Synthesis of dinucleoside tetraphosphates by RNA polymerase B (II) from calf thymus

Highly purified RNA polymerase B (II) from calf thymus catalyses the synthesis of dinucleoside tetraphosphates from ribonucleoside triphosphates in the absence of an oligonucleotide primer or additional protein factors. The reaction requires a DNA template and bivalent cations such as Mn2+ or Mg2+. It is strongly inhibited by heparin and high concentrations of alpha-amanitin but not by rifampicin. On a given template various dinucleoside tetraphosphates of different sequence are formed although the yield depends on the nature of the template.     

Bacteriophage-T7-induced DNA-priming protein. A novel enzyme involved in DNA replication.

The T7gene-4 protein has been purified to near homogeneity using a complementation assay in vitro, and it is designated T7 DNA-priming protein (DNA primase). The purified enzyme enables T7 DNA polymerase to initate DNA synthesis on various circular single-stranded DNA templates by a mechanism which involes the synthesis of a very short RNA primer. The oligoribonucleotide, which is linked to the product DNA via a 3':5'-phosphodiester bond, starts with pppA-C and terminates predominantly with AMP. When only ATP and CPT are precursors, the RNA primer is found to be primarily a tetranucleotide of the sequence pppA-C-C-A. Using oligoribonucleotides in place of ribonucleoside triphosphates as chain initators, T7 DNA-priming protein drastically increases the efficiency with which T7 DNA polymerase can utilize particular tetranucleotide primers containing A and C residues. T7 DNA-priming protein also enables T7 DNA polymerase to make use of native or nicked duplex T7 DNA as template-primer. This reaction does not require ribonucleoside triphosphates, although their addition enhances DNA synthesis 2--4 fold. The product formed in their absence is covalently attached to the template DNA and is found to contain a few long branches when examined by electron microscopy. In the presence of ribonucleoside triphosphates most of the newly made product arises from imitation of DNA chains de novo. Incubation of three proteins: T7 DNA-priming protein, T7 DNA polymerase, and T7 DNA-binding protein, with ribonucleoside and deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates, and with phiX174DNA as template leads to the generation of 'rolling circle-like' structures as visualized in the electron microscope. Single-stranded regions at the tail-circle junction indicate that initations can occur de novo on the displaced complementary strand. This is consistent with a discontinuous mode of 'lagging' strand synthesis and suggests that the same proteins may also be responsible for fork propagation in vivo.     

Coordinated leading- and lagging-strand synthesis at the Escherichia coli DNA replication fork. II. Frequency of primer synthesis and efficiency of primer utilization control Okazaki fragment size.

To investigate the role of the priming apparatus at the replication fork in determining Okazaki fragment size, the products of primer synthesis generated in vitro during rolling-circle DNA replication catalyzed by the DNA polymerase III holoenzyme, the single-stranded DNA binding protein, and the primosome on a tailed form II DNA template were isolated and characterized. The abundance of oligoribonucleotide primers and the incidence of covalent DNA chain extension of the primer population was measured under different reaction conditions known to affect the size of the products of lagging-strand DNA synthesis. These analyses demonstrated that the factors affecting Okazaki fragment length could be distinguished by either their effect on the frequency of primer synthesis or by their influence on the efficiency of initiation of DNA synthesis from primer termini. Primase and the ribonucleoside triphosphates were found to stimulate primer synthesis. The observed trend toward smaller fragment size as the concentration of these effectors was raised was apparently a direct consequence of the increased frequency of primer synthesis. The beta subunit of the DNA polymerase III holoenzyme and the deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates did not alter the priming frequency; instead, the concentration of these factors influenced the ability of the lagging-strand DNA polymerase to efficiently utilize primers to initiate DNA synthesis. Maximum utilization of the available primers correlated with the lowest mean value of Okazaki fragment length. These data were used to draw general conclusions concerning the temporal order of enzymatic steps that operate during a cycle of Okazaki fragment synthesis on the lagging-strand DNA template.     

The dnaB gene product of Escherichia coli. II. Single stranded DNA-dependent ribonucleoside triphosphatase activity.

The single-stranded DNA-dependent ribonucleoside triphosphatase activity of the Escherichia coli dnaB gene product was characterized. Purine ribonucleoside triphosphates were the preferred substrates, but all ribonucleoside triphosphates were cleaved at the gamma position to yield ribonucleoside diphosphates and Pi. The enzyme required Mg2+, which could be replaced by Mn2+ but with lower activity. The pH optimum was 7.5 in either Tris-HCl or phosphate buffer. The Km for MgATP was 0.59 mM and the Vmax was 8.7 nmol/min/microgram of protein at 30 degrees. The DNA requirement was best satisfied with either fd or phiX174 single-stranded DNA (Km 0.033 mM nucleotides); maximal rate of nucleoside diphosphate formation occurred with 1 dnaB molecule/fd or phiX174 single-stranded DNA molecule. The dnaB gene product was found to have hysteretic properties and the hysteresis appeared to be due to a dissociation and reassociation of the enzyme.     

