title: Biochemical characterization of the minichromosome maintenance protein from the archaeon Thermoplasma acidophilum.
abstract: Minichromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins are thought to function as the replicative helicases in archaea. Studies have shown that the MCM complex from the thermoacidophilic euryarchaeon Thermoplasma acidophilum (TaMCM) has some properties not reported in other archaeal MCM helicases. Here, the biochemical properties of the TaMCM are studied. The protein binds single-stranded DNA, has DNA-dependent ATPase activity and ATP-dependent 3' --> 5' helicase activity. The optimal helicase conditions with regard to temperature, pH and salinity are similar to the intracellular conditions in T. acidophilum. It is also found that about 1,000 molecules of TaMCM are present per actively growing cell.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Bergen, PO Box 7800, 5020 Bergen, Norway. Gyri.Haugland@bio.uib.no
authors.forename: Gyri Teien
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Haugland
authors.forename: Claire R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Rollor
authors.forename: Nils-Kåre
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Birkeland
authors.forename: Zvi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kelman
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism; D019843:Archaeal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D019847:Chromosomes, Archaeal; D017931:DNA Primers; D004261:DNA Replication; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000378:metabolism; D019281:Dimerization; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005454:Fluorescence Polarization; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D013696:Temperature; D013822:Thermoplasma / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques
chemical_list: D019843:Archaeal Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases