Unlike catalyzing error-free bypass of 8-oxodGuo, DNA polymerase λ is responsible for a significant part of Fapy·dG-induced G → T mutations in human cells

Promoter dependent RNA polymerase II bypass of the epimerizable DNA lesion, Fapy•dG and 8-Oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine

Formamidopyrimidine (Fapy•dG) is a major lesion arising from oxidation of dG that is produced from a common chemical precursor of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OxodGuo). In human cells, replication of single-stranded shuttle vectors containing Fapy•dG is more mutagenic than 8-OxodGuo. Here, we present the first data regarding promoter dependent RNA polymerase II bypass of Fapy•dG. 8-OxodGuo bypass was examined side-by-side. Experiments were carried out using double-stranded shuttle vectors in HeLa cell nuclear lysates and in HEK 293T cells. The lesions do not significantly block transcriptional bypass efficiency. Less than 2% adenosine incorporation occurred in cells when the lesions were base paired with dC. Inhibiting base excision repair in HEK 293T cells significantly increased adenosine incorporation, particularly from Fapy•dG:dC bypass which yielded ∼25% adenosine incorporation. No effect was detected upon transcriptional bypass of either lesion in nucleotide excision repair deficient cells. Transcriptional mutagenesis was significantly higher when shuttle vectors containing dA opposite one of the lesions were employed. For Fapy•dG:dA bypass, adenosine incorporation was greater than 85%; whereas 8-OxodGuo:dA yielded >20% point mutations. The combination of more frequent replication mistakes and greater error-prone Pol II bypass suggest that Fapy•dG is more mutagenic than 8-OxodGuo.

Molecular Mechanism of RNA Polymerase II Transcriptional Mutagenesis by the Epimerizable DNA Lesion, Fapy·dG

Oxidative DNA lesions cause significant detrimental effects on a living species. Two major DNA lesions resulting from dG oxidation, 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OxodGuo) and formamidopyrimidine (Fapy·dG), are produced from a common chemical intermediate. Fapy·dG is formed in comparable yields under oxygen-deficient conditions. Replicative bypass of Fapy·dG in human cells is more mutagenic than that of 8-OxodGuo. Despite the biological importance of transcriptional mutagenesis, there are no reports of the effects of Fapy·dG on RNA polymerase II (Pol II) activity. Here we perform comprehensive kinetic studies to investigate the impact of Fapy·dG on three key transcriptional fidelity checkpoint steps by Pol II: insertion, extension, and proofreading steps. The ratios of error-free versus error-prone incorporation opposite Fapy·dG are significantly reduced in comparison with undamaged dG. Similarly, Fapy·dG:A mispair is extended with comparable efficiency as that of the error-free, Fapy·dG:C base pair. The α- and β-configurational isomers of Fapy·dG have distinct effects on Pol II insertion and extension. Pol II can preferentially cleave error-prone products by proofreading. To further understand the structural basis of transcription processing of Fapy·dG, five different structures were solved, including Fapy·dG template-loading state (apo), error-free cytidine triphosphate (CTP) binding state (prechemistry), error-prone ATP binding state (prechemistry), error-free Fapy·dG:C product state (postchemistry), and error-prone Fapy·dG:A product state (postchemistry), revealing distinctive nucleotide binding and product states. Taken together, our study provides a comprehensive mechanistic framework for better understanding how Fapy·dG lesions impact transcription and subsequent pathological consequences.

Conformation-dependent lesion bypass of bulky arylamine-dG adducts generated from 2-nitrofluorene in epigenetic sequence contexts

Sequence context influences structural characteristics and repair of DNA adducts, but there is limited information on how epigenetic modulation affects conformational heterogeneity and bypass of DNA lesions. Lesions derived from the environmental pollutant 2-nitrofluorene have been extensively studied as chemical carcinogenesis models; they adopt a sequence-dependent mix of two significant conformers: major groove binding (B) and base-displaced stacked (S). We report a conformation-dependent bypass of the N-(2'-deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-7-fluoro-2-aminofluorene (dG-FAF) lesion in epigenetic sequence contexts (d[5'-CTTCTC#G*NCCTCATTC-3'], where C# is C or 5-methylcytosine (5mC), G* is G or G-FAF, and N is A, T, C or G). FAF-modified sequences with a 3' flanking pyrimidine were better bypassed when the 5' base was 5mC, whereas sequences with a 3' purine exhibited the opposite effect. The conformational basis behind these variations differed; for -CG*C- and -CG*T-, bypass appeared to be inversely correlated with population of the duplex-destabilizing S conformer. On the other hand, the connection between conformation and a decrease in bypass for flanking purines in the 5mC sequences relative to C was more complex. It could be related to the emergence of a disruptive non-S/B conformation. The present work provides novel conformational insight into how 5mC influences the bypass efficiency of bulky DNA damage.

Aberrant Repair of 8-Oxoguanine in Short DNA Bulges

The presence of DNA damage can increase the likelihood of DNA replication errors and promote mutations. In particular, pauses of DNA polymerase at the site of damage can lead to polymerase slippage and the formation of 1-2-nucleotide bulges. Repair of such structures using an undamaged DNA template leads to small deletions. One of the most abundant oxidative DNA lesions, 8-oxoguanine (oxoG), was shown to induce small deletions, but the mechanism of this phenomenon is currently unknown. We studied the aberrant repair of oxoG located in one- and two-nucleotide bulges by the Escherichia coli and human base excision repair systems. Our results indicate that the repair in such substrates can serve as a mechanism for fixing small deletions in bacteria but not in humans.

Synergistic effects on mutagenicity of tandem lesions containing 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine or Fapy•dG flanked by a 3' 5-formyl-2'-deoxyuridine in human cells

Modified nucleotides often hinder and/or decrease the fidelity of DNA polymerases. Tandem lesions, which are comprised of DNA modifications at two contiguous nucleotide positions, can be even more detrimental to genome stability. Recently, tandem lesions containing 5-formyl-2'-deoxyuridine (5fdU) flanked at the 5'-position by 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OxodGuo) or N-(2-deoxy-α,β-D-erythropentofuranosyl)-N-(2,6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5-formamidopyrimidine (Fapy•dG) were discovered. We examined the replication of 5'- 8-OxodGuo-5fdU and 5'-Fapy•dG-5fdU tandem lesions in HEK 293T cells and several polymerase deficient variants by transfecting single-stranded vectors containing them. The local sequence of the tandem lesions encompasses the 273 codon of the p53 gene, a mutational hot-spot. The bypass efficiency and mutation spectra of the tandem lesions were compared to those of the isolated lesions. Replication of weakly mutagenic 5-fdU is little changed when part of the 5'- 8-OxodGuo-5fdU tandem lesion. G → T transversions attributable to 8-OxodGuo increase > 10-fold when the tandem lesion is bypassed. 5'-Fapy•dG-5fdU has a synergistic effect on the error-prone bypass of both lesions. The mutation frequency (MF) of 5'-Fapy•dG-5fdU increases 3-fold compared to isolated Fapy•dG. In addition, a 5'-adjacent Fapy•dG significantly increases the MF of 5fdU. The major mutation, G → T transversions, decrease by almost a third in hPol κ- cells, which is the opposite effect when isolated Fapy•dG in the same sequence context is replicated in HEK 293T cells in the same sequence. Steady-state kinetics indicate that hPol κ contributes to greater G → T transversions by decreasing the specificity constant for dCTP compared to an isolated Fapy•dG. The greater conformational freedom of Fapy•dG compared to 8-OxodGuo and its unusual ability to epimerize at the anomeric center is believed to be the source of the complex effects of 5'-Fapy•dG-5fdU on replication.

A formamidopyrimidine derivative from the deoxyguanosine adduct produced by food contaminant acrylamide induces DNA replication block and mutagenesis

Acrylamide, a common food contaminant, is metabolically activated to glycidamide, which reacts with DNA at the N7 position of dG, forming N7-(2-carbamoyl-2-hydroxyethyl)-dG (GA7dG). Owing to its chemical lability, the mutagenic potency of GA7dG has not yet been clarified. We found that GA7dG undergoes ring-opening hydrolysis to form N6-(2-deoxy-d-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-2,6-diamino-3,4-dihydro-4-oxo-5-[N-(2-carbamoyl-2-hydroxyethyl)formamido]pyrimidine (GA-FAPy-dG), even at neutral pH. Therefore, we aimed to examine the effects of GA-FAPy-dG on the efficiency and fidelity of DNA replication using an oligonucleotide carrying GA-FAPy-9-(2-deoxy-2-fluoro-β-d-arabinofuranosyl)guanine (dfG), a 2'-fluorine substituted analog of GA-FAPy-dG. GA-FAPy-dfG inhibited primer extension by both human replicative DNA polymerase ε and the translesion DNA synthesis polymerases (Polη, Polι, Polκ, and Polζ) and reduced the replication efficiency by less than half in human cells, with single base substitution at the site of GA-FAPy-dfG. Unlike other formamidopyrimidine derivatives, the most abundant mutation was G:C > A:T transition, which was decreased in Polκ- or REV1-KO cells. Molecular modeling suggested that a 2-carbamoyl-2-hydroxyethyl group at the N5 position of GA-FAPy-dfG can form an additional H-bond with thymidine, thereby contributing to the mutation. Collectively, our results provide further insight into the mechanisms underlying the mutagenic effects of acrylamide.

