Replication of UV-irradiated DNA in human cell extracts: evidence for mutagenic bypass of pyrimidine dimers

Oxidative Repair of Pyrimidine Cyclobutane Dimers by Nitrate Radicals (NO3•): A Kinetic and Computational Study

Pyrimidine cyclobutane dimers are hazardous DNA lesions formed upon exposure of DNA to UV light, which can be repaired through oxidative electron transfer (ET). Laser flash photolysis and computational studies were performed to explore the role of configuration and constitution at the cyclobutane ring on the oxidative repair process, using the nitrate radical (NO3•) as oxidant. The rate coefficients of 8–280 × 107 M−1 s−1 in acetonitrile revealed a very high reactivity of the cyclobutane dimers of N,N’-dimethylated uracil (DMU), thymine (DMT), and 6-methyluracil (DMU6-Me) towards NO3•, which likely proceeds via ET at N(1) as a major pathway. The overall rate of NO3• consumption was determined by (i) the redox potential, which was lower for the syn- than for the anti-configured dimers, and (ii) the accessibility of the reaction site for NO3•. In the trans dimers, both N(1) atoms could be approached from above and below the molecular plane, whereas in the cis dimers, only the convex side was readily accessible for NO3•. The higher reactivity of the DMT dimers compared with isomeric DMU dimers was due to the electron-donating methyl groups on the cyclobutane ring, which increased their susceptibility to oxidation. On the other hand, the approach of NO3• to the dimers of DMU6-Me was hindered by the methyl substituents adjacent to N(1), making these dimers the least reactive in this series.

Triplet-Induced Lesion Formation at CpT and TpC Sites in DNA

UV irradiation induces DNA lesions particularly at dipyrimidine sites. Using time-resolved UV pump (250 nm) and mid-IR probe spectroscopy the triplet pathway of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) formation within TpC and CpT sequences was studied. The triplet state is initially localized at the thymine base but decays with 30 ns under formation of a biradical state extending over both bases of the dipyrimidine. Subsequently this state either decays back to the electronic ground state on the 100 ns time scale or forms a cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer lesion (CPD). Stationary IR spectroscopy and triplet sensitization via 2'-methoxyacetophenone (2-M) in the UVA range shows that the lesions are formed with an efficiency of approximately 1.5 %. Deamination converts the cytosine moiety of the CPD lesions on the time scale of 10 hours into uracil which gives CPD(UpT) and CPD(TpU) lesions in which the coding potential of the initial cytosine base is vanished.

Mechanistic considerations on the wavelength-dependent variations of UVR genotoxicity and mutagenesis in skin: the discrimination of UVA-signature from UV-signature mutation

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) predominantly induces UV-signature mutations, C → T and CC → TT base substitutions at dipyrimidine sites, in the cellular and skin genome. I observed in our in vivo mutation studies of mouse skin that these UVR-specific mutations show a wavelength-dependent variation in their sequence-context preference. The C → T mutation occurs most frequently in the 5'-TCG-3' sequence regardless of the UVR wavelength, but is recovered more preferentially there as the wavelength increases, resulting in prominent occurrences exclusively in the TCG sequence in the UVA wavelength range, which I will designate as a "UVA signature" in this review. The preference of the UVB-induced C → T mutation for the sequence contexts shows a mixed pattern of UVC- and UVA-induced mutations, and a similar pattern is also observed for natural sunlight, in which UVB is the most genotoxic component. In addition, the CC → TT mutation hardly occurs at UVA1 wavelengths, although it is detected rarely but constantly in the UVC and UVB ranges. This wavelength-dependent variation in the sequence-context preference of the UVR-specific mutations could be explained by two different photochemical mechanisms of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) formation. The UV-signature mutations observed in the UVC and UVB ranges are known to be caused mainly by CPDs produced through the conventional singlet/triplet excitation of pyrimidine bases after the direct absorption of the UVC/UVB photon energy in those bases. On the other hand, a novel photochemical mechanism through the direct absorption of the UVR energy to double-stranded DNA, which is called "collective excitation", has been proposed for the UVA-induced CPD formation. The UVA photons directly absorbed by DNA produce CPDs with a sequence context preference different from that observed for CPDs caused by the UVC/UVB-mediated singlet/triplet excitation, causing CPD formation preferentially at thymine-containing dipyrimidine sites and probably also preferably at methyl CpG-associated dipyrimidine sites, which include the TCG sequence. In this review, I present a mechanistic consideration on the wavelength-dependent variation of the sequence context preference of the UVR-specific mutations and rationalize the proposition of the UVA-signature mutation, in addition to the UV-signature mutation.

Quantitative analysis of UV photolesions suggests that cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers produced in mouse skin by UVB are more mutagenic than those produced by UVC

The amount of photolesions produced in DNA after exposure to physiological doses of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) can be estimated with high sensitivity and at low cost through an immunological assay, ELISA, which, however, provides only a relative estimate that cannot be used for comparisons between different photolesions such as cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) and pyrimidine(6-4)pyrimidone photoproduct (64PP) or for analysis of the genotoxicity of photolesions on a molecular basis. To solve this drawback of ELISA, we introduced a set of UVR-exposed, calibration DNA whose photolesion amounts were predetermined and estimated the absolute molecular amounts of CPDs and 64PPs produced in mouse skin exposed to UVC and UVB. We confirmed previously reported observations that UVC induced more photolesions in the skin than UVB at the same dose, and that both types of UVR produced more CPDs than 64PPs. The UVR protection abilities of the cornified and epidermal layers for the lower tissues were also evaluated quantitatively. We noticed that the values of absorbance obtained in ELISA were not always proportional to the molecular amounts of the lesion, especially for CPD, cautioning against the direct use of ELISA absorbance data for estimation of the photolesion amounts. We further estimated the mutagenicity of a CPD produced by UVC and UVB in the epidermis and dermis using the mutation data from our previous studies with mouse skin and found that CPDs produced in the epidermis by UVB were more than two-fold mutagenic than those by UVC, which suggests that the properties of CPDs produced by UVC and UVB might be different. The difference may originate from the wavelength-dependent methyl CpG preference of CPD formation. In addition, the mutagenicity of CPDs in the dermis was lower than that in the epidermis irrespective of the UVR source, suggesting a higher efficiency in the dermis to reduce the genotoxicity of CPDs produced within it. We also estimated the minimum amount of photolesions required to induce the mutation induction suppression (MIS) response in the epidermis to be around 15 64PPs or 100 CPDs per million bases in DNA as the mean estimate from UVC and UVB-induced MIS.

Eukaryotic Translesion DNA Synthesis on the Leading and Lagging Strands: Unique Detours around the Same Obstacle

During S-phase, minor DNA damage may be overcome by DNA damage tolerance (DDT) pathways that bypass such obstacles, postponing repair of the offending damage to complete the cell cycle and maintain cell survival. In translesion DNA synthesis (TLS), specialized DNA polymerases replicate the damaged DNA, allowing stringent DNA synthesis by a replicative polymerase to resume beyond the offending damage. Dysregulation of this DDT pathway in human cells leads to increased mutation rates that may contribute to the onset of cancer. Furthermore, TLS affords human cancer cells the ability to counteract chemotherapeutic agents that elicit cell death by damaging DNA in actively replicating cells. Currently, it is unclear how this critical pathway unfolds, in particular, where and when TLS occurs on each template strand. Given the semidiscontinuous nature of DNA replication, it is likely that TLS on the leading and lagging strand templates is unique for each strand. Since the discovery of DDT in the late 1960s, most studies on TLS in eukaryotes have focused on DNA lesions resulting from ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure. In this review, we revisit these and other related studies to dissect the step-by-step intricacies of this complex process, provide our current understanding of TLS on leading and lagging strand templates, and propose testable hypotheses to gain further insights.

The cyclopurine deoxynucleosides: DNA repair, biological effects, mechanistic insights, and unanswered questions

Patients with the genetic disease xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) who lack the capacity to carry out nucleotides excision repair (NER) have a dramatically elevated risk of skin cancer on sun exposed areas of the body. NER is the DNA repair mechanism responsible for the removal of DNA lesions resulting from ultraviolet light. In addition, a subset of XP patients develop a progressive neurodegenerative disease, referred to as XP neurologic disease, which is thought to be the result of accumulation of endogenous DNA lesions that are repaired by NER but not other repair pathways. The 8,5-cyclopurine deoxynucleotides (cyPu) have emerged as leading candidates for such lesions, in that they result from the reaction of the hydroxyl radical with DNA, are strong blocks to transcription in human cells, and are repaired by NER but not base excision repair. Here I present a focused perspective on progress into understating the repair and biological effects of these lesions. In doing so, I emphasize the role of Tomas Lindahl and his laboratory in stimulating cyPu research. I also include a critical evaluation of the evidence supporting a role for cyPu lesions in XP neurologic disease, with a focus on outstanding questions, and conceptual and technologic challenges.

CPD photolyase gene from Spinacia oleracea: repair of UV-damaged DNA and expression in plant organs

The UV-B radiation contained in solar radiation has deleterious effects on plant growth, development and physiology. Specific damage to DNA caused by UV radiation involves the cyclobutyl pyrimidine dimers (CPD) and the pyrimidine (6-4) pyrimidone photoproducts. CPDs are repaired by CPD photolyase via a UV-A/blue light-dependent mechanism. The gene for the class II CPD photolyase has been cloned from higher plants such as Arabidopsis, cucumbers and rice. We isolated and characterized the cDNA and a genomic clone encoding the spinach class II CPD photolyase. The gene consisted of 3777 bases and 9 exons. The sequence of amino acids predicted from the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA of the gene was highly homologous to that of the higher plants listed above. When a photolyase-deficient Escherichia coli strain was transformed with the cDNA, photoreactivation activity was partially restored, by the illumination with photoreactivating light, resulting in an increased survival and decreased content of CPDs in the Escherichia coli genome. In both the male and female plants, the gene was highly expressed in leaves and flowers under the condition of 14-h light and 10-h dark cycle. The expression in the roots was quite low compared with the other organs.

Altered DNA polymerase iota expression in breast cancer cells leads to a reduction in DNA replication fidelity and a higher rate of mutagenesis

The recently discovered human enzyme DNA polymerase iota (pol iota) has been shown to have an exceptionally high error rate on artificial DNA templates. Although there is a considerable body of in vitro evidence for a role for pol iota in DNA lesion bypass, there is no in vivo evidence to confirm this action. We report here that pol iota expression is elevated in breast cancer cells and correlates with a significant decrease in DNA replication fidelity. We also demonstrate that UV treatment of breast cancer cells additionally increases pol iota expression with a peak occurring between 30 min and 2 h after cellular insult. This implies that the change in pol iota expression is an early event after UV-mediated DNA damage. That pol iota may play a role in the higher mutation frequencies observed in breast cancer cells was suggested when a reduction in mutation frequency was found after pol iota was immunodepleted from nuclear extracts of the cells. Analysis of the UV-induced mutation spectra revealed that > 90% were point mutations. The analysis also demonstrated a decreased C --> T nucleotide transition and an increased C --> A transversion rate. Overall, our data strongly suggest that pol iota may be involved in the generation of both increased spontaneous and translesion mutations during DNA replication in breast cancer cells, thereby contributing to the accumulation of genetic damage.

Asymmetry of DNA replication and translesion synthesis of UV-induced thymine dimers

In vitro replication assays for detection and quantification of bypass of UV-induced DNA photoproducts were used to compare the capacity of extracts prepared from different human cell lines to replicate past the cis,syn cyclobutane thymine dimer ([c,s]TT). The results demonstrated that neither nucleotide excision repair (NER) nor mismatch repair (MMR) activities in the intact cells interfered with measurements of bypass replication efficiencies in vitro. Extracts prepared from HeLa (NER- and MMR-proficient), xeroderma pigmentosum group A (NER-deficient), and HCT116 (MMR-deficient) cells displayed similar capacity for translesion synthesis, when the substrate carried the site-specific [c,s]TT on the template for the leading or the lagging strand of nascent DNA. Extracts from xeroderma pigmentosum variant cells, which lack DNA polymerase eta, were devoid of bypass activity. Bypass-proficient extracts as a group (n=16 for 3 extracts) displayed higher efficiency (P=0.005) for replication past the [c,s]TT during leading strand synthesis (84+/-22%) than during lagging strand synthesis (64+/-13%). These findings are compared to previous results concerning the bypass of the (6-4) photoproduct [Biochemistry 40 (2001) 15215] and analyzed in the context of the reported characteristics of bypass DNA polymerases implicated in translesion synthesis of UV-induced DNA lesions. Models to explain how these enzymes might interact with the DNA replication machinery are considered. An alternative pathway of bypass replication, which avoids translesion synthesis, and the mutagenic potential of post-replication repair mechanisms that contribute to the duplication of the human genome damaged by UV are discussed.

Inhibition of DNA replication and induction of S phase cell cycle arrest by G-rich oligonucleotides

The discovery of G-rich oligonucleotides (GROs) that have non-antisense antiproliferative activity against a number of cancer cell lines has been recently described. This biological activity of GROs was found to be associated with their ability to form stable G-quartet-containing structures and their binding to a specific cellular protein, most likely nucleolin (Bates, P. J., Kahlon, J. B., Thomas, S. D., Trent, J. O., and Miller, D. M. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 26369-26377). In this report, we further investigate the novel mechanism of GRO activity by examining their effects on cell cycle progression and on nucleic acid and protein biosynthesis. Cell cycle analysis of several tumor cell lines showed that cells accumulate in S phase in response to treatment with an active GRO. Analysis of 5-bromodeoxyuridine incorporation by these cells indicated the absence of de novo DNA synthesis, suggesting an arrest of the cell cycle predominantly in S phase. At the same time point, RNA and protein synthesis were found to be ongoing, indicating that arrest of DNA replication is a primary event in GRO-mediated inhibition of proliferation. This specific blockade of DNA replication eventually resulted in altered cell morphology and induction of apoptosis. To characterize further GRO-mediated inhibition of DNA replication, we used an in vitro assay based on replication of SV40 DNA. GROs were found to be capable of inhibiting DNA replication in the in vitro assay, and this activity was correlated to their antiproliferative effects. Furthermore, the effect of GROs on DNA replication in this assay was related to their inhibition of SV40 large T antigen helicase activity. The data presented suggest that the antiproliferative activity of GROs is a direct result of their inhibition of DNA replication, which may result from modulation of a replicative helicase activity.

Spontaneous and ultraviolet light-induced direct repeat recombination in mammalian cells frequently results in repeat deletion

Recombination is enhanced by transcription and by DNA damage caused by ultraviolet light (UV). Recombination between direct repeats can occur by gene conversion without an associated crossover, which maintains the gross repeat structure. There are several possible mechanisms that delete one repeat and the intervening sequences (gene conversion associated with a crossover, unequal sister chromatid exchange, and single-strand annealing). We examined transcription-enhanced spontaneous recombination, and UV-induced recombination between neomycin (neo) direct repeats. One neo gene was driven by the inducible MMTV promoter. Multiple (silent) markers in the second neo gene were used to map conversion tracts. These markers are thought to inhibit spontaneous recombination, and our data suggest that this inhibition is partially overcome by high level transcription. Recombination was stimulated by transcription and by UV doses of 6-12J/m(2), but not by 18J/m(2). About 70% of spontaneous and UV-induced products were deletions. In contrast, only 3% of DSB-induced products were deletions. We propose that these product spectra differ because spontaneous and UV-induced recombination is replication-dependent, whereas DSB-induced recombination is replication-independent.

Repeated exposures of human skin equivalent to low doses of ultraviolet-B radiation lead to changes in cellular functions and accumulation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers

Chronic exposure to sunlight may induce skin damage such as photoaging and photocarcinogenesis. These harmful effects are mostly caused by ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays. Yet, less is known about the contribution of low UVB doses to skin damage. The aim of this study was to determine the tissue changes induced by repeated exposure to a suberythemal dose of UVB radiation. Human keratinocytes in monolayer cultures and in skin equivalent were irradiated daily with 8 mJ/cm2 of UVB. Then structural, ultrastructural, and biochemical alterations were evaluated. The results show that exposure to UVB led to a generalized destabilization of the epidermis structure. In irradiated skin equivalents, keratinocytes displayed differentiated morphology and a reduced capacity to proliferate. Ultrastructural analysis revealed, not only unusual aggregation of intermediate filaments, but also disorganized desmosomes and larger mitochondria in basal cells. UVB irradiation also induced the secretion of metalloproteinase-9, which may be responsible for degradation of type IV collagen at the basement membrane. DNA damage analysis showed that both single and repeated exposure to UVB led to formation of (6–4) photoproducts and cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers. Although the (6–4) photoproducts were repaired within 24 h after irradiation, cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers accumulated over the course of the experiment. These studies demonstrate that, even at a suberythemal dose, repeated exposure to UVB causes significant functional and molecular damage to keratinocytes, which might eventually predispose to skin cancer.Key words: UVB, keratinocytes, skin structure, DNA damage, photoproducts.

In vitro replication and mutagenesis of a novel reversion vector with selective DNA damage in the supF gene

The ability to detect the most common type of UV-induced mutation, the C to T transition, at the previously characterized hotspot at position 99 of the supF gene has been demonstrated in a selectively irradiated reversion vector, pLS189(Rev). The supF region was amplified, irradiated with 500J/m(2) UVC or unirradiated, and ligated into the pLS189(Rev) plasmid. A portion of ligated product plasmid containing the irradiated fragment was sensitive to nicking by T4 endonuclease V, indicating the presence of the most common type of UV-induced damage, the pyrimidine dimer. Plasmid containing the irradiated or unirradiated supF gene was replicated completely in cellular extracts from either HeLa or XP-A cells in vitro. Plasmid containing the irradiated supF gene showed an inhibition of total replication to a level similar to those of previous studies with plasmid molecules exposed in their entirety to 40J/m(2). Replication of selectively irradiated plasmid resulted in an average reversion frequency of 0.071% in the two extracts; a 42-fold increase over the average spontaneous reversion frequency of unirradiated plasmid. The reversion frequencies were not significantly different between extracts prepared from HeLa and XP-A cells, indicating that neither the repair status of the cell lines nor the XPA protein itself affect the frequency of C to T transitions at position 99 of the supF gene in plasmid replicated in vitro. These data indicate that the plasmid pSL189(Rev), containing the selectively UV-irradiated supF gene, is a useful and sensitive tool to study mutagenesis at a specific site. This approach may be applicable to the investigation of other environmental DNA-damaging agents, by allowing the target gene to be selectively damaged while maintaining the ability of the plasmid to replicate completely. Such a system, amenable to biochemical manipulation, may be very valuable in elucidating the function of novel proteins in the process of mutagenesis.

A single (6-4) photoproduct inhibits plasmid DNA replication in xeroderma pigmentosum variant cell extracts

The human skin cancer-prone disease xeroderma pigmentosum variant (XPV) results from a mutation in the human RAD30 gene, which encodes the lesion bypass DNA polymerase eta. XPV cells are characterized by delayed completion of DNA replication and increased mutagenesis following UV-irradiation. Using extracts of an XPV lymphoblast cell line (GM2449C) that has a truncating mutation in the RAD30 gene, we investigated the effect of a (6-4) photoproduct and a cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD), at a unique -TT- site on either the leading or lagging strand, on plasmid DNA replication. Compared to normal cell extracts, XPV cell extracts have a reduced capacity to carry out complete replication of DNA containing either a (6-4) photoproduct or a CPD on the leading strand, whereas there is little difference between the two cell extracts in replication of DNA containing a lesion on the lagging strand. Inhibition of replication in the presence of a (6-4) photoproduct is attributed to arrest of nascent DNA strand synthesis at the lesion site; in XPV cell extracts, the proportion of arrested products is increased compared to that of normal cell extracts. These results are consistent with a requirement for functional DNA polymerase eta in the replication of a double-stranded plasmid containing either a (6-4) photoproduct or a CPD, on the leading but not the lagging strand.

DNA damage-induced mutation: tolerance via translesion synthesis

Translesion synthesis (TLS) appears to be required for most damage-induced mutagenesis in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, whether the damage arises from endogenous or exogenous sources. Thus, the production of such mutations seems to occur primarily as a consequence of the tolerance of DNA lesions rather than an error-prone repair mechanism. Tolerance via TLS in yeast involves proteins encoded by members of the RAD6 epistasis group for the repair of ultraviolet (UV) photoproducts, in particular two non-essential DNA polymerases that catalyse error-free or error-prone TLS. Homologues of these RAD6 group proteins have recently been discovered in rodent and/or human cells. Furthermore, the operation of error-free TLS in humans has been linked to a reduced risk of UV-induced skin cancer, whereas mutations generated by error-prone TLS may increase the risk of cancer. In this article, we review and link the evidence for translesion synthesis in yeast, and the involvement of nonreplicative DNA polymerases, to recent findings in mammalian cells.

DNA replication but not nucleotide excision repair is required for UVC-induced replication protein A phosphorylation in mammalian cells

Exposure of mammalian cells to short-wavelength light (UVC) triggers a global response which can either counteract the deleterious effect of DNA damage by enabling DNA repair or lead to apoptosis. Several stress-activated protein kinases participate in this response, making phosphorylation a strong candidate for being involved in regulating the cellular damage response. One factor that is phosphorylated in a UVC-dependent manner is the 32-kDa subunit of the single-stranded DNA-binding replication protein A (RPA32). RPA is required for major cellular processes like DNA replication, and removal of DNA damage by nucleotide excision repair (NER). In this study we examined the signal which triggers RPA32 hyperphosphorylation following UVC irradiation in human cells. Hyperphosphorylation of RPA was observed in cells from patients with either NER or transcription-coupled repair (TCR) deficiency (A, C, and G complementation groups of xeroderma pigmentosum and A and B groups of Cockayne syndrome, respectively). This exclude both NER intermediates and TCR as essential signals for RPA hyperphosphorylation. However, we have observed that UV-sensitive cells deficient in NER and TCR require lower doses of UV irradiation to induce RPA32 hyperphosphorylation than normal cells, indicating that persistent unrepaired lesions contribute to RPA phosphorylation. Finally, the results of UVC irradiation experiments on nonreplicating cells and S-phase-synchronized cells emphasize a major role for DNA replication arrest in the presence of UVC lesions in RPA UVC-induced hyperphosphorylation in mammalian cells.

Antagonism of ultraviolet-light mutagenesis by the methyl-directed mismatch-repair system of Escherichia coli

Previous studies have demonstrated that the Escherichia coli MutHLS mismatch-repair system can process UV-irradiated DNA in vivo and that the human MSH2.MSH6 mismatch-repair protein binds more strongly in vitro to photoproduct/base mismatches than to "matched" photoproducts in DNA. We tested the hypothesis that mismatch repair directed against incorrect bases opposite photoproducts might reduce UV mutagenesis, using two alleles at E. coli lacZ codon 461, which revert, respectively, via CCC --> CTC and CTT --> CTC transitions. F' lacZ targets were mated from mut(+) donors into mutH, mutL, or mutS recipients, once cells were at substantial densities, to minimize spontaneous mutation prior to irradiation. In umu(+) mut(+) recipients, a range of UV fluences induced lac(+) revertant frequencies of 4-25 x 10(-8); these frequencies were consistently 2-fold higher in mutH, mutL, or mutS recipients. Since this effect on mutation frequency was unaltered by an Mfd(-) defect, it appears not to involve transcription-coupled excision repair. In mut(+) umuC122::Tn5 bacteria, UV mutagenesis (at 60 J/m(2)) was very low, but mutH or mutL or mutS mutations increased reversion of both lacZ alleles roughly 25-fold, to 5-10 x 10(-8). Thus, at UV doses too low to induce SOS functions, such as Umu(2)'D, most incorrect bases opposite occasional photoproducts may be removed by mismatch repair, whereas in heavily irradiated (SOS-induced) cells, mismatch repair may only correct some photoproduct/base mismatches, so UV mutagenesis remains substantial.

Abnormal, error-prone bypass of photoproducts by xeroderma pigmentosum variant cell extracts results in extreme strand bias for the kinds of mutations induced by UV light

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare genetic disease characterized by a greatly increased susceptibility to sunlight-induced skin cancer. Cells from the majority of patients are defective in nucleotide excision repair. However, cells from one set of patients, XP variants, exhibit normal repair but are abnormally slow in replicating DNA containing UV photoproducts. The frequency of UV radiation-induced mutations in the XP variant cells is significantly higher than that in normal human cells. Furthermore, the kinds of UV-induced mutations differ very significantly from normal. Instead of transitions, mainly C-->T, 30% of the base substitutions consist of C-->A transversions, all arising from photoproducts located in one strand. Mutations involving cytosine in the other strand are almost all C-->T transitions. Forty-five percent of the substitutions involve thymine, and the majority are transversions. To test the hypothesis that the UV hypermutability and the abnormal spectrum of mutations result from abnormal bypass of photoproducts in DNA, we compared extracts from XP variant cells with those from HeLa cells and a fibroblast cell strain, MSU-1.2, for the ability to replicate a UV-irradiated form I M13 phage. The M13 template contains a simian virus 40 origin of replication located directly to the left or to the right of the target gene, lacZalpha, so that the template for the leading and lagging strands of DNA replication is defined. Reduction of replication to approximately 37% of the control value required only 1 photoproduct per template for XP variant cell extracts, but approximately 2.2 photoproducts for HeLa or MSU-1.2 cell extracts. The frequency of mutants induced was four times higher with XP variant cell extracts than with HeLa or MSU-1.2 cell extracts. With XP variant cell extracts, the proportion of C-->A transversions reached as high as 43% with either M13 template and arose from photoproducts located in the template for leading-strand synthesis; with HeLa or MSU-1.2 cell extracts, this value was only 5%, and these arose from photoproducts in either strand. With the XP variant extracts, 26% of the substitutions involved thymine, and virtually all were T-->A transversions. Sequence analysis of the coding region of the catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase delta in XP variant cell lines revealed two polymorphisms, but these do not account for the reduced bypass fidelity. Our data indicate that the UV hypermutability of XP variant cells results from reduced bypass fidelity and that unlike for normal cells, bypass of photoproducts involving cytosine in the template for the leading strand differs significantly from that of photoproducts in the lagging strand.

The (6-4) photoproduct of thymine-thymine induces targeted substitution mutations in mammalian cells

Two major ultraviolet-induced photolesions of TpT, a (6-4) photoproduct [T(6-4)T] and a cis-syn cyclobutane TT dimer (T=T), were incorporated into a predetermined site of one of the leading and lagging template strands of a double-stranded vector, and the modified DNAs were transfected into simian COS-7 cells. The DNAs replicated in the cells were recovered and were transfected again into Escherichia coli. The DNA replication efficiencies of plasmids containing T(6-4)T and T=T in the template strand for lagging strand synthesis were 93 and 79%, respectively, as compared with the unmodified DNA. Similar inhibitory effects were observed in the cases of the photoproducts in the template strand for leading strand synthesis (71 and 58%, respectively). These results indicated that T(6-4)T blocked DNA replication more weakly than T=T during leading and lagging strand syntheses in mammalian cells. The mutation frequencies of T(6-4)T were 2.3 and 4.7% in the leading and lagging template strands, respectively. The T=T lesion was less mutagenic and induced mutations with 0.2-0.7% frequencies. The T(6-4)T lesion primarily elicited 3'-T-->C substitutions, and T=T induced various types of mutations. These results indicate that T(6-4)T is more mutagenic than T=T during leading and lagging strand syntheses in simian cells. Moreover, this is the first evidence that shows T(6-4)T mainly elicits targeted substitutions at its 3'-T site in mammalian cells.

Mutagenesis and more: umuDC and the Escherichia coli SOS response

The cellular response to DNA damage that has been most extensively studied is the SOS response of Escherichia coli. Analyses of the SOS response have led to new insights into the transcriptional and post-translational regulation of processes that increase cell survival after DNA damage as well as insights into DNA-damage-induced mutagenesis, i.e., SOS mutagenesis. SOS mutagenesis requires the recA and umuDC gene products and has as its mechanistic basis the alteration of DNA polymerase III such that it becomes capable of replicating DNA containing miscoding and noncoding lesions. Ongoing investigations of the mechanisms underlying SOS mutagenesis, as well as recent observations suggesting that the umuDC operon may have a role in the regulation of the E. coli cell cycle after DNA damage has occurred, are discussed.

Mutation spectra resulting from carcinogenic exposure: from model systems to cancer-related genes

The events leading to cancer are complex and interactive. Alteration of cancer genes, such as the tumor suppressor gene p53, plays a central role in this process. Analysis of the frequency, type and site of mutations in important cancer-related genes may provide clues to the identification of etiological factors and sources of exposure. In this chapter we have selected a few examples of environmental human carcinogens and have attempted to use the knowledge of their mechanisms of mutagenesis, as derived from in vitro cell systems, as a key to understanding the complexity of p53 mutation spectra in tumors arising at the putative target organ. The analysis will focus on environmental exposure to UV radiation. The examples of tobacco smoke, dietary aflatoxin and vinyl chloride will be also briefly discussed.

Photorepair mutants of Arabidopsis

UV radiation induces two major DNA damage products, the cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) and, at a lower frequency, the pyrimidine (6-4) pyrimidinone dimer (6-4 product). Although Escherichia coli and Saccharomyes cerevisiae produce a CPD-specific photolyase that eliminates only this class of dimer, Arabidopsis thaliana, Drosphila melanogaster, Crotalus atrox, and Xenopus laevis have recently been shown to photoreactivate both CPDs and 6-4 products. We describe the isolation and characterization of two new classes of mutants of Arabidopsis, termed uvr2 and uvr3, that are defective in the photoreactivation of CPDs and 6-4 products, respectively. We demonstrate that the CPD photolyase mutation is genetically linked to a DNA sequence encoding a type II (metazoan) CPD photolyase. In addition, we are able to generate plants in which only CPDs or 6-4 products are photoreactivated in the nuclear genome by exposing these mutants to UV light and then allowing them to repair one or the other class of dimers. This provides us with a unique opportunity to study the biological consequences of each of these two major UV-induced photoproducts in an intact living system.

Differential replication of a single N-2-acetylaminofluorene lesion in the leading or lagging strand DNA in a human cell extract

DNA replication in eucaryotic cells is a complex process involving a variety of proteins that synthesize the leading and lagging strand in an asymmetric, coordinated manner. To investigate the effect of this asymmetry on the translesion synthesis of bulky lesions, we have constructed SV40 origin-containing plasmids with site-specific N-2-acetylaminofluorene adduct on either leading or lagging strand templates. These plasmids have been incubated with DNA replication-competent extracts made from human HeLa cells. Two-dimensional agarose gel electrophoresis analyses reveal a strong blockage of fork progression only when the N-2-acetylaminofluorene adduct is located on the leading strand template. Morever, the analysis revealed that replication with HeLa cell extracts of SV40 origin-dependent plasmids functions in both directions from the origin with equal efficiency but, probably due to an important asynchrony at the formation of the two forks, proceeds unidirectionally for a large number of individual molecules. The validity of the in vitro replication approach to study the fidelity of both leading- and lagging strand synthesis is discussed with regard to these new data.

Persistent DNA damage inhibits S-phase and G2 progression, and results in apoptosis

We used genetically related Chinese hamster ovary cell lines proficient or deficient in DNA repair to determine the direct role of UV-induced DNA photoproducts in inhibition of DNA replication and in induction of G2 arrest and apoptosis. UV irradiation of S-phase-synchronized cells causes delays in completion of the S-phase sometimes followed by an extended G2 arrest and apoptosis. The effects of UV irradiation during the S-phase on subsequent cell cycle progression are magnified in repair-deficient cells, indicating that these effects are initiated by persistent DNA damage and not by direct UV activation of signal transduction pathways. Moreover, among the lesions introduced by UV irradiation, persistence of (6-4) photoproducts inhibits DNA synthesis much more than persistence of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (which appear to be efficiently bypassed by the DNA replication apparatus). Apoptosis begins approximately 24 h after UV irradiation of S-phase-synchronized cells, occurs to a greater extent in repair-deficient cells, and correlates well with the inability to escape from an extended late S-phase-G2 arrest. We also find that nucleotide excision repair activity (including its coupling to transcription) is similar in the S-phase to what we have previously measured in G1 and G2.

