title: Apurinic endonuclease activity remains constant during early Drosophila development.
abstract: An endonuclease activity that acts on alkali-labile lesions in x-irradiated PM2 DNA and recognizes apurinic lesions in heat/acid treated DNA has been partially purified from Drosophila melanogaster embryos and its specific activity monitored throughout early development. The enzyme activity also showed a low level of activity on UV-irradiated DNA. The saturation kinetics observed with both x-irradiated and apurinic PM2 DNA substrates were similar. The endonuclease activity exhibited a broad pH optimum between pH 6 and 8.5 and was almost completely inhibited by 100 mM NaCl, 0.1 mM EDTA, 2 mM CaCl2 and 10 mM NEM. The reaction was not completely dependent on the presence of Mg++cation, but optimum activity was obtained at a concentration of 0.1 mM; concentrations greater than 1 mM Mg++ were inhibitory. The specific activity of the apurinic endonuclease, partially purified from several stages of embryonic and early larval development, remained the same. Unfertilized eggs exhibited a reduced level of this presumptive repair activity.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D043603:DNA-(Apurinic or Apyrimidinic Site) Lyase; D043223:Deoxyribonuclease IV (Phage T4-Induced); D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology*; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases; D043223:Deoxyribonuclease IV (Phage T4-Induced); D043603:DNA-(Apurinic or Apyrimidinic Site) Lyase