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Wright LR, Wright DL, Weller SK. Viral Nucleases from Herpesviruses and Coronavirus in Recombination and Proofreading: Potential Targets for Antiviral Drug Discovery. Viruses 2022; 14:v14071557. [PMID: 35891537 PMCID: PMC9324378 DOI: 10.3390/v14071557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In this review, we explore recombination in two very different virus families that have become major threats to human health. The Herpesviridae are a large family of pathogenic double-stranded DNA viruses involved in a range of diseases affecting both people and animals. Coronaviridae are positive-strand RNA viruses (CoVs) that have also become major threats to global health and economic stability, especially in the last two decades. Despite many differences, such as the make-up of their genetic material (DNA vs. RNA) and overall mechanisms of genome replication, both human herpes viruses (HHVs) and CoVs have evolved to rely heavily on recombination for viral genome replication, adaptation to new hosts and evasion of host immune regulation. In this review, we will focus on the roles of three viral exonucleases: two HHV exonucleases (alkaline nuclease and PolExo) and one CoV exonuclease (ExoN). We will review the roles of these three nucleases in their respective life cycles and discuss the state of drug discovery efforts against these targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee R. Wright
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy, Storrs, CT 06269, USA; (L.R.W.); (D.L.W.)
| | - Dennis L. Wright
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy, Storrs, CT 06269, USA; (L.R.W.); (D.L.W.)
| | - Sandra K. Weller
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 263 Farmington Ave., Farmington, CT 06030, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(860)-679-2310; Fax: +1-(860)-679-1239
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Abstract
The majority of drug discovery efforts against herpesviruses have focused on nucleoside analogs that target viral DNA polymerases, agents that are associated with dose-limiting toxicity and/or a narrow spectrum of activity. We are pursuing a strategy based on targeting two-metal ion-dependent (TMID) viral enzymes. This family of enzymes consists of structurally related proteins that share common active sites containing conserved carboxylates predicted to coordinate divalent cations essential for catalysis. Compounds that target TMID enzymes, such as HIV integrase and influenza endoribonuclease, have been successfully developed for clinical use. HIV integrase inhibitors have been reported to inhibit replication of herpes simplex virus (HSV) and other herpesviruses; however, the molecular targets of their antiviral activities have not been identified. We employed a candidate-based approach utilizing several two-metal-directed chemotypes and the potential viral TMID enzymatic targets in an effort to correlate target-based activity with antiviral potency. The panel of compounds tested included integrase inhibitors, the anti-influenza agent baloxavir, three natural products previously shown to exhibit anti-HSV activity, and two 8-hydroxyquinolines (8-HQs), AK-157 and AK-166, from our in-house program. The integrase inhibitors exhibited weak overall anti-HSV-1 activity, while the 8-HQs were shown to inhibit both HSV-1 and cytomegalovirus (CMV). Target-based analysis demonstrated that none of the antiviral compounds acted by inhibiting ICP8, contradicting previous reports. On the other hand, baloxavir inhibited the proofreading exonuclease of HSV polymerase, while AK-157 and AK-166 inhibited the alkaline exonuclease UL12. In addition, AK-157 also inhibited the catalytic activity of the HSV polymerase, which provides an opportunity to potentially develop dual-targeting agents against herpesviruses. IMPORTANCE Human herpesviruses (HHVs) establish lifelong latent infections, which undergo periodic reactivation and remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in immunocompromised individuals. Currently, HHV infections are treated primarily with agents that target viral DNA polymerase, including nucleoside analogs; however, long-term treatment can be complicated by the development of drug resistance. New therapies with novel modes of action would be important not only for the treatment of resistant viruses but also for use in combination therapy to reduce dose-limiting toxicities and potentially eliminate infection. Since many essential HHV proteins are well conserved, inhibitors of novel targets would ideally exhibit broad-spectrum activity against multiple HHVs.
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Abstract
Human herpesviruses are large double-stranded DNA viruses belonging to the Herpesviridae family. The main characteristics of these viruses are their ability to establish a lifelong latency into the host with a potential to reactivate periodically. Primary infections and reactivations with herpesviruses are responsible for a large spectrum of diseases and may result in severe complications in immunocompromised patients. The viral DNA polymerase is a key enzyme in the replicative cycle of herpesviruses, and the target of most antiviral agents (i.e., nucleoside, nucleotide and pyrophosphate analogs). However, long-term prophylaxis and treatment with these antivirals may lead to the emergence of drug-resistant isolates harboring mutations in genes encoding viral enzymes that phosphorylate drugs (nucleoside analogs) and/or DNA polymerases, with potential cross-resistance between the different analogs. Drug resistance mutations mainly arise in conserved regions of the polymerase and exonuclease functional domains of these enzymes. In the polymerase domain, mutations associated with resistance to nucleoside/nucleotide analogs may directly or indirectly affect drug binding or incorporation into the primer strand, or increase the rate of extension of DNA to overcome chain termination. In the exonuclease domain, mutations conferring resistance to nucleoside/nucleotide analogs may reduce the rate of excision of incorporated drug, or continue DNA elongation after drug incorporation without excision. Mutations associated with resistance to pyrophosphate analogs may alter drug binding or the conformational changes of the polymerase domain required for an efficient activity of the enzyme. Novel herpesvirus inhibitors with a potent antiviral activity against drug-resistant isolates are thus needed urgently.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Guy Boivin
- CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.
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Impact of Amino Acid Substitutions in Region II and Helix K of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 and Human Cytomegalovirus DNA Polymerases on Resistance to Foscarnet. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2021; 65:e0039021. [PMID: 33875432 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00390-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Amino acid substitutions conferring resistance of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) to foscarnet (PFA) are located in the genes UL30 and UL54, respectively, encoding the DNA polymerase (pol). In this study, we analyzed the impact of substitutions located in helix K and region II that are involved in the conformational changes of the DNA pol. Theoretical substitutions were identified by sequences alignment of the helix K and region II of human herpesviruses (susceptible to PFA) and bacteriophages (resistant to PFA) and introduced in viral genomes by recombinant phenotyping. We characterized the susceptibility of HSV-1 and HCMV mutants to PFA. In UL30, the substitutions I619K (helix K), V715S, and A719T (both in region II) increased mean PFA 50% effective concentrations (EC50s) by 2.5-, 5.6-, and 2.0-fold, respectively, compared to the wild type (WT). In UL54, the substitution Q579I (helix K) conferred hypersusceptibility to PFA (0.17-fold change), whereas the substitutions Q697P, V715S, and A719T (all in region II) increased mean PFA EC50s by 3.8-, 2.8- and 2.5-fold, respectively, compared to the WT. These results were confirmed by enzymatic assays using recombinant DNA pol harboring these substitutions. Three-dimensional modeling suggests that substitutions conferring resistance/hypersusceptibility to PFA located in helix K and region II of UL30 and UL54 DNA pol favor an open/closed conformation of these enzymes, resulting in a lower/higher drug affinity for the proteins. Thus, this study shows that both regions of UL30 and UL54 DNA pol are involved in the conformational changes of these proteins and can influence the susceptibility of both viruses to PFA.
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Zarrouk K, Zhu X, Goyette N, Piret J, Shi R, Boivin G. Differential impact of various substitutions at codon 715 in region II of HSV-1 and HCMV DNA polymerases. Antiviral Res 2021; 188:105046. [PMID: 33588012 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2021.105046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed at understanding the impact of different substitutions at codon 715 localized in the region II of the palm domain of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA polymerases (pol). Here, we report a new theoretical mutation V715S that confers resistance of HSV-1 to foscarnet/acyclovir (5.6- and 9.2-fold increases EC50 values compared to wild type, respectively) and of HCMV to foscarnet/ganciclovir (2.8- and 2.9-fold increases in EC50 values compared to wild type, respectively). To further analyze the importance of this amino acid, we investigated the impact of the already known mutations V715M and V715G on the replicative capacities and drug susceptibilities of both viruses as well as on the activity and drug inhibition of the DNA pol. The V715G recombinant HSV-1 mutant was resistant to foscarnet and acyclovir (3.4- and 4.6-fold EC50 increase, respectively) whereas the V715M mutant was susceptible to foscarnet and resistant to acyclovir (3.4-fold EC50 increase). The V715G recombinant HCMV mutant did not grow and the V715M mutant was resistant to foscarnet (3.7-fold EC50 increase) and susceptible to ganciclovir. Finally, we showed by three-dimensional modeling that the differential impact of these mutations on the viral replicative capacity and drug resistance profile was related to different hydrophobic local environments for V715 in the DNA pol of the two viruses. Furthermore, we hypothesize that the DNA pol of HSV-1 is more tolerant to changes at this residue compared to that of HCMV because of a more hydrophobic environment stabilizing the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karima Zarrouk
- Research Center in Infectious Diseases, CHU de Québec- Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Xiaojun Zhu
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bioinformatics, PROTEO, And Institute of Integrative and Systems Biology, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Nathalie Goyette
- Research Center in Infectious Diseases, CHU de Québec- Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Jocelyne Piret
- Research Center in Infectious Diseases, CHU de Québec- Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Rong Shi
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bioinformatics, PROTEO, And Institute of Integrative and Systems Biology, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Guy Boivin
- Research Center in Infectious Diseases, CHU de Québec- Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada.
