Enzymatic completion of mammalian lagging-strand DNA replication.

Using purified proteins from calf and a synthetic substrate, we have reconstituted the enzymatic reactions required for mammalian Okazaki fragment processing in vitro. The required reactions are removal of initiator RNA, synthesis from an upstream fragment to generate a nick, and then ligation. With our substrate, RNase H type I (RNase HI) makes a single cut in the initiator RNA, one nucleotide 5' of the RNA-DNA junction. The double strand specific 5' to 3' exonuclease removes the remaining monoribonucleotide. After dissociation of cleaved RNA, synthesis by DNA polymerase generates a nick, which is then sealed by DNA ligase I. The unique specificities of the two nucleases for primers with initiator RNA strongly suggest that they perform the same reactions in vivo.     

A Single Subunit from Avian Myeloblastosis Virus with Both RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase and Ribonuclease H Activity

Two structurally distinct forms of RNA-directed DNA polymerase from avian myeloblastosis virus were resolved by chromatography on phosphocellulose and purified. In addition to RNA-directed DNA polymerase activity, both enzymes had ribonuclease H (RNase H) activity, which degraded the RNA moiety of RNA.DNA hybrids. As determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide disc-gel electrophoresis, one form had two subunits, alpha (alpha) and beta (beta), with molecular weights of 65,000 and 105,000, respectively. The other had a single subunit, alpha, with a molecular weight of 65,000. The sedimentation coefficients of alphabeta and alpha, determined by glycerol gradient centrifugation in 0.35 M KCl, were 7.8 S and 5.2 S, respectively. Both enzymes had similar antigenic determinants and could not be distinguished by a differential response to several different RNA and DNA templates. We suggest that alpha, which contains both RNA-directed DNA polymerase and RNase H activity, is derived by dissociation of alphabeta; the function of the beta subunit is unknown.     

Mechanism of Carcinogenesis by RNA Tumor Viruses, III Formation of RNA·DNA Complex and Duplex DNA Molecules by the DNA Polymerase(s) of Avian Myeloblastosis Virus

DNA polymerase activity can be unmasked in avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) by treatment with the nonionic detergent Nonidet P-40. Two products are formed: (1) RNA.DNA hybrid molecules and (2) duplex DNA molecules. The kinetics of dTTP incorporation into DNA are biphasic: an initial rapid reaction for 4 min at 37 degrees C with a minimal polymerization rate of 10-20 nucleotides per see, and a second reaction at about half the initial rate. Viral RNA.DNA complexes are detected as early as 30 sec after the initiation of DNA synthesis; DNA free of template is formed subsequently. Most of the free AMV DNA forms an RNA.DNA hybrid when annealed with viral RNA. Over half of the free AMV DNA product is inferred to be double-stranded, since it is retained on hydroxyapatite columns after elution with 0.12 M phosphate buffer, and is resistant to Escherichia coli exonuclease I. Adenovirus or calfthymus DNA added to unmasked AMV stimulates DNA synthesis 4-16 times if there is no treatment with RNase, and 40-130 fold if RNase treatment precedes the enzyme assay. It is possible that two polymerases are present, or that a single enzyme forms both the RNA.DNA hybrid and the double-stranded product.     

Properties of a Soluble DNA Polymerase Isolated from Rous Sarcoma Virus

The DNA polymerase of the Prague strain of Rous sarcoma virus of subgroup C and of the Schmidt-Ruppin strain of subgroup A has been solubilized. DNA polymerase purified by sucrose gradient sedimentation and chromatography on DEAE-cellulose represented less than 2% of the soluble [(14)C]protein of the virus. The enzyme was separated from 90% of the viral glycoprotein; it is probably different from the viral group-specific antigen. The sedimentation coefficient (s(20, w)) of the soluble DNA polymerase was 8 S before, and 6 S after, incubation with pancreatic RNase. The molecular weight of the 8S DNA polymerase was estimated to be about 170,000, and that of the 6S DNA polymerase to be about 110,000.Purified DNA polymerase had a high activity with 60-70S viral RNA or salmon DNA as template, but it had a low activity with heat-dissociated 60-70S RNA, influenza virus RNA, or the RNA of tobacco mosaic virus as template. Neither the 8S nor the 6S DNA polymerase had endogenous template activity. The DNA-dependent and the RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activities of the Prague strain coincided in sucrose gradients, both in the 8S and the 6S form. It is concluded that the RNA-dependent and the DNA-dependent DNA polymerase activities of the avian tumor viruses are probably due to the same enzyme.     

RNA-directed DNA synthesis by the DNA polymerase of Rous sarcoma virus: structural and functional identification of 4S primer RNA in uninfected cells.

The RNA-directed DNA polymerase of Rous sarcoma virus requires a 4S RNA molecule as primer for the initiation of DNA synthesis on the viral 70S RNA genome. We have now functionally identified primer activity in uninfected cells on the basis of the capacity of cellular 4S RNA to actively participate in the initiation of DNA synthesis by the RNA-directed DNA polymerase of Rous sarcoma virus in vitro. This was accomplished by reconstitution experiments in which 4S RNA from uninfected avian cells was tested for its ability to restore template activity to the viral RNA genome from which all primer had been removed. Similar reconstitution experiments were employed to demonstrate a primer activity in the 4S RNA population of duck, mouse, and human cells. Primer activity appears to be absent in lower eukaryotic or prokaryotic cells. Unambiguous identification of the Rous sarcoma virus primer molecule in uninfected cells was accomplished by directly purifying a 4S RNA molecule from the bulk of host cell transfer RNA and establishing structural similarities between this cellular 4S RNA species and the Rous sarcoma virus primer by two-dimensional paper electrophoresis of oligonucleotides obtained from a T1 ribonuclease digest of the RNA species. We conclude that the Rous sarcoma virus DNA polymerase can utilize a host cell molecule as primer for the initiation of RNA-directed DNA synthesis in vitro.     

The "sarcoma-specific" region of Moloney murine sarcoma virus 124.

Labeled, purified 30S RNA from Moloney murine sarcoma virus was annealed to an excess of Moloney murine leukemia virus complementary DNA. Upon treatment of the resulting DNA.RNA hybrids with RNase H followed by sucrose gradient sedimentation, and undigested 18S RNA molecule was recovered. This RNA molecule was shown to represent the "sarcoma-specific" region of the virus. The unintegrated linear DNA provirus of murine sarcoma virus 124 was isolated from newly infected cells and a physical map of the sarcoma-specific region was obtained. First, unintegrated full-length linear proviral DNA molecules were cleaved by several restriction endonucleases. The reciprocal position and orientation with respect to the viral RNA of the resulting fragments were established. The location of the sarcoma-specific region was determined by competition-hybridization with 125I-labeled viral genomic RNAs and proviral DNA fragments. A 1500-base-pair fragment was obtained by cleavage with HindIII + Bgl II. This fragment mapped between 750 and 2250 base pairs from the right end of the proviral DNA (corresponding th the 3' terminus of the viral RNA) and contained the whole set of the sarcoma-specific information. This murine sarcoma virus proviral restriction fragment is approximately of the same size and map position as the isolated 18S sarcoma-specific RNA.     

Structure of nascent replicative form DNA of coliphage M13.

Nascent replicative form type II (RFII) DNA of coliphage M13 synthesized in an Escherichia coli mutant deficient in the 5' leads to 3' exonuclease associated uith DNA polymerase I contains ribonucleotides that are retained in the covalently closed RFI DNA sealed in vitro by the joint action of T5 phage DNA polymerase and T4 phage DNA ligase. These RFI molecules are labile to alkali and RNase H, unlike the RFI produced either in vivo or from RFII with E. coli DNA polymerase I and E. coli DNA ligase. The ribonucleotides are located at one site and predominantly in one strand of the nascent RF DNA. Furthermore, these molecules contain multiple small gaps, randomly located, and one large gap in the intracistronic region.     

Mammalian DNA polymerase alpha holoenzymes with possible functions at the leading and lagging strand of the replication fork.

At an early purification stage, DNA polymerase alpha holoenzyme from calf thymus can be separated into four different forms by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. All four enzyme forms (termed A, B, C, and D) are capable of replicating long single-stranded DNA templates, such as parvoviral DNA or primed M13 DNA. Peak A possesses, in addition to the DNA polymerase alpha, a double-stranded DNA-dependent ATPase, as well as DNA topoisomerase type II, 3'-5' exonuclease, and RNase H activity. Peaks B, C, and D all contain, together with DNA polymerase alpha, activities of primase and DNA topoisomerase type II. Furthermore, peak B is enriched in an RNase H, and peaks C and D are enriched in a 3'-5' exonuclease. DNA methylase (DNA methyltransferase) was preferentially identified in peaks C and D. Velocity sedimentation analyses of the four peaks gave evidence of unexpectedly large forms of DNA polymerase alpha (greater than 11.3 s), indicating that copurification of the above putative replication enzymes is not fortuitous. With moderate and high concentrations of salt, enzyme activities cosedimented with DNA polymerase alpha. Peak C is more resistant to inhibition by salt and spermidine than the other three enzyme forms. These results suggest the existence of a leading strand replicase (peak A) and several lagging strand replicase forms (peaks B, C, and D). Finally, the salt-resistant C form might represent a functional DNA polymerase alpha holoenzyme, possibly fitting in a higher-order structure, such as the replisome or even the chromatin.     

Mechanism of ultraviolet-induced mutagenesis: Extent and fidelity of in vitro DNA synthesis on irradiated templates

The effect of UV irradiation on the extent and fidelity of DNA synthesis in vitro was studied by using homopolymers and primed single-stranded varphiX174 phage DNA as substrates. Unfractionated and fractionated cell-free extracts from Escherichia coli pol(+) and polA1 mutants as well as purified DNA polymerase I were used as sources of enzymatic activity. (DNA polymerases, as used here, refer to deoxynucleosidetriphosphate:DNA deoxynucleotidyltransferase, EC 2.7.7.7.) The extent of inhibition of DNA synthesis on UV-irradiated varphiX174 DNA suggested that pyrimidine dimers act as an absolute block for chain elongation by DNA polymerases I and III. Experiments with an irradiated poly(dC) template failed to detect incorporation of noncomplementary bases due to pyrimidine dimers. A large increase in the turnover of nucleoside triphosphates to free monophosphates during synthesis by DNA polymerase I on irradiated varphiX174 DNA has been observed. We propose that this nucleotide turnover is due to idling by DNA polymerase (i.e., incorporation and subsequent excision of nucleotides opposite UV photolesions, by the 3'-->5' "proofreading" exonuclease) thus preventing replication past pyrimidine dimers and the potentially mutagenic event that should result. In support of this hypothesis, DNA synthesis by DNA polymerase from avian myeloblastosis virus and by mammalian DNA polymerase alpha, both of which are devoid of any exonuclease activity, was found to be only partially inhibited, but not blocked, by UV irradiation of the template and accompanied by an increased incorporation of noncomplementary nucleotides. It is suggested that UV mutagenesis in bacteria requires an induced modification of the cellular DNA replication machinery, possibly an inhibition of the 3'-->5' exonuclease activity associated with DNA polymerases.     

Specific RNA-cleaving activities from HeLa cells.

Subcellular fractionation of HeLa cells was carried out under gentle conditions to isolate enzymes that cleave RNA precursors in a specific manner. Four separate activities--cleavage of HeLa cell heterogeneous nuclear RNA, the HeLa cell 45S rRNA precursor, RNA . DNA hybrids (RNase H), and the Escherichia coli tRNATyr precursor (RNase P)--were revealed by these studies. The specificity and limited nature of these cleavages suggest that they are due to eukaryotic RNA-processing enzymes. The virtual absence of random nucleases from these enzymes was demonstrated by their inability to cleave the 8000-base early mRNA precursor of bacteriophage T7, E. coli 30S rRNA precursor, or HeLa cytoplasmic poly(A)-containing RNA.