8-Oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine Replication in Mutational Hot Spot Sequences of the p53 Gene in Human Cells Is Less Mutagenic than That of the Corresponding Formamidopyrimidine

7,8-Dihydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OxodGuo) is a ubiquitous DNA damage formed by oxidation of 2'-deoxyguanosine. In this study, plasmid DNA containing 8-OxodGuo located in three mutational hot spots of human cancers, codons 248, 249, and 273 of the Tp53 tumor suppressor gene, was replicated in HEK 293T cells. 8-OxodGuo was only a weak block of replication, and the bypass was largely error-free. The mutations (1-5%) were primarily G → T transversions, and the mutation frequency was generally lower than that of the chemically related Fapy·dG. A unique 8-OxodGuo mutation spectrum was observed at each site, as reflected by replication in translesion synthesis (TLS) polymerase- or hPol λ-deficient cells. In codon 248 (CG*G) and 249 (AG*G), where G* denotes 8-OxodGuo, hPol η and hPol ζ carried out largely error-free bypass of the lesion, whereas hPol κ and hPol ι were involved mostly in error-prone TLS, resulting in G → T mutations. 8-OxodGuo bypass in codon 273 (CG*T) was unlike the other two sites, as hPol κ participated in the mostly error-free bypass of the lesion. Yet, in all three sites, including codon 273, simultaneous deficiency of hpol κ and hPol ι resulted in reduction of G → T transversions. This indicates a convincing role of these two TLS polymerases in error-prone bypass of 8-OxodGuo. Although the dominant mutation was G → T in each site, in codon 249, and to a lesser extent in codon 248, significant semi-targeted single-base deletions also occurred, which suggests that 8-OxodGuo can initiate slippage of a base near the lesion site. This study underscores the importance of sequence context in 8-OxodGuo mutagenesis in human cells. It also provides a more comprehensive comparison between 8-OxodGuo and the sister lesion, Fapy·dG. The greater mutagenicity of the latter in the same sequence contexts indicates that Fapy·dG is a biologically significant lesion and biomarker on par with 8-OxodGuo.

Establishing Linkages Among DNA Damage, Mutagenesis, and Genetic Diseases

DNA damage by chemicals, radiation, or oxidative stress leads to a mutational spectrum, which is complex because it is determined in part by lesion structure, the DNA sequence context of the lesion, lesion repair kinetics, and the type of cells in which the lesion is replicated. Accumulation of mutations may give rise to genetic diseases such as cancer and therefore understanding the process underlying mutagenesis is of immense importance to preserve human health. Chemical or physical agents that cause cancer often leave their mutational fingerprints, which can be used to back-calculate the molecular events that led to disease. To make a clear link between DNA lesion structure and the mutations a given lesion induces, the field of single-lesion mutagenesis was developed. In the last three decades this area of research has seen much growth in several directions, which we attempt to describe in this Perspective.

Structural Dynamics of a Common Mutagenic Oxidative DNA Lesion in Duplex DNA and during DNA Replication

N6-(2-Deoxy-α,β-d-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-2,6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5-formamido pyrimidine (Fapy•dG) is a prevalent form of genomic DNA damage. Fapy•dG is formed in greater amounts under anoxic conditions than the well-studied, chemically related 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo). Fapy•dG is more mutagenic in mammalian cells than 8-oxodGuo. A distinctive property of Fapy•dG is facile epimerization, but prior works with Fapy•dG analogues have precluded determining its effect on chemistry. We present crystallographic characterization of natural Fapy•dG in duplex DNA and as the template base for DNA polymerase β (Pol β). Fapy•dG adopts the β-anomer when base paired with cytosine but exists as a mixture of α- and β-anomers when promutagenically base paired with adenine. Rotation about the bond between the glycosidic nitrogen atom and the pyrimidine ring is also affected by the opposing nucleotide. Sodium cyanoborohydride soaking experiments trap the ring-opened Fapy•dG, demonstrating that ring opening and epimerization occur in the crystalline state. Ring opening and epimerization are facilitated by propitious water molecules that are observed in the structures. Determination of Fapy•dG mutagenicity in wild type and Pol β knockdown HEK 293T cells indicates that Pol β contributes to G → T transversions but also suppresses G → A transitions. Complementary kinetic studies have determined that Fapy•dG promotes mutagenesis by decreasing the catalytic efficiency of dCMP insertion opposite Fapy•dG, thus reducing polymerase fidelity. Kinetic studies have determined that dCMP incorporation opposite the β-anomer is ∼90 times faster than the α-anomer. This research identifies the importance of anomer dynamics, a feature unique to formamidopyrimidines, when considering the incorporation of nucleotides opposite Fapy•dG and potentially the repair of this structurally unusual lesion.

Sequence context effects of replication of Fapy•dG in three mutational hot spot sequences of the p53 gene in human cells

Fapy•dG and 8-OxodGuo are formed in DNA from a common N7-dG radical intermediate by reaction with hydroxyl radical. Although cellular levels of Fapy•dG are often greater, its effects on replication are less well understood than those of 8-OxodGuo. In this study plasmid DNA containing Fapy•dG in three mutational hotspots of human cancers, codons 248, 249, and 273 of the p53 tumor suppressor gene, was replicated in HEK 293T cells. TLS efficiencies for the Fapy•dG containing plasmids varied from 72 to 89%, and were further reduced in polymerase-deficient cells. The mutation frequency (MF) of Fapy•dG ranged from 7.3 to 11.6%, with G→T and G→A as major mutations in codons 248 and 249 compared to primarily G→T in codon 273. Increased MF in hPol ι-, hPol κ-, and hPol ζ-deficient cells suggested that these polymerases more frequently insert the correct nucleotide dC opposite Fapy•dG, whereas decreased G→A in codons 248 and 249 and reduction of all mutations in codon 273 in hPol λ-deficient cells indicated hPol λ's involvement in Fapy•dG mutagenesis. In vitro kinetic analysis using isolated translesion synthesis polymerases and hPol λ incompletely corroborated the mutagenesis experiments, indicating codependence on other proteins in the cellular milieu. In conclusion, Fapy•dG mutagenesis is dependent on the DNA sequence context, but its bypass by the TLS polymerases is largely error-free.

Synthesis of Oligonucleotides Containing the N6 -(2-Deoxy-α,β-d-erythropentofuranosyl)-2,6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5-formamidopyrimidine (Fapy⋅dG) Oxidative Damage Product Derived from 2'-Deoxyguanosine

N⁶ -(2-Deoxy-α,β-d-erythropentofuranosyl)-2,6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5-formamidopyrimidine (Fapy⋅dG) is a major DNA lesion produced from 2'-deoxyguanosine under oxidizing conditions. Fapy⋅dG is produced from a common intermediate that leads to 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OxodGuo), and in greater quantities in cells. The impact of Fapy⋅dG on DNA structure and function is much less well understood than that of 8-OxodGuo. This is largely due to the significantly greater difficulty in synthesizing oligonucleotides containing Fapy⋅dG than 8-OxodGuo. We describe a synthetic approach for preparing oligonucleotides containing Fapy⋅dG that will facilitate intensive studies of this lesion in DNA. A variety of oligonucleotides as long as 30 nucleotides are synthesized. We anticipate that the chemistry described herein will provide an impetus for a wide range of studies involving Fapy⋅dG.

Biological Evaluation of DNA Biomarkers in a Chemically Defined and Site-Specific Manner

As described elsewhere in this Special Issue on biomarkers, much progress has been made in the detection of modified DNA within organisms at endogenous and exogenous levels of exposure to chemical species, including putative carcinogens and chemotherapeutic agents. Advances in the detection of damaged or unnatural bases have been able to provide correlations to support or refute hypotheses between the level of exposure to oxidative, alkylative, and other stresses, and the resulting DNA damage (lesion formation). However, such stresses can form a plethora of modified nucleobases, and it is therefore difficult to determine the individual contribution of a particular modification to alter a cell's genetic fate, as measured in the form of toxicity by stalled replication past the damage, by subsequent mutation, and by lesion repair. Chemical incorporation of a modification at a specific site within a vector (site-specific mutagenesis) has been a useful tool to deconvolute what types of damage quantified in biologically relevant systems may lead to toxicity and/or mutagenicity, thereby allowing researchers to focus on the most relevant biomarkers that may impact human health. Here, we will review a sampling of the DNA modifications that have been studied by shuttle vector techniques.

Reading and Misreading 8-oxoguanine, a Paradigmatic Ambiguous Nucleobase

7,8-Dihydro-8-oxoguanine (oxoG) is the most abundant oxidative DNA lesion with dual coding properties. It forms both Watson–Crick (anti)oxoG:(anti)C and Hoogsteen (syn)oxoG:(anti)A base pairs without a significant distortion of a B-DNA helix. DNA polymerases bypass oxoG but the accuracy of nucleotide incorporation opposite the lesion varies depending on the polymerase-specific interactions with the templating oxoG and incoming nucleotides. High-fidelity replicative DNA polymerases read oxoG as a cognate base for A while treating oxoG:C as a mismatch. The mutagenic effects of oxoG in the cell are alleviated by specific systems for DNA repair and nucleotide pool sanitization, preventing mutagenesis from both direct DNA oxidation and oxodGMP incorporation. DNA translesion synthesis could provide an additional protective mechanism against oxoG mutagenesis in cells. Several human DNA polymerases of the X- and Y-families efficiently and accurately incorporate nucleotides opposite oxoG. In this review, we address the mutagenic potential of oxoG in cells and discuss the structural basis for oxoG bypass by different DNA polymerases and the mechanisms of the recognition of oxoG by DNA glycosylases and dNTP hydrolases.

A guardian residue hinders insertion of a Fapy•dGTP analog by modulating the open-closed DNA polymerase transition

4,6-Diamino-5-formamidopyrimidine (Fapy•dG) is an abundant form of oxidative DNA damage that is mutagenic and contributes to the pathogenesis of human disease. When Fapy•dG is in its nucleotide triphosphate form, Fapy•dGTP, it is inefficiently cleansed from the nucleotide pool by the responsible enzyme in Escherichia coli MutT and its mammalian homolog MTH1. Therefore, under oxidative stress conditions, Fapy•dGTP could become a pro-mutagenic substrate for insertion into the genome by DNA polymerases. Here, we evaluated insertion kinetics and high-resolution ternary complex crystal structures of a configurationally stable Fapy•dGTP analog, β-C-Fapy•dGTP, with DNA polymerase β. The crystallographic snapshots and kinetic data indicate that binding of β-C-Fapy•dGTP impedes enzyme closure, thus hindering insertion. The structures reveal that an active site residue, Asp276, positions β-C-Fapy•dGTP so that it distorts the geometry of critical catalytic atoms. Removal of this guardian side chain permits enzyme closure and increases the efficiency of β-C-Fapy•dG insertion opposite dC. These results highlight the stringent requirements necessary to achieve a closed DNA polymerase active site poised for efficient nucleotide incorporation and illustrate how DNA polymerase β has evolved to hinder Fapy•dGTP insertion.

Monitoring the Structure-Dependent Reaction Pathways of Guanine Radical Cations in Triplex DNA: Deprotonation Versus Hydration

Exposure of DNA to one-electron oxidants leads initially to the formation of guanine radical cations (G^•+), which may degrade by deprotonation or hydration and ultimately cause strand breaks or 8-oxoG lesions. As the structure is dramatically changed by binding of the third strand in the major groove of the target duplex, it makes the triplex an interesting DNA structure to be examined and compared with the duplex on the G^•+ degradation pathways. Here, we report for the first time the time-resolved spectroscopy study on the G^•+ reaction dynamics in triplex DNA together with the Fourier transform infrared characterization of steady-state products, from which structural effects on the reactivity of G^•+ are unraveled. For an antiparallel triplex-containing GGC motif, G^•+ mainly suffers from fast deprotonation (9.8 ± 0.2) × 10⁶ s^-1, featuring release of both N₁-H and N₂-H of G in the third strand directly into bulk water. The much faster and distinct deprotonation behavior compared to the duplex should be related to long-resident water spines in the third strand. The G^•+ hydration product 8-oxoG is negligible for an antiparallel triplex; instead, the 5-HOO-(G-H) hydroperoxide formed after G^•+ deprotonation is identified by its vibrational marker band. In contrast, in a parallel triplex (C⁺GC), the deprotonation of G^•+ occurs slowly (6.0 ± 0.3) × 10⁵ s^-1 with the release of N₁-H, while G^•+ hydration becomes the major pathway with yields of 8-oxoG larger than in the duplex. The increased positive charge brought by the third strand makes the G radical in the parallel triplex sustain more cation character and prone for hydration. These results indicate that non-B DNA (triplex) plays an important role in DNA damage formation and provide mechanistic insights to rationalize why triplex structures might become hot spots for mutagenesis.

Nucleotide-Resolution Genome-Wide Mapping of Oxidative DNA Damage by Click-Code-Seq

Single-nucleotide-resolution sequencing of DNA damage is required to decipher the complex causal link between the identity and location of DNA adducts and their biological impact. However, the low abundance and inability to specifically amplify DNA damage hinders single-nucleotide mapping of adducts within whole genomes. Despite the high biological relevance of guanine oxidation and seminal recent advances in sequencing bulky adducts, single-nucleotide-resolution whole genome mapping of oxidative damage is not yet realized. We coupled the specificity of repair enzymes with the efficiency of a click DNA ligation reaction to insert a biocompatible locator code, enabling high-throughput, nucleotide-resolution sequencing of oxidative DNA damage in a genome. We uncovered thousands of oxidation sites with distinct patterns related to transcription, chromatin architecture, and chemical oxidation potential. Click-code-seq overcomes barriers to DNA damage sequencing and provides a new approach for generating comprehensive, sequence-specific information about chemical modification patterns in whole genomes.

