Human DNA polymerase kappa uses template-primer misalignment as a novel means for extending mispaired termini and for generating single-base deletions

Biochemical Activity of 17 Cancer-Associated Variants of DNA Polymerase Kappa Predicted by Electrostatic Properties

DNA damage and repair have been widely studied in relation to cancer and therapeutics. Y-family DNA polymerases can bypass DNA lesions, which may result from external or internal DNA damaging agents, including some chemotherapy agents. Overexpression of the Y-family polymerase human pol kappa can result in tumorigenesis and drug resistance in cancer. This report describes the use of computational tools to predict the effects of single nucleotide polymorphism variants on pol kappa activity. Partial Order Optimum Likelihood (POOL), a machine learning method that uses input features from Theoretical Microscopic Titration Curve Shapes (THEMATICS), was used to identify amino acid residues most likely involved in catalytic activity. The μ4 value, a metric obtained from POOL and THEMATICS that serves as a measure of the degree of coupling between one ionizable amino acid and its neighbors, was then used to identify which protein mutations are likely to impact the biochemical activity. Bioinformatic tools SIFT, PolyPhen-2, and FATHMM predicted most of these variants to be deleterious to function. Along with computational and bioinformatic predictions, we characterized the catalytic activity and stability of 17 cancer-associated DNA pol kappa variants. We identified pol kappa variants R48I, H105Y, G147D, G154E, V177L, R298C, E362V, and R470C as having lower activity relative to wild-type pol kappa; the pol kappa variants T102A, H142Y, R175Q, E210K, Y221C, N330D, N338S, K353T, and L383F were identified as being similar in catalytic efficiency to WT pol kappa. We observed that POOL predictions can be used to predict which variants have decreased activity. Predictions from bioinformatic tools like SIFT, PolyPhen-2, and FATHMM are based on sequence comparisons and therefore are complementary to POOL but are less capable of predicting biochemical activity. These bioinformatic and computational tools can be used to identify SNP variants with deleterious effects and altered biochemical activity from a large data set.

Recognition of a Clickable Abasic Site Analog by DNA Polymerases and DNA Repair Enzymes

Azide–alkyne cycloaddition (“click chemistry”) has found wide use in the analysis of molecular interactions in living cells. 5-ethynyl-2-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydrofuran-3-ol (EAP) is a recently developed apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) site analog functionalized with an ethynyl moiety, which can be introduced into cells in DNA constructs to perform labeling or cross-linking in situ. However, as a non-natural nucleoside, EAP could be subject to removal by DNA repair and misreading by DNA polymerases. Here, we investigate the interaction of this clickable AP site analog with DNA polymerases and base excision repair enzymes. Similarly to the natural AP site, EAP was non-instructive and followed the “A-rule”, directing residual but easily detectable incorporation of dAMP by E. coli DNA polymerase I Klenow fragment, bacteriophage RB69 DNA polymerase and human DNA polymerase β. On the contrary, EAP was blocking for DNA polymerases κ and λ. EAP was an excellent substrate for the major human AP endonuclease APEX1 and E. coli AP exonucleases Xth and Nfo but was resistant to the AP lyase activity of DNA glycosylases. Overall, our data indicate that EAP, once within a cell, would represent a replication block and would be removed through an AP endonuclease-initiated long-patch base excision repair pathway.

DNA-damage tolerance through PCNA ubiquitination and sumoylation

DNA-damage tolerance (DDT) is employed by eukaryotic cells to bypass replication-blocking lesions induced by DNA-damaging agents. In budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, DDT is mediated by RAD6 epistatic group genes and the central event for DDT is sequential ubiquitination of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), a DNA clamp required for replication and DNA repair. DDT consists of two parallel pathways: error-prone DDT is mediated by PCNA monoubiquitination, which recruits translesion synthesis DNA polymerases to bypass lesions with decreased fidelity; and error-free DDT is mediated by K63-linked polyubiquitination of PCNA at the same residue of monoubiquitination, which facilitates homologous recombination-mediated template switch. Interestingly, the same PCNA residue is also subjected to sumoylation, which leads to inhibition of unwanted recombination at replication forks. All three types of PCNA posttranslational modifications require dedicated conjugating and ligation enzymes, and these enzymes are highly conserved in eukaryotes, from yeast to human.

The Human RAD5 Homologs, HLTF and SHPRH, Have Separate Functions in DNA Damage Tolerance Dependent on The DNA Lesion Type

Helicase-like transcription factor (HLTF) and SNF2, histone-linker, PHD and RING finger domain-containing helicase (SHPRH), the two human homologs of yeast Rad5, are believed to have a vital role in DNA damage tolerance (DDT). Here we show that HLTF, SHPRH and HLTF/SHPRH knockout cell lines show different sensitivities towards UV-irradiation, methyl methanesulfonate (MMS), cisplatin and mitomycin C (MMC), which are drugs that induce different types of DNA lesions. In general, the HLTF/SHPRH double knockout cell line was less sensitive than the single knockouts in response to all drugs, and interestingly, especially to MMS and cisplatin. Using the SupF assay, we detected an increase in the mutation frequency in HLTF knockout cells both after UV- and MMS-induced DNA lesions, while we detected a decrease in mutation frequency over UV lesions in the HLTF/SHPRH double knockout cells. No change in the mutation frequency was detected in the HLTF/SHPRH double knockout cell line after MMS treatment, even though these cells were more resistant to MMS and grew faster than the other cell lines after treatment with DNA damaging agents. This phenotype could possibly be explained by a reduced activation of checkpoint kinase 2 (CHK2) and MCM2 (a component of the pre-replication complex) after MMS treatment in cells lacking SHPRH. Our data reveal both distinct and common roles of the human RAD5 homologs dependent on the nature of DNA lesions, and identified SHPRH as a regulator of CHK2, a central player in DNA damage response.

