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Berdis A. Nucleobase-modified nucleosides and nucleotides: Applications in biochemistry, synthetic biology, and drug discovery. Front Chem 2022; 10:1051525. [PMID: 36531317 PMCID: PMC9748101 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.1051525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
. DNA is often referred to as the "molecule of life" since it contains the genetic blueprint for all forms of life on this planet. The core building blocks composing DNA are deoxynucleotides. While the deoxyribose sugar and phosphate group are ubiquitous, it is the composition and spatial arrangement of the four natural nucleobases, adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T), that provide diversity in the coding information present in DNA. The ability of DNA to function as the genetic blueprint has historically been attributed to the formation of proper hydrogen bonding interactions made between complementary nucleobases. However, recent chemical and biochemical studies using nucleobase-modified nucleotides that contain "non-hydrogen bonding" functional groups have challenged many of the dogmatic views for the necessity of hydrogen-bonding interactions for DNA stability and function. Based on years of exciting research, this area has expanded tremendously and is thus too expansive to provide a comprehensive review on the topic. As such, this review article provides an opinion highlighting how nucleobase-modified nucleotides are being applied in diverse biomedical fields, focusing on three exciting areas of research. The first section addresses how these analogs are used as mechanistic probes for DNA polymerase activity and fidelity during replication. This section outlines the synthetic logic and medicinal chemistry approaches used to replace hydrogen-bonding functional groups to examine the contributions of shape/size, nucleobase hydrophobicity, and pi-electron interactions. The second section extends these mechanistic studies to provide insight into how nucleobase-modified nucleosides are used in synthetic biology. One example is through expansion of the genetic code in which changing the composition of DNA makes it possible to site-specifically incorporate unnatural amino acids bearing unique functional groups into enzymes and receptors. The final section describes results of pre-clinical studies using nucleobase-modified nucleosides as potential therapeutic agents against diseases such as cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Berdis
- Department of Chemistry, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, United States
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2
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Figazzolo C, Ma Y, Tucker JHR, Hollenstein M. Ferrocene as a potential electrochemical reporting surrogate of abasic sites in DNA. Org Biomol Chem 2022; 20:8125-8135. [DOI: 10.1039/d2ob01540d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
We have evaluated the possibility of replacing abasic sites with ferrocene for enzymatic synthesis of canonical and modified DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Figazzolo
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Laboratory for Bioorganic Chemistry of Nucleic Acids, CNRS UMR3523, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France
- Learning Planet Institute, 8, rue Charles V, 75004 Paris, France
| | - Yifeng Ma
- School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | | | - Marcel Hollenstein
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Laboratory for Bioorganic Chemistry of Nucleic Acids, CNRS UMR3523, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France
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3
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Röthlisberger P, Levi-Acobas F, Leumann CJ, Hollenstein M. Enzymatic synthesis of biphenyl-DNA oligonucleotides. Bioorg Med Chem 2020; 28:115487. [PMID: 32284226 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2020.115487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The incorporation of nucleotides equipped with C-glycosidic aromatic nucleobases into DNA and RNA is an alluring strategy for a number of practical applications including fluorescent labelling of oligonucleotides, expansion of the genetic alphabet for the generation of aptamers and semi-synthetic organisms, or the modulation of excess electron transfer within DNA. However, the generation of C-nucleoside containing oligonucleotides relies mainly on solid-phase synthesis which is quite labor intensive and restricted to short sequences. Here, we explore the possibility of constructing biphenyl-modified DNA sequences using enzymatic synthesis. The presence of multiple biphenyl-units or biphenyl residues modified with electron donors and acceptors permits the incorporation of a single dBphMP nucleotide. Moreover, templates with multiple abasic sites enable the incorporation of up to two dBphMP nucleotides, while TdT-mediated tailing reactions produce single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides with four biphenyl residues appended at the 3'-end.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Röthlisberger
- Institut Pasteur, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Laboratory for Bioorganic Chemistry of Nucleic Acids, CNRS UMR 3523, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France; Institut Pasteur, Department of Genome and Genetics, Paris, France
| | - Fabienne Levi-Acobas
- Institut Pasteur, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Laboratory for Bioorganic Chemistry of Nucleic Acids, CNRS UMR 3523, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France; Institut Pasteur, Department of Genome and Genetics, Paris, France
| | - Christian J Leumann
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marcel Hollenstein
- Institut Pasteur, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Laboratory for Bioorganic Chemistry of Nucleic Acids, CNRS UMR 3523, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France; Institut Pasteur, Department of Genome and Genetics, Paris, France.
