Flavin adenine dinucleotide chromophore charge controls the conformation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer photolyase α-helices

Spectroscopic Investigation of Na+-Dependent Conformational Changes of a Cyclobutane Pyrimidine Dimer-Repairing Deoxyribozyme

UV1C is an enzymatically active DNA sequence (deoxyribozyme, DNAzyme) that functions as a cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) photolyase. UV1C forms parallel guanine quadruplexes (G-quadruplexes) with a DNA substrate in the presence of 240 mM Na+, the structure of which is important for the enzymatic activity. To investigate the repair mechanism of CPD by UV1C, we designed light-induced Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Prior to FTIR measurements, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy was conducted to determine the Na+ concentration at which the most G-quadruplexes were formed. We found that UV1C also forms a hybrid G-quadruplex structure at over 500 mM Na+. By assuming a concentration equilibrium between G-quadruplexes and Na+, 1.3 and 1.8 Na+ were found to bind to parallel and hybrid G-quadruplexes, respectively. The hybrid G-quadruplex form of UV1C was also suggested to exhibit photolyase activity. Light-induced FTIR spectra recorded upon the photorepair of CPD by UV1C were compared for parallel G-quadruplex-rich and hybrid G-quadruplex-rich samples. Spectral variations were indicative of structural differences in parallel and hybrid G-quadruplexes before and after CPD cleavage. Differences were also observed when compared to the CPD repair spectrum by CPD photolyase. The spectral differences during CPD repair by either protein or DNAzyme suggest the local environment of the substrates, the surrounding protein, or the aqueous solution.

Structural basis of the radical pair state in photolyases and cryptochromes

We present the structure of a photoactivated animal (6-4) photolyase in its radical pair state, captured by serial crystallography. We observe how a conserved asparigine moves towards the semiquinone FAD chromophore and stabilizes it by hydrogen bonding. Several amino acids around the final tryptophan radical rearrange, opening it up to the solvent. The structure explains how the protein environment stabilizes the radical pair state, which is crucial for function of (6-4) photolyases and cryptochromes.

The structural response of the drosophila (6-4) photolyase to photoinduced electron transfer along a chain of tryptophans is revealed using a serial crystallographic snapshot of the protein in its radical pair state.

Structural Changes during the Photorepair and Binding Processes of Xenopus (6-4) Photolyase with (6-4) Photoproducts in Single- and Double-Stranded DNA

Photolyases (PHRs) repair ultraviolet (UV)-induced DNA photoproducts into normal bases. In this study, we measured the conformational changes upon photoactivation and photorepair processes of a PHR and its specific substrates, (6-4)PHR and a pyrimidine(6-4)pyrimidone photoproduct ((6-4)PP), by light-induced difference Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The single-stranded DNA with (6-4)PP (ss(6-4)PP) was used as a substrate and the resultant FT-IR spectra were compared with the previous results on double-stranded DNA with (6-4)PP (ds(6-4)PP). In the excess amount of substrate to the enzyme, different ss(6-4)PP photorepair FT-IR signals were obtained in an illumination time-dependent manner. As reported for ds(6-4)PP, the early stages of the photoreaction involve the changes in the ss(6-4)PP only, while the late stages of the reaction involve the ss(6-4)PP repair-associated changes and dissociation from (6-4)PHR. From these spectra, difference spectra originating from the binding/dissociation spectrum were extracted. The signals of the C═O stretches of (6-4)PP and repaired thymines in the single- and double-stranded DNA were tentatively assigned. The C═O stretches of (6-4)PP were observed at frequencies that reflect single- and double-stranded DNA environments in aqueous solution, reflecting the different hydrogen-bonding environments. The conformational changes of PHR upon binding of ss(6-4)PP and ds(6-4)PP were similar, suggesting that the conformational change is limited to the (6-4)PP binding pocket region. We interpreted that ds(6-4)PP may be bound together without any special mechanism for flipping out.

Investigation of the pH-dependence of the oxidation of FAD in VcCRY-1, a member of the cryptochrome-DASH family

Vibrio cholerae cryptochrome-1 (VcCRY-1) is a member of the cryptochrome DASH family. The flavoprotein appears to use blue light both for repair of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) on DNA and signal transduction. Earlier, we found that it was almost impossible to oxidize the FADH· state upon binding to a CPD, and, in the absence of substrate, the rate of FADH· oxidation was much larger at high pH (Gindt et al. in Biochemistry 54:2802-2805, 2015). Here, we present the pH-dependence of the oxidation of FADH· by ferricyanide, which revealed a switch between slow and fast oxidation with a pK_a ≈ 7.0. Stopped-flow mixing was used to measure the oxidation of FADH^- to FADH· at pH 6.7 and 7.5. Substrate binding was required to slow down this oxidation such that it could be measured with stopped flow, but there was only a small effect of pH. In addition, resonance Raman measurements of FADH· in VcCRY-1 at pH 6.5 and 7.5 were performed to probe for structural changes near the FAD cofactor related to the observed changes in rate of FADH· oxidation. Only substrate binding seemed to induce a change near the FAD cofactor that may relate to the change in oxidation kinetics. The pH-effect on the FADH· oxidation rate, which is rate-limited by the proton acceptor, does not seem to be due to a protein structural change near the FAD cofactor. Instead, a conserved glutamate in CRY-DASH may control the deprotonation of FADH· and give rise to the pH-effect.

A Review of Spectroscopic and Biophysical-Chemical Studies of the Complex of Cyclobutane Pyrimidine Dimer Photolyase and Cryptochrome DASH with Substrate DNA

Cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) photolyase (PL) is a structure-specific DNA repair enzyme that uses blue light to repair CPD on DNA. Cryptochrome (CRY) DASH enzymes use blue light for the repair of CPD lesions on single-stranded (ss) DNA, although some may also repair these lesions on double-stranded (ds) DNA. In addition, CRY DASH may be involved in blue light signaling, similar to cryptochromes. The focus of this review is on spectroscopic and biophysical-chemical experiments of the enzyme-substrate complex that have contributed to a more detailed understanding of all the aspects of the CPD repair mechanism of CPD photolyase and CRY DASH. This will be performed in the backdrop of the available X-ray crystal structures of these enzymes bound to a CPD-like lesion. These structures helped to confirm conclusions that were drawn earlier from spectroscopic and biophysical-chemical experiments, and they have a critical function as a framework to design new experiments and to interpret new experimental data. This review will show the important synergy between X-ray crystallography and spectroscopic/biophysical-chemical investigations that is essential to obtain a sufficiently detailed picture of the overall mechanism of CPD photolyases and CRY DASH proteins.

Functional Conversion of CPD and (6-4) Photolyases by Mutation

Ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun damages DNA by forming a cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) and pyrimidine(6-4)pyrimidone photoproducts [(6-4) PP]. Photolyase (PHR) enzymes utilize near-UV/blue light for DNA repair, which is initiated by light-induced electron transfer from the fully reduced flavin adenine dinucleotide chromophore. Despite similar structures and repair mechanisms, the functions of PHR are highly selective; CPD PHR repairs CPD, but not (6-4) PP, and vice versa. In this study, we attempted functional conversion between CPD and (6-4) PHRs. We found that a triple mutant of (6-4) PHR is able to repair the CPD photoproduct, though the repair efficiency is 1 order of magnitude lower than that of wild-type CPD PHR. Difference Fourier transform infrared spectra for repair demonstrate the lack of secondary structural alteration in the mutant, suggesting that the triple mutant gains substrate binding ability while it does not gain the optimized conformational changes from light-induced electron transfer to the release of the repaired DNA. Interestingly, the (6-4) photoproduct is not repaired by the reverse mutation of CPD PHR, and eight additional mutations (total of 11 mutations) introduced into CPD PHR are not sufficient. The observed asymmetric functional conversion is interpreted in terms of a more complex repair mechanism for (6-4) repair, which was supported by quantum chemical/molecular mechanical calculation. These results suggest that CPD PHR may represent an evolutionary origin for photolyase family proteins.

Single Hydrogen Bond Donation from Flavin N5 to Proximal Asparagine Ensures FAD Reduction in DNA Photolyase

The spread of the absorbance of the stable FADH(•) radical (300-700 nm) allows CPD photolyase to highly efficiently form FADH(-), making it functional for DNA repair. In this study, FTIR spectroscopy detected a strong hydrogen bond, from FAD N5-H to the carbonyl group of the Asn378 side chain, that is modulated by the redox state of FAD. The observed characteristic frequency shifts were reproduced in quantum-mechanical models of the flavin binding site, which were then employed to elucidate redox tuning governed by Asn378. We demonstrate that enhanced hydrogen bonding of the Asn378 side chain with the FADH(•) radical increases thermodynamic stabilization of the radical state, and further ensures kinetic stabilization and accumulation of the fully reduced FADH(-) state.

