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THE SUBUNIT STRUCTURE OF YEAST DNA PHOTOLYASE AND THE PURIFICATION OF A FLUORESCENT ACTIVATOR OF THE ENZYME
Author(s) -
Werbin Harold,
Madden John J.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
photochemistry and photobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.818
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1751-1097
pISSN - 0031-8655
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-1097.1977.tb09165.x
Subject(s) - photolyase , chemistry , chromatography , size exclusion chromatography , gel electrophoresis , affinity chromatography , enzyme , polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis , fluorescence , chromophore , molecular mass , yeast , activator (genetics) , biochemistry , dna , photochemistry , dna repair , physics , quantum mechanics , gene
— Yeast DNA photolyase purified twice by affinity chromatography was analyzed by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gradient gels or by sedimentation velocity through 5–200/, sucrose gradients containing 0.4MKC1. Its molecular weight estimated by both these methods was 130 ,000 and 136 ,000, respectively. However, the enzyme dissociated into two bands having molecular weights of 60 ,000 and 85 ,000 when it was examined by electrophoresis on SDS polyacrylamide gradient gels. The subunit structure of the enzyme was confirmed when two absorption maxima corresponding to polypeptides of 54 ,000 and 82 ,500 daltons were observed in sucrose gradients run in 1.0 M KCI. Upon mixing these two fractions, a time‐dependent increase in activity occurred, demonstrating that active enzyme could be reconstituted from these subunits. The activity of photolyase purified by affinity chromatography is enhanced by a compound (activator III) obtained from yeast by acidification, neutralization, ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. Activator III emits at 350 and 440 nm when excited at 290 nm, and emits at 440 nm when excited at 358 nm. After acid hydrolysis, emission at 440 nm is produced only by excitation at 358 nm, indicating that it contains two separate chromophoric moieties. The chromophore excited by 358 nm light has a pK of 9–11, while the other has a pK of 4–5. Enhancement of photolyase activity by activator III at a concentration equimolar with that of the enzyme and the similarity of the fluorescent spectra of the activator and heat‐denatured photolyase suggest that the activator may be the chromophore associated with the enzyme.