Abstract
B-family DNA-directed DNA polymerases are DNA replication enzymes found in Eukaryota, Archaea, large DNA viruses, and in some, but not all, bacteria. Several polymerase domains are conserved among the B-family DNA polymerases from these organisms, suggesting that the B-family DNA polymerases evolved from a common ancestor. Eukaryotes retain at least three replicative B-family DNA polymerases, DNA polymerase α, δ, and ε, and one translesion B-family DNA polymerase, DNA polymerase ζ. Here, we present molecular evolutionary evidence that suggests DNA polymerase genes evolved through horizontal gene transfer between the viral and archaeal–eukaryotic lineages. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of the B-family DNA polymerases from nucleo-cytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs), eukaryotes, and archaea suggest that different NCLDV lineages such as Poxviridae and Mimiviridae were involved in the evolution of different DNA polymerases (pol-α-, δ-, ε-, and ζ-like genes) in archaeal–eukaryotic cell lineages, putatively through horizontal gene transfer. These results support existing theories that link the evolution of NCLDVs and the origin of the eukaryotic nucleus.
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Acknowledgments
We thank Akihiko Yamagishi of Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences for his useful comments, and Yutaro Sato and Hiroki Kikuchi for their technical assistance. This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid (KAKENHI) for Scientific Research (B) (Grant 25285251) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). Some of the computation time was provided by the SuperComputer System, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, and supported by JSPS KAKENHI (Grant 26430184).
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Takemura, M., Yokobori, Si. & Ogata, H. Evolution of Eukaryotic DNA Polymerases via Interaction Between Cells and Large DNA Viruses. J Mol Evol 81, 24–33 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00239-015-9690-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00239-015-9690-z