The human DNA polymerase gamma (Pol c) is responsible for DNA replication in mitochondria. Pol c is particularly susceptible to inhibition by dideoxynucleoside-based inhibitors designed to fight viral infection. Here, we report crystal structures of the replicating Pol c-DNA complex bound to either substrate or zalcitabine, an inhibitor used for HIV reverse transcriptase. The structures reveal that zalcitabine binds to the Pol c active site almost identically to the substrate dCTP, providing a structural basis for Pol c-mediated drug toxicity. When compared to the apo form, Pol c undergoes intra-and inter-subunit conformational changes upon formation of the ternary complex with primer/template DNA and substrate. We also find that the accessory subunit Pol cB, which lacks intrinsic enzymatic activity and does not contact the primer/template DNA directly, serves as an allosteric regulator of holoenzyme activities. The structures presented here suggest a mechanism for processivity of the holoenzyme and provide a model for understanding the deleterious effects of Pol c mutations in human disease. Crystal structures of the mitochondrial DNA polymerase, Pol c, in complex with substrate or antiviral inhibitor zalcitabine provide a basis for understanding Pol c-mediated drug toxicity.
Using a combination of techniques we developed, we infected zebrafish embryos using pseudotyped retroviruses and mapped the genomic locations of the proviral integrations in the F 1 offspring of the infected fish. From F 1 fish, we obtained 2,045 sequences representing 933 unique retroviral integrations. A total of 599 were mappable to the current genomic assembly (Zv6), and 233 of the integrations landed within genes. By inbreeding fish carrying proviral integrations in 25 different genes, we were able to demonstrate that in Ϸ50% of the gene ''hits,'' the mRNA transcript levels were reduced by >70%, with the highest probability for mutation occurring if the integration was in an exon or first intron. Based on these data, the mutagenic frequency for the retrovirus is nearly one in five integrations. In addition, a strong mutagenic effect is seen when murine leukemia virus integrates specifically in the first intron of genes but not in other introns. Three of 19 gene inactivation events had embryonic defects. Using the strategy we outlined, it is possible to identify 1 mutagenic event for every 30 sequencing reactions done on the F1 fish. This is a 20-to 30-fold increase in efficiency when compared with the current resequencing approach [targeting induced local lesions in genomes (TILLING)] used in zebrafish for identifying mutations in genes. Combining this increase in efficiency with cryopreservation of sperm samples from the F 1 fish, it is now possible to create a stable resource that contains mutations in every known zebrafish gene.genetics ͉ retrovirus
The faldh gene coding for a putative Brevibacillus brevis formaldehyde dehydrogenase (FALDH) was isolated and then transformed into tobacco. A total of three lines of transgenic plants were generated, with each showing 2- to 3-fold higher specific formaldehyde dehydrogenase activities than wild-type tobacco, a result that demonstrates the functional activity of the enzyme in formaldehyde (HCHO) oxidation. Overexpression of faldh in tobacco confers a high tolerance to exogenous HCHO and an increased ability to take up HCHO. A (13)C-nuclear magnetic resonance technique revealed that the transgenic plants were able to oxidize more aqueous HCHO to formate than the wild-type (WT) plants. When treated with gaseous HCHO, the transgenic tobacco exhibited an enhanced ability to transform more HCHO into formate, citrate acid, and malate but less glycine than the WT plants. These results indicate that the increased capacity of the transgenic tobacco to take up, tolerate, and metabolize higher concentrations of HCHO was due to the overexpression of B. brevis FALDH, revealing the essential function of this enzyme in HCHO detoxification. Our results provide a potential genetic engineering strategy for improving the phytoremediation of HCHO pollution.
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