Thymidylate metabolism in fragile X syndrome cells

The observation that decreased thymidylate supply in vitro induces the expression of the Xq27 chromosome fragile site prompted us to examine cellular thymidylate metabolism. Using a sensitive enzyme assay for deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates, we found that the total cellular thymidine triphosphate pools in cell lines from fragile X patients and carriers do not differ from normal controls under either basal or folate-deficient conditions. This agrees with our earlier observation that the thymidylate synthase enzyme activities in crude cell extracts of five fragile X syndrome lymphoblast lines do not differ from those in normal controls under standard assay conditions. Although a difference in the amount of thymidine triphosphate available at the replication fork for DNA synthesis remains a possibility, our results indicate that a readily demonstrable defect in thymidylate metabolism is not present in fragile X syndrome cells.

[Use of permeabilized cells in the study of inhibitory products of herpes virus replication]

Cells made permeable by exposure to lysolecithin following infection by HSV-1 synthesize DNA (in greater amounts than non-infected cells) in the presence of the four deoxyribonucleoside-triphosphates (dNTPs) : dATP, dCTP, dGTP, and dTTP. DNA synthesis also occurs if dTTP is replaced by dT or dTMP, indicating activity of enzymes such as thymidine kinase, thymidylate kinase, deoxyribonucleoside-diphosphate kinase and ADN polymerase. Examination of DNA synthesis in permeabilized cells enables detection of antiviral activity of agents incapable of penetrating into intact cells and therefore ineffective in cell cultures. No detectable protein-tyrosine kinase activity was found in HSV-1 infected cells.

Assay of covalent intermediate of 5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase

We report a new procedure for isolating a covalent phosphoryl enzyme (diester) intermediate of bovine intestinal 5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase. The convenience of the procedure makes it possible to determine effects of reaction conditions on the yield of covalent intermediate. Under optimum conditions, using [methyl-3H]deoxythymidine 5'-triphosphate as substrate, more than 50% of the enzyme is recovered as thymidylyl enzyme, a 10-fold increase in yield over the previous procedure (M. Landt and L. G. Butler, 1978, Biochemistry 17, 4130-4135). Yields of thymidylyl enzyme were maximal at pH 4, whereas optimum catalytic activity is observed at pH greater than 9.

Induction of mitochondrial mutations in human cells by methotrexate

Inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase by the folate analog, methotrexate (MTX) results in a depletion of tetrahydrofolate dependent one carbon transfer reactions in amino acid and nucleic acid biosynthesis. When human cells (either HeLa or normal skin fibroblasts) are exposed to MTX in a defined medium containing dialyzed fetal calf serum, essential and non-essential amino acids, and purine source, the thymidylate pools alone are depleted. Under these conditions exposure to 10(-6) M MTX induces mitochondrial mutagenesis, measured as an increase in the frequency of chloramphenicol resistant (CAPR) colonies, without altering the rate of nuclear mutation monitored by determining the frequency of 6-thioguanine resistance (TGr). The occurrence of CAPR mutations is time, and MTX concentration dependent and the frequency of CAPR can be decreased quantitatively by adding thymidine to the culture medium. This mitochondrial specific mutagenesis can also be achieved using the thymidylate synthetase inhibitor, 5-fluorodeoxyuridine further implicating thymidylate pools as the mediator of this effect. During the course of exposure to 10(-6) M MTX the thymidine kinase deficient HeLa BU25 cell line exhibits a progressive depletion and degradation of mitochondrial DNA suggesting that the mutagenesis and DNA degradation represent portions of a progressive process. The basis for the selective sensitivity of the mitochondrial genome to thymidylate depletion mutagenesis may be the consequence of its differences from the nuclear genome in mechanisms of DNA replication or repair.

Bis(m-nitrophenyl) and bis(p-nitrophenyl) esters and the phosphorodiamidate of thymidine 5'-phosphate as potential sources of intracellular thymidine 5'-phosphate in mouse cells in culture

Thymidine 5'-phosphate (TMP) derivatives with masked phosphate groups were synthesized in tritiated form from [methyl-3H]thymidine. They were of interest as models for 5' nucleotide derivatives that might be able to permeate mammalian cells and then liberate intracellular antimetabolite 5' nucleotides by loss of the masking groups. Mouse L fibroblasts were grown in vitro in the presence of 1 mM 5'-amino-5'-deoxythymidine, which was found to suppress greater than 99% of cellular thymidine kinase activity while inhibiting the rate of cell division by only 30%. The TMP derivatives were less effective than thymidine in labeling the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of the L cells. The labeling was inhibited 95-99% by 5'-amino-5'-deoxythymidine, indicating that it represented incorporation into DNA of [3H]thymidine formed from degradation of the test compounds. No evidence was obtained that the compounds acted as sources of intracellular TMP by cell permeation followed by loss of phosphate blocking groups. Similar studies yielded no evidence that the bis(m-nitrophenyl) ester of TMP produced intracellular TMP by that route in the LM(TK-) strain of L cells that are genetically deficient in thymidine kinase.

The biochemical basis of 5-bromouracil-induced mutagenesis. Heteroduplex base mispairs involving bromouracil in G x C----A x T and A x T----G x C mutational pathways

We have investigated the mechanism of bromouracil-induced transition mutations in vitro using synthetic DNA templates and purified T4 DNA polymerase. Evidence is presented for the occurrence of bromouracil-guanine base pairs in product DNA in the G x C----A x T pathway where guanine is present in the DNA template and bromouracil is present as the deoxynucleoside triphosphate substrate 5-bromodeoxyuridine triphosphate. This finding supports a widely known but as yet untested model proposed by Freese (Freese, E. (1959) J. Mol. Biol. 1, 87-105) in which bromouracil-guanine base pairs are intermediates in 5-bromodeoxyuridine-induced transition mutation pathways. We find that the newly formed B x G base pairs are proofread with an efficiency of 75-85% by the 3' -exonuclease of T4 polymerase. The insertion of bromouracil occurring in direct competition with cytosine deoxyribonucleotides opposite template guanine sites is 1.1 +/- 0.14% (mean +/- S.E.), and the misincorporation ratio, inc(B)/inc(C), is reduced 6-fold by the action of the proofreading exonuclease to 0.16 +/- 0.02% (mean +/- S.E.). A previous study by Trautner et al. (Trautner, T. A., Swartz, M. N., and Kornberg, A. (1962) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 48, 449-455) suggested that, while template bromouracil stimulates incorporation of dGMP in the A x T----G x C transition mutation pathway, it may not be occurring exclusively by the pathway proposed by Freese. We concur with these earlier results, and, in addition, we find the surprising result that the 3'-exonuclease activity of wild-type T4 polymerase removes little or no incorporated dGMP on bromouracil-containing templates.

Spectroscopic studies of ternary complexes of thymidylate synthetase, deoxyribonucleotides, and folate analogs

Conformational changes accompanying the formation of binary and tightly bound ternary complexes of thymidylate synthetase and all possible combinations of three folate analogs (N-10-ethyl-quinazoline, folic acid triglutamate, and folic acid) and three deoxyribonucleotides (5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridylic acid (FdUMP), 2'-deoxyuridylic acid (dUMP), and thymidylic acid (dTMP] were studied by means of ultraviolet difference spectroscopy. The amplitudes of the spectral changes upon ternary complex formation were 2-3-fold greater than those generated by formation of binary enzyme-nucleotide and enzyme-folate analog complexes. Difference spectra of the ternary complexes all showed a major increase in absorbance in the region of 320-340 nm, presumably due to perturbations of the folate analog chromophores, whereas decreases in absorbance occurred over a range of 260-310 nm. N-10-ethyl-quinazoline tended to form the complex with the greatest filtration efficiency on nitrocellulose filters, followed by folic acid triglutamate and folic acid, whereas among the nucleotides, the most stable complexes were formed with FdUMP, followed by dUMP and dTMP. A correlation was observed between the apparent stability of the ternary complex and the magnitude of the absorbance change in its difference spectrum. The formation of the various ternary complexes showed three different categories of rate behavior: 1) very rapid formation of the complex; 2) biphasic formation with a rapid phase and a slow phase requiring up to 90 min for completion; and 3) in the case of the ternary complex formed with enzyme, FdUMP, and folic acid, only a slow phase of binding. The slow formation of the latter complex was accompanied by concomitantly slow changes in the difference spectrum. However, in those cases of biphasic formation of the complexes, almost all of the spectral change occurred rapidly, and very little of it corresponded to the slow phase of complex formation. To accommodate these observations, a model is proposed involving a sequential interaction of the two subunits of thymidylate synthetase.

Kinetics of incorporation of O6-methyldeoxyguanosine monophosphate during in vitro DNA synthesis

O6-Methyldeoxyguanosine triphosphate (m6dGTP), known to be produced in vivo by methylation of deoxyguanosine triphosphate with simple methylating mutagens, is utilized by prokaryotic DNA polymerases during in vitro replication of synthetic and natural DNA template-primers. A study of the kinetic behavior of m6dGTP during DNA replication in vitro and of its effect on DNA replication indicates that m6dGTP acts as an analogue of dATP with Kappm of about 6 microM for Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I (Klenow fragment) compared to the Kappm of about 0.8 microM for dATP. m6dGTP is not incorporated in the complete absence of dATP (a competitive inhibitor). m6dGTP also inhibits in vitro DNA synthesis. Different DNA polymerases behave differently in utilization and turnover of m6dGTP. T4 DNA polymerase shows stronger discrimination against m6dGMP incorporation than either T5 DNA polymerase or E. coli DNA polymerase I. The possibility that m6dGTP is unlikely to contribute significantly to in vivo mutation is discussed.

A reappraisal of the effect upon thymidine kinase of thymidine derivatives carrying large groups at the 5'-position

Several thymidine derivatives with hydrophobic 5'-substituents, linked by chemically stable amide and ether links, were synthesized as potential thymidine kinase inhibitors. None of these was active nor were several derivatives of thymidine 5'-acetate, which were previously reported to be inhibitors. It was shown that the apparent inhibition by the latter compounds was due to their facile hydrolysis in aqueous solution with release of thymidine. These results must cast doubt on any conclusions drawn from biological studies with 5'-esters of thymidine.

5-fluorouracil and 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine follow different metabolic pathways in the induction of cell lethality in L1210 leukaemia

The mode of action of 5-fluorouracil (FUra) and 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine (FdUrd) on L1210 leukaemia has been studied. It is shown that FUra and FdUrd follow different routes of metabolism and have different targets with respect to their cytotoxic activity. FUra is converted to 5-fluorouridine-5'triphosphate ( FUTP ), which is incorporated into nascent RNA. FdUrd is converted to 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine-5'-monophosphate (FdUMP), which inhibits the de novo synthesis of 2'-deoxythymidine-5'-monophosphate (dTMP). Conversion of FUra to FdUMP does occur, but this phenomenon does not contribute to the final cytotoxic effect. No conversion of FdUrd to FUra has been detected.

Isolation of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant strain deficient in deoxycytidylate deaminase activity and partial characterization of the enzyme

Deoxycytidylate deaminase activity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been partially characterized. The yeast enzyme was found to exhibit properties similar to those of dCMP deaminases isolated from higher eucaryotes. A mutant strain completely deficient in dCMP deaminase activity was isolated by selection for resistance to 5-fluoro-2'-deoxycytidylate followed by screening for cross sensitivity to 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridylate, a potent inhibitor of the yeast thymidylate synthetase. We have designated this new allele dcd1 . A strain exhibiting an auxotrophic requirement for dUMP was isolated after mutagenesis of a dcd1 tup7 haploid. Genetic analysis revealed that this auxotrophic phenotype resulted from a combination of the dcd1 allele and a second, unlinked, nuclear mutation that we designated dmp1 . This allele, which by itself conveys no readily discernible phenotype, presumably impairs efficient synthesis of dUMP from UDP. The auxotrophic requirement of dcd1 dmp1 tup7 strains also can be satisfied by exogenous dTMP but not deoxyuridine.

Oligodeoxynucleotides covalently linked to intercalating dyes as base sequence-specific ligands. Influence of dye attachment site

New molecules with high and specific affinity for nucleic acid base sequences have been synthesized. They involve an oligodeoxynucleotide covalently attached to an intercalating dye. Visible absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence have been used to investigate the binding of poly(rA) to octadeoxythymidylates substituted by a 9-aminoacridine derivative in different positions along the oligonucleotide chain. The 9-amino group of the acridine dye was linked through a polymethylene bridge to the 3'-phosphate, the 5'-phosphate, the fourth internucleotidic phosphate or to both the 3'- and 5'-phosphates. Different interactions of the acridine dye were exhibited by these different substituted oligodeoxynucleotides when they bind to poly(rA). The interaction was shown to be specific for adenine-containing polynucleotides. The stability of these complexes was compared with that of oligodeoxynucleotides substituted by an alkyl group on the 3'-phosphate. The increase in stability due to the presence of the intercalating dye has been determined from the comparison of melting temperatures. These results are discussed with respect to the strategy of synthesis of a new class of molecules with high affinity and high specificity for nucleic acid base sequences.

Isolation and characterization of an Escherichia coli mutant deficient in dTMP kinase activity

Escherichia coli LD0181 is sensitive to 15 micrograms of 2',3'-dideoxythymidine per ml. A derivative that was resistant to 40 micrograms of the same chemical per ml at 30 degrees C and that had lost the ability to grow on enriched medium at 42 degrees C was isolated after nitroso-guanidine mutagenesis. This mutant, TD105, produced a dTMP kinase with 25-fold lower specific activity and a 5-fold higher Km for dTMP than the parental strain. The dTMP pool in TD105 was 4.4-fold higher than in the parent. In addition to temperature sensitivity and resistance to 2',3'-dideoxythymidine, the mutant exhibited a hypersensitivity to 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine. All three of these phenotypes are cotransducible. The tmk gene was mapped by cotransduction to approximately 30 min on the E. coli map.

Thymidylate kinase from Acetabularia. I. Properties of the enzyme

The occurrence of a dTMP kinase as well as a dTDP kinase in Acetabularia mediterranea has been demonstrated. A test system was developed by which it was possible to estimate the enzyme activity in an individual Acetabularia cell or even in a cell fragment. The enzyme catalyses the phosphorylation of dTMP in the presence of ATP. In the test system described, dTTP is formed as well as dTDP. This indicates that there is also a dTDP kinase present in the enzyme preparation. Characteristics of the enzyme such as pH optima at pH 7.0 and 8.75, a temperature optimum at 45 degrees C, a Km value of 3.3 X 10(−6) M and a high specificity for ATP were established. In homogenates that were preserved at −70 degrees C the enzyme activity was retained even after many weeks. Freezing at −70 degrees C and then thawing resulted in an increase in enzyme activity. The enzyme was inhibited by low concentrations of dTTP. After centrifugation of homogenates the greater part of the enzyme activity was found in the sediment. From the observation that purified chloroplast preparations contained most of the dTMP kinase activity, and that chlorophyll and enzyme activity cosedimented in a linear sucrose gradient, it was concluded that the enzyme is located in the chloroplasts.

Quantitative study of deoxycytidine incorporation in large and small lymphocytes of the mouse

