Molecular Dynamics Study of the Opening Mechanism for DNA Polymerase I
Figure 8
The proposed pathway for opening and closing of DNA polymerase I in the presence and absence of dNTP.
In the binary complex (blue), the polymerase transitions through the intermediate observed in this study (EI•DNA), while the ternary complex (yellow) transition is a separate, partially-closed conformation (EPC•DNA•dNTP) on its way to the closed conformation. This pathway depicts the enzyme in two different “ajar” conformation (EI or EPC) determined by the presence or absence of dNTP in the active site.