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DNA polymerases lose their grip

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Structural characterization of a variety of DNA polymerases has likened the polymerase domain to a hand that grasps DNA with functional subdomains referred to as fingers, palm and thumb. The solution structure of the African swine fever virus DNA polymerase X indicates that it does not have a hand-like architecture and suggests a mechanism by which the polymerase may compensate for the lack of a dedicated DNA binding subdomain.

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Figure 1: Subdomain organization of pol β and pol X.
Figure 2: Comparison of the structure of human pol β with that of ASFV pol X.
Figure 3: Comparison of independently determined solution structures of ASFV pol X.

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Acknowledgements

We thank G. Mullen, I.-J. Byeon, and M.-D. Tsai for generously providing the coordinates prior to publication and K. Bebenek and J. Horton for critical reading of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. the Laboratory of Structural Biology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, P.O. Box 12233, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27709-2233, USA

    William A. Beard & Samuel H. Wilson

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  1. William A. Beard
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  2. Samuel H. Wilson
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Correspondence to Samuel H. Wilson.

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Beard, W., Wilson, S. DNA polymerases lose their grip. Nat Struct Mol Biol 8, 915–917 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/nsb1101-915

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