The field of DNA replication was launched upon discovery of the first DNA polymerase by Kornberg and Lehman (1,2). DNA polymerase I displayed the novel and highly exciting property of template-directed enzymatic action, and like a split personality, DNA polymerase I could also degrade DNA, from either direction. Escherichia coli is now known to contain five different DNA polymerases. The chromosomal replicase is DNA polymerase III, while the damage-inducible DNA polymerases II, IV, and V play roles in DNA repair. DNA polymerase I is involved in both replication and repair and remains the most advanced model for the structure and function of DNA polymerase action.DNA polymerase III (pol III) 2 functions in the context of a multiprotein apparatus called DNA pol III holoenzyme (reviewed in (3-5)). pol III holoenzyme contains 10 different proteins, which assort into three major functional units: 1) pol III core, 2) the  sliding clamp, and 3) the ␥/ complex clamp loader. The holoenzyme contains two copies of the pol III core, which are connected by the attachment to one clamp loader. The holoenzyme functions within the context of a dynamic replisome containing pol III holoenzyme, a hexameric DnaB helicase, DnaG primase, and SSB. During replisome function, contacts between these proteins are in a constant state of change. This review briefly summarizes the architecture and dynamic behavior of the E. coli replisome.
The Clamp and Clamp LoaderThe  sliding clamp is a homodimer in the shape of a ring, which encircles DNA (Fig. 1A). The  clamp slides on DNA and binds the pol III core, thereby acting as a mobile tether and converting the normally distributive pol III core into a highly processive and rapid polymerase capable of incorporating 500 -1,000 nucleotides per second (Fig. 1C). The crystal structure of the  dimer reveals a 6-fold pseudo symmetry that arises from a domain that is repeated three times in the monomer giving the dimer a 6-fold appearance (6). The eukaryotic PCNA clamp and phage T4 gp45 clamp are also six-domain rings, but the monomeric unit contains only two domains and trimerizes to form a six-domain ring (7).Clamps do not self-assemble onto DNA but require a multiprotein clamp loader, which harnesses the energy of ATP hydrolysis to open and close the clamp around DNA (Fig. 1B). The E. coli ␥ complex clamp loader contains five subunits that are essential for clamp loading activity, three ␥ protomers and one copy each of ␦ and ␦Ј. The small and subunits are not required for clamp loading, but they stabilize the clamp loader and stimulate its activity at elevated ionic strength.The ␥, ␦, and ␦Ј clamp loading subunits are members of the AAAϩ family (ATPases associated with a variety of cellular functions) (8). The subunits consist of three domains, and a AAAϩ region of homology is localized to the first two domains (9). Many AAAϩ proteins are homohexamers arranged in a symmetric circle (10, 11). The ␥ 3 ␦␦Ј pentamer forms an asymmetric circle, and there is a gap in place of the "missing sixth subunit"...