Catalytic Mechanism of DNA Polymerases

Investigation into the mechanistic origin of the natural divergence of fidelity among DNA polymerases has been a subject of study for several decades. This work aims to provide an overview of the variety of approaches that have been used to examine the catalytic mechanism of DNA polymerases, with a large focus on the use of DNA polymerase β (Pol β) as a model system. The chapter encompasses the contributions of structural, kinetic, and computational studies in the advancement of our overall understanding of DNA polymerase catalysis.