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PROSITE documentation PDOC00412 |
Replicative DNA polymerases (EC 2.7.7.7) are the key enzymes catalyzing the accurate replication of DNA. They require either a small RNA molecule or a protein as a primer for the de novo synthesis of a DNA chain. On the basis of sequence similarities a number of DNA polymerases have been grouped together [1,2,3] under the designation of DNA polymerase family A. The polymerases that belong to this family are listed below.
Five regions of similarity are found in all the above polymerases. One of these conserved regions, known as 'motif B' [1], is located in a domain which, in Escherichia coli polA, has been shown to bind deoxynucleotide triphosphate substrates; it contains a conserved tyrosine which has been shown, by photo-affinity labelling, to be in the active site; a conserved lysine, also part of this motif, can be chemically labelled, using pyridoxal phosphate. We use this conserved region as a signature for this family of DNA polymerases.
Last update:November 1995 / Pattern and text revised.
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PROSITE method (with tools and information) covered by this documentation:
1 | Authors | Delarue M. Poch O. Tordo N. Moras D. Argos P. |
Title | An attempt to unify the structure of polymerases. | |
Source | Protein Eng. 3:461-467(1990). | |
PubMed ID | 2196557 |
2 | Authors | Ito J. Braithwaite D.K. |
Title | Compilation and alignment of DNA polymerase sequences. | |
Source | Nucleic Acids Res. 19:4045-4057(1991). | |
PubMed ID | 1870963 |
3 | Authors | Braithwaite D.K. Ito J. |
Title | Compilation, alignment, and phylogenetic relationships of DNA polymerases. | |
Source | Nucleic Acids Res. 21:787-802(1993). | |
PubMed ID | 8451181 |