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In vivo species specificity of DNA polymerase α

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Abstract

The DNA polymerase a enzymes from human, and budding (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe) are homologous proteins involved in initiation and replication of chromosomal DNA. Sequence comparision of human DNA polymerase α with that of S. cerevisiae and S. pombe shows overall levels of amino acid sequence identity of 32% and 34%, respectively. We report here that, despite the sequence conservation among these three enzymes, functionally active human DNA polymerase a fails to rescue several different conditional lethal alleles of the budding yeast POL1 gene at nonpermissive temperature. Furthermore, human DNA polymerase α cannot complement a null allele of budding yeast POL1 either in germinating spores or in vegetatively growing cells. In fission yeast, functionally active human DNA polymerase α is also unable to complement the disrupted polα::ura4 + allele in germinating spores. Thus, in vivo, DNA polymerase α has stringent species specificity for initiation and replication of chromosomal DNA.

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Abbreviations

5-FOA:

5-fluoroorotic acid

PMSF:

p-toluenesulfonyl fluoride

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 94305, Stanford, CA, USA

    Stefania Francesconi, William C. Copeland & Teresa S.-F. Wang

Authors
  1. Stefania Francesconi
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  2. William C. Copeland
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  3. Teresa S.-F. Wang
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Communicated by B. Kilbey

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Francesconi, S., Copeland, W.C. & Wang, T.SF. In vivo species specificity of DNA polymerase α. Molec. Gen. Genet. 241, 457–466 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00284700

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00284700

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