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Title: Exonuclease III and the catalase hydroperoxidase II in Escherichia coli are both regulated by the katF gene product

Journal Article · · Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States)

The levels of both exonuclease III (exo III, product of xthA) and hydroperoxidase II (HP-II, product of katE) activity in Escherichia coli were influenced by a functional katF gene. The katF gene product is also necessary for synthesis of HP-II. Mutations in either katF or xthA, but not katE, result in sensitivity to H/sub 2/O/sub 2/ and near-UV (300-400 nm) radiation. Exo III, encoded by the xthA locus, recognizes and removes nucleoside 5'-monophosphates near apurinic and apyrimidinic sites in damaged DNA. Extracts of katF mutant strains had little detectable exo III activity. When a katF+ plasmid was introduced into the katF mutant, exo III activity exceeded wild-type levels. We propose that the katF gene is a trans-acting positive regulator of exo III and HP-II enzymes, both of which are involved in cellular recovery from oxidative damage.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Missouri, Columbia (USA)
OSTI ID:
6021720
Journal Information:
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States), Vol. 86:9
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English