Initiation of bacteriophage lambda DNA replication in vitro with purified lambda replication proteins.

We have developed a soluble enzyme system that replicates exogenously added plasmid DNA (lambda dv) bearing the replication origin of the bacteriophage lambda chromosome. The system contains pure phage lambda O and P replication proteins and a partially purified mixture of Escherichia coli replication proteins [the enzyme system of Fuller, R.S., Kaguni, J.M. & Kornberg, A. (1981) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78, 7370-7374). The features of lambda dv replication in this system closely resemble the known characteristics of phage lambda DNA replication in vivo. The system (i) depends completely on exogenously supplied DNA, (ii) specifically replicates supercoiled plasmid DNA that contains a lambda replication origin, (iii) depends on both the lambda O protein and the lambda P protein, (iv) depends on RNA polymerase, (v) depends on host replication proteins (e.g., primase, dnaB protein, and several others that function in the priming of DNA synthesis in E. coli) as judged by antibody inhibitions, and (vi) replicates as much as 32% of added lambda dv plasmid DNA through a single complete round to generate catenated daughter molecules. Furthermore, replication of lambda dv DNA in vitro requires DNA gyrase and an ATP-regenerating system. It is notable that addition of lambda O and P proteins to the mixture of E. coli replication proteins inhibits replication of plasmids bearing the origin of the E. coli chromosome. Exploitation of this enzyme system should allow a detailed investigation of the biochemical mechanisms involved in bacteriophage lambda DNA replication and its regulation.     

Multiple initiation sites of DNA replication flanking the origin region of lambda dv genome.

Early replicative intermediates of lambda dv plasmid were prepared by an in vitro replication system in the presence of 2',3'-dideoxycytidine 5'-triphosphate, an inhibitor of DNA chain elongation. Short-chain DNAs produced from regions near the replication origin were purified from the intermediates. A fraction of the DNAs was covalently linked to primer RNA. The transition sites from primer RNA to DNA synthesis were mapped along the nucleotide sequence of the genome, by eliminating the RNA by alkaline hydrolysis and labeling the freshly exposed 5' ends of DNA with 32P. The transition sites were found to be located on both sides of the ori region, which includes four 19-base-pair repeats where one of the lambda specific initiator proteins, O, binds. No transition arose within the ori region. The transition sites are multiple on both sides of the ori region and are clustered in one of the two strands in such a way that DNA syntheses from the two sides converge. The frequency of the "leftward" DNA synthesis is several times higher than that of "rightward" synthesis, reflecting the asymmetric bidirectional replication of lambda dv DNA.     

Specialized nucleoprotein structures at the origin of replication of bacteriophage lambda: complexes with lambda O protein and with lambda O, lambda P, and Escherichia coli DnaB proteins.

The O protein of bacteriophage lambda is required for initiation of DNA replication at the lambda replicative origin designated ori lambda. The binding sites for O protein are four direct repeats, each of which is an inverted repeat. By means of electron microscopy, we have found that phage lambda O protein utilizes these multiple binding sites to form a specific nucleoprotein structure in which the origin DNA is inferred to be folded or wound. The phage lambda O and P proteins and host DnaB protein interact at ori lambda to generate a larger structure than that formed by O protein alone; P and DnaB proteins fail to form any observable complex when O protein is excluded from the reaction mixture. We conclude that the specialized nucleoprotein structure formed by phage lambda O protein and ori lambda provides for localized initiation of DNA replication by serving as the foundation for the assembly of the initial priming structure. Specialized nucleoprotein structures may be a general means to confer exceptional accuracy on DNA transactions requiring extraordinary precision.     

Role of the Escherichia coli DnaK and DnaJ heat shock proteins in the initiation of bacteriophage lambda DNA replication.

We examined the role of two Escherichia coli heat shock proteins, the dnaK and dnaJ gene products, during the initiation of lambda dv DNA replication in vitro. Using 14C-labeled lambda P protein we showed that the DnaK and DnaJ heat shock proteins function together to release lambda P protein from the preprimosomal complex consisting of lambda origin of replication-lambda O-lambda P-DnaB protein. Hydrolysis of ATP, catalyzed presumably by DnaK, is required during this reaction. Substitution of DnaK protein with that of the mutant DnaK756 protein blocks lambda P release. After DnaK and DnaJ action, the preprimosomal complex, isolated on Sepharose 4B, can support lambda dv DNA replication without any additional prepriming proteins. Using DnaK-affinity chromatography we showed that both lambda O and lambda P proteins bind to DnaK protein. The lambda P protein interacts with DnaK protein in a salt-resistant, hydrophobic manner, and ATP hydrolysis is necessary to elute at least part of lambda P protein from the DnaK-affinity column. The proposed mechanism of action of the prokaryotic DnaK and DnaJ heat shock proteins agrees with the hypothesis that Hsp70, the DnaK analogue of eukaryotes, uses ATP to disrupt hydrophobic aggregates [Pelham, H. R. B. (1986) Cell 46, 959-961].     

Initiation of DNA replication on single-stranded DNA templates catalyzed by purified replication proteins of bacteriophage lambda and Escherichia coli.

Initiation of bacteriophage lambda DNA replication at the chromosomal origin depends on the lambda O and P replication proteins. These two viral initiators, together with an Escherichia coli protein fraction, promote the replication in vitro of single-stranded circular DNA chromosomes such as that of bacteriophage M13. This nonspecific strand initiation reaction, which we have termed the "lambda single-strand replication reaction," has now been established with eight purified proteins, each of which is also required for replication of the phage lambda chromosome in vivo. An early rate-limiting step in the overall reaction is the ATP-dependent assembly of an activated nucleoprotein prepriming complex. In this step the lambda O and P initiators cooperate with the E. coli dnaJ and dnaK proteins to transfer the bacterial dnaB protein onto M13 DNA that is coated with the single-stranded DNA-binding protein. Multiple RNA primers are synthesized on each DNA circle when isolated prepriming complex is incubated with primase and rNTPs. In the complete system, DNA polymerase III holoenzyme extends the first primer synthesized into full-length complementary strands. Because the properties of this system are closely analogous to those found for the replication of phi X174 viral DNA by E. coli proteins, we infer that a mobile prepriming or priming complex (primosome) operates in the lambda single-strand replication reaction.     

Replication of mini-P1 plasmid DNA in vitro requires two initiation proteins, encoded by the repA gene of phage P1 and the dnaA gene of Escherichia coli.

We have developed an in vitro DNA-replication system that replicates exogenously added mini-P1 plasmid DNA. The system consists of purified P1 RepA protein and a partially purified mixture of Escherichia coli replication proteins. It is essentially the same as that described for the replication of oriC plasmid DNA [Fuller, R.S., Kaguni, J.M. & Kornberg, A. (1981) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78, 7370-7374]. Mini-P1 DNA replication requires the E. coli DnaA initiation protein in addition to the P1 RepA initiation protein. The reaction is inhibited by rifampicin, novobiocin, and antibody to DnaB, suggesting the involvement of RNA polymerase, DNA gyrase, and DnaB protein. Replication is initiated in the region of the P1 origin of replication and proceeds unidirectionally as determined by electron microscopy. Thus, the in vitro system mimics the essential features of mini-P1 replication as suggested by genetic studies.     

Specialized nucleoprotein structures at the origin of replication of bacteriophage lambda: localized unwinding of duplex DNA by a six-protein reaction.

The O protein of bacteriophage lambda localizes the initiation of DNA replication to a unique site on the lambda genome, ori lambda. By means of electron microscopy, we infer that the binding of O to ori lambda initiates a series of protein addition and transfer reactions that culminate in localized unwinding of the origin DNA, generating a prepriming structure for the initiation of DNA replication. We can define three stages of this prepriming reaction, the first two of which we have characterized previously. First, dimeric O protein binds to multiple DNA binding sites and self-associates to form a nucleoprotein structure, the O-some. Second, lambda P and host DnaB proteins interact with the O-some to generate a larger complex that includes additional DNA from an A + T-rich region adjacent to the O binding sites. Third, the addition of the DnaJ, DnaK, and Ssb proteins and ATP results in an origin-specific unwinding reaction, probably catalyzed by the helicase activity of DnaB. The unwinding reaction is unidirectional, proceeding "rightward" from the origin. The minimal DNA sequence competent for unwinding consists of two O binding sites and the adjacent A + T-rich region to the right of the binding sites. We conclude that the lambda O protein localizes and initiates a six-protein sequential reaction responsible for but preceding the precise initiation of DNA replication. Specialized nucleoprotein structures similar to the O-some may be a general feature of DNA transactions requiring extraordinary precision in localization and control.     

Replication of Colicin E1 Plasmid DNA in Cell Extracts

Cell extracts were prepared from Escherichia coli carrying colicin E1 plasmid. The DNA in extracts was almost exclusively closed-circular DNA of the plasmid. Labeled deoxyribonucleotides were incorporated into DNA in extracts. DNA of colicin E1 plasmid was the sole DNA product, and was composed of completely replicated molecules and a class of replicative intermediates. The intermediates carried an average of approximately two pieces of DNA fragments that had a sedimentation coefficient of approximately 6 S and were not covalently attached to the parental DNA strands. The replication was initiated on closed-circular molecules and the complete molecules were synthesized semiconservatively. The DNA synthesis depended on the four ribonucleoside triphosphates and was sensitive to rifampicin. A round of DNA replication, once initiated, was completed in the presence of rifampicin, indicating that RNA synthesis is involved in the initiation of replication of the plasmid DNA. Most of the replicated molecules were isolated in super-coiled structures. These results indicate that this soluble system is capable of carrying out a complete round of replication of colicin E1 plasmid DNA.     

RepA and DnaA proteins are required for initiation of R1 plasmid replication in vitro and interact with the oriR sequence.

RepA, an initiation protein of R1 plasmid replication, was purified from an Escherichia coli strain overproducing the protein. The purified RepA protein specifically initiated replication in vitro of plasmid DNA bearing the replication origin of R1 plasmid (oriR). The replication, strictly dependent on added RepA protein, was independent of host RNA polymerase but required other host replication functions (DnaB and DnaC proteins, the single-stranded-DNA-binding protein SSB, and DNA gyrase). The replication was also completely dependent on the host DnaA function. In filter binding assays in high salt (0.5 M KCl) conditions, RepA specifically binds to both supercoiled and linear plasmid DNA containing the oriR sequence, whereas it binds to nonspecific DNA in low salt. DNase I-protection studies on a linearized DNA fragment revealed that DnaA protein specifically binds to a 9-base-pair DnaA-recognition sequence ("DnaA box") within oriR only when RepA is bound to the sequence immediately downstream of the DnaA box. These results indicate that initiation of R1 plasmid replication is triggered by interaction of RepA and DnaA proteins with the oriR sequence.     

The dnaK protein of Escherichia coli possesses an ATPase and autophosphorylating activity and is essential in an in vitro DNA replication system.

The Escherichia coli dnaK gene product, originally defined by mutations that blocked lambda phage DNA replication, is known to be necessary for E. coli viability. We have purified dnaK protein to homogeneity and have demonstrated that it possesses a weak DNA-independent ATPase activity, which results in the production of ADP and Pi. The proof that this ATPase activity is encoded by the dnaK+ gene relies primarily on the fact that the dnaK756 mutation results in the production of an ATPase activity with altered physical properties. The dnaK protein is phosphorylated in vitro and in vivo, probably as a result of an autophosphorylation reaction. The lambda O and P replication proteins were shown to interact in vitro with the dnaK protein. The ATPase activity of the dnaK protein was inhibited by purified lambda P protein and stimulated by purified lambda O protein. Moreover, the dnaK protein participates in the initiation of DNA synthesis in an in vitro DNA replication system that is dependent on the O and P proteins. Anti-dnaK protein immunoglobulin specifically inhibited DNA synthesis in this system.     

Replication of the broad host range plasmid RSF1010: requirement for three plasmid-encoded proteins.