Replication fork bypass of a pyrimidine dimer blocking leading strand DNA synthesis

We constructed a double-stranded plasmid containing a single cis, syn-cyclobutane thymine dimer (T[c,s]T) 385 base pairs from the center of the SV40 origin of replication. This circular DNA was replicated in vitro by extracts from several types of human cells. The dimer was placed on the leading strand template of the first replication fork to encounter the lesion. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of replication intermediates documented the transient arrest of the replication fork by the dimer. Movement of the replication fork beyond the dimer was recognized by the appearance of a single fork arc in DNA sequences located between the T[c,s]T and the half-way point around the circular template (180 degrees from the origin). Upon completion of plasmid replication, the T[c,s]T was detected by T4 endonuclease V in about one-half (46 +/- 9%) of the closed circular daughter molecules. Our results demonstrate that extracts prepared from HeLa cells and SV40-transformed human fibroblasts (SV80, IDH4), including a cell line defective in nucleotide-excision repair (XPA), were competent for leading strand DNA synthesis opposite the pyrimidine dimer and replication fork bypass. In contrast, dimer bypass was severely impaired in otherwise replication-competent extracts from two different xeroderma pigmentosum variant cell lines.

Formation and processing of UV photoproducts: effects of DNA sequence and chromatin environment

Cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers and (6-4) photoproducts are the two major classes of lesions produced in DNA by UVB and UVC irradiation. Their distribution along genes is nucleotide sequence-dependent. In vivo, the frequency of these lesions at specific sites is modulated by nucleosomes and other DNA binding proteins. Repair of UV photoproducts is dependent on the transcriptional status of the sequences to be repaired and on the chromatin environment. The formation of DNA photolesions by UV light is responsible for the induction of mutations and the development of skin cancer. To understand the mechanisms of UV mutagenesis, it is important to know how these lesions are formed, by which cellular pathways they are repaired and how they are dealt with by DNA polymerases.

Recognition and repair of compound DNA lesions (base damage and mismatch) by human mismatch repair and excision repair systems

Nucleotide excision repair and the long-patch mismatch repair systems correct abnormal DNA structures arising from DNA damage and replication errors, respectively. DNA synthesis past a damaged base (translesion replication) often causes misincorporation at the lesion site. In addition, mismatches are hot spots for DNA damage because of increased susceptibility of unpaired bases to chemical modification. We call such a DNA lesion, that is, a base damage superimposed on a mismatch, a compound lesion. To learn about the processing of compound lesions by human cells, synthetic compound lesions containing UV photoproducts or cisplatin 1,2-d(GpG) intrastrand cross-link and mismatch were tested for binding to the human mismatch recognition complex hMutS alpha and for excision by the human excision nuclease. No functional overlap between excision repair and mismatch repair was observed. The presence of a thymine dimer or a cisplatin diadduct in the context of a G-T mismatch reduced the affinity of hMutS alpha for the mismatch. In contrast, the damaged bases in these compound lesions were excised three- to fourfold faster than simple lesions by the human excision nuclease, regardless of the presence of hMutS alpha in the reaction. These results provide a new perspective on how excision repair, a cellular defense system for maintaining genomic integrity, can fix mutations under certain circumstances.

Requirement of proliferating cell nuclear antigen in RAD6-dependent postreplicational DNA repair

The proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) acts as a processivity factor for replicative DNA polymerases and is essential for DNA replication. In vitro studies have suggested a role for PCNA-in the repair synthesis step of nucleotide excision repair, and PCNA interacts with the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21. However, because of the lack of genetic evidence, it is not clear which of the DNA repair processes are in fact affected by PCNA in vivo. Here, we describe a PCNA mutation, pol30-46, that confers ultraviolet (UV) sensitivity but has no effect on growth or cell cycle progression, and the mutant pcna interacts normally with DNA polymerase delta and epsilon. Genetic studies indicate that the pol30-46 mutation is specifically defective in RAD6-dependent postreplicational repair of UV damaged DNA, and this mutation impairs the error-free mode of bypass repair. These results implicate a role for PCNA as an intermediary between DNA replication and postreplicational DNA repair.

Inhibition of initiation of simian virus 40 DNA replication during acute response of cells irradiated by ultraviolet light

To study the mechanism by which ultraviolet (UV) light inhibits DNA replication, we examined the effects of UV 254 nm irradiation on the replication of simian virus 40 (SV40) DNA and SV40-based plasmid in monkey cells. The study was designed to determine the relative contributions made by inhibition of replication initiation and chain elongation to the immediate inhibition of DNA replication following UV irradiation. We used two-dimensional neutral-alkaline electrophoresis to examine the behaviour of replication intermediates unambiguously. Kinetic analysis using this technique showed that initiation of replication started to decline at 15 min post-irradiation. When the pulse label incorporated in SV40 replication intermediates before irradiation was chased for 1 h, most of the label was found in mature Form I and II molecules. This indicated that replication elongation took place on damaged template. We also used a transfection technique to show that heavily irradiated plasmids replicated efficiently in unirradiated transfected cells. By the transfection technique, we observed that UV irradiation of host cells dose-dependently inhibited replication of transfected non-irradiated plasmids, suggesting that the inhibition of DNA replication is due to a global change in cellular physiology induced by UV. This change was also apparent from poor staining of the chromatin by fluorescent-DNA-binding dyes immediately after UV irradiation of intact cells. We conclude that a significant fraction of chain elongation proceeds on damaged templates and DNA replication during the acute response of cells irradiated with UV is mainly controlled by the inhibition of replication initiation.

Misincorporation rate and type on the leading and lagging strands of UV-damaged DNA

We have examined the fidelity of replication of the leading and lagging strands of UV-irradiated DNA by using an EBV-derived shuttle vector system which contains as marker gene for mutation analysis the bacterial gpt gene in both orientations relative to the EBV oriP. Human cells stably transformed with this vector were UV irradiated and gpt mutation rate and type were analysed. An increased mutagenicity associated with UV irradiation was observed, but the average error frequency was unaffected by the direction of replication of the target gene. Some variability by position and sequence context of leading and lagging strand errors was detected, suggesting that the different architecture of the replication complex for the two strands might, to some extent, affect mutation spectra. The comparable fidelity of translesion replication on the leading and lagging strands is in agreement with the current model for eukaryotic replication that postulates the simultaneous synthesis of both strands by a DNA polymerase with a proof-reading exonuclease.

