New ara-C resistant mutants of the Chinese hamster ovary cells

Aphidicolin-resistant Chinese hamster ovary cells possess altered DNA polymerases of the alpha-family

DNA polymerases alpha, delta and epsilon were partially purified and characterized from a wild type Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line and from two aphidicolin-resistant mutant CHO cell lines (BR5 and BR5-20a). The main characteristics of the wild type and mutant DNA polymerases were compared in order to reveal differences in the properties of these enzymes responsible for the aphidicolin resistance of the mutant cell lines. Pol alpha's of the mutant cells show: (1) in vitro aphidicolin-resistance, (2) 1.5-3-fold lower specific activity than that of the wild type, (3) resistance to cytosine and adenosine arabinofuranoside 5'-triphosphate (araCTP and araATP), (4) altered resistance to carbonyldiphosphonate (COMDP) and to alkylphenyl nucleotide analogs (butylphenyl-dGTP and butylanilino-dATP), and (5) lower activity on poly(dA)/oligo(dT) template-primers. These changes in the biochemical properties of this enzyme may result from a mutation in pol alpha gene. Pol epsilon and delta of the mutant cells did not differ from the wild type enzymes with respect to aphidicolin resistance. However, the specific activities of these mutant enzymes were much higher (1.5 to 8-fold for pol epsilon and 4 to 20-fold for pol delta) in comparison to that of the wild type enzymes. Also in comparison to the wild type enzymes, the mutant pol epsilon showed changes in the template-primer preference; whereas the mutant pol delta was found to have altered sensitivity to other inhibitors. These results indicate that pol epsilon and pol delta are also altered as a secondary effect of mutation in the aphidicolin-resistant cells. It is suggested that these altered properties of the DNA pols of the alpha family are responsible for the in vivo aphidicolin resistance of the mutant cells.

Dominant mutation in mouse cells associated with resistance to Hoechst 33258 dye, but sensitivity to ultraviolet light and DNA base-damaging compounds

A spontaneous derivative of murine L tk- cells has been isolated which has gained a resistance to the cytostatic/lethal effects of high concentrations of Hoechst 33258. The resistant clone HoeR-415 was at least 20-fold more resistant to the dye (D10 dose). HoeR-415 cells have a normal response to X-rays and mitomycin-C and colchicine but were found to show a small sensitivity to UV light, 4NQO, and EMS (1.4, 1.6, and 1.6-fold lower D10 doses, respectively). HoeR-415 cells do not show an increased mutability by EMS. The HoeR phenotype was found to be codominant in hybrids. In order to explain these various characteristics, we suggest that the HoeR-415 mutation may result in an altered topoisomerase activity. Consistent with this we find HoeR-415 cells have an increased sensitivity to novobiocin.

Chinese hamster ovary cell mutants resistant to DNA polymerase inhibitors. I. Isolation and biochemical genetic characterization

Isolation and characterization of Chinese hamster ovary cell mutants resistant to different DNA polymerase inhibitors (aphidicolin, ara-A and ara-C) have been described. A particular mutant (JK3-1-2A) characterized in detail was found to grow and synthesize DNA in medium containing an amount of aphidicolin tenfold greater than that which completely inhibited the growth and the DNA synthesis of the wild-type cells. An almost twofold increase in the specific activity of the DNA polymerase alpha was seen in this mutant. The mutant DNA polymerase showed altered aphidicolin inhibition kinetics of dCMP incorporation; the apparent Km for dCTP and the apparent Ki for aphidicolin were increased in the mutant. These alterations in the kinetic parameters were, however, abolished upon further purification of the enzyme. Ara-CTP was found to act as a competitive inhibitor of the dCMP incorporation by both the wild type and mutant enzymes. In contrast, the effect of aphidicolin on dCMP incorporation was either competitive (wild-type enzymes) or noncompetitive (mutant enzyme). The data presented showed that the sites of action for aphidicolin and ara-CTP were distinct; likewise the dCTP binding site appeared to be separate from other dNTP(s) binding sites. The drug resistance of the mutant was inherited as a dominant trait.