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Specificity of recognition sequence forEscherichia coli primase

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Summary

We have surveyed the frequency of each of 64 trinucleotide permutations at every nucleotide frame located from 1 to 15 nucleotides upstream of primer RNA-DNA transition sites mapped within a 1.5 kb region of the bacteriophage lambda genome and a 1.4 kb region of theEscherichia coli genome. We have demonstrated that in both systems initiation of DNA synthesis strongly correlates with a CAG sequence located 11 nucleotides upstream of the DNA start sites. Based on the examination of various reports of the priming reaction catalyzed byE. coli primase in vivo and in vitro, we propose that (i)E. coli primase itself recognizes a 3′GTC 5′ sequence on the template strand, (ii) DnaB helicase releases the specificity ofE. coli primase and, (iii) the consensus recognition sequence forE. coli primase associated with DnaB helicase is 3′PuPyPy 5′.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Biology, School of Science, Nagoya University, 464, Nagoya, Japan

    Kin-ya Yoda & Tuneko Okazaki

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  1. Kin-ya Yoda
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  2. Tuneko Okazaki
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Communicated by M. Sekiguchi

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Yoda, Ky., Okazaki, T. Specificity of recognition sequence forEscherichia coli primase. Molec. Gen. Genet. 227, 1–8 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00260698

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00260698

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