Evidence that the nuclease activities associated with the herpes simplex type 1 DNA polymerase are due to the 3'-5' exonuclease

The conserved RNP motif of the herpes simplex virus 1 family B DNA polymerase is crucial for viral DNA synthesis but not polymerase activity

The herpes simplex virus 1 DNA polymerase contains a highly conserved structural motif found in most family B polymerases and certain RNA-binding proteins. To investigate its importance within cells, we constructed a mutant virus with substitutions in two residues of the motif and a rescued derivative. The substitutions resulted in severe impairment of plaque formation, yields of infectious virus, and viral DNA synthesis while not meaningfully affecting expression of the mutant enzyme, its co-localization with the viral single-stranded DNA binding protein at intranuclear punctate sites in non-complementing cells or in replication compartments in complementing cells, or viral DNA polymerase activity. Taken together, our results indicate that the RNA binding motif plays a crucial role in herpes simplex virus 1 DNA synthesis through a mechanism separate from effects on polymerase activity, thus identifying a distinct essential function of this motif with implications for hypotheses regarding its biochemical functions.

Herpesvirus DNA polymerase: Structures, functions, and mechanisms

Herpesviruses comprise a family of DNA viruses that cause a variety of human and veterinary diseases. During productive infection, mammalian, avian, and reptilian herpesviruses replicate their genomes using a set of conserved viral proteins that include a two subunit DNA polymerase. This enzyme is both a model system for family B DNA polymerases and a target for inhibition by antiviral drugs. This chapter reviews the structure, function, and mechanisms of the polymerase of herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 (HSV), with only occasional mention of polymerases of other herpesviruses such as human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). Antiviral polymerase inhibitors have had the most success against HSV and HCMV. Detailed structural information regarding HSV DNA polymerase is available, as is much functional information regarding the activities of the catalytic subunit (Pol), which include a DNA polymerization activity that can utilize both DNA and RNA primers, a 3'-5' exonuclease activity, and other activities in DNA synthesis and repair and in pathogenesis, including some remaining to be biochemically defined. Similarly, much is known regarding the accessory subunit, which both resembles and differs from sliding clamp processivity factors such as PCNA, and the interactions of this subunit with Pol and DNA. Both subunits contribute to replication fidelity (or lack thereof). The availability of both pharmacologic and genetic tools not only enabled the initial identification of Pol and the pol gene, but has also helped dissect their functions. Nevertheless, important questions remain for this long-studied enzyme, which is still an attractive target for new drug discovery.

Herpes Simplex Virus 1 DNA Polymerase RNase H Activity Acts in a 3'-to-5' Direction and Is Dependent on the 3'-to-5' Exonuclease Active Site

The catalytic subunit (Pol) of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) DNA polymerase has been extensively studied both as a model for other family B DNA polymerases and for its differences from these enzymes as an antiviral target. Among the activities of HSV-1 Pol is an intrinsic RNase H activity that cleaves RNA from RNA-DNA hybrids. There has long been a controversy regarding whether this activity is due to the 3'-to-5' exonuclease of Pol or whether it is a separate activity, possibly acting on 5' RNA termini. To investigate this issue, we compared wild-type HSV-1 Pol and a 3'-to-5' exonuclease-deficient mutant, D368A Pol, for DNA polymerase activity, 3'-to-5' exonuclease activity, and RNase H activity in vitro Additionally, we assessed the RNase H activity using differentially end-labeled templates with 5' or 3' RNA termini. The mutant enzyme was at most modestly impaired for DNA polymerase activity but was drastically impaired for 3'-to-5' exonuclease activity, with no activity detected even at high enzyme-to-DNA substrate ratios. Importantly, the mutant showed no detectable ability to excise RNA with either a 3' or 5' terminus, while the wild-type HSV-1 Pol was able to cleave RNA from the annealed RNA-DNA hairpin template, but only detectably with a 3' RNA terminus in a 3'-to-5' direction and at a rate lower than that of the exonuclease activity. These results suggest that HSV-1 Pol does not have an RNase H separable from its 3'-to-5' exonuclease activity and that this activity prefers DNA degradation over degradation of RNA from RNA-DNA hybrids.IMPORTANCE Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is a member of the Herpesviridae family of DNA viruses, several of which cause morbidity and mortality in humans. Although the HSV-1 DNA polymerase has been studied for decades and is a crucial target for antivirals against HSV-1 infection, several of its functions remain to be elucidated. A hypothesis suggesting the existence of a 5'-to-3' RNase H activity intrinsic to this enzyme that could remove RNA primers from Okazaki fragments has been particularly controversial. In this study, we were unable to identify RNase H activity of HSV-1 DNA polymerase on RNA-DNA hybrids with 5' RNA termini. We detected RNase H activity on hybrids with 3' termini, but this was due to the 3'-to-5' exonuclease. Thus, HSV-1 is unlikely to use this method to remove RNA primers during DNA replication but may use pathways similar to those used in eukaryotic Okazaki fragment maturation.

