DNA polymerase kappa produces interrupted mutations and displays polar pausing within mononucleotide microsatellite sequences.

ABSTRACT: Microsatellites are ubiquitously present in eukaryotic genomes and are implicated as positive factors in evolution. At the nucleotide level, microsatellites undergo slippage events that alter allele length and base changes that interrupt the repetitive tract. We examined DNA polymerase errors within a [T](11) microsatellite using an in vitro assay that preferentially detects mutations other than unit changes. We observed that human DNA polymerase kappa (Pol kappa) inserts dGMP and dCMP within the [T](11) mononucleotide repeat, producing an interrupted 12-bp allele. Polymerase beta produced such interruptions at a lower frequency. These data demonstrate that DNA polymerases are capable of directly producing base interruptions within microsatellites. At the molecular level, expanded microsat

SUBMITTER: Hile SE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2241860 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature