Biochemical characterization of the minichromosome maintenance protein from the archaeon Thermoplasma acidophilum.

Gyri Teien Haugland, Claire R Rollor, Nils-Kåre Birkeland, Zvi Kelman

Extremophiles : life under extreme conditions 2009 Jan

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Minichromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins are thought to function as the replicative helicases in archaea. Studies have shown that the MCM complex from the thermoacidophilic euryarchaeon Thermoplasma acidophilum (TaMCM) has some properties not reported in other archaeal MCM helicases. Here, the biochemical properties of the TaMCM are studied. The protein binds single-stranded DNA, has DNA-dependent ATPase activity and ATP-dependent 3' --> 5' helicase activity. The optimal helicase conditions with regard to temperature, pH and salinity are similar to the intracellular conditions in T. acidophilum. It is also found that about 1,000 molecules of TaMCM are present per actively growing cell.

Citation

Gyri Teien Haugland, Claire R Rollor, Nils-Kåre Birkeland, Zvi Kelman. Biochemical characterization of the minichromosome maintenance protein from the archaeon Thermoplasma acidophilum. Extremophiles : life under extreme conditions. 2009 Jan;13(1):81-8