Two functional domains of the epsilon subunit of DNA polymerase III

BRCT Domains: Structure, Functions, and Implications in Disease-New Therapeutic Targets for Innovative Drug Discovery against Infections

The search for new therapeutic targets and their implications in drug development remains an emerging scientific topic. BRCT-bearing proteins are found in Archaea, Bacteria, Eukarya, and viruses. They are traditionally involved in DNA repair, recombination, and cell cycle control. To carry out these functions, BRCT domains are able to interact with DNA and proteins. Moreover, such domains are also implicated in several pathogenic processes and malignancies including breast, ovarian, and lung cancer. Although these domains exhibit moderately conserved folding, their sequences show very low conservation. Interestingly, sequence variations among species are considered positive traits in the search for suitable therapeutic targets, since non-specific drug interactions might be reduced. These main characteristics of BRCT, as well as its critical implications in key biological processes in the cell, have prompted the study of these domains as therapeutic targets. This review explores the possible roles of BRCT domains as therapeutic targets for drug discovery. We describe their common structural features and relevant interactions and pathways, as well as their implications in pathologic processes. Drugs commonly used to target these domains are also presented. Finally, based on their structures, we describe new drug design possibilities using modern and innovative techniques.

Novel Antibiotics Targeting Bacterial Replicative DNA Polymerases

Multidrug resistance is a worldwide problem that is an increasing threat to global health. Therefore, the development of new antibiotics that inhibit novel targets is of great urgency. Some of the most successful antibiotics inhibit RNA transcription, RNA translation, and DNA replication. Transcription and translation are inhibited by directly targeting the RNA polymerase or ribosome, respectively. DNA replication, in contrast, is inhibited indirectly through targeting of DNA gyrases, and there are currently no antibiotics that inhibit DNA replication by directly targeting the replisome. This contrasts with antiviral therapies where the viral replicases are extensively targeted. In the last two decades there has been a steady increase in the number of compounds that target the bacterial replisome. In particular a variety of inhibitors of the bacterial replicative polymerases PolC and DnaE have been described, with one of the DNA polymerase inhibitors entering clinical trials for the first time. In this review we will discuss past and current work on inhibition of DNA replication, and the potential of bacterial DNA polymerase inhibitors in particular as attractive targets for a new generation of antibiotics.

Structural and catalytic insights into HoLaMa, a derivative of Klenow DNA polymerase lacking the proofreading domain

We report here on the stability and catalytic properties of the HoLaMa DNA polymerase, a Klenow sub-fragment lacking the 3’-5’ exonuclease domain. HoLaMa was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, and the enzyme was purified by means of standard chromatographic techniques. High-resolution NMR experiments revealed that HoLaMa is properly folded at pH 8.0 and 20°C. In addition, urea induced a cooperative folding to unfolding transition of HoLaMa, possessing an overall thermodynamic stability and a transition midpoint featuring ΔG and C_M equal to (15.7 ± 1.9) kJ/mol and (3.5 ± 0.6) M, respectively. When the catalytic performances of HoLaMa were compared to those featured by the Klenow enzyme, we did observe a 10-fold lower catalytic efficiency by the HoLaMa enzyme. Surprisingly, HoLaMa and Klenow DNA polymerases possess markedly different sensitivities in competitive inhibition assays performed to test the effect of single dNTPs.

The Spectrum of Replication Errors in the Absence of Error Correction Assayed Across the Whole Genome of Escherichia coli

When the DNA polymerase that replicates the Escherichia coli chromosome, DNA polymerase III, makes an error, there are two primary defenses against mutation: proofreading by the ϵ subunit of the holoenzyme and mismatch repair. In proofreading-deficient strains, mismatch repair is partially saturated and the cell's response to DNA damage, the SOS response, may be partially induced. To investigate the nature of replication errors, we used mutation accumulation experiments and whole-genome sequencing to determine mutation rates and mutational spectra across the entire chromosome of strains deficient in proofreading, mismatch repair, and the SOS response. We report that a proofreading-deficient strain has a mutation rate 4000-fold greater than wild-type strains. While the SOS response may be induced in these cells, it does not contribute to the mutational load. Inactivating mismatch repair in a proofreading-deficient strain increases the mutation rate another 1.5-fold. DNA polymerase has a bias for converting G:C to A:T base pairs, but proofreading reduces the impact of these mutations, helping to maintain the genomic G:C content. These findings give an unprecedented view of how polymerase and error-correction pathways work together to maintain E. coli's low mutation rate of 1 per 1000 generations.

The E. coli DNA Replication Fork

DNA replication in Escherichia coli initiates at oriC, the origin of replication and proceeds bidirectionally, resulting in two replication forks that travel in opposite directions from the origin. Here, we focus on events at the replication fork. The replication machinery (or replisome), first assembled on both forks at oriC, contains the DnaB helicase for strand separation, and the DNA polymerase III holoenzyme (Pol III HE) for DNA synthesis. DnaB interacts transiently with the DnaG primase for RNA priming on both strands. The Pol III HE is made up of three subassemblies: (i) the αɛθ core polymerase complex that is present in two (or three) copies to simultaneously copy both DNA strands, (ii) the β2 sliding clamp that interacts with the core polymerase to ensure its processivity, and (iii) the seven-subunit clamp loader complex that loads β2 onto primer-template junctions and interacts with the α polymerase subunit of the core and the DnaB helicase to organize the two (or three) core polymerases. Here, we review the structures of the enzymatic components of replisomes, and the protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions that ensure they remain intact while undergoing substantial dynamic changes as they function to copy both the leading and lagging strands simultaneously during coordinated replication.

Replisome Dynamics during Chromosome Duplication

This review describes the components of the Escherichia coli replisome and the dynamic process in which they function and interact under normal conditions. It also briefly describes the behavior of the replisome during situations in which normal replication fork movement is disturbed, such as when the replication fork collides with sites of DNA damage. E. coli DNA Pol III was isolated first from a polA mutant E. coli strain that lacked the relatively abundant DNA Pol I activity. Further biochemical studies, and the use of double mutant strains, revealed Pol III to be the replicative DNA polymerase essential to cell viability. In a replisome, DnaG primase must interact with DnaB for activity, and this constraint ensures that new RNA primers localize to the replication fork. The leading strand polymerase continually synthesizes DNA in the direction of the replication fork, whereas the lagging-strand polymerase synthesizes short, discontinuous Okazaki fragments in the opposite direction. Discontinuous lagging-strand synthesis requires that the polymerase rapidly dissociate from each new completed Okazaki fragment in order to begin the extension of a new RNA primer. Lesion bypass can be thought of as a two-step reaction that starts with the incorporation of a nucleotide opposite the lesion, followed by the extension of the resulting distorted primer terminus. A remarkable property of E. coli, and many other eubacterial organisms, is the speed at which it propagates. Rapid cell division requires the presence of an extremely efficient replication machinery for the rapid and faithful duplication of the genome.

Mutations that Separate the Functions of the Proofreading Subunit of the Escherichia coli Replicase

The dnaQ gene of Escherichia coli encodes the ε subunit of DNA polymerase III, which provides the 3′ → 5′ exonuclease proofreading activity of the replicative polymerase. Prior studies have shown that loss of ε leads to high mutation frequency, partially constitutive SOS, and poor growth. In addition, a previous study from our laboratory identified dnaQ knockout mutants in a screen for mutants specifically defective in the SOS response after quinolone (nalidixic acid) treatment. To explain these results, we propose a model whereby, in addition to proofreading, ε plays a distinct role in replisome disassembly and/or processing of stalled replication forks. To explore this model, we generated a pentapeptide insertion mutant library of the dnaQ gene, along with site-directed mutants, and screened for separation of function mutants. We report the identification of separation of function mutants from this screen, showing that proofreading function can be uncoupled from SOS phenotypes (partially constitutive SOS and the nalidixic acid SOS defect). Surprisingly, the two SOS phenotypes also appear to be separable from each other. These findings support the hypothesis that ε has additional roles aside from proofreading. Identification of these mutants, especially those with normal proofreading but SOS phenotype(s), also facilitates the study of the role of ε in SOS processes without the confounding results of high mutator activity associated with dnaQ knockout mutants.

Mutations in coronavirus nonstructural protein 10 decrease virus replication fidelity

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are unique in encoding a 3'→5' exoribonuclease within nonstructural protein 14 (nsp14-ExoN) that is required for high-fidelity replication, likely via proofreading. nsp14 associates with the CoV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (nsp12-RdRp), and nsp14-ExoN activity is enhanced by binding nsp10, a small nonenzymatic protein. However, it is not known whether nsp10 functions in the regulation of CoV replication fidelity. To test this, we engineered single and double alanine substitution mutations into the genome of murine hepatitis virus (MHV-A59) containing ExoN activity [ExoN(+)] at positions within nsp10 known to disrupt the nsp10-nsp14 interaction in vitro. We show that an nsp10 mutant, R80A/E82A-ExoN(+), was five to ten times more sensitive to treatment with the RNA mutagen 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) than wild-type (WT)-ExoN(+), suggestive of decreased replication fidelity. This decreased-fidelity phenotype was confirmed using two additional nucleoside analogs, 5-azacytidine and ribavirin. R80A/E82A-ExoN(+) reached a peak titer similar to and demonstrated RNA synthesis kinetics comparable to those seen with WT-ExoN(+). No change in 5-FU sensitivity was observed for R80A/E82A-ExoN(-) relative to MHV-ExoN(-), indicating that the decreased-fidelity phenotype of R80A/E82A-ExoN(-) is linked to the presence of ExoN activity. Our results demonstrate that nsp10 is important for CoV replication fidelity and support the hypothesis that nsp10 functions to regulate nsp14-ExoN activity during virus replication.

IMPORTANCE

The adaptive capacity of CoVs, as well as all other RNA viruses, is partially attributed to the presence of extensive population genetic diversity. However, decreased fidelity is detrimental to CoV replication and virulence; mutant CoVs with decreased replication fidelity are attenuated and more sensitive to inhibition by RNA mutagens. Thus, identifying the viral protein determinants of CoV fidelity is important for understanding CoV replication, pathogenesis, and virulence. In this report, we show that nsp10, a small, nonenzymatic viral protein, contributes to CoV replication fidelity. Our data support the hypothesis that CoVs have evolved multiple proteins, in addition to nsp14-ExoN, that are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the largest known RNA genomes.

The multifaceted benefits of protein co-expression in Escherichia coli

We report here that the expression of protein complexes in vivo in Escherichia coli can be more convenient than traditional reconstitution experiments in vitro. In particular, we show that the poor solubility of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III ε subunit (featuring 3'-5' exonuclease activity) is highly improved when the same protein is co-expressed with the α and θ subunits (featuring DNA polymerase activity and stabilizing ε, respectively). We also show that protein co-expression in E. coli can be used to efficiently test the competence of subunits from different bacterial species to associate in a functional protein complex. We indeed show that the α subunit of Deinococcus radiodurans DNA polymerase III can be co-expressed in vivo with the ε subunit of E. coli. In addition, we report on the use of protein co-expression to modulate mutation frequency in E. coli. By expressing the wild-type ε subunit under the control of the araBAD promoter (arabinose-inducible), and co-expressing the mutagenic D12A variant of the same protein, under the control of the lac promoter (inducible by isopropyl-thio-β-D-galactopyranoside, IPTG), we were able to alter the E. coli mutation frequency using appropriate concentrations of the inducers arabinose and IPTG. Finally, we discuss recent advances and future challenges of protein co-expression in E. coli.

Genomic and molecular analysis of phage CMP1 from Clavibacter michiganensis subspecies michiganensis

Bacteriophage CMP1 is a member of the Siphoviridae family that infects specifically the plant-pathogen Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis. The linear double- stranded DNA is terminally redundant and not circularly permuted. The complete nucleotide sequence of the bacteriophage CMP1 genome consists of 58,652 bp including the terminal redundant ends of 791 bp. The G+C content of the phage (57%) is significantly lower than that of its host (72.66%). 74 potential open reading frames were identified and annotated by different bioinformatic tools. Two large clusters which encode the early and the late functions could be identified which are divergently transcribed. There are only a few hypothetical gene products with conserved domains and significant similarity to sequences from the databases. Functional analyses confirmed the activity of four gene products, an endonuclease, an exonuclease, a single-stranded DNA binding protein and a thymidylate synthase. Partial genomic sequences of CN77, a phage of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. nebraskensis, revealed a similar genome structure and significant similarities on the level of deduced amino acid sequences. An endolysin with peptidase activity has been identified for both phages, which may be good tools for disease control of tomato plants against Clavibacter infections.

Evidence for moonlighting functions of the θ subunit of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III

The holE gene is an enterobacterial ORFan gene (open reading frame [ORF] with no detectable homology to other ORFs in a database). It encodes the θ subunit of the DNA polymerase III core complex. The precise function of the θ subunit within this complex is not well established, and loss of holE does not result in a noticeable phenotype. Paralogs of holE are also present on many conjugative plasmids and on phage P1 (hot gene). In this study, we provide evidence indicating that θ (HolE) exhibits structural and functional similarities to a family of nucleoid-associated regulatory proteins, the Hha/YdgT-like proteins that are also encoded by enterobacterial ORFan genes. Microarray studies comparing the transcriptional profiles of Escherichia coli holE, hha, and ydgT mutants revealed highly similar expression patterns for strains harboring holE and ydgT alleles. Among the genes differentially regulated in both mutants were genes of the tryptophanase (tna) operon. The tna operon consists of a transcribed leader region, tnaL, and two structural genes, tnaA and tnaB. Further experiments with transcriptional lacZ fusions (tnaL::lacZ and tnaA::lacZ) indicate that HolE and YdgT downregulate expression of the tna operon by possibly increasing the level of Rho-dependent transcription termination at the tna operon's leader region. Thus, for the first time, a regulatory function can be attributed to HolE, in addition to its role as structural component of the DNA polymerase III complex.

Genome replication engineering assisted continuous evolution (GREACE) to improve microbial tolerance for biofuels production

BACKGROUND

Microbial production of biofuels requires robust cell growth and metabolism under tough conditions. Conventionally, such tolerance phenotypes were engineered through evolutionary engineering using the principle of "Mutagenesis followed-by Selection". The iterative rounds of mutagenesis-selection and frequent manual interventions resulted in discontinuous and inefficient strain improvement processes. This work aimed to develop a more continuous and efficient evolutionary engineering method termed as "Genome Replication Engineering Assisted Continuous Evolution" (GREACE) using "Mutagenesis coupled-with Selection" as its core principle.

RESULTS

The core design of GREACE is to introduce an in vivo continuous mutagenesis mechanism into microbial cells by introducing a group of genetically modified proofreading elements of the DNA polymerase complex to accelerate the evolution process under stressful conditions. The genotype stability and phenotype heritability can be stably maintained once the genetically modified proofreading element is removed, thus scarless mutants with desired phenotypes can be obtained.Kanamycin resistance of E. coli was rapidly improved to confirm the concept and feasibility of GREACE. Intrinsic mechanism analysis revealed that during the continuous evolution process, the accumulation of genetically modified proofreading elements with mutator activities endowed the host cells with enhanced adaptation advantages. We further showed that GREACE can also be applied to engineer n-butanol and acetate tolerances. In less than a month, an E. coli strain capable of growing under an n-butanol concentration of 1.25% was isolated. As for acetate tolerance, cell growth of the evolved E. coli strain increased by 8-fold under 0.1% of acetate. In addition, we discovered that adaptation to specific stresses prefers accumulation of genetically modified elements with specific mutator strengths.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed a novel GREACE method using "Mutagenesis coupled-with Selection" as core principle. Successful isolation of E. coli strains with improved n-butanol and acetate tolerances demonstrated the potential of GREACE as a promising method for strain improvement in biofuels production.

A structural role for the PHP domain in E. coli DNA polymerase III

Background

In addition to the core catalytic machinery, bacterial replicative DNA polymerases contain a Polymerase and Histidinol Phosphatase (PHP) domain whose function is not entirely understood. The PHP domains of some bacterial replicases are active metal-dependent nucleases that may play a role in proofreading. In E. coli DNA polymerase III, however, the PHP domain has lost several metal-coordinating residues and is likely to be catalytically inactive.

Results

Genomic searches show that the loss of metal-coordinating residues in polymerase PHP domains is likely to have coevolved with the presence of a separate proofreading exonuclease that works with the polymerase. Although the E. coli Pol III PHP domain has lost metal-coordinating residues, the structure of the domain has been conserved to a remarkable degree when compared to that of metal-binding PHP domains. This is demonstrated by our ability to restore metal binding with only three point mutations, as confirmed by the metal-bound crystal structure of this mutant determined at 2.9 Å resolution. We also show that Pol III, a large multi-domain protein, unfolds cooperatively and that mutations in the degenerate metal-binding site of the PHP domain decrease the overall stability of Pol III and reduce its activity.

Conclusions

While the presence of a PHP domain in replicative bacterial polymerases is strictly conserved, its ability to coordinate metals and to perform proofreading exonuclease activity is not, suggesting additional non-enzymatic roles for the domain. Our results show that the PHP domain is a major structural element in Pol III and its integrity modulates both the stability and activity of the polymerase.

Proofreading exonuclease on a tether: the complex between the E. coli DNA polymerase III subunits α, epsilon, θ and β reveals a highly flexible arrangement of the proofreading domain

A complex of the three (αεθ) core subunits and the β2 sliding clamp is responsible for DNA synthesis by Pol III, the Escherichia coli chromosomal DNA replicase. The 1.7 Å crystal structure of a complex between the PHP domain of α (polymerase) and the C-terminal segment of ε (proofreading exonuclease) subunits shows that ε is attached to α at a site far from the polymerase active site. Both α and ε contain clamp-binding motifs (CBMs) that interact simultaneously with β2 in the polymerization mode of DNA replication by Pol III. Strengthening of both CBMs enables isolation of stable αεθ:β2 complexes. Nuclear magnetic resonance experiments with reconstituted αεθ:β2 demonstrate retention of high mobility of a segment of 22 residues in the linker that connects the exonuclease domain of ε with its α-binding segment. In spite of this, small-angle X-ray scattering data show that the isolated complex with strengthened CBMs has a compact, but still flexible, structure. Photo-crosslinking with p-benzoyl-L-phenylalanine incorporated at different sites in the α-PHP domain confirm the conformational variability of the tether. Structural models of the αεθ:β2 replicase complex with primer-template DNA combine all available structural data.

Architecture and conservation of the bacterial DNA replication machinery, an underexploited drug target

New antibiotics with novel modes of action are required to combat the growing threat posed by multi-drug resistant bacteria. Over the last decade, genome sequencing and other high-throughput techniques have provided tremendous insight into the molecular processes underlying cellular functions in a wide range of bacterial species. We can now use these data to assess the degree of conservation of certain aspects of bacterial physiology, to help choose the best cellular targets for development of new broad-spectrum antibacterials.

DNA replication is a conserved and essential process, and the large number of proteins that interact to replicate DNA in bacteria are distinct from those in eukaryotes and archaea; yet none of the antibiotics in current clinical use acts directly on the replication machinery. Bacterial DNA synthesis thus appears to be an underexploited drug target. However, before this system can be targeted for drug design, it is important to understand which parts are conserved and which are not, as this will have implications for the spectrum of activity of any new inhibitors against bacterial species, as well as the potential for development of drug resistance. In this review we assess similarities and differences in replication components and mechanisms across the bacteria, highlight current progress towards the discovery of novel replication inhibitors, and suggest those aspects of the replication machinery that have the greatest potential as drug targets.

SOS induction and mutagenesis by dnaQ missense alleles in wild type cells

Mistranslation leads to elevated mutagenesis and replication arrest, both of which are hypothesized to result from the presence of mixed populations of wild type and mistranslated versions of DNA polymerase III subunit proteins. Consistent with this possibility, expression of missense alleles of dnaQ (which codes for the proofreading subunit ɛ) in wild type (dnaQ+) cells is shown to lead to SOS induction as well as mutagenesis. Exposure to sublethal concentrations of streptomycin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic known to promote mistranslation, also leads to SOS induction.

Stabilization of the Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III ε subunit by the θ subunit favors in vivo assembly of the Pol III catalytic core

Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III holoenzyme (HE) contains a core polymerase consisting of three subunits: α (polymerase), ε (3'-5' exonuclease), and θ. Genetic experiments suggested that θ subunit stabilizes the intrinsically labile ε subunit and, furthermore, that θ might affect the cellular amounts of Pol III core and HE. Here, we provide biochemical evidence supporting this model by analyzing the amounts of the relevant proteins. First, we show that a ΔholE strain (lacking θ subunit) displays reduced amounts of free ε. We also demonstrate the existence of a dimer of ε, which may be involved in the stabilization of the protein. Second, θ, when overexpressed, dissociates the ε dimer and significantly increases the amount of Pol III core. The stability of ε also depends on cellular chaperones, including DnaK. Here, we report that: (i) temperature shift-up of ΔdnaK strains leads to rapid depletion of ε, and (ii) overproduction of θ overcomes both the depletion of ε and the temperature sensitivity of the strain. Overall, our data suggest that ε is a critical factor in the assembly of Pol III core, and that this is role is strongly influenced by the θ subunit through its prevention of ε degradation.

Essential biological processes of an emerging pathogen: DNA replication, transcription, and cell division in Acinetobacter spp

Within the last 15 years, members of the bacterial genus Acinetobacter have risen from relative obscurity to be among the most important sources of hospital-acquired infections. The driving force for this has been the remarkable ability of these organisms to acquire antibiotic resistance determinants, with some strains now showing resistance to every antibiotic in clinical use. There is an urgent need for new antibacterial compounds to combat the threat imposed by Acinetobacter spp. and other intractable bacterial pathogens. The essential processes of chromosomal DNA replication, transcription, and cell division are attractive targets for the rational design of antimicrobial drugs. The goal of this review is to examine the wealth of genome sequence and gene knockout data now available for Acinetobacter spp., highlighting those aspects of essential systems that are most suitable as drug targets. Acinetobacter spp. show several key differences from other pathogenic gammaproteobacteria, particularly in global stress response pathways. The involvement of these pathways in short- and long-term antibiotic survival suggests that Acinetobacter spp. cope with antibiotic-induced stress differently from other microorganisms.

Proteolysis of the proofreading subunit controls the assembly of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III catalytic core

The C-terminal region of the proofreading subunit (epsilon) of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III is shown here to be labile and to contain the residues (identified between F187 and R213) responsible for association with the polymerase subunit (alpha). We also identify two alpha-helices of the polymerase subunit (comprising the residues E311-M335 and G339-D353, respectively) as the determinants of binding to epsilon. The C-terminal region of epsilon is degraded by the ClpP protease assisted by the GroL molecular chaperone, while other factors control the overall concentration in vivo of epsilon. Among these factors, the chaperone DnaK is of primary importance for preserving the integrity of epsilon. Remarkably, inactivation of DnaK confers to Escherichia coli inviable phenotype at 42 degrees C, and viability can be restored over-expressing epsilon. Altogether, our observations indicate that the association between epsilon and alpha subunits of DNA polymerase III depends on small portions of both proteins, the association of which is controlled by proteolysis of epsilon. Accordingly, the factors catalysing (ClpP, GroL) or preventing (DnaK) this proteolysis exert a crucial checkpoint of the assembly of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III core.

Reaction mechanism of the epsilon subunit of E. coli DNA polymerase III: insights into active site metal coordination and catalytically significant residues

The 28 kDa epsilon subunit of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III is the exonucleotidic proofreader responsible for editing polymerase insertion errors. Here, we study the mechanism by which epsilon carries out the exonuclease activity. We performed quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics calculations on the N-terminal domain containing the exonuclease activity. Both the free-epsilon and a complex epsilon bound to a theta homologue (HOT) were studied. For the epsilon-HOT complex Mg(2+) or Mn(2+) were investigated as the essential divalent metal cofactors, while only Mg(2+) was used for free-epsilon. In all calculations a water molecule bound to the catalytic metal acts as the nucleophile for hydrolysis of the phosphate bond. Initially, a direct proton transfer to H162 is observed. Subsequently, the nucleophilic attack takes place followed by a second proton transfer to E14. Our results show that the reaction catalyzed with Mn(2+) is faster than that with Mg(2+), in agreement with experiment. In addition, the epsilon-HOT complex shows a slightly lower energy barrier compared to free-epsilon. In all cases the catalytic metal is observed to be pentacoordinated. Charge and frontier orbital analyses suggest that charge transfer may stabilize the pentacoordination. Energy decomposition analysis to study the contribution of each residue to catalysis suggests that there are several important residues. Among these, H98, D103, D129, and D146 have been implicated in catalysis by mutagenesis studies. Some of these residues were found to be structurally conserved on human TREX1, the exonuclease domains from E. coli DNA-Pol I, and the DNA polymerase of bacteriophage RB69.

The proofreading exonuclease subunit epsilon of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III is tethered to the polymerase subunit alpha via a flexible linker

Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III holoenzyme is composed of 10 different subunits linked by noncovalent interactions. The polymerase activity resides in the alpha-subunit. The epsilon-subunit, which contains the proofreading exonuclease site within its N-terminal 185 residues, binds to alpha via a segment of 57 additional C-terminal residues, and also to theta, whose function is less well defined. The present study shows that theta greatly enhances the solubility of epsilon during cell-free synthesis. In addition, synthesis of epsilon in the presence of theta and alpha resulted in a soluble ternary complex that could readily be purified and analyzed by NMR spectroscopy. Cell-free synthesis of epsilon from PCR-amplified DNA coupled with site-directed mutagenesis and selective 15N-labeling provided site-specific assignments of NMR resonances of epsilon that were confirmed by lanthanide-induced pseudocontact shifts. The data show that the proofreading domain of epsilon is connected to alpha via a flexible linker peptide comprising over 20 residues. This distinguishes the alpha : epsilon complex from other proofreading polymerases, which have a more rigid multidomain structure.

Differential binding of Escherichia coli DNA polymerases to the beta-sliding clamp

Escherichia coli strains expressing the mutant beta159-sliding clamp protein (containing both a G66E and a G174A substitution) are temperature sensitive for growth and display altered DNA polymerase (pol) usage. We selected for suppressors of the dnaN159 allele able to grow at 42 degrees C, and identified four intragenic suppressor alleles. One of these alleles (dnaN780) contained only the G66E substitution, while a second (dnaN781) contained only the G174A substitution. Genetic characterization of isogenic E. coli strains expressing these alleles indicated that certain phenotypes were dependent upon only the G174A substitution, while others required both the G66E and G174A substitutions. In order to understand the individual contributions of the G66E and the G174A substitution to the dnaN159 phenotypes, we utilized biochemical approaches to characterize the purified mutant beta159 (G66E and G174A), beta780 (G66E) and beta781 (G174A) clamp proteins. The G66E substitution conferred a more pronounced effect on pol IV replication than it did pol II or pol III, while the G174A substitution conferred a greater effect on pol III and pol IV than it did pol II. Taken together, these findings indicate that pol II, pol III and pol IV interact with distinct, albeit overlapping surfaces of the beta clamp.

Efficient silencing of the gene coding for the epsilon subunit of DNA polymerase III in Escherichia coli is triggered by antisense RNAs featuring stability in vivo

The Escherichia coli gene dnaQ coding for the epsilon subunit of DNA polymerase III was suppressed in vivo via antisense RNAs. To this aim, different fragments of dnaQ were cloned in reverse orientation into the pBAD-HisB vector or into pT3T7, and the corresponding antisense RNAs were conditionally expressed in vivo. Antisense transcripts featuring fast hybridization in vitro with dnaQ mRNA but lacking stability in vivo did not suppress the target gene. Moreover, the in vivo concentration of an antisense transcript was positively correlated to its silencing effectiveness.

Structure of the Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III epsilon-HOT proofreading complex

The epsilon subunit of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III possesses 3'-exonucleolytic proofreading activity. Within the Pol III core, epsilon is tightly bound between the alpha subunit (DNA polymerase) and subunit. Here, we present the crystal structure of epsilon in complex with HOT, the bacteriophage P1-encoded homolog of , at 2.1 A resolution. The epsilon-HOT interface is defined by two areas of contact: an interaction of the previously unstructured N terminus of HOT with an edge of the epsilon central beta-sheet as well as interactions between HOT and the catalytically important helix alpha1-loop-helix alpha2 motif of epsilon. This structure provides insight into how HOT and, by implication, may stabilize the epsilon subunit, thus promoting efficient proofreading during chromosomal replication.

Structure of the theta subunit of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III in complex with the epsilon subunit

The catalytic core of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III contains three tightly associated subunits, the alpha, epsilon, and theta subunits. The theta subunit is the smallest and least understood subunit. The three-dimensional structure of theta in a complex with the unlabeled N-terminal domain of the epsilon subunit, epsilon186, was determined by multidimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The structure was refined using pseudocontact shifts that resulted from inserting a lanthanide ion (Dy3+, Er3+, or Ho3+) at the active site of epsilon186. The structure determination revealed a three-helix bundle fold that is similar to the solution structures of theta in a methanol-water buffer and of the bacteriophage P1 homolog, HOT, in aqueous buffer. Conserved nuclear Overhauser enhancement (NOE) patterns obtained for free and complexed theta show that most of the structure changes little upon complex formation. Discrepancies with respect to a previously published structure of free theta (Keniry et al., Protein Sci. 9:721-733, 2000) were attributed to errors in the latter structure. The present structure satisfies the pseudocontact shifts better than either the structure of theta in methanol-water buffer or the structure of HOT. satisfies these shifts. The epitope of epsilon186 on theta was mapped by NOE difference spectroscopy and was found to involve helix 1 and the C-terminal part of helix 3. The pseudocontact shifts indicated that the helices of theta are located about 15 A or farther from the lanthanide ion in the active site of epsilon186, in agreement with the extensive biochemical data for the theta-epsilon system.

