Yeast DNA photolyase: molecular weight, subunit structure, and reconstruction of active enzyme from its subunits

Yeast DNA photolyase, purified by affinity chromatography, ran as a single component when analyzed by either electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gradient gels or by sedimentation velocity through 5-20% sucrose gradients containing 0.4 M KCl, and, therefore, was considered homogeneous. The molecular weights of photolyase, determined by these methods, were 130000 and 136000, respectively. When the enzyme was examined by electrophoresis on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gradient gels, it dissociated into two bands whole molecular weights were 60000 and 85000. After the enzyme was sedimented through sucrose gradients in the presence of 1.0 M KCl, two absorbance maxima, which corresponded to polypeptides of 54000 and 82500, were found in the fractions collected. Thus, the enzyme consists of two dissimilar subunits. When the two fractions that exhibited maximal absorbance were mixed together, a time-dependent increase in activity occurred, demonstrating that active enzyme could be reconstituted from these subunits. Analysis of sucrose gradients containing 1.0 M salt for photolyase activity showed that it was present exclusively in the region of the gradient corresponding to 68200 in agreement with a previous report (J. Cook and T. Worthy (1972), Biochemistry 11, 388). These active fractions were found in the overlap region between the two subunits, and their activity was attributed to reconstitution of the enzyme during the assay.