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Replication of oriJ-based plasmid DNA during the stringent and relaxed responses of Escherichia coli.

The oriJ-based plasmids contain the origin of DNA replication from the cryptic Rac prophage, present in the chromosomes of most Escherichia coli K-12 strains. The organization of the oriJ replication region resembles that of the bacteriophage lambda, although sequence similarity is small. Here we investigated the regulation of replication of the oriJ-based plasmid in E. coli relA(+) and relA(-) hosts during amino acid starvation and limitation, i.e., during the stringent and relaxed responses. We found that, contrary to plasmids derived from phage lambda, replication of the oriJ-based plasmid proceeds efficiently during both stringent and relaxed responses. On the other hand, density shift experiments and measurement of the stability of a putative replication initiator protein (the lambda O protein homologue) suggest that this replication may be carried out by the heritable replication complex, as previously demonstrated for lambda plasmids. We demonstrate that contrary to bacteriophage lambda p(R) promoter, an analogous promoter from the oriJ region is activated rather than inhibited at increased ppGpp levels. We propose that various responses of these promoters (p(R) and p(R-Rac), which are necessary for transcriptional activation of orilambda and perhaps oriJ, respectively) to ppGpp are responsible for differences in the replication regulation between orilambda- and oriJ-based plasmids during the stringent response.

Artificial Gene Fusion↗

Identifying sites of replication initiation in yeast chromosomes: looking for origins in all the right places.

DNA fragments that contain an active origin of replication generate bubble-shaped replication intermediates with diverging forks. We describe two methods that use two-dimensional (2-D) agarose gel electrophoresis along with DNA sequence information to identify replication origins in natural and artificial Saccharomyces cerevisiae chromosomes. The first method uses 2-D gels of overlapping DNA fragments to locate an active chromosomal replication origin within a region known to confer autonomous replication on a plasmid. A variant form of 2-D gels can be used to determine the direction of fork movement, and the second method uses this technique to find restriction fragments that are replicated by diverging forks, indicating that a bidirectional replication origin is located between the two fragments. Either of these two methods can be applied to the analysis of any genomic region for which there is DNA sequence information or an adequate restriction map.

Binding Sites↗

Herpes simplex virus DNA replication: a spacer sequence directs the ATP-dependent formation of a nucleoprotein complex at oriS.

The origin-binding protein (OBP) from herpes simplex virus 1 is a member of the SF2 helicase superfamily and is required for the initiation of DNA synthesis from a viral origin of DNA replication (oriS). The high-affinity binding sites for OBP in oriS, boxes I and II, are separated by an A+T-rich spacer. We used the gel retardation technique to examine the influence of this spacer sequence on the formation of a specific complex, referred to as complex II, between OBP and oriS. The formation of this OBP-oriS complex was greatly promoted by adenosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate and other nucleotide cofactors. Surprisingly, oriS constructs where the spacer sequence had been altered with approximately half of a helical turn (+4 or -6 base pairs) supported the formation of a more stable complex II than the wild-type origin. DNase I footprinting experiments showed that the cooperative binding of OBP to boxes I and II was affected by the length of the spacer sequence in the same way. In contrast, the ability of oriS-containing plasmids to replicate was most efficient with wild-type oriS. This paradox can be resolved if it is assumed that an ATP-dependent cooperative binding of OBP to properly spaced recognition sequences in oriS is required to induce a conformational change of DNA, thereby facilitating initiation of DNA replication.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Competition for DNA binding sites between the short and long forms of E2 dimers underlies repression in bovine papillomavirus type 1 DNA replication control.

Papillomaviruses establish a long-term latency in vivo by maintaining their genomes as nuclear plasmids in proliferating cells. Bovine papillomavirus type 1 encodes two proteins required for viral DNA replication: the helicase E1 and the positive regulator E2. The homodimeric E2 is known to cooperatively bind to DNA with E1 to form a preinitiation complex at the origin of DNA replication. The virus also codes for two short forms of E2 that can repress viral functions when overexpressed, and at least one copy of the repressor is required for stable plasmid maintenance in transformed cells. Employing a tetracycline-regulated system to control E1 and E2 production from integrated loci, we show that the short form of E2 negatively regulates DNA replication. We also found that the short form could repress replication in a cell-free replication system and that the repression requires the DNA binding domain of the protein. In contrast, heterodimers of the short and long forms were activators and, by footprint analysis, were shown to be as potent as homodimeric E2 in loading E1 to its cognate site. DNA binding studies show that when E1 levels are low and are dependent upon E2 for occupancy of the origin site, the repressor can block E1-DNA interactions. We conclude that DNA replication modulation results from competition between the different forms of E2 for DNA binding. Given that heterodimers are active and that the repressor form of E2 shows little cooperativity with E1 for DNA binding, this protein is a weak repressor.

Animals↗

Function of ribonuclease H in initiation of DNA replication in Escherichia coli K-12.

Escherichia coli rnh mutants lacking ribonuclease H (RNase H) activity can tolerate deletion of the origin of DNA Replication (delta oriC) and transposon-insertional inactivation of an initiator gene (dnaA::Tn10). Introduction of the recA200 allele encoding a thermolabile RecA protein into rnh- dnaA::Tn10 and rnh- delta oriC mutants strains rendered DNA synthesis and colony formation of these mutants temperature sensitive. The temperature sensitivity and the broth sensitivity (Srm-) of the rnh- dnaA::Tn10 recA200 strain was suppressed by the presence of plasmids (pBR322 derivatives) carrying dnaA+ only when the intact oriC site was present on the chromosome. Lack of RNase H activity neither promoted replication of minichromosomes (pOC24 and p lambda asn20) in the absence of required DnaA+ protein nor inhibited dnaA+-dependent minichromosome replication. These results led to the conclusion that RNase H is not directly involved in the events leading to initiation of DNA replication at oriC. Rather, it functions as a specificity factor by eliminating certain forms of RNA-DNA hybrids which could otherwise be used to prime DNA replication at sites other than oriC.

Chromosome Deletion↗

Two immunologically distinct human DNA polymerase alpha-primase subpopulations are involved in cellular DNA replication.

Metabolic labeling of primate cells revealed the existence of phosphorylated and hypophosphorylated DNA polymerase alpha-primase (Pol-Prim) populations that are distinguishable by monoclonal antibodies. Cell cycle studies showed that the hypophosphorylated form was found in a complex with PP2A and cyclin E-Cdk2 in G1, whereas the phosphorylated enzyme was associated with a cyclin A kinase in S and G2. Modification of Pol-Prim by PP2A and Cdks regulated the interaction with the simian virus 40 origin-binding protein large T antigen and thus initiation of DNA replication. Confocal microscopy demonstrated nuclear colocalization of hypophosphorylated Pol-Prim with MCM2 in S phase nuclei, but its presence preceded 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation. The phosphorylated replicase exclusively colocalized with the BrdU signal, but not with MCM2. Immunoprecipitation experiments proved that only hypophosphorylated Pol-Prim associated with MCM2. The data indicate that the hypophosphorylated enzyme initiates DNA replication at origins, and the phosphorylated form synthesizes the primers for the lagging strand of the replication fork.

Animals↗

Cloning and characterization of herpes simplex virus type 1 oriL: comparison of replication and protein-DNA complex formation by oriL and oriS.

