Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Examination Of The Role Of The Clamp-Loader And Atp Hydrolysis In The Formation Of The Bacteriophage T4 Polymerase Holoenzyme, Michael A. Trakselis, Anthony J. Berdis, Stephen J. Benkovic

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Transient kinetic analyses further support the role of the clamp-loader in bacteriophage T4 as a catalyst which loads the clamp onto DNA through the sequential hydrolysis of two molecules of ATP before and after addition of DNA. Additional rapid-quench and pulse-chase experiments have documented this stoichiometry. The events of ATP hydrolysis have been related to the opening/closing of the clamp protein through fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). In the absence of a hydrolysable form of ATP, the distance across the subunit interface of the clamp does not increase as measured by intramolecular FRET, suggesting gp45 cannot be loaded onto DNA. …