Clamp proteins confer processivity to the DNA polymerase during DNA replication. These oligomeric proteins are loaded onto DNA by clamp loader protein complexes in an ATP-dependent manner. The mechanism by which the trimeric bacteriophage T4 clamp protein (the 45 protein) loads and dissociates from DNA was investigated as a function of its intersubunit protein-protein interactions. These interactions were continuously monitored using a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) based assay. A cysteine mutant of the 45 protein was constructed to facilitate site-specific incorporation of a fluorescent probe at the subunit interface. This site was chosen such that FRET was observed between the introduced fluorescent probe and a tryptophan residue located on the opposing subunit. By use of this fluorescently labeled 45 protein, it was possible to obtain an estimate of an apparent trimer dissociation constant from either a cooperative (0.08 +/- 0.04 microM2 at 25 degrees C) or a noncooperative (0.51 microM and 0.17 microM at 25 degrees C) model. Upon mixing the fluorescently labeled 45 protein with a 45 protein containing 4-fluorotryptophan, a nonfluorescent tryptophan analogue, subunit exchange between the two variants of the 45 protein was observed according to a reduction in intersubunit FRET. Subunit exchange rate constants measured in the presence or absence of the clamp loader (44/62 complex), the polymerase (43 protein), and/or a primer template DNA substrate demonstrate (a) that the 45 protein is not loaded onto DNA by subunit exchange and (b) that the disassembly dissociation of a stalled holoenzyme from DNA is dictated by 45 protein subunit dissociation.