Using radioautographic smear preparations of thymocytes and mesenteric lymph node (MLN) cells labelled with three different tritiated pyrimidine deoxyribonucleosides, the incorporation of DNA precursors was studied separately on large lymphocytes and small lymphocytes. Radioautographic reaction due to generally tritiated deoxycytidine ( [G-3H]CdR) labelling in vivo in large lymphocytes was more intense than that in small lymphocytes. When mice were sacrificed 6 hr after the administration of tritiated thymidine ( [3H]TdR), small lymphocytes were labelled more heavily than large lymphocytes. However, labelling intensity with [3H]TdR in large lymphocytes was greatly enhanced by the administration of 5-fluoro-deoxyuridine, whereas in small lymphocytes labelling intensity was only fairly enhanced by the same treatment. When cells were incubated in vitro with 5-tritium labelled deoxycytidine [( 5-3H]CdR) for 10 min, there was no significant difference in labelling intensities between large and small lymphocytes. In the case of [G-3H]CdR incorporation, the labelling intensity in large lymphocytes was found to be significantly stronger than that in small lymphocytes. Large as well as small lymphocytes incorporated [3H]TdR very well in vitro. However, addition of 5 X 0 X 10(-5) M of non-radioactive CdR to the medium greatly decreased the incorporation of [3H]TdR by large lymphocytes, whereas the effect of non-radioactive CdR in small lymphocytes was not so marked as that in large lymphocytes. Furthermore, the [3H]TdR-labelling percentages were decreased at the same rate by the addition of non-radioactive CdR in both large and small lymphocytes. These results indicate that large lymphocytes and a proportion of small lymphocytes have a strong tendency to convert CdR to thymidine mono-phosphate, which is utilized for DNA synthesis, whereas this ability is relatively weak in the rest of small lymphocytes. Thus, it is probably that this metabolic ability changes during the transition of the large lymphocyte to the small lymphocyte.

Thymidylate kinase from Acetabularia. II. Regulation during the life cycle

The activity of dTMP kinase (EC 2.7.4.9) was estimated during the development of Acetabularia. Enzyme activity was increased at the beginning of the generative phase. Regulation of the dTMP kinase activity was observed even in the absence of the nucleus. More than 30 days after enucleation the enzyme activity increased two- to threefold. The increase in activity was inhibited by puromycin and cycloheximide but not by rifampicin and chloramphenicol. These results indicate that the enzyme is coded by the nuclear genome and translated on 80 S ribosomes. From mixing experiments with low-activity and high-activity cell extracts it is concluded that the regulation is due to de novo synthesis of the enzyme.

The incorporation of O6-methyldeoxyguanosine and O4-methyldeoxythymidine monophosphates into DNA by DNA polymerases I and alpha

The modified nucleoside 5'-triphosphates O6-MedGTP ad O4-MedTTP have been synthesised and their acceptability as DNA-precursors investigated using DNA polymerases I and alpha in an in vitro assay. O6-MedGMP is only incorporated into newly-synthesized DNA-like material in the presence of templates containing thymine bases. Similarly O4-MedTMP is only incorporated in the presence of templates containing guanine bases. The results confirm the promutagenic nature and base-pairing properties of O6-MeG ad O4-MeT.

Identification and changes in activity of five thymidine kinase forms during the cell cycle of Physarum polycephalum

Five forms of thymidine kinase have been identified on isoelectric focusing gels of Physarum polycephalum supernatants. Their isoelectric points are 5.9, 6.4, 6.7, 6.9 and 7.1. All are inhibited by deoxythymidine 5'-triphosphate (dTTP). The activity of the pI 7.1 form does not change significantly during the cell cycle. The other four forms change in activity. About 1 h before metaphase the activity of the four more acidic forms is first detected. Their activity peaks during telophase, and by 1 h after metaphase there is a 50% decrease in activity of the 5.9 form. By 3 h after metaphase the activity of the 6.4 form has dropped more sharply than the activity of the 6.7 form. By 6 h after metaphase only the activity of the 6.9 form is present in significant amounts in addition to the 7.1 form. The activity of these new acidic forms probably accounts for the reported increase in total thymidine kinase activity during mitosis and early S phase.

Analysis of human erythrocyte 5'-nucleotidases in healthy individuals and a patient deficient in pyrimidine 5'-nucleotidase

Electrophoretic and quantitative analysis of pyrimidine 5'-nucleotidase in human erythrocytes from healthy individuals and a patient deficient in pyrimidine 5'-nucleotidase, using a range of substrates, has shown that the patient has a marked deficiency with UMP, CMP and dCMP as substrates but near normal levels of activity with dUMP and dTMP as substrates. The observations suggest that two separate structural gene loci coding for distinct 5'-nucleotidases with similar electrophoretic mobility exist in man. The genetic determination of these enzymes seems therefore to be homologous with that found in rodents.

Cytochrome oxidase activity of mitochondria from ischemic and reperfused myocardium

Polarographic measurements show that activity of cytochrome oxidase (CO), assayed as ascorbate plus TMPD oxidase, is decreased in the mitochondria (M) from postischemic areas of rabbit heart 1, 6, and 9 days after temporary (1-hr) coronary artery occlusion (CAO). This effect is observable only in the absence of added cytochrome c. Cytochrome oxidase activity in the cytochrome c-containing medium was not different from the control level. Levels of cytochromes c + c1 and a were substantially lower in tissue from postischemic areas and elevated in the intact tissue 1 and 6 days after temporary CAO as compared with control hearts. Stoichiometry of the cytochromes was not changed. After 1 or 4 hr of permanent CAO, CO activity (plus cytochrome c) of ischemic M was equal to that of M from intact area; CO activity (with or without cytochrome c) was reduced after 0.5 and 1 hr but elevated after 3 or 4 hr of in vitro ischemia as compared with control. The changes of CO activity in infarcted human heart M were similar to those in rabbits after temporary CAO; CO activity was restored after addition of cytochrome c. The data suggest that leakage of cytochrome c occurs during isolation of M and is more pronounced in ischemia-damaged M.

Nucleic acid metabolism in yeast VI. Utilisation of exogenous dAMP

It is shown that mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae able to efficiently utilise exogenous dTMP can also utilise exogenous dAMP. Under extracellular conditions permissive for dTMP uptake label stemming from offered [8-3H]dAMP is incorporated preferentially into alkali-resistant, high molecular weight material (putative DNA); only about 30% of high molecular weight cell-bound dAMP label was found to be sensitive towards mild alkali hydrolysis. This putative RNA label can be minimised to practically zero when greater than or equal to mM Ade is employed in a dAMP labelling assay. Exogenous dAMP at much greater than 10 microM was found to be cytostatic similarly to much greater than microM dTMP and similarly to inhibit effectively import of exogenous Pi. We conclude from our results that there exists a yeast cytoplasmic membrane permease able to import dAMP. A model of this hypothetical permease system is presented.

Nucleic acid metabolism in yeast, V. Excretion of thymidylate

It is shown that highly efficient utilisers of exogenous dTMP of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae are able to excrete the nucleotide with similar efficiency. Strains Pi-repressible in acid phosphatase/nucleotidase excrete dTMP at extracellular high Pi; strains constitutive for this enzymic activity excrete dThd. Excretion of thymidylate and dThd, unlike uptake of exogenous dTMP, seems to be unaffected by the extracellular pH, by the extracellular presence of dTMP, and to be rather independent of the extracellular presence of a metabolisable carbohydrate such as D(+)-glucose. A model of the yeast dTMP-incorporation principle (TIP) is presented suggesting that it is also responsible for export of endogenous thymidylate.

Replicative DNA synthesis in permeable fibroblasts from normal individuals and ataxia-telangiectasia patients

Replicative DNA synthesis in normal human fibroblasts was inhibited by 50% when they were X-irradiated (8 Gy) and made permeable 30 min later, whereas only a slight inhibition (20%) was observed in similarly treated ataxia-telangiectasia cells. Treatment of irradiated normal cells with caffeine (2 mM) before permeabilization reversed the inhibitory effects of X-rays, buf caffeine had no effect on DNA synthesis in permeable ataxia-telangiectasia cells. Diadenosine tetraphosphate (0.1 mM) did not affect DNA synthesis in permeable normal fibroblasts.

Exogenous dTMP utilization by a novel tup mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The rate and extent of entry of dTMP were measured in strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae carrying two new tup mutations (tup5 and tup7) and most of the other tup mutations which have been reported previously by others. The tup7 mutation allowed dramatically greater accumulation of dTMP than any of the other mutations tested. Specific labeling of DNA by [CH3-3H]dTMP, fate of the dTMP pool inside of the cells, and degradation of the dTMP in the culture medium were investigated in strains carrying the tup7 mutation. The extracellular dTMP was not appreciably degraded, and that accumulated intracellularly was readily phosphorylated to dTDP and dTTP. Under optimum labeling conditions, 60 to 80% of the total thymidylate residues in newly synthesized DNA were derived from the exogenously provided dTMP, even in the absence of a block in de novo dTMP biosynthesis. An apparent Km for entry of 2 mM dTMP was found. The tup7 mutation increased permeability to dTMP (and some other 5'-mononucleotides), but did not affect uptake of nucleosides and purine and pyrimidine bases. Uptake of dTMP could be almost completely inhibited by moderate concentrations of Pi. These findings and other observations suggest that entry of dTMP in strains carrying the tup7 mutation is mediated by a permease whose function in normal cells is the transport of Pi.

Genetic and biochemical consequences of thymidylate stress

We have examined the genetic and biochemical consequences of thymidylate stress in haploid and diploid strains of the simple eukaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Bakers' yeast). Previously we reported that inhibition of dTMP biosynthesis causes "thymineless death" and is highly recombinagenic, but apparently not mutagenic, at the nuclear level; however, it is mutagenic for mitochondria. Concurrent provision of dTMP abolishes these effects. Conversely, excess dTMP is highly mutagenic for nuclear genes. It is likely that DNA strand breaks are responsible for the recombinagenic effects of thymidylate deprivation; such breaks could be produced by reiterative uracil incorporation and excision in DNA repair patches. In our experiments, thymidylate stress was produced both by starving dTMP auxotrophs for the required nucleotide and also by blocking de novo synthesis of thymidylate by various antimetabolites. We found that the antifolate methotrexate is a potent inducer of mitotic recombination (both gene conversion and mitotic crossing-over). This suggests that the gene amplification associated with methotrexate resistance in mammalian cells could arise, in part, by unequal sister-chromatid exchange induced by thymidylate stress. In addition, several sulfa drugs, which impede de novo folate biosynthesis, also have considerable recombinagenic activity.

Nucleic acid metabolism in yeast II. Metabolism of thymidylate during thymidylate excess death

A discrete class of strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, able to utilize, highly efficiently, exogenous deoxythymidine-5'-monophosphate (dTMP),was found to be sensitive to concentrations greater than 10 Micro M dTMP in an otherwise complete growth medium. Excess dTMP is cytostatic and cytotoxic: 90% of exponentially growing cells lose colony forming ability within 1 h of exposure to excess dTMP is a growth medium. Uptake of dTMP, adenine, histidine, and leucine does occur during this thymidylate excess death (TED). dTMP is anabolized to higher phosphorylated synthesis is blocked under TED-conditions but not RNA and protein biosynthesis.

FUdR induction of the X chromosome fragile site: evidence for the mechanism of folic acid and thymidine inhibition

Experiments designed to illuminate the mechanism by which folic acid and thymidine inhibit expression of the Xq28 fragile site in human lymphocytes are described. The fragile site is induced by 5-fluorodeoxyuridine (FUdR), a potent inhibitor of thymidylate synthetase, in the presence of otherwise inhibiting concentrations of folic acid but not in the presence of thymidine. These results indicate that the fragile site is expressed because of depletion of deoxythymidine monophosphate (dTMP) available for DNA synthesis.

