Solution structure of a cis-opened (10R)-N6-deoxyadenosine adduct of (9S,10R)-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene in a DNA duplex

The solution structure of an 11-mer DNA duplex, d(CGGTCA*CGAGG) x d(CCTCGTGACCG), containing a 10R adduct at dA* that corresponds to the cis addition of the N(6)-amino group of dA(6) to (+)-(9S,10R)-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene was studied by 2D NMR methods. The NOESY cross-peak patterns indicate that the hydrocarbon is intercalated on the 5'-side of the modified base. This observation is the same as that observed for other oligonucleotides containing (10R)-dA adducts but opposite to that observed for the corresponding (10S)-dA adducts which are intercalated on the 3'-side of the modified base. The hydrocarbon is intercalated from the major groove without significant disruption of either the anti glycosidic torsion angle of the modified residue or the base pairing of the modified residue with the complementary residue on the opposite strand. The ensemble of 10 structures determined exhibits relatively small variations (6-15 degrees) in the characteristic hydrocarbon-base dihedral angles (alpha' and beta') as well as the glycosidic torsion angle chi. These angles are similar to those in a previously determined cis-opened benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide-(10R)-dA adduct structure. Comparison of the present structure with the cis-opened diol epoxide adduct suggests that the absence of the 7- and 8-hydroxyl groups results in more efficient stacking of the aromatic moiety with the flanking base pairs and deeper insertion of the hydrocarbon into the helix. Relative to normal B-DNA, the duplex containing the present tetrahydroepoxide adduct is unwound at the lesion site, whereas the diol epoxide adduct structure is more tightly wound than normal B-DNA. Buckling of the adducted base pair as well as the C(5)-G(18) base pair that lies immediately above the hydrocarbon is much less severe in the present adducted structure than its cis-opened diol epoxide counterpart.     

Solution structure of a trans-opened (10S)-dA adduct of (+)-(7S,8R,9S,10R)-7,8-dihydroxy-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene in a fully complementary DNA duplex: evidence for a major syn conformation

Two-dimensional NMR was used to determine the solution structure of an undecanucleotide duplex, d(CGGTCACGAGG).d(CCTCGTGACCG), in which (+)-(7S,8R,9S,10R)-7,8-dihydroxy-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene is covalently bonded to the exocyclic N(6)() amino group of the central deoxyadenosine, dA(6), through trans addition at C10 of the epoxide (to give a 10S adduct). The present study represents the first NMR structure of a benzo[a]pyrene (10S)-dA adduct in DNA with a complementary T opposite the modified dA. Exchangeable and nonexchangeable protons of the modified duplex were assigned by the use of TOCSY (in D(2)O) and NOESY spectra (in H(2)O and D(2)O). Sequential NOEs expected for a B-type DNA conformation with typical Watson-Crick base pairing are observed along the duplex, except at the lesion site. We observed a strong intraresidue NOE cross-peak between H1' and H8 of the modified dA(6). The sugar H2' and H2' ' of dC(5) lacked NOE cross-peaks with H8 of dA(6) but showed weak interactions with H2 of dA(6) instead. In addition, the chemical shift of the H8 proton (7.51 ppm) of dA(6) appears at a higher field than that of H2 (8.48 ppm). These NOE and chemical shift data for the dA(6) base protons are typical of a syn glycosidic bond at the modified base. Restrained molecular dynamics/energy minimization calculations show that the hydrocarbon is intercalated from the major groove on the 3'-side of the modified base between base pairs A(6)-T(17) and C(7)-G(16) and confirm the syn glycosidic angle (58 degrees ) of the modified dA(6). In the syn structure, a weak A-T hydrogen bond is possible between the N3-H proton of T(17) and N7 of dA(6) (at a distance of 3.11 A), whereas N1, the usual hydrogen bonding partner for N3-H of T when dA is in the anti conformation, is 6.31 A away from this proton. The 10(S)-dA modified DNA duplex remains in a right-handed helix, which bends in the direction of the aliphatic ring of BaP at about 42 degrees from the helical axis. ROESY experiments provided evidence for interconversion between the major, syn conformer and a minor, possibly anti, conformer.     

Solution structure of the N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-1-aminopyrene ([AP]dG) adduct opposite dA in a DNA duplex.

Solution structural studies have been undertaken on the aminopyrene-C(8)-dG ([AP]dG) adduct in the d(C5-[AP]G6-C7). d(G16-A17-G18) sequence context in an 11-mer duplex with dA opposite [AP]dG, using proton-proton distance and intensity restraints derived from NMR data in combination with distance-restrained molecular mechanics and intensity-restrained relaxation matrix refinement calculations. The exchangeable and nonexchangeable protons of the aminopyrene and the nucleic acid were assigned following analysis of two-dimensional NMR data sets on the [AP]dG.dA 11-mer duplex in H2O and D2O solution. The broadening of several resonances within the d(G16-A17-G18) segment positioned opposite the [AP]dG6 lesion site resulted in weaker NOEs, involving these protons in the adduct duplex. Both proton and carbon NMR data are consistent with a syn glycosidic torsion angle for the [AP]dG6 residue in the adduct duplex. The aminopyrene ring of [AP]dG6 is intercalated into the DNA helix between intact Watson-Crick dC5.dG18 and dC7.dG16 base pairs and is in contact with dC5, dC7, dG16, dA17, and dG18 residues that form a hydrophobic pocket around it. The intercalated AP ring of [AP]dG6 stacks over the purine ring of dG16 and, to a lesser extent dG18, while the looped out deoxyguanosine ring of [AP]dG6 stacks over dC5 in the solution structure of the adduct duplex. The dA17 base opposite the adduct site is not looped out of the helix but rather participates in an in-plane platform with adjacent dG18 in some of the refined structures of the adduct duplex. The solution structures are quite different for the [AP]dG.dA 11-mer duplex containing the larger aminopyrene ring (reported in this study) relative to the previously published [AF]dG.dA 11-mer duplex containing the smaller aminofluorene ring (Norman et al., Biochemistry 28, 7462-7476, 1989) in the same sequence context. Both the modified syn guanine and the dA positioned opposite it are stacked into the helix with the aminofluorene chromophore displaced into the minor groove in the latter adduct duplex. By contrast, the aminopyrenyl ring participates in an intercalated base-displaced structure in the present study of the [AP]dG.dA 11-mer duplex and in a previously published study of the [AP]dG.dC 11-mer duplex (Mao et al., Biochemistry 35, 12659-12670, 1996). Such intercalated base-displaced structures without hydrogen bonding between the [AP]dG adduct and dC or mismatched dA residues positioned opposite it, if present at a replication fork, may cause polymerase stalling and formation of a slipped intermediate that could produce frameshift mutations, the most dominant mutagenic consequence of the [AP]dG lesion.     

Intercalation of the (-)-(1R,2S,3R, 4S)-N6-[1-benz[a]anthracenyl]-2'-deoxyadenosyl adduct in an oligodeoxynucleotide containing the human N-ras codon 61 sequence

The solution structure of the (-)-(1R,2S,3R,4S)-N6-[1-(1,2,3, 4-tetrahydroxy-benz[a]anthracenyl)]-2'-deoxyadenosyl adduct at X6 of 5'-d(CGGACXAGAAG)-3'.5'-d(CTTCTTGTCCG)-3', incorporating codons 60, 61(italic), and 62 of the human N-ras protooncogene, was determined. This adduct results from the trans opening of 1S,2R,3R,4S-1, 2-epoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-benz[a]anthracenyl-3,4-diol by the exocyclic N6 of adenine. Molecular dynamics simulations were restrained by 509 NOEs from 1H NMR. The precision of the refined structures was monitored by pairwise root-mean-square deviations which were <1.2 A; accuracy was measured by complete relaxation matrix calculations, which yielded a sixth root R factor of 9.1 x 10(-)2 at 250 ms. The refined structure was a right-handed duplex, in which the benz[a]anthracene moiety intercalated from the major groove between C5.G18 and R,S,R,SA6.T17. In this orientation, the saturated ring of BA was oriented in the major groove of the duplex, with the aromatic rings inserted into the duplex such that the terminal ring of BA threaded the duplex and faced toward the minor groove direction. The duplex suffered localized distortion at and immediately adjacent to the adduct site, evidenced by the increased rise of 8.8 A as compared to the value of 3.5 A normally observed for B-DNA between base pairs C5.G18 and R,S,R,SA6.T17. These two base pairs also buckled in opposite directions away from the intercalated BA moiety. The refined structure was similar to the (-)-(7S,8R,9S,10R)-N6-[10-(7,8,9, 10)-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrenyl)]-2'-deoxyadenosyl adduct of corresponding stereochemistry at X6 of the same oligodeoxynucleotide [Zegar, I. S., Kim, S. J., Johansen, T. N., Horton, P. J., Harris, C. M., Harris, T. M., and Stone, M. P. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 6212-6224]. Both adducts intercalated toward the 5'-direction from the site of adduction. The similarities in solution structures were reflected in similar biological responses, when repair-deficient AB2480 Escherichia coli were transformed with M13mp7L2 DNA site-specifically modified with these two adducts.     

Mispairing of the 8,9-dihydro-8-(N7-guanyl)-9-hydroxy-aflatoxin B1 adduct with deoxyadenosine results in extrusion of the mismatched dA toward the major groove

The G --> T transversion is the dominant mutation induced by the cationic trans-8,9-dihydro-8-(N7-guanyl)-9-hydroxy-aflatoxin B(1) adduct. The structure of d(ACATC(AFB)GATCT).d(AGATAGATGT), in which the cationic adduct was mismatched with deoxyadenosine, was refined using molecular dynamics calculations restrained by NOE data and dihedral restraints obtained from NMR spectroscopy. Restrained molecular dynamics calculations refined structures with pairwise rmsd <1 A and a sixth root R1x factor between the refined structure and NOE data of 10.5 x 10-2. The mismatched duplex existed in a single conformation at neutral pH. The aflatoxin moiety intercalated above the 5' face of the modified (AFB)G. The mismatched dA was in the anti conformation about the glycosyl bond. It extruded toward the major groove and did not participate in hydrogen bonding with (AFB)G. The structure was compared with that of d(ACATCGATCT).d(AGATAGATGT) containing the corresponding unmodified G.A mismatch and with d(ACATC(AFB)GATCT).d(AGATCGATGT) containing the aflatoxin lesion in the correctly paired (AFB)G.C context. The correctly paired oligodeoxynucleotide exhibited Watson-Crick-type geometry at the (AFB)G.C pair. It melted at higher temperature than the mismatched (AFB)G.A duplex. The unmodified mismatched G.A duplex exhibited spectral line broadening at neutral pH, suggesting a mixture of conformations. It exhibited a lower melting temperature than did the mismatched (AFB)G.A duplex. These differences correlated with replication bypass experiments performed in vitro utilizing DNA polymerase I exo- [Johnston, D. S., and Stone, M. P. (2000) Chem. Res. Toxicol. 13, 1158-1164]. Those experiments showed that correct insertion of dC opposite (AFB)G blocked replication by the enzyme, whereas incorrect insertion of dA opposite (AFB)G allowed full-length replication of the adducted template strand.     