The herpes simplex virus type 1 genome contains three origins of DNA replication: two copies of oriS and one copy of oriL. Although oriS has been characterized extensively, characterization of oriL has been severely limited by the inability to amplify oriL sequences in an undeleted form in Escherichia coli. We report the successful cloning of intact oriL sequences in an E. coli strain, SURE, which contains mutations in a series of genes involved in independent DNA repair pathways shown to be important in the rearrangement and deletion of DNA containing irregular structures such as palindromes. The oriL-containing clones propagated in SURE cells contained no deletions, as determined by Southern blot hybridization and DNA sequence analysis, and were replication competent in transient DNA replication assays. Deletion of 400 bp of flanking sequences decreased the replication efficiency of oriL twofold in transient assays, demonstrating a role for flanking sequences in enhancing replication efficiency. Comparison of the replication efficiencies of an 822-bp oriS-containing plasmid and an 833-bp oriL-containing plasmid demonstrated that the kinetics of replication of the two plasmids were similar but that the oriL-containing plasmid replicated 60 to 70% as efficiently as the oriS-containing plasmid at both early and late times after infection with herpes simplex virus type 1. The virus-specified origin-binding protein (OBP) and a cellular factor(s) (OF-1) have been shown in gel mobility shift experiments to bind specific sequences in oriS (C.E. Dabrowski, P. Carmillo, and P.A. Schaffer, Mol. Cell. Biol. 14:2545-2555, 1994; C.E. Dabrowski and P.A. Schaffer, J. Virol. 65:3140-3150, 1991). Although the nucleotides required for the binding of OBP to OBP binding site I in oriL and oriS are the same, a single nucleotide difference distinguishes OBP binding site III in the two origins. The nucleotides adjacent to oriS sites I and III have been shown to be important for the binding of OF-1 to oriS site I. Several nucleotide differences exist in these sequences in oriL and oriS. Despite these minor nucleotide differences, the protein-DNA complexes that formed with oriL and oriS sites I and III were indistinguishable when extracts of infected and uninfected cells were used as the source of protein. Furthermore, the results of competition analysis suggest that the proteins involved in protein-DNA complex formation with sites I and III of the two origins are likely the same.

Animals↗

Interactions between the adenovirus type 2 DNA polymerase and the DNA binding domain of nuclear factor I.

The adenovirus origin of DNA replication is located within the terminal 51 bp of the viral genome and contains three recognizable domains: the minimal origin or "core" and binding sites for the cellular transcription factors NFI (CTF) and NFIII (oct-1, OTF-I). In vivo assays with a series of plasmids containing insertions between the "core" and NFI binding site revealed that a strict spatial arrangement of the NFI binding site relative to the "core" was required for efficient DNA replication. To determine if this strict positional constraint was a result of interactions between genome-bound proteins, we used the DNA-binding domain of NFI immobilized on Sepharose as an affinity matrix to examine binding of the adenovirus DNA polymerase and preterminal protein. Extracts from insect cells infected with baculoviruses expressing the polymerase or preterminal protein were passed over the NFI affinity matrix and bound proteins were eluted. Whereas preterminal protein passed through the column, the DNA polymerase was specifically retained. When extracts containing both preterminal protein and polymerase were passed over the NFI column, both proteins were retained because of the formation of DNA polymerase-preterminal protein heterodimers. Thus, interactions between the DNA binding domain of NFI and the DNA polymerase may serve to direct the DNA polymerase-preterminal protein heterodimer into a preinitiation complex that assembles at the adenovirus origin of DNA replication.

Adenoviridae↗

The evolutionarily conserved zinc finger motif in the largest subunit of human replication protein A is required for DNA replication and mismatch repair but not for nucleotide excision repair.

