Adenosine triphosphatase associated with adenosine triphosphate-dependent deoxyribonuclease (recB-recC enzyme-E. coli-ATP to phosphodiester hydrolysis ratio-DNA-dependent ATPase activity).

An ATPase activity that is completely dependent on DNA is associated with the ATP-dependent DNase (recB-recC enzyme) purified from Escherichia coli. There is a strong correlation between the ATPase and the DNase activities under various assay conditions. With E. coli DNA as substrate, 8-9 molecules of ATP are hydrolyzed to ADP and inorganic phosphate for every phosphodiester bond hydrolyzed by the DNase. The possible functional relationship of the ATPase and DNase activities is discussed.