Interaction of β-L-Adenosine-5′-triphosphate (L-ATP) with Human Deoxycytidine Kinase, Human DNA Primase and T4 DNA Ligase: Does the Chance Direct Enzymatic Enantioselectivity?

We demonstrate that L-ATP: 1) as well as its natural D-enantiomer, acts as a phosphate donor in the reaction catalysed by human deoxycytidine kinase; 2) inhibits human DNA-primase and the ATP-dependent T4 DNA ligase. Thus, the lack of enantioselectivity of the enzymes is more frequent than it was believed a few years ago and we suggest that it would depend on chance more than on an evolutionary strategy.