Role of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I in conferring viability upon the dnaN159 mutant strain.
The Escherichia coli dnaN159 allele encodes a mutant form of the beta-sliding clamp (beta159) that is impaired for interaction with the replicative DNA polymerase (Pol), Pol III. In addition, strains bearing the dnaN159 allele require functional Pol I for viability. We have utilized a combination of genetic and biochemical approaches to characterize the role(s) played by Pol I in the dnaN159 strain. Our findings indicate that elevated levels of Pol I partially suppress the temperature-sensitive growth phenotype of the dnaN159 strain. In addition, we demonstrate that the beta clamp stimulates the processivity of Pol I in vitro and that beta159 is impaired for this activity. The reduced ability of beta159 to stimulate Pol I in vitro correlates with our finding that single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) gap repair is impaired in the dnaN159 strain. Taken together, these results suggest that (i) the beta clamp-Pol I interaction may be important for proper Pol I function in vivo and (ii) in the absence of Pol I, ssDNA gaps may persist in the dnaN159 strain, leading to lethality of the dnaN159 DeltapolA strain.
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- Ultraviolet Rays
- Temperature
- Sequence Analysis, DNA
- Mutation
- Microbiology
- Microbial Viability
- Escherichia coli Proteins
- Escherichia coli
- DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase
- DNA, Single-Stranded
Citation
Published In
DOI
ISSN
Publication Date
Volume
Issue
Start / End Page
Location
Related Subject Headings
- Ultraviolet Rays
- Temperature
- Sequence Analysis, DNA
- Mutation
- Microbiology
- Microbial Viability
- Escherichia coli Proteins
- Escherichia coli
- DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase
- DNA, Single-Stranded