Bacillus subtilis polynucleotide phosphorylase 3'-to-5' DNase activity is involved in DNA repair.

ABSTRACT: In the presence of Mn(2+), an activity in a preparation of purified Bacillus subtilis RecN degrades single-stranded (ss) DNA with a 3' --> 5' polarity. This activity is not associated with RecN itself, because RecN purified from cells lacking polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase) does not show the exonuclease activity. We show here that, in the presence of Mn(2+) and low-level inorganic phosphate (P(i)), PNPase degrades ssDNA. The limited end-processing of DNA is regulated by ATP and is inactive in the presence of Mg(2+) or high-level P(i). In contrast, the RNase activity of PNPase requires Mg(2+) and P(i), suggesting that PNPase degradation of RNA and ssDNA occur by mutually exclusive mechanisms. A null pnpA mutation (DeltapnpA) is not epistatic with Delta recA, but is epistatic with Delt

SUBMITTER: Cardenas PP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2709576 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature