title: Uracil-DNA glycosylase in insects. Drosophila and the locust.
abstract: It has been reported that Drosophila lacks a uracil-DNA glycosylase but that a direct incising activity on uracil-containing DNA appeared developmentally only in third instar larvae. In contrast we have found by two independent assays, that uracil-DNA glycosylase exists in both Drosophila eggs as well as in third instar larvae. The first assay shows the liberation of [3H] uracil from a d(AT)n polymer randomly substituted with [3H]uracil by its synthesis in the presence of [3H] dUTP. The second fluorometric assay for uracil-DNA glycosylase depends on the unique topological properties of circular DNAs and has the advantage of detecting apyrimidinic/apurinic (AP) endonuclease activity as well. To test one other insect, locust eggs were also assayed for uracil-DNA glycosylase. The amount of uracil-DNA glycosylase correlated well with the amount of DNA in actively replicating cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chlebek
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045647:DNA Glycosylases; D004330:Drosophila / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006110:Grasshoppers / Q000201:enzymology*; D007700:Kinetics; D007814:Larva; D009699:N-Glycosyl Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010063:Ovum / Q000201:enzymology; D013045:Species Specificity; D051981:Uracil-DNA Glycosidase
chemical_list: D045647:DNA Glycosylases; D009699:N-Glycosyl Hydrolases; D051981:Uracil-DNA Glycosidase