Bacteriophage-Encoded DNA Polymerases—Beyond the Traditional View of Polymerase Activities

Abstract

DNA polymerases are enzymes capable of synthesizing DNA. They are involved in replication of genomes of all cellular organisms as well as in processes of DNA repair and genetic recombination. However, DNA polymerases can also be encoded by viruses, including bacteriophages, and such enzymes are involved in viral DNA replication. DNA synthesizing enzymes are grouped in several families according to their structures and functions. Nevertheless, there are examples of bacteriophage-encoded DNA polymerases which are significantly different from other known enzymes capable of catalyzing synthesis of DNA. These differences are both structural and functional, indicating a huge biodiversity of bacteriophages and specific properties of their enzymes which had to evolve under certain conditions, selecting unusual properties of the enzymes which are nonetheless crucial for survival of these viruses, propagating as special kinds of obligatory parasites. In this review, we present a brief overview on DNA polymerases, and then we discuss unusual properties of different bacteriophage-encoded enzymes, such as those able to initiate DNA synthesis using the protein-priming mechanisms or even start this process without any primer, as well as able to incorporate untypical nucleotides. Apart from being extremely interesting examples of biochemical biodiversity, bacteriophage-encoded DNA polymerases can also be useful tools in genetic engineering and biotechnology.

Expanding the phage galaxy: Isolation and characterization of five novel Streptomyces siphoviruses Ankus, Byblos, DekoNeimoidia, Mandalore, and Naboo

“…However, these proteins have not yet been further investigated in this group of bacteriophages infecting Streptomyces . Still, they could potentially provide interesting characteristics in terms of, for example, speed, temperature sensitivity, incorporation of non-canonical nucleotides, or overall replication mechanisms known from diverse phage-encoded polymerases (Morcinek-Orłowska et al, 2022). These features could be harnessed for molecular biology and biotechnological applications.…”

Characterization and Genomic Analysis of a Novel Lytic Phage DCp1 against Clostridium perfringens Biofilms

“…The B-type DNA polymerase encoded by ORF10 had both an obligatory 5′→3′ DNA synthesis activity and an optional exonuclease activity [ 41 ]. However, most B-type DNA polymerases lack the domain that is required for 3′→5′ exonuclease [ 42 ]. ORF16 was predicted to encode a hypothetical protein that contained a phage connector domain and served as an interface for tail attachment and binding [ 43 ].…”

Genomic diversity and comprehensive taxonomical classification of 61 Bacillus subtilis group member infecting bacteriophages, and the identification of ortholog taxonomic signature genes

“…All the members shared orthologs genes, including the MCP, recombinase, terminase large subunit, and transcriptional repressor. Remarkably, DNA polymerase is absent in all the members, which may be speculated that these phages can manipulate the host DNA polymerase [24].…”