Dataset Information

Flexible tethering of primase and DNA Pol ? in the eukaryotic primosome.

ABSTRACT: The Pol ?/primase complex or primosome is the primase/polymerase complex that initiates nucleic acid synthesis during eukaryotic replication. Within the primosome, the primase synthesizes short RNA primers that undergo limited extension by Pol ?. The resulting RNA-DNA primers are utilized by Pol ? and Pol ? for processive elongation on the lagging and leading strands, respectively. Despite its importance, the mechanism of RNA-DNA primer synthesis remains poorly understood. Here, we describe a structural model of the yeast primosome based on electron microscopy and functional studies. The 3D architecture of the primosome reveals an asymmetric, dumbbell-shaped particle. The catalytic centers of primase and Pol ? reside in separate lobes of high relative mobility. The flexible tethering of the primosome lobes increases the efficiency of primer transfer between primase and Pol ?. The physical organization of the primosome suggests that a concerted mechanism of primer hand-off between primase and Pol ? would involve coordinated movements of the primosome lobes. The first three-dimensional map of the eukaryotic primosome at 25 Å resolution provides an essential structural template for understanding initiation of eukaryotic replication.

SUBMITTER: Nunez-Ramirez R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3185431 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Flexible tethering of primase and DNA Pol α in the eukaryotic primosome.

Núñez-Ramírez Rafael R Klinge Sebastian S Sauguet Ludovic L Melero Roberto R Recuero-Checa María A MA Kilkenny Mairi M Perera Rajika L RL García-Alvarez Begoña B Hall Richard J RJ Nogales Eva E Pellegrini Luca L Llorca Oscar O

Nucleic acids research 20110628 18

The Pol α/primase complex or primosome is the primase/polymerase complex that initiates nucleic acid synthesis during eukaryotic replication. Within the primosome, the primase synthesizes short RNA primers that undergo limited extension by Pol α. The resulting RNA-DNA primers are utilized by Pol δ and Pol ε for processive elongation on the lagging and leading strands, respectively. Despite its importance, the mechanism of RNA-DNA primer synthesis remains poorly understood. Here, we describe a st ...[more]

PMID: 21715379

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Project description:The eukaryotic polymerase α (Pol α) is a dual-function DNA polymerase/primase complex that synthesizes an RNA-DNA hybrid primer of 20-30 nucleotides for DNA replication. Pol α is composed of Pol1, Pol12, Primase 1 (Pri1), and Pri2, with Pol1 and Pri1 containing the DNA polymerase activity and RNA primase activity, respectively, whereas Pol12 and Pri2 serve a structural role. It has been unclear how Pol α hands over an RNA primer made by Pri1 to Pol1 for DNA primer extension, and how the primer length is defined, perhaps due to the difficulty in studying the highly mobile structure. Here we report a comprehensive cryo-EM analysis of the intact 4-subunit yeast Pol α in the apo, primer initiation, primer elongation, RNA primer hand-off from Pri1 to Pol1, and DNA extension states in a 3.5 Å - 5.6 Å resolution range. We found that Pol α is a three-lobed flexible structure. Pri2 functions as a flexible hinge that holds together the catalytic Pol1-core, and the noncatalytic Pol1 CTD that binds to Pol 12 to form a stable platform upon which the other components are organized. In the apo state, Pol1-core is sequestered on the Pol12-Pol1-CTD platform, and Pri1 is mobile perhaps in search of a template. Upon binding a ssDNA template, a large conformation change is induced that enables Pri1 to perform RNA synthesis, and positions Pol1-core to accept the future RNA primed site 50 Å upstream of where Pri1 binds. We reveal in detail the critical point at which Pol1-core takes over the 3'-end of the RNA from Pri1. DNA primer extension appears limited by the spiral motion of Pol1-core while Pri2-CTD stably holds onto the 5' end of the RNA primer. Since both Pri1 and Pol1-core are attached via two linkers to the platform, primer growth will produce stress within this "two-point" attachment that may limit the length of the RNA-DNA hybrid primer. Hence, this study reveals the large and dynamic series of movements that Pol α undergoes to synthesize a primer for DNA replication.

Dataset Information

Flexible tethering of primase and DNA Pol ? in the eukaryotic primosome.

Publications

Flexible tethering of primase and DNA Pol α in the eukaryotic primosome.

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