title: Replicative DNA polymerases.
abstract: Replicative DNA polymerases are essential for the replication of the genomes of all living organisms. On the basis of sequence similarities they can be classified into three types. Type A polymerases are homologous to bacterial polymerases I, Type B comprises archaebacterial DNA polymerases and eukaryotic DNA polymerase alpha, and the bacterial polymerase III class make up type C. Structures have been solved for several type A and B polymerases, which share a similar architecture. The structure of type C is not yet known. The catalytic mechanism of all three types involves two metal-ion-binding acidic residues in the active site. Replicative polymerases are constitutively expressed, but their activity is regulated through the cell cycle and in response to different growth conditions.
authors.affiliation: Wohl Virion Centre, Department of Immunology and Molecular Pathology, University College London, Cleveland Street, London, W1T 4JF, UK. m.alba@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Albà
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004256:DNA Polymerase I / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004257:DNA Polymerase II / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004258:DNA Polymerase III / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004261:DNA Replication; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D011487:Protein Conformation
chemical_list: D004247:DNA; D004256:DNA Polymerase I; D004257:DNA Polymerase II; D004258:DNA Polymerase III; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase