Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:2.7.7.7 (DNA polymerase)
 17,007 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

From extracts of microplasmodia of Physarum polycephalum and their culture medium, an unusual substance was isolated which inhibited homologous DNA polymerase alpha of this slime mold but not beta-like DNA polymerase and not heterologous DNA polymerases. Analysis, especially NMR spectroscopy, revealed the major component to be an anionic polyester of L-malic acid and the inhibition to be due to poly(L-malate) in binding reversibly to DNA polymerase alpha. The mode of inhibition is competitive with substrate DNA and follows an inhibition constant Ki = 10 ng/mL. Inhibition is reversed in the presence of spermine, spermidine, poly(ethylene imine), and calf thymus histone H1. According to its ester nature, the inhibitor is slightly labile at neutral and instable at acid and alkaline conditions. Its largest size corresponds to a molecular mass of 40-50 kDa, but the bulk of the material after purification has lower molecular masses. The inhibitory activity depends on the polymer size and has a minimal size requirement.
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PMID:An unusual polyanion from Physarum polycephalum that inhibits homologous DNA polymerase alpha in vitro. 276 32

The naturally synchronous plasmodia of myxomycetes synthesize poly(beta-l-malic acid), which carries out cell-specific functions. In Physarum polycephalum, poly(beta-l-malate) [the salt form of poly(beta-l-malic acid)] is highly concentrated in the nuclei, repressing DNA synthetic activity of DNA polymerases by the formation of reversible complexes. To test whether this inhibitory activity is cell-cycle-dependent, purified DNA polymerase alpha of P. polycephalum was added to the nuclear extract and the activity was measured by the incorporation of [3H]thymidine 5'-monophosphate into acid precipitable nick-activated salmon testis DNA. Maximum DNA synthesis by the reporter was measured in S-phase, equivalent to a minimum of inhibitory activity. To test for the activity of endogenous DNA polymerases, DNA synthesis was followed by the highly sensitive photoaffinity labeling technique. Labeling was observed in S-phase in agreement with the minimum of the inhibitory activity. The activity was constant throughout the cell cycle when the inhibition was neutralized by the addition of spermidine hydrochloride. Also, the concentration of poly(beta-l-malate) did not vary with the phase of the cell cycle [Schmidt, A., Windisch, C. & Holler, E. (1996) Nuclear accumulation and homeostasis of the unusual polymer poly(beta-l-malate) in plasmodia of Physarum polycephalum. Eur. J. Cell Biol. 70, 373-380]. To explain the variation in the cell cycle, a periodic competition for poly(beta-l-malate) between DNA polymerases and most likely certain histones was assumed. These effectors are synthesized in S-phase. By competition they displace DNA polymerase from the complex of poly(beta-l-malate). The free polymerases, which are no longer inhibited, engage in DNA synthesis. It is speculated that poly(beta-l-malate) is active in maintaining mitotic synchrony of plasmodia by playing the mediator between the periodic synthesis of certain proteins and the catalytic competence of DNA polymerases.
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PMID:The DNA-polymerase inhibiting activity of poly(beta-l-malic acid) in nuclear extract during the cell cycle of Physarum polycephalum. 1185 59