Selective affinity chromatography of DNA polymerases with associated 3' to 5' exonuclease activities

Affinity purification of DNA-binding proteins

The focus of this review is on DNA affinity chromatography, which is the most powerful tool for purification of DNA binding proteins. The use of nonspecific-, sequence specific- and single stranded-DNA affinity columns in purification of various DNA binding proteins is discussed. The purification strategies for transcription factors, restriction enzymes, telomerases, DNA and RNA polymerase and DNA binding antibodies are described. Different applications of DNA affinity chromatography are presented.

Mosquito DNA polymerase epsilon

The mosquito homolog of mammalian DNA polymerase epsilon, formerly known as a proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-independent form of DNA polymerase delta, has been purified from mosquito larval extracts. The polymerase epsilon was separated from DNA polymerase alpha by chromatography on hydroxylapatite, and the enzyme was subsequently purified on single-stranded DNA agarose, followed by a 5' AMP-agarose chromatography step. The purified polymerase exhibits an intrinsic 3'-5' exonuclease activity and shows high activity using an oligo-primed DNA template. Neither human nor Drosophila PCNA stimulated this polymerase activity. Additional immunochemical and biochemical evidence indicates that this enzyme is distinct from DNA polymerase alpha.

DNA polymerase B from wheat embryos: a plant delta-like DNA polymerase

Studies in eucaryotic cells (mainly animals and yeast) indicate that at least two DNA polymerases are involved in DNA replication at the level of the replication fork: DNA polymerase alpha, which is associated with DNA primase, is involved in the replication of the lagging strand; DNA polymerase delta, associated with an exonuclease activity, synthesizes the forward continuous DNA strand. Much less information exists concerning plant systems. Previous work from this laboratory provided preliminary evidence of an association between DNA polymerase B from wheat embryo and an exonucleolytic activity. In this paper, we present additional data on the biochemical properties of DNA polymerase B. An improved purification procedure described in this article has been developed. During all the purification steps the nuclease activity was associated with DNA polymerase activity. A biochemical study of this enzyme activity shows that it is an exonuclease which hydrolyses DNA in the 3' to 5' direction. Moreover, this exonuclease confers a proofreading function to DNA polymerase B. Comparison of DNA polymerase B properties (template specificity, sensitivity to DNA replication inhibitors like aphidicolin and butyl-phenyl dGTP, copurification of DNA polymerase and exonuclease activities) with those of animal DNA polymerase delta indicates that these enzymes share many common features. To our knowledge, this is the first report of DNA polymerase delta in higher plants.

Purification and characterization of two new high molecular weight forms of DNA polymerase delta

Two high molecular weight DNA polymerases, which we have designated delta I and delta II, have been purified from calf thymus tissue. Using Bio Rex-70, DEAE-Sephadex A-25, and DNA affinity resin chromatography followed by sucrose gradient sedimentation, we purified DNA polymerase delta I 1400-fold to a specific activity of 10 000 nmol of nucleotide incorporated h-1 mg-1, and DNA polymerase delta II was purified 4100-fold to a final specific activity of 30 000 nmol of nucleotide incorporated h-1 mg-1. The native molecular weights of DNA polymerase delta I and DNA polymerase delta II are 240 000 and 290 000, respectively. Both enzymes have similarities to other purified delta-polymerases previously reported in their ability to degrade single-stranded DNA in a 3' to 5' direction, affinity for an AMP-hexane-agarose matrix, high activity on poly(dA) X oligo(dT) template, and relative resistance to the polymerase alpha inhibitors N2-(p-n-butylphenyl)dATP and N2-(p-n-butylphenyl)dGTP. These two forms of DNA polymerase delta also share several common features with alpha-type DNA polymerases. Both calf DNA polymerase delta I and DNA polymerase delta II are similar to calf DNA polymerase alpha in molecular weight, are inhibited by the alpha-polymerase inhibitors N-ethylmaleimide and aphidicolin, contain an active DNA-dependent RNA polymerase or primase activity, display a similar extent of processive DNA synthesis, and are stimulated by millimolar concentrations of ATP. We propose that calf DNA polymerase delta I, which also has a template specificity essentially identical with that of calf DNA polymerase alpha, could be an exonuclease-containing form of a DNA replicative enzyme.

The enzymatic basis of cyclophosphamide specificity

Metabolic activation of cyclophosphamide (CP) by microsomal mixed function hydroxylases yields 4-hydroxycyclophosphamide and aldophosphamide defined as activated CP. Activated CP shows relatively high cancerotoxic selectivity in vivo and cytotoxic specificity in vitro and can be trapped rapidly by reversible reaction of hemiaminal group of the oxazaphosphorine ring with protein thiols to form protein bound activated CP (protein-S-CP). Protein-S-CP stores activated CP in a highly stable form. From pharmacokinetics of activated CP in mice after the injection of cyclophosphamide, it was calculated that about 17% of the CP dose given was stored in a pool of protein bound activated CP lasting for several days. From therapy studies with 4-(S-ethanol)-sulfido-CP in combination with excess of cysteine, it was concluded that the protein-S-CP pool may be that form of activated CP which is mainly responsible for the specific cytotoxic effects in the tumor cells. On the other hand free unbound 4-OH-CP was shown to contribute mainly to overall toxicity. No spontaneous toxicogenation of activated CP was noted under in vivo conditions. 3'-5' Exonucleases were found to hydrolyze 4-OH-CP, yielding phosphoramide mustard and acrolein as split products. Because of the low affinity of 4-OH-CP for plain 3'-5' exonucleases, it seems however unlikely that these enzymes play a major role in the antitumor effect of CP in vivo. 3'-5' Exonucleases associated to DNA polymerase like in DNA polymerase delta from rabbit bone marrow or in DNA polymerase I from E. coli are more likely candidates for 4-OH-CP toxicogenation because of the much higher specific activity with 4-OH-CP as substrate. In experiments with DNA polymerase I from E. coli, 4-OH-CP was shown to inhibit DNA polymerase activity after toxicogenation by the 3'-5' exonuclease subsite of the enzyme. This suggests an enzyme mechanism based suicide inactivation of the DNA polymerase. Because of the close spatial cooperation of the DNA polymerase and 3'-5' exonuclease subsites with primer/template a site-specific alkylation of DNA is also postulated. Thus we raised the hypothesis that cytotoxic specificity of activated CP is based on the interaction of protein-S-CP (protein bound activated CP) with DNA polymerase/3'-5' exonuclease as the target. In a P 815 mouse mast-cell tumor we determined by means of 5' AMP agarose affinity chromatography two/third of total DNA polymerase to be associated with 3'-5' exonuclease.

Differential inhibition of human placental DNA polymerases delta and alpha by BuPdGTP and BuAdATP

The p-n-butylphenyl- and p-n-butylanilino- substituted analogs of dGTP and dATP, respectively, were tested as inhibitors of purified human placental DNA polymerases alpha and delta. It was observed that DNA polymerase alpha activity was potently inhibited by these analogs with I0.5 values as low as the nanomolar range, whereas DNA polymerase delta activity was poorly inhibited, with I0.5 values of ca. 100 micromolar. These results argue for a distinct identity of these two enzymes, and demonstrate the usefulness of these analogs as probes of DNA polymerase structures. In addition, these analogs provide a rapid method for the discrimination of the two enzyme activities and a means for the selective assay of DNA polymerase delta. Aphidicolin inhibited both DNA polymerases.