“The Translesion Polymerase Pol Y1 is a Constitutive Component of theB. subtilisReplication Machinery”

Abstract

Unrepaired DNA damage encountered by the cellular replication machinery can stall DNA replication, ultimately leading to cell death. In the DNA damage tolerance pathway translesion synthesis (TLS), replication stalling is alleviated by the recruitment of specialized polymerases to synthesize short stretches of DNA near a lesion. Although TLS promotes cell survival, most TLS polymerases are low fidelity and must be tightly regulated to avoid harmful mutagenesis. The gram-negative bacteriumEscherichia colihas served as the model organism for studies of the molecular mechanisms of bacterial TLS. However, it is poorly understood whether these same mechanisms apply to other bacteria. Here, we use in vivo single-molecule fluorescence microscopy to investigate the TLS polymerase Pol Y1 in the model gram-positive bacteriumBacillus subtilis. We find significant differences in the localization and dynamics of Pol Y1 in comparison to itsE. colihomolog, Pol IV. Notably, Pol Y1 is constitutively enriched at or near sites of replication in the absence of DNA damage through interactions with the DnaN clamp; in contrast, Pol IV has been shown to be selectively enriched only upon replication stalling. These results suggest key differences in the roles and mechanisms of regulation of TLS polymerases across different bacterial species.

Processing of stalled replication forks in Bacillus subtilis

“…This poorly understood pathway may be mutagenic. Recent studies have shown that PolY1, which interacts with the DnaN-sliding clamp (Duigou et al 2005 , Timinskas and Venclovas 2019 ), enriches at or near sites of replication in the absence of DNA damage and colocalizes with DnaX (Marrin et al 2023 ).…”