Bending and circularization of site-specific and stereoisomeric carcinogen-DNA adducts

Inhibition of E. coli RecQ Helicase Activity by Structurally Distinct DNA Lesions: Structure-Function Relationships

DNA helicase unwinding activity can be inhibited by small molecules and by covalently bound DNA lesions. Little is known about the relationships between the structural features of DNA lesions and their impact on unwinding rates and processivities. Employing E.coli RecQ helicase as a model system, and various conformationally defined DNA lesions, the unwinding rate constants k_obs = k_U + k_D, and processivities P = (k_U/(k_U + k_D) were determined (k_U, unwinding rate constant; k_D, helicase-DNA dissociation rate constant). The highest k_obs values were observed in the case of intercalated benzo[a]pyrene (BP)-derived adenine adducts, while k_obs values of guanine adducts with minor groove or base-displaced intercalated adduct conformations were ~10-20 times smaller. Full unwinding was observed in each case with the processivity P = 1.0 (100% unwinding). The k_obs values of the non-bulky lesions T(6-4)T, CPD cyclobutane thymine dimers, and a guanine oxidation product, spiroiminodihydantoin (Sp), are up to 20 times greater than some of the bulky adduct values; their unwinding efficiencies are strongly inhibited with processivities P = 0.11 (CPD), 0.062 (T(6-4)T), and 0.63 (Sp). These latter observations can be accounted for by correlated decreases in unwinding rate constants and enhancements in the helicase DNA complex dissociation rate constants.

Chemistry and structural biology of DNA damage and biological consequences

The formation of adducts by the reaction of chemicals with DNA is a critical step for the initiation of carcinogenesis. The structural analysis of various DNA adducts reveals that conformational and chemical rearrangements and interconversions are a common theme. Conformational changes are modulated both by the nature of adduct and the base sequences neighboring the lesion sites. Equilibria between conformational states may modulate both DNA repair and error-prone replication past these adducts. Likewise, chemical rearrangements of initially formed DNA adducts are also modulated both by the nature of adducts and the base sequences neighboring the lesion sites. In this review, we focus on DNA damage caused by a number of environmental and endogenous agents, and biological consequences.

Base sequence context effects on nucleotide excision repair

Nucleotide excision repair (NER) plays a critical role in maintaining the integrity of the genome when damaged by bulky DNA lesions, since inefficient repair can cause mutations and human diseases notably cancer. The structural properties of DNA lesions that determine their relative susceptibilities to NER are therefore of great interest. As a model system, we have investigated the major mutagenic lesion derived from the environmental carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), 10S (+)-trans-anti-B[a]P-N²-dG in six different sequence contexts that differ in how the lesion is positioned in relation to nearby guanine amino groups. We have obtained molecular structural data by NMR and MD simulations, bending properties from gel electrophoresis studies, and NER data obtained from human HeLa cell extracts for our six investigated sequence contexts. This model system suggests that disturbed Watson-Crick base pairing is a better recognition signal than a flexible bend, and that these can act in concert to provide an enhanced signal. Steric hinderance between the minor groove-aligned lesion and nearby guanine amino groups determines the exact nature of the disturbances. Both nearest neighbor and more distant neighbor sequence contexts have an impact. Regardless of the exact distortions, we hypothesize that they provide a local thermodynamic destabilization signal for repair.

Noncovalent interactions of a benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide with DNA base pairs: insight into the formation of adducts of (+)-BaP DE-2 with DNA

Noncovalent complexes of a tumorigenic benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide with the guanine-cytosine (GC) and adenine-thymine (AT) base pairs have been examined computationally. (+)-BaP DE-2 forms covalent adducts with DNA via nucleophilic attack on the (+)-BaP DE-2 epoxide. Computational results predict five thermodynamically accessible complexes of AT with (+)-BaP DE-2 that are compatible with intact DNA. Among these, two are expected to lead to adenine adducts. In the lowest energy AT...(+)-BaP DE-2 complex, which has a gas-phase interaction energy of -20.9 kcal mol(-1), the exocyclic NH(2) of adenine is positioned for backside epoxide attack and formation of a trans adduct. The most energetically favorable complex leading to formation of a cis ring-opened adduct lies only 0.6 kcal mol(-1) higher in energy. For GC...(+)-BaP DE-2, there are only two thermodynamically accessible complexes. The higher-lying complex, bound in the gas phase by 24.4 kcal mol(-1) relative to separated GC and (+)-BaP DE-2, would lead to a trans ring-opened N(2)-guanine adduct. In the global minimum energy GC...(+)-BaP DE-2 complex, bound by 27.3 kcal mol(-1), the exocyclic NH(2) group of cytosine is positioned for cis epoxide addition. However, adducts of (+)-BaP DE-2 with cytosine are rarely observed experimentally. The paucity of cytosine adducts, despite the predicted thermodynamic stability of this GC...(+)-BaP DE-2 complex, is attributed to the electrostatic destabilization of the benzylic cation intermediate thought to precede cis addition.

Distant neighbor base sequence context effects in human nucleotide excision repair of a benzo[a]pyrene-derived DNA lesion

The effects of non-nearest base sequences, beyond the nucleotides flanking a DNA lesion on either side, on nucleotide excision repair (NER) in extracts from human cells were investigated. We constructed two duplexes containing the same minor groove-aligned 10S (+)-trans-anti-B[a]P-N(2)-dG (G*) DNA adduct, derived from the environmental carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P): 5'-C-C-A-T-C-G*-C-T-A-C-C-3' (CG*C-I), and 5'-C-A-C3-A4-C5-G*-C-A-C-A-C-3' (CG*C-II). We used polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to compare the extent of DNA bending, and molecular dynamics simulations to analyze the structural characteristics of these two DNA duplexes. The NER efficiencies are 1.6(+/-0.2)-fold greater in the case of the CG*C-II than the CG*C-I sequence context in 135-mer duplexes. Gel electrophoresis and self-ligation circularization experiments revealed that the CG*C-II duplex is more bent than the CG*C-I duplex, while molecular dynamics simulations showed that the unique -C3-A4-C5- segment in the CG*C-II duplex plays a key role. The presence of a minor groove-positioned guanine amino group, the Watson-Crick partner to C3, acts as a wedge; facilitated by a highly deformable local -C3-A4- base step, this amino group allows the B[a]P ring system to produce a more enlarged minor groove in CG*C-II than in CG*C-I, as well as a local untwisting and enlarged and flexible Roll only in the CG*C-II sequence. These structural properties fit well with our earlier findings that in the case of the family of minor groove 10S (+)-trans-anti-B[a]P-N(2)-dG lesions, flexible bends and enlarged minor groove widths constitute NER recognition signals, and extend our understanding of sequence context effects on NER to the neighbors that are distant to the lesion.

The sequence dependence of human nucleotide excision repair efficiencies of benzo[a]pyrene-derived DNA lesions: insights into the structural factors that favor dual incisions

Nucleotide excision repair (NER) is a vital cellular defense system against carcinogen-DNA adducts, which, if not repaired, can initiate cancer development. The structural features of bulky DNA lesions that account for differences in NER efficiencies in mammalian cells are not well understood. In vivo, the predominant DNA adduct derived from metabolically activated benzo[a]pyrene (BP), a prominent environmental carcinogen, is the 10S (+)-trans-anti-[BP]-N(2)-dG adduct (G*), which resides in the B-DNA minor groove 5'-oriented along the modified strand. We have compared the structural distortions in double-stranded DNA, imposed by this adduct, in the different sequence contexts 5'-...CGG*C..., 5'-...CG*GC..., 5'-...CIG*C... (I is 2'-deoxyinosine), and 5'-...CG*C.... On the basis of electrophoretic mobilities, all duplexes manifest moderate bends, except the 5'-...CGG*C...duplex, which exhibits an anomalous, slow mobility attributed to a pronounced flexible kink at the site of the lesion. This kink, resulting from steric hindrance between the 5'-flanking guanine amino group and the BP aromatic rings, both positioned in the minor groove, is abolished in the 5'-...CIG*C...duplex (the 2'-deoxyinosine group, I, lacks this amino group). In contrast, the sequence-isomeric 5'-...CG*GC...duplex exhibits only a moderate bend, but displays a remarkably increased opening rate at the 5'-flanking base pair of G*, indicating a significant destabilization of Watson-Crick hydrogen bonding. The NER dual incision product yields were compared for these different sequences embedded in otherwise identical 135-mer duplexes in cell-free human HeLa extracts. The yields of excision products varied by a factor of as much as approximately 4 in the order 5'-...CG*GC...>5'...CGG*C...>or=5'...CIG*C...>or=5'-...CG*C.... Overall, destabilized Watson-Crick hydrogen bonding, manifested in the 5'-...CG*GC...duplex, elicits the most significant NER response, while the flexible kink displayed in the sequence-isomeric 5'-...CGG*C...duplex represents a less significant signal in this series of substrates. These results demonstrate that the identical lesion can be repaired with markedly variable efficiency in different local sequence contexts that differentially alter the structural features of the DNA duplex around the lesion site.

Differential nucleotide excision repair susceptibility of bulky DNA adducts in different sequence contexts: hierarchies of recognition signals

The structural origin underlying differential nucleotide excision repair (NER) susceptibilities of bulky DNA lesions remains a challenging problem. We investigated the 10S (+)-trans-anti-[BP]-N(2)-2'-deoxyguanosine (G*) adduct in double-stranded DNA. This adduct arises from the reaction, in vitro and in vivo, of a major genotoxic metabolite of benzo[a]pyrene (BP), (+)-(7R,8S,9S,10R)-7,8-dihydroxy-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene, with the exocyclic amino group of guanine. Removal of this lesion by the NER apparatus in cell-free extracts has been found to depend on the base sequence context in which the lesion is embedded, providing an excellent opportunity for elucidating the properties of the damaged DNA duplexes that favor NER. While the BP ring system is in the B-DNA minor groove, 5' directed along the modified strand, there are orientational distinctions that are sequence dependent and are governed by flanking amino groups [Nucleic Acids Res.35 (2007), 1555-1568]. To elucidate sequence-governed NER susceptibility, we conducted molecular dynamics simulations for the 5'-...CG*GC..., 5'-...CGG*C..., and 5'-...TCG*CT... adduct-containing duplexes. We also investigated the 5'-...CG*IC... and 5'-...CIG*C... sequences, which contain "I" (2'-deoxyinosine), with hydrogen replacing the amino group in 2'-deoxyguanosine, to further characterize the structural and dynamic roles of the flanking amino groups in the damaged duplexes. Our results pinpoint explicit roles for the amino groups in tandem GG sequences on the efficiency of NER and suggest a hierarchy of destabilizing structural features that differentially facilitate NER of the BP lesion in the sequence contexts investigated. Furthermore, combinations of several locally destabilizing features in the hierarchy, consistent with a multipartite model, may provide a relatively strong recognition signal.

Probing the sequence effects on NarI-induced -2 frameshift mutagenesis by dynamic 19F NMR, UV, and CD spectroscopy

The NarI recognition sequence (5'-G1G2CG3CN-3') is the most vulnerable hot spot for frameshift mutagenesis induced by the carcinogen 2-aminofluorene and its analogues in Escherichia coli. Lesioning of the guanine in the G3 position induces an especially high frequency of -2 deletion mutations; vulnerability to these mutations is modulated by the nature of the nucleotide in the N position (C approximately A > G > T). The objective of the present study was to probe the structural basis of this N-mediated influence on the propensity of the G3 lesion to form a slipped mutagenic intermediate (SMI) during translesion synthesis. We studied NarI-based fully paired [(5'-CTCG1G2CG3*CNATC-3')(5'-GATNCGGCCGAG-3'), N = dC or dT] and -2 deletion [(5'-CTCG1G2CG3*CNATC-3')(5'-GATNGCCGAG-3'), N = dC or dT] duplexes, in which G* was either AF [N-(2'-deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-aminofluorene] or the 19F probe FAF [N-(2'-deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-7-fluoro-2-aminofluorene]. The latter sequences mimic the bulged SMI for -2 deletion mutations. Dynamic 19F NMR, circular dichroism, and UV melting results indicated that the NarI-dC/-2 deletion duplex adopts exclusively an intercalated conformer, whereas the NarI-dT/-2 deletion duplex exists as multiple conformers. The data support the presence of a putative equilibrium between a carcinogen-intercalated and a carcinogen-exposed SMI for the dT/-2 duplex. A similar dT-induced conformational heterogeneity was observed for the fully paired duplexes in which all three guanines were individually modified by AF or FAF. The frequency of the carcinogen stacked S-conformation was found to be highest (69-75%) at the G3 hot spot in NarI-dC duplexes. Taken together, our results support the hypothesis that the conformational stability of the SMI is a critical determinant for the efficacy of -2 frameshift mutagenesis in the NarI sequence. We also provide evidence for AF/FAF conformational compatibility in the NarI sequences.

Dynamics of a benzo[a]pyrene-derived guanine DNA lesion in TGT and CGC sequence contexts: enhanced mobility in TGT explains conformational heterogeneity, flexible bending, and greater susceptibility to nucleotide excision repair

The nucleotide excision repair (NER) machinery excises a variety of bulky DNA lesions, but with varying efficiencies. The structural features of the DNA lesions that govern these differences are not well understood. An intriguing model system for studying structure-function relationships in NER is the major adduct derived from the reaction of the highly tumorigenic metabolite of benzo[a]pyrene, (+)-anti-benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide, with the exocyclic amino group of guanine ((+)-trans-anti-[BP]-N(2)-dG, or G*). The rates of incision of the stereochemically identical lesions catalyzed by the prokaryotic UvrABC system was shown to be greater by a factor of 2.3+/-0.3 in the TG*T than in the CG*C sequence context [Biochemistry 46 (2007) 7006-7015]. Here we employ molecular dynamics simulations to elucidate the origin of the greater excision efficiency in the TG*T case and, more broadly, to delineate structural parameters that enhance NER. Our results show that the BP aromatic ring system is 5'-directed along the modified strand in the B-DNA minor groove in both sequence contexts. However, the TG*T modified duplex is much more dynamically flexible, featuring more perturbed and mobile Watson-Crick hydrogen bonding adjacent to the lesion, a greater impairment in stacking interactions, more dynamic local roll/bending, and more minor groove flexibility. These characteristics explain a number of experimental observations concerning the (+)-trans-anti-[BP]-N(2)-dG adduct in double-stranded DNA with the TG*T sequence context: its conformational heterogeneity in NMR solution studies, its highly flexible bend, and its lower thermal stability. By contrast, the CG*C modified duplex is characterized by a single BP conformation and a rigid bend. While current recognition models of bulky lesions by NER factors have stressed the importance of impaired Watson-Crick pairing/stacking and bending, our results highlight the likelihood of an important role for the local dynamics in the vicinity of the lesion.

Dynamic conformational heterogeneities of carcinogen-DNA adducts and their mutagenic relevance

Arylamines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are known as "bulky" carcinogens, have been studied extensively and upon activation in vivo, react with cellular DNA to form DNA-adducts. The available structure data accumulated thus far has revealed that conformational heterogeneity is a common theme among duplex DNA modified with these carcinogens. Several conformationally diverse structures have been elucidated and found to be in equilibrium in certain cases. The dynamics of the heterogeneity appear to be modulated by the nature of the adduct structure and the base sequences neighboring the lesion site. These can be termed as "adduct- and sequence-induced conformational heterogeneities," respectively. Due to the small energy differences, the population levels of these conformers could readily be altered within the active sites of repair or replicate enzymes. Thus, the complex role of "enzyme-induced conformational heterogeneity" must also be taken into consideration for the establishment of a functional structure-mutation relationship. Ultimately, a major challenge in mutation structural biology is to carry out adduct- and site-specific experiments in a conformationally specific manner within biologically relevant environments. Results from such experiments should provide an accurate account of how a single chemically homogenous adduct gives rise to complex multiple mutations, the earliest step in the induction of cancer.

Effects of DNA adduct structure and sequence context on strand opening of repair intermediates and incision by UvrABC nuclease

DNA damage recognition of nucleotide excision repair (NER) in Escherichia coli is achieved by at least two steps. In the first step, a helical distortion is recognized, which leads to a strand opening at the lesion site. The second step involves the recognition of the type of chemical modification in the single-stranded region of DNA during the processing of the lesions by UvrABC. In the current work, by comparing the efficiencies of UvrABC incision of several types of different DNA adducts, we show that the size and position of the strand opening are dependent on the type of DNA adducts. Optimal incision efficiency for the C8-guanine adducts of 2-aminofluorene (AF) and N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene (AAF) was observed in a bubble of three mismatched nucleotides, whereas the same for C8-guanine adduct of 1-nitropyrene and N(2)-guanine adducts of benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide (BPDE) was noted in a bubble of six mismatched nucleotides. This suggests that the size of the aromatic ring system of the adduct might influence the extent and number of bases associated with the opened strand region catalyzed by UvrABC. We also showed that the incision efficiency of the AF or AAF adduct was affected by the neighboring DNA sequence context, which, in turn, was the result of differential binding of UvrA to the substrates. The sequence context effect on both incision and binding disappeared when a bubble structure of three bases was introduced at the adduct site. We therefore propose that these effects relate to the initial step of damage recognition of DNA structural distortion. The structure-function relationships in the recognition of the DNA lesions, based on our results, have been discussed.

Multimerization-cyclization of DNA fragments as a method of conformational analysis

Ligation of short DNA fragments results in the formation of linear and circular multimers of various lengths. The distribution of products in such a reaction is often used to evaluate fragment bending caused by specific chemical modification, by bound ligands or by the presence of irregular structural elements. We have developed a more rigorous quantitative approach to the analysis of such experimental data based on determination of j-factors for different multimers from the distribution of the reaction products. j-Factors define the effective concentration of one end of a linear chain in the vicinity of the other end. To extract j-factors we assumed that kinetics of the reaction is described by a system of differential equations where j-factors appear as coefficients. The assumption was confirmed by comparison with experimental data obtained here for DNA fragments containing A-tracts. At the second step of the analysis j-factors are used to determine conformational parameters of DNA fragments: the equilibrium bend angle, the bending rigidity of the fragment axis, and the total twist of the fragments. This procedure is based on empirical equations that connect the conformational parameters with the set of j-factors. To obtain the equations, we computed j-factors for a large array of conformational parameters that describe model fragments. The approach was tested on both simulated and actual experimental data for DNA fragments containing A-tracts. A-tract DNA bend angle determined here is in good agreement with previously published data. We have established a set of experimental conditions necessary for the data analysis to be successful.

High mobility group 1 and 2 proteins bind preferentially to DNA that contains bulky adducts induced by benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide and N-acetoxy-acetylaminofluorene

High mobility group (HMG) proteins 1 and 2 are abundant non-histone chromosomal proteins that bind preferentially DNA that is bent or underwound. Previous studies have shown that these proteins preferentially bind to DNA damaged by the crosslinking agents cis-diammine-dichloro-platinum(II), chromium(III) and UV-C radiation. Here we have studied the binding of HMG-1/2 proteins to a duplex oligonucleotide damaged by benzo(a)pyrene diol epoxide or N-acetoxy-acetylaminofluorene using an electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Both chemicals induce monoadducts that are known to distort DNA structure. The affinities of HMG-1/2 for DNA damaged by benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide or N-acetoxy-acetylaminofluorene were similar to that for UV-irradiated DNA, which were an order of magnitude higher than for undamaged DNA. In contrast, DNA modified by dimethyl sulfate was not preferentially recognised by HMG-1/2.

Sequence-dependent conformational perturbation in DNA duplexes containing an epsilonA.T mismatch using molecular dynamics simulation

Previous experiments from this laboratory showed that 1, N:(6)-ethenoadenine (epsilonA) in 15mer DNA oligonucleotide duplexes with GGepsilonAGG and CCepsilonACC central sequences is repaired 3-5-fold more efficiently than in duplexes containing AAepsilonAAA and TTepsilonATT central sequences. This sequence dependence in repair rates appeared to correlate with the observed thermodynamic stability of these duplexes [Hang et al. (1998) J. Biol. Chem., 273, 33406-33413]. In the present work, unrestrained molecular dynamics was used to evaluate the sequence-dependent structural features of these duplexes. Explicit solvent and the particle mesh Ewald method were applied for the accurate representation of the electrostatic interactions. The differences observed in the axis- and intra-base pair parameters were primarily localized at the epsilonA*T mismatch in all sequences and indicate conformational diversity between the structures. However, all four structures remained in the B-conformational family. In the tip, tilt and propeller twist parameters for the five central base pairs, larger perturbations were found for the two duplexes with epsilonA flanked by A or T bases than for duplexes with epsilonA flanked by G or C bases. As a result of these perturbations, the average global curvature of the AAepsilonAAA and TTvarepsilonATT DNA duplexes was larger by approximately 12 degrees than that of the duplexes with the GGepsilonAGG and CCepsilonACC central sequences. The observed conformational differences between the duplexes containing A or T and G or C neighbors of epsilonA may contribute to the observed differential enzymatic repair of the same sequences.

The effects of 5R-5,6-dihydro-5-hydroxythymidine on duplex DNA stability and structure

An improved method for the chemical synthesis of oligodeoxynucleotides containing 5 R -5,6-dihydro-5-hydroxythymidine (1) at a defined site is reported. UV melting studies carried out on duplexes containing1synthesized in this manner correlate with previously reported enzyme inhibition experiments, as well as computational studies. The melting experiments suggest that1destabilizes duplex DNA, but that the lesion preferentially base pairs to deoxyadenosine. These experiments also suggest that the presence of1in a duplex disrupts base pairing at the 5'-adjacent nucleotide and results in the thermally preferred misincorporation of purines opposite the 5'-deoxyadenosine stacked above 1 at this position. Despite the disruptions in base stacking, the UV melting experiments and enzymatic ligation/electrophoretic migration assays are consistent with the predicted macroscopic duplex structure containing intrahelical nucleotides.

Cytosine methylation in a CpG sequence leads to enhanced reactivity with Benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide that correlates with a conformational change

Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) is a widespread environmental carcinogen that must be activated by cellular metabolism to a diol epoxide form (BPDE) before it reacts with DNA. It has recently been shown that BPDE preferentially modifies the guanine in methylated 5'-CpG-3' sequences in the human p53 gene, providing one explanation for why these sites are mutational hot spots. Using purified duplex oligonucleotides containing identical methylated and unmethylated CpG sequences, we show here that BPDE preferentially modified the guanine in hemimethylated or fully methylated CpG sequences, producing between 3- and 8-fold more modification at this site. Analysis of this reaction using shorter duplex oligonucleotides indicated that it was the level of the (+)-trans isomer that was specifically increased. To determine if there were conformational differences between the methylated and unmethylated B[a]P-modified DNA sequences that may be responsible for this enhanced reactivity, a native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis was carried out using DNA containing isomerically pure B[a]P-DNA adducts. These experiments showed that each adduct resulted in an altered gel mobility in duplex DNA but that only the presence of a (+)-trans isomer and a methylated C 5' to the adduct resulted in a significant gel mobility shift compared with the unmethylated case.