex DNA molecules, whereas the steady state rates of hydrolysis were lower. These observations show that, after nucleation of a recA protein complex on the single-stranded tail, the protein samples the entire duplex region via an interaction that is labile and not strongly polarized.     

HIV-1 integrase blocks infection of bacteria by single-stranded DNA and RNA bacteriophages

Expression of human immunodeficiency virus-1 integrase in Escherichia coli, at levels that had no effect on bacterial cell growth, blocked plaque formation by bacteriophages having single-stranded genomic DNA (M13) or RNA (R17, Q, PRR1). Plaque formation by phages having double-stranded genomic DNA (T4, PR4) was unaffected. Integrase also inhibited infection by the phagemid M13KO7, but it had no effect on production of phage once infection by M13KO7 was established. This result indicated that integrase affects an early stage in infection. Integrase also inhibited phage production following transfection by either single-stranded or double-stranded (replicative form) M13 DNA, it blocked M13 DNA replication, as assayed by incorporation of radioactive nucleotides into DNA, and it failed to affect bacterial pilus function. These data suggest that integrase interacts in vivo with phage nucleic acid, a conclusion supported by studies in which integrase was shown to have a DNA-binding activity in its C-terminal portion. This portion of integrase was both necessary and sufficient for interference of plaque formation by M13 in the present study. Expression of the N-terminal portion of integrase at the same level as intact integrase had little effect on phage growth, indicating that expression of foreign protein in general was not responsible for the inhibitory effect. The simple bacteriophage assay described is potentially useful for identifying integrase mutants that lack single-stranded DNA binding activity.     

Enzymic unwinding of DNA. 1. Purification and characterization of a DNA-dependent ATPase from Escherichia coli.

Evidence from various sources in the literature suggests that, in connection with DNA, ATP dephosphorylation can be used to provide energy for mechanical effects. Starting from this concept we have studied a novel DNA-dependent ATPase purified to 90% homogeneity from Escherichia coli. The enzyme has a peptide weight near 180 000 and, in high salt, is a monomeric, probably highly anisometric molecule. In salt-free buffer, where the ATPase activity is highest, the enzyme forms aggregates. ATP is the preferred substrate (Km 0.27 mM) and dephosphorylated at the gamma-position at a maximal rate near 10(4) molecules per enzyme monomer per min at 35 degrees C. A requirement for divalent cation is best satisfied by Mg2+ or Ca2+ and the requirement for DNA best by the single-stranded, circular DNA of phages phiX174 (Km 62 nM nucleotide) and fd indicating that the enzyme recognizes internal DNA regions. When saturated with E. coli DNA unwinding protein phiX DNA is not accepted but, once in contact with the DNA, the enzyme is little inhibited by unwinding protein. Apparently the unwinding protein interferes preferentially with the recognition of DNA. The enzyme does not detectably cleave DNA, and for this and genetic reasons is not identical with the recBC ATPase or the K12 restriction ATPase of the extracted cells. The enzyme is probably not identical either with the dnaB-product-associated ATPase or the ATPase activity found in DNA polymerase III holoenzyme under appropriate conditions, and it is certainly not identical with a DNA-dependent ATPase of molecular weight 69 000 from E. coli which has recently been purified. Attempts to ascribe the enzyme to other genes, including recA, lex and rep, have failed.     

Structural and enzymological characterization of a deoxyribonucleic acid dependent adenosine triphosphatase from KB cell nuclei

We have purified to near homogeneity the single DNA-dependent ATPase activity that we have identified in extracts of KB cell nuclei. The protein structure of the enzyme was defined by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis, which revealed a single protein band of 75000 daltons that was coincident with the profile of ATPase activity resolved by the final step of agarose-ATP chromatography or by isoelectric focusing. The enzyme has a pI of 8.5, a Stokes' radius by gel filtration of 3.8 nm, and a sedimentation coefficient in high salt of 5.3 S. At low ionic strength the enzyme activity sediments at 7.0 S, suggesting that it may dimerize under these conditions. The purified enzyme has a specific activity of 5.9 X 10(5) nmol of ATP hydrolyzed per h per mg of protein and is devoid of endonuclease, exonuclease, RNA or DNA polymerase, nicking-closing, and gyrase activities at exclusion limits of 10(-6)-10(-8) of the ATPase activity. The enzyme can hydrolyze only ATP or dATP, to generate ADP or dADP plus Pi, but the other NTPs and dNTPs are competitive inhibitors of the enzyme with respect to ATP. A divalent cation (Mg2+ greater than Mn2+ greater than Ca2+) as well as a nucleic acid cofactor is required for activity. Single-stranded DNA or deoxyhomopolymers are most effective, but blunt-ended linear and nicked circular duplex DNA molecules are also used at Vmax values approximately 20% of that obtained with single-stranded DNA. Intact duplex DNA and polyribonucleotides are unable to support ATP hydrolysis. Velocity gradient sedimentation studies corroborate the interpretations of the kinetic analyses and demonstrate enzyme binding to single-stranded DNA and nicked duplex DNA but not to intact duplex DNA. Although we have not succeeded directly in demonstrating DNA unwinding by this protein, preliminary results suggest that in the presence of ATP, the ATPase can stimulate the reactivity of homogeneous human DNA polymerases alpha and beta on nicked duplex DNA substrates.     

Inhibition of primase, the dnaG protein of Escherichia coli by 2'-deoxy-2'-azidocytidine triphosphate.

2'-Deoxy-2'-azidocytidine-5'-triphosphate was investigated as an inhibitor in two reconstructed enzyme systems which catalyze the replication of two viral DNAs. During replication of the duplex replicative form of phiX174 DNA, DNA polymerase III holoenzyme was weakly inhibited and inhibition was reversed by dCTP. A more pronounced inhibition, not reversed by either dCTP or CTP, was observed during replication of the single-stranded DNA of the bacteriophage G4, a close relative of phiX174. This effect depended on the incorporation of 2'-deoxy-2'-azidocytidine-5'-triphosphate by primase (dnaG protein) which synthesizes a 29-residue RNA primer at the unique origin of bacteriophage G4 DNA replication. Extension of the primer strand, terminated by 2'-deoxy-2'-azidocytidine-5'-triphosphate is then severely inhibited. Primase was also inhibited by the 2'-deoxy-2'-azido derivatives of ATP, GTP, and UTP.     

The mechanism of homologous DNA strand exchange catalyzed by the bacteriophage T4 uvsX and gene 32 proteins

A strand exchange reaction between a single-stranded DNA circle and a homologous linear double-stranded DNA molecule is catalyzed by a mixture of two T4 bacteriophage proteins, the uvsX protein (a DNA-dependent ATPase that resembles the recA protein) and the gene 32 protein (a helix-destabilizing protein). The products are different from those formed in the corresponding recA protein-catalyzed reaction; rather than producing a linear single strand plus a nicked circular double-stranded (form II) DNA molecule as the final products, interlinked DNA networks are rapidly generated. Electron microscopy reveals that these networks form from multiple pairing reactions that involve the recombination intermediates. Since the uvsX protein is present in substoichiometric quantities, it presumably recycles to catalyze these successive pairing events. Recycling of the uvsX protein has been more directly examined in an assay that monitors the rate of uvsX protein-catalyzed branch migration. The branch migration reaction is rapidly inhibited by dilution of the uvsX protein or by the addition of a heterologous competitor DNA, showing that the uvsX protein-DNA filaments that catalyze strand exchange are dynamic structures. The evidence suggests that individual uvsX protein monomers are continuously entering and leaving the cooperatively formed filament in a cycle that is strongly affected by their ATP hydrolysis.     

ATP utilization by rep protein in the catalytic separation of DNA strands at a replicating fork.

Hydrolysis of ATP by rep protein proceeds in the presence of a single-stranded region of DNA 4 residues long, but the true effector for rep ATPase appears to be a replicating fork rather than a random coil. At or near a fork in duplex DNA, rep ATPase action is different from what it is on DNA lacking secondary structure (single-stranded): (i) Km for ATP is lower, (ii) specificity is for ATP and dATP with no action on other nucleoside triphosphates, (iii) sensitivity to certain ATP analogs is reduced, (iv) presence of a DNA-nicking enzyme (e.g. cistron A protein induced by phiX174) is required, and (v) Escherichia coli DNA binding protein facilitates rather than inhibits. During the separation of strands accompanying replication, 2 molecules of nucleoside triphosphate (ATP or dATP) are hydrolyzed for every nucleotide polymerized. Utilization of ATP by rep protein may provide energy for catalytic strand separation at a fork in advance of replication.     

Intrinsic DNA-dependent ATPase activity of reverse gyrase

Reverse gyrase is a type I DNA topoisomerase that promotes positive supercoiling of closed-circular double-stranded DNA through an ATP-dependent reaction, and it was purified from an archaebacterium, Sulfolobus. When ATP is replaced by UTP, GTP, or CTP, this enzyme just relaxes the negatively supercoiled closed-circular double-stranded DNA. We found that reverse gyrase hydrolyzes ATP through a double-stranded DNA-dependent reaction. The superhelicity of the DNA did not affect the ATPase activity. However, reverse gyrase does not hydrolyze UTP, GTP, or CTP. Therefore, any of the four nucleotide 5'-triphosphates acts as an effector for the topoisomerase activity of reverse gyrase, but only ATP supports the positive supercoiling of closed-circular double-stranded DNA, through the energy released on its hydrolysis. Single-stranded DNA was a much more potent cofactor for the ATPase activity of the enzyme than double-stranded DNA, and it acted as a potent inhibitor for the topoisomerase activity on double-stranded DNA. These results indicate that reverse gyrase has higher affinity to single-stranded DNA than to double-stranded DNA, which suggests a cellular function of the enzyme.     

A DNA dependent ATPase from HeLa cells

The purification and the properties of the major DNA dependent ATPase from HeLa cells are described. This enzyme is present in the nucleus and in the cytoplasm in approximately equal amounts. It has a Mr of about 110000 dalton and it hydrolyzes ATP (and dATP) to ADP+Pi only in the presence of single-stranded DNA. The enzyme shows an ATP dependent unwinding activity on DNA duplex, with a 3′ to 5′ polarity of the unwound strand. Under certain conditions the enzyme is able to stimulate the activity of DNA polymeraseα on appropriate DNA templates. Such stimulation is synergistic with that exerted by a DNA binding protein from calf thymus.     

Mammalian DNA helicase.

A forked DNA was constructed to serve as a substrate for DNA helicases. It contains features closely resembling a natural replication fork. The DNA was prepared in large amounts and was used to assay displacement activity during isolation from calf thymus DNA polymerases alpha holoenzyme. One form of DNA polymerase alpha holoenzyme is possibly involved leading strand replication at the replication fork and possesses DNA dependent ATPase activity (Ottiger, H.-P. and Hübscher, U. (1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81, 3993-3997). The enzyme can be separated from DNA polymerase alpha by velocity sedimentation in conditions of very low ionic strength and then be purified by chromatography on Sephacryl S-200 and ATP-agarose. At all stages of purification, DNA dependent ATPase and displacement activity profiles were virtually superimposable. The DNA dependent ATPase can displace a hybridized DNA fragment with a short single-stranded tail at its 3'hydroxyl end only in the presence of ATP, and this displacement relies on ATP hydrolysis. Furthermore, homogeneous single-stranded binding proteins from calf thymus as well as from other tissues cannot perform this displacement reaction. By all this token the DNA dependent ATPase appears to be a DNA helicase. It is suggested that this DNA helicase might act in concert with DNA polymerase alpha at the leading strand, possibly pushing the replication fork ahead of the polymerase.     

DNA helicase from calf thymus. Purification to apparent homogeneity and biochemical characterization of the enzyme

We have purified a DNA helicase from calf thymus to apparent homogeneity by monitoring the activity with a strand displacement assay. DNA helicase followed the DNA polymerase alpha-primase complex through chromatography on phosphocellulose and hydroxylapatite. Separation from DNA polymerase alpha-primase complex as well as from the bulk of another DNA-dependent ATPase was achieved on heparin-Sepharose. Further purification steps included ATP-agarose and fast protein liquid chromatography-Mono S. A 47-kDa polypeptide cosedimented with the DNA helicase activity in a glycerol gradient as well as in gel filtration on Superose 6. The calf thymus DNA helicase had a sedimentation coefficient of 4-7 S and Stokes radius of about 45 A suggesting that the enzyme might be monomer in its functional form. DNA helicase activity requires a divalent cation with Mg2+ being more efficient than Mn2+ or Ca2+. Hydrolysis of ATP is required since the two nonhydrolyzable ATP analogs adenosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) and adenylyl (beta, gamma-methylene)diphosphonate cannot substitute for ATP or dATP in the displacement reaction. Calf thymus DNA helicase is able to use ATP, dATP, dideoxy-ATP, CTP, and dCTP with Km for ATP and dATP of 0.2 and 0.25 mM, respectively. The enzyme can displace a fragment of 24 bases completely in an enzyme concentration- and time-dependent manner. The DNA helicase appears to bind to single-stranded DNA and to move to single-strand double-strand transition. The directionality of unwinding is 3'----5' with respect to the single-stranded DNA to which the enzyme is bound.     

The role of gene A protein and E. coli rep protein in the replication of phi X 174 replicative form DNA

The gene A protein of bacteriophage phi X 174 initiates replication of super-twisted RFI DNA by cleaving the viral (+) strand at the origin of replication and binding to the 5' end. Upon addition of E. coli rep protein (single-stranded DNA dependent ATPase), E. coli single-stranded DNA binding protein and ATP, complete unwinding of the two strands occurs. Electron microscopic analyses of intermediates in the reaction reveal that the unwinding occurs by movement of the 5' end into the duplex, displacing the viral strand in the form of a single-stranded loop. Since unwinding will not occur in the absence of either gene A protein or rep protein, it is presumed that the rep protein interacts to form a complex with the bound gene A protein. Single-stranded DNA binding protein facilitates the unwinding by binding to the exposed single-stranded DNA. Further addition of the four deoxyribotriphosphates and DNA polymerase III holoenzyme to the reaction results in synthesis of viral (+) single-stranded circles in amounts exceeding that of the input template. A model describing the role of gene A protein and rep protein in duplex DNA replication is presented and other properties of gene A protein discussed.     

DNA topoisomerase II from Drosophila melanogaster. Relaxation of supercoiled DNA

In order to study the double-strand DNA passage reaction of eukaryotic type II topoisomerases, a quantitative assay to monitor the enzymic conversion of supercoiled circular DNA to relaxed circular DNA was developed. Under conditions of maximal activity, relaxation catalyzed by the Drosophila melanogaster topoisomerase II was processive and the energy of activation was 14.3 kcal . mol-1. Removal of supercoils was accompanied by the hydrolysis of either ATP or dATP to inorganic phosphate and the corresponding nucleoside diphosphate. Apparent Km values were 200 microM for pBR322 plasmid DNA, 140 microM for SV40 viral DNA, 280 microM for ATP, and 630 microM for dATP. The turnover number for the Drosophila enzyme was at least 200 supercoils of DNA relaxed/min/molecule of topoisomerase II. The enzyme interacts preferentially with negatively supercoiled DNA over relaxed molecules, is capable of removing positive superhelical twists, and was found to be strongly inhibited by single-stranded DNA. Kinetic and inhibition studies indicated that the beta and gamma phosphate groups, the 2'-OH of the ribose sugar, and the C6-NH2 of the adenine ring are important for the interaction of ATP with the enzyme. While the binding of ATP to Drosophila topoisomerase II was sufficient to induce a DNA strand passage event, hydrolysis was required for enzyme turnover. The ATPase activity of the topoisomerase was stimulated 17-fold by the presence of negatively supercoiled DNA and approximately 4 molecules of ATP were hydrolyzed/supercoil removed. Finally, a kinetic model describing the switch from a processive to a distributive relaxation reaction is presented.     

DNA-dependent ATPase activity associated with phage P22 gene 12 protein

The product of bacteriophage P22 gene 12 is known from genetic experiments to be essential for phage DNA replication. The P22 12 protein has been purified to near homogeneity from Escherichia coli lysogenic for lambda-P22 hybrid phage containing the replication genes of P22. The protein has a subunit molecular weight of 46,000. The purified protein contains ATPase activity that is stimulated by single-stranded DNA. The ATPase is poorly stimulated by double-stranded DNA. All four ribonucleoside triphosphates are hydrolyzed; none of the deoxynucleoside triphosphates are hydrolyzed. In addition, the P22 12 protein binds to single-stranded DNA in the presence of ATP. Studies of oligonucleotide synthesis by P22 12 protein in conjunction with E. coli dnaG primase are presented in the succeeding paper (Wickner, S. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 14044-14047).