Mammalian DNA Polymerase Kappa Activity and Specificity

DNA polymerase (pol) kappa is a Y-family translesion DNA polymerase conserved throughout all domains of life. Pol kappa is special6 ized for the ability to copy DNA containing minor groove DNA adducts, especially N²-dG adducts, as well as to extend primer termini containing DNA damage or mismatched base pairs. Pol kappa generally cannot copy DNA containing major groove modifications or UV-induced photoproducts. Pol kappa can also copy structured or non-B-form DNA, such as microsatellite DNA, common fragile sites, and DNA containing G quadruplexes. Thus, pol kappa has roles both in maintaining and compromising genomic integrity. The expression of pol kappa is altered in several different cancer types, which can lead to genome instability. In addition, many cancer-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms have been reported in the POLK gene, some of which are associated with poor survival and altered chemotherapy response. Because of this, identifying inhibitors of pol kappa is an active area of research. This review will address these activities of pol kappa, with a focus on lesion bypass and cellular mutagenesis.

The abundant DNA adduct N 7-methyl deoxyguanosine contributes to miscoding during replication by human DNA polymerase η

Aside from abasic sites and ribonucleotides, the DNA adduct N ⁷-methyl deoxyguanosine (N⁷ -CH₃ dG) is one of the most abundant lesions in mammalian DNA. Because N⁷ -CH₃ dG is unstable, leading to deglycosylation and ring-opening, its miscoding potential is not well-understood. Here, we employed a 2'-fluoro isostere approach to synthesize an oligonucleotide containing an analog of this lesion (N⁷ -CH₃ 2'-F dG) and examined its miscoding potential with four Y-family translesion synthesis DNA polymerases (pols): human pol (hpol) η, hpol κ, and hpol ι and Dpo4 from the archaeal thermophile Sulfolobus solfataricus We found that hpol η and Dpo4 can bypass the N⁷ -CH₃ 2'-F dG adduct, albeit with some stalling, but hpol κ is strongly blocked at this lesion site, whereas hpol ι showed no distinction with the lesion and the control templates. hpol η yielded the highest level of misincorporation opposite the adduct by inserting dATP or dTTP. Moreover, hpol η did not extend well past an N ⁷-CH₃ 2'-F dG:dT mispair. MS-based sequence analysis confirmed that hpol η catalyzes mainly error-free incorporation of dC, with misincorporation of dA and dG in 5-10% of products. We conclude that N ⁷-CH₃ 2'-F dG and, by inference, N ⁷-CH₃ dG have miscoding and mutagenic potential. The level of misincorporation arising from this abundant adduct can be considered as potentially mutagenic as a highly miscoding but rare lesion.

Characterization of Nine Cancer-Associated Variants in Human DNA Polymerase κ

Specialized DNA damage-bypass Y-family DNA polymerases contribute to cancer prevention by providing cellular tolerance to DNA damage that can lead to mutations and contribute to cancer progression by increasing genomic instability. Y-family polymerases can also bypass DNA adducts caused by chemotherapy agents. One of the four human Y-family DNA polymerases, DNA polymerase (pol) κ, has been shown to be specific for bypass of minor groove adducts and inhibited by major groove adducts. In addition, mutations in the gene encoding pol κ are associated with different types of cancers as well as with chemotherapy responses. We characterized nine variants of pol κ whose identity was inferred from cancer-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms for polymerization activity on undamaged and damaged DNA, their abilities to extend from mismatched or damaged base pairs at primer termini, and overall stability and dynamics. We find that these pol κ variants generally fall into three categories: similar activity to wild-type (WT) pol κ (L21F, I39T, P169T, F192C, and E292K), more active than WT pol κ (S423R), and less active than pol κ (R219I, R298H, and Y432S). Of these, only pol κ variants R298H and Y432S had markedly reduced thermal stability. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with undamaged DNA revealed that the active variant F192C and more active variant S423R with either correct or incorrect incoming nucleotide mimic WT pol κ with the correct incoming nucleotide, whereas the less active variants R219I, R298H, and Y432S with the correct incoming nucleotide mimic WT pol κ with the incorrect incoming nucleotide. Thus, the observations from MD simulations suggest a possible explanation for the observed experimental results that pol κ adopts specific active and inactive conformations that depend on both the protein variant and the identity of the DNA adduct.

Pre-steady-state kinetic investigation of bypass of a bulky guanine lesion by human Y-family DNA polymerases

3-Nitrobenzanthrone (3-NBA), a byproduct of diesel exhaust, is highly present in the environment and poses a significant health risk. Exposure to 3-NBA results in formation of N-(2'-deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-3-aminobenzanthrone (dG^C8-N-ABA), a bulky DNA lesion that is of particular importance due to its mutagenic and carcinogenic potential. If not repaired or bypassed during genomic replication, dG^C8-N-ABA can stall replication forks, leading to senescence and cell death. Here we used pre-steady-state kinetic methods to determine which of the four human Y-family DNA polymerases (hPolη, hPolκ, hPolι, or hRev1) are able to catalyze translesion synthesis of dG^C8-N-ABAin vitro. Our studies demonstrated that hPolη and hPolκ most efficiently bypassed a site-specifically placed dG^C8-N-ABA lesion, making them good candidates for catalyzing translesion synthesis (TLS) of this bulky lesion in vivo. Consistently, our publication (Biochemistry 53, 5323-31) in 2014 has shown that small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of hPolη and hPolκ in HEK293T cells significantly reduces the efficiency of TLS of dG^C8-N-ABA. In contrast, hPolι and hRev1 were severely stalled by dG^C8-N-ABA and their potential role in vivo was discussed. Subsequently, we determined the kinetic parameters for correct and incorrect nucleotide incorporation catalyzed by hPolη at various positions upstream, opposite, and downstream from dG^C8-N-ABA. Notably, nucleotide incorporation efficiency and fidelity both decreased significantly during dG^C8-N-ABA bypass and the subsequent extension step, leading to polymerase pausing and error-prone DNA synthesis by hPolη. Furthermore, hPolη displayed nucleotide concentration-dependent biphasic kinetics at the two polymerase pause sites, suggesting that multiple enzyme•DNA complexes likely exist during nucleotide incorporation.

AP endonuclease 1 prevents the extension of a T/G mismatch by DNA polymerase β to prevent mutations in CpGs during base excision repair

Dynamics of DNA methylation and demethylation at CpG clusters are involved in gene regulation. CpG clusters have been identified as hot spots of mutagenesis because of their susceptibility to oxidative DNA damage. Damaged Cs and Gs at CpGs can disrupt a normal DNA methylation pattern through modulation of DNA methylation and demethylation, leading to mutations and deregulation of gene expression. DNA base excision repair (BER) plays a dual role of repairing oxidative DNA damage and mediating an active DNA demethylation pathway on CpG clusters through removal of a T/G mismatch resulting from deamination of a 5mC adjacent to a guanine that can be simultaneously damaged by oxidative stress. However, it remains unknown how BER processes clustered lesions in CpGs and what are the consequences from the repair of these lesions. In this study, we examined BER of an abasic lesion next to a DNA demethylation intermediate, the T/G mismatch in a CpG dinucleotide, and its effect on the integrity of CpGs. Surprisingly, we found that the abasic lesion completely abolished the activity of thymine DNA glycosylase (TDG) for removing the mismatched T. However, we found that APE1 could still efficiently incise the abasic lesion leaving a 3-terminus mismatched T, which was subsequently extended by pol β. This in turn resulted in a C to T transition mutation. Interestingly, we also found that APE1 3'-5' exonuclease activity efficiently removed the mismatched T, thereby preventing pol β extension of the mismatched nucleotide and the resulting mutation. Our results demonstrate a crucial role of APE1 3'-5' exonuclease activity in combating mutations in CpG clusters caused by an intermediate of DNA demethylation during BER.

Analysis of nucleotide insertion opposite 2,2,4-triamino-5(2H)-oxazolone by eukaryotic B- and Y-family DNA polymerases

Mutations induced by oxidative DNA damage can cause diseases such as cancer. In particular, G:C-T:A and G:C-C:G transversions are caused by oxidized guanine and have been observed in the p53 and K-ras genes. We focused on an oxidized form of guanine, 2,2,4-triamino-5(2H)-oxazolone (Oz), as a cause of G:C-C:G transversions based on our earlier elucidation that DNA polymerases (Pols) α, β, γ, ε, η, I, and IV incorporate dGTP opposite Oz. The nucleotide insertion and extension of Pols δ, ζ, ι, κ, and REV1, belonging to the B- and Y-families of DNA polymerases, were analyzed for the first time. Pol δ incorporated dGTP, in common with other replicative DNA polymerases. Pol ζ incorporated dGTP and dATP, and the efficiency of elongation up to full-length beyond Oz was almost the same as that beyond G. Although nucleotide incorporation by Pols ι or κ was also error-prone, they did not extend the primer. On the other hand, the polymerase REV1 predominantly incorporated dCTP opposite Oz more efficiently than opposite 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine, guanidinohydantoin, or tetrahydrofuran. Here, we demonstrate that Pol ζ can efficiently replicate DNA containing Oz and that REV1 can prevent G:C-C:G transversions caused by Oz.

Human polymerase kappa uses a template-slippage deletion mechanism, but can realign the slipped strands to favour base substitution mutations over deletions

Polymerases belonging to the DinB class of the Y-family translesion synthesis DNA polymerases have a preference for accurately and efficiently bypassing damaged guanosines. These DinB polymerases also generate single-base (-1) deletions at high frequencies with most occurring on repetitive 'deletion hotspot' sequences. Human DNA polymerase kappa (hPolκ), the eukaryotic DinB homologue, displays an unusual efficiency for to extend from mispaired primer termini, either by extending directly from the mispair or by primer-template misalignment. This latter property explains how hPolκ creates single-base deletions in non-repetitive sequences, but does not address how deletions occur in repetitive deletion hotspots. Here, we show that hPolκ uses a classical Streisinger template-slippage mechanism to generate -1 deletions in repetitive sequences, as do the bacterial and archaeal homologues. After the first nucleotide is added by template slippage, however, hPolκ can efficiently realign the primer-template duplex before continuing DNA synthesis. Strand realignment results in a base-substitution mutation, minimizing generation of more deleterious frameshift mutations. On non-repetitive sequences, we find that nucleotide misincorporation is slower if the incoming nucleotide can correctly basepair with the nucleotide immediately 5' to the templating base, thereby competing against the mispairing with the templating base.

Sequence context effect on strand slippage in natural DNA primer-templates

Strand slippage has been found to occur in primer-templates containing a templating thymine, cytosine, and guanine, leading to the formation of misaligned structures with a single-nucleotide bulge. If remained in the active site of low-fidelity polymerases during DNA replication, these misaligned structures can ultimately bring about deletion mutations. In this study, we performed NMR investigations on primer-template models containing a templating adenine. Similar to our previous results on guanine, adenine templates are also less prone to strand slippage than pyrimidine templates. Misalignment occurs only in primer-templates that form a terminal C·G or G·C base pair. Together with our previous findings on thymine, cytosine, and guanine templates, the present study reveals strand slippage can occur in any kind of natural templating bases during DNA replication, providing insights into the origin of mutation hotspots in natural DNA sequences. In addition to the type of incoming base upon misincorporation, the propensity of strand slippage in primer-templates depends also on the type of templating base, its upstream and downstream bases.

On the sequence-directed nature of human gene mutation: the role of genomic architecture and the local DNA sequence environment in mediating gene mutations underlying human inherited disease

Different types of human gene mutation may vary in size, from structural variants (SVs) to single base-pair substitutions, but what they all have in common is that their nature, size and location are often determined either by specific characteristics of the local DNA sequence environment or by higher order features of the genomic architecture. The human genome is now recognized to contain "pervasive architectural flaws" in that certain DNA sequences are inherently mutation prone by virtue of their base composition, sequence repetitivity and/or epigenetic modification. Here, we explore how the nature, location and frequency of different types of mutation causing inherited disease are shaped in large part, and often in remarkably predictable ways, by the local DNA sequence environment. The mutability of a given gene or genomic region may also be influenced indirectly by a variety of noncanonical (non-B) secondary structures whose formation is facilitated by the underlying DNA sequence. Since these non-B DNA structures can interfere with subsequent DNA replication and repair and may serve to increase mutation frequencies in generalized fashion (i.e., both in the context of subtle mutations and SVs), they have the potential to serve as a unifying concept in studies of mutational mechanisms underlying human inherited disease.

The Y-family DNA polymerase Dpo4 uses a template slippage mechanism to create single-base deletions

The Y-family polymerases help cells tolerate DNA damage by performing translesion synthesis, yet they also can be highly error prone. One distinctive feature of the DinB class of Y-family polymerases is that they make single-base deletion errors at high frequencies in repetitive sequences, especially those that contain two or more identical pyrimidines with a 5' flanking guanosine. Intriguingly, different deletion mechanisms have been proposed, even for two archaeal DinB polymerases that share 54% sequence identity and originate from two strains of Sulfolobus. To reconcile these apparent differences, we have characterized Dpo4 from Sulfolobus solfataricus using the same biochemical and crystallographic approaches that we have used previously to characterize Dbh from Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. In contrast to previous suggestions that Dpo4 uses a deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP)-stabilized misalignment mechanism when creating single-base deletions, we find that Dpo4 predominantly uses a template slippage deletion mechanism when replicating repetitive DNA sequences, as was previously shown for Dbh. Dpo4 stabilizes the skipped template base in an extrahelical conformation between the polymerase and the little-finger domains of the enzyme. This contrasts with Dbh, in which the extrahelical base is stabilized against the surface of the little-finger domain alone. Thus, despite sharing a common deletion mechanism, these closely related polymerases use different contacts with the substrate to accomplish the same result.

Quantitative analysis of the efficiency and mutagenic spectra of abasic lesion bypass catalyzed by human Y-family DNA polymerases

Higher eukaryotes encode various Y-family DNA polymerases to perform global DNA lesion bypass. To provide complete mutation spectra for abasic lesion bypass, we employed short oligonucleotide sequencing assays to determine the sequences of abasic lesion bypass products synthesized by human Y-family DNA polymerases eta (hPolη), iota (hPolι) and kappa (hPolκ). The fourth human Y-family DNA polymerase, Rev1, failed to generate full-length lesion bypass products after 3 h. The results indicate that hPolι generates mutations with a frequency from 10 to 80% during each nucleotide incorporation event. In contrast, hPolη is the least error prone, generating the fewest mutations in the vicinity of the abasic lesion and inserting dAMP with a frequency of 67% opposite the abasic site. While the error frequency of hPolκ is intermediate to those of hPolη and hPolι, hPolκ has the highest potential to create frameshift mutations opposite the abasic site. Moreover, the time (t₅₀^bypass) required to bypass 50% of the abasic lesions encountered by hPolη, hPolι and hPolκ was 4.6, 112 and 1 823 s, respectively. These t₅₀^bypass values indicate that, among the enzymes, hPolη has the highest abasic lesion bypass efficiency. Together, our data suggest that hPolη is best suited to perform abasic lesion bypass in vivo.

UmuD(2) inhibits a non-covalent step during DinB-mediated template slippage on homopolymeric nucleotide runs

Escherichia coli DinB (DNA polymerase IV) possesses an enzyme architecture resulting in specialized lesion bypass function and the potential for creating -1 frameshifts in homopolymeric nucleotide runs. We have previously shown that the mutagenic potential of DinB is regulated by the DNA damage response protein UmuD(2). In the current study, we employ a pre-steady-state fluorescence approach to gain a mechanistic understanding of DinB regulation by UmuD(2). Our results suggest that DinB, like its mammalian and archaeal orthologs, uses a template slippage mechanism to create single base deletions on homopolymeric runs. With 2-aminopurine as a fluorescent reporter in the DNA substrate, the template slippage reaction results in a prechemistry fluorescence change that is inhibited by UmuD(2). We propose a model in which DNA templates containing homopolymeric nucleotide runs, when bound to DinB, are in an equilibrium between non-slipped and slipped conformations. UmuD(2), when bound to DinB, displaces the equilibrium in favor of the non-slipped conformation, thereby preventing frameshifting and potentially enhancing DinB activity on non-slipped substrates.

NMR investigation of DNA primer-template models: guanine templates are less prone to strand slippage upon misincorporation

Misaligned structures can result from strand slippage during DNA replication and, if not repaired, would lead to mutations. Previously, we showed that strand slippage can occur upon misincorporation of a dNTP opposite thymine and cytosine templates, resulting in a misaligned structure with a T- or C-bulge. The formation propensity for misaligned structures was found to depend on the type of terminal base pair. In this study, we performed NMR investigations on primer-template models containing a guanine template. Our results reveal guanine templates are less prone to strand slippage than pyrimidine templates. Misalignment was found to occur only in 5'-CG templates with a downstream purine. In addition to the significance of terminal base pair and upstream nucleotide, the present study reveals the importance of the templating base and its downstream nucleotide, which also determine the propensity of strand slippage in primer-templates.

Frameshift deletion by Sulfolobus solfataricus P2 DNA polymerase Dpo4 T239W is selective for purines and involves normal conformational change followed by slow phosphodiester bond formation

The human DNA polymerase kappa homolog Sulfolobus solfataricus DNA polymerase IV (Dpo4) produces "-1" frameshift deletions while copying unmodified DNA and, more frequently, when bypassing DNA adducts. As judged by steady-state kinetics and mass spectrometry, bypass of purine template bases to produce these deletions occurred rarely but with 10-fold higher frequency than with pyrimidines. The DNA adduct 1,N(2)-etheno-2'-deoxyguanosine, with a larger stacking surface than canonical purines, showed the highest frequency of formation of -1 frameshift deletions. Dpo4 T239W, a mutant we had previously shown to produce fluorescence changes attributed to conformational change following dNTP binding opposite cognate bases (Beckman, J. W., Wang, Q., and Guengerich, F. P. (2008) J. Biol. Chem. 283, 36711-36723), reported similar conformational changes when the incoming dNTP complemented the base following a templating purine base or bulky adduct (i.e. the "+1" base). However, in all mispairing cases, phosphodiester bond formation was inefficient. The frequency of -1 frameshift events and the associated conformational changes were not dependent on the context of the remainder of the sequence. Collectively, our results support a mechanism for -1 frameshift deletions by Dpo4 that involves formation of active complexes via a favorable conformational change that skips the templating base, without causing slippage or flipping out of the base, to incorporate a complementary residue opposite the +1 base, in a mechanism previously termed "dNTP-stabilized incorporation." The driving force is attributed to be the stacking potential between the templating base and the incoming dNTP base.

DNA polymerase beta substrate specificity: side chain modulation of the "A-rule"

Apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites are continuously generated in genomic DNA. Left unrepaired, AP sites represent noninstructional premutagenic lesions that are impediments to DNA synthesis. When DNA polymerases encounter an AP site, they generally insert dAMP. This preferential insertion is referred to as the A-rule. Crystallographic structures of DNA polymerase (pol) beta, a family X polymerase, with active site mismatched nascent base pairs indicate that the templating (i.e. coding) base is repositioned outside of the template binding pocket thereby diminishing interactions with the incorrect incoming nucleotide. This effectively produces an abasic site because the template pocket is devoid of an instructional base. However, the template pocket is not empty; an arginine residue (Arg-283) occupies the space vacated by the templating nucleotide. In this study, we analyze the kinetics of pol beta insertion opposite an AP site and show that the preferential incorporation of dAMP is lost with the R283A mutant. The crystallographic structures of pol beta bound to gapped DNA with an AP site analog (tertrahydrofuran) in the gap (binary complex) and with an incoming nonhydrolyzable dATP analog (ternary complex) were solved. These structures reveal that binding of the dATP analog induces a closed polymerase conformation, an unstable primer terminus, and an upstream shift of the templating residue even in the absence of a template base. Thus, dATP insertion opposite an abasic site and dATP misinsertions have common features.

Structural insights into the generation of single-base deletions by the Y family DNA polymerase dbh

Dbh is a Y family translesion DNA polymerase that accurately bypasses some damaged forms of deoxyguanosine, but also generates single-base deletion errors at frequencies of up to 50%, in specific hot spot sequences. We describe preinsertion binary, insertion ternary, and postinsertion binary crystal structures of Dbh synthesizing DNA after making a single-base deletion. The skipped template base adopts an extrahelical conformation stabilized by interactions with the C-terminal domain of the enzyme. DNA translocation and positioning of the next templating base at the active site, with space opposite to accommodate incoming nucleotide, occur independently of nucleotide binding, incorporation, and pyrophosphate release. We also show that Dbh creates single-base deletions more rapidly when the skipped base is located two or three bases upstream of the nascent base pair than when it is directly adjacent to the templating base, indicating that Dbh predominantly creates single-base deletions by template slippage rather than by dNTP-stabilized misalignment.

Eukaryotic DNA damage tolerance and translesion synthesis through covalent modifications of PCNA

In addition to well-defined DNA repair pathways, all living organisms have evolved mechanisms to avoid cell death caused by replication fork collapse at a site where replication is blocked due to disruptive covalent modifications of DNA. The term DNA damage tolerance (DDT) has been employed loosely to include a collection of mechanisms by which cells survive replication-blocking lesions with or without associated genomic instability. Recent genetic analyses indicate that DDT in eukaryotes, from yeast to human, consists of two parallel pathways with one being error-free and another highly mutagenic. Interestingly, in budding yeast, these two pathways are mediated by sequential modifications of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) by two ubiquitination complexes Rad6-Rad18 and Mms2-Ubc13-Rad5. Damage-induced monoubiquitination of PCNA by Rad6-Rad18 promotes translesion synthesis (TLS) with increased mutagenesis, while subsequent polyubiquitination of PCNA at the same K164 residue by Mms2-Ubc13-Rad5 promotes error-free lesion bypass. Data obtained from recent studies suggest that the above mechanisms are conserved in higher eukaryotes. In particular, mammals contain multiple specialized TLS polymerases. Defects in one of the TLS polymerases have been linked to genomic instability and cancer.

DNA polymerase kappa produces interrupted mutations and displays polar pausing within mononucleotide microsatellite sequences

Microsatellites are ubiquitously present in eukaryotic genomes and are implicated as positive factors in evolution. At the nucleotide level, microsatellites undergo slippage events that alter allele length and base changes that interrupt the repetitive tract. We examined DNA polymerase errors within a [T]₁₁ microsatellite using an in vitro assay that preferentially detects mutations other than unit changes. We observed that human DNA polymerase kappa (Pol κ) inserts dGMP and dCMP within the [T]₁₁ mononucleotide repeat, producing an interrupted 12-bp allele. Polymerase β produced such interruptions at a lower frequency. These data demonstrate that DNA polymerases are capable of directly producing base interruptions within microsatellites. At the molecular level, expanded microsatellites have been implicated in DNA replication fork stalling. Using an in vitro primer extension assay, we observed sequence-specific synthesis termination by DNA polymerases within mononucleotides. Quantitatively, intense, polar pausing was observed for both pol κ and polymerase α-primase within a [T]₁₁ allele. A mechanism is proposed in which pausing results from DNA bending within the duplex stem of the nascent DNA. Our data support the concept of a microsatellite life-cycle, and are consistent with the models in which DNA sequence or secondary structures contributes to non-uniform rates of replication fork progression.

The noncatalytic C-terminus of AtPOLK Y-family DNA polymerase affects synthesis fidelity, mismatch extension and translesion replication

Cell survival depends not only on the ability to repair damaged DNA but also on the capability to perform DNA replication on unrepaired or imperfect templates. Crucial to this process are specialized DNA polymerases belonging to the Y family. These enzymes share a similar catalytic fold in their N-terminal region, and most of them have a less-well-conserved C-terminus which is not required for catalytic activity. Although this region is essential for appropriate localization and recruitment in vivo, its precise role during DNA synthesis remains unclear. Here we have compared the catalytic properties of AtPOLK, an Arabidopsis orthologue of mammalian pol kappa, and a truncated version lacking 193 amino acids from its C-terminus. We found that C-terminally truncated AtPOLK is a high-efficiency mutant protein, the DNA-binding capacity of which is not affected but it has higher catalytic efficiency and fidelity than the full-length enzyme. The truncated protein shows increased propensity to extend mispaired primer termini through misalignment and enhanced error-free bypass activity on DNA templates containing 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoGuanine. These results suggest that, in addition to facilitating recruitment to the replication fork, the C-terminus of Y-family DNA polymerases may also play a role in the kinetic control of their enzymatic activity.

Human DNA polymerase kappa encircles DNA: implications for mismatch extension and lesion bypass

Human DNA polymerase kappa (Pol kappa) is a proficient extender of mispaired primer termini on undamaged DNAs and is implicated in the extension step of lesion bypass. We present here the structure of Pol kappa catalytic core in ternary complex with DNA and an incoming nucleotide. The structure reveals encirclement of the DNA by a unique "N-clasp" at the N terminus of Pol kappa, which augments the conventional right-handed grip on the DNA by the palm, fingers, and thumb domains and the PAD and provides additional thermodynamic stability. The structure also reveals an active-site cleft that is constrained by the close apposition of the N-clasp and the fingers domain, and therefore can accommodate only a single Watson-Crick base pair. Together, DNA encirclement and other structural features help explain Pol kappa's ability to extend mismatches and to promote replication through various minor groove DNA lesions, by extending from the nucleotide incorporated opposite the lesion by another polymerase.

A mechanism of nucleotide misincorporation during transcription due to template-strand misalignment

Transcription errors by T7 RNA polymerase (RNAP) may occur as the result of a mechanism in which the template base two positions downstream of the 3' end of the RNA (the TSn+1 base) is utilized during two consecutive nucleotide-addition cycles. In the first cycle, misalignment of the template strand leads to incorporation of a nucleotide that is complementary to the TSn+1 base. In the second cycle, the template is realigned and the mismatched primer is efficiently extended, resulting in a substitution error. Proper organization of the transcription bubble is required for maintaining the correct register of the DNA template, as the presence of a complementary nontemplate strand opposite the TSn+1 base suppresses template misalignment. Our findings for T7 RNAP are in contrast to related DNA polymerases of the Pol I type, which fail to extend mismatches efficiently and generate predominantly deletion errors as a result of template-strand misalignment.

Roles of DNA Polymerases in Replication, Repair, and Recombination in Eukaryotes

The functioning of the eukaryotic genome depends on efficient and accurate DNA replication and repair. The process of replication is complicated by the ongoing decomposition of DNA and damage of the genome by endogenous and exogenous factors. DNA damage can alter base coding potential resulting in mutations, or block DNA replication, which can lead to double-strand breaks (DSB) and to subsequent chromosome loss. Replication is coordinated with DNA repair systems that operate in cells to remove or tolerate DNA lesions. DNA polymerases can serve as sensors in the cell cycle checkpoint pathways that delay cell division until damaged DNA is repaired and replication is completed. Eukaryotic DNA template-dependent DNA polymerases have different properties adapted to perform an amazingly wide spectrum of DNA transactions. In this review, we discuss the structure, the mechanism, and the evolutionary relationships of DNA polymerases and their possible functions in the replication of intact and damaged chromosomes, DNA damage repair, and recombination.

Yeast and human translesion DNA synthesis polymerases: expression, purification, and biochemical characterization

The emergence of translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) as a primary mechanism by which eukaryotic cells tolerate DNA damage has led to a large effort to characterize the biochemical properties of the individual DNA polymerases and their roles in promoting replication past DNA lesions. The low-fidelity Y family DNA polymerases constitute a large proportion of TLS polymerases, and four of the five subfamilies of this class of polymerases are represented in eukaryotes. The eukaryotic B family DNA polymerase Polzeta also functions in TLS. We have had success in expressing and purifying these TLS polymerases from yeast cells, sometimes in milligram quantities. The purified proteins have been used to determine their ability to synthesize DNA on various modified templates and to analyze the kinetic efficiencies with which bypass occurs. Purified proteins have also been used to determine the X-ray crystal structures of several Y-family DNA polymerases. This chapter describes a general outline of methods used in our laboratory for the expression and purification of these TLS DNA polymerases from yeast cells and for assaying some of their biochemical properties.

Eukaryotic translesion synthesis DNA polymerases: specificity of structure and function

This review focuses on eukaryotic translesion synthesis (TLS) DNA polymerases, and the emphasis is on Saccharomyces cerevisiae and human Y-family polymerases (Pols) eta, iota, kappa, and Rev1, as well as on Polzeta, which is a member of the B-family polymerases. The fidelity, mismatch extension ability, and lesion bypass efficiencies of these different polymerases are examined and evaluated in the context of their structures. One major conclusion is that, despite the overall similarity of basic structural features among the Y-family polymerases, there is a high degree of specificity in their lesion bypass properties. Some are able to bypass a particular DNA lesion, whereas others are efficient at only the insertion step or the extension step of lesion bypass. This functional divergence is related to the differences in their structures. Polzeta is a highly specialized polymerase specifically adapted for extending primer termini opposite from a diverse array of DNA lesions, and depending upon the DNA lesion, it contributes to lesion bypass in a mutagenic or in an error-free manner. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) provides the central scaffold to which TLS polymerases bind for access to the replication ensemble stalled at a lesion site, and Rad6-Rad18-dependent protein ubiquitination is important for polymerase exchange.

