[Analogs of pyrophosphate in a pyrophosphorolysis reaction catalyzed by DNA polymerases]

The reaction of pyrophosphorolysis catalyzed by Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I Klenov fragment, calf thymus DNA polymerase alpha, rat liver DNA polymerase beta and AMV reverse transcriptase was studied. Some pyrophosphate (PPi) analogs were taken as low molecular weight substrates. It was shown that only imidodiphosphonic acid acted as the PPi substrate analog for the reactions catalyzed by DNA polymerases I and alpha, both imidodiphosphonic acid and methylenediphosphonic acid were active in the case of DNA polymerase beta and reverse transcriptase. Other analogs tested were neither nucleotide residue acceptors, nor inhibitors of the pyrophosphorolysis reaction with PPi. The abilities of some PPi analogs to inhibit the DNA elongation catalyzed by reverse transcriptase were investigated. The principles of specificity of low molecular substrates recognition by DNA polymerases and some problems concerning the mechanisms of DNA synthesis inhibition by PPi analogues are discussed.