The activities of thymidine metabolising enzymes during the cell cycle of a human lymphocyte cell line LAZ-007 synchronised by centrifugal elutriation

The activities throughout the cell cycle of thymidine kinase (EC 2.7.1.21), dihydrothymine dehydrogenase (EC 1.3.1.2), thymidine phosphorylase (EC 2.4.2.4) and dTMP phosphatase (EC 3.3.3.35) were measured in the Epstein-Barr virally transformed human B lymphocyte line LAZ-007. Cells were synchronised at different stages of the cell cycle using the technique of centrifugal elutriation. The degree of synchrony in each cycle-stage cell population was determined by flow microfluorimetric analysis of DNA content and by measurement of thymidine incorporation into DNA. The activity of the anabolic enzyme thymidine kinase was low in the G1 phase cells, but increased manyfold during the S and G2 phases, reaching a maximum after the peak of DNA synthesis, then decreasing in late G2 + M phase. By contrast, the specific activities of the enzymes involved in thymidine and thymidylate catabolism, dihydrothymine dehydrogenase, thymidine phosphorylase and dTMP phosphatase remained essentially constant throughout the cell cycle, indicating that the fate of thymidine at different stages of the cell cycle is governed primarily by regulation of the level of the anabolic enzyme thymidine kinase and not by regulation of the levels of thymidine catabolising enzymes.

[Evaluation of biochemical criteria for sensitivity of tumor cells to methotrexate by means of mathematic simulation]

A mathematical model of the folic acid cycle and of thymidylate, purines, methionine and serine biosynthetic reactions in leukemia L-1210 and Ehrlich ascite tumour cells was developed. This model was used for an analysis of biochemical criteria of different sensitivity of these tumours to methotrexate, such as differences in the rates of methotrexate transport into the cells, levels of target enzyme, dihydrofolate reductase, its affinity for the inhibitor and the capacity of "salvage" pathways of tetrahydrofolate formation. It was shown that low sensitivity of the Ehrlich ascite tumour cells to methotrexate is due to mainly a high activity of methionine synthetase, which represents a "salvage" pathway of tetrahydrofolic acid regeneration in the presence of methotrexate. The results of this analysis were used to predict a combined utilization of methotrexate and methionine synthetase inhibitor. The pretreatment of the tumour cells of the methionine synthetase inhibitor enhances the effects of methotrexate on the thymidylate and purines syntheses, thus increasing their sensitivity to this drug.

Activities of some enzymes of pyrimidine and DNA synthesis in a rat transplantable hepatoma and human primary hepatomas, in cell lines derived from these tissues, and in human fetal liver

Activites of the enzymes DNA polymerase, thymidine kinase, thymidylate kinase, thymidylate synthase, and deoxycytidylate deaminase have been measured in rat and human normal and neoplastic liver, in human fetal liver, and in cell lines derived from human hepatomas and rat transplantable hepatomas. The activities of these enzymes were increased in rat transplantable hepatomas, relative to rat normal or host liver, to a degree corresponding to the rapid growth rate of these tumors. With the exception of thymidine kinase, which did not change, the activities of these enzymes increased in human hepatomas relative to the corresponding host liver (apparently normal liver tissue from the same patient) and to human normal liver. The increases in enzyme activity observed in human hepatomas were small in comparison with those found in the rapidly growing rat hepatomas. The activities of deoxycytidylate deaminase in both human and rat liver tissues were 2 to 3 orders of magnitude higher than those of the other enzymes assayed. Activities of the enzymes of DNA synthesis in a slow-growing cell line derived from a human hepatoma were similar to those in human hepatoma tissues. In the case of rapidly growing cell lines derived from rat and human hepatomas, enzyme activities were higher than those in the corresponding tissues.

A distinctive activity of 5'-nucleotidase for dTMP in rat liver mitochondria

The activities of 5'-nucleotidase (5'-ribonucleoside phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.5); adenosine deaminase (adenosine aminohydrolase, EC 3.5.4.4); AMP deaminase (AMP aminohydrolase, EC 3.5.3.6), and ATP-(Mg2+)-ase (ATP phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.3) were assayed in mitochondria of normal and regenerating rat liver 5'-Nucleotidase (5'Nase) and ATP-(Mg2+)-ase activities were compared with similar enzyme activities in the plasma membrane (PM) fraction, obtained from the same biological material. In the regenerating liver, 5'Nase for dTMP diminished its activity by 56% (24 h after partial hepatectomy) and 35 +/- 4% for all substrates in the PM fraction (48 h after operation). In mitochondria, 5'Nase for dTMP manifests sigmoidal substrate activity curve (in contrast with all substrates in the PM fraction and remaining substrates in mitochondria). In vivo 5-azacytidine (a) administered 1 h after partial hepatectomy, prevented changes of 5'Nase activity: (b) administered 24 or 48 h after partial hepatectomy, stabilized low 5'Nase activity (in mitochondria for dTMP, in the PM fraction for all substrates) and decreased ATP-(Mg2+)-ase activity by 51 and 31% in mitochondria and the PM fraction respectively.

Studies on the penetration of mammalian cells by deoxyribonucleoside-5'-phosphates

We have tested the ability of [5'-32P]-deoxyribonucleoside monophosphates (dNMPs) to penetrate living mouse fibroblast L cells and human HeLa cells. Under the conditions of our experiments, small numbers of apparently intact dNMP molecules appeared to penetrate into the interior of L cells and be incorporated into DNA. This incorporation was not due to mycoplasma contamination nor to extracellular hydrolysis of the dNMPs followed by resynthesis inside the cell. Under these same conditions, penetration of HeLa cells by intact dNMPs did not occur to a significant extent. However, HeLa cells were capable of hydrolyzing extracellular dNMPs to Pi and deoxyribonucleosides at a much faster rate than L cells. These experiments provide a starting point for attempts to specifically label the DNA in intact, living eukaryotic cells with [32P]-dNMPs.

Dependence of mammalian DNA replication on DNA supercoiling. I. Effects of ethidium bromide on DNA synthesis in permeable Chinese hamster ovary cells

Chinese hamster ovary cells labelled with [14C]thymidine were made permeable, incubated with various concentrations of the intercalating dye ethidium bromide, and centrifuged through neutral sucrose gradients. The gradient profiles of these cells were qualitatively similar to those obtained by centrifuging DNA from untreated, lysed permeable cells through gradients containing ethidium bromide. The sedimentation distance of DNA had a biphasic dependence on the concentration of ethidium bromide, suggesting that the dye altered the amount of DNA supercoiling in situ. The effect of ethidium bromide intercalation on incorporation of [3H]dTMP into acid-precipitable material in an in vitro DNA synthesis mixture was measured. The incorporation of [3H]dTMP was unaffected by less than 1 microgram/ml of ethidium bromide, enhanced up to two-fold by 1--10 microgram/ml, and inhibited by concentrations greater than 10 micrograms/ml. Alkaline sucrose gradient analysis revealed a higher percentage of small DNA fragments (6--20 S) in the cells treated with 2 micrograms/ml ethidium bromide than in control cells. These fragments attained parental size within the same time as the fragments in control cells. In cells treated with 2 micrograms/ml ethidium bromide, a significant fraction of newly synthesized DNA resulted from new starts, whereas in untreated cells practically none of the newly synthesized DNA resulted from new starts. These results suggest that relaxation of DNA supercoiled structures ahead of the replication fork generates spurious initiations of DNA synthesis and that in intact cells the rate of chain elongation is limited by supercoiled regions ahead of the growing point.

Suppressor of deoxythmidine monophosphate uptake in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Although yeast cannot normally incorporate exogenous deoxythymidine 5'-monophosphate (dTMP) into deoxyribonucleic acid, mutants able to do so have been isolated. We have characterized a recessive suppressor of dTMP uptake (sot1) that prevents strains carrying either tup1, tup2, or tup4 from growing on selective medium. The sot1 mutation maps between rad1 and the centromere of chromosome XVI, and is unlinked to any of the tup mutations. The sot1 mutation does not suppress the other pleiotropic effects of the tup1 mutant, notably the lack of mating of tup1 MATalpha strains. The sot1 mutation specifically blocks the uptake of dTMP into tup strains. After growing a sot1 strain in medium containing [3H]dTMP, we showed that the medium still contained more than 90% of the original [3H]dTMP and that this medium could support the incorporation of [3H]dTMP by a tup2 strain. Therefore, sot1 strains do not degrade dTMP in the medium. The sot1 mutation had no effect on the uptake of other nutrients essential for growth, including several amino acids, adenine, and uracil.

DNA synthesis with methylated poly(dC-dG) templates. Evidence for a competitive nature to miscoding by O(6)-methylguanine

The alternating copolymer poly(dC-dG) has been methylated with either dimethyl sulphate or N-methyl-N-nitrosourea and the levels of the various methylation products determined. In addition to the 3-methylcytosine, 3-methylguanine and 7-methylguanine (produced by both agents) reaction with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea also yielded easily detectable amounts of O(6)-methylguanine and phosphotriesters. These methylated polymers were then used as templates in an in vitro assay with Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I measuring the incorporation of complementary (dCMP and dGMP) and noncomplementary (dAMP and dTMP) nucleotides. When the dimethyl sulphate-methylated polymer was used as template there was virtually no detectable incorporation of non-complementary nucleotides indicating that no miscoding could be attributed to the presence of 3-methylcytosine, 3-methylguanine or 7-methylguanine. However, when the N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-methylated polymer was used as template there was a specific incorporation of dTMP but not of dAMP. The amount of dTMP incorporated was always less than the level of O(6)-methylguanine in the template and was found to vary with the relative concentrations of the deoxynucleoside 5'-triphosphates in the assay. As the amount of dCTP present in the assay was decreased the wrong incorporation of dTMP increased and approached the level that would have been expected for a one-to-one miscoding by O(6)-methylguanine as the concentration of dCTP approached zero. The results indicate that O(6)-methylguanine is capable of miscoding with a DNA polymerase but the miscoding is competitive with the normal incorporation of dCMP: when the 5'-triphosphate precursors are present in equal amounts approximately one O(6)-methylguanine in three miscodes leading to the incorporation of dTMP.

Enzyme affinity of the 5,6-dihydro derivatives of the substrate and product of thymidylate synthetase catalysis

The 5,6-dihydro derivatives of 2'-deoxyuridine 5'-phosphate (2) and 2'-deoxythymidine 5'-phosphate (3) were synthesized and characterized. The affinities of 2 and 3 were compared to those of the substrate (2'-deoxyuridine 5'-phosphate) and product (2'-deoxythymidine 5'-phosphate) of the reaction catalyzed by thymidylate synthetase. In both cases, the enzyme affinity of the 5,6-dihydro derivatives was 50 times less than that of the substrate or product. The conclusions from this study are that a noncovalent complex of enzyme and a dihydro substrate or dihydro product is improbable in thymidylate synthetase catalysis and the covalent enzyme--substrate complex is more reasonable.