The NH2-terminal php domain of the alpha subunit of the Escherichia coli replicase binds the epsilon proofreading subunit

The alpha subunit of the replicase of all bacteria contains a php domain, initially identified by its similarity to histidinol phosphatase but of otherwise unknown function (Aravind, L., and Koonin, E. V. (1998) Nucleic Acids Res. 26, 3746-3752). Deletion of 60 residues from the NH2 terminus of the alpha php domain destroys epsilon binding. The minimal 255-residue php domain, estimated by sequence alignment with homolog YcdX, is insufficient for epsilon binding. However, a 320-residue segment including sequences that immediately precede the polymerase domain binds epsilon with the same affinity as the 1160-residue full-length alpha subunit. A subset of mutations of a conserved acidic residue (Asp43 in Escherichia coli alpha) present in the php domain of all bacterial replicases resulted in defects in epsilon binding. Using sequence alignments, we show that the prototypical gram+ Pol C, which contains the polymerase and proofreading activities within the same polypeptide chain, has an epsilon-like sequence inserted in a surface loop near the center of the homologous YcdX protein. These findings suggest that the php domain serves as a platform to enable coordination of proofreading and polymerase activities during chromosomal replication.

Cellular DNA replicases: components and dynamics at the replication fork

DNA replicases are multicomponent machines that have evolved clever strategies to perform their function. Although the structure of DNA is elegant in its simplicity, the job of duplicating it is far from simple. At the heart of the replicase machinery is a heteropentameric AAA+ clamp-loading machine that couples ATP hydrolysis to load circular clamp proteins onto DNA. The clamps encircle DNA and hold polymerases to the template for processive action. Clamp-loader and sliding clamp structures have been solved in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems. The heteropentameric clamp loaders are circular oligomers, reflecting the circular shape of their respective clamp substrates. Clamps and clamp loaders also function in other DNA metabolic processes, including repair, checkpoint mechanisms, and cell cycle progression. Twin polymerases and clamps coordinate their actions with a clamp loader and yet other proteins to form a replisome machine that advances the replication fork.

Protein--protein interactions in the eubacterial replisome

Replication of genomic DNA is a universal process that proceeds in distinct stages, from initiation to elongation and finally to termination. Each stage involves multiple stable or transient interactions between protein subunits with functions that are more or less conserved in all organisms. In Escherichia coli, initiation of bidirectional replication at the origin (oriC) occurs through the concerted actions of the DnaA replication initiator protein, the hexameric DnaB helicase, the DnaC?helicase loading partner and the DnaG primase, leading to establishment of two replication forks. Elongation of RNA primers at each fork proceeds simultaneously on both strands by actions of the multimeric replicase, DNA polymerase III holoenzyme. The fork that arrives first in the terminus region is halted by its encounter with a correctly-oriented complex of the Tus replication terminator protein bound at one of several Ter sites, where it is trapped until the other fork arrives. We summarize current understanding of interactions among the various proteins that act in the different stages of replication of the chromosome of E. coli, and make some comparisons with the analogous proteins in Bacillus subtilis and the coliphages T4 and T7.

The bacteriophage P1 hot gene product can substitute for the Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III {theta} subunit

The theta subunit (holE gene product) of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase (Pol) III holoenzyme is a tightly bound component of the polymerase core. Within the core (alpha-epsilon-theta), the alpha and epsilon subunits carry the DNA polymerase and 3' proofreading functions, respectively, while the precise function of theta is unclear. holE homologs are present in genomes of other enterobacteriae, suggestive of a conserved function. Putative homologs have also been found in the genomes of bacteriophage P1 and of certain conjugative plasmids. The presence of these homologs is of interest, because these genomes are fully dependent on the host replication machinery and contribute few, if any, replication factors themselves. To study the role of these theta homologs, we have constructed an E. coli strain in which holE is replaced by the P1 homolog, hot. We show that hot is capable of substituting for holE when it is assayed for its antimutagenic action on the proofreading-impaired dnaQ49 mutator, which carries a temperature-sensitive epsilon subunit. The ability of hot to substitute for holE was also observed with other, although not all, dnaQ mutator alleles tested. The data suggest that the P1 hot gene product can substitute for the theta subunit and is likely incorporated in the Pol III complex. We also show that overexpression of either theta or Hot further suppresses the dnaQ49 mutator phenotype. This suggests that the complexing of dnaQ49-epsilon with theta is rate limiting for its ability to proofread DNA replication errors. The possible role of hot for bacteriophage P1 is discussed.

Reconstitution of a minimal DNA replicase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and stimulation by non-cognate auxiliary factors

DNA polymerase III holoenzyme is responsible for chromosomal replication in bacteria. The components and functions of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III holoenzyme have been studied extensively. Here, we report the reconstitution of replicase activity by essential components of DNA polymerase holoenzyme from the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We have expressed and purified the processivity factor (beta), single-stranded DNA-binding protein, a complex containing the polymerase (alpha) and exonuclease (epsilon) subunits, and the essential components of the DnaX complex (tau(3)deltadelta'). Efficient primer elongation requires the presence of alphaepsilon, beta, and tau(3)deltadelta'. Pseudomonas aeruginosa alphaepsilon can substitute completely for E. coli polymerase III in E. coli holoenzyme reconstitution assays. Pseudomonas beta and tau(3)deltadelta' exhibit a 10-fold lower activity relative to their E. coli counterparts in E. coli holoenzyme reconstitution assays. Although the Pseudomonas counterpart to the E. coli psi subunit was not apparent in sequence similarity searches, addition of purified E. coli chi and psi (components of the DnaX complex) increases the apparent specific activity of the Pseudomonas tau(3)deltadelta' complex approximately 10-fold and enables the reconstituted enzyme to function better under physiological salt conditions.

Dysfunctional proofreading in the Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III core

The epsilon-subunit contains the catalytic site for the 3'-->5' proofreading exonuclease that functions in the DNA pol III (DNA polymerase III) core to edit nucleotides misinserted by the alpha-subunit DNA pol. A novel mutagenesis strategy was used to identify 23 dnaQ alleles that exhibit a mutator phenotype in vivo. Fourteen of the epsilon mutants were purified, and these proteins exhibited 3'-->5' exonuclease activities that ranged from 32% to 155% of the activity exhibited by the wild-type epsilon protein, in contrast with the 2% activity exhibited by purified MutD5 protein. DNA pol III core enzymes constituted with 11 of the 14 epsilon mutants exhibited an increased error rate during in vitro DNA synthesis using a forward mutation assay. Interactions of the purified epsilon mutants with the alpha- and theta;-subunits were examined by gel filtration chromatography and exonuclease stimulation assays, and by measuring polymerase/exonuclease ratios to identify the catalytically active epsilon511 (I170T/V215A) mutant with dysfunctional proofreading in the DNA pol III core. The epsilon511 mutant associated tightly with the alpha-subunit, but the exonuclease activity of epsilon511 was not stimulated in the alpha-epsilon511 complex. Addition of the theta;-subunit to generate the alpha-epsilon511-theta; DNA pol III core partially restored stimulation of the epsilon511 exonuclease, indicating a role for the theta;-subunit in co-ordinating the alpha-epsilon polymerase-exonuclease interaction. The alpha-epsilon511-theta; DNA pol III core exhibited a 3.5-fold higher polymerase/exonuclease ratio relative to the wild-type DNA pol III core, further indicating dysfunctional proofreading in the alpha-epsilon511-theta; complex. Thus the epsilon511 mutant has wild-type 3'-->5' exonuclease activity and associates physically with the alpha- and theta;-subunits to generate a proofreading-defective DNA pol III enzyme.

Application of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry to study the hydrophobic interaction between the epsilon and theta subunits of DNA polymerase III

The interactions between the N-terminal domain of the epsilon (epsilon186) and theta subunits of DNA polymerase III of Escherichia coli were investigated using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The epsilon186-theta complex was stable in 9 M ammonium actetate (pH 8), suggesting that hydrophobic interactions have a predominant contribution to the stability of the complex. Addition of primary alkanols to epsilon186-theta in 0.1 M ammonium acetate (pH 8), led to dissociation of the complex, as observed in the mass spectrometer. The concentrations of methanol, ethanol, and 1-propanol required to dissociate 50% of the complex were 8.9 M, 4.8 M, and 1.7 M, respectively. Closer scrutiny of the effect of alkanols on epsilon186, theta, and epsilon186-theta showed that epsilon186 formed soluble aggregates prior to precipitation, and that the association of epsilon186 with theta stabilized epsilon186. In-source collision-induced dissociation experiments and other results suggested that the epsilon186-theta complex dissociated in the mass spectrometer, and that the stability (with respect to dissociation) of the complex in vacuo was dependent on the solution from which it was sampled.

The theta subunit of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III: a role in stabilizing the epsilon proofreading subunit

The function of the theta subunit of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III holoenzyme is not well established. theta is a tightly bound component of the DNA polymerase III core, which contains the alpha subunit (polymerase), the epsilon subunit (3'-->5' exonuclease), and the theta subunit, in the linear order alpha-epsilon-theta. Previous studies have shown that the theta subunit is not essential, as strains carrying a deletion of the holE gene (which encodes theta) proved fully viable. No significant phenotypic effects of the holE deletion could be detected, as the strain displayed normal cell health, morphology, and mutation rates. On the other hand, in vitro experiments have indicated the efficiency of the 3'-exonuclease activity of epsilon to be modestly enhanced by the presence of theta. Here, we report a series of genetic experiments that suggest that theta has a stabilizing role for the epsilon proofreading subunit. The observations include (i) defined DeltaholE mutator effects in mismatch-repair-defective mutL backgrounds, (ii) strong DeltaholE mutator effects in certain proofreading-impaired dnaQ strains, and (iii) yeast two- and three-hybrid experiments demonstrating enhancement of alpha-epsilon interactions by the presence of theta. theta appears conserved among gram-negative organisms which have an exonuclease subunit that exists as a separate protein (i.e., not part of the polymerase polypeptide), and the presence of theta might be uniquely beneficial in those instances where the proofreading 3'-exonuclease is not part of the polymerase polypeptide.

Silencing of the gene coding for the epsilon subunit of DNA polymerase III slows down the growth rate of Escherichia coli populations

Chromosome replication in Escherichia coli is accomplished by the multimeric enzyme DNA polymerase III; the relevance, in vivo, of the epsilon subunit (encoded by dnaQ) for processivity and fidelity of DNA polymerase III has been evaluated. To this aim, dnaQ has been conditionally silenced by means of in vivo expression of different antisense RNAs. Unexpectedly, the presence of the Shine-Dalgarno sequence is essential for the effectiveness of antisense constructs. Silencing of dnaQ induces a severe decrease in growth rate not paralleled by high mutation frequencies, suggesting that the epsilon subunit primarily affects the processivity of DNA polymerase III.

Structural basis for proofreading during replication of the Escherichia coli chromosome

The epsilon subunit of the Escherichia coli replicative DNA polymerase III is the proofreading 3'-5' exonuclease. Structures of its catalytic N-terminal domain (epsilon186) were determined at two pH values (5.8 and 8.5) at resolutions of 1.7-1.8 A, in complex with two Mn(II) ions and a nucleotide product of its reaction, thymidine 5'-monophosphate. The protein structure is built around a core five-stranded beta sheet that is a common feature of members of the DnaQ superfamily. The structures were identical, except for differences in the way TMP and water molecules are coordinated to the binuclear metal center in the active site. These data are used to develop a mechanism for epsilon and to produce a plausible model of the complex of epsilon186 with DNA.

Model for the catalytic domain of the proofreading epsilon subunit of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III based on NMR structural data

The DNA polymerase III holoenzyme (HE) is the primary replicative polymerase of Escherichia coli. The epsilon subunit of the HE complex provides the 3'-exonucleolytic proofreading activity for this enzyme complex. epsilon consists of two domains: an N-terminal domain containing the proofreading exonuclease activity (residues 1-186) and a C-terminal domain required for binding to the polymerase (alpha) subunit (residues 187-243). Multidimensional NMR studies of (2)H-, (13)C-, and (15)N-labeled N-terminal domains (epsilon186) were performed to assign the backbone resonances and measure H(N)-H(N) nuclear Overhauser effects (NOEs). NMR studies were also performed on triple-lableled [U-(2)H,(13)C,(15)N]epsilon186 containing Val, Leu, and Ile residues with protonated methyl groups, which allowed for the assignment of H(N)-CH(3) and CH(3)-CH(3) NOEs. Analysis of the (13)C(alpha), (13)C(beta), and (13)CO shifts, using chemical shift indexing and the TALOS program, allowed for the identification of regions of the secondary structure. H(N)-H(N) NOEs provided information on the assembly of the extended strands into a beta-sheet structure and confirmed the assignment of the alpha helices. Measurement of H(N)-CH(3) and CH(3)-CH(3) NOEs confirmed the beta-sheet structure and assisted in the positioning of the alpha helices. The resulting preliminary characterization of the three-dimensional structure of the protein indicated that significant structural homology exists with the active site of the Klenow proofreading exonuclease domain, despite the extremely limited sequence homology. On the basis of this analogy, molecular modeling studies of epsilon186 were performed using as templates the crystal structures of the exonuclease domains of the Klenow fragment and the T4 DNA polymerase and the recently determined structure of the E. coli Exonuclease I. A multiple sequence alignment was constructed, with the initial alignment taken from the previously published hidden Markov model and NMR constraints. Because several of the published structures included complexed ssDNA, we were also able to incorporate an A-C-G trinucleotide into the epsilon186 structure. Nearly all of the residues which have been identified as mutators are located in the portion of the molecule which binds the DNA, with most of these playing either a catalytic or structural role.

Managing DNA polymerases: coordinating DNA replication, DNA repair, and DNA recombination

Two important and timely questions with respect to DNA replication, DNA recombination, and DNA repair are: (i) what controls which DNA polymerase gains access to a particular primer-terminus, and (ii) what determines whether a DNA polymerase hands off its DNA substrate to either a different DNA polymerase or to a different protein(s) for the completion of the specific biological process? These questions have taken on added importance in light of the fact that the number of known template-dependent DNA polymerases in both eukaryotes and in prokaryotes has grown tremendously in the past two years. Most notably, the current list now includes a completely new family of enzymes that are capable of replicating imperfect DNA templates. This UmuC-DinB-Rad30-Rev1 superfamily of DNA polymerases has members in all three kingdoms of life. Members of this family have recently received a great deal of attention due to the roles they play in translesion DNA synthesis (TLS), the potentially mutagenic replication over DNA lesions that act as potent blocks to continued replication catalyzed by replicative DNA polymerases. Here, we have attempted to summarize our current understanding of the regulation of action of DNA polymerases with respect to their roles in DNA replication, TLS, DNA repair, DNA recombination, and cell cycle progression. In particular, we discuss these issues in the context of the Gram-negative bacterium, Escherichia coli, that contains a DNA polymerase (Pol V) known to participate in most, if not all, of these processes.

Genetic interactions between the Escherichia coli umuDC gene products and the beta processivity clamp of the replicative DNA polymerase

The Escherichia coli umuDC gene products encode DNA polymerase V, which participates in both translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) and a DNA damage checkpoint control. These two temporally distinct roles of the umuDC gene products are regulated by RecA-single-stranded DNA-facilitated self-cleavage of UmuD (which participates in the checkpoint control) to yield UmuD' (which enables TLS). In addition, even modest overexpression of the umuDC gene products leads to a cold-sensitive growth phenotype, apparently due to the inappropriate expression of the DNA damage checkpoint control activity of UmuD(2)C. We have previously reported that overexpression of the epsilon proofreading subunit of DNA polymerase III suppresses umuDC-mediated cold sensitivity, suggesting that interaction of epsilon with UmuD(2)C is important for the DNA damage checkpoint control function of the umuDC gene products. Here, we report that overexpression of the beta processivity clamp of the E. coli replicative DNA polymerase (encoded by the dnaN gene) not only exacerbates the cold sensitivity conferred by elevated levels of the umuDC gene products but, in addition, confers a severe cold-sensitive phenotype upon a strain expressing moderately elevated levels of the umuD'C gene products. Such a strain is not otherwise normally cold sensitive. To identify mutant beta proteins possibly deficient for physical interactions with the umuDC gene products, we selected for novel dnaN alleles unable to confer a cold-sensitive growth phenotype upon a umuD'C-overexpressing strain. In all, we identified 75 dnaN alleles, 62 of which either reduced the expression of beta or prematurely truncated its synthesis, while the remaining alleles defined eight unique missense mutations of dnaN. Each of the dnaN missense mutations retained at least a partial ability to function in chromosomal DNA replication in vivo. In addition, these eight dnaN alleles were also unable to exacerbate the cold sensitivity conferred by modestly elevated levels of the umuDC gene products, suggesting that the interactions between UmuD' and beta are a subset of those between UmuD and beta. Taken together, these findings suggest that interaction of beta with UmuD(2)C is important for the DNA damage checkpoint function of the umuDC gene products. Four possible models for how interactions of UmuD(2)C with the epsilon and the beta subunits of DNA polymerase III might help to regulate DNA replication in response to DNA damage are discussed.

Preliminary X-ray crystallographic and NMR studies on the exonuclease domain of the epsilon subunit of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III

The structured core of the N-terminal 3'-5' exonuclease domain of epsilon, the proofreading subunit of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III, was defined by multidimensional NMR experiments with uniformly (15)N-labeled protein: it comprises residues between Ile-4 and Gln-181. A 185-residue fragment, termed epsilon(1-185), was crystallized by the hanging drop vapor diffusion method in the presence of thymidine-5'-monophosphate, a product inhibitor, and Mn(2+) at pH 5.8. The crystals are tetragonal, with typical dimensions 0.2 mm x 0.2 mm x 1.0 mm, grow over about 2 weeks at 4 degrees C, and diffract X-rays to 2.0 A. The space group was determined to be P4(n)2(1)2 (n = 0, 1, 2, 3), with unit cell dimensions a = 60.8 A, c = 111.4 A.