Distinct mechanisms of cis-syn thymine dimer bypass by Dpo4 and DNA polymerase eta

UV-light-induced cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) present a severe block to synthesis by replicative DNA polymerases (Pols), whereas Poleta promotes proficient and error-free replication through CPDs. Although the archael Dpo4, which, like Poleta, belongs to the Y family of DNA Pols, can also replicate through a CPD, it is much less efficient than Poleta. The x-ray crystal structure of Dpo4 complexed with either the 3'-thymine (T) or the 5' T of a cis-syn TT dimer has indicated that, whereas the 3' T of the dimer forms a Watson-Crick base pair with the incoming dideoxy ATP, the 5' T forms a Hoogsteen base pair with the dideoxy ATP in syn conformation. Based upon these observations, a similar mechanism involving Hoogsteen base pairing of the 5' T of the dimer with the incoming A has been proposed for Poleta. Here we examine the mechanisms of CPD bypass by Dpo4 and Poleta using nucleotide analogs that specifically disrupt the Hoogsteen or Watson-Crick base pairing. Our results show that both Dpo4 and Poleta incorporate dATP opposite the 5' T of the CPD via Watson-Crick base pairing and not by Hoogsteen base pairing. Furthermore, opposite the 3' T of the dimer, the two Pols differ strikingly in the mechanisms of dATP incorporation, with Dpo4 incorporating opposite an abasic-like intermediate and Poleta using the normal Watson-Crick base pairing. These observations have important implications for the mechanisms used for the inefficient vs. efficient bypass of CPDs by DNA Pols.

Error-prone and inefficient replication across 8-hydroxyguanine (8-oxoguanine) in human and mouse ras gene fragments by DNA polymerase κ

Using fragments of human c-Ha-ras and mouse Ha-ras1 genes containing 8-hydroxyguanine (8-OH-G) in hypermutagenic codon 12, we analyzed the kinetics of DNA synthesis catalyzed by human Polkappa. This translesion DNA polymerase, belonging to the Y-family, was found to be moderately inhibited by the presence of 8-OH-G on either mouse or human templates. From our previous results, inhibition of various polymerases by 8-OH-G increases in the following order: Poleta < Polkappa < Polbeta < Polalpha, showing that major replicative and repair polymerases are more sensitive to this lesion than enzymes belonging to the Y-family. In the direct mutagenesis experiments, Polkappa was found to be more mutagenic than Poleta studied previously: it inserted dAMP more efficiently than dCMP opposite 8-OH-G. Polkappa was also able to cause indirect mispair ('action-at-a-distance' mutagenesis), this effect being more distinct on mouse templates. Two adjacent 8-OH-G residues in codon 12 inhibited Polkappa moderately and induced misincorporation of dAMP. However, this effect was not comparable to the strong relaxation of the enzyme specificity, observed previously in the case of Poleta. Polkappa catalyzed incorporation (and misincorporation of dAMP) much more efficiently on mouse templates, human DNA fragments being distinctly worse substrates. Interestingly, in direct mutagenesis systems, the preference for dAMP over dCMP was nearly the same on mouse and human templates.

Adaptation to DNA damage and stimulation of genetic instability: the double-edged sword mammalian DNA polymerase kappa

A major tolerance mechanism that functions to replicate damaged genomic DNA across lesions that have escaped elimination by repair mechanism is translesion DNA synthesis (TLS). DNA polymerase kappa (Pol kappa), a specialised low-fidelity DNA polymerase which is able to perform DNA synthesis across several damaged bases, is one of the enzymes involved in the process. The mutagenic nature of Pol kappa implies that its expression must be tightly regulated to prevent the formation of excessive genetic disorders along undamaged parts of the genome. Indeed, Pol kappa overexpression, which is notably observed in lung cancer, results not only in increased spontaneous mutagenesis, but also in pleiotropic alterations such as DNA breaks, genetic exchanges and aneuploidy. This review will discuss both aspects of DNA polymerase kappa, which can be considered as a genomic supervisor participating in genome maintenance and when misregulated as a genetic instability enhancer as well.

Crystal structure of the catalytic core of human DNA polymerase kappa

We present the crystal structure of the catalytic core of human DNA polymerase kappa (hPolkappa), the first structure of a human Y-family polymerase. hPolkappa is implicated in the proficient extension of mispaired primer termini on undamaged DNAs, and in the extension step of lesion bypass. The structure reveals a stubby "fingers" subdomain, which despite its small size appears to be tightly restrained with respect to a putative templating base. The structure also reveals a novel "thumb" subdomain that provides a basis for the importance of the N-terminal extension unique to hPolkappa. And, most surprisingly, the structure reveals the polymerase-associated domain (PAD) juxtaposed on the dorsal side of the "palm" subdomain, as opposed to the fingers subdomain. Together, these properties suggest that the hPolkappa active site is constrained at the site of the templating base and incoming nucleotide, but the polymerase is less constrained following translocation of the lesion.