Article: Highly Organized but Pliant Active Site of DNA Polymerase [beta]: Compensatory Mechanisms in Mutant Enzymes Revealed by Dynamics Simulations and Energy Analyses

ABSTRACT

To link conformational transitions noted for DNA polymerases with kinetic results describing catalytic efficiency and fidelity, we investigate the role of key DNA polymerase [beta] residues on subdomain motion through simulations of five single-residue mutants: Arg-283-Ala, Tyr-271-Ala, Asp-276-Val, Arg-258-Lys, and Arg-258-Ala. Since a movement toward a closed state was only observed for R258A, we suggest that Arg^sup 258^ is crucial in modulating motion preceding chemistry. Analyses of protein/DNA interactions in the mutant active site indicate distinctive hydrogen bonding and van der Waals patterns arising from compensatory structural adjustments. By comparing closed mutant ...

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