IDENTIFICATION OF A DNA-POLYMERASE BETA-LIKE FORM IN DROSOPHILA-MELANOGASTER ADULT FLIES

DNA polymerase β is widely distributed in the eukariotes. So far, few examples are known in which a DNA polymerase α -like form alone is reported. Surprisingly, DNA polymerase β was not detected in Drosophila embryos, while it is present in the cells of multicellular species from sponge to mammals. In view of the relevance of Drosophila as a model biological system for studying the role of the various DNA metabolism enzymes in vivo we have reinvestigated the presence of the DNA polymerase β-like form in Drosophila adult flies.Here we report the occurrence in Drosophila melanogaster adult flies of a DNA polymerase activity that, for its NEM1 resistance, template specificity, sensitivity to ddTTP, sedimentation coefficiant and nuclear localization can be classified as a β-like form. © 1979 Information Retrieval Limited.