All three SOS-inducible DNA polymerases (Pol II, Pol IV and Pol V) are involved in induced mutagenesis

Lambda gpP-DnaB Helicase Sequestration and gpP-RpoB Associated Effects: On Screens for Auxotrophs, Selection for Rif(R), Toxicity, Mutagenicity, Plasmid Curing

The bacteriophage lambda replication initiation protein P exhibits a toxic effect on its Escherichia coli (E. coli) host, likely due to the formation of a dead-end P-DnaB complex, sequestering the replicative DnaB helicase from further activity. Intracellular expression of P triggers SOS-independent cellular filamentation and rapidly cures resident ColE1 plasmids. The toxicity of P is suppressed by alleles of P or dnaB. We asked whether P buildup within a cell can influence E. coli replication fidelity. The influence of P expression from a defective prophage, or when cloned and expressed from a plasmid was examined by screening for auxotrophic mutants, or by selection for rifampicin resistant (Rif(R)) cells acquiring mutations within the rpoB gene encoding the β-subunit of RNA polymerase (RNAP), nine of which proved unique. Using fluctuation assays, we show that the intracellular expression of P evokes a mutator effect. Most of the Rif(R) mutants remained P(S) and localized to the Rif binding pocket in RNAP, but a subset acquired a P(R) phenotype, lost sensitivity to ColE1 plasmid curing, and localized outside of the pocket. One P(R) mutation was identical to rpo*Q148P, which alleviates the UV-sensitivity of ruv strains defective in the migration and resolution of Holliday junctions and destabilizes stalled RNAP elongation complexes. The results suggest that P-DnaB sequestration is mutagenic and supports an earlier observation that P can interact with RNAP.

Tolerance of lesions in E. coli: Chronological competition between Translesion Synthesis and Damage Avoidance

Lesion tolerance pathways allow cells to proceed with replication despite the presence of replication-blocking lesions in their genome. Following transient fork stalling, replication resumes downstream leaving daughter strand gaps opposite replication-blocking lesions. The existence and repair of these gaps have been know for decades and are commonly referred to as postreplicative repair [39,38] (Rupp, 2013; Rupp and Howard-Flanders, 1968). This paper analyzes the interaction of the pathways involved in the repair of these gaps. A key repair intermediated is formed when RecA protein binds to these gaps forming ssDNA.RecA filaments establishing the so-called SOS signal. The gaps are either "repaired" by Translesion Synthesis (TLS), a process that involves the transient recruitment of a specialized DNA polymerase that copies the lesion with an intrinsic risk of fixing a mutation opposite the lesion site, or by Damage Avoidance, an error-free pathway that involves homologous recombination with the sister chromatid (Homology Directed Gap Repair: HDGR). We have developed an assay that allows one to study the partition between TLS and HDGR in the context of a single replication-blocking lesion present in the E. coli chromosome. The level of expression of the TLS polymerases controls the extent of TLS. Our data show that TLS is implemented first with great parsimony, followed by abundant recombination-based tolerance events. Indeed, the substrate for TLS, i.e., the ssDNA.RecA filament, persists for only a limited amount of time before it engages in an early recombination intermediates (D-loop) with the sister chromatid. Time-based competition between TLS and HDGR is set by mere sequestration of the TLS substrates into early recombination intermediates. Most gaps are subsequently repaired by Homology Directed Gap Repair (HDGR), a pathway that involves RecA. Surprisingly, however, in the absence of RecA, some cells manage to divide and form colonies at the expense of losing the damage-containing chromatid.

A defect in homologous recombination leads to increased translesion synthesis in E. coli

DNA damage tolerance pathways allow cells to duplicate their genomes despite the presence of replication blocking lesions. Cells possess two major tolerance strategies, namely translesion synthesis (TLS) and homology directed gap repair (HDGR). TLS pathways involve specialized DNA polymerases that are able to synthesize past DNA lesions with an intrinsic risk of causing point mutations. In contrast, HDGR pathways are essentially error-free as they rely on the recovery of missing information from the sister chromatid by RecA-mediated homologous recombination. We have investigated the genetic control of pathway choice between TLS and HDGR in vivo in Escherichia coli In a strain with wild type RecA activity, the extent of TLS across replication blocking lesions is generally low while HDGR is used extensively. Interestingly, recA alleles that are partially impaired in D-loop formation confer a decrease in HDGR and a concomitant increase in TLS. Thus, partial defect of RecA's capacity to invade the homologous sister chromatid increases the lifetime of the ssDNA.RecA filament, i.e. the 'SOS signal'. This increase favors TLS by increasing both the TLS polymerase concentration and the lifetime of the TLS substrate, before it becomes sequestered by homologous recombination. In conclusion, the pathway choice between error-prone TLS and error-free HDGR is controlled by the efficiency of homologous recombination.

Antibiotic treatment enhances the genome-wide mutation rate of target cells

Although it is well known that microbial populations can respond adaptively to challenges from antibiotics, empirical difficulties in distinguishing the roles of de novo mutation and natural selection have left several issues unresolved. Here, we explore the mutational properties of Escherichia coli exposed to long-term sublethal levels of the antibiotic norfloxacin, using a mutation accumulation design combined with whole-genome sequencing of replicate lines. The genome-wide mutation rate significantly increases with norfloxacin concentration. This response is associated with enhanced expression of error-prone DNA polymerases and may also involve indirect effects of norfloxacin on DNA mismatch and oxidative-damage repair. Moreover, we find that acquisition of antibiotic resistance can be enhanced solely by accelerated mutagenesis, i.e., without direct involvement of selection. Our results suggest that antibiotics may generally enhance the mutation rates of target cells, thereby accelerating the rate of adaptation not only to the antibiotic itself but to additional challenges faced by invasive pathogens.

Bacterial Proliferation: Keep Dividing and Don't Mind the Gap

DNA Damage Tolerance (DDT) mechanisms help dealing with unrepaired DNA lesions that block replication and challenge genome integrity. Previous in vitro studies showed that the bacterial replicase is able to re-prime downstream of a DNA lesion, leaving behind a single-stranded DNA gap. The question remains of what happens to this gap in vivo. Following the insertion of a single lesion in the chromosome of a living cell, we showed that this gap is mostly filled in by Homology Directed Gap Repair in a RecA dependent manner. When cells fail to repair this gap, or when homologous recombination is impaired, cells are still able to divide, leading to the loss of the damaged chromatid, suggesting that bacteria lack a stringent cell division checkpoint mechanism. Hence, at the expense of losing one chromatid, cell survival and proliferation are ensured.

DNA Damage Tolerance (DDT) mechanisms help dealing with unrepaired DNA lesions that block replication, thus challenging genome integrity. Two DDT mechanisms have previously been described: error prone Translesion Synthesis operated by specialized DNA polymerases and error free bypass that uses the information of the sister chromatid to bypass the lesion. In this work, we set up a novel genetic system that allows to insert a single DNA blocking lesion in the chromosome of a living cell and to visualize the exchange of genetic information between the undamaged and the damaged strand. Using this system, we showed in vivo that the replication fork is able to re-prime downstream of the lesion, leaving a gap. This gap is mostly filled in by the error free pathway through the RecA homologous recombination mechanism. We show that when the gap is left unrepaired, cells are still able to divide by losing the damaged chromatid, which evidences the lack of a stringent cell division checkpoint system.

Effects of Stress, Reactive Oxygen Species, and the SOS Response on De Novo Acquisition of Antibiotic Resistance in Escherichia coli

Strategies to prevent the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria are needed to reduce the threat of infectious diseases to human health. The de novo acquisition of resistance due to mutations and/or phenotypic adaptation occurs rapidly as a result of interactions of gene expression and mutations (N. Handel, J. M. Schuurmans, Y. Feng, S. Brul, and B. H. Ter Kuile, Antimicrob Agents Chemother 58:4371-4379, 2014, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/AAC.02892-14). In this study, the contribution of several individual genes to the de novo acquisition of antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli was investigated using mutants with deletions of genes known to be involved in antibiotic resistance. The results indicate that recA, vital for the SOS response, plays a crucial role in the development of antibiotic resistance. Likewise, deletion of global transcriptional regulators, such as gadE or soxS, involved in pH homeostasis and superoxide removal, respectively, can slow the acquisition of resistance to a degree depending on the antibiotic. Deletion of the transcriptional regulator soxS, involved in superoxide removal, slowed the acquisition of resistance to enrofloxacin. Acquisition of resistance occurred at a lower rate in the presence of a second stress factor, such as a lowered pH or increased salt concentration, than in the presence of optimal growth conditions. The overall outcome suggests that a central cellular mechanism is crucial for the development of resistance and that genes involved in the regulation of transcription play an essential role. The actual cellular response, however, depends on the class of antibiotic in combination with environmental conditions.

