Wheat embryo DNA polymerase A reverse transcribes natural and synthetic RNA templates. Biochemical characterization and comparison with animal DNA polymerase gamma and retroviral reverse transcriptase

• Published in: Biochimica et biophysica acta, Protein structure and molecular enzymology Vol. 1048; no. 2-3; pp. 139 - 148
• Main Authors: Laquel, P, Sallafranque-Andreola, M, Tarrago-Litvak, L, Castroviejo, M, Litvak, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.1990
• Subjects: Triticum aestivum
• ISSN: 0167-4838

Wheat DNA polymerase A has been purified from wheat germ. The previous purification procedure has been improved leading to a higher degree of purity. Several biochemical properties of the enzyme are described. Interestingly, wheat DNA polymerase A is able to copy natural poly(A) super(+) mRNA into cDNA, in a way that is similar to that of the human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase (HIV-RT). All four dXTP and the oligo dT primer were required for cDNA synthesis. DNA polymerase A is more resistant than HIV-RT and DNA polymerase gamma to the chain terminator ddTTP, while the wheat enzyme is more inhibited than DNA polymerase gamma but more resistant than HIV-RT in the presence of N sub(3)-TTP.