Detecting the ability of viral, bacterial and eukaryotic replication proteins to track along DNA.

The phage T4 gene 45 protein (gp45), Escherichia coli beta and the eukaryotic proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) function in replication as processivity factors of their corresponding DNA polymerases. The T4 gp45 also functions as the transcriptional activator that connects expression of viral late genes to DNA replication. DNA tracking is an essential component of the replication and transcription regulatory functions of T4 gp45. The ability of gp45, beta and PCNA to track along DNA has been analyzed by photocrosslinking. Each of these proteins must be loaded onto DNA by a species-specific assembly factor. For gp45 and beta, the density of traffic along DNA is determined by a dynamic balance between continuous protein loading and unloading, and is also dependent on interaction with the conjugate single-stranded DNA binding protein.