Short deoxyribonucleic acid repair patch length in Escherichia coli is determined by the processive mechanism of deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase I

Journal Article · Tue Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1981 · J. Bacteriol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5762992

Matson, S W; Bambara, R A

The lengths of ultraviolet irradiation-induced repair resynthesis patches were measured in repair-competent extracts of Escherichia coli. Extracts containing wild-type deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase I introduced a patch 15 to 20 nucleotides in length during repair of ColE1 plasmid DNA; extracts containing the polA5 mutant form of DNA polymerase I introduced a patch only about 5 nucleotides in length in a similar reaction. The repair patch length in the presence of either DNA polymerase corresponded to the processivity of that polymerase as determined with purified enzymes and DNA treated with a nonspecific endonuclease. The base composition of the repair patch inserted by the wild-type DNA polymerase was similar to that of the bacterial genome, whereas the patch inserted by the mutant enzyme was skewed toward greater pyrimidine incorporation. This skewing is expected, considering the predominance of pyrimidine incorporation occurring at the ultraviolet lesion and the short patch made by the mutant enzyme. Since the defect in the polA5 DNA polymerase which causes premature dissociation from DNA is reflected exactly in the repair patch length, the processive mechanism of the polymerase must be a central determinant of patch length.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Rochester, NY
• OSTI ID: 5762992
• Journal Information: J. Bacteriol.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Bacteriol.; (United States) Vol. 146:1; ISSN JOBAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560112* -- Radiation Effects on Biochemicals-- In Microorganisms-- (-1987)
560131 -- Radiation Effects on Microorganisms-- Basic Studies-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AZINES
BACTERIA
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RECOVERY
BIOLOGICAL REPAIR
BIOSYNTHESIS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
DIMERS
DNA
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ENZYMES
ESCHERICHIA COLI
GENETIC EFFECTS
GENETIC RADIATION EFFECTS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
MICROORGANISMS
MUTATIONS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
NUCLEOTIDYLTRANSFERASES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORUS-GROUP TRANSFERASES
POLYMERASES
PYRIMIDINES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RECOVERY
REPAIR
SYNTHESIS
TIME DEPENDENCE
TRANSFERASES
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION