Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
24
pubmed:dateCreated
1991-9-26
pubmed:abstractText
A site- and strand-specific nick, introduced in the F plasmid origin of transfer, initiates conjugal DNA transfer during bacterial conjugation. Recently, molecular genetic studies have suggested that DNA helicase I, which is known to be encoded on the F plasmid, may be involved in this nicking reaction (Traxler, B. A., and Minkley, E. G., Jr. (1988) J. Mol. Biol. 204, 205-209). We have demonstrated this site- and strand-specific nicking event using purified helicase I in an in vitro reaction. The nicking reaction requires a superhelical DNA substrate containing the F plasmid origin of transfer, Mg2+ and helicase I. The reaction is protein concentration-dependent but, under the conditions used, only 50-70% of the input DNA substrate is converted to the nicked species. Genetic data (Everett, R., and Willetts, N. (1980) J. Mol. Biol. 136, 129-150) have also suggested the involvement of a second F-encoded protein, the TraY protein, in the oriT nicking reaction. Unexpectedly, the in vitro nicking reaction does not require the product of the F plasmid traY gene. The implications of this result are discussed. The phosphodiester bond interrupted by helicase I has been shown to correspond exactly to the site nicked in vivo suggesting that helicase I is the site- and strand-specific nicking enzyme that initiates conjugal DNA transfer. Thus, helicase I is a bifunctional protein which catalyzes site- and strand-strand specific nicking of the F plasmid in addition to the previously characterized duplex DNA unwinding (helicase) reaction.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Aug
pubmed:issn
0021-9258
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
25
pubmed:volume
266
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
16232-7
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1991
pubmed:articleTitle
Escherichia coli DNA helicase I catalyzes a site- and strand-specific nicking reaction at the F plasmid oriT.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't