DNA polymerases and DNA ligases

Abstract

DNA polymerase and DNA ligase are ubiquitous enzymes that synthesize complementary DNA strands according to the template DNA and ligate breaks in the backbone structure of DNA, respectively, in living organisms. Multiple enzymes have been identified from each organism, and the functional sharing of these enzymes has been investigated for both DNA polymerase and DNA ligase. In addition to their fundamental role in maintaining genome integrity during replication and repair, DNA polymerases and DNA ligases are widely used for genetic engineering techniques, including DNA cloning, dideoxy sequencing, DNA labeling, mutagenesis, and other in vitro DNA manipulations. Thermostable DNA polymerases and DNA ligases are especially important in PCR and LDR/LCR, which are indispensable techniques for gene manipulation. In this chapter, we have summarized the recent developments in DNA polymerases and DNA ligases from thermophilic microbes.