When DNA Polymerases Multitask: Functions Beyond Nucleotidyl Transfer.

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Biochemistry
• Genetics

Background:

• DNA polymerases are essential enzymes for DNA replication, repair, and recombination.
• Some DNA polymerases exhibit translesion DNA synthesis capabilities, impacting DNA damage tolerance and mutagenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the diverse biochemical activities of DNA polymerases beyond their canonical nucleotidyl transfer function.
• To highlight examples of DNA polymerases with nuclease and lyase activities.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on DNA polymerase functions.
• Analysis of biochemical assays demonstrating nuclease and lyase activities.
• Discussion of the structural and mechanistic basis for these diverse activities.

Main Results:

• DNA polymerases possess a range of 'extracurricular' activities, including 3'-5' exonuclease, 5' nuclease, end-trimming nuclease, and 5' dRP lyase functions.
• These enzymes demonstrate significant versatility in manipulating DNA strands.

Conclusions:

• DNA polymerases exhibit remarkable functional plasticity, performing multiple enzymatic reactions.
• Their ability to manipulate DNA strands is central to various cellular processes, including replication, repair, and recombination.