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Hernandez-Sanchez W, Huang W, Plucinsky B, Garcia-Vazquez N, Robinson NJ, Schiemann WP, Berdis AJ, Skordalakes E, Taylor DJ. A non-natural nucleotide uses a specific pocket to selectively inhibit telomerase activity. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000204. [PMID: 30951520 PMCID: PMC6469803 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Revised: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomerase, a unique reverse transcriptase that specifically extends the ends of linear chromosomes, is up-regulated in the vast majority of cancer cells. Here, we show that an indole nucleotide analog, 5-methylcarboxyl-indolyl-2'-deoxyriboside 5'-triphosphate (5-MeCITP), functions as an inhibitor of telomerase activity. The crystal structure of 5-MeCITP bound to the Tribolium castaneum telomerase reverse transcriptase reveals an atypical interaction, in which the nucleobase is flipped in the active site. In this orientation, the methoxy group of 5-MeCITP extends out of the canonical active site to interact with a telomerase-specific hydrophobic pocket formed by motifs 1 and 2 in the fingers domain and T-motif in the RNA-binding domain of the telomerase reverse transcriptase. In vitro data show that 5-MeCITP inhibits telomerase with a similar potency as the clinically administered nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor azidothymidine (AZT). In addition, cell-based studies show that treatment with the cell-permeable nucleoside counterpart of 5-MeCITP leads to telomere shortening in telomerase-positive cancer cells, while resulting in significantly lower cytotoxic effects in telomerase-negative cell lines when compared with AZT treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wei Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Brian Plucinsky
- The Wistar Institute Gene Expression and Regulation Program, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Nelson Garcia-Vazquez
- Department of Pharmacology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Nathaniel J. Robinson
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - William P. Schiemann
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Anthony J. Berdis
- Department of Chemistry, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Emmanuel Skordalakes
- The Wistar Institute Gene Expression and Regulation Program, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Derek J. Taylor
- Department of Pharmacology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
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A Comparative Analysis of Translesion DNA Synthesis Catalyzed by a High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase. J Mol Biol 2017; 429:2308-2323. [PMID: 28601494 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2017.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Revised: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) is the ability of DNA polymerases to incorporate nucleotides opposite and beyond damaged DNA. TLS activity is an important risk factor for the initiation and progression of genetic diseases such as cancer. In this study, we evaluate the ability of a high-fidelity DNA polymerase to perform TLS with 8-oxo-guanine (8-oxo-G), a highly pro-mutagenic DNA lesion formed by reactive oxygen species. Results of kinetic studies monitoring the incorporation of modified nucleotide analogs demonstrate that the binding affinity of the incoming dNTP is controlled by the overall hydrophobicity of the nucleobase. However, the rate constant for the polymerization step is regulated by hydrogen-bonding interactions made between the incoming nucleotide with 8-oxo-G. Results generated here for replicating the miscoding 8-oxo-G are compared to those published for the replication of the non-instructional abasic site. During the replication of both lesions, binding of the nucleotide substrate is controlled by energetics associated with nucleobase desolvation, whereas the rate constant for the polymerization step is influenced by the physical nature of the DNA lesion, that is, miscoding versus non-instructional. Collectively, these studies highlight the importance of nucleobase desolvation as a key physical feature that enhances the misreplication of structurally diverse DNA lesions.
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Choi JS, Dasari A, Hu P, Benkovic SJ, Berdis AJ. The use of modified and non-natural nucleotides provide unique insights into pro-mutagenic replication catalyzed by polymerase eta. Nucleic Acids Res 2015; 44:1022-35. [PMID: 26717984 PMCID: PMC4756837 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv1509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2014] [Accepted: 12/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
This report evaluates the pro-mutagenic behavior of 8-oxo-guanine (8-oxo-G) by quantifying the ability of high-fidelity and specialized DNA polymerases to incorporate natural and modified nucleotides opposite this lesion. Although high-fidelity DNA polymerases such as pol δ and the bacteriophage T4 DNA polymerase replicating 8-oxo-G in an error-prone manner, they display remarkably low efficiencies for TLS compared to normal DNA synthesis. In contrast, pol η shows a combination of high efficiency and low fidelity when replicating 8-oxo-G. These combined properties are consistent with a pro-mutagenic role for pol η when replicating this DNA lesion. Studies using modified nucleotide analogs show that pol η relies heavily on hydrogen-bonding interactions during translesion DNA synthesis. However, nucleobase modifications such as alkylation to the N2 position of guanine significantly increase error-prone synthesis catalyzed by pol η when replicating 8-oxo-G. Molecular modeling studies demonstrate the existence of a hydrophobic pocket in pol η that participates in the increased utilization of certain hydrophobic nucleotides. A model is proposed for enhanced pro-mutagenic replication catalyzed by pol η that couples efficient incorporation of damaged nucleotides opposite oxidized DNA lesions created by reactive oxygen species. The biological implications of this model toward increasing mutagenic events in lung cancer are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Suk Choi
- Department of Chemistry, Cleveland State University, 2351 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA
| | - Anvesh Dasari
- Department of Chemistry, Cleveland State University, 2351 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA
| | - Peter Hu
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, 413 Wartik Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Stephen J Benkovic
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, 413 Wartik Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Anthony J Berdis
- Department of Chemistry, Cleveland State University, 2351 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Disease, Cleveland State University, 2351 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland OH 44106, USA
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Rudra A, Hou D, Zhang Y, Coulter J, Zhou H, DeWeese TL, Greenberg MM. Bromopyridone Nucleotide Analogues, Anoxic Selective Radiosensitizing Agents That Are Incorporated in DNA by Polymerases. J Org Chem 2015; 80:10675-85. [PMID: 26509218 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.5b01833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Ionizing radiation is frequently used to kill tumor cells. However, hypoxic solid tumor cells are more resistant to this treatment, providing the impetus to develop molecules that sensitize cells to ionizing radiation. 5-Bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) has been investigated as a radiosensitizing agent in the lab and clinic for almost 5 decades. Recent reports that BrdU yields DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs) in non-base-paired regions motivated us to develop radiosensitizing agents that generate cross-links in duplex DNA selectively under anoxic conditions. 4-Bromo- and 5-bromopyridone analogues of BrdU were synthesized and incorporated into oligonucleotides via solid-phase synthesis. Upon irradiation, these molecules yield DNA interstrand cross-links under anaerobic conditions. The respective nucleotide triphosphates are substrates for some DNA polymerases. ICLs are produced upon irradiation under anoxic conditions when the 4-bromopyridone is present in a PCR product. Because the nucleoside analogue is a poor phosphorylation substrate for human deoxycytidine kinase, a pro-nucleotide form of the 4-bromopyridone was used to incorporate this analogue into cellular DNA. Despite these efforts, the 4-bromopyridone nucleotide was not detected in cellular DNA. Although these molecules are improvements over previously reported nucleotide analogues designed to be hypoxic radiosensitizing agents, additional advances are needed to create molecules that function in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnab Rudra
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University , 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Dianjie Hou
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University , 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Yonggang Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , 401 N. Broadway, Baltimore, Maryland 21231, United States.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore, Maryland 21231, United States
| | - Jonathan Coulter
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , 401 N. Broadway, Baltimore, Maryland 21231, United States
| | - Haoming Zhou
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , 401 N. Broadway, Baltimore, Maryland 21231, United States
| | - Theodore L DeWeese
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , 401 N. Broadway, Baltimore, Maryland 21231, United States.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore, Maryland 21231, United States
| | - Marc M Greenberg
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University , 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
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Abstract
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This review will summarize our structural
and kinetic studies of
RB69 DNA polymerase (RB69pol) as well as selected variants of the
wild-type enzyme that were undertaken to obtain a deeper understanding
of the exquisitely high fidelity of B family replicative DNA polymerases.