Exchange between Escherichia coli polymerases II and III on a processivity clamp

Escherichia coli has three DNA polymerases implicated in the bypass of DNA damage, a process called translesion synthesis (TLS) that alleviates replication stalling. Although these polymerases are specialized for different DNA lesions, it is unclear if they interact differently with the replication machinery. Of the three, DNA polymerase (Pol) II remains the most enigmatic. Here we report a stable ternary complex of Pol II, the replicative polymerase Pol III core complex and the dimeric processivity clamp, β. Single-molecule experiments reveal that the interactions of Pol II and Pol III with β allow for rapid exchange during DNA synthesis. As with another TLS polymerase, Pol IV, increasing concentrations of Pol II displace the Pol III core during DNA synthesis in a minimal reconstitution of primer extension. However, in contrast to Pol IV, Pol II is inefficient at disrupting rolling-circle synthesis by the fully reconstituted Pol III replisome. Together, these data suggest a β-mediated mechanism of exchange between Pol II and Pol III that occurs outside the replication fork.

Stress-Induced Mutagenesis

Early research on the origins and mechanisms of mutation led to the establishment of the dogma that, in the absence of external forces, spontaneous mutation rates are constant. However, recent results from a variety of experimental systems suggest that mutation rates can increase in response to selective pressures. This chapter summarizes data demonstrating that,under stressful conditions, Escherichia coli and Salmonella can increase the likelihood of beneficial mutations by modulating their potential for genetic change.Several experimental systems used to study stress-induced mutagenesis are discussed, with special emphasison the Foster-Cairns system for "adaptive mutation" in E. coli and Salmonella. Examples from other model systems are given to illustrate that stress-induced mutagenesis is a natural and general phenomenon that is not confined to enteric bacteria. Finally, some of the controversy in the field of stress-induced mutagenesis is summarized and discussed, and a perspective on the current state of the field is provided.

Oxidative Stress

The ancestors of Escherichia coli and Salmonella ultimately evolved to thrive in air-saturated liquids, in which oxygen levels reach 210 μM at 37°C. However, in 1976 Brown and colleagues reported that some sensitivity persists: growth defects still become apparent when hyperoxia is imposed on cultures of E. coli. This residual vulnerability was important in that it raised the prospect that normal levels of oxygen might also injure bacteria, albeit at reduced rates that are not overtly toxic. The intent of this article is both to describe the threat that molecular oxygen poses for bacteria and to detail what we currently understand about the strategies by which E. coli and Salmonella defend themselves against it. E. coli mutants that lack either superoxide dismutases or catalases and peroxidases exhibit a variety of growth defects. These phenotypes constitute the best evidence that aerobic cells continually generate intracellular superoxide and hydrogen peroxide at potentially lethal doses. Superoxide has reduction potentials that allow it to serve in vitro as either a weak univalent reductant or a stronger univalent oxidant. The addition of micromolar hydrogen peroxide to lab media will immediately block the growth of most cells, and protracted exposure will result in the loss of viability. The need for inducible antioxidant systems seems especially obvious for enteric bacteria, which move quickly from the anaerobic gut to fully aerobic surface waters or even to ROS-perfused phagolysosomes. E. coli and Salmonella have provided two paradigmatic models of oxidative-stress responses: the SoxRS and OxyR systems.

Translesion DNA Synthesis

All living organisms are continually exposed to agents that damage their DNA, which threatens the integrity of their genome. As a consequence, cells are equipped with a plethora of DNA repair enzymes to remove the damaged DNA. Unfortunately, situations nevertheless arise where lesions persist, and these lesions block the progression of the cell's replicase. In these situations, cells are forced to choose between recombination-mediated "damage avoidance" pathways or a specialized DNA polymerase (pol) to traverse the blocking lesion. The latter process is referred to as Translesion DNA Synthesis (TLS). As inferred by its name, TLS not only results in bases being (mis)incorporated opposite DNA lesions but also bases being (mis)incorporated downstream of the replicase-blocking lesion, so as to ensure continued genome duplication and cell survival. Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium possess five DNA polymerases, and while all have been shown to facilitate TLS under certain experimental conditions, it is clear that the LexA-regulated and damage-inducible pols II, IV, and V perform the vast majority of TLS under physiological conditions. Pol V can traverse a wide range of DNA lesions and performs the bulk of mutagenic TLS, whereas pol II and pol IV appear to be more specialized TLS polymerases.

The DNA Exonucleases of Escherichia coli

DNA exonucleases, enzymes that hydrolyze phosphodiester bonds in DNA from a free end, play important cellular roles in DNA repair, genetic recombination and mutation avoidance in all organisms. This article reviews the structure, biochemistry, and biological functions of the 17 exonucleases currently identified in the bacterium Escherichia coli. These include the exonucleases associated with DNA polymerases I (polA), II (polB), and III (dnaQ/mutD); Exonucleases I (xonA/sbcB), III (xthA), IV, VII (xseAB), IX (xni/xgdG), and X (exoX); the RecBCD, RecJ, and RecE exonucleases; SbcCD endo/exonucleases; the DNA exonuclease activities of RNase T (rnt) and Endonuclease IV (nfo); and TatD. These enzymes are diverse in terms of substrate specificity and biochemical properties and have specialized biological roles. Most of these enzymes fall into structural families with characteristic sequence motifs, and members of many of these families can be found in all domains of life.

Replisome Dynamics during Chromosome Duplication

This review describes the components of the Escherichia coli replisome and the dynamic process in which they function and interact under normal conditions. It also briefly describes the behavior of the replisome during situations in which normal replication fork movement is disturbed, such as when the replication fork collides with sites of DNA damage. E. coli DNA Pol III was isolated first from a polA mutant E. coli strain that lacked the relatively abundant DNA Pol I activity. Further biochemical studies, and the use of double mutant strains, revealed Pol III to be the replicative DNA polymerase essential to cell viability. In a replisome, DnaG primase must interact with DnaB for activity, and this constraint ensures that new RNA primers localize to the replication fork. The leading strand polymerase continually synthesizes DNA in the direction of the replication fork, whereas the lagging-strand polymerase synthesizes short, discontinuous Okazaki fragments in the opposite direction. Discontinuous lagging-strand synthesis requires that the polymerase rapidly dissociate from each new completed Okazaki fragment in order to begin the extension of a new RNA primer. Lesion bypass can be thought of as a two-step reaction that starts with the incorporation of a nucleotide opposite the lesion, followed by the extension of the resulting distorted primer terminus. A remarkable property of E. coli, and many other eubacterial organisms, is the speed at which it propagates. Rapid cell division requires the presence of an extremely efficient replication machinery for the rapid and faithful duplication of the genome.

How Y-Family DNA polymerase IV is more accurate than Dpo4 at dCTP insertion opposite an N2-dG adduct of benzo[a]pyrene

To bypass DNA damage, cells have Y-Family DNA polymerases (DNAPs). One Y-Family-class includes DNAP κ and DNAP IV, which accurately insert dCTP opposite N(2)-dG adducts, including from the carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene (BP). Another class includes DNAP η and DNAP V, which insert accurately opposite UV-damage, but inaccurately opposite BP-N(2)-dG. To investigate structural differences between Y-Family-classes, regions are swapped between DNAP IV (a κ/IV-class-member) and Dpo4 (a η/V-class-member); the kinetic consequences are evaluated via primer-extension studies with a BP-N(2)-dG-containing template. Four key structural elements are revealed. (1) Y-Family DNAPs have discreet non-covalent contacts between their little finger-domain (LF-Domain) and their catalytic core-domain (CC-Domain), which we call "non-covalent bridges" (NCBs). Arg37 and Arg38 in DNAP IV's CC-Domain near the active site form a non-covalent bridge (AS-NCB) by interacting with Glu251 and Asp252, respectively, in DNAP IV's LF-Domain. Without these interactions dATP/dGTP/dTTP misinsertions increase. DNAP IV's AS-NCB suppresses misinsertions better than Dpo4's equivalent AS-NCB. (2) DNAP IV also suppresses dATP/dGTP/dTTP misinsertions via a second non-covalent bridge, which is ∼8Å from the active site (Distal-NCB). Dpo4 has no Distal-NCB, rendering it inferior at dATP/dGTP/dTTP suppression. (3) dCTP insertion is facilitated by the larger minor groove opening near the active site in DNAP IV versus Dpo4, which is sensible given that Watson/Crick-like [dCTP:BP-N(2)-dG] pairing requires the BP-moiety to be in the minor groove. (4) Compared to Dpo4, DNAP IV has a smaller major groove opening, which suppresses dGTP misinsertion, implying BP-N(2)-dG bulk in the major groove during Hoogsteen syn-adduct-dG:dGTP pairing. In summary, DNAP IV has a large minor groove opening to enhance dCTP insertion, a plugged major groove opening to suppress dGTP misinsertion, and two non-covalent bridges (near and distal to the active site) to suppress dATP/dGTP/dTTP misinsertions; collectively these four structural features enhance DNAP IV's dNTP insertion fidelity opposite a BP-N(2)-dG adduct compared to Dpo4.