Oxidatively-induced DNA damage and base excision repair in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder

Oxidatively-induced DNA damage has previously been associated with bipolar disorder. More recently, impairments in DNA repair mechanisms have also been reported. We aimed to investigate oxidatively-induced DNA lesions and expression of DNA glycosylases involved in base excision repair in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder compared to healthy individuals. DNA base lesions including both base and nucleoside modifications were measured using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with isotope-dilution in DNA samples isolated from leukocytes of euthymic patients with bipolar disorder (n = 32) and healthy individuals (n = 51). The expression of DNA repair enzymes OGG1 and NEIL1 were measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The levels of malondialdehyde were measured using high performance liquid chromatography. Seven DNA base lesions in DNA of leukocytes of patients and healthy individuals were identified and quantified. Three of them had significantly elevated levels in bipolar patients when compared to healthy individuals. No elevation of lipid peroxidation marker malondialdehyde was observed. The level of OGG1 expression was significantly reduced in bipolar patients compared to healthy individuals, whereas the two groups exhibited similar levels of NEIL1 expression. Our results suggest that oxidatively-induced DNA damage occurs and base excision repair capacity may be decreased in bipolar patients when compared to healthy individuals. Measurement of oxidatively-induced DNA base lesions and the expression of DNA repair enzymes may be of great importance for large scale basic research and clinical studies of bipolar disorder.

Mutagenic potential of nitrogen mustard-induced formamidopyrimidine DNA adduct: Contribution of the non-canonical α-anomer

Nitrogen mustards (NMs) are DNA-alkylating compounds that represent the earliest anticancer drugs. However, clinical use of NMs is limited because of their own mutagenic properties. The mechanisms of NM-induced mutagenesis remain unclear. The major product of DNA alkylation by NMs is a cationic NM-N7-dG adduct that can yield the imidazole ring-fragmented lesion, N⁵-NM-substituted formamidopyrimidine (NM-Fapy-dG). Characterization of this adduct is complicated because it adopts different conformations, including both a canonical β- and an unnatural α-anomeric configuration. Although formation of NM-Fapy-dG in cellular DNA has been demonstrated, its potential role in NM-induced mutagenesis is unknown. Here, we created site-specifically modified single-stranded vectors for replication in primate (COS7) or Escherichia coli cells. In COS7 cells, NM-Fapy-dG caused targeted mutations, predominantly G → T transversions, with overall frequencies of ∼11-12%. These frequencies were ∼2-fold higher than that induced by 8-oxo-dG adduct. Replication in E. coli was essentially error-free. To elucidate the mechanisms of bypass of NM-Fapy-dG, we performed replication assays in vitro with a high-fidelity DNA polymerase, Saccharomyces cerevisiae polymerase (pol) δ. It was found that pol δ could catalyze high-fidelity synthesis past NM-Fapy-dG, but only on a template subpopulation, presumably containing the β-anomeric adduct. Consistent with the low mutagenic potential of the β-anomer in vitro, the mutation frequency was significantly reduced when conditions for vector preparation were modified to favor this configuration. Collectively, these data implicate the α-anomer as a major contributor to NM-Fapy-dG-induced mutagenesis in primate cells.

Not breathing is not an option: How to deal with oxidative DNA damage

Oxidative DNA damage constitutes a major threat to genetic integrity, and has thus been implicated in the pathogenesis of a wide variety of diseases, including cancer and neurodegeneration. 7,8-dihydro-8oxo-deoxyGuanine (8-oxo-G) is one of the best characterised oxidative DNA lesions, and it can give rise to point mutations due to its miscoding potential that instructs most DNA polymerases (Pols) to preferentially insert Adenine (A) opposite 8-oxo-G instead of the correct Cytosine (C). If uncorrected, A:8-oxo-G mispairs can give rise to C:G→A:T transversion mutations. Cells have evolved a variety of pathways to mitigate the mutational potential of 8-oxo-G that include i) mechanisms to avoid incorporation of oxidized nucleotides into DNA through nucleotide pool sanitisation enzymes (by MTH1, MTH2, MTH3 and NUDT5), ii) base excision repair (BER) of 8-oxo-G in DNA (involving MUTYH, OGG1, Pol λ, and other components of the BER machinery), and iii) faithful bypass of 8-oxo-G lesions during replication (using a switch between replicative Pols and Pol λ). In the following, the fate of 8-oxo-G in mammalian cells is reviewed in detail. The differential origins of 8-oxo-G in DNA and its consequences for genetic stability will be covered. This will be followed by a thorough discussion of the different mechanisms in place to cope with 8-oxo-G with an emphasis on Pol λ-mediated correct bypass of 8-oxo-G during MUTYH-initiated BER as well as replication across 8-oxo-G. Furthermore, the multitude of mechanisms in place to regulate key proteins involved in 8-oxo-G repair will be reviewed. Novel functions of 8-oxo-G as an epigenetic-like regulator and insights into the repair of 8-oxo-G within the cellular context will be touched upon. Finally, a discussion will outline the relevance of 8-oxo-G and the proteins involved in dealing with 8-oxo-G to human diseases with a special emphasis on cancer.

