F
IPR016558

DNA primase, large subunit, eukaryotic

InterPro entry
Short nameDNA_primase_lsu_euk
family relationships

Description

DNA primase is the polymerase that synthesises small RNA primers for the Okazaki fragments made during discontinuous DNA replication. Primases are grouped into two classes, bacteria/bacteriophage and archaeal/eukaryotic. The proteins in the two classes differ in structure and the replication apparatus components. Archaeal/eukaryotic core primase is a heterodimeric enzyme consisting of a small catalytic subunit (PriS or Pri1) and a large subunit (PriL or Pri2). In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae the small subunit is 48kDa and the large subunit 58kDa
[3]
. In eukaryotic organisms, a heterotetrameric enzyme formed by DNA polymerase alpha, the B subunit and two primase subunits has primase activity. Although the catalytic activity and the the ATP binding site reside within PriS
[1]
, the PriL subunit is essential for primase function as disruption of the PriL gene in yeast is lethal. PriL is composed of two structural domains. Several functions have been proposed for PriL such as stabilization of the PriS, involvement in synthesis initiation, improvement of primase processivity, determination of product size and transfer of the products to DNA polymerase alpha
[4]
. Primase function has also been demonstrated for human and mouse primase subunits
[2]
.

This group represents the eukaryotic DNA primase, large subunit.

References

1.Mutations in conserved yeast DNA primase domains impair DNA replication in vivo. Francesconi S, Longhese MP, Piseri A, Santocanale C, Lucchini G, Plevani P. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 88, 3877-81, (1991). View articlePMID: 2023935

2.DNA replication in vitro by recombinant DNA-polymerase-alpha-primase. Stadlbauer F, Brueckner A, Rehfuess C, Eckerskorn C, Lottspeich F, Forster V, Tseng BY, Nasheuer HP. Eur. J. Biochem. 222, 781-93, (1994). View articlePMID: 8026492

3.A single essential gene, PRI2, encodes the large subunit of DNA primase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Foiani M, Santocanale C, Plevani P, Lucchini G. Mol. Cell. Biol. 9, 3081-7, (1989). View articlePMID: 2528682

4.Structure of the heterodimeric core primase. Lao-Sirieix SH, Nookala RK, Roversi P, Bell SD, Pellegrini L. Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol. 12, 1137-44, (2005). View articlePMID: 16273105

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