The hypothesis that vestiges of the ancestral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase involved in the replication of RNA genomes of Archean cells are present in the eubacterial RNA-polymerase beta-prime subunit and its homologues is discussed. It is shown that, in the DNA-dependent RNA polymerases from three cellular lineages, a very conserved sequence of eight amino acids, also found in a small RNA-binding site previously described for the E. coli polynucleotide phosphorylase and the S1 ribosomal protein, is present. The optimal conditions for the replicase activity of the avian-myeloblastosis-virus reverse transcriptase are presented. The evolutionary significance of the in vitro modifications of substrate and template specificities of RNA polymerases and reverse transcriptases is discussed.


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    Title :

    The origin and early evolution of nucleic acid polymerases


    Contributors:
    Lazcano, A. (author) / Cappello, R. (author) / Valverde, V. (author) / Llaca, V. (author) / Oro, J. (author)

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    1992-01-01



    Type of media :

    Miscellaneous


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




    The origin and early evolution of nucleic acid polymerases

    Lazcano, A. / Llaca,, V. / Cappello, R. et al. | Elsevier | 1991





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