title: Specific nicking-closing activity of the initiator of replication protein RepB of plasmid pMV158 on supercoiled or single-stranded DNA.
abstract: Asymmetric rolling circle replication of the promiscuous replicon pMV158 is initiated by the plasmid-encoded RepB protein. In vitro, purified RepB protein introduces a nick within the leading strand origin of replication by a nucleophylic attack on the phosphodiester bond at the dinucleotide GpA. Some changes within and around this dinucleotide were recognized by the protein. RepB nicked and closed supercoiled pMV158 DNA, having an optimum activity at 60 degrees C. We have imitated, in vitro, a process of rolling circle replication, since RepB was able to nick (initiation) and to covalently close (termination) single-stranded oligonucleotides containing the protein cleavage sequence. Covalent DNA-protein complexes were not found, indicating that RepB has unique features among plasmid-encoded proteins involved in rolling-circle replication or conjugative mobilization.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moscoso
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: del Solar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Espinosa
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000378:metabolism*; D004278:DNA, Superhelical / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010957:Plasmids
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D004278:DNA, Superhelical; C048817:RepB protein, Bacteria