Further characterization of a DNA polymerase activity in mouse sperm nuclei

Reverse transcriptase activity in mature spermatozoa of mouse

We show here that a reverse transcriptase (RT) activity is present in murine epididymal spermatozoa. Sperm cells incubated with human poliovirus RNA can take up exogenous RNA molecules and internalize them in nuclei. Direct PCR amplification of DNA extracted from RNA-incubated spermatozoa indicate that poliovirus RNA is reverse-transcribed in cDNA fragments. PCR analysis of two-cell embryos shows that poliovirus RNA-challenged spermatozoa transfer retrotranscribed cDNA molecules into eggs during in vitro fertilization. Finally, RT molecules can be visualized on sperm nuclear scaffolds by immunogold electron microscopy. These results, therefore, reveal a novel metabolic function in spermatozoa, which may play a role during early embryonic development.

Extraction and biochemical characterization of a nuclear deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase activity in bull spermatozoa

Bull spermatozoa heads were separated from cytoplasmic contaminants, especially mitochondria-rich middle pieces, by centrifugation through 2.4M-sucrose. DNA polymerase activity was demonstrated by incubating nuclear heads for 1 h at 37 degrees C or for 20 h at room temperature in a medium containing detergent and dithiothreitol or 2-mercaptoethanol. Optimal DNA polymerase activity was detected after extraction in a medium containing 50 mM-borate, pH9, 1 mg of soya-bean trypsin inhibitor/ml and supplemented with either 20 mM-dithiothreitol and 4% Tween 80 or 100mM-2-mercaptoethanol and 10% Tween 80. The DNA polymerase reaction was Mg2+-dependent; Mn2+ or Ca2+ could not replace Mg2+ and all four deoxynucleoside triphosphates were required for optimal activity. The polymerase activity was pH-dependent (optimum between 8.2 and 10.5) and was a function of buffer composition and also of pH values. Optimal activity was obtained with 50 mM-Na+ or 150mM-K+ and was partially lowered by N-ethylmaleimide; it was inhibited by spermidine and by salmon protamines, but was greatly stimulated by calf thymus histones. It was also resistant to actinomycin D, netropsin and ethidium bromide. The present results suggest that bull spermatozoa heads contain a beta-type DNA polymerase activity.

Presence of two deoxyribonucleic acid polymerases in bull spermatozoa

A DNA polymerase-endogenous template complex was isolated from nuclear heads of bull spermatozoa. The buoyant density of the complex was 1.15 g/cm 3. The sedimentation coefficient of the nuclear DNA polymerase isolated from the complex was higher at low ionic strength, but approached 3.4S when centrifuged in a medium containing 2M-KCl. Activated exogenous DNA increased polymerase activity. Only very low activities were detected with synthetic templates such as poly(A).(dT)12-18 and poly(dT).poly(A). The nuclear reaction was stimulated by 150mM-KCl and was slightly inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide; it was resistant to actinomycin D, netropsin and ethidium bromide. Another DNA polymerase, highly sensitive to ethidium bromide, was extracted from the mitochondira-rich middle-piece fraction. Its sedimentation coefficient was close to 9S, but fell to approx. 4S in high-ionic-strength medium.

In situ detection and characterization of DNA polymerase activities in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells

We have developed a cytoenzymological method for localizing DNA polymerase activities in situ and for studying their responses to various chemical agents or environmental conditions. The incubation mixtures and the stimulatory or inhibitory agents added to these media were defined with reference to in vitro biochemical tests used to detect and to characterize DNA polymerases-alpha or -beta found in eukaryotic cells. This method has already been used to study DNA polymerase activities during cell differentiation or cell senescence. Apart from two exceptions found with lower organisms, the nuclear DNA polymerase activity was always higher under conditions which favoured the in vitro expression of DNA polymerase-beta rather than DNA polymerase-alpha. --In the various cell types studied, the cellular DNA polymerase activities were almost exclusively found in the nuclei. It is hoped that this methodology will be useful for obtaining more complete biochemical data on the intracellular localization of various DNA polymerases.

Endogenous DNA polymerase activity in fractionated rat lever chromatin

Chromatin isolated from adult rat liver was fractionated into template active and inactive components by controlled shearing and glycerol gradient centrifugation. The fractionated chromatin was assayed for DNA-dependent DNA polymerase (DNA mucleotidyl transferase EC 2.7.7.7) activity with and without exogenous activated DNA serving as template. With endogenous chromatin as template, it was found that 90% of the endogenous chromatin bound DNA polymerase activity was located in the transcriptionally active fraction of chromatin, while the distribution of DNA polymerase assayed with exogenous activated DNA was found to be 65% in the transcriptionally active and 35% in the inactive fractions. However, when DNA polymerase was solubilized from these fractions by salt extraction, enzyme activity was found to be equally distributed, suggesting that the difference in endogenous DNA polymerase activity observed between eu- and heterochromatin is due to the restricted template found in repressed fractions.