title: Evolution of Eukaryotic DNA Polymerases via Interaction Between Cells and Large DNA Viruses.
abstract: B-family DNA-directed DNA polymerases are DNA replication enzymes found in Eukaryota, Archaea, large DNA viruses, and in some, but not all, bacteria. Several polymerase domains are conserved among the B-family DNA polymerases from these organisms, suggesting that the B-family DNA polymerases evolved from a common ancestor. Eukaryotes retain at least three replicative B-family DNA polymerases, DNA polymerase α, δ, and ε, and one translesion B-family DNA polymerase, DNA polymerase ζ. Here, we present molecular evolutionary evidence that suggests DNA polymerase genes evolved through horizontal gene transfer between the viral and archaeal-eukaryotic lineages. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of the B-family DNA polymerases from nucleo-cytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs), eukaryotes, and archaea suggest that different NCLDV lineages such as Poxviridae and Mimiviridae were involved in the evolution of different DNA polymerases (pol-α-, δ-, ε-, and ζ-like genes) in archaeal-eukaryotic cell lineages, putatively through horizontal gene transfer. These results support existing theories that link the evolution of NCLDVs and the origin of the eukaryotic nucleus.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biology, Department of Liberal Arts, Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science (RIKADAI), Kagurazaka 1-3, Shinjuku, Tokyo, 162-8601, Japan, takemura@rs.kagu.tus.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Masaharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takemura
authors.forename: Shin-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yokobori
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ogata
mesh_terms: D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics; D004267:DNA Viruses / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics*; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D005057:Eukaryotic Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D010802:Phylogeny; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase