Distortions induced in double-stranded oligonucleotides by the binding of cis- or trans-diammine-dichloroplatinum(II) to the d(GTG) sequence.

Conformational changes induced in double-stranded oligonucleotides by the binding of trans- or cis-diamminedichloro platinum(II) to the d(GTG) sequence have been characterized by means of melting temperatures, electrophoretic migrations in non-denaturing polyacrylamide gels, reactivities with the artificial nuclease Phenanthroline-copper and with chemical probes. The cis-platinum adduct behaves more as a centre of directed bend than as a hinge joint, the induced bend angle being of the order of 25-30 degrees. The double helix is locally denatured over 2 base pairs (corresponding to the platinated 5'G residue and the central T residue) and is distorted over 4-5 base pairs. The trans-platinum adduct behaves also more as a centre of directed bend than as a hinge joint, the induced bend angle being of the order of 60 degrees. The double helix is locally denatured over 4 base pairs (corresponding to the immediately 5'T residue adjacent to the adduct and to the three base residues of the adduct). Both the cis- and trans-platinum adducts decrease the thermal stability of the double helix.     

Conformation of DNA modified at a d(GG) or a d(AG) site by the antitumor drug cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II)

The purpose of this work was the comparison of the conformational changes induced in the double helix by the adducts formed at d(GG) and d(AG) sites in the reaction between the antitumor drug cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cis-DDP) and DNA. Two duplexes (20-mer) containing either a single d(A*G*) or a single d(G*G) adduct were studied by means of gel electrophoresis and artificial nuclease and chemical probes. It is shown that the d(G*G*) and the d(A*G*) adducts bend DNA similarly, but at the nucleotide level they distort differently the double helix. We suggest that the weaker interactions between platinated A residues and the other nucleotides, as compared to the interactions between platinated G residues and the other nucleotides, are largely responsible for the differences in the distortions induced in DNA by the d(A*G) and d(G*G*) adducts. This suggestion is supported by the study of the distortions induced in duplexes by the d(G*G*) adducts, one of the platinated G residues being paired with a T residue.     

Distortions induced in DNA by cis-platinum interstrand adducts.

A 22 base pair double-stranded oligonucleotide containing a unique interstrand adduct resulting from chelation of the two guanine residues within the central sequence d(TGCT/AGCA) by a cis-platinum residue has been studied by means of gel electrophoresis, chemical probes, and molecular mechanics. The anomalously slow electrophoretic mobility of the multimers of the platinated and ligated oligomers suggests that the platinated oligonucleotide is bent. The two cytosine residues (complementary to the platinated guanines) are hyperreactive to hydroxylamine, indicating a large exposure of the two bases to the solvent. The adduct does not induce a local denaturation within the flanking sequences since the adenine residues are not reactive with diethyl pyrocarbonate. This is confirmed by the nonreactivity of the complementary T residues with osmium tetraoxide. These results and the molecular mechanics modeling suggest that the interstrand adduct bends the double helix by approximately 55 degrees toward the major groove, that the double helix conserves its average twist angle, and that the distortion induced by the adduct is localized at the platinated sequence d(GC/CG).     

Thermostability of double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acids: effects of covalent additions of a psoralen

We have carried out a thermodynamic study on the effects of covalent additions of the psoralen derivative HMT, 4'-(hydroxymethyl)-4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen, on the stability of double-stranded deoxyoligonucleotides. This was done with two systems. The first was a double-stranded DNA formed by two non-self-complementary oligonucleotides, 5'-GAAGCTACGAGC-3' and 5'-GCTCGTAGCTTC-3', where we site specifically placed an HMT molecule on the thymidine residue in oligonucleotide 5'-GAAGCTACGAGC-3' as either a furan-side monoadduct or a pyrone-side monoadduct. The second was a double-stranded DNA formed by a self-complementary oligonucleotide, 5'-GGGTACCC-3', where we placed an HMT molecule on the thymidine residue of each strand as a furan-side monoadduct or cross-linked the two strands with an HMT molecule linked to the two thymidines. We found that HMT cross-linking of the two strands stabilizes the double helix formed by 5'-GGGTACCC-3', as one might expect. Less predictable results were that the monoaddition of a psoralen stabilizes the double helix formed by the two non-self-complementary oligonucleotides by as much as 1.3 kcal/mol as a furan-side monoadduct and 0.7 kcal/mol as a pyrone-side monoadduct at 25 degrees C in 50 mM NaCl. In contrast, the monoaddition of a psoralen on each of the two thymidines in the double helix formed by 5'-GGGTACCC-3' destabilizes the helix by 1.8 kcal/mol at 25 degrees C in 1 M NaCl. This destabilization arises from an unfavorable enthalpy change (8.6 kcal/mol) and a favorable entropy change (23 cal/K X mol) due to the two HMT molecules at the centers of each strand.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The DNA bending by acetylaminofluorene residues and by apurinic sites

We have studied the distortions induced in double-stranded oligonucleotides by covalently bound acetylaminofluorene residues and by apurinic sites. Within the acetylaminofluorene-modified oligonucleotide three base-pairs are unpaired as detected by the chemical probes chloroacetaldehyde and osmium tetroxide. These two probes reveal that the bases adjacent to the apurinic site are paired. In both the modified double-stranded oligonucleotides, the backbone on the 5' side of the modification is more reactive with 1,10-phenanthroline copper than the backbone on the 3' side. On polyacrylamide gels, the ligated multimers of acetylaminofluorene or apurinic site-modified oligonucleotides migrate slower than the multimers of the unmodified oligonucleotides. It is suggested that the acetylaminofluorene-modified guanine residues and the apurinic sites behave more as hinge joints than as the centres of directed bends.     

Interstrand cross-linking reaction in triplexes containing a monofunctional transplatin-adduct.

Our aim was to determine whether a single transplatin monofunctional adduct, either trans-[Pt(NH3)2(dC)Cl]+ or trans-[Pt(NH3)2(dG)Cl]+ within a homopyrimidine oligonucleotide, could further react and form an interstrand cross-link once the platinated oligonucleotide was bound to the complementary duplex. The single monofunctional adduct was located at either the 5' end or in the middle of the platinated oligonucleotide. In all the triplexes, specific interstrand cross-links were formed between the platinated Hoogsteen strand and the complementary purine-rich strand. No interstrand cross-links were detected between the platinated oligonucleotides and non-complementary DNA. The yield and the rate of the cross-linking reaction depend upon the nature and location of the monofunctional adducts. Half-lives of the monofunctional adducts within the triplexes were in the range 2-6 h. The potential use of the platinated oligonucleotides to modulate gene expression is discussed.     

Intrastrand cross-links are not formed in the reaction between transplatin and native DNA: relation with the clinical inefficiency of transplatin.

The reaction between trans-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) and single-stranded oligonucleotides containing the sequence d(GXG) (X being an adenine, cytosine or thymine residue) yields trans-[Pt(NH3)2[(GXG)-GN7,GN7]] intrastrand cross-links. These cross-links do not prevent the pairing of the platinated oligonucleotides with their complementary strands but they decrease the thermal stability of the duplexes. The thermal stability is not much affected by the chemical nature of the X residue and its complementary base. By gel electrophoresis, it is shown that the trans- [Pt(NH3)2[d(GTG)-GN7,GN7]] cross-link bends the DNA double helix (26 degrees) and unwinds it (45 degrees). The pairing of the platinated oligonucleotides with their complementary strands promotes the rearrangement of the 1,3-intrastrand cross-links into interstrand cross-links. At a given temperature, the nature of the X residue, its complementary base and of the base pairs adjacent to the adducts do not dramatically affect the rate of the reaction. To know whether trans-[Pt(NH3)2[d(GXG)-GN7,GN7]] cross-links do not rearrange in some sequences, the location of these adducts was searched in double-stranded DNA after reaction with trans-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) by means of the 3'-5' exonuclease activity of T4 DNA polymerase. At low level of platination, trans-[Pt(NH3)2[d(GXG)-GN7,GN7]] cross-links were not detected. Monofunctional adducts and interstrand cross-links were mainly formed. These results are discussed in relation with the clinical inefficiency of trans-diamminedichloroplatinum(II).     

Reevaluation of interaction of cis-dichloro(ethylenediamine)platinum(II) with DNA

Intrastrand cross-links represent the majority of modifications in DNA resulting from interaction with the cancer chemotherapeutic drug cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cis-DDP). These adducts were recently characterized although several discrepancies remained to be resolved. In these studies, [3H]-cis-dichloro(ethylenediamine)platinum(II) (cis-DEP) was used because of the convenience of the radiolabel; this analogue produces adducts at identical sites in DNA as cis-DDP. Both drugs platinate the following sequences in DNA: GG, 65%; AG, 25%; GNG, 6%. The adduct at AG sequences invariably has adenine on the 5'-terminus of the dimer. The present enzyme digestion protocol included P1 nuclease, which produced complete digestion rather than as previously reported. The frequency of platination at GG was too high to be explained by an initial monofunctional platination at any guanine. However, direct bifunctional attack preferentially at GG was obviated because monofunctional adducts could be trapped with thiourea at short time periods. After short incubations, with cis-DEP and removal of unreacted drug, the monofunctional adducts slowly rearranged to bifunctional adducts. It is suggested that this evolution of adducts may result from the drug "walking" along the double helix, a phenomenon that does not appear to occur in single-stranded DNA.     

Specificity of site directed psoralen addition to RNA.

We describe the attachment of a psoralen derivative (site specific psoralen, SSP) to the 5' end of a DNA oligonucleotide and the hybridization and the photoreaction of this reagent with a complementary target site on an RNA molecule. SSP was coupled to a variety of DNA oligonucleotides to investigate the structural requirements for addition to the RNA. Efficient SSP photoadducts were made on specific uridines by designing an intercalation site at an unpaired nucleotide in the RNA strand within the heteroduplex region. The optimal location for this site was five nucleotides from the oligonucleotide 5' end and just 5' to the target uridine residue. Because the attachment of the SSP to the oligonucleotide is through a disulfide bond, the DNA oligonucleotide can be removed with reduction to leave SSP attached to the RNA strand. The SSP adduct made in this way will be useful for subsequent biochemical and biophysical experiments.     

Linkage isomerization reaction of intrastrand cross-links in trans-diamminedichloroplatinum(II)-modified single-stranded oligonucleotides.

The stability of trans-(Pt(NH3)2[d(CGAG)-N7-G,N7-G]) adducts, resulting from cross-links between two guanine residues at d(CGAG) sites within single-stranded oligonucleotides by trans-diamminedichloro-platinum(II), has been studied under various conditions of temperature, salt and pH. The trans-(Pt(NH3)2[d(C GAG)-N7-G,N7-G]) cross-links rearrange into trans-(Pt(NH3)2[d(CGAG)-N3-C,N7-G]) cross-links. The rate of rearrangement is independent of pH, in the range 5-9, and of the nature and concentration of the salt (NaCl or NaCIO4) in the range 10-400 mM. The reaction rate depends upon temperature, the t1/2 values for the disappearance of the (G,G) intrastrand cross-link ranging from 120 h at 30 degrees C to 70 min at 80 degrees C. The linkage isomerization reaction occurs in oligonucleotides as short as the platinated tetramer d(CGAG). Replacement of the intervening residue A by T has no major effect on the reaction. The C residue adjacent to the adduct on the 5' side plays a key-role in the reaction; its replacement by a G, A or T residue prevents the reaction occuring. No rearrangement was observed with the C residue adjacent to the adduct on the 3' side. It is proposed that the linkage isomerization reaction results from a direct attack of the base residue on the platinum(II) square complex.     

Characterization and localization of cis-diamminedichloro-platinum(II) adducts on a purified oligonucleotide containing the codons 12 and 13 of H-ras proto-oncogene.

The use of substrates containing well defined adducts at precise sites, is required to perform a careful analysis of the toxic and mutagenic potential of a lesion. As a first step in this direction the octamer 5'-d(CCGGCGGT), containing the sequence of the codons 12 d(GGC) and 13 d(GGT) of the human H-ras gene, was reacted with the antitumoral drug cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II). The platinated products have been purified by HPLC. A first set of experiments, including enzymatic digestions with nuclease P1 followed by alkaline phosphatase and acid-catalysed hydrolysis, allowed us to determine which bases were engaged in the cis-DDP lesions. Our results indicate that only guanine residues were chelated with cisplatin to yield bifunctional adducts. Furthermore, by performing enzymatic digestions with phosphodiesterases, we have located the adducts with respect to the 5' end of the octamer. Among the purified and characterized platinated oligonucleotides, three present a particular interest, since we have shown here that the cis-d(GpG) adduct is precisely situated either at the d(GGC) or at the d(GGT) or at both sites of their sequence.     

Sequence-specific labeling of superhelical DNA by triple helix formation and psoralen crosslinking.

Site-specific labeling of covalently closed circular DNA was achieved by using triple helix-forming oligonucleotides 10, 11 and 27 nt in length. The sequences consisted exclusively of pyrimidines (C and T) with a reactive psoralen at the 5'-end and a biotin at the 3'-end. The probes were directed to different target sites on the plasmids pUC18 (2686 bp), pUC18/4A (2799 bp) and pUC1 8/4A-H 1 (2530 bp). After triple helix formation at acid pH the oligonucleotides were photocrosslinked to the target DNAs via the psoralen moiety, endowing the covalent adduct with unconditional stability, e.g. under conditions unfavorable for preservation of the triplex, such as neutral pH. Complex formation was monitored after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis by streptavidin-alkaline phosphatase (SAP)-induced chemiluminescence. The yield of triple helix increased with the molar ratio of oligonucleotide to target and the length of the probe sequence (27mer > 11mer). The covalent adduct DNA were visualized by scanning force microscopy (SFM) using avidin or streptavidin as protein tags for the biotin group on the oligonucleotide probes. We discuss the versatility of triple helix DNA complexes for studying the conformation of superhelical DNA.     

Biophysical analysis of DNA modified by 1,2-diaminocyclohexane platinum(II) complexes.

Modification of DNA and double-stranded deoxyoligonucleotides with antitumour 1,2-diamino-cyclohexanedinitroplatinum(II) (Pt-dach) complexes was investigated with the aid of physico-chemical methods and chemical probes of nucleic acid conformation. The three Pt-dach complexes were used which differed in isomeric forms of the dach nonleaving ligand-Pt(1R,2R-dach), Pt(1S,2S-dach) and Pt(1R,2S-dach) complexes. The latter complex has lower antitumour activity than the other two Pt-dach complexes. Pt(1R,2S-dach) complex exhibits the slowest kinetics of its binding to DNA and of the conversion of monofunctional binding to bifunctional lesions. The anomalously slow electrophoretic mobility of multimers of the platinated and ligated oligomers suggests that bifunctional binding of Pt-dach complexes to a d(GG) site within double-stranded oligonucleotides induces bending of the oligomer. In addition, chemical probing of double-helical deoxyoligonucleotides modified by the Pt-dach complexes at the d(GG) sites reveals that Pt(1R,2S-dach) complex induces more extensive conformational changes in the oligomer than Pt(1R,2R-dach) and Pt(1S,2S-dach) complexes. It is proposed that different effects of the Pt-dach complexes on DNA observed in this work arise mainly from a steric crowding of the axially oriented cyclohexane ring in the DNA adduct of Pt(1R,2S-dach) complex.     

Chemical and biological studies of the major DNA adduct of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II), cis-[Pt(NH3)2(d(GpG]], built into a specific site in a viral genome

A duplex Escherichia coli bacteriophage M13 genome was constructed containing a single cis-[Pt(NH3)2(d(GpG]] intrastrand cross-link, the major DNA adduct of the anticancer drug cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II). The duplex dodecamer d(AGAAGGCCTAGA).d(TCTAGGCCTTCT) was ligated into the HincII site of M13mp18 to produce an insertion mutant containing a unique StuI restriction enzyme cleavage site. A genome with a 12-base gap in the minus strand was created by hybridizing HincII-linearized M13mp18 duplex DNA with the single-stranded circular DNA of the 12-base insertion mutant. The dodecamer d(TCTAGGCCTTCT) was synthesized by the solid-phase phosphotriester method and platinated by reaction with cis-[Pt(NH3)2(H2O)2]2+ (yield 39%). Characterization by pH-dependent 1H NMR spectroscopy established that platinum binds to the N7 positions of the adjacent guanosines. The platinated oligonucleotide was phosphorylated in the presence of [gamma-32P]ATP with bacteriophage T4 polynucleotide kinase and incorporated into the 12-base gap of the heteroduplex, thus situating the adduct specifically within the StuI site in the minus strand of the genome. Approximately 80% of the gapped duplexes incorporated a dodecanucleotide in the ligation reaction. Of these, approximately half did so with the dodecanucleotide covalently joined to the genome at both 5' and 3' termini. The site of incorporation of the dodecamer was mapped to the expected 36-base region delimited by the recognition sites of XbaI and HindIII. The cis-[Pt(NH3)2(d(GpG]] cross-link completely inhibited StuI cleavage, which was fully restored following incubation of the platinated genome with cyanide to remove platinum as [Pt(CN)4]2-. Gradient denaturing gel electrophoresis of a 289-base-pair fragment encompassing the site of adduction revealed that the presence of the cis-[Pt(NH3)2(d(GpG]] cross-link induces localized weakening of the DNA double helix. In addition, double- and single-stranded genomes, in which the cis-[Pt(NH3)2(d(GpG]] cross-link resides specifically in the plus strand, were constructed. Comparative studies revealed no difference in survival between platinated and unmodified double-stranded genomes. In contrast, survival of the single-stranded platinated genome was only 10-12% that of the corresponding unmodified single-stranded genome, indicating that the solitary cis-[Pt(NH3)2(d(GpG]] cross-link is lethal to the single-stranded bacteriophage.     

Recognition of hairpin-containing single-stranded DNA by oligonucleotides containing internal acridine derivatives.

Oligodeoxynucleotides with an internal intercalating agent have been targeted to single-stranded sequences containing hairpin structures. The oligonucleotide binds to nonadjacent single-stranded sequences on both sides of the hairpin structure in such a way as to form a three-way junction. The acridine derivative is inserted at a position that allows it to interact with the three-way junction. The melting temperature (Tm) of complexes formed between the hairpin-containing target and oligonucleotides containing one internal acridine derivative was higher than that obtained with the same target and an unmodified oligonucleotide (DeltaTm = +13 degrees C). The internal acridine provided the oligonucleotide with a higher affinity than covalent attachment to the 5' end. Oligonucleotides could also be designed to recognize a hairpin-containing single-stranded nucleic acid by formation of Watson-Crick hydrogen bonds with a single-stranded part and Hoogsteen hydrogen bonds with the stem of the hairpin. An internal acridine derivative was introduced at the junction between the two domains, the double helix domain with Watson-Crick base pairs and the triple helix domain involving Hoogsteen base triplets in the major groove of the hairpin stem. Oligonucleotides with an internal acridine or an acridine at their 5' end have similar binding affinities for the stem-loop-containing target. The bis-modified oligonucleotide containing two acridines, one at the 5' end and one at an internal site, did not exhibit a higher affinity than the oligonucleotides with only one intercalating agent. The design of oligonucleotides with an internal intercalating agent might be of interest to control gene expression through recognition of secondary structures in single-stranded targets.     

Inhibition of pancreatic ribonuclease by 2''-5'' and 3''-5'' oligonucleotides.

Forty different oligonucleotides were investigated as possible inhibitors of the depolymerizing activity of RNase A. The strongest inhibitors among the diribonucleoside 2'-5' mono- phosphates were: G2'-5'G, C2'-5'G and U2'-5'G, and among the diribonucleoside 3'-5' monophosphates: ApU, ApC and GpU. Of the eight trinucleotides investigated, ApApUp, ApApCp and ApGpUp were the strongest inhibitors. All four dinucleotides studied (ApUp, ApCp, GpUp and GpCp) were very strong inhibitors, ApUp being the strongest one. The results show that the nature of the various bases in the oligonucleotide has an effect on the degree of inhibition, and that the 3' phosphomonoester group increases the binding of the oligonucleotide to RNase A. These inhibitors can be used in physicochemical and biochemical studies of ribonuclease.     

Chiral differentiation of DNA adducts formed by enantiomeric analogues of antitumor cisplatin is sequence-dependent

1,2-GG intrastrand cross-links formed in DNA by the enantiomeric complexes [PtCl(2)(R,R-2,3-diaminobutane (DAB))] and [PtCl(2)(S,S-DAB)] were studied by biophysical methods. Molecular modeling revealed that structure of the cross-links formed at the TGGT sequence was affected by repulsion between the 5'-directed methyl group of the DAB ligand and the methyl group of the 5'-thymine of the TGGT fragment. Molecular dynamics simulations of the solvated platinated duplexes and our recent structural data indicated that the adduct of [PtCl(2)(R,R-DAB)] alleviated this repulsion by unwinding the TpG step, whereas the adduct of [PtCl(2)(S,S-DAB)] avoided the unfavorable methyl-methyl interaction by decreasing the kink angle. Electrophoretic retardation measurements on DNA duplexes containing 1,2-GG intrastrand cross-links of Pt(R,R-DAB)(2+) or Pt(S,S-DAB)(2+) at a CGGA site showed that in this sequence both enantiomers distorted the double helix to the identical extent similar to that found previously for the same sequence containing the cross-links of the parent antitumor cis-Pt(NH(3))(2)(2+) (cisplatin). In addition, the adducts showed similar affinities toward the high-mobility-group box 1 proteins. Hence, whereas the structural perturbation induced in DNA by 1,2-GG intrastrand cross-links of cisplatin does not depend largely on the bases flanking the cross-links, the perturbation related to GG cross-linking by bulkier platinum diamine derivatives does.     

The structure of helix III in Xenopus oocyte 5 S rRNA: an RNA stem containing a two-nucleotide bulge

The solution structure of an oligonucleotide containing the helix III sequence from Xenopus oocyte 5 S rRNA has been determined by NMR spectroscopy. Helix III includes two unpaired adenosine residues, flanked on either side by G:C base-pairs, that are required for binding of ribosomal protein L5. The consensus conformation of helix III in the context provided by this oligonucleotide has the two adenosine residues located in the minor groove and stacked upon the 3' flanking guanosine residue, consistent with biochemical studies of free 5 S rRNA in solution. A distinct break in stacking that occurs between the first adenosine residue of the bulge and the flanking 5' guanosine residue exposes the base of the adenosine residue in the minor groove and the base of the guanosine residue in the major groove. The major groove of the helix is widened at the site of the unpaired nucleotides and the helix is substantially bent; nonetheless, the G:C base-pairs flanking the bulge are intact. The data indicate that there may be conformational heterogeneity centered in the bulge region. The corresponding adenosine residues in the Haloarcula marismortui 50 S ribosomal subunit form a dinucleotide platform, which is quite different from the motif seen in solution. Thus, the conformation of helix III probably changes when 5 S rRNA is incorporated into the ribosome.     

Modulation of MutS ATP-dependent functional activities by DNA containing a cisplatin compound lesion (base damage and mismatch)

DNA damage-dependent signaling by the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system is thought to mediate cytotoxicity of the anti-tumor drug cisplatin through molecular mechanisms that could differ from those required for normal mismatch repair. The present study investigated whether ATP-dependent biochemical properties of Escherichia coli MutS protein differ when the protein interacts with a DNA oligonucleotide containing a GT mismatch versus a unique site specifically placed cisplatin compound lesion, a cisplatin 1,2-d(GpG) intrastrand cross-link with a mispaired thymine opposite the 3' platinated guanine. MutS exhibited substantial affinity for this compound lesion in hydrolytic and in non-hydrolytic conditions of ATP, contrasting with the normal nucleotide inhibition effect of mispair binding. The cisplatin compound lesion was also shown to stimulate poorly MutS ATPase activity to approach the hydrolysis rate induced by nonspecific DNA. Moreover, MutS undergoes distinct conformation changes in the presence of the compound lesion and ATP under hydrolytic conditions as shown by limited proteolysis. In the absence of MutS, the cisplatin compound lesion was shown to induce a 39 degrees rigid bending of the DNA double helix contrasting with an unbent state for DNA containing a GT mispair. Furthermore, an unbent DNA substrate containing a monofunctional adduct mimicking a cisplatin residue failed to form a persistent nucleoprotein complex with MutS in the presence of adenine nucleotide. We propose that DNA bending could play a role in MutS biochemical modulations induced by a compound lesion and that cisplatin DNA damage signaling by the MMR system could be modulated in a direct mode.