DNA or RNA priming of bacteriophage G4 DNA synthesis by Escherichia coli dnaG protein.

Escherichia coli dnaG protein is involved in the initiation of DNA synthesis dependent on G4 or ST-1 single-stranded phage DNAs [Bouche, J.-P., Zechel, K & Kornberg, A. (1975) J. Biol. Chem. 250, 5995-6001]. The reaction occurs by the following mechanism: dnaG protein binds to specific sites on the DNA in a reaction requiring E. coli DNA binding protein. An oligonucleotide is synthesized in a reaction involving dnaG protein, DNA binding protein, and DNA. With G4 DNA this reaction requires ADP, dTTP (or UTP), and dGTP (or GTP). Elongation of the oligonucleotide can be catalyzed by DNA polymerase II or III in combination with dnaZ protein and DNA elongation factors I and III, presumably by the mechanism previously reported [Wickner, S. (1976) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 73, 3511-3515] or by DNA polymerase I.