A new family of polymerases related to superfamily A DNA polymerases and T7-like DNA-dependent RNA polymerases
2008
Discovery of a New Family of Polymerases
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Iyer Lakshminarayan M, Abhiman Saraswathi, Aravind L
Primary Institution: National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health
Hypothesis
Are there previously unknown families of nucleic acid polymerases in mobile elements from diverse genomes?
Conclusion
The study identifies a new family of polymerases that likely function as both primases and DNA polymerases, providing insights into the evolution of these enzymes.
Supporting Evidence
- The new polymerases are likely to possess both primase and DNA polymerase activity.
- These polymerases help define the minimal functional core of superfamily A DNA polymerases.
- The study suggests that certain DNA viruses may have evolved from mobile elements coding these polymerases.
Takeaway
Scientists found a new type of enzyme that helps make DNA and RNA, which might have come from tiny mobile genetic elements.
Methodology
The study used sequence profile methods and structural comparisons to characterize the new polymerases.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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