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T4 DNA ligase synthesizes dinucleoside polyphosphates
Author(s) -
Madrid Olga,
Martín Daniel,
Atencia Eva Ana,
Sillero Antonio,
Günther Sillero María A.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(98)00932-6
Subject(s) - dna ligase , biochemistry , gtp' , dna , ubiquitin ligase , chemistry , dna ligases , enzyme , biology , gene , ubiquitin
T4 DNA ligase (EC 6.5.1.1), one of the most widely used enzymes in genetic engineering, transfers AMP from the E‐AMP complex to tripolyphosphate, ADP, ATP, GTP or dATP producing p 4 A, Ap 3 A, Ap 4 A, Ap 4 G and Ap 4 dA, respectively. Nicked DNA competes very effectively with GTP for the synthesis of Ap 4 G and, conversely, tripolyphosphate (or GTP) inhibits the ligation of DNA by the ligase. As T4 DNA ligase has similar requirements for ATP as the mammalian DNA ligase(s), the latter enzyme(s) could also synthesize dinucleoside polyphosphates. The present report may be related to the recent finding that human Fhit (fragile histidine triad) protein, encoded by the FHIT putative tumor suppressor gene, is a typical dinucleoside 5′,5″‐P 1 ,P 3 ‐triphosphate (Ap 3 A) hydrolase (EC 3.6.1.29).