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Hypersusceptibility of Human Cytomegalovirus to Foscarnet Induced by Mutations in Helices K and P of the Viral DNA Polymerase. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2020; 64:AAC.01910-19. [PMID: 32015044 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01910-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Herein, we phenotypically and enzymatically characterize the theoretical mutation Q579I in helix K and the already described clinical mutation K805Q in helix P of cytomegalovirus DNA polymerase for susceptibility to foscarnet. Q579I and K805Q recombinant viruses were hypersusceptible to foscarnet (respective mean 50% effective concentrations [EC50] of 0.12- and 0.19-fold that of the wild type). Three-dimensional modeling analysis suggested that both mutations favor the closed conformation of the enzyme to which foscarnet binds with a higher affinity.
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Zarrouk K, Piret J, Boivin G. Herpesvirus DNA polymerases: Structures, functions and inhibitors. Virus Res 2017; 234:177-192. [PMID: 28153606 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2017.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Revised: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 01/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Human herpesviruses are large double-stranded DNA viruses belonging to the Herpesviridae family. These viruses have the ability to establish lifelong latency into the host and to periodically reactivate. Primary infections and reactivations of herpesviruses cause a large spectrum of diseases and may lead to severe complications in immunocompromised patients. The viral DNA polymerase is a key enzyme in the lytic phase of the infection by herpesviruses. This review focuses on the structures and functions of viral DNA polymerases of herpes simplex virus (HSV) and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). DNA polymerases of HSV (UL30) and HCMV (UL54) belong to B family DNA polymerases with which they share seven regions of homology numbered I to VII as well as a δ-region C which is homologous to DNA polymerases δ. These DNA polymerases are multi-functional enzymes exhibiting polymerase, 3'-5' exonuclease proofreading and ribonuclease H activities. Furthermore, UL30 and UL54 DNA polymerases form a complex with UL42 and UL44 processivity factors, respectively. The mechanisms involved in their polymerisation activity have been elucidated based on structural analyses of the DNA polymerase of bacteriophage RB69 crystallized under different conformations, i.e. the enzyme alone or in complex with DNA and with both DNA and incoming nucleotide. All antiviral agents currently used for the prevention or treatment of HSV and HCMV infections target the viral DNA polymerases. However, long-term administration of these antivirals may lead to the emergence of drug-resistant isolates harboring mutations in genes encoding viral enzymes that phosphorylate drugs (i.e., nucleoside analogues) and/or DNA polymerases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karima Zarrouk
- Research Center in Infectious Diseases, CHU de Québec and Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jocelyne Piret
- Research Center in Infectious Diseases, CHU de Québec and Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Guy Boivin
- Research Center in Infectious Diseases, CHU de Québec and Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
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Discovery of herpesviruses in Canadian wildlife. Arch Virol 2016; 162:449-456. [DOI: 10.1007/s00705-016-3126-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Accepted: 10/16/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Topalis D, Gillemot S, Snoeck R, Andrei G. Distribution and effects of amino acid changes in drug-resistant α and β herpesviruses DNA polymerase. Nucleic Acids Res 2016; 44:9530-9554. [PMID: 27694307 PMCID: PMC5175367 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Revised: 09/13/2016] [Accepted: 09/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Emergence of drug-resistance to all FDA-approved antiherpesvirus agents is an increasing concern in immunocompromised patients. Herpesvirus DNA polymerase (DNApol) is currently the target of nucleos(t)ide analogue-based therapy. Mutations in DNApol that confer resistance arose in immunocompromised patients infected with herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), and to lesser extent in herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2), varicella zoster virus (VZV) and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6). In this review, we present distinct drug-resistant mutational profiles of herpesvirus DNApol. The impact of specific DNApol amino acid changes on drug-resistance is discussed. The pattern of genetic variability related to drug-resistance differs among the herpesviruses. Two mutational profiles appeared: one favoring amino acid changes in the Palm and Finger domains of DNApol (in α-herpesviruses HSV-1, HSV-2 and VZV), and another with mutations preferentially in the 3′-5′ exonuclease domain (in β-herpesvirus HCMV and HHV-6). The mutational profile was also related to the class of compound to which drug-resistance emerged.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Topalis
- Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department Microbiology and Immunology, KU Leuven, Minderbroedersstraat 10, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - S Gillemot
- Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department Microbiology and Immunology, KU Leuven, Minderbroedersstraat 10, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - R Snoeck
- Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department Microbiology and Immunology, KU Leuven, Minderbroedersstraat 10, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - G Andrei
- Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department Microbiology and Immunology, KU Leuven, Minderbroedersstraat 10, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
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Novel Cytomegalovirus UL54 DNA Polymerase Gene Mutations Selected In Vitro That Confer Brincidofovir Resistance. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2016; 60:3845-8. [PMID: 27044553 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00214-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2016] [Accepted: 04/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Eight in vitro selection experiments under brincidofovir pressure elicited the known cytomegalovirus DNA polymerase amino acid substitutions N408K and V812L and the novel exonuclease domain substitutions D413Y, E303D, and E303G, which conferred ganciclovir and cidofovir resistance with 6- to 11-fold resistance to brincidofovir or 17-fold when E303G was combined with V812L. The new exonuclease domain I resistance mutations selected under brincidofovir pressure add to the single instance previously reported and show the expected patterns of cross-resistance.
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John J, Kim Y, Bennett N, Das K, Liekens S, Naesens L, Arnold E, Maguire AR, Götte M, Dehaen W, Balzarini J. Pronounced Inhibition Shift from HIV Reverse Transcriptase to Herpetic DNA Polymerases by Increasing the Flexibility of α-Carboxy Nucleoside Phosphonates. J Med Chem 2015; 58:8110-27. [PMID: 26450273 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b01180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Alpha-carboxynucleoside phosphonates (α-CNPs) are novel viral DNA polymerase inhibitors that do not need metabolic conversion for enzyme inhibition. The prototype contains a cyclopentyl linker between nucleobase and α-carboxyphosphonate and preferentially (50- to 100-fold) inhibits HIV-1 RT compared with herpetic DNA polymerases. A synthesis methodology involving three steps has been developed for the synthesis of a series of novel α-CNPs, including a Rh(II)-catalyzed O-H insertion that connects the carboxyphosphonate group to a linker moiety and an attachment of a nucleobase to the other end of the linker by a Mitsunobu reaction followed by final deprotection. Replacing the cyclopentyl moiety in the prototype α-CNPs by a more flexible entity results in a selectivity shift of ∼ 100-fold in favor of the herpetic DNA polymerases when compared to selectivity for HIV-1 RT. The nature of the kinetic interaction of the acyclic α-CNPs against the herpetic DNA polymerases differs from the nature of the nucleobase-specific kinetic interaction of the cyclopentyl α-CNPs against HIV RT.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nicholas Bennett
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta , 6-020 Katz Group Centre, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Kalyan Das
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University , Piscataway, New Jersey 08901, United States
| | | | | | - Eddy Arnold
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University , Piscataway, New Jersey 08901, United States
| | - Anita R Maguire
- Department of Chemistry and School of Pharmacy, Analytical and Biological Chemistry Research Facility, University College Cork , Cork, Ireland
| | - Matthias Götte
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta , 6-020 Katz Group Centre, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada
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Contrasting effects of W781V and W780V mutations in helix N of herpes simplex virus 1 and human cytomegalovirus DNA polymerases on antiviral drug susceptibility. J Virol 2015; 89:4636-44. [PMID: 25673718 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.03360-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED DNA polymerases of the Herpesviridae and bacteriophage RB69 belong to the α-like DNA polymerase family. In spite of similarities in structure and function, the RB69 enzyme is relatively resistant to foscarnet, requiring the mutation V478W in helix N to promote the closed conformation of the enzyme to make it susceptible to the antiviral. Here, we generated recombinant herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) mutants harboring the revertant in UL30 (W781V) and UL54 (W780V) DNA polymerases, respectively, to further investigate the impact of this tryptophan on antiviral drug susceptibility and viral replicative capacity. The mutation W781V in HSV-1 induced resistance to foscarnet, acyclovir, and ganciclovir (3-, 14-, and 3-fold increases in the 50% effective concentrations [EC50s], respectively). The recombinant HCMV mutant harboring the W780V mutation was slightly resistant to foscarnet (a 1.9-fold increase in the EC50) and susceptible to ganciclovir. Recombinant HSV-1 and HCMV mutants had altered viral replication kinetics. The apparent inhibition constant values of foscarnet against mutant UL30 and UL54 DNA polymerases were 45- and 4.9-fold higher, respectively, than those against their wild-type counterparts. Structural evaluation of the tryptophan position in the UL54 DNA polymerase suggests that the bulkier phenylalanine (fingers domain) and isoleucine (N-terminal domain) could induce a tendency toward the closed conformation greater than that for UL30 and explains the modest effect of the W780V mutation on foscarnet susceptibility. Our results further suggest a role of the tryptophan in helix N in conferring HCMV and especially HSV-1 susceptibility to foscarnet and the possible contribution of other residues localized at the interface between the fingers and N-terminal domains. IMPORTANCE DNA polymerases of the Herpesviridae and bacteriophage RB69 belong to the α-like DNA polymerase family. However, the RB69 DNA polymerase is relatively resistant to the broad-spectrum antiviral agent foscarnet. The mutation V478W in helix N of the fingers domain caused the enzyme to adopt a closed conformation and to become susceptible to the antiviral. We generated recombinant herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) mutants harboring the revertant in UL30 (W781V) and UL54 (W780V) DNA polymerases, respectively, to further investigate the impact of this tryptophan on antiviral drug susceptibility. The W781V mutation in HSV-1 induced resistance to foscarnet, whereas the W780V mutation in HCMV slightly decreased drug susceptibility. This study suggests that the different profiles of susceptibility to foscarnet of the HSV-1 and HCMV mutants could be related to subtle conformational changes resulting from the interaction between residues specific to each enzyme that are located at the interface between the fingers and the N-terminal domains.
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Abstract
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This review will summarize our structural
and kinetic studies of
RB69 DNA polymerase (RB69pol) as well as selected variants of the
wild-type enzyme that were undertaken to obtain a deeper understanding
of the exquisitely high fidelity of B family replicative DNA polymerases.
We discuss how the structures of the various RB69pol ternary complexes
can be used to rationalize the results obtained from pre-steady-state
kinetic assays. Our main findings can be summarized as follows. (i)
Interbase hydrogen bond interactions can increase catalytic efficiency
by 5000-fold; meanwhile, base selectivity is not solely determined
by the number of hydrogen bonds between the incoming dNTP and the
templating base. (ii) Minor-groove hydrogen bond interactions at positions n – 1 and n – 2 of the primer
strand and position n – 1 of the template
strand in RB69pol ternary complexes are essential for efficient primer
extension and base selectivity. (iii) Partial charge interactions
among the incoming dNTP, the penultimate base pair, and the hydration
shell surrounding the incoming dNTP modulate nucleotide insertion
efficiency and base selectivity. (iv) Steric clashes between mismatched
incoming dNTPs and templating bases with amino acid side chains in
the nascent base pair binding pocket (NBP) as well as weak interactions
and large gaps between the incoming dNTPs and the templating base
are some of the reasons that incorrect dNTPs are incorporated so inefficiently
by wild-type RB69pol. In addition, we developed a tC°–tCnitro Förster resonance energy transfer assay to monitor
partitioning of the primer terminus between the polymerase and exonuclease
subdomains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangluo Xia
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University , New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8024, United States
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Xia S, Wood M, Bradley MJ, De La Cruz EM, Konigsberg WH. Alteration in the cavity size adjacent to the active site of RB69 DNA polymerase changes its conformational dynamics. Nucleic Acids Res 2013; 41:9077-89. [PMID: 23921641 PMCID: PMC3799440 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkt674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Internal cavities are a common feature of many proteins, often having profound effects on the dynamics of their interactions with substrate and binding partners. RB69 DNA polymerase (pol) has a hydrophobic cavity right below the nucleotide binding pocket at the tip of highly conserved L415 side chain. Replacement of this residue with Gly or Met in other B family pols resulted in higher mutation rates. When similar substitutions for L415 were introduced into RB69pol, only L415A and L415G had dramatic effects on pre-steady-state kinetic parameters, reducing base selectivity by several hundred fold. On the other hand, the L415M variant behaved like the wild-type. Using a novel tCo-tCnitro Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) assay, we were able to show that the partition of the primer terminus between pol and exonuclease (exo) domains was compromised with the L415A and L415G mutants, but not with the L415M variant. These results could be rationalized by changes in their structures as determined by high resolution X-ray crystallography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangluo Xia
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8114, USA
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