DNA polymerase

DNA polymerase 3D structure.

A DNA polymerase is an enzyme that assists in DNA replication. Such enzymes catalyze the polymerization of deoxyribonucleotides alongside a DNA strand, which they "read" and use as a template. The newly polymerized molecule is complementary to the template strand and identical to the template's partner strand.

All DNA polymerases synthesize DNA in the 5' to 3' direction. But no known DNA polymerase is able to begin a new chain. They can only add a nucleotide onto a preexisting 3'- OH group. For this reason DNA polymerase needs a primer at which it can add the first nucleotide.

Highly conserved.

DNAPI, DNAPII

holoenzyme. error correction. helicase.

Bacteria

Bacteria have 3 DNA polymerases:

• polI
• polII
• polIII

See also

• Polymerase chain reaction

External links

• DNA polymerase: PDB molecule of the month (http://nist.rcsb.org/pdb/molecules/pdb3_1.html)

de:DNA-Polymerase es:ADN polimerasa ja:DNAポリメラーゼ