Structural Changes of the Active Center during the Photoactivation of Xenopus (6-4) Photolyase

Photolyases (PHRs) repair the UV-induced photoproducts, cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) or pyrimidine-pyrimidone (6-4) photoproduct [(6-4) PP], restoring normal bases to maintain genetic integrity. CPD and (6-4) PP are repaired by substrate-specific PHRs, CPD PHR and (6-4) PHR, respectively. Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) is the chromophore of both PHRs, and the resting oxidized form (FAD(ox)), at least under in vitro purified conditions, is first photoconverted to the neutral semiquinoid radical (FADH(•)) form, followed by photoconversion into the enzymatically active fully reduced (FADH(-)) form. Previously, we reported light-induced difference Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra corresponding to the photoactivation process of Xenopus (6-4) PHR. Spectral differences between the absence and presence of (6-4) PP were observed in the photoactivation process. To identify the FTIR signals where these differences appeared, we compared the FTIR spectra of photoactivation (i) in the presence and absence of (6-4) PP, (ii) of (13)C labeling, (15)N labeling, and [(14)N]His/(15)N labeling, and (iii) of H354A and H358A mutants. We successfully assigned the vibrational bands for (6-4) PP, the α-helix and neutral His residue(s). In particular, we assigned three bands to the C ═ O groups of (6-4) PP in the three different redox states of FAD. Furthermore, the changed hydrogen bonding environments of C ═ O groups of (6-4) PP suggested restructuring of the binding pocket of the DNA lesion in the process of photoactivation.

Structural role of two histidines in the (6-4) photolyase reaction

Photolyases (PHRs) are DNA repair enzymes that revert UV-induced photoproducts, either cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPD) or (6-4) photoproducts (PPs), into normal bases to maintain genetic integrity. (6-4) PHR must catalyze not only covalent bond cleavage, but also hydroxyl or amino group transfer, yielding a more complex mechanism than that postulated for CPD PHR. Previous mutation analysis revealed the importance of two histidines in the active center, H354 and H358 for Xenopus (6-4) PHR, whose mutations significantly lowered the enzymatic activity. Based upon highly sensitive FTIR analysis of the repair function, here we report that both H354A and H358A mutants of Xenopus (6-4) PHR still maintain their repair activity, although the efficiency is much lower than that of the wild type. Similar difference FTIR spectra between the wild type and mutant proteins suggest a common mechanism of repair in which (6-4) PP binds to the active center of each mutant, and is released after repair, as occurs in the wild type. Similar FTIR spectra also suggest that a decrease in volume by the H-to-A mutation is possibly compensated by the addition of water molecule( s). Such a modified environment is sufficient for the repair function that is probably controlled by proton-coupled electron transfer between the enzyme and substrate. On the other hand, two histidines must work in a concerted manner in the active center of the wild-type enzyme, which significantly raises the repair efficiency.

FTIR study of CPD photolyase with substrate in single strand DNA

Photolyases (PHRs) utilize near UV/blue light to specifically repair the major photoproducts (PPs) of UV-induced damaged DNA. The cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD)-PHR binds flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) as a cofactor and repairs CPD lesions in double-stranded DNA. To understand the activation and repair mechanism of CPD-PHR, we applied light-induced difference Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to CPD-PHR, whose signals were identified by use of isotope-labeling. To further investigate the enzymatic function, here we study the activation and repair mechanism of CPD-PHR with the substrate in single strand DNA, and the obtained FTIR spectra are compared with those in double-stranded DNA, the natural substrate. The difference spectra of photoactivation, the fully-reduced (FADH⁻) minus semiquinone (FADH^•) spectra, are almost identical in the presence of single strand and double-stranded DNA, except for slight spectral modification in the amide-I region. On the other hand, the difference spectra of photorepair were highly substrate dependent. Strong bands of the C=O stretch (1,720–1,690 cm⁻¹) and phosphate vibrations (1,090–1,060 cm⁻¹) of double-stranded DNA may have disappeared in the case of single strand DNA. However, an isotope-labeled enzyme study revealed that spectral features upon DNA repair are similar between both substrates, and the main reason for the apparent spectral difference originates from structural flexibility of DNA after repair.