Properties of the Main Endonuclease Specific for Apurinic Sites of Escherichia coli (Endonuclease VI)

Abstract

The main endonuclease for apurinic sites of E. coli (endonuclease VI) has no action on normal strands, either in double-stranded or single-stranded DNA, or on alkylated sites. The enzyme has an optimum pH at 8.5, is inhibited by EDTA and needs Mg2+ for its activity; it has a half-life of 7 min at 40.degree. C. A purified preparation of endonuclease VI, free of endonuclease II activity, contained exonuclease III; the 2 activities (endonuclease VI and exonuclease III) copurified and were inactivated with the same half-lives at 40.degree. C. Endonuclease VI cuts the DNA strands on the 5'' side of the apurinic sites giving a 3''-OH and a 5''-phosphate, and exonuclease III, working afterwards, leaves the apurinic site in the DNA molecule; this apurinic site can subsequently be removed by DNA polymerase I. The details of the excision of apurinic sites in vitro from DNA by endonuclease VI/exonuclease III, DNA polymerase I and ligase, are described; exonuclease III probably works as an antiligase to facilitate the DNA repair.