X-Nico

2 unusual facts about DNA polymerase


Renato Dulbecco

As demonstrated by Temin and Baltimore, who shared the Nobel Prize with Dulbecco, the transfer of viral genes to the cell is mediated by an enzyme called reverse transcriptase (or, more precisely, RNA-dependent DNA polymerase), which replicates the viral genome (in this case made of RNA) into DNA, which is later incorporated in the host genome.

SOS response

Activation of the SOS genes occurs after DNA damage by the accumulation of single stranded (ssDNA) regions generated at replication forks, where DNA polymerase is blocked.


Arthur Kornberg

Thomas discovered DNA polymerase II and III in 1970 and is now a professor at the University of California, San Francisco.

E2F

E2F target genes encode proteins involved in DNA replication (for example DNA polymerase, thymidine kinase, dihydrofolate reductase and cdc6), and chromosomal replication (replication origin-binding protein HsOrc1 and MCM5).

Reverse-transcriptase inhibitor

RTIs inhibit activity of reverse transcriptase, a viral DNA polymerase that is required for replication of HIV and other retroviruses.


see also

DNA polymerase delta

DNA polymerase delta is an enzyme complex found in eukaryotes that is involved in DNA replication and repair, and it consists of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), the multisubunit replication factor C, and the 4 subunit polymerase complex: POLD1, POLD2, POLD3, and POLD4.

Nucleoside analogue

Once they are phosphorylated, they work as antimetabolites by being similar enough to nucleotides to be incorporated into growing DNA strands; but they act as chain terminators and stop viral DNA Polymerase.

POLG2

The POLG2 gene encodes a 55 kDa accessory subunit protein that imparts high processivity and salt tolerance to the catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase gamma, encoded by the POLG gene.