title: An interaction between DNA ligase I and proliferating cell nuclear antigen: implications for Okazaki fragment synthesis and joining.
abstract: Although three human genes encoding DNA ligases have been isolated, the molecular mechanisms by which these gene products specifically participate in different DNA transactions are not well understood. In this study, fractionation of a HeLa nuclear extract by DNA ligase I affinity chromatography resulted in the specific retention of a replication protein, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), by the affinity resin. Subsequent experiments demonstrated that DNA ligase I and PCNA interact directly via the amino-terminal 118 aa of DNA ligase I, the same region of DNA ligase I that is required for localization of this enzyme at replication foci during S phase. PCNA, which forms a sliding clamp around duplex DNA, interacts with DNA pol delta and enables this enzyme to synthesize DNA processively. An interaction between DNA ligase I and PCNA that is topologically linked to DNA was detected. However, DNA ligase I inhibited PCNA-dependent DNA synthesis by DNA pol delta. These observations suggest that a ternary complex of DNA ligase I, PCNA and DNA pol delta does not form on a gapped DNA template. Consistent with this idea, the cell cycle inhibitor p21, which also interacts with PCNA and inhibits processive DNA synthesis by DNA pol delta, disrupts the DNA ligase I-PCNA complex. Thus, we propose that after Okazaki fragment DNA synthesis is completed by a PCNA-DNA pol delta complex, DNA pol delta is released, allowing DNA ligase I to bind to PCNA at the nick between adjacent Okazaki fragments and catalyze phosphodiester bond formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 78245, USA.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Donnell
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Tomkinson
mesh_terms: D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D000072481:DNA Ligase ATP; D011088:DNA Ligases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004258:DNA Polymerase III / Q000378:metabolism; D004261:DNA Replication; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational
chemical_list: C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins; C000607892:LIG1 protein, human; C022262:Okazaki fragments; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D004247:DNA; D004258:DNA Polymerase III; D011088:DNA Ligases; D000072481:DNA Ligase ATP