UvrD-dependent replication of rolling-circle plasmids in Escherichia coli - PubMed (original) (raw)

UvrD-dependent replication of rolling-circle plasmids in Escherichia coli

C Bruand et al. Mol Microbiol. 2000 Jan.

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Abstract

The Escherichia coli UvrD helicase (or helicase II) is known for its involvement in DNA repair. We report that UvrD is required for DNA replication of several different rolling-circle plasmids in E. coli, whereas its homologue, the Rep helicase, is not. Lack of UvrD helicase does not impair the first step of plasmid replication, nicking of the double-stranded origin by the plasmid initiator protein. However, replication proceeds no further without UvrD. Indeed, the nicked plasmid molecules accumulate to a high level in uvrD mutants. We conclude that UvrD is the replicative helicase of various rolling-circle plasmids. This is the first description of a direct implication of UvrD in DNA replication in vivo.

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