Error-prone replication bypass of the imidazole ring-opened formamidopyrimidine deoxyguanosine adduct

Addition of hydroxyl radicals to the C8 position of 2'-deoxyguanosine generates an 8-hydroxyguanyl radical that can be converted into either 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine or N-(2-deoxy-d-pentofuranosyl)-N-(2,6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5-formamidopyrimidine) (Fapy-dG). The Fapy-dG adduct can adopt different conformations and in particular, can exist in an unnatural α anomeric configuration in addition to canonical β configuration. Previous studies reported that in 5'-TGN-3' sequences, Fapy-dG predominantly induced G → T transversions in both mammalian cells and Escherichia coli, suggesting that mutations could be formed either via insertion of a dA opposite the 5' dT due to primer/template misalignment or as result of direct miscoding. To address this question, single-stranded vectors containing a site-specific Fapy-dG adduct were generated to vary the identity of the 5' nucleotide. Following vector replication in primate cells (COS7), complex mutation spectra were observed that included ∼3-5% G → T transversions and ∼14-21% G → A transitions. There was no correlation apparent between the identity of the 5' nucleotide and spectra of mutations. When conditions for vector preparation were modified to favor the β anomer, frequencies of both G → T and G → A substitutions were significantly reduced. Mutation frequencies in wild-type E. coli and a mutant deficient in damage-inducible DNA polymerases were significantly lower than detected in COS7 and spectra were dominated by deletions. Thus, mutagenic bypass of Fapy-dG can proceed via mechanisms that are different from the previously proposed primer/template misalignment or direct misinsertions of dA or dT opposite to the β anomer of Fapy-dG. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 58:182-189, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Noncatalytic, N-terminal Domains of DNA Polymerase Lambda Affect Its Cellular Localization and DNA Damage Response

Specialized DNA polymerases, such as DNA polymerase lambda (Polλ), are important players in DNA damage tolerance and repair pathways. Knowing how DNA polymerases are regulated and recruited to sites of DNA damage is imperative to understanding these pathways. Recent work has suggested that Polλ plays a role in several distinct DNA damage tolerance and repair pathways. In this paper, we report previously unknown roles of the N-terminal domains of human Polλ for modulating its involvement in DNA damage tolerance and repair. By using Western blot analysis, fluorescence microscopy, and cell survival assays, we found that the BRCA1 C-terminal (BRCT) and proline/serine-rich (PSR) domains of Polλ affect its cellular localization and DNA damage responses. The nuclear localization signal (NLS) of Polλ was necessary to overcome the impediment of its nuclear localization caused by its BRCT and PSR domains. Induction of DNA damage resulted in recruitment of Polλ to chromatin, which was controlled by its BRCT and PSR domains. In addition, the presence of both domains was required for Polλ-mediated tolerance of oxidative DNA damage but not DNA methylation damage. These findings suggest that the N-terminal domains of Polλ are important for regulating its responses to DNA damage.

Mutations induced by 8-hydroxyguanine (8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine), a representative oxidized base, in mammalian cells

Guanine oxidation occurs in both DNA and the cellular nucleotide pool, and one of the major products is 8-hydroxyguanine (8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine). The mutagenic potentials of this oxidized base have been examined in various experimental systems. In this review, we summarize the mutagenicity of the base in mammalian cells. We also describe the effects of specialized DNA polymerases, DNA repair proteins, and nucleotide pool sanitization enzymes.

Translesion Synthesis of 2'-Deoxyguanosine Lesions by Eukaryotic DNA Polymerases

With the discovery of translesion synthesis DNA polymerases, great strides have been made in the last two decades in understanding the mode of replication of various DNA lesions in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. A database search indicated that approximately 2000 articles on this topic have been published in this period. This includes research involving genetic and structural studies as well as in vitro experiments using purified DNA polymerases and accessory proteins. It is a daunting task to comprehend this exciting and rapidly emerging area of research. Even so, as the majority of DNA damage occurs at 2′-deoxyguanosine residues, this perspective attempts to summarize a subset of this field, focusing on the most relevant eukaryotic DNA polymerases responsible for their bypass.

Excessive Reactive Oxygen Species and Exotic DNA Lesions as an Exploitable Liability

Although the terms "excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS)" and "oxidative stress" are widely used, the implications of oxidative stress are often misunderstood. ROS are not a single species but a variety of compounds, each with unique biochemical properties and abilities to react with biomolecules. ROS cause activation of growth signals through thiol oxidation and may lead to DNA damage at elevated levels. In this review, we first discuss a conceptual framework for the interplay of ROS and antioxidants. This review then describes ROS signaling using FLT3-mediated growth signaling as an example. We then focus on ROS-mediated DNA damage. High concentrations of ROS result in various DNA lesions, including 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-guanine, oxazolone, DNA-protein cross-links, and hydantoins, that have unique biological impacts. Here we delve into the biochemistry of nine well-characterized DNA lesions. Within each lesion, the types of repair mechanisms, the mutations induced, and their effects on transcription and replication are discussed. Finally, this review will discuss biochemically inspired implications for cancer therapy. Several teams have put forward designs to harness the excessive ROS and the burdened DNA repair systems of tumor cells for treating cancer. We discuss inhibition of the antioxidant system, the targeting of DNA repair, and ROS-activated prodrugs.

