Subcellular localization of DNA polymerase gamma and changes in its activity in sea urchin embryos

1. Subcellular localization and changes in the activity of DNA polymerase gamma were examined in sea urchin eggs and embryos. 2. The enzyme was shown to be localized predominantly in mitochondria by differential and isopycnic centrifugation. 3. During embryogenesis, the enzyme activity per embryo remained constant until blastula stage, and thereafter increased. 4. Similarly mitochondrial DNA per embryo increased, indicating that mitochondrial DNA replication starts during embryogenesis. 5. The gamma-activity per mitochondrial DNA remained constant during embryogenesis. 6. These results suggest that mitochondria contain a constant amount of replicative enzyme (DNA polymerase gamma) regardless of mitochondrial DNA replication, which differs from the case of nuclear DNA replication.