Maize DNA polymerase alpha is phosphorylated by a PCNA-associated cyclin/Cdk complex: effect of benzyladenine

The activity of maize DNA polymerases 1 and 2 (delta and alpha-type enzymes, respectively) is stimulated during germination if embryo axes are imbibed in the presence of benzyladenine. In vivo, DNA pol 2 is a phosphorotein that appears to be maximally phosphorylated previous to the S phase start time (by 12 h of germination, Coello and Vázquez-Ramos 1995a). We find that, in vitro, a PCNA-associated cyclin/kinase activity isolated from maize axes acquires an increasing capacity to phosphorylate DNA pol 2 as germination advances; moreover, the PCNA-associated kinase isolated from BA-treated maize axes germinated at 3 h phosphorylates DNA pol 2 at the same level observed in samples of axes germinated for 13 h in the absence of exogenous BA. PCNA-associated kinase activity from BA-treated axes germinated at 13 h maximal using DNA pol 2 as substrate. However, there is no modification in DNA polymerase activity as a consequence of protein phosphorylation. Results are discussed in terms of their significance for cell cycle regulation during seed germination.