The Fidelity of DNA Polymerase in Microgravity

DNA polymerase fidelity and replication rates were assayed under conditions of microgravity generated by parabolic flight and compared to earth-like gravity. Upon commencement of a parabolic arc, primed synthetic single-stranded DNA was used as a template for one of two enzymes (Klenow fragment exonuclease+/-; with and without proofreading exonuclease activity, respectively in triplicate) and were quenched immediately following the 20 second microgravitational period.

本研究通过抛物飞行（parabolic flight）产生的微重力（microgravity）条件，对DNA聚合酶（DNA polymerase）的保真度与复制速率进行了测定，并与类地球重力条件下的结果开展对比分析。当抛物弧启动后，研究人员以带有引物的合成单链DNA作为模板，选用两种酶中的一种（Klenow片段核酸酶±（Klenow fragment exonuclease+/-），前者具备校对核酸酶活性，后者无校对核酸酶活性，每组设置三次平行重复），并在20秒的微重力时段结束后立即终止酶促反应。