We discuss how the structures of the various RB69pol ternary complexes
can be used to rationalize the results obtained from pre-steady-state
kinetic assays. Our main findings can be summarized as follows. (i)
Interbase hydrogen bond interactions can increase catalytic efficiency
by 5000-fold; meanwhile, base selectivity is not solely determined
by the number of hydrogen bonds between the incoming dNTP and the
templating base. (ii) Minor-groove hydrogen bond interactions at positions n – 1 and n – 2 of the primer
strand and position n – 1 of the template
strand in RB69pol ternary complexes are essential for efficient primer
extension and base selectivity. (iii) Partial charge interactions
among the incoming dNTP, the penultimate base pair, and the hydration
shell surrounding the incoming dNTP modulate nucleotide insertion
efficiency and base selectivity. (iv) Steric clashes between mismatched
incoming dNTPs and templating bases with amino acid side chains in
the nascent base pair binding pocket (NBP) as well as weak interactions
and large gaps between the incoming dNTPs and the templating base
are some of the reasons that incorrect dNTPs are incorporated so inefficiently
by wild-type RB69pol. In addition, we developed a tC°–tCnitro Förster resonance energy transfer assay to monitor
partitioning of the primer terminus between the polymerase and exonuclease
subdomains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangluo Xia
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University , New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8024, United States
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Golden J, Motea E, Zhang X, Choi JS, Feng Y, Xu Y, Lee I, Berdis AJ. Development and characterization of a non-natural nucleoside that displays anticancer activity against solid tumors. ACS Chem Biol 2013; 8:2452-65. [PMID: 23992753 DOI: 10.1021/cb400350h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Nucleoside analogs are an important class of anticancer agent that historically show better efficacy against hematological cancers versus solid tumors. This report describes the development and characterization of a new class of nucleoside analog that displays anticancer effects against both hematological and adherent cancer cell lines. These new analogs lack canonical hydrogen-bonding groups yet are effective nucleotide substrates for several high-fidelity DNA polymerases. Permutations in the position of the non-hydrogen-bonding functional group greatly influence the kinetic behavior of these nucleosides. One particular analog designated 4-nitroindolyl-2'-deoxynucleoside triphosphate (4-NITP) is unique as it is incorporated opposite C and T with high catalytic efficiencies. In addition, this analog functions as a nonobligate chain terminator of DNA synthesis, since it is poorly elongated. Consistent with this mechanism, the corresponding nucleoside, 4-nitroindolyl-2'-deoxynucleoside (4-NIdR), produces antiproliferative effects against leukemia cells. 4-NIdR also produces cytostatic and cytotoxic effects against several adherent cancer cell lines, especially those that are deficient in mismatch repair and p53. Cell death in this case appears to occur via mitotic catastrophe, a specialized form of apoptosis. Mass spectroscopy experiments performed on nucleic acid isolated from cells treated with 4-NIdR validate that the non-natural nucleoside is stably incorporated into DNA. Xenograft mouse studies demonstrate that administration of 4-NIdR delays tumor growth without producing adverse side effects such as anemia and thrombocytopenia. Collectively, the results of in vitro, cell-based, and animal studies provide evidence for the development of a novel nucleoside analog that shows enhanced effectiveness against solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackelyn Golden
- Departments of Pharmacology and ‡Chemistry, Case Western Reserve University , 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
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