Error-prone translesion synthesis by human DNA polymerase eta on DNA-containing deoxyadenosine adducts of 7,8-dihydroxy-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene

When human DNA polymerase eta (pol eta) encounters N6-deoxyadenosine adducts formed by trans epoxide ring opening of the 7,8-dihydroxy-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (BaP DE) isomer with (+)-7R,8S,9S,10R configuration ((+)-BaP DE-2), misincorporation of A or G and incorporation of the correct T are equally likely to occur. On the other hand, the enzyme exhibits a 3-fold preference for correct T incorporation opposite adducts formed by trans ring opening of the (-)-(7S,8R,9R,10S)-DE-2 enantiomer. Adducts at dA formed by cis ring opening of these two BaP DE-2 isomers exhibit a 2-3-fold preference for A over T incorporation, with G intermediate between the two. Extension one nucleotide beyond these adducts is generally weaker than incorporation across from them, but among mismatches the (adducted A*) x A mispair is the most favored for extension. Because mutations can only occur if mispairs are extended, this observation is consistent with the occurrence of A x T to T x A transversions as common mutations in animal cells treated with BaP DE-2 isomers. Adducts with S absolute configuration at the point of attachment of the hydrocarbon to the base inhibit incorporation and extension by pol eta to a lesser extent than their R counterparts. Template-primers containing each of the four isomeric dA adducts derived from BaP DE-2 and two adducts derived from 9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo-[a]pyrene in which the 7- and 8-hydroxyl groups of the DEs are replaced with hydrogens exhibit reduced electrophoretic mobilities relative to the unadducted oligonucleotides. This effect is largely independent of DNA sequence. Decreased mobility correlates with an increased rate of incorporation by pol eta, suggesting a systematic relationship between the overall DNA structure and efficiency of the enzyme.     

Preferential misincorporation of purine nucleotides by human DNA polymerase eta opposite benzo[a]pyrene 7,8-diol 9,10-epoxide deoxyguanosine adducts

Human DNA polymerase eta was used to copy four stereoisomeric deoxyguanosine (dG) adducts derived from benzo[a]pyrene 7,8-diol 9,10-epoxide (diastereomer with the 7-hydroxyl group and epoxide oxygen trans (BaP DE-2)). The adducts, formed by either cis or trans epoxide ring opening of each enantiomer of BaP DE-2 by N(2) of dG, were placed at the fourth nucleotide from the 5'-end in two 16-mer sequence contexts, 5' approximately CG*A approximately and 5' approximately GG*T. poleta was remarkably error prone at all four diol epoxide adducts, preferring to misincorporate G and A at frequencies 3- to more than 50-fold greater than the frequencies for T or the correct C, although the highest rates were 60-fold below the rate of incorporation of C opposite a non-adducted G. Anti to syn rotation of the adducted base, consistent with previous NMR data for a BaP DE-2 dG adduct placed just beyond a primer terminus, provides a rationale for preferring purine misincorporation. Extension of purine misincorporations occurred preferentially, but extension beyond the adduct site was weak with V(max)/K(m) values generally 10-fold less than for misincorporation. Mostly A was incorporated opposite (+)-BaP DE-2 dG adducts, which correlates with published observations that G --> T is the most common type of mutation that (+)-BaP DE-2 induces in mammalian cells.     

NMR studies of the exocyclic 1,N6-ethenodeoxyadenosine adduct (epsilon dA) opposite deoxyguanosine in a DNA duplex. Epsilon dA(syn).dG(anti) pairing at the lesion site