Quantitative proteomic view associated with resistance to clinically important antibiotics in Gram-positive bacteria: a systematic review

The increase of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) poses a worldwide and serious health threat. Although new antibiotics, such as daptomycin and linezolid, have been developed for the treatment of infections of Gram-positive pathogens, the emergence of daptomycin-resistant and linezolid-resistant strains during therapy has now increased clinical treatment failures. In the past few years, studies using quantitative proteomic methods have provided a considerable progress in understanding antibiotic resistance mechanisms. In this review, to understand the resistance mechanisms to four clinically important antibiotics (methicillin, vancomycin, linezolid, and daptomycin) used in the treatment of Gram-positive pathogens, we summarize recent advances in studies on resistance mechanisms using quantitative proteomic methods, and also examine proteins playing an important role in the bacterial mechanisms of resistance to the four antibiotics. Proteomic researches can identify proteins whose expression levels are changed in the resistance mechanism to only one antibiotic, such as LiaH in daptomycin resistance and PrsA in vancomycin resistance, and many proteins simultaneously involved in resistance mechanisms to various antibiotics. Most of resistance-related proteins, which are simultaneously associated with resistance mechanisms to several antibiotics, play important roles in regulating bacterial envelope biogenesis, or compensating for the fitness cost of antibiotic resistance. Therefore, proteomic data confirm that antibiotic resistance requires the fitness cost and the bacterial envelope is an important factor in antibiotic resistance.

Interactions and Localization of Escherichia coli Error-Prone DNA Polymerase IV after DNA Damage

Escherichia coli's DNA polymerase IV (Pol IV/DinB), a member of the Y family of error-prone polymerases, is induced during the SOS response to DNA damage and is responsible for translesion bypass and adaptive (stress-induced) mutation. In this study, the localization of Pol IV after DNA damage was followed using fluorescent fusions. After exposure of E. coli to DNA-damaging agents, fluorescently tagged Pol IV localized to the nucleoid as foci. Stepwise photobleaching indicated ∼60% of the foci consisted of three Pol IV molecules, while ∼40% consisted of six Pol IV molecules. Fluorescently tagged Rep, a replication accessory DNA helicase, was recruited to the Pol IV foci after DNA damage, suggesting that the in vitro interaction between Rep and Pol IV reported previously also occurs in vivo. Fluorescently tagged RecA also formed foci after DNA damage, and Pol IV localized to them. To investigate if Pol IV localizes to double-strand breaks (DSBs), an I-SceI endonuclease-mediated DSB was introduced close to a fluorescently labeled LacO array on the chromosome. After DSB induction, Pol IV localized to the DSB site in ∼70% of SOS-induced cells. RecA also formed foci at the DSB sites, and Pol IV localized to the RecA foci. These results suggest that Pol IV interacts with RecA in vivo and is recruited to sites of DSBs to aid in the restoration of DNA replication.

IMPORTANCE

DNA polymerase IV (Pol IV/DinB) is an error-prone DNA polymerase capable of bypassing DNA lesions and aiding in the restart of stalled replication forks. In this work, we demonstrate in vivo localization of fluorescently tagged Pol IV to the nucleoid after DNA damage and to DNA double-strand breaks. We show colocalization of Pol IV with two proteins: Rep DNA helicase, which participates in replication, and RecA, which catalyzes recombinational repair of stalled replication forks. Time course experiments suggest that Pol IV recruits Rep and that RecA recruits Pol IV. These findings provide in vivo evidence that Pol IV aids in maintaining genomic stability not only by bypassing DNA lesions but also by participating in the restoration of stalled replication forks.

Sequence-Specific Peptide Nucleic Acid-Based Antisense Inhibitors of TEM-1 β-Lactamase and Mechanism of Adaptive Resistance

The recent surge of drug-resistant superbugs and shrinking antibiotic pipeline are serious challenges to global health. In particular, the emergence of β-lactamases has caused extensive resistance against the most frequently prescribed class of β-lactam antibiotics. Here, we develop novel synthetic peptide nucleic acid-based antisense inhibitors that target the start codon and ribosomal binding site of the TEM-1 β-lactamase transcript and act via translation inhibition mechanism. We show that these antisense inhibitors are capable of resensitizing drug-resistant Escherichia coli to β-lactam antibiotics exhibiting 10-fold reduction in the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). To study the mechanism of resistance, we adapted E. coli at MIC levels of the β-lactam/antisense inhibitor combination and observed a nonmutational, bet-hedging based adaptive antibiotic resistance response as evidenced by phenotypic heterogeneity as well as heterogeneous expression of key stress response genes. Our data show that both the development of new antimicrobials and an understanding of cellular response during the development of tolerance could aid in mitigating the impending antibiotic crisis.

Suppression of the E. coli SOS response by dNTP pool changes

The Escherichia coli SOS system is a well-established model for the cellular response to DNA damage. Control of SOS depends largely on the RecA protein. When RecA is activated by single-stranded DNA in the presence of a nucleotide triphosphate cofactor, it mediates cleavage of the LexA repressor, leading to expression of the 30⁺-member SOS regulon. RecA activation generally requires the introduction of DNA damage. However, certain recA mutants, like recA730, bypass this requirement and display constitutive SOS expression as well as a spontaneous (SOS) mutator effect. Presently, we investigated the possible interaction between SOS and the cellular deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) pools. We found that dNTP pool changes caused by deficiencies in the ndk or dcd genes, encoding nucleoside diphosphate kinase and dCTP deaminase, respectively, had a strongly suppressive effect on constitutive SOS expression in recA730 strains. The suppression of the recA730 mutator effect was alleviated in a lexA-deficient background. Overall, the findings suggest a model in which the dNTP alterations in the ndk and dcd strains interfere with the activation of RecA, thereby preventing LexA cleavage and SOS induction.

Slow unloading leads to DNA-bound β2-sliding clamp accumulation in live Escherichia coli cells

The ubiquitous sliding clamp facilitates processivity of the replicative polymerase and acts as a platform to recruit proteins involved in replication, recombination and repair. While the dynamics of the E. coli β₂-sliding clamp have been characterized in vitro, its in vivo stoichiometry and dynamics remain unclear. To probe both β₂-clamp dynamics and stoichiometry in live E. coli cells, we use custom-built microfluidics in combination with single-molecule fluorescence microscopy and photoactivated fluorescence microscopy. We quantify the recruitment, binding and turnover of β₂-sliding clamps on DNA during replication. These quantitative in vivo results demonstrate that numerous β₂-clamps in E. coli remain on the DNA behind the replication fork for a protracted period of time, allowing them to form a docking platform for other enzymes involved in DNA metabolism.

DNA replication is accomplished by the replisome, a multi-protein complex that comprises the sliding clamp. Here, Moolman et al. present quantitative and dynamic measurements of the number of β₂-sliding clamps at the single-cell level in live E. coli cells to shed light on key aspects of DNA replication.

A method to accurately quantitate intensities of (32)P-DNA bands when multiple bands appear in a single lane of a gel is used to study dNTP insertion opposite a benzo[a]pyrene-dG adduct by Sulfolobus DNA polymerases Dpo4 and Dbh

Quantitating relative (32)P-band intensity in gels is desired, e.g., to study primer-extension kinetics of DNA polymerases (DNAPs). Following imaging, multiple (32)P-bands are often present in lanes. Though individual bands appear by eye to be simple and well-resolved, scanning reveals they are actually skewed-Gaussian in shape and neighboring bands are overlapping, which complicates quantitation, because slower migrating bands often have considerable contributions from the trailing edges of faster migrating bands. A method is described to accurately quantitate adjacent (32)P-bands, which relies on having a standard: a simple skewed-Gaussian curve from an analogous pure, single-component band (e.g., primer alone). This single-component scan/curve is superimposed on its corresponding band in an experimentally determined scan/curve containing multiple bands (e.g., generated in a primer-extension reaction); intensity exceeding the single-component scan/curve is attributed to other components (e.g., insertion products). Relative areas/intensities are determined via pixel analysis, from which relative molarity of components is computed. Common software is used. Commonly used alternative methods (e.g., drawing boxes around bands) are shown to be less accurate. Our method was used to study kinetics of dNTP primer-extension opposite a benzo[a]pyrene-N(2)-dG-adduct with four DNAPs, including Sulfolobus solfataricus Dpo4 and Sulfolobus acidocaldarius Dbh. Vmax/Km is similar for correct dCTP insertion with Dpo4 and Dbh. Compared to Dpo4, Dbh misinsertion is slower for dATP (∼20-fold), dGTP (∼110-fold) and dTTP (∼6-fold), due to decreases in Vmax. These findings provide support that Dbh is in the same Y-Family DNAP class as eukaryotic DNAP κ and bacterial DNAP IV, which accurately bypass N(2)-dG adducts, as well as establish the scan-method described herein as an accurate method to quantitate relative intensity of overlapping bands in a single lane, whether generated from (32)P-signals or by other means (e.g., staining).

Replisome-mediated translesion synthesis and leading strand template lesion skipping are competing bypass mechanisms

A number of different enzymatic pathways have evolved to ensure that DNA replication can proceed past template base damage. These pathways include lesion skipping by the replisome, replication fork regression followed by either correction of the damage and origin-independent replication restart or homologous recombination-mediated restart of replication downstream of the lesion, and bypass of the damage by a translesion synthesis DNA polymerase. We report here that of two translesion synthesis polymerases tested, only DNA polymerase IV, not DNA polymerase II, could engage productively with the Escherichia coli replisome to bypass leading strand template damage, despite the fact that both enzymes are shown to be interacting with the replicase. Inactivation of the 3' → 5' proofreading exonuclease of DNA polymerase II did not enable bypass. Bypass by DNA polymerase IV required its ability to interact with the β clamp and act as a translesion polymerase but did not require its "little finger" domain, a secondary region of interaction with the β clamp. Bypass by DNA polymerase IV came at the expense of the inherent leading strand lesion skipping activity of the replisome, indicating that they are competing reactions.

Ceftaroline is active against heteroresistant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clinical strains despite associated mutational mechanisms and intermediate levels of resistance

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important infectious human pathogen responsible for diseases ranging from skin and soft tissue infections to life-threatening endocarditis. β-Lactam resistance in MRSA involves acquisition of penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), a protein with low affinity for β-lactams that mediates cell wall assembly when the normal staphylococcal PBPs (PBP1 to -4) are blocked by these agents. Many MRSA strains display heterogeneous expression of resistance (HeR) against β-lactam antibiotics. The β-lactam-mediated homoresistant (HoR) phenotype is associated with both expression of the mecA gene and activation of the LexA-RecA-mediated SOS response, a regulatory network induced in response to DNA damage. Ceftaroline (CPT) is the only FDA-approved cephalosporin targeting PBP2a. We investigated the mechanistic basis of CPT activity against HeR-MRSA strains, including a set of strains displaying an intermediate level of resistance to CPT. Mechanistically, we found that 1 exposure of HeR-MRSA to subinhibitory concentrations of CPT selected for the HoR derivative activated the SOS response and increased mutagenesis. Importantly, CPT-selected HoR cells remained susceptible to CPT while still being resistant to most β-lactams, and 2-CPT activity in HeR-MRSA resided in an attenuated induction of mecA expression in comparison to other β-lactams. In addition, 3-CPT intermediate-resistant strains displayed a significant increase in CPT-induced mecA expression accompanied by mutations in PBP2, which together may interfere with the complete repression by CPT of both PBP2a and PBP2a-PBP2 interactions and thus be a determining factor in the low level of CPT resistance in the absence of mecA gene mutations. The present study provides mechanistic evidence that CPT represents an alternative therapeutic option for the treatment of heteroresistant MRSA strains.

Ethylene oxide and propylene oxide derived N7-alkylguanine adducts are bypassed accurately in vivo

Adducts formed at the nucleophilic N7 position of guanine are the most abundant lesions produced by alkylating agents such as ethylene oxide (EO) and propylene oxide (PO). In order to investigate the intrinsic mutagenic potential of N7-alkylguanine adducts, we prepared single-stranded DNA probes containing a single well-defined N7-alkylguanine adduct under conditions that minimize the presence of depurinated molecules. Following introduction of these probes into Escherichia coli cells, the effect of the N7-alkylguanine adducts on the efficiency and fidelity of replication was determined. To investigate the effect on replication we monitored the relative transformation efficiency of the lesion containing constructs with respect to the control construct. The methyl adduct was found not to be toxic, while the N7-(2-hydroxyethyl)guanine (N7-heG) and N7-(2-hydroxypropyl)guanine (N7-hpG) adducts reduce the transformation efficiency to ≈70% and 40%, respectively. Within the detection limits of our assay, replication across the N7-alkylguanine adducts in vivo is essentially error-free, as no mutant colony was observed among ≈300 individual sequenced colonies (i.e., mutation frequency<0.3%).

Syntheses and characterizations of the in vivo replicative bypass and mutagenic properties of the minor-groove O2-alkylthymidine lesions

Endogenous metabolism, environmental exposure, and treatment with some chemotherapeutic agents can all give rise to DNA alkylation, which can occur on the phosphate backbone as well as the ring nitrogen or exocyclic nitrogen and oxygen atoms of nucleobases. Previous studies showed that the minor-groove O²-alkylated thymidine (O²-alkyldT) lesions are poorly repaired and persist in mammalian tissues. In the present study, we synthesized oligodeoxyribonucleotides harboring seven O²-alkyldT lesions, with the alkyl group being a Me, Et, nPr, iPr, nBu, iBu or sBu, at a defined site and examined the impact of these lesions on DNA replication in Escherichia coli cells. Our results demonstrated that the replication bypass efficiencies of the O²-alkyldT lesions decreased with the chain length of the alkyl group, and these lesions directed promiscuous nucleotide misincorporation in E. coli cells. We also found that deficiency in Pol V, but not Pol II or Pol IV, led to a marked drop in bypass efficiencies for most O²-alkyldT lesions. We further showed that both Pol IV and Pol V were essential for the misincorporation of dCMP opposite these minor-groove DNA lesions, whereas only Pol V was indispensable for the T→A transversion introduced by these lesions. Depletion of Pol II, however, did not lead to any detectable alterations in mutation frequencies for any of the O²-alkyldT lesions. Thus, our study provided important new knowledge about the cytotoxic and mutagenic properties of the O²-alkyldT lesions and revealed the roles of the SOS-induced DNA polymerases in bypassing these lesions in E. coli cells.

SOS, the formidable strategy of bacteria against aggressions

The presence of an abnormal amount of single-stranded DNA in the bacterial cell constitutes a genotoxic alarm signal that induces the SOS response, a broad regulatory network found in most bacterial species to address DNA damage. The aim of this review was to point out that beyond being a repair process, SOS induction leads to a very strong but transient response to genotoxic stress, during which bacteria can rearrange and mutate their genome, induce several phenotypic changes through differential regulation of genes, and sometimes acquire characteristics that potentiate bacterial survival and adaptation to changing environments. We review here the causes and consequences of SOS induction, but also how this response can be modulated under various circumstances and how it is connected to the network of other important stress responses. In the first section, we review articles describing the induction of the SOS response at the molecular level. The second section discusses consequences of this induction in terms of DNA repair, changes in the genome and gene expression, and sharing of genomic information, with their effects on the bacteria's life and evolution. The third section is about the fine tuning of this response to fit with the bacteria's 'needs'. Finally, we discuss recent findings linking the SOS response to other stress responses. Under these perspectives, SOS can be perceived as a powerful bacterial strategy against aggressions.