Strand specificity of mutagenic bypass replication of DNA containing psoralen monoadducts in a human cell extract

Psoralens are mutagenic compounds of vegetable origin that are used as photosensitizing agents in the treatment of various skin diseases, blood cell cancer, and autoimmune disorders. To study the mechanism of mutagenicity of psoralens in humans, we examined the efficiency and fidelity of simian virus 40 origin-dependent replication in a human cell extract of M13mp2 DNA randomly treated with the psoralen derivative 4'-hydroxymethyl-4,5',8-trimethyl psoralen plus UVA irradiation. Replication of DNA treated with variable amounts of 4'-hydroxymethyl-4,5',8-trimethyl psoralen and a fixed UVA fluence was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner. However, covalently closed monomer-length circular replication products were observed. Product analysis by renaturing agarose gel electrophoresis after cross-linking with 250- to 280-nm UV light indicated that approximately 1 of 9 psoralen monoadducts was bypassed during in vitro replication. Introduction of product DNA into Escherichia coli to score replication errors in the lacZalpha reporter gene demonstrated that replication of the damaged DNA was more mutagenic than was replication of undamaged DNA. Sequence analysis of lacZ mutants revealed that damage-dependent replication errors were predominantly T.A-->C.G transitions, transversions at C.G base pairs, and deletions of single A.T base pairs, the last occurring most frequently in homopolymeric runs. A comparison of error specificities with two substrates having the replication origin asymmetrically placed on opposite sides of the mutational target suggests that the lagging-strand replication apparatus is less accurate than the leading-strand replication apparatus for psoralen monoadduct-dependent deletion errors. A model is proposed based on the preferential loopout of the monoadducted base from the strand that templates retrograde discontinuous synthesis.

Complete replication of plasmid DNA containing a single UV-induced lesion in human cell extracts

To investigate the effect of the major UV-induced lesions on SV40 origin-dependent DNA replication and mutagenesis in a mammalian cell extract, double-stranded plasmids containing a single cis,syn-cyclobutane dimer or a pyrimidine-pyrimidone (6-4) photoproduct at a unique TT sequence have been constructed. These plasmids have been used as templates in DNA replication-competent extracts from human HeLa cells. Plasmids containing a single pyrimidine cyclobutane dimer on the potential lagging strand for DNA replication are replicated with an efficiency approximately equal to that of an unmodified plasmid. A small decrease in replication efficiency of approximately 20% was observed when the lesion was located on the potential leading strand for DNA replication. In both orientations, DpnI-resistant, replicated closed circular plasmid DNA was sensitive to nicking by the pyrimidine dimer-specific enzyme, T4 endonuclease V, indicating that complete replication of the damaged plasmid occurs in vitro. In contrast, a (6-4) photoproduct, within the same site and sequence context on the lagging strand for DNA synthesis, inhibits replication in vitro by an average of approximately 50%, indicating that the mammalian replication complex responds differently to the two major UV-induced lesions during DNA replication in vitro. Analysis of the DpnI-resistant, replicated DNA for mutations targeted to the lesion site indicates that neither of these lesions resulted in significant mutagenesis. UV-induced lesions at TT sites may therefore be poorly mutagenic under these conditions for DNA replication in human cell extracts in vitro.

Frequency and fidelity of translesion synthesis of site-specific N-2-acetylaminofluorene adducts during DNA replication in a human cell extract

We have previously analyzed the effects of site-specific N-2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) adducts on the efficiency and frameshift fidelity of SV40-based DNA replication in a human cell extract (Thomas, D. C., Veaute, X., Kunkel, T. A., and Fuchs, R. P. P. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 91, 7752-7756). Here we use two sets of substrates to examine the probability of replication termination and error-free and error-prone bypass of AAF adducts. The substrates contained site-specific adducts at one of three guanines in a NarI sequence (5'-GGCGCC-3') placed within the lacZ alpha reporter gene and located on the template for either leading or lagging strand replication. The presence of the adduct at any position strongly reduces the efficiency of a single round of replication in a HeLa cell extract. Product analysis reveals preferential replication of the undamaged strand and termination of replication of the damaged strand occurring one nucleotide before incorporation opposite either a leading or lagging strand adduct. Products resistant to restriction endonuclease cleavage at the adducted site were generated in amounts consistent with 16-48% lesion bypass during replication. Most of this bypass was error-free. However, two-nucleotide deletion errors were detected in the replication products of DNA containing an AAF adduct in either the leading or lagging strand, but only when present at the third guanine position. Collectively, the data suggest that the replication apparatus in a HeLa cell extract generates a template-primer slippage error at an AAF adduct once for every 30-100 bypass events.

Replication error rates for G.dGTP, T.dGTP, and A.dGTP mispairs and evidence for differential proofreading by leading and lagging strand DNA replication complexes in human cells

We have determined the fidelity of DNA replication by human cell extracts in reactions containing excess dGTP. Replication errors were scored using two M13 DNA substrates having the replication origin on opposite sides of the lacZ alpha-complementation gene. The data suggest that the average rates for replication errors resulting from G(template), T.dGTP, and A.dGTP mispairs are 25 x 10(-6), 12 x 10(-6), and 3 x 10(-6), respectively. The data also suggest that error rates for both the (+) and (-) strands differ by less than 2-fold when they are replicated either as the leading or lagging strand. This is in contrast to the 33- and 8-fold differences observed earlier for G.dTTP and C.dTTP mispairs on the (+) strand when replicated by the leading or lagging strand complex (Roberts, J. D., Izuta, S., Thomas, D. C., and Kunkel, T. A. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 1711-1717). Thus, the relative fidelity of the leading and lagging strand replication proteins varies with the mispair and sequence considered. Misincorporation of dGTP preferentially occurs at template positions where dGTP is the next correct nucleotide to be incorporated. This "next nucleotide" effect is characteristic of reduced exonucleolytic proofreading and suggests that these replication errors are normally proofread efficiently. Fidelity measurements performed in the absence or presence of dGMP, an inhibitor of proofreading exonuclease activity, suggest that the leading strand replication complex proofreads some mispairs more efficiently than does the lagging strand replication complex.

Analysis of mutations induced by replication of UV-damaged plasmid DNA in HeLa cell extracts

We have used an SV40-based shuttle vector, pZ189, to investigate the capacity of HeLa cell extracts to reproduce the in vivo process of mutation fixation. We showed previously that when UV-irradiated pZ189 is replicated in these extracts, bypass of UV photoproducts occurs, resulting in base substitution mutations in the supF gene of the vector. Here we report the DNA sequence characterization of a collection of 60 of these UV-induced mutants. Most of the mutations observed are single or tandem double base substitutions at dipyrimidine sites; of these, approximately 90% are G:C-->A:T transitions. Mutations are observed predominantly at a few sites, in particular at positions 155 and 156 in the supF sequence. No dramatic differences in the mutation spectrum were observed when the orientation of the supF gene was reversed with respect to the SV40 origin of replication, suggesting that mutation fixation occurs similarly on both the leading and the lagging strands for DNA replication. Generally, the mutational hot spots observed in vitro are at the same sites as those observed when UV-irradiated pZ189 was passaged in human or monkey cells in culture. Thus, it appears that the replication and mutagenesis of UV-damaged templates in HeLa cell extracts accurately reflects these processes in the intact cell.

The fidelity of the human leading and lagging strand DNA replication apparatus with 8-oxodeoxyguanosine triphosphate

A product of oxidative metabolism, 8-oxodeoxyguanosine triphosphate (8-O-dGTP), readily pairs with adenine during DNA replication, ultimately causing A.T-->C.G transversions. This study utilized 8-O-dGTP as a probe to examine the fidelity of the leading and lagging strand replication apparatus in extracts of HeLa cells. Simian virus (SV) 40 T antigen-dependent DNA replication reactions were performed with two M13mp2 vectors with the SV40 origin located on opposite sides of the lacZ alpha sequence used to score replication errors. The presence of 8-O-dGTP at equimolar concentration with each of the 4 normal dNTPs resulted in a > 46-fold increase in error rate for A.T-->C.G transversion over that observed in the absence of 8-O-dGTP. A similar average error rate was observed on the (+) and (-) strands in both vectors, suggesting that the fidelity of replication by leading and lagging strand replication proteins is similar for the dA.8-O-dGMP mispair. Replication fidelity in the presence of 8-O-dGTP was reduced on both strands when an inhibitor of exonucleolytic proofreading (dGMP) was added to the reaction. These data suggest that the majority of dA.8-O-dGMP mispairs are proofread by both leading and lagging strand replication proteins.

Mutagenic replication in human cell extracts of DNA containing site-specific N-2-acetylaminofluorene adducts

We have analyzed the effects of site-specific N-2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) adducts on the efficiency and frameshift fidelity of bidirectional replication of double-stranded DNA in a human cell extract. Plasmid vectors were constructed containing the simian virus 40 origin of replication and single AAF adducts at one of three guanines in the Nar I sequence GGCGCC in a lacZ reporter gene. The presence of an AAF adduct diminishes replication efficiency in HeLa cell extracts by 70-80%. Replication product analyses reveal unique termination sites with each damaged vector, suggesting that when the replication fork encounters an AAF adduct, it often stops before incorporation opposite the adduct. We also observed a higher proportion of products representing replication of the undamaged strand compared to the damaged strand. This suggests that the undamaged strand is replicated more readily, either by uncoupling the first fork to encounter the lesion or by replication using the fork arriving from the other direction. Also included among replication products are covalently closed monomer-length molecules resistant to cleavage at the AAF-modified Nar I site. This resistance is characteristic of substrates containing the AAF adduct, suggesting that translesion bypass had occurred. Transformation of Escherichia coli cells with the replicated damaged DNA yielded lacZ alpha revertant frequencies significantly above values obtained with undamaged DNA or with damaged DNA not replicated in vitro. This increase was only seen with the substrate modified at the third guanine position. Analysis of mutant DNA demonstrated the loss of a GC dinucleotide at the Nar I sequence. Generation of this position-dependent AAF-induced frameshift error in a human replication system is consistent with previous observations in E. coli suggesting that, after incorporation of dCMP opposite modified guanine in the third position, realignment of the template-primer occurs to form an intermediate with two unpaired nucleotides in the template strand.

Roadblocks and detours during DNA replication: mechanisms of mutagenesis in mammalian cells

Mutations in specific genes result in birth defects, cancer, inherited diseases or lethality. The frequency with which DNA damage is converted to mutations increases dramatically when the cellular genome is replicated. Although DNA damage poses special problems to the fidelity of DNA replication, efficient mechanisms exist in mammalian cells which function to replicate their genome despite the presence of many damaged sites. These mechanisms operate in either error-prone or error-free modes of DNA synthesis, and frequently involve DNA strand-pairing reactions. Genetic studies in yeast and other eukaryotes suggest that replication through DNA damage is highly regulated and catalysed by complex biochemical machineries composed of many specialized gene products. Knowledge of the molecular details by which such factors facilitate the replication of damaged DNA in mammalian cells should reveal basic rules about how DNA damage induces mutagenesis and carcinogenesis.

Relative probability of mutagenic translesion synthesis on the leading and lagging strands during replication of UV-irradiated DNA in a human cell extract

We have previously demonstrated mutagenic bypass of pyrimidine dimers during SV40 origin-dependent replication of UV-irradiated DNA in human cell extracts [Thomas, D. C., & Kunkel, T. A. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90, 7744-7748]. Here we use two vectors having the origin of replication on opposite sides of a lacZ alpha reporter gene to examine the relative probability of mutagenic translesion synthesis on the leading and lagging strands. Although replication of both vectors is inhibited by UVB irradiation in a dose-dependent manner, the covalently closed DNA products of replication contain T4 endonuclease sensitive sites, indicating that bypass of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers occurred. At fluences of 70 and 100 J/m2, the mutant frequencies obtained with both vectors are substantially higher than with control DNAs. Sequence analysis of mutants obtained with both vectors reveal three types of mutations at frequencies significantly above those obtained from replication of undamaged DNA. These are C-->T transitions, accounting for about two-thirds of the mutants, a small number of CC-->TT substitutions, and complex mutations. Comparing the distribution of C-->T substitutions in the two spectra permits an estimation of the probability of mutagenic translesion replication of the same sequence when replicated as the leading or lagging strand. The data suggest that the overall average UV-independent C-->T substitution probability per phenotypically detectable dipyrimidine site is the same during leading and lagging strand replication. However, statistically significant differences are observed when the distribution of C-->T substitutions is considered.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)