On the role of proofreading exonuclease in bypass of a 1,2 d(GpG) cisplatin adduct by the herpes simplex virus-1 DNA polymerase

UL30, the herpes simplex virus type-1 DNA polymerase, stalls at the base preceding a cisplatin crosslinked 1,2 d(GpG) dinucleotide and engages in a futile cycle of incorporation and excision by virtue of its 3'-5' exonuclease. Therefore, we examined the translesion synthesis (TLS) potential of an exonuclease-deficient UL30 (UL30D368A). We found that UL30D368A did not perform complete translesion synthesis but incorporated one nucleotide opposite the first base of the adduct. This addition was affected by the propensity of the enzyme to dissociate from the damaged template. Consequently, addition of the polymerase processivity factor, UL42, increased nucleotide incorporation opposite the lesion. The addition of Mn(2+), which was previously shown to support translesion synthesis by wild-type UL30, also enabled limited bypass of the adduct by UL30D368A. We show that the primer terminus opposite the crosslinked d(GpG) dinucleotide and at least three bases downstream of the lesion is unpaired and not extended by the enzyme. These data indicate that the primer terminus opposite the lesion may be sequestered into the exonuclease site of the enzyme. Consequently, elimination of exonuclease activity alone, without disrupting binding, is insufficient to permit bypass of a bulky lesion by this enzyme.

Herpes simplex virus processivity factor UL42 imparts increased DNA-binding specificity to the viral DNA polymerase and decreased dissociation from primer-template without reducing the elongation rate

Herpes simplex virus DNA polymerase consists of a catalytic subunit, Pol, and a processivity subunit, UL42, that, unlike other established processivity factors, binds DNA directly. We used gel retardation and filter-binding assays to investigate how UL42 affects the polymerase-DNA interaction. The Pol/UL42 heterodimer bound more tightly to DNA in a primer-template configuration than to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), while Pol alone bound more tightly to ssDNA than to DNA in a primer-template configuration. The affinity of Pol/UL42 for ssDNA was reduced severalfold relative to that of Pol, while the affinity of Pol/UL42 for primer-template DNA was increased approximately 15-fold relative to that of Pol. The affinity of Pol/UL42 for circular double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) was reduced drastically relative to that of UL42, but the affinity of Pol/UL42 for short primer-templates was increased modestly relative to that of UL42. Pol/UL42 associated with primer-template DNA approximately 2-fold faster than did Pol and dissociated approximately 10-fold more slowly, resulting in a half-life of 2 h and a subnanomolar Kd. Despite such stable binding, rapid-quench analysis revealed that the rates of elongation of Pol/UL42 and Pol were essentially the same, approximately 15 [corrected] nucleotides/s. Taken together, these studies indicate that (i) Pol/UL42 is more likely than its subunits to associate with DNA in a primer-template configuration rather than nonspecifically to either ssDNA or dsDNA, and (ii) UL42 reduces the rate of dissociation from primer-template DNA but not the rate of elongation. Two models of polymerase-DNA interactions during replication that may explain these findings are presented.

DNA binding properties and processive proofreading of herpes simplex virus type 1 DNA polymerase

The DNA binding properties of herpes simplex virus type 1 DNA polymerase (HSV pol), an alpha-like DNA polymerase, were investigated using an optimized band-shift assay. With linear double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), HSV pol formed two complexes. The favored DNA template was dsDNA with protruding 5'-phosphoryl termini. Stable binding of HSV pol was observed with a DNA hairpin containing a primer region of 9 bp of dsDNA, a 6-base loop and a 12-base 5'-terminal single-stranded extension. For the polymerization activity of HSV pol on poly(dT) an optimal primer length of 8 to 10 nucleotides was determined. The DNA binding event could be clearly separated from the enzymatic activities by its unique response to divalent cations and salt. Under ionic strength conditions where HSV pol exerts optimal polymerization activity in vitro, novel polymerase-DNA complexes were detected by band-shift analysis. These new complexes were similar while either in DNA polymerase or 3',5' exonuclease mode. Using a polymerase trap method and high-resolution polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, HSV pol demonstrated internal switching from 3',5' exonuclease to polymerase-active mode during one DNA binding event. These results support the role of HSV pol as a true replicase, which proofreads without dissociating from the DNA template.

Impaired mismatch extension by a herpes simplex DNA polymerase mutant with an editing nuclease defect

The D368A mutation within the 3'-5'-exonuclease domain of the herpes simplex type 1 DNA polymerase inactivates this nuclease and severely interferes with virus viability. Compared with the wild type enzyme, the D368A mutant exhibits substantially elevated rates of incorrect nucleotide incorporation, as measured in a LacZ reversion assay. This high rate occurs in the presence of high levels of dNTPs, a condition that forces the enzyme to extend mismatched primers. Hence, the mutant fails to correct many misincorporations that are removed in the wild type. In addition, the mutant shows a much reduced ability to replicate DNA templates primed with a 3'-mismatch as compared with wild type. This extension defect also appears more severe than observed for replicases which naturally lack editing nucleases. Based on these findings, we suggest that the inability of the D368A herpes simplex mutant polymerase to replicate beyond a mismatched base pair severely inhibits viral replication.

Evolution of viral DNA-dependent DNA polymerases

DNA viruses as their host cells require a DNA-dependent DNA polymerase (Pol) to faithfully replicate their genomic information. Large eukaryotic DNA viruses as well as bacterial viruses encode a specific Pol equipped with a proofreading 3'-5'-exonuclease, and other replication proteins. All known viral Pol belong to family A and family B Pol. Common to all viral Pol is the conservation of the 3'-5'-exonuclease domain manifested by the three sequence motifs Exo I, Exo II, and Exo III. The polymerase domain of family A and B Pol is clearly distinguishable. Family A Pol share 9 distinct consensus sequences, only two of them are convincingly homologous to sequence motif B of family B Pol. The putative sequence motifs A, B, and C of the polymerase domain are located near the C-terminus in family A Pol and more central in family B Pol. Thus, family A Pol show a significant greater spacing between the Exo III motif and the Pol motif A that is especially extended in the case of the mitochondrial Pol gamma. From each host and virus family whenever possible the consensus sequences of two distantly related polymerase species were aligned for assessment of phylogenetic trees, using both maximum parsimony and distance methods, and evaluated by bootstrap analysis. Three alternative methods yielded trees with identical major groupings. A subdivision of viral family B Pol was achieved resulting in a branch with Pol carrying out a protein-primed mechanism of DNA replication, including adenoviruses, bacteriophages and linear plasmids of plant and fungal origin. Archaebacterial Pol and cellular Pol epsilon were consistently found at the base of this branch. Another major branch comprised alpha- and delta-like viral Pol from mammalian herpesviruses, fish lymphocystis disease virus, insect ascovirus, and chlorella virus. Due to a lower branch integrity Pol of T-even bacteriophages, poxviruses, African swine fever virus, fish herpesvirus, and baculoviruses were not clearly resolved and placed in alternate groupings. A composite and rooted tree of family A and B Pol shows that viral Pol with a protein-priming requirement represent the oldest viral Pol species suggesting that the protein-primed mechanism is one of the earliest modes of viral DNA replication.

Herpes simplex virus DNA replication

The Herpesviridae comprise a large class of animal viruses of considerable public health importance. Of the Herpesviridae, replication of herpes simplex virustype-1 (HSV-1) has been the most extensively studied. The linear 152-kbp HSV-1 genome contains three origins of DNA replication and approximately 75 open-reading frames. Of these frames, seven encode proteins that are required for originspecific DNA replication. These proteins include a processive heterodimeric DNA polymerase, a single-strand DNA-binding protein, a heterotrimeric primosome with 5'-3' DNA helicase and primase activities, and an origin-binding protein with 3'-5' DNA helicase activity. HSV-1 also encodes a set of enzymes involved in nucleotide metabolism that are not required for viral replication in cultured cells. These enzymes include a deoxyuridine triphosphatase, a ribonucleotide reductase, a thymidine kinase, an alkaline endo-exonuclease, and a uracil-DNA glycosylase. Host enzymes, notably DNA polymerase alpha-primase, DNA ligase I, and topoisomerase II, are probably also required. Following circularization of the linear viral genome, DNA replication very likely proceeds in two phases: an initial phase of theta replication, initiated at one or more of the origins, followed by a rolling-circle mode of replication. The latter generates concatemers that are cleaved and packaged into infectious viral particles. The rolling-circle phase of HSV-1 DNA replication has been reconstituted in vitro by a complex containing several of the HSV-1 encoded DNA replication enzymes. Reconstitution of the theta phase has thus far eluded workers in the field and remains a challenge for the future.