DNA polymerase IV mediates efficient and quick recovery of replication forks stalled at N2-dG adducts

Escherichia coli DNA polymerase IV (Pol IV, also known as DinB) is a Y-family DNA polymerase capable of catalyzing translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) on certain DNA lesions, and accumulating data suggest that Pol IV may play an important role in copying various kinds of spontaneous DNA damage including N²-dG adducts and alkylated bases. Pol IV has a unique ability to coexist with Pol III on the same β clamp and to positively dissociate Pol III from β clamp in a concentration-dependent manner. Reconstituting the entire process of TLS in vitro using E. coli replication machinery and Pol IV, we observed that a replication fork stalled at (−)-trans-anti-benzo[a]pyrene-N²-dG lesion on the leading strand was efficiently and quickly recovered via two sequential switches from Pol III to Pol IV and back to Pol III. Our results suggest that TLS by Pol IV smoothes the way for the replication fork with minimal interruption.

TCA cycle-mediated generation of ROS is a key mediator for HeR-MRSA survival under β-lactam antibiotic exposure

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major multidrug resistant pathogen responsible for several difficult-to-treat infections in humans. Clinical Hetero-resistant (HeR) MRSA strains, mostly associated with persistent infections, are composed of mixed cell populations that contain organisms with low levels of resistance (hetero-resistant HeR) and those that display high levels of drug resistance (homo-resistant HoR). However, the full understanding of β-lactam-mediated HeR/HoR selection remains to be completed. In previous studies we demonstrated that acquisition of the HoR phenotype during exposure to β-lactam antibiotics depended on two key elements: (1) activation of the SOS response, a conserved regulatory network in bacteria that is induced in response to DNA damage, resulting in increased mutation rates, and (2) adaptive metabolic changes redirecting HeR-MRSA metabolism to the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle in order to increase the energy supply for cell-wall synthesis. In the present work, we identified that both main mechanistic components are associated through TCA cycle-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, which temporally affects DNA integrity and triggers activation of the SOS response resulting in enhanced mutagenesis. The present work brings new insights into a role of ROS generation on the development of resistance to β-lactam antibiotics in a model of natural occurrence, emphasizing the cytoprotective role in HeR-MRSA survival mechanism.

Physiology of the read-write genome

Discoveries in cytogenetics, molecular biology, and genomics have revealed that genome change is an active cell-mediated physiological process. This is distinctly at variance with the pre-DNA assumption that genetic changes arise accidentally and sporadically. The discovery that DNA changes arise as the result of regulated cell biochemistry means that the genome is best modelled as a read-write (RW) data storage system rather than a read-only memory (ROM). The evidence behind this change in thinking and a consideration of some of its implications are the subjects of this article. Specific points include the following: cells protect themselves from accidental genome change with proofreading and DNA damage repair systems; localized point mutations result from the action of specialized trans-lesion mutator DNA polymerases; cells can join broken chromosomes and generate genome rearrangements by non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) processes in specialized subnuclear repair centres; cells have a broad variety of natural genetic engineering (NGE) functions for transporting, diversifying and reorganizing DNA sequences in ways that generate many classes of genomic novelties; natural genetic engineering functions are regulated and subject to activation by a range of challenging life history events; cells can target the action of natural genetic engineering functions to particular genome locations by a range of well-established molecular interactions, including protein binding with regulatory factors and linkage to transcription; and genome changes in cancer can usefully be considered as consequences of the loss of homeostatic control over natural genetic engineering functions.

A chemical genetics analysis of the roles of bypass polymerase DinB and DNA repair protein AlkB in processing N2-alkylguanine lesions in vivo

DinB, the E. coli translesion synthesis polymerase, has been shown to bypass several N²-alkylguanine adducts in vitro, including N²-furfurylguanine, the structural analog of the DNA adduct formed by the antibacterial agent nitrofurazone. Recently, it was demonstrated that the Fe(II)- and α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase AlkB, a DNA repair enzyme, can dealkylate in vitro a series of N²-alkyguanines, including N²-furfurylguanine. The present study explored, head to head, the in vivo relative contributions of these two DNA maintenance pathways (replicative bypass vs. repair) as they processed a series of structurally varied, biologically relevant N²-alkylguanine lesions: N²-furfurylguanine (FF), 2-tetrahydrofuran-2-yl-methylguanine (HF), 2-methylguanine, and 2-ethylguanine. Each lesion was chemically synthesized and incorporated site-specifically into an M13 bacteriophage genome, which was then replicated in E. coli cells deficient or proficient for DinB and AlkB (4 strains in total). Biochemical tools were employed to analyze the relative replication efficiencies of the phage (a measure of the bypass efficiency of each lesion) and the base composition at the lesion site after replication (a measure of the mutagenesis profile of each lesion). The main findings were: 1) Among the lesions studied, the bulky FF and HF lesions proved to be strong replication blocks when introduced site-specifically on a single-stranded vector in DinB deficient cells. This toxic effect disappeared in the strains expressing physiological levels of DinB. 2) AlkB is known to repair N²-alkylguanine lesions in vitro; however, the presence of AlkB showed no relief from the replication blocks induced by FF and HF in vivo. 3) The mutagenic properties of the entire series of N²-alkyguanines adducts were investigated in vivo for the first time. None of the adducts were mutagenic under the conditions evaluated, regardless of the DinB or AlkB cellular status. Taken together, the data indicated that the cellular pathway to combat bulky N²-alkylguanine DNA adducts was DinB-dependent lesion bypass.

Chronology in lesion tolerance gives priority to genetic variability

The encounter of a replication fork with a blocking DNA lesion is a common event that cells need to address properly to preserve genome integrity. Cells possess two main strategies to tolerate unrepaired lesions: potentially mutagenic translesion synthesis (TLS) and nonmutagenic damage avoidance (DA). Little is known about the partitioning between these two strategies. Because genes involved in DA mechanisms (i.e., recA) are expressed early and genes involved in TLS (i.e., Pol V) are expressed late during the bacterial SOS response, it has long been thought that TLS was the last recourse to bypass DNA lesions when repair and nonmutagenic DA mechanisms have failed. By using a recently described methodology, we followed the fate of a single replication-blocking lesion introduced in the Escherichia coli genome during acute genotoxic stress. We show that lesion tolerance events (i) only occur when the SOS response is fully induced and (ii) are executed in chronological order, with TLS coming first, followed by DA. Therefore, in response to genotoxic stress, bacterial cells give priority to TLS, a minor pathway able to generate genetic diversity before implementing the major nonmutagenic pathway that ensures survival.

Activation of phenotypic subpopulations in response to ciprofloxacin treatment in Acinetobacter baumannii

The multidrug-resistant, opportunistic pathogen, Acinetobacter baumannii, has spread swiftly through hospitals worldwide. Previously, we demonstrated that A. baumannii regulates the expression of various genes in response to DNA damage. Some of these regulated genes, especially those encoding the multiple error-prone DNA polymerases, can be implicated in induced mutagenesis, leading to antibiotic resistance. Here, we further explore the DNA damage-inducible system at the single cell level using chromosomal transcriptional reporters for selected DNA damage response genes. We found the genes examined respond in a bimodal fashion to ciprofloxacin treatment, forming two phenotypic subpopulations: induced and uninduced. This bimodal response to ciprofloxacin treatment in A. baumannii is unique and quite different than the Escherichia coli paradigm. The subpopulations are not genetically different, with each subpopulation returning to a starting state and differentiating with repeated treatment. We then identified a palindromic motif upstream of certain DNA damage response genes, and have shown alterations to this sequence to diminish the bimodal induction in response to DNA damaging treatment. Lastly, we are able to show a biological advantage for a bimodal response, finding that one subpopulation survives ciprofloxacin treatment better than the other.

Translesion DNA synthesis and mutagenesis in prokaryotes

The presence of unrepaired lesions in DNA represents a challenge for replication. Most, but not all, DNA lesions block the replicative DNA polymerases. The conceptually simplest procedure to bypass lesions during DNA replication is translesion synthesis (TLS), whereby the replicative polymerase is transiently replaced by a specialized DNA polymerase that synthesizes a short patch of DNA across the site of damage. This process is inherently error prone and is the main source of point mutations. The diversity of existing DNA lesions and the biochemical properties of Escherichia coli DNA polymerases will be presented. Our main goal is to deliver an integrated view of TLS pathways involving the multiple switches between replicative and specialized DNA polymerases and their interaction with key accessory factors. Finally, a brief glance at how other bacteria deal with TLS and mutagenesis is presented.

