9714025 Hardin This Small Grant for Exploratory Research is based on the unexpected observation that a set of guanine-rich oligodeoxynucleotide primers as well as related telomeric sequences from yeast, Oxytricha and Tetrahymena are capable of priming DNA synthesis by Taq DNA polymerase in the absence of an independent DNA template. This research will determine the rules for base incorporation by DNA polymerase using non-B DNA template structures, which preliminary data indicates is very specific. Polymerase fidelity will be determined by cloning and sequencing products of multiple, independent polymerase chain reactions using a variety of primers, and the sequence data will be analyzed for consistency of base incorporation. Results from this research will facilitate development of a system to investigate the chemistry and enzymology of genome expansion as it relates to genome evolution, and may reveal an alternative mechanism for maintaining chromosome ends (telomers). This research will facilitate development of a system to investigate the chemistry and enzymology of genome expansion as it relates to genome evolution, and may reveal an alternative mechanism for maintaining chromosome ends (telomers).
