Journal
MOLECULAR CELL
Volume 37, Issue 1, Pages 67-78Publisher
CELL PRESS
DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2009.12.021
Keywords
-
Categories
Funding
- Swedish Research Council
- Swedish Cancer Society
- European Commission
- Swedish Strategic Foundation
- Goran Gustafsson Foundation
- Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation
- Medical Research Council
- MRC [MC_U105663140] Funding Source: UKRI
- Medical Research Council [MC_U105663140] Funding Source: researchfish
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Mitochondrial DNA is replicated by a unique enzymatic machinery, which is distinct from the replication apparatus used for copying the nuclear genome. We examine here the mechanisms of origin-specific initiation of lagging-strand DNA synthesis in human mitochondria. We demonstrate that the mitochondrial RNA polymerase (POLRMT) is the primase required for initiation of DNA synthesis from the light-strand origin of DNA replication (OriL). Using only purified POLRMT and DNA replication factors, we can faithfully reconstitute OriL-dependent initiation in vitro. Leading-strand DNA synthesis is initiated from the heavy-strand origin of DNA replication and passes OriL. The single-stranded OriL is exposed and adopts a stem-loop structure. At this stage, POLRMT initiates primer synthesis from a poly-dT stretch in the single-stranded loop region, After about 25 nt, POLRMT is replaced by DNA polymerase gamma, and DNA synthesis commences. Our findings demonstrate that POLRMT can function as an origin-specific primase in mammalian mitochondria.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available