How life changes itself: the Read-Write (RW) genome

The genome has traditionally been treated as a Read-Only Memory (ROM) subject to change by copying errors and accidents. In this review, I propose that we need to change that perspective and understand the genome as an intricately formatted Read-Write (RW) data storage system constantly subject to cellular modifications and inscriptions. Cells operate under changing conditions and are continually modifying themselves by genome inscriptions. These inscriptions occur over three distinct time-scales (cell reproduction, multicellular development and evolutionary change) and involve a variety of different processes at each time scale (forming nucleoprotein complexes, epigenetic formatting and changes in DNA sequence structure). Research dating back to the 1930s has shown that genetic change is the result of cell-mediated processes, not simply accidents or damage to the DNA. This cell-active view of genome change applies to all scales of DNA sequence variation, from point mutations to large-scale genome rearrangements and whole genome duplications (WGDs). This conceptual change to active cell inscriptions controlling RW genome functions has profound implications for all areas of the life sciences.

Quick replication fork stop by overproduction of Escherichia coli DinB produces non-proliferative cells with an aberrant chromosome

Escherichia coli dinB encodes the translesion DNA polymerase DinB, which can inhibit progression of replication forks in a dose-dependent manner, independent of exogenous DNA damage. We reported previously that overproduction of DinB from a multicopy dinB plasmid immediately abolished ongoing replication fork progression, and the cells rapidly and drastically lost colony-forming ability, although the mechanisms underlying this lethality by severe replication fork stress remained unclear. Here, we show that the reduced colony-forming ability in the dinB-overexpressing cells is independent of the specific toxin genes that trigger programmed bacterial cell death when replication is blocked by depletion of the dNTP pool. After DinB abolished replication fork progression and colony-forming ability, most of the cells were still viable, as judged by fluorescent dye staining, but contained irregularly shaped nucleoids in which chromosomal DNA was preferentially lost in the replication terminus region relative to the replication origin region. Flow cytometric analysis of the cells revealed chromosomal damage and the eventual appearance of cell populations with less than single-chromosome DNA content, reminiscent of sub-G1 cells with lethal DNA content produced during eukaryotic apoptosis. This reduced DNA content was not observed after replication fork progression was quickly stopped in temperature-sensitive dnaB helicase mutant cells at a non-permissive temperature. Thus, the quick replication stop provoked by excess DinB uniquely generates temporarily viable but non-reproductive cells possessing a fatally depleted chromosomal content, which may represent one of the possible fates of an E. coli cell whose replication is overwhelmingly compromised.

The molecular mechanisms and physiological consequences of oxidative stress: lessons from a model bacterium

Oxic environments are hazardous. Molecular oxygen adventitiously abstracts electrons from many redox enzymes, continuously forming intracellular superoxide and hydrogen peroxide. These species can destroy the activities of metalloenzymes and the integrity of DNA, forcing organisms to protect themselves with scavenging enzymes and repair systems. Nevertheless, elevated levels of oxidants quickly poison bacteria, and both microbial competitors and hostile eukaryotic hosts exploit this vulnerability by assaulting these bacteria with peroxides or superoxide-forming antibiotics. In response, bacteria activate elegant adaptive strategies. In this Review, I summarize our current knowledge of oxidative stress in Escherichia coli, the model organism for which our understanding of damage and defence is most well developed.

Translesion DNA synthesis across various DNA adducts produced by 3-nitrobenzanthrone in Escherichia coli

To analyze translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) across lesions derived from the air pollutant 3-nitrobenzanthrone in Escherichia coli, we constructed site-specifically modified plasmids containing single molecule adducts derived from 3-nitrobenzanthrone. For this experiment, we adopted a modified version of the method developed by Fuchs et al. [29]. Each plasmid contained one of the following lesions in its LacZ' gene: N-(2'-deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-3-aminobenzanthrone (dG-C8-N-ABA); 2-(2'-deoxyguanosin-N(2)-yl)-3-aminobenzanthrone (dG-N(2)-C2-ABA); 2-(2'-deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-3-aminobenzanthrone (dG-C8-C2-ABA); 2-(2'-deoxyadenosin-N(6)-yl)-3-aminobenzanthrone (dA-N(6)-C2-ABA); N-(2'-deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-3-acetylaminobenzanthrone (dG-C8-N-AcABA); or 2-(2'-deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-3-acetylaminobenzanthrone (dG-C8-C2-AcABA). All of the adducts inhibited DNA synthesis by replicative DNA polymerases in E. coli; however, the extent of the inhibition varied among the adducts. All five dG-adducts strongly blocked replication by replicative DNA polymerases; however, the dA-adduct only weakly blocked DNA replication. The induction of the SOS response increased the frequency of TLS, which was higher for the dG-C8-C2-ABA, dG-C8-N-AcABA and dG-C8-C2-AcABA adducts than for the other adducts. In our previous study, dG-C8-N-ABA blocked DNA replication more strongly and induced mutations more frequently than dG-N(2)-C2-ABA in human cells. In contrast, in E. coli the frequency of TLS over dG-N(2)-C2-ABA was markedly reduced, even under the SOS(+) conditions, and dG-N(2)-C2-ABA induced G to T mutations. All of the other adducts were bypassed in a less mutagenic manner. In addition, using E. coli strains that lacked particular DNA polymerases we found that DNA polymerase V was responsible for TLS over dG-C8-N-AcABA and dG-C8-C2-AcABA adducts.

RecA acts as a switch to regulate polymerase occupancy in a moving replication fork

This report discovers a role of Escherichia coli RecA, the cellular recombinase, in directing the action of several DNA polymerases at the replication fork. Bulk chromosome replication is performed by DNA polymerase (Pol) III. However, E. coli contains translesion synthesis (TLS) Pols II, IV, and V that also function with the helicase, primase, and sliding clamp in the replisome. Surprisingly, we find that RecA specifically activates replisomes that contain TLS Pols. In sharp contrast, RecA severely inhibits the Pol III replisome. Given the opposite effects of RecA on Pol III and TLS replisomes, we propose that RecA acts as a switch to regulate the occupancy of polymerases within a moving replisome.

A proposal: Source of single strand DNA that elicits the SOS response

Chromosome replication is performed by numerous proteins that function together as a "replisome". The replisome machinery duplicates both strands of the parental DNA simultaneously. Upon DNA damage to the cell, replisome action produces single-strand DNA to which RecA binds, enabling its activity in cleaving the LexA repressor and thus inducing the SOS response. How single-strand DNA is produced by a replisome acting on damaged DNA is not clear. For many years it has been assumed the single-strand DNA is generated by the replicative helicase, which continues unwinding DNA even after DNA polymerase stalls at a template lesion. Recent studies indicate another source of the single-strand DNA, resulting from an inherently dynamic replisome that may hop over template lesions on both leading and lagging strands, thereby leaving single-strand gaps in the wake of the replication fork. These single-strand gaps are proposed to be the origin of the single-strand DNA that triggers the SOS response after DNA damage.

Escherichia coli DinB inhibits replication fork progression without significantly inducing the SOS response

The SOS response is readily triggered by replication fork stalling caused by DNA damage or a dysfunctional replicative apparatus in Escherichia coli cells. E. coli dinB encodes DinB DNA polymerase and its expression is upregulated during the SOS response. DinB catalyzes translesion DNA synthesis in place of a replicative DNA polymerase III that is stalled at a DNA lesion. We showed previously that DNA replication was suppressed without exogenous DNA damage in cells overproducing DinB. In this report, we confirm that this was due to a dose-dependent inhibition of ongoing replication forks by DinB. Interestingly, the DinB-overproducing cells did not significantly induce the SOS response even though DNA replication was perturbed. RecA protein is activated by forming a nucleoprotein filament with single-stranded DNA, which leads to the onset of the SOS response. In the DinB-overproducing cells, RecA was not activated to induce the SOS response. However, the SOS response was observed after heat-inducible activation in strain recA441 (encoding a temperature-sensitive RecA) and after replication blockage in strain dnaE486 (encoding a temperature-sensitive catalytic subunit of the replicative DNA polymerase III) at a non-permissive temperature when DinB was overproduced in these cells. Furthermore, since catalytically inactive DinB could avoid the SOS response to a DinB-promoted fork block, it is unlikely that overproduced DinB takes control of primer extension and thus limits single-stranded DNA. These observations suggest that DinB possesses a feature that suppresses DNA replication but does not abolish the cell's capacity to induce the SOS response. We conclude that DinB impedes replication fork progression in a way that does not activate RecA, in contrast to obstructive DNA lesions and dysfunctional replication machinery.