N.BspD6I DNA nickase strongly stimulates template-independent synthesis of non-palindromic repetitive DNA by Bst DNA polymerase

Highly efficient DNA synthesis without template and primer DNAs occurs when N.BspD6I DNA nickase is added to a reaction mixture containing deoxynucleoside triphosphates and the large fragment of Bst DNA polymerase. Over a period of 2 h, virtually all the deoxynucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) become incorporated into DNA. Inactivation of N.BspD6I nickase by heating inhibits DNA synthesis. Optimal N.BspD6I activity is required to achieve high yields of synthesized DNA. Electron microscopy data revealed that the majority of DNA molecules have a branched structure. Cloning and sequencing of the fragments synthesized demonstrated that the DNA product mainly consists of multiple hexanucleotide non-palindromic tandem repeats containing nickase recognition sites. A possible mechanism is discussed that addresses template-independent DNA synthesis stimulated by N.BspD6I nickase.     

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.     

Studies on bacteriophage T7 DNA synthesis in vitro. II. Reconstitution of the T7 replication system using purified proteins.

Summary DNA synthesis in vitro using intact duplex T7 DNA as template is dependent on a novel group of three phage T7-induced proteins: DNA-priming protein (activity which complements a cell extract lacking the T7 gene 4-protein), T7 DNA polymerase (gene 5-protein plus host factor), and T7 DNA-binding protein. The reaction requires, in addition to the four deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates, all four ribonucleoside triphosphates and is inhibited by low concentrations of actinomycin D. Evidence is presented that the priming protein serves as a novel RNA polymerase to form a priming segment which is subsequently extended by T7 DNA polymerase. T7 RNA polymerase (gene 1-protein) can only partially substitute for the DNA-priming protein. At 30°C, deoxyribonucleotide incorporation proceeds for more than 2 hours and the amount of newly synthesized DNA can exceed the amount of template DNA by 10-fold. The products of synthesis are not covalently attached to the template and sediment as short (12S) DNA chains in alkaline sucrose gradients. Sealing of these fragments into DNA of higher molecular weight requires the presence of E. coli DNA polymerase I and T7 ligase. Examination of the products in the electron microscope reveals many large, forked molecules and a few eye-shaped structures resembling the early replicative intermediates normally observed in vivo.     

Chromatin- and nuclei-directed ribonucleic Acid synthesis in sugar beet root

The synthesis of RNA by chromatin-bound RNA polymerase prepared from sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) root tissue is completely dependent on the presence of a divalent metal (Mg²⁺ or Mn²⁺) and the presence of four ribonucleoside triphosphates. Accumulation of labeled acid-insoluble product is inhibited by the addition of RNase and actinomycin D to the reaction. When beet root slices are washed for 25 hours, chromatin-associated RNA polymerase activity increases 7-fold over that of unwashed tissue. This enzyme activity declines with further washing. DNA template availability, as measured by saturating levels of added Escherichia coli RNA polymerase, was also found to follow a pattern similar to that for RNA polymerase. Nearest neighbor frequencies of the RNA synthesized by chromatin isolated from unwashed and washed tissue are different.     

Coordinated leading- and lagging-strand synthesis at the Escherichia coli DNA replication fork. I. Multiple effectors act to modulate Okazaki fragment size.

The coordinated action of many enzymatic activities is required at the DNA replication fork to ensure the error-free, efficient, and simultaneous synthesis of the leading and lagging strands of DNA. In order to define the essential protein-protein interactions and model the regulatory pathways that control Okazaki fragment synthesis, we have reconstituted the replication fork of Escherichia coli in vitro in a rolling circle-type DNA replication system. In this system, in the presence of the single-stranded DNA binding protein, the helicase/primase function on the lagging-strand template is provided by the primosome, and the synthesis of DNA strands is catalyzed by the DNA polymerase III holoenzyme. These reconstituted replication forks synthesize equivalent amounts of leading- and lagging-strand DNA, move at rates comparable to those measured in vivo (600-800 nucleotides/s at 30 degrees C), and can synthesize leading strands in the range of 150-500 kilobases in length. Using this system, we have studied the cycle of Okazaki fragment synthesis at the replication fork. This cycle is likely to have several well defined decision points, steps in the cycle where incorrect execution by the enzymatic machinery will result in an alteration in the product of the reaction, i.e. in the size of the Okazaki fragments. Since identification of these decision points should aid in the determination of which of the enzymes acting at the replication fork control the cycle, we have endeavored to identify those reaction parameters that, when varied, alter the size of the Okazaki fragments synthesized. Here we demonstrate that some enzymes, such as the DnaB helicase, remain associated continuously with the fork while others, such as the primase, must be recruited from solution each time synthesis of an Okazaki fragment is initiated. We also show that variation of the concentration of the ribonucleoside triphosphates and the deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates affects Okazaki fragment size, that the control mechanisms acting at the fork to control Okazaki fragment size are not fixed at the time the fork is assembled but can be varied during the lifetime of the fork, and that alteration in the rate of the leading-strand DNA polymerase cannot account for the effect of the deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates.     

Reactions in vitro of the DNA polymerase-primase from Xenopus laevis eggs. A role for ATP in chain elongation

A form of DNA polymerase alpha was purified several thousandfold from a protein extract of Xenopus laevis eggs. The enzyme effectively converts, in the presence of ribonucleoside triphosphates, a circular single-stranded phage fd DNA template into a double-stranded DNA form and, therefore, must be associated with a DNA primase. We first show by gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate that both enzymatic activities, DNA polymerase and primase, most probably reside on a greater than 100 000-Da subunit of the DNA polymerase holoenzyme. We then assayed the polymerase-primase at various template/enzyme ratios and found that the DNA complementary strand sections synthesized in vitro belong to defined size classes in the range of 600-2000 nucleotides, suggesting preferred start and/or stop sites on the fd DNA template strand. We show that the stop sites coincide with stable hairpin structures in fd DNA. We have used a fd DNA template, primed by a restriction fragment of known size, to show that the polymerase-primase stops at the first stable hairpin structure upstream from the 3'-OH primer site when the reaction was carried out at 0.1 mM ATP. However, at 2 mM ATP the enzyme was able to travers this and other stop sites on the fd DNA template strand leading to the synthesis of 2-4 times longer DNA strands. Our results suggest a role for ATP in the polymerase-primase-catalyzed chain-elongation reaction.     

Circular single stranded phage M13-DNA as a template for DNA synthesis in protein extracts from Xenopus laevis eggs: evidence for a eukaryotic DNA priming activity.

Unfractionated protein extracts from activated Xenopus laevis eggs contain all functions required for the chain elongation reactions in replicative DNA synthesis (A.Richter, B.Otto and R.Knippers, 1981, Nucl.Ac.Res. 9, 3793-3807). In order to further explore the DNA synthesizing capacity of this in vitro system and to obtain information on the DNA priming activity in these extracts single stranded phage M13-DNA was used as template for in vitro DNA synthesis. The main results of this investigation are: (i) single stranded circular template DNA is converted to a double stranded DNA form in an alpha-amanitin-insensitive reaction which is absolutely dependent on ribonucleoside triphosphates; (ii) the in vitro synthesized complementary strands are DNA fragments of 1000-2000 nucleotides lengths; (iii) the DNA primase activity copurifies through several column steps and sucrose gradient centrifugation with a DNA polymerase alpha. These activities may therefore be closely associated in a quarternary enzyme complex.     

Replication of a low-copy-number plasmid by a plasmid DNA-membrane complex extracted from minicells of Escherichia coli.

A DNA-membrane complex was extracted from minicells of an Escherichia coli mutant harboring a "miniplasmid" derivative (11.2 kilobases) of the low-copynumber plasmid RK2 (56 kilobases). The complex contained various species of supercoiled and intermediate forms of plasmid DNA, of which approximately 20% was bound firmly to the membrane after centrifugation in a CsCl density gradient. The plasmid DNA-membrane complex synthesized new plasmid DNA without the addition of exogenous template, enzymes, or other proteins. DNA synthesis appeared to proceed semi-conservatively, was dependent on the four deoxynucleoside triphosphates, partially dependent on ribonucleoside triphosphates, and was sensitive to rifampin, an antibiotic known to inhibit initiation of replication. Novobiocin and nalidixic acid also inhibited synthesis, as did the omission of ATP, N-Ethylmaleimide, an inhibitor of DNA polymerase II and III activity, but not DNA polymerase I activity, also partially inhibited the synthetic reaction, as did chloramphenicol. The plasmid DNA synthetic product was analyzed by alkaline sucrose and dye-CsCl gradient centrifugation, as well as by agarose gel electrophoresis. In each case, the product consisted of parental and intermediate forms of plasmid DNA. Some chromosomal DNA was also synthesized by a contaminating bacterial DNA-membrane complex, but this synthesis was rifampin insensitive and could be separated from plasmid DNA synthesis.     