Cloning of specific regions of plasmid RSF1010, in conjunction with in vitro replication studies, has revealed three novel genes: repA, repB, and repC. They are clustered in one region of the plasmid, separated from the origin of replication by regions that are not essential for plasmid viability in an Escherichia coli host. In vivo, a 2.1-kilobase segment of the plasmid, bearing the replication origin, can establish itself as an autonomous replicon if the DNA region carrying the three rep genes is present in the same cell on an independent plasmid. In vitro, RSF1010 DNA is efficiently replicated by an ammonium sulfate fraction from the E. coli extract, provided the extracts are prepared from cells that can supply the required rep gene products. Using cells containing the cloned rep gene region as a source of elevated levels of the rep proteins, we have partially purified these proteins in functional form. When added to an enzyme fraction derived from plasmid-free cells, they specifically promote the replication of plasmid DNA bearing the RSF1010 origin.     

Yeast 2-micrometer plasmid DNA replication in vitro: origin and direction.

Most yeast strains harbor extrachromosomal 2-micrometer DNA, and this DNA synthesis, like nuclear DNA replication, is strictly under cell cycle control. A soluble extract of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae carries out semiconservative replication of added 2-micrometer DNA and Escherichia coli chimeric plasmids containing the 2-micrometer DNA. Replication is initiated on 10% of the DNA, and one round of replication is completed. The major products in early stages of replication are theta ("eye") forms which originate 140 +/- 50 nucleotides within one of the 599-base-pair inverted repeats of 2-micrometer DNA. Their replication is bidirectional and discontinuous. Extracts prepared from the cell division cycle mutant cdc8 show temperature-sensitive 2-micrometer DNA synthesis in vitro, suggesting that this in vitro system resembles in vivo 2-micrometer plasmid DNA replication. This system should provide a useful assay for the purification and characterization of yeast DNA replication proteins.     

An additional function for bacteriophage lambda rex: the rexB product prevents degradation of the lambda O protein.

The rex operon of bacteriophage lambda excludes the development of several unrelated bacteriophages. Here we present an additional lambda rexB function: it prevents degradation of the short-lived protein lambda O known to be involved in lambda DNA replication. We have shown that it is the product of rexB that is responsible for the stabilization of lambda O: when a nonsense mutation is present in rexB, lambda O protein is labile; suppression of the mutation by the corresponding nonsense suppressor causes partial restabilization of lambda O. lambda rexB also stabilizes lambda O in trans. We discuss our results in relation to the function of rexB in lambda DNA replication and its role in the protein degradation pathways of bacteriophage lambda.     

Model system for DNA replication of a plasmid DNA containing the autonomously replicating sequence from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A negatively supercoiled plasmid DNA containing autonomously replicating sequence (ARS) 1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae was replicated with the proteins required for simian virus 40 DNA replication. The proteins included simian virus 40 large tumor antigen as a DNA helicase, DNA polymerase alpha.primase, and the multisubunit human single-stranded DNA-binding protein from HeLa cells; DNA gyrase from Escherichia coli, which relaxes positive but not negative supercoils, was included as a "swivelase." DNA replication started from the ARS region, proceeded bidirectionally with the synthesis of leading and lagging strands, and resulted in the synthesis of up to 10% of the input DNA in 1 h. The addition of HeLa DNA topoisomerase I, which relaxes both positive and negative supercoils, to this system inhibited DNA replication, suggesting that negative supercoiling of the template DNA is required for initiation. These results suggest that DNA replication starts from the ARS region where the DNA duplex is unwound by torsional stress; this unwound region can be recognized by a DNA helicase with the assistance of the multisubunit human single-stranded DNA-binding protein.     

Antiparallel plasmid-plasmid pairing may control P1 plasmid replication.

The copy number of the P1 plasmid replicon is stringently controlled, giving only one or two copies per newborn cell. Control is achieved by the action of the copy-control locus incA, which contains nine repeats of the 19-basepair binding site for the plasmid-encoded initiator protein RepA. A set of five similar repeats are present in the replication origin where RepA acts to trigger initiation. Using an in vitro replication system consisting of an Escherichia coli extract, the P1 origin as a template, and purified RepA protein, we show that supercoiled DNA circles containing the incA locus block origin function in trans. Shutdown becomes complete at a 1:1 ratio of origin to incA sequences. This is not due to titration of the RepA protein, as an excess of RepA can be added without restoring activity. Rather, the incA sequences appear to block the origin by direct contact in a plasmid-plasmid pairing event. When both the origin and the incA locus are present on one plasmid, trans contacts with daughter molecules appear to predominate over cis looping. The results are consistent with a model for replication control where daughter plasmids block their own replication by a pairing in which each origin is in contact with the incA locus of its partner.     