Effects of non-catalytic, distal amino acid residues on activity of E. coli DinB (DNA polymerase IV)

DinB is one of two Y family polymerases in E. coli and is involved in copying damaged DNA. DinB is specialized to bypass deoxyguanosine adducts that occur at the N(2) position, with its cognate lesion being the furfuryl adduct. Active site residues have been identified that make contact with the substrate and carry out deoxynucleotide triphosphate (dNTP) addition to the growing DNA strand. In DNA polymerases, these include negatively charged aspartate and glutamate residues (D8, D103, and E104 in E. coli DNA polymerase IV DinB). These residues position the essential magnesium ions correctly to facilitate nucleophilic attack by the primer hydroxyl group on the α-phosphate group of the incoming dNTP. To study the contribution of DinB residues to lesion bypass, the computational methods THEMATICS and POOL were employed. These methods correctly predict the known active site residues, as well as other residues known to be important for activity. In addition, these methods predict other residues involved in substrate binding as well as more remote residues. DinB variants with mutations at the predicted positions were constructed and assayed for bypass of the N(2) -furfuryl-dG lesion. We find a wide range of effects of predicted residues, including some mutations that abolish damage bypass. Moreover, most of the DinB variants constructed are unable to carry out the extension step of lesion bypass. The use of computational prediction methods represents another tool that will lead to a more complete understanding of translesion DNA synthesis.

Structural model of the Y-Family DNA polymerase V/RecA mutasome

To synthesize past DNA damaged by chemicals or radiation, cells have lesion bypass DNA polymerases (DNAPs), most of which are in the Y-Family. One class of Y-Family DNAPs includes DNAP η in eukaryotes and DNAP V in bacteria, which have low fidelity when replicating undamaged DNA. In Escherchia coli, DNAP V is carefully regulated to insure it is active for lesion bypass only, and one mode of regulation involves interaction of the polymerase subunit (UmuC) and two regulatory subunits (UmuD') with a RecA-filament bound to ss-DNA. Taking a docking approach, ∼150,000 unique orientations involving UmuC, UmuD' and RecA were evaluated to generate models, one of which was judged best able to rationalize the following published findings. (1) In the UmuD'(2)C/RecA-filament model, R64-UmuC interacts with S117-RecA, which is known to be at the UmuC/RecA interface. (2) At the model's UmuC/RecA interface, UmuC has three basic amino acids (K59/R63/R64) that anchor it to RecA. No other Y-Family DNAP has three basic amino acids clustered in this region, making it a plausible site for UmuC to form its unique interaction with RecA. (3) In the model, residues N32/N33/D34 of UmuC form a second interface with RecA, which is consistent with published findings. (4) Active UmuD' is generated when 24 amino acids in the N-terminal tail of UmuD are proteolyzed, which occurs when UmuD(2)C binds the RecA-filament. When UmuD is included in an UmuD(2)C/RecA-filament model, plausible UmuD/RecA contacts guide the UmuD cleavage site (C24/G25) into the UmuD proteolysis active site (S60/K97). One contact involves E11-UmuD interacting with R243-RecA, where the latter is known to be important for UmuD cleavage. (5) The UmuD(2)C/RecA-filament model rationalizes published findings that at least some UmuD-to-UmuD' cleavage occurs intermolecularly. (6) Active DNAP V is known to be the heterotetramer UmuD'(2)C/RecA, a model of which can be generated by a simple rearrangement of the RecA monomer at the 3'-end of the RecA-filament. The rearranged UmuD'(2)C/RecA model rationalizes published findings about UmuD' residues in proximity to RecA. In summary, docking and molecular simulations are used to develop an UmuD'(2)C/RecA model, whose structure rationalizes much of the known properties of the active form of DNA polymerase V.

Monitoring bypass of single replication-blocking lesions by damage avoidance in the Escherichia coli chromosome

Although most deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) lesions are accurately repaired before replication, replication across unrepaired lesions is the main source of point mutations. The lesion tolerance processes, which allow damaged DNA to be replicated, entail two branches, error-prone translesion synthesis (TLS) and error-free damage avoidance (DA). While TLS pathways are reasonably well established, DA pathways are poorly understood. The fate of a replication-blocking lesion is generally explored by means of plasmid-based assays. Although such assays represent efficient tools to analyse TLS, we show here that plasmid-borne lesions are inappropriate models to study DA pathways due to extensive replication fork uncoupling. This observation prompted us to develop a method to graft, site-specifically, a single lesion in the genome of a living cell. With this novel assay, we show that in Escherichia coli DA events massively outweigh TLS events and that in contrast to plasmid, chromosome-borne lesions partially require RecA for tolerance.

Synthetic nucleotides as probes of DNA polymerase specificity

The genetic code is continuously expanding with new nucleobases designed to suit specific research needs. These synthetic nucleotides are used to study DNA polymerase dynamics and specificity and may even inhibit DNA polymerase activity. The availability of an increasing chemical diversity of nucleotides allows questions of utilization by different DNA polymerases to be addressed. Much of the work in this area deals with the A family DNA polymerases, for example, Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I, which are DNA polymerases involved in replication and whose fidelity is relatively high, but more recent work includes other families of polymerases, including the Y family, whose members are known to be error prone. This paper focuses on the ability of DNA polymerases to utilize nonnatural nucleotides in DNA templates or as the incoming nucleoside triphosphates. Beyond the utility of nonnatural nucleotides as probes of DNA polymerase specificity, such entities can also provide insight into the functions of DNA polymerases when encountering DNA that is damaged by natural agents. Thus, synthetic nucleotides provide insight into how polymerases deal with nonnatural nucleotides as well as into the mutagenic potential of nonnatural nucleotides.

Induction of mycobacterial resistance to quinolone class antimicrobials

An agar plate assay was developed for detecting the induction of drug-resistant mycobacterial mutants during exposure to inhibitors of DNA gyrase. When Mycobacterium smegmatis on drug-containing agar, resistant colonies arose over a period of 2 weeks. A recA deficiency reduced mutant recovery, consistent with involvement of the SOS response in mutant induction. The C-8-methoxy compounds gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin allowed the recovery of fewer resistant mutants than either ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin when present at the same multiple of the MIC; a quinolone-like 8-methoxy-quinazoline-2,4-dione was more effective at restricting the emergence of resistant mutants than its cognate fluoroquinolone. Thus, the structure of fluoroquinolone-like compounds affects mutant recovery. A spontaneous mutator mutant of M. smegmatis, obtained by growth in medium containing both isoniazid and rifampin, increased mutant induction during exposure to ciprofloxacin. Moreover, the mutator increased the size of spontaneous resistant mutant subpopulations, as detected by population analysis. Induction of ciprofloxacin resistance was also observed with Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. When measured with clinical isolates, no difference in mutant recovery was observed between multidrug-resistant (MDR) and pansusceptible isolates. This finding is consistent with at least some MDR isolates of M. tuberculosis lacking mutators detectable by the agar plate assay. Collectively, the data indicate that the use of fluoroquinolones against tuberculosis may induce resistance and that the choice of quinolone may be important for restricting the recovery of induced mutants.

Evidence for a Rad18-independent frameshift mutagenesis pathway in human cell-free extracts

Bypass of replication blocks by specialized DNA polymerases is crucial for cell survival but may promote mutagenesis and genome instability. To gain insight into mutagenic sub-pathways that coexist in mammalian cells, we examined N-2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF)-induced frameshift mutagenesis by means of SV40-based shuttle vectors containing a single adduct. We found that in mammalian cells, as previously observed in E. coli, modification of the third guanine of two target sequences, 5'-GGG-3' (3G) and 5'-GGCGCC-3' (NarI site), induces –1 and –2 frameshift mutations, respectively. Using an in vitro assay for translesion synthesis, we investigated the biochemical control of these events. We showed that Pol eta, but neither Pol iota nor Pol zeta, plays a major role in the frameshift bypass of the AAF adduct located in the 3G sequence. By complementing PCNA-depleted extracts with either a wild-type or a non-ubiquitinatable form of PCNA, we found that this Pol eta-mediated pathway requires Rad18 and ubiquitination of PCNA. In contrast, when the AAF adduct is located within the NarI site, TLS is only partially dependent upon Pol eta and Rad18, unravelling the existence of alternative pathways that concurrently bypass this lesion.