Gene 4 protein of bacteriophage T7. Purification physical properties, and stimulation of T7 DNA polymerase during the elongation of polynucleotide chains.

With the use of an in vitro complementation assay to measure activity, the gene 4 protein of bacteriophage T7 has been purified 1000-fold to yield a nearly homogeneous protein. The purified gene 4 protein is a single polypeptide having a molecular weight of 58,000. In addition to being essential for T7 DNA replication in vivo and in vitro, the gene 4 protein is required for DNA synthesis by the purified T7 DNA polymerase on duplex T7 DNA templates. In the absence of ribonucleoside 5'-triphosphates, DNA synthesis by the gene 4 protein and the T7 DNA polymerase is dependent on phosphodiester bond interruptions containing 3'-hydroxyl groups (nicks) in the duplex DNA. The reaction is specific for the T7 DNA polymerase, but any duplex DNA containing nicks can serve as template. The Km for nicks in the reaction is 3 x 10(-10) M.     

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

Among multiple subspecies of DNA polymerase α of calf thymus, only 10 S DNA polymerase α 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 α 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 α. These results indicate that the primase is tightly bound to 10 S DNA polymerase α. The RNA polymerizing activity was resistant to α-amanitin, required high concentration of all four ribonucleoside triphosphates (800 μM) 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 α 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.     

STT3B-dependent posttranslational N-glycosylation as a surveillance system for secretory protein

The chemical identity and integrity of the genome is challenged by the incorporation of ribonucleoside triphosphates (rNTPs) in place of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) during replication. Misincorporation is limited by the selectivity of DNA replicases. We show that accumulation of ribonucleoside monophosphates (rNMPs) in the genome causes replication stress and has toxic consequences, particularly in the absence of RNase H1 and RNase H2, which remove rNMPs. We demonstrate that postreplication repair (PRR) pathways-MMS2-dependent template switch and Pol ζ-dependent bypass-are crucial for tolerating the presence of rNMPs in the chromosomes; indeed, we show that Pol ζ efficiently replicates over 1-4 rNMPs. Moreover, cells lacking RNase H accumulate mono- and polyubiquitylated PCNA and have a constitutively activated PRR. Our findings describe a crucial function for RNase H1, RNase H2, template switch, and translesion DNA synthesis in overcoming rNTPs misincorporated during DNA replication, and may be relevant for the pathogenesis of Aicardi-Goutières syndrome.     

RNA priming of DNA replication by bacteriophage T4 proteins

Bacteriophage T4 DNA replication proteins have been shown previously to require ribonucleoside triphosphates to initiator new DNA chains on unprimed single-stranded DNA templates in vitro. This DNA synthesis requires a protein controlled by T4 gene 61, as well as the T4 gene 41, 43 (DNA polymerase), 44, 45, and 62 proteins, and is stimulated by the gene 32 (helix-destabilizing) protein. In this paper, the nature of the RNA primers involved in DNA synthesis by the T4 proteins has been determined, using phi X174 and f1 DNA as model templates. The T4 41 and "61" proteins synthesize pentanucleotides with the sequence pppA-C(N)3 where N in positions 3 and 4 can be G, U, C, or A. The same group of sequences is found in the RNA at the 5' terminus of the phi X174 DNA product made by the seven T4 proteins. The DNA product chains begin at multiple discrete positions on the phi X174 DNA template. The characteristics of the T4 41 and "61" protein priming reaction are thus appropriate for a reaction required to initiate the synthesis of discontinuous "Okazaki" pieces on the lagging strand during the replication of duplex DNA.     

RNA polymerase activity in bovine spermatozoa

Washed mature spermatozoa from bulls incorporate ribonucleoside triphosphates into RNA using an endogenous template. Maximum incorporation was observed at 31 degrees C in the presence of MgCl2, all four ribonucleoside triphosphates, beta-mercaptoethanol, and glycine sodium hydroxide buffer at pH 9.0. The amount of synthesis was linearly dependent upon the concentration of spermatozoa and continued for at least 4 h. Digestion studies revealed the RNA to be present in a protected (intracellular?) location in the spermatozoa. The RNA synthesis was inhibited by ethidium bromide, rifampicin, acriflavine, actinomycin D, and caffeine, but not by alpha-amanitine or rifamycin SV. Fractionation of the spermatozoa by sonication and separation of the heads and tails by centrifugation through a discontinuous gradient revealed that more than half of the total RNA polymerase activity was associated with the tail fraction.     

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).