A fidelity mechanism in DNA polymerase lambda promotes error-free bypass of 8-oxo-dG

8-oxo-7,8-dihydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG) has high mutagenic potential as it is prone to mispair with deoxyadenine (dA). In order to maintain genomic integrity, post-replicative 8-oxo-dG:dA mispairs are removed through DNA polymerase lambda (Pol λ)-dependent MUTYH-initiated base excision repair (BER). Here, we describe seven novel crystal structures and kinetic data that fully characterize 8-oxo-dG bypass by Pol λ. We demonstrate that Pol λ has a flexible active site that can tolerate 8-oxo-dG in either the anti- or syn-conformation. Importantly, we show that discrimination against the pro-mutagenic syn-conformation occurs at the extension step and identify the residue responsible for this selectivity. This residue acts as a kinetic switch, shunting repair toward long-patch BER upon correct dCMP incorporation, thus enhancing repair efficiency. Moreover, this switch also provides a potential mechanism to increase repair fidelity of MUTYH-initiated BER.

Characterization of nitrogen mustard formamidopyrimidine adduct formation of bis(2-chloroethyl)ethylamine with calf thymus DNA and a human mammary cancer cell line

A robust, quantitative ultraperformance liquid chromatography ion trap multistage scanning mass spectrometric (UPLC/MS(3)) method was established to characterize and measure five guanine adducts formed by reaction of the chemotherapeutic nitrogen mustard (NM) bis(2-chloroethyl)ethylamine with calf thymus (CT) DNA. In addition to the known N7-guanine (NM-G) adduct and its cross-link (G-NM-G), the ring-opened formamidopyrimidine (FapyG) monoadduct (NM-FapyG) and cross-links in which one (FapyG-NM-G) or both (FapyG-NM-FapyG) guanines underwent ring-opening to FapyG units were identified. Authentic standards of all adducts were synthesized and characterized by NMR and mass spectrometry. These adducts were quantified in CT DNA treated with NM (1 μM) as their deglycosylated bases. A two-stage neutral thermal hydrolysis was developed to mitigate the artifactual formation of ring-opened FapyG adducts involving hydrolysis of the cationic adduct at 37 °C, followed by hydrolysis of the FapyG adducts at 95 °C. The limit of quantification values ranged between 0.3 and 1.6 adducts per 10(7) DNA bases when the equivalent of 5 μg of DNA hydrolysate was assayed on column. The principal adduct formed was the G-NM-G cross-link, followed by the NM-G monoadduct; the FapyG-NM-G cross-link adduct; and the FapyG-NM-FapyG was below the limit of detection. The NM-FapyG adducts were formed in CT DNA at a level ∼20% that of the NM-G adduct. NM-FapyG has not been previously quanitified, and the FapyG-NM-G and FapyG-NM-FapyG adducts have not been previously characterized. Our validated analytical method was then applied to measure DNA adduct formation in the MDA-MB-231 mammary tumor cell line exposed to NM (100 μM) for 24 h. The major adduct formed was NM-G (970 adducts per 10(7) bases), followed by G-NM-G (240 adducts per 10(7) bases), NM-FapyG (180 adducts per 10(7) bases), and, last, the FapyG-NM-G cross-link adduct (6.0 adducts per 10(7) bases). These lesions are expected to contribute to NM-mediated toxicity and genotoxicity in vivo.

Induction of action-at-a-distance mutagenesis by 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine in DNA pol λ-knockdown cells

Introduction

In DNA, 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (G^O, 8-hydroxyguanine) is one of the most pivotal oxidatively damaged bases and induces G:C → T:A transversion mutations. DNA polymerase λ preferentially inserts dCTP opposite G^Oin vitro, and this error-free bypass function is considered to be important after A base removal from G^O:A pairs by the MUTYH DNA glycosylase. To examine the effects of reduced levels of DNA polymerase λ on the G^O-induced mutations, the polymerase was knocked-down in human U2OS cells, and a shuttle plasmid DNA containing a G^O:C pair at position 122 in the supF gene was transfected into the cells. The plasmid DNA replicated in the cells was introduced into an Escherichia coli indicator strain, to measure the supF mutant frequency.

Results

The knockdown of DNA polymerase λ significantly enhanced the mutant frequency of the G^O plasmid DNA. Contrary to our expectations, the knockdown did not promote the targeted G:C → T:A transversion. Instead, substitution mutations at G:C sites other than position 122 were enhanced in the cells.

Conclusions

These results suggested that the knockdown of DNA polymerase λ induced action-at-a-distance mutagenesis in human cells when the G^O:C pair was present in the DNA.