• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.669-675
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• 1998

Taq DNA polymerase exhibits a sizable drawback compared to the other thermophilic DNA polymerases in that it demonstrates lower proof-reading activity due to the deficiency of 3'-5'exonuclease activity. A study was undertaken to improve the 3'-5' exonuclease activity in the PCR of Taq DNA polymerase. The three-dimensional structural alignment of the polymerase and 3'-5' exonuclease domains from the pol I family DNA polymerases explains why Taq DNA polymerase has just a background level of 3'-5'exonuclease activity. A comparison indicated that the two polymerase domains are very similar in primary and tertiary conformations, even though Taq DNA polymerase carries a much shorter 3'-5'exonuclease domain than that of E. coli DNA polymerase I. Those two polymerase domains were interchanged between Taq DNA polymerase and E. coli DNA polymerase I. The 3'-5' exonuclease domain from E. coli DNA polymerase I was separated and pasted into the polymerase domain of Taq DNA polymerase I, which resulted in a functional fusion-Stoffel fragment. The 3'-5'exonuclease activity of the fusion-Stoffel fragment increased up to 48% of the value of the Klenow fragment, while that of Taq DNA polymerase remained at 6.0% of the Klenow fragment.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.271-276
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• 1997

We have prepared several chimeric constructs containing the bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase gene under control of the wound-inducible potato proteinase inhibitor II (pin2) promoter and have transformed Nicotiana tabacum plants with these constructs. Southern blot analyses indicate that either one or two copies of the gene constructs are present in the transgenic plants. Northern blot analyses indicate that mRNA encoding T7 RNA polymerase is expressed in a wound-inducible manner. We purified T7 RNA polymerase and prepared antiserum. This antiserum was used for Western blot analyses to demonstrate that a protein which is cross reactive with T7 RNA polymerase is produced. The molecular mass of this protein is 80 kDa, a size which is consistant with the nicked form of the polymerase as is often seen when expressed in E. coli. RNA polymerase assays were used to indicate that the nicked form of T7 RNA polymerase is active and capable of incorporating labeled nucleotides into transcripts in vitro. Analysis of transgenic plants did indeed show that wound-inducible activation of the T7 RNA polymerase permits the establishment of a genetic system to overexpress genes in plants using T7 RNA polymerase(Received March 20, 1997; accepted May 2, 1997)

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.209-214
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• 1991

The PRD1 DNA polymerase is a small multi-functional enzyme containing conserved amino acid sequences shared by family B DNA polymerases. Thus the PRD1 DNA polymerase provides an useful model system with which to study structure-functional relationships of DNA polymerase molecules. In order to investigate the functional and structural roles of the highly conserved amino acid sequences, we have introduced three mutations into a conserved amino acid of the PRD1 DNA polymerase. Genetic complememtation study indicated that each mutation inactivated DNA polymerase catalytic activity.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.158-162
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• 2010

The gene encoding N-terminally truncated Tod polymerase ($\Delta$Tod polymerase) from Thermus thermophilus HJ6 was expressed in Escherichia coli under the control of the lambda pR and pL tandem promoters on the expression vector pJLA503. The N-terminal domain (250 amino acids) of Tod polymerase was removed without significant effect on enzyme activity and stability, while no 5'$\rightarrow$3' exonuclease activity was detected. The $\Delta$Tod polymerase was verified to possess very efficient reverse transcriptase (RT) activity in the presence of $MgCl_2$. The cDNA can also be amplified in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with this mutant enzyme. The $\Delta$Tod polymerase was exhibited higher activity than the Taq polymerase in a one-step RT-PCR.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.245-249
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• 2014

Among dozens of DNA polymerases cloned from thermophilic bacteria, Taq DNA polymerase from Thermus aquaticus has been most frequently used in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) that is being applied to gene cloning, DNA sequencing, gene expression analysis, and detection of infectious and genetic diseases. Since native Taq DNA polymerase is expressed at low level in T. aquaticus, recombinant Escherichia coli system was used to produce Taq DNA polymerase in a large amount. Taq DNA polymerase was expressed as a soluble form under the control of tac promoter in E. coli, and purified by heat treatment and ion exchange chromatographies. The purified Taq DNA polymerase was nearly homogeneous and exhibited a similar DNA amplification activity with a commercial Taq DNA polymerase.

• The Microorganisms and Industry
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.6-14
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• 1990

PRDI DNA polymerase is the smallest member of the family B DNA polymerase (Jung et al., 1987). This DNA polyerase is specified by bacteriophage PRDI which infects a wide variety of gram-negative bacteria(Mindich and Bamford, 1988). Because PRDI is highly amenable to genetic and biochemical manipulation, it is a convenient model system with which to study structure-function relationships of DNA polymerase molecules. To determine the functional roles of the highly conserved regions of the family B DNA polymerases, we have initiated site-directed mutagenesis with PRD1 DNA polymerase, and our results show that mutations at the conserved regions within PRD1 DNA polymerase inactivate polymerase complementing activity and catalytic activity.

• BMB Reports
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.498-502
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• 1998

HBV polymerase shares several regions of amino acid homology with other DNA-directed and RNA-directed polymerases. The amino acid residues $Asp^{429}$, $Gly^{518}$, $Asp^{551}$, $Lys^{585}$, and $Gly^{641}$ in the conserved motifs A, B', C, D, and E in the polymerase domain of HBV polymerase were mutated to alanine or histidine by in vitro site-directed mutagenesis. Those mutants were overexpressed, purified, and analyzed against DNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity and affinity for DNA binding. All those mutants did not show DNA-dependent DNA polymerase activities indicating that those five amino acid residues are all critical in DNA polymerase activity. South-Western analysis shows that amino acid residues $ASp^{429}$ and $ASp^{551}$ are essential to DNA binding, and $Gly^{318}$ and $Gly^{585}$ also affect DNA binding to a certain extent.

• BMB Reports
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 1995

Polyclonal antibodies against human DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II (HPP II) were generated from chicken egg yolk after immunization with RNA polymerase II as an antigen. The antibodies from egg yolk (IgY) were purified and characterized. IgY showed a specificity against DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II, and was a polyclonal antibody against 12 subunits of polymerase II. An amount of 0.35 mg of IgY was obtained freman HPP II-Sepharose affinity column using 10 eggs from a chicken immunized against RNA polymerase II as an antigen. These antibodies can be used for isolating the genes for RNA polymerase II components, and for in vitro transcription assays using HP-RNA polymerase II.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.471-477
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• 1998

Taq DNA polymerase from Thermus aquaticus is very useful in the polymerase chain reaction. Taq DNA polymerase is classified in the pol I family, represented by E. coli DNA polymerase I. The three-dimensional structural alignment of 3'-5'exonuclease domains from the pol I family DNA polymerases explains why Taq DNA polymerase does not carry out proofreading in polymerase chain reactions. Three sequence motifs, Exo I, II, and III, must exist to carry out 3'-5'exonuclease activity for proof- reading by a 3'-5'exonuclease reaction, but these are abolished in Taq DNA polymerase. The key catalytic module in 3'-5'exonuclease is two metal ions chelated by four active-site carboxylic amino acids. Taq DNA polymerase was mutagenized to construct the catalytic module in the active site. The circular dichroism technique supported the formation of the catalytic module, and the radioactive assay showed that the 3'-5'exonuclease activity doubled in the mutant Taq DNA polymerase.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.1022-1030
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• 2004

The gene encoding Aquifex pyrophilus (Apy) DNA polymerase was cloned and sequenced. The Apy DNA polymerase gene consists of 1,725 bp coding for a protein with 574 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence of Apy DNA. polymerase showed a high sequence homology to Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I-like DNA polymerases. It was deduced by amino acid sequence alignment that Apy DNA polymerase, like the Klenow fragment, has only the two domains, the $3'{\rightarrow}5'$ exonuclease domain and the $5'{\rightarrow}3'$ polymerase domain, containing the characteristic motifs. The Apy DNA polymerase gene was expressed under the control of T7lac promoter on the expression vector pET-22b(+) in E. coli. The expressed enzyme was purified by heat treatment, and Cibacron blue 3GA and $UNO^{TM}$ Q column chromatographies. The optimum pH of the purified enzyme was 7.5, and the optimal concentrations of KCl and $Mg^{2+}$ were 20 mM and 3 mM, respectively. Apy DNA polymerase contained a double strand-dependent $3'{\rightarrow}5'$ proofreading exonuclease activity, but lacked any detectable $5'{\rightarrow}3'$ exonuclease activity, which is consistent with its amino acid sequence. The somewhat lower thermostability of Apy DNA polymerase than the growth temperature of A. pyrophilus was analyzed by the comparison of amino acid composition and pressure effect.