Recognition of threosyl nucleotides by DNA and RNA polymerases.
Alpha-L-threose nucleic acids (TNA) are potentially natural nucleic acids that could have acted as an evolutionary alternative to RNA. We determined whether DNA or RNA polymerases could recognize phosphorylated threosyl nucleosides. We found that for both the Vent (exo-) DNA polymerase and HIV reverse transcriptase K(m) values were increased and kcat values decreased for the incorporation of tTTP in comparison to their natural counterparts. Our results suggest that TNA may have played a role in the evolution of the DNA-RNA-protein world. Thus, TNA may be a candidate for further studies in evolutionary chemistry and biology.
Kempeneers
Veerle
V
Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory for Medicinal Chemistry, Minderbroedersstraat 10, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
Vastmans
Karen
K
Rozenski
Jef
J
Herdewijn
Piet
P
D001483:Base Sequence; D004261:DNA Replication; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000378:metabolism*; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism*; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D009711:Nucleotides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D013780:Tetroses / Q000378:metabolism*; D013942:Thymine Nucleotides / Q000378:metabolism; D014544:Uridine Triphosphate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism
D009711:Nucleotides; D013780:Tetroses; D013942:Thymine Nucleotides; C070331:Tli polymerase; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; C024157:thymidine 5'-triphosphate; D014544:Uridine Triphosphate; C073321:erythrose