Pol δ is involved in the synthesis of the lagging strand during DNA replication. It also participates in various DNA repair mechanisms, including base excision repair (BER) and mismatch repair (MMR) . The enzyme’s activity is regulated by its interaction with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), which acts as a sliding clamp to increase the processivity of DNA synthesis .
The production of recombinant human Pol δ has been achieved using various expression systems. One notable method involves the use of the Bombyx mori (silkworm) bioreactor, which allows for the large-scale production of the enzyme with high activity and purity . This system utilizes recombinant baculoviruses to infect silkworm larvae, resulting in the expression of the Pol δ complex. The recombinant enzyme produced in this manner has been shown to exhibit similar biochemical properties to the native form .
Recombinant Pol δ is a valuable tool for studying the enzyme’s biochemical properties, regulation, and role in maintaining genomic stability. It has been used in various in vitro assays to investigate its function in DNA replication and repair . Understanding the mechanisms of Pol δ can provide insights into the etiology of human diseases, such as cancer, that result from genomic instability .