DNA primase activity associated with DNA polymerase alpha from Xenopus laevis ovaries

One of the two forms of DNA polymerase alpha from ovaries of the frog Xenopus laevis catalyzed ribonucleoside triphosphate-dependent DNA synthesis on single-stranded circular fd phage DNA templates. DNA synthesis was dependent on ATP and added template. CTP, GTP, and UTP stimulated DNA synthesis but were not required and could not substitute for ATP. DNA synthesis was not inhibited by alpha-amanitin. Neither poly(dT) nor double-stranded DNA served as template. Analysis of [32P]-dTMP-labeled product by neutral and alkaline agarose gel electrophoresis showed that 0.1- to 1-kilobase DNA fragments (average size of approximately equal to 0.25 kilobase) were synthesized. The fragments were not covalently linked to the template. Either [alpha-32P]NMP, [gamma-32P]ATP, or [gamma-32P]GTP were incorporated also into the product. Analysis of the product after hydrolysis by KOH, alkaline phosphatase, or bacteriophage T4 3' leads to 5' exonuclease showed the presence of a small oligoribonucleotide primer at the 5' end of the newly synthesized DNA. NTP-dependent DNA-synthesizing activity copurified on six columns and cosedimented during glycerol gradient centrifugation with one form of DNA polymerase alpha activity but not with the other form. These results suggest that DNA primase activity is associated with one of the two forms of X. laevis DNA polymerase alpha.