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A DNA-unwinding protein has been purified from regenerating rat liver cytosol to apparent homogeneity. The protein is present in about 10(6) copies per cell. It is a tetramer, composed of 25,000-dalton subunits which does not exhibit enzymatic activity for ATPase, DNA polymerase, or DNase. The protein is able to unwind the double helix of poly[d(A-T)], depressing the melting point of this synthetic polymer by about 40 degrees. It also binds to supercoiled SV40 DNA, probably by melting A-T-rich regions in the genome. The fully saturated complex of protein and SV40 DNA sediments at 30 S. Homologous DNA polymerases-alpha and -beta are stimulated by the protein at a different level depending on the templates used. This result argues in favor of the intervention of the unwinding protein in replication processes.
The ability of purified nuclear lamin A, lamin B, lamin C, and vimentin from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells to bind nucleic acids was investigated in vitro via a quantitative filter binding assay. At low ionic strength, vimentin bound more nucleic acid than the nuclear lamins and showed a preference for G-containing nucleic acids. Nuclear lamins A and C were quite similar in their binding properties and bound G- and C-containing nucleic acids preferentially. The binding of poly(dT) by the lamins A and C was reduced in competition experiments by both poly(dG) and poly(dC), but not by poly(dA). Lamin B bound only oligo and poly(dG); no other nucleic acids tested were bound or could compete with the binding of oligo(dG). Vimentin, lamin A, and lamin C specifically bound a synthetic oligonucleotide human (vertebrate) telomere model. The Ka for vimentin (2.7 X 10(7) M-1) was approximately 10-fold higher than those for lamin A (2.8 X 10(6) M-1) and lamin C (2.9 X 10(6) M-1). Lamin B did not bind detectable amounts of the telomere model. Washing of lamin A- and lamin C-nucleic acid complexes, formed at low ionic strength, with solutions containing 150 mM KCl resulted in the elution of 30% of bound poly(dG)12-18 and 70% of bound synthetic oligonucleotide telomere model. These results, using purified individual proteins, are in good agreement with data from competition experiments with vimentin but are at odds with data obtained previously using a crude preparation of nuclear matrix proteins containing all three nuclear lamin proteins (Comings, D. E., and Wallack, A. S. (1978) J. Cell Sci. 34, 233-246). The nuclear lamins A and C and vimentin possess nucleic acid-binding properties that might permit their binding to specific base sequences and/or unique DNA structure, such as that observed for the binding of the telomere model. The significance of the higher affinity binding of nucleic acids by the cytoplasmic protein vimentin (compared with the nuclear lamins) remains to be elucidated.
We examined the substrate specificity of endonuclease R (endo R) a mammalian endonuclease that cleaves G.C-rich DNA sequences. The best substrates for double-stranded cleavage were homopolymeric stretches of poly(dG).poly(dC). Plasmids which contain other G-rich sequences were also cleaved but at a reduced frequency. These included the telomeric sequences, d(G4T2) and d(G2-6A), which were cleaved at approximately one-third the frequency of d(G)n.d(C)n. The alternating copolymer d(GA) and the terminal sequences of adeno-associated virus d(G1-3T/A) were also cut. Poly(dA).poly(dT) and the alternating copolymer d(GC)n were not detectably cleaved. Although endo R has a nicking activity which converts supercoiled plasmids to nicked circular DNA, the nicking activity is random with respect to plasmid sequences. Specific cleavage of G-rich sequences appears to occur by a concerted double-stranded mechanism. The cleavage pattern within the G-rich runs suggests that cleavage can occur anywhere within the G-rich region. Product ligation experiments indicate that a limited number of cleavage events (1-2) occur/molecule. Inasmuch as the best substrates for endo R are d(G)n.d(C)n and telomeric sequences, we suggest that endo R may directly recognize and cleave DNA that contains G.G base pairing.
The statistical model of the environment for estimating the influence of the aqueous electrolyte solution on the macromolecule has been developed. The energy of the water-fasteners between macromolecule atoms has been calculated. The calculations of A and B form dA6.dT6 and dG6.dC6 duplexes have been made. The unusual stability of B form in dA6.dT6 and their unstability in dG6.dC6 have been analysed. B form duplexes have optimal energy of Van-der-Waals interactions, but a more strained ribose-phosphate backbone, the latter being the reason of its high conformational lability. The aqueous solution stabilizes B form duplexes. The main types of sequence-dependent B form stabilizing interactions are: electrostatic interactions between phosphate groups and bases, the effect of the solvent molecular structure and energy of water fasteners between nucleic bases and ribose-phosphate backbone.
Molecular mechanics methods have been applied to suggest possible models for netropsin and related compounds binding to two different sequences of DNA, namely poly[d(AT)].poly[d(AT)] and poly[d(GC)].poly[d(GC)], and to evaluate the different contributions to the binding affinities of these compounds in the ethidium displacement assay. The geometries found after energy refinement suggest that one of the reasons for the selectivity of binding of these agents to A + T-rich DNA regions could be the different widths of the minor groove of the double strand of DNA found in the complexes of these drugs with both DNA sequences.
The polyamine spermine can not replace Mg2+ in the reactions catalyzed by avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase. In the presence of suboptimal Mg2+ concentrations, spermine enhanced the reverse transcriptase activities with viral 70 S RNA and synthetic polyriboadenylic acid as templates, about 4-fold and 2-fold, respectively. A similar effect occurred in the polyriboadenylic acid-directed reaction using Mn2+ as divalent cation. On the other hand, no stimulation by spermine was observed with activated DNA and polydeoxyadenylic acid as template in the reactions catalyzed by reverse transcriptase.
The specificity of hydrolysis of polynucleotide termini by Escherichia coli exonuclease III was studied with the use of oligothymidylate annealed to polydeoxyadenylate. The size of the products after 3' leads to 5'-hydrolysis of 5'-labeled substrate is temperature-dependent. At 25 degrees the enzyme can hydrolyze a polynucleotide chain up to the last 5'-terminal dinucleotide. A gradation of higher 5'-terminal oligonucleotides of defined chain lengths is produced after limit digestion by the enzyme when the temperature is raised between 25 degrees to 60 degrees. When the oligothymidylate was labeled at the 3'-ends with ribonucleotides, it was observed that exonuclease III can cleave a single or two consecutive ribonucleotides regardless of whether the ribonucleotides are base-paired or mismatched.
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The initial events of the de novo synthesis of poly[d(A-T)], catalyzed by preparations of E. coli DNA-polymerase I, were investigated. The data provide evidence that deoxynucleoside diphosphate: oligonucleotide deoxynucleotidyl transferase (dNDP-transferase), the enzyme which is able to catalyze unprimed polymerization of dNDP, participates in the process of initiation. This conclusion is based on the following data: 1) preincubation of E. coli DNA-polymerase I preparation with dADP and dTDT abolishes a lag-period in the poly[d(A-T)] synthesis; 2) dithiothreitol and N-ethylmaleinide, inhibitors of dNDP-transferase, inhibit de novo synthesis of [d(A-T)]-copolymer by preparations of E. coli DNA-polymerase I but do not effect primed synthesis ensured by this enzyme. High concentration of the substrate have similar effect. Using two-dimentional thin-layer chromatography and microcolumn chromatography on TEAE-cellulose we have shown that preliminary incubation of DNA-polymerase I preparations with dADP and dTDP results in the synthesis of short oligonucleotides (from di- to decanucleotides). Hydrolysis of these oligonucleotides with dilute sulfuric acid demonstrates that among the reaction products prevail oligoadenylates and oligothymidylates, but an appreciable amounts of heterooligomers including oligo[d(A-T)] were revealed as well. The model of so called de novo synthesis of regular polynucleotides is proposed, according to which dNDP-transferase, an accompanying enzyme in the preparations of DNA-polymerase I E. coli, is carrying out the synthesis of short oligonucleotides which form template-primer complexes repeatedly replicated by the DNA-polymerase I E. coli.
We have studied the circular dichroism and ultraviolet difference spectra of T7 bacteriophage DNA and various synthetic polynucleotides upon addition of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase. When RNA polymerase binds nonspecifically to T7 DNA, the CD spectrum shows a decrease in the maximum at 272 but no detectable changes in other regions of the spectrum. This CD change can be compared with those associated with known conformational changes in DNA. Nonspecific binding to RNA polymerase leads to an increase in the winding angle, theta, in T7 DNA. The CD and UV difference spectra for poly[d(A-T)] at 4 degrees C show similar effects. At 25 degrees C, binding of RNA polymerase to poly[d(A-T)] leads to hyperchromicity at 263 nm and to significant changes in CD. These effects are consistent with an opening of the double helix, i.e. melting of a short region of the DNA. The hyperchromicity observed at 263 nm for poly[d(A-T)] is used to determine the number of base pairs disrupted in the binding of RNA polymerase holoenzyme. The melting effect involves about 10 base pairs/RNA polymerase molecule. Changes in the CD of poly(dT) and poly(dA) on binding to RNA polymerase suggest an unstacking of the bases with a change in the backbone conformation. This is further confirmed by the UV difference spectra. We also show direct evidence for differences in the template binding site between holo- and core enzyme, presumably induced by the sigma subunit. By titration of the enzyme with poly(dT) the physical site size of RNA polymerase on single-stranded DNA is approximately equal to 30 bases for both holo- and core enzyme. Titration of poly[d(A-T)] with polymerase places the figure at approximately equal to 28 base pairs for double-stranded DNA.
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Interaction of DNA with the analogs of the antibiotic distamycin A having different numbers of pyrrolcarboxamide units and labeled with dansyl was studied. The intensity of fluorescence of these analogs increases markedly when they bind to DNA. It is shown that the introduction of dansyl into the analog molecules does not change their binding characteristics. The binding isotherms of the analogs to synthetic polydeoxyribonucleotides were obtained. Analysis of the experimental data leads to the following conclusions: 1. The free energy of binding of the analogs to poly(dA1 . poly(dT) depends linearly on the number of pyrrolcarboxamide units in the molecule of the analog whereas attachment of each pyrrolcarboxamide unit produces change of 2 kcal/mole in the free energy. 2. Attachment of a pyrrolcarboxamide unit to GC pair results in the free energy change of 0.95 kcal/mole. 3. Adenine and thymine are close but not equivalent by the energy of binding to the analogs of distamycin A. 4. The binding of analogs to poly(dA . poly(dT) is a cooperative process, presumably dependent on the conformational changes induced by the binding of analogs to DNA.
The refinement of the B-form DNA structure was made using homopolymer poly(dA) (dT) as a model system. In the course of refinement 9 conformational and 22 independent experimental parameters (20 intensities of reflections and 2 helical parameters) were used. After the goal-function, including R-factor, helical and conformational parameters, was optimised, the structures with the values of potential energy and R-factor close correspondingly to the optimal values were selected. "The best" conformations obtained according to energy criteria have the value of an axial projection per one nucleotide pair of about 2,9 A that is equal to the corresponding value in the recently discovered relaxed form of DNA in solution. The most probable conformations according to combine energy and structural criteria have better value of the R-factor in comparison with those derived on the basis of X-ray only, although they are slightly less satisfactory according to the energy criteria. The conformation of DNA which have the values of an axial projection per one nucleotide pair--3,29 A; of the angle of rotation of neighboring nucleotide pair relative each other--36 degrees and of the angle of nucleotide pair with an axis of the helix -13,7 degrees seems to be the most accurate description of the doublehelical structure of poly(dA) . poly(dT). The atomic coordinates of the new model may be used in analysis of stereochemistry of the complexes of nucleic acids with polypeptide and proteins, that is in consideration of the problem of protein-nucleic acid recognition.
The UV-light induced conformational effects in deoxyoligonucleotides and polynucleotides have been analyzed by CD measurements and isolation of the photoproducts. The results demonstrate that the essential photoproduct formed on irradiation of thymidylyl-thymidine at 254 nm is of non-cyclobutane type and may be correlated to the primary photoproduct formed in DNAs at low doses Formation of thymine dimers of cyclobutane-type structure appears to be a secondary product generated by treatment with formic acid.
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