The largest subunit of the replication protein A (RPA) contains an evolutionarily conserved zinc finger motif that lies outside of the domains required for binding to single-stranded DNA or forming the RPA holocomplex. In previous studies, we showed that a point mutation in this motif (RPAm) cannot support SV40 DNA replication. We have now investigated the role of this motif in several steps of DNA replication and in two DNA repair pathways. RPAm associates with T antigen, assists the unwinding of double-stranded DNA at an origin of replication, stimulates DNA polymerases alpha and delta, and supports the formation of the initial short Okazaki fragments. However, the synthesis of a leading strand and later Okazaki fragments is impaired. In contrast, RPAm can function well during the incision step of nucleotide excision repair and in a full repair synthesis reaction, with either UV-damaged or cisplatin-adducted DNA. Two deletion mutants of the Rpa1 subunit (eliminating amino acids 1-278 or 222-411) were not functional in nucleotide excision repair. We report for the first time that wild type RPA is required for a mismatch repair reaction in vitro. Neither the deletion mutants nor RPAm can support this reaction. Therefore, the zinc finger of the largest subunit of RPA is required for a function that is essential for DNA replication and mismatch repair but not for nucleotide excision repair.

Binding Sites↗

Mapping of control elements in the displacement loop region of bovine mitochondrial DNA.

The genomes of mammalian mitochondria are duplex DNA circles. The two major transcriptional promoters and the origin of DNA replication for one DNA strand are located in a single region which contains no structural genes and occupies about 6% of the genome. This region is called the displacement loop (D-loop) region since it is often found as a novel triplex structure in which the heavy strand of the genome has been partially replicated. This nascent single-stranded DNA segment remains hybridized to the light strand, displacing the heavy strand of the genome over much of the D-loop region. The promoters and the sites of initiation of D-loop DNA synthesis have been mapped in the human and mouse genomes and may show limited sequence conservation. We have mapped these sites in the bovine mitochondrial genome. Some features are conserved between all three species; however, the promoters and the sites of initiation of D-loop DNA synthesis show no primary sequence homology among all species. This lack of sequence homology is in contrast to the greater than 80% sequence conservation which has been reported in portions of the D-loop region which are located distal to the origin of DNA replication and far from the transcriptional promoters. These results imply that closely related species may have developed different means of controlling mitochondrial gene expression.

Animals↗

No single homologous repeat region is essential for DNA replication of the baculovirus Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus.

The presence of homologous repeat (hr) regions in multiple locations within baculovirus genomes has led to the hypothesis that they represent origins of DNA replication. This hypothesis has been supported by transient replication assays where plasmids carrying hrs replicated in the presence of virus DNA replication. This study investigated whether any specific hr region was essential for viral DNA replication in vivo, by generating a series of recombinant Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus where the lacZ gene replaced hr1, hr1a, hr2, hr3, hr4a or hr4b. In addition, a double-hr knockout virus was constructed where both hr2 and hr3 were deleted. The successful construction of these knockout viruses indicated that no specific region was essential for virus production. These recombinant viruses were characterized by titrations of budded virus, expression of a variety of virus-specific proteins and the synthesis of viral DNA at various times after infection. The results demonstrated that each hr was dispensable for all of these properties and that no single region was absolutely essential for virus replication in cell culture. The functional significance of multiple origin regions is still unclear.

Animals↗

An origin unwinding activity regulates initiation of DNA replication during mammalian cell cycle.

An in vitro assay was developed to study the positive factors that regulate the onset of DNA replication during the mammalian cell cycle. Extracts prepared from cells at defined positions in the cell cycle were used to examine the replication of SV40 DNA in a cell free system. Extracts prepared from S phase cells were ten times more efficient at initiating replication at the SV40 origin than were extracts from G1 cells, whereas elongation rates were similar in G1 and S reactions. At a discrete point in the cell cycle, just before the cell's entry into S, an activity appeared that was required, in conjunction with SV40 T antigen, for site specific initiation at the SV40 origin. This factor had a role in unwinding DNA at the replication origin.

Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming↗

Evolutionary role of abortive transcript as a primer for DNA replication.

Abortive cycling features transcription initiation by RNA polymerase in both prokaryote and eukaryote. It is known that T7 RNA polymerase produces abortive transcripts up to eight ribonucleotides in length depending on the initial sequence of the DNA message. On the other hand, T7 RNA polymerase initiates DNA replication from the T7 primary origin by synthesizing primers. And the shortest primer from the phi l.lB promoter in the primary origin also seems to be eight ribonucleotides in length. Therefore, it is likely that the longest abortive transcript serves as the shortest primer for T7 DNA replication from the primary origin. Considering that promoters often exist in DNA replication origins for example, E. coli oriC and many eukaryotic origins, the early DNA replication system appears to have taken advantage of the abortive cycling of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase that already existed before the emergence of DNA world. The evolutionary primitive RNA polymerase could do both transcription and priming of DNA replication. Accordingly, abortive cycling would play an important role in evolution at the emergence of DNA world. The priming activity of the primitive RNA polymerase would be taken over by primase later, which seems to be a specialized RNA polymerase for abortive cycling.

Biological Evolution↗

Cdc6p modulates the structure and DNA binding activity of the origin recognition complex in vitro.

An interaction between the origin recognition complex (ORC) and Cdc6p is the first and a key step in the initiation of chromosomal DNA replication. We describe the assembly of an origin-dependent complex containing ORC and Cdc6p from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Cdc6p increases the DNA binding specificity of ORC by inhibiting non-specific DNA binding of ORC. Cdc6p induces a concomitant change in the conformation of ORC and mutations in the Cdc6p Walker A and Walker B motifs, or ATP-gamma-S inhibited these activities of Cdc6p. These data suggest that Cdc6p modifies ORC function at DNA replication origins. On the basis of these results in yeast, we propose that Cdc6p may be an essential determinant of origin specificity in metazoan species.

Cell Cycle Proteins↗

The importance of RNA secondary structure in CoIE1 primer formation.

Formation of the RNA primer for CoIE1 DNA replication is inhibited by random substitution of less than one tenth of G residues by I residues during in vitro transcription. Substitution in any one of several regions of the transcript is inhibitory, even in the region more than 400 nucleotides upstream of the origin of DNA replication. The inhibition results from interference with hybrid formation between nascent RNA II (primer transcript) and the template DNA near the replication origin. Association of RNA I with RNA II, which has been known to inhibit primer formation, enhances pausing of transcription of RNA II at a site far downstream of the region where RNA I hybridizes to the transcript. A large deletion in the region which specifies both RNA I and RNA II suppresses primer formation and also enhances pausing of transcription at the same site. These results show that the secondary structure of RNA II during transcription is important for primer formation and that alteration in the structure of the nascent transcript can change transcriptional events far downstream.

Base Sequence↗

Purification and characterization of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe origin recognition complex: interaction with origin DNA and Cdc18 protein.

The origin recognition complex (ORC) plays a central role in the initiation of DNA replication in eukaryotic cells. It interacts with origins of DNA replication in chromosomal DNA and recruits additional replication proteins to form functional initiation complexes. These processes have not been well characterized at the biochemical level except in the case of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ORC. We report here the expression, purification, and initial characterization of Schizosaccharomyces pombe ORC (SpORC) containing six recombinant subunits. Purified SpORC binds efficiently to the ars1 origin of DNA replication via the essential Nterminal domain of the SpOrc4 subunit which contains nine AT-hook motifs. Competition binding experiments demonstrated that SpORC binds preferentially to DNA molecules rich in AT-tracts, but does not otherwise exhibit a high degree of sequence specificity. The complex is capable of binding to multiple sites within the ars1 origin of DNA replication with similar affinities, indicating that the sequence requirements for origin recognition in S. pombe are significantly less stringent than in S. cerevisiae. We have also demonstrated that SpORC interacts directly with Cdc18p, an essential fission yeast initiation protein, and recruits it to the ars1 origin in vitro. Recruitment of Cdc18p to chromosomal origins is a likely early step in the initiation of DNA replication in vivo. These data indicate that the purified recombinant SpORC retains at least two of its primary biological functions and that it will be useful for the eventual reconstitution of the initiation reaction with purified proteins.

Amino Acid Motifs↗