耐热DNA聚合酶介导的DNA酶促自发合成

构建了无模板引物的“类ＰＣＲ体系”。该体系在适当温度保温一段时间之后，能检测到产物出现，利用热变性分析等手段，初步研究了产物的性质，发现这些产物是随机合成的具有一些特殊构型的ＤＮＡ。本文报道三种构型，两类碱基组成比例，并通过改变反应条件观察对酶促自发合成的影响，探讨耐热ＤＮＡ聚合酶的非特异聚合活性以及介导的酶促自发合成的机理和意义。     

DNA synthesis provides the driving force to accelerate DNA unwinding by a helicase

Helicases are molecular motors that use the energy of nucleoside 5'-triphosphate (NTP) hydrolysis to translocate along a nucleic acid strand and catalyse reactions such as DNA unwinding. The ring-shaped helicase of bacteriophage T7 translocates along single-stranded (ss)DNA at a speed of 130 bases per second; however, T7 helicase slows down nearly tenfold when unwinding the strands of duplex DNA. Here, we report that T7 DNA polymerase, which is unable to catalyse strand displacement DNA synthesis by itself, can increase the unwinding rate to 114 base pairs per second, bringing the helicase up to similar speeds compared to its translocation along ssDNA. The helicase rate of stimulation depends upon the DNA synthesis rate and does not rely on specific interactions between T7 DNA polymerase and the carboxy-terminal residues of T7 helicase. Efficient duplex DNA synthesis is achieved only by the combined action of the helicase and polymerase. The strand displacement DNA synthesis by the DNA polymerase depends on the unwinding activity of the helicase, which provides ssDNA template. The rapid trapping of the ssDNA bases by the DNA synthesis activity of the polymerase in turn drives the helicase to move forward through duplex DNA at speeds similar to those observed along ssDNA.