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. 1995 Jan 25;23(2):244–247. doi: 10.1093/nar/23.2.244

Structural relationship between DNA polymerases epsilon and epsilon* and their occurrence in eukaryotic cells.

L Uitto 1, J Halleen 1, T Hentunen 1, M Höyhtyä 1, J E Syväoja 1
PMCID: PMC306661  PMID: 7862528

Abstract

Monoclonal antibodies raised against the N-terminal half of human DNA polymerase epsilon bind both to a large > 200 kDa form of DNA polymerase epsilon from HeLa cells and to a small 140 kDa form (DNA polymerase epsilon*) from calf thymus, while antibody against the C-terminal half binds to DNA polymerase epsilon but does not bind to DNA polymerase epsilon*. These results indicate that the two enzymes have common structural motifs in their N-terminal halves, and that DNA polymerase epsilon* is very likely derived from DNA polymerase epsilon by removal of its C-terminal half. DNA polymerase epsilon as well as DNA polymerase epsilon* was detected in extracts from cells of numerous eukaryotic species from yeast to human. The results indicate that DNA polymerase epsilon and its tendency to occur in a smaller form, DNA polymerase epsilon*, are evolutionarily highly conserved and that DNA polymerase epsilon may occur universally in proliferating eukaryotic cells.

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Selected References

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