Low-mutation-rate, reduced-genome Escherichia coli: an improved host for faithful maintenance of engineered genetic constructs

Background

Molecular mechanisms generating genetic variation provide the basis for evolution and long-term survival of a population in a changing environment. In stable, laboratory conditions, the variation-generating mechanisms are dispensable, as there is limited need for the cell to adapt to adverse conditions. In fact, newly emerging, evolved features might be undesirable when working on highly refined, precise molecular and synthetic biological tasks.

Results

By constructing low-mutation-rate variants, we reduced the evolutionary capacity of MDS42, a reduced-genome E. coli strain engineered to lack most genes irrelevant for laboratory/industrial applications. Elimination of diversity-generating, error-prone DNA polymerase enzymes involved in induced mutagenesis achieved a significant stabilization of the genome. The resulting strain, while retaining normal growth, showed a significant decrease in overall mutation rates, most notably under various stress conditions. Moreover, the error-prone polymerase-free host allowed relatively stable maintenance of a toxic methyltransferase-expressing clone. In contrast, the parental strain produced mutant clones, unable to produce functional methyltransferase, which quickly overgrew the culture to a high ratio (50% of clones in a 24-h induction period lacked functional methyltransferase activity). The surprisingly large stability-difference observed between the strains was due to the combined effects of high stress-induced mutagenesis in the parental strain, growth inhibition by expression of the toxic protein, and selection/outgrowth of mutants no longer producing an active, toxic enzyme.

Conclusions

By eliminating stress-inducible error-prone DNA-polymerases, the genome of the mobile genetic element-free E. coli strain MDS42 was further stabilized. The resulting strain represents an improved host in various synthetic and molecular biological applications, allowing more stable production of growth-inhibiting biomolecules.

Quantitative measurement of translesion DNA synthesis in mammalian cells

Translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) is a DNA damage tolerance mechanism, in which specialized low-fidelity DNA polymerases bypass lesions that interfere with replication. This process is inherently mutagenic due to the miscoding nature of DNA lesions, but it prevents double strand breaks, genome instability, and cancer. We describe here a quantitative method for measuring TLS in mammalian cells, based on non-replicating plasmids that carry a defined and site-specific DNA lesion in a single-stranded DNA region opposite a gap. The assay is responsive to the cellular composition of TLS DNA polymerases, and TLS regulators. It can be used with a broad variety of cultured mammalian cells, and is amenable to RNAi gene silencing, making it a useful tool in the study of TLS in mammalian cells.

Increase in dNTP pool size during the DNA damage response plays a key role in spontaneous and induced-mutagenesis in Escherichia coli

Exposure of Escherichia coli to UV light increases expression of NrdAB, the major ribonucleotide reductase leading to a moderate increase in dNTP levels. The role of elevated dNTP levels during translesion synthesis (TLS) across specific replication-blocking lesions was investigated. Here we show that although the specialized DNA polymerase PolV is necessary for replication across UV-lesions, such as cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers or pyrimidine(6-4)pyrimidone photoproduct, Pol V per se is not sufficient. Indeed, efficient TLS additionally requires elevated dNTP levels. Similarly, for the bypass of an N-2-acetylaminofluorene-guanine adduct that requires Pol II instead of PolV, efficient TLS is only observed under conditions of high dNTP levels. We suggest that increased dNTP levels transiently modify the activity balance of Pol III (i.e., increasing the polymerase and reducing the proofreading functions). Indeed, we show that the stimulation of TLS by elevated dNTP levels can be mimicked by genetic inactivation of the proofreading function (mutD5 allele). We also show that spontaneous mutagenesis increases proportionally to dNTP pool levels, thus defining a unique spontaneous mutator phenotype. The so-called "dNTP mutator" phenotype does not depend upon any of the specialized DNA polymerases, and is thus likely to reflect an increase in Pol III's own replication errors because of the modified activity balance of Pol III. As up-regulation of the dNTP pool size represents a common physiological response to DNA damage, the present model is likely to represent a general and unique paradigm for TLS pathways in many organisms.

Translesion-synthesis DNA polymerases participate in replication of the telomeres in Streptomyces

Linear chromosomes and linear plasmids of Streptomyces are capped by terminal proteins that are covalently bound to the 5′-ends of DNA. Replication is initiated from an internal origin, which leaves single-stranded gaps at the 3′-ends. These gaps are patched by terminal protein-primed DNA synthesis. Streptomyces contain five DNA polymerases: one DNA polymerase I (Pol I), two DNA polymerases III (Pol III) and two DNA polymerases IV (Pol IV). Of these, one Pol III, DnaE1, is essential for replication, and Pol I is not required for end patching. In this study, we found the two Pol IVs (DinB1 and DinB2) to be involved in end patching. dinB1 and dinB2 could not be co-deleted from wild-type strains containing a linear chromosome, but could be co-deleted from mutant strains containing a circular chromosome. The resulting ΔdinB1 ΔdinB2 mutants supported replication of circular but not linear plasmids, and exhibited increased ultraviolet sensitivity and ultraviolet-induced mutagenesis. In contrast, the second Pol III, DnaE2, was not required for replication, end patching, or ultraviolet resistance and mutagenesis. All five polymerase genes are relatively syntenous in the Streptomyces chromosomes, including a 4-bp overlap between dnaE2 and dinB2. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the dinB1-dinB2 duplication occurred in a common actinobacterial ancestor.

Role of damage-specific DNA polymerases in M13 phage mutagenesis induced by a major lipid peroxidation product trans-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal

One of the major lipid peroxidation products trans-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE), forms cyclic propano- or ethenoadducts bearing six- or seven-carbon atom side chains to G>C≫A>T. To specify the role of SOS DNA polymerases in HNE-induced mutations, we tested survival and mutation spectra in the lacZα gene of M13mp18 phage, whose DNA was treated in vitro with HNE, and which was grown in uvrA(-)Escherichia coli strains, carrying one, two or all three SOS DNA polymerases. When Pol IV was the only DNA SOS polymerase in the bacterial host, survival of HNE-treated M13 DNA was similar to, but mutation frequency was lower than in the strain containing all SOS DNA polymerases. When only Pol II or Pol V were present in host bacteria, phage survival decreased dramatically. Simultaneously, mutation frequency was substantially increased, but exclusively in the strain carrying only Pol V, suggesting that induction of mutations by HNE is mainly dependent on Pol V. To determine the role of Pol II and Pol IV in HNE induced mutagenesis, Pol II or Pol IV were expressed together with Pol V. This resulted in decrease of mutation frequency, suggesting that both enzymes can compete with Pol V, and bypass HNE-DNA adducts in an error-free manner. However, HNE-DNA adducts were easily bypassed by Pol IV and only infrequently by Pol II. Mutation spectrum established for strains expressing only Pol V, showed that in uvrA(-) bacteria the frequency of base substitutions and recombination increased in relation to NER proficient strains, particularly mutations at adenine sites. Among base substitutions A:T→C:G, A:T→G:C, G:C→A:T and G:C→T:A prevailed. The results suggest that Pol V can infrequently bypass HNE-DNA adducts inducing mutations at G, C and A sites, while bypass by Pol IV and Pol II is error-free, but for Pol II infrequent.

Involvement of specialized DNA polymerases Pol II, Pol IV and DnaE2 in DNA replication in the absence of Pol I in Pseudomonas putida

The majority of bacteria possess a different set of specialized DNA polymerases than those identified in the most common model organism Escherichia coli. Here, we have studied the ability of specialized DNA polymerases to substitute Pol I in DNA replication in Pseudomonas putida. Our results revealed that P. putida Pol I-deficient cells have severe growth defects in LB medium, which is accompanied by filamentous cell morphology. However, growth of Pol I-deficient bacteria on solid rich medium can be restored by reduction of reactive oxygen species in cells. Also, mutants with improved growth emerge rapidly. Similarly to the initial Pol I-deficient P. putida, its adapted derivatives express a moderate mutator phenotype, which indicates that DNA replication carried out in the absence of Pol I is erroneous both in the original Pol I-deficient bacteria and the adapted derivatives. Analysis of the spectra of spontaneous Rif(r) mutations in P. putida strains lacking different DNA polymerases revealed that the presence of specialized DNA polymerases Pol II and Pol IV influences the frequency of certain base substitutions in Pol I-proficient and Pol I-deficient backgrounds in opposite ways. Involvement of another specialized DNA polymerase DnaE2 in DNA replication in Pol I-deficient bacteria is stimulated by UV irradiation of bacteria, implying that DnaE2-provided translesion synthesis partially substitutes the absence of Pol I in cells containing heavily damaged DNA.