title: Structural relationship between DNA polymerases epsilon and epsilon* and their occurrence in eukaryotic cells.
abstract: Monoclonal antibodies raised against the N-terminal half of human DNA polymerase epsilon bind both to a large > 200 kDa form of DNA polymerase epsilon from HeLa cells and to a small 140 kDa form (DNA polymerase epsilon*) from calf thymus, while antibody against the C-terminal half binds to DNA polymerase epsilon but does not bind to DNA polymerase epsilon*. These results indicate that the two enzymes have common structural motifs in their N-terminal halves, and that DNA polymerase epsilon* is very likely derived from DNA polymerase epsilon by removal of its C-terminal half. DNA polymerase epsilon as well as DNA polymerase epsilon* was detected in extracts from cells of numerous eukaryotic species from yeast to human. The results indicate that DNA polymerase epsilon and its tendency to occur in a smaller form, DNA polymerase epsilon*, are evolutionarily highly conserved and that DNA polymerase epsilon may occur universally in proliferating eukaryotic cells.
authors.affiliation: Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Uitto
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Halleen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hentunen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Höyhtyä
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Syväoja
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D005075:Biological Evolution; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002417:Cattle; D002455:Cell Division; D004257:DNA Polymerase II; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005057:Eukaryotic Cells / Q000201:enzymology; D006367:HeLa Cells / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D004257:DNA Polymerase II; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase