D3948-01A

Rabbit Anti-DNA Primase, p49 (DNA Primase Small Subunit, DNA Primase 49kD Subunit, Prim1)

In the eukaryotic cell, DNA primase initiates DNA replication by the synthesis of small ribonucleotides called primers. The eukaryotic primase is composed of two subunits, p49 (human 420aa; chromosome 12q13) and p58 (human 509aa, chromosome 6p12-p11.1), which purify as a complex tightly bound to DNA polymerase alpha. Primase initiates synthesis with a triphosphate purine moiety at the 5'-end. After synthesis of 7-10 ribonucleotides, the primer-template is translocated intramolecularly to the active site of the DNA polymerase alpha subunit. The p49 subunit of DNA primase contains the catalytic active site. Residue 104-111 are most critical for primer synthesis. Alanine substitution in residues Glu, Asp, and these residues may form part of a conserved carboxylic triad also observed in the active sites of DNA polymerases and reverse transcriptases.