Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:3.1.26.4 (RNase H)
 2,751 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The reverse transcriptase of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 is a heterodimeric protein consisting of two polypeptides with masses of 66 and 51 kDa and has, as a second enzymatic activity, RNase H activity. The 66-kDa polypeptide can be cleaved by the virus-encoded protease to yield polypeptides of 51 and 15 kDa. The latter has been characterized as possessing RNase H activity [Hansen, J., Schultze, T., Mellert, W. & Moelling, K. (1988) EMBO J. 7, 239-243]. We have purified simultaneously the heterodimeric reverse transcriptase/RNase H containing the 66/51-kDa polypeptides and the 15-kDa RNase H from Escherichia coli containing the expression vector pJS 3.7 by a procedure including chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, phosphocellulose, and heparin-Sepharose. Two RNase H and reverse transcriptase peaks were separated on phosphocellulose, one coinciding with the heterodimeric protein and the other with the 15-kDa protein. On the basis of the following findings it appears that the 15-kDa polypeptide has both RNase H and reverse transcriptase activities: (i) it copurified with both activities; (ii) it functioned as a reverse transcriptase in an in situ assay after SDS/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; (iii) polyclonal antibodies raised against the 66-kDa polypeptide reacted in immunoblots exclusively with a 15-kDa polypeptide, reacted in immunoblots exclusively with a 15-kDa polypeptide, while no immunoreactive bands in the range of 51-66 kDa were seen in the 15-kDa polypeptide preparation; (iv) the p15 and the p66/51 reverse transcriptase could be quantitatively pelleted in an enzymatically active form only when antibodies specific for the p66 carboxyl terminus were used; and (v) the p15 protein had bona fide properties of a reverse transcriptase and could enzymatically synthesize a high molecular weight, alkali-resistant product. The two reverse transcriptases appear to have different behaviors on various template/primer systems tested. Conceivably different forms of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptases might be used in individual steps of (+)- and (-)-strand replication.
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PMID:The p15 carboxyl-terminal proteolysis product of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase p66 has DNA polymerase activity. 171 Dec 22

RNase H enzymes sense the presence of ribonucleotides in the genome and initiate their removal by incising the ribonucleotide-containing strand of an RNA:DNA hybrid. Mycobacterium smegmatis encodes four RNase H enzymes: RnhA, RnhB, RnhC and RnhD. Here, we interrogate the biochemical activity and nucleic acid substrate specificity of RnhA. We report that RnhA (like RnhC characterized previously) is an RNase H1-type magnesium-dependent endonuclease with stringent specificity for RNA:DNA hybrid duplexes. Whereas RnhA does not incise an embedded mono-ribonucleotide, it can efficiently cleave within tracts of four or more ribonucleotides in duplex DNA. We gained genetic insights to the division of labor among mycobacterial RNases H by deleting the rnhA, rnhB, rnhC and rnhD genes, individually and in various combinations. The salient conclusions are that: (i) RNase H1 activity is essential for mycobacterial growth and can be provided by either RnhC or RnhA; (ii) the RNase H2 enzymes RnhB and RnhD are dispensable for growth and (iii) RnhB and RnhA collaborate to protect M. smegmatis against oxidative damage in stationary phase. Our findings highlight RnhC, the sole RNase H1 in pathogenic mycobacteria, as a candidate drug discovery target for tuberculosis and leprosy.
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PMID:Division of labor among Mycobacterium smegmatis RNase H enzymes: RNase H1 activity of RnhA or RnhC is essential for growth whereas RnhB and RnhA guard against killing by hydrogen peroxide in stationary phase. 2789 59