Bacteriophage lambda; abortive infection of bacteria lysogenic for phage P2

The efficiency of plating of wild-type lambda on a host lysogenic for P2 is less than 10(-6), and only a small number of infected cells produce progeny phage. Lambda can adsorb and inject its DNA normally in such cells; the DNA can circularize and is not nicked or degraded, but replication is severely impaired. Mutants of P2, which as prophages no longer interfere with lambda, have been isolated and found to be recessive to wild type, implying that P2 prophage codes for a diffusible product involved in lambda interference. The P2 gene product responsible for preventing lambda growth also kills recombination-deficient bacteria of the recB and recC classes under conditions where P2 does not normally kill the host. Mutants of lambda that are resistant to interference are recessive to wild-type lambda. Thus lambda actively participates in its own interference. The lambda-mutants that are resistant to interference are unable to synthesize at least two nonessential proteins. In addition, they are unable to grow on recombination-deficient bacteria of the recA class, but they can grow on recA recB double mutants.     

DNA binding site for a factor(s) required to initiate simian virus 40 DNA replication.

Efficient initiation of DNA replication in the absence of nonspecific DNA repair synthesis was obtained by using a modification of the system developed by J.J. Li and T.J. Kelly [(1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81, 6973-6977]. Circular double-stranded DNA plasmids replicated in extracts of CV-1 cells only when the plasmids contained the cis-acting origin sequence for simian virus 40 DNA replication (ori) and the extract contained simian virus 40 large tumor antigen. Competition between plasmids containing ori and plasmids carrying deletions in and about ori served to identify a sequence that binds the rate-limiting factor(s) required to initiate DNA replication. The minimum binding site (nucleotides 72-5243) encompassed one-half of the simian virus 40 ori sequence that is required for initiation of replication (ori-core) plus the contiguous sequence on the late gene side of ori-core containing G + C-rich repeats that facilitates initiation (ori-auxiliary). This initiation factor binding site was specific for the simian virus 40 ori region, even though it excluded the high-affinity large tumor antigen DNA binding sites.     

Requirement of a plasmid-encoded protein for replication in vitro of plasmid R6K.

Conditions are described for the replication of exogeneous R6K DNA in an in vitro system prepared from Escherichia coli cells. Replication of plasmid DNA in this system is semiconservative and sensitive to actinomycin D, novobiocin, arabinofuranosyl-CTP,N-ethylmaleimide, and inhibitors of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase. An ammonium sulfate fraction prepared from cells carrying the R6K plasmid is required for replication. A direct role in replication for a plasmid-encoded protein, designated pi, in this fraction is indicated by the inactivity of this fraction when prepared from cells carrying a temperature-sensitive mutant plasmid and the thermolability of this fraction when prepared from cells carrying a partial revertant of the mutant plasmid. This plasmid-encoded protein is necessary for the initiation of R6K DNA replication and functions before or during the formation of nascent RNA in the initiation process. The results of titration assays of this protein using various template DNAs suggest that the protein interacts with the plasmid DNA at the region essential for DNA replication.     

In vitro replication of adeno-associated virus DNA.

An in vitro assay for adeno-associated virus (AAV) DNA replication has been developed. The substrate is a plasmid containing the duplex form of AAV DNA in pBR322. The AAV insert is excised or rescued from the plasmid by extracts of uninfected cells. Replication was assayed by production of full-length excised AAV DNA resistant to Dpn I digestion. The following results were obtained. (i) Only extracts of cells coinfected with AAV and adenovirus replicated the excised insert. (ii) Density label experiments showed semiconservative replication. (iii) Only the excised AAV insert was replicated; pBR322 sequences were not. (iv) Replication was dependent on the presence of the AAV terminal repeat. (v) If the terminal 55 bases were deleted from both ends of the AAV insert, no rescue took place: replication occurred and both AAV and pBR322 sequences were replicated. We conclude that the AAV terminal repeat is essential for DNA replication but that under some conditions an initiation mechanism that does not involve hairpin priming may be used.