Isolation and characterization of yeast mutants auxotrophic for 2'-deoxythymidine 5'-monophosphate

Mutant strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae auxotrophic for deoxythymidine monophosphate (dTMP) were isolated and characterized. Two distinct classes of auxotrophs were obtained. One class had a simple requirement for dTMP and was analogous to thymine-requiring bacteria. The second class required dTMP, adenine, histidine and methionine and this complex nutritional phenotype was due to defects in folate metabolism. The dTMP-dependent growth of respiratory-competent grande auxotrophs was found to be markedly affected by media composition and carbon source. In the absence of dTMP thymineless death occurred in both mutant classes.

Inhibition of replicative DNA synthesis and induction of unscheduled DNA synthesis in permeable sarcoma cell by bleomycin

Unscheduled DNA synthesis was induced by bleomycin in isolated rat liver nuclei and in permeable mouse ascites sarcoma cells. ATP significantly enhanced the bleomycin effect of inducing unscheduled DNA synthesis. Replicative DNA synthesis in permeable mouse ascites sarcoma cells was inhibited by bleomycin. The apparent inhibition or stimulation by bleomycin of in vitro DNA synthesis was thought to be determined by a balance between inhibited DNA replicase activity and induced unscheduled DNA synthesis.

Production and expression of dTMP-enriched DNA of bacteriophage SP15

Normal DNA of Bacillus subtilis phage SP15 contains approximately equimolar quantities of dTMP and a hypermodified nucleotide, 5-dihydroxypentyl-dUMP (DHPdUMP). Deoxythymidine (dThd) rescue of phage DNA synthesis in 5-fluorodeoxyuridine (FUdR)-inhibited cultures resulted in the synthesis of SP15 DNA containing enhanced levels of dTMP and correspondingly reduced levels of DHPdUMP. This rescued system was used to probe possible roles of DHPdUMP in phage development. The results suggested that normal levels of DHPdUMP were not required for proper transcription of phage DNA, but normal amounts of DHPdUMP were indispensable for phage assembly and/or DNA maturation. The amount of exogenous dThd required to rescue phage DNA synthesis in FUdR-inhibited cultures was 20-fold higher than the concentration required to rescue cellular replication, whereas the same low concentrations of dThd sufficed to rescue viral and bacterial DNA syntheses in aminopterin-inhibited cultures. Normal SP15 DNA was made in rescued, aminopterin-inhibited cultures. We suggest that FUdR (but not aminopterin) partially suppresses biosynthesis of the hypermodified nucleotide and that there is a barrier to replacement of DHPdUMP by dTMP; therefore, exceptionally large amounts of dThd must be salvaged in FUdR-inhibited cultures to force replacement of the unusual nucleotide by dTMP.

Replication of bromodeoxyuridylate-substituted mitochondrial DNA in yeast

The DNA of several strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was labeled by growing the culture in medium supplemented with thymidylate and bromodeoxyuridylate. It was thus possible to follow the course of mitochondrial DNA replication in density shift experiments by determining the buoyant density distribution of unreplicated and replicated DNAs in analytical CsCl gradients. DNA replication was followed for three generations after transfer of cultures from light medium to heavy medium and heavy medium to light medium. Under both conditions, the density shifts observed for mitochondrial DNA were those expected for semiconservative, nondispersive replication. This was further confirmed by analysis of the buoyant density of alkali-denatured hybrid mitochondrial DNA. With this method, no significant recombination between replicated and unreplicated DNA was detected after three generations of growth.

The association between mutagenicity and adduct formation of 1,2,7,8-diepoxyoctane and 1,2,5,6-diepoxycyclooctane

The mutagenicity of 1,2,5,6-diepoxycyclooctane (DECO) and 1,2,7,8-diepoxyoctane (DEO) was investigated using diploid Chinese hamster lung cells. 6-thioguanine (6-TG) resistance was used as the marker for mutagenicity testing: DEO was found to be genetically active; DECO, on the contrary, totally inactive. DEO readily formed adducts with radiolabeled nucleotides, while DECO failed to do so, as demonstrated through thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and the shift of the ultraviolet absorption maximum in DEO/nucleotide mixtures. The difference between the two compounds in chemical and genetic activities was attributed to their molecular conformations and the resulting differential flexibilities and adduct-forming abilities. Association between mutagenicity and adduct formation was conclusive.

Growth of host dependent Bdellovibrio in host cell free system

A particulate, subcellular fraction of Escherichia coli was shown to promote the growth of host dependent (H-D) Bdellovibrio in the absence of host cells. The growth promoting activity was enhanced by both cations and trypisn, and destroyed by pronase. During the axenic growth unipolar spheres appear in the elongating Bdellovibrio forms. Thymidine monophosphate was more readily incorporated than thymidine into the Bdellovibrio DNA during growth in the host free system.

Selection of yeast auxotrophs by thymidylate starvation

A rapid procedure for the recovery of Saccharomyces cerevisiae auxotrophs was developed by exploiting the protection of these mutants from thymineless death when a required metabolite was withheld. The method can be used for thymidine 5'-monophosphate-requiring auxotrophs or wild-type strains blocked in de novo synthesis of thymidylate by folate antagonists.