Proton NMR studies are reported on the complementary d(C-A-T-G-G-G-T-A-C).d(G-T-A-C-epsilon A-C-A-T-G) nonanucleotide duplex (designated epsilon dA.dG 9-mer duplex), which contains exocyclic adduct 1,N6-ethenodeoxyadenosine positioned opposite deoxyguanosine in the center of the helix. The present study focuses on the alignment of dG5 and epsilon dA14 at the lesion site in the epsilon dA.dG 9-mer duplex at neutral pH. This alignment has been characterized by monitoring the NOEs originating from the NH1 proton of dG5 and the H2, H5, and H7/H8 protons of epsilon dA14 in the central d(G4-G5-G6).d(C13-epsilon A14-C15) trinucleotide segment of the epsilon dA.dG 9-mer duplex. These NOE patterns establish that epsilon dA14 adopts a syn glycosidic torsion angle that positions the exocyclic ring toward the major groove edge while all the other bases including dG5 adopt anti glycosidic torsion angles. We detect a set of intra- and interstrand NOEs between protons (exchangeable and nonexchangeable) on adjacent residues in the d(G4-G5-G6).d(C13-epsilon A14-C15) trinucleotide segment which establish formation of right-handed helical conformations on both strands and stacking of the dG5(anti).epsilon dA14(syn) pair between stable dG4.dC15 and dG6.dC13 pairs. The energy-minimized conformation of the central d(G4-G5-G6).d(C13-epsilon A14-C15) segment establishes that the dG5(anti).epsilon dA14(syn) alignment is stabilized by two hydrogen bonds from the NH1 and NH2-2 of dG5(anti) to N9 and N1 of epsilon dA14(syn), respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide-deoxyguanosine adducts are accurately bypassed by yeast DNA polymerase zeta in vitro

The possible role of bypass DNA polymerase zeta in mutagenic translesion synthesis past benzo[a]pyrene (BP) 7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide (DE) N(2)-deoxyguanosine (dG) adducts has been examined. We prepared 59-mer DNA templates containing dG adducts derived from trans opening of enantiomers of BP DE-2, in which the 7-hydroxyl group and epoxide oxygen are trans. The 10S-BP DE-dG and 10R-BP DE-dG adducts derive from the (+)- and (-)-DE-2 enantiomers, respectively. The adducted dG is located at a site identified as a G-->T mutational hotspot in random mutagenesis studies of (+)-BP DE-2 in Chinese hamster V-79 cells. Yeast pol zeta (complex of Gst-Rev3p and Rev7p) formed extension products (total of all lengths) of 71, 74 and 88% of a primer annealed to the 10S-BP DE-dG, 10R-BP DE-dG and non-adducted 59-mer templates, respectively. However, only 18 and 19% of the primer was extended to the full-length product on 10S-BP DE-dG and 10R-BP DE-dG adducted templates compared to 55% of the primer on the non-adducted template. A major 34-mer product corresponding to primer elongation up to and including the base before the adduct indicated that nucleotide incorporation opposite both adducts was strongly blocked. Full-length products were isolated from gels and subjected to PCR amplification and cloning. Sequence analysis of more than 300 clones of these full-length products on each template showed that only the correct dCMP was incorporated opposite both the adducted and non-adducted G-hotspot in the template. This corresponds to a probability of mutation lower than 0.3%, the limit of detection, and demonstrates the remarkable fidelity of yeast pol zeta in translesion synthesis past these BP DB-dG lesions in vitro.     

NMR studies of the exocyclic 1,N6-ethenodeoxyadenosine adduct (epsilon dA) opposite thymidine in a DNA duplex. Nonplanar alignment of epsilon dA(anti) and dT(anti) at the lesion site

Two-dimensional proton NMR studies are reported on the complementary d(C-A-T-G-T-G-T-A-C).d(G-T-A-C-epsilon A-C-A-T-G) nonanucleotide duplex (designated epsilon dA.dT 9-mer duplex) containing 1,N6-ethenodeoxyadenosine (epsilon dA), a carcinogen-DNA adduct, positioned opposite thymidine in the center of the helix. Our NMR studies have focused on the conformation of the epsilon dA.dT 9-mer duplex at neutral pH with emphasis on defining the alignment at the dT5.epsilon dA14 lesion site. The through-space NOE distance connectivities establish that both dT5 and epsilon dA14 adopt anti glycosidic torsion angles, are directed into the interior of the helix, and stack with flanking Watson-Crick dG4.dC15 and dG6.dC13 pairs. Furthermore, the d(G4-T5-G6).d(C13-epsilon A14-C15) trinucleotide segment centered about the dT5.epsilon dA14 lesion site adopts a right-handed helical conformation in solution. Energy minimization computations were undertaken starting from six different alignments of dT5(anti) and epsilon dA14(anti) at the lesion site and were guided by distance constraints defined by lower and upper bounds estimated from NOESY data sets on the epsilon dA.dT 9-mer duplex. Two families of energy-minimized structures were identified with the dT5 displaced toward either the flanking dG4.dC15 or the dG6.dC13 base pair. These structures can be differentiated on the basis of the observed NOEs from the imino proton of dT5 to the imino proton of dG4 but not dG6 and to the amino protons of dC15 but not dC13 that were not included in the constraints data set used in energy minimization. Our NMR data are consistent with a nonplanar alignment of epsilon dA14(anti) and dT5(anti) with dT5 displaced toward the flanking dG4.dC15 base pair within the d(G4-T5-G6).d(C13-epsilon A14-C15) segment of the epsilon dA.dT 9-mer duplex.     

NMR structural studies of the ionizing radiation adduct 7-hydro-8-oxodeoxyguanosine (8-oxo-7H-dG) opposite deoxyadenosine in a DNA duplex. 8-Oxo-7H-dG(syn).dA(anti) alignment at lesion site

Proton NMR studies are reported on the complementary d(C1-C2-A3-C4-T5-A6-oxo-G7-T8-C9-A10-C11-C12).d(G13-G14-T15- G16-A17-A18-T19- A20-G21-T22-G23-G24) dodecanucleotide duplex (designated 8-oxo-7H-dG.dA 12-mer), which contains a centrally located 7-hydro-8-oxodeoxyguanosine (8-oxo-7H-dG) residue, a group commonly found in DNA that has been exposed to ionizing radiation or oxidizing free radicals. From the NMR spectra it can be deduced that this moiety exists as two tautomers, or gives rise to two DNA conformations, that are in equilibrium and that exchange slowly. The present study focuses on the major component of the equilibrium that originates in the 6,8-dioxo tautomer of 8-oxo-7H-dG. We have assigned the exchangeable NH1, NH7, and NH2-2 base protons located on the Watson-Crick and Hoogsteen edges of 8-oxo-7H-dG7 in the 8-oxo-7H-dG.dA 12-mer duplex, using an analysis of one- and two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser enhancement (NOE) data in H2O solution. The observed NOEs derived from the NH7 proton of 8-oxo-7H-dG7 to the H2 and NH2-6 protons of dA18 establish an 8-oxo-7H-dG7(syn).dA 18(anti) alignment at the lesion site in the 8-oxo-7H-dG.dA 12-mer duplex in solution. This alignment, which places the 8-oxo group in the minor groove, was further characterized by an analysis of the NOESY spectrum of the 8-oxo-7H-dG.dA 12-mer duplex in D2O solution. We were able to detect a set of intra- and interstrand NOEs between protons (exchangeable and nonexchangeable) on adjacent residues in the d(A6-oxo-G7-T8).d(A17-A18-T19) trinucleotide segment centered about the lesion site that establishes stacking of the oxo-dG7(syn).dA(anti) pair between stable Watson-Crick dA6.dT19 and dT8.dA17 base pairs with minimal perturbation of the helix. Thus, both strands of the 8-oxo-7H-dG.dA 12-mer duplex adopt right-handed conformations at and adjacent to the lesion site, the unmodified bases adopt anti glycosidic torsion angles, and the bases are stacked into the helix. The energy-minimized conformation of the central d(A6-oxo-G7-T8).d(A17-A18-T19) segment requires that the 8-oxo-7H-dG7(syn).dA18(anti) alignment be stabilized by two hydrogen bonds from NH7 and O6 of 8-oxo-7H-dG7(syn) to N1 and NH2-6 of dA18(anti), respectively, at the lesion site.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Minor groove orientation for the (1S,2R,3S,4R)-N2- [1-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2,3,4-trihydroxybenz[a]anthracenyl)]-2'-deoxyguanosyl adduct in the N-ras codon 12 sequence

The conformation of the trans-anti-(1S,2R,3S,4R)-N(2)-[1-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2,3,4-trihydroxybenz[a]anthracenyl)]-2'-deoxyguanosyl adduct in d(G(1)G(2)C(3)A(4)G(5)X(6)T(7)G(8)G(9)T(10)G(11)).d(C(12)A(13)C(14)C(15)A(16)C(17)C(18)T(19)G(20)C(21)C(22)), bearing codon 12 of the human N-ras protooncogene (underlined), was determined. This adduct had S stereochemistry at the benzylic carbon. Its occurrence in DNA is a consequence of trans opening by the deoxyguanosine amino group of (1R,2S,3S,4R)-1,2-epoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrobenz[a]anthracenyl-3,4-diol. The resonance frequencies, relative to the unmodified DNA, of the X(6) H1' and H6 protons were shifted downfield, whereas those of the C(18) and T(19) H1', H2', H2' ', and H3' deoxyribose protons were shifted upfield. The imino and amino resonances exhibited the expected sequential connectivities, suggesting no interruption of Watson-Crick pairing. A total of 426 interproton distances, including nine uniquely assigned BA-DNA distances, were used in the restrained molecular dynamics calculations. The refined structure showed that the benz[a]anthracene moiety bound in the minor groove, in the 5'-direction from the modified site. This was similar to the (+)-trans-anti-benzo[a]pyrene-N(2)-dG adduct having S stereochemistry at the benzylic carbon [Cosman, M., De Los Santos, C., Fiala, R., Hingerty, B. E., Singh, S. B., Ibanez, V., Margulis, L. A., Live, D., Geacintov, N. E., Broyde, S., and Patel, D. J. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 89, 1914-1918]. It differed from the (-)-trans-anti-benzo[c]phenanthrene-N(2)-dG adduct having S stereochemistry at the benzylic carbon, which intercalated in the 5'-direction [Lin, C. H., Huang, X., Kolbanovskii, A., Hingerty, B. E., Amin, S., Broyde, S., Geacintov, N. E., and Patel, D. J. (2001) J. Mol. Biol. 306, 1059-1080]. The results provided insight into how PAH molecular topology modulates adduct structure in duplex DNA.     

NMR studies of exocyclic 1,N2-propanodeoxyguanosine adducts (X) opposite purines in DNA duplexes: protonated X(syn).A(anti) pairing (acidic pH) and X(syn).G(anti) pairing (neutral pH) at the lesion site

Proton and phosphorus two-dimensional NMR studies are reported for the complementary d(C1-A2-T3-G4-X5-G6-T7-A8-C9).d(G10-T11-A12-C13-A14-C15-A 16-T17-G18) nonanucleotide duplex (designated X.A 9-mer) that contains a 1,N2-propanodeoxyguanosine exocyclic adduct, X5, opposite deoxyadenosine A14 in the center of the helix. The NMR studies detect a pH-dependent conformational transition; this paper focuses on the structure present at pH 5.8. The two-dimensional NOESY studies of the X.A 9-mer duplex in H2O and D2O solution establish that X5 adopts a syn orientation while A14 adopts an anti orientation about the glycosidic bond at the lesion site. The large downfield shift of the amino protons of A14 demonstrates protonation of the deoxyadenosine base at pH 5.8 such that the protonated X5(syn).A14(anti) pair is stabilized by two hydrogen bonds at low pH. At pH 5.8, the observed NOE between the H8 proton of X5 and the H2 proton of A14 in the X.A 9-mer duplex demonstrates unequivocally the formation of the protonated X5(syn).A14(anti) pair. The 1,N2-propano bridge of X5(syn) is located in the major groove. Selective NOEs from the exocyclic methylene protons of X5 to the major groove H8 proton of flanking G4 but not G6 of the G4-X5-G6 segment provide additional structural constraints on the local conformation at the lesion site. A perturbation in the phosphodiester backbone is detected at the C13-A14 phosphorus located at the lesion site by 31P NMR spectroscopy. The two-dimensional NMR studies have been extended to the related complementary X.G 9-mer duplex that contains a central X5.G14 lesion in a sequence that is otherwise identical with the X.A 9-mer duplex. The NMR experimental parameters are consistent with formation of a pH-independent X5(syn).G14(anti) pair stabilized by two hydrogen bonds with the 1,N2-propano exocyclic adduct of X5(syn) located in the major groove.     

Solution conformation of the (+)-trans-anti-benzo[g]chrysene-dA adduct opposite dT in a DNA duplex.

The solution structure of the adduct derived from the covalent bonding of the fjord region (+)-(11S, 12R, 13R, 14S) stereoisomer of anti -11,12-dihydroxy-13,14-epoxy-11,12,13, 14-tetrahydrobenzo[g]chrysene, (+)- anti -B[g]CDE, to the exocyclic N(6)amino group of the adenine residue dA6, (designated (+)- trans-anti -(B[g]C)dA6), positioned opposite a thymine residue dT17 in the DNA sequence context d(C1-T2-C3-T4-C5-(B[g]C)A6-C7-T8-T9-C10-C11). d(G12-G13-A14-A15-G16-T17-G18-A19-G20++ +-A21-G22) (designated (B[g]C)dA. dT 11-mer duplex), has been studied using structural information derived from NMR data in combination with molecular dynamics (MD) calculations. The solution structure of the (+)- trans-anti -(B[g]C)dA.dT 11-mer duplex has been determined using an MD protocol where both interproton distance and dihedral angle restraints deduced from NOESY and COSY spectra are used during the refinement process, followed by additional relaxation matrix refinement to the observed NOESY intensities to account for spin diffusion effects. The results established that the covalently attached benzo[g]chrysene ring intercalates into the DNA helix directed towards the 5'-side of the modified strand and stacks predominantly with dT17 when intercalated between dC5.dG18 and (B[g]C)dA6.dT17 base-pairs. All base-pairs, including the modified (B[g]C)dA6.dT17 base-pair, are aligned through Watson-Crick pairing as in normal B -DNA. In addition, the potential strain associated with the highly sterically hindered fjord region of the aromatic portion of the benzo[g]chrysenyl ring is relieved through the adoption of a non-planar, propeller-like geometry within the chrysenyl ring system. This conformation shares common structural features with the related (+)- trans-anti -(B[c]Ph)dA adduct in the identical base sequence context, derived from the fjord region (+)-(1S,2R,3R,4S)-3, 4-dihydroxy-1,2-epoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrobenzo[c]phenanthrene stereoisomer, in which intercalation is also observed towards the 5'-side of the modified dA6.dT17 base-pair.     

Solution structure of the (+)-cis-anti-benzo[a]pyrene-dA ([BP]dA) adduct opposite dT in a DNA duplex.

Minor adducts, derived from the covalent binding of anti-benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-dihydroxy-9,10-epoxide to cellular DNA, may play an important role in generating mutations and initiating cancer. We have applied a combined NMR-computational approach including intensity based refinement to determine the solution structure of the minor (+)-cis-anti-[BP]dA adduct positioned opposite dT in the d(C1-T2-C3-T4-C5-[BP]A6-C7-T8-T9-C10-C11). (d(G12-G13-A14-A15-G16-T17-G18-A19-G20+ ++-A21-G22) 11-mer duplex. The BP ring system is intercalated toward the 5'-side of the [BP]dA6 lesion site without disrupting the flanking Watson-Crick dC5.dG18 and [BP]dA6.dT17 base pairs. This structure of the (+)-cis-anti-[BP]dA.dT 11-mer duplex, containing a bay region benzo[a]pyrenyl [BP]dA adduct, is compared with the corresponding structure of the (+)-trans-anti-[BPh]dA.dT 11-mer duplex (Cosman et al., Biochemistry 32, 12488-12497, 1993), which contains a fjord region benzo[c]phenanthrenyl [BPh]dA adduct with the same R stereochemistry at