Abstract
DNA polymerases may be differentially expressed by cells during periods of quiescence and proliferation. Murine B cells are an ideal population to study because their division time varies widely in vivo, and different subsets can be easily isolated. Consequently, we analyzed RNA from resting cells (B220+ peanut agglutinin-) and activated germinal center cells (B220+ peanut agglutinin+) from spleens by reverse transcriptase-PCR using primers for five nuclear polymerases and their associated subunits. Gel analyses of the amplified products showed that the rapidly-dividing germinal center B cells expressed DNA polymerases α, β, δ, ε, and ζ. The resting B cells did not express polymerases α or ε at detectable levels, although they did express polymerases β, δ, and ζ. Thus, polymerase ε, as well as α, appears to have a primary role in chromosomal replication of murine B lymphocytes. Further, the lack of expression of polymerase ε in resting cells indicates that this enzyme is not used in any DNA repair pathways by these cells. The expression of polymerase ζ by resting cells suggests that it has another role in DNA repair, perhaps recombination, in addition to its function of bypassing damage during chromosomal replication. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 125-131 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Molecular Immunology |
Volume | 37 |
Issue number | 3-4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2000 |
Keywords
- Activated
- B lymphocytes
- DNA polymerases
- Repair
- Replication
- Resting
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology