Pol V

Function

Pol V functions as a TLS (translesion DNA synthesis) polymerase in E. coli as part of the SOS response to DNA damage. When DNA is damaged regular DNA synthesis polymerases are unable to add dNTPs onto the newly synthesized strand. DNA Polymerase III (Pol III) is the regular DNA polymerase in E. coli. As Pol III stalls unable to add nucleotides to the nascent DNA strand, the cell becomes at risk of having the replication fork collapse and cell death to occur. Pol V TLS function depends on association with other elements of the SOS response, most importantly Pol V translesion activity is tightly dependent on the formation of RecA nucleoprotein filaments. Pol V can use TLS on lesions that block replication or miscoding lesions, which modify bases and lead to wrong base pairing. However, it is unable to translate through 5' → 3' backbone nick errors. Pol V also lacks exonuclease activity, thus rendering unable to proofread synthesis causing it to be error prone.