Synthetic DNA replication bubbles bound and unwound with twofold symmetry by a simian virus 40 T-antigen double hexamer.

Dimerization of simian virus 40 T-antigen hexamers (TAgH) into double hexamers (TAgDH) on model DNA replication forks has been found to greatly stimulate T-antigen DNA helicase activity. To explore the interaction of TAgDH with DNA during unwinding, we examined the binding of TAgDH to synthetic DNA replication bubbles. Tests of replication bubble substrates containing different single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) lengths indicated that efficient formation of a TAgDH requires >/=40 nucleotides (nt) of ssDNA. DNase I probing of a substrate containing a 60-nt ssDNA bubble complexed with a TAgDH revealed that T antigen bound the substrate with twofold symmetry. The strongest protection was observed over the 5' junction on each strand, with 5 bp of duplex DNA and approximately 17 nt of adjacent ssDNA protected from nuclease cleavage. Stimulation of the T-antigen DNA helicase activity by an increase in ATP concentration caused the protection to extend in the 5' direction into the duplex region, while resulting in no significant changes to the 3' edge of strongest protection. Our data indicate that each TAgH encircles one ssDNA strand, with a different strand bound at each junction. The process of DNA unwinding results in each TAgH interacting with a greater length of DNA than was initially bound, suggesting the generation of a more highly processive helicase complex.