title: Substrate specificity and mode of action of the zinc-metallo nuclease from Physarum polycephalum.
abstract: The alkaline zinc-metallo nuclease of Physarum polycephalum is an endonuclease with a high specificity for single-stranded nucleic acids. Single-stranded DNA was cleaved at least 6,000 times faster than double-stranded DNA under identical conditions. In the supercoil-induced single-stranded region of Form I PM2 DNA only a single nick was made. The nuclease showed nucleotide specificity. Poly(A), poly(I), and poly(dT) were preferentially hydrolyzed. Product analysis showed that it acted by an endonucleolytic mechanism: long polynucleotides were fragmented via intermediate length products to oligo- and mono-nucleotides with the phosphate group at the 5'-terminal position. Extensive similarities exist with the single-strand-specific nuclease S1 from Aspergillus. The zinc-metallo endonuclease from Physarum could be used as a similar probe for single-stranded nucleic acids at neutral or alkaline pH conditions.
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA; D004720:Endonucleases / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D010804:Physarum / Q000201:enzymology*; D011131:Polyribonucleotides; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D011131:Polyribonucleotides; D004247:DNA; D004720:Endonucleases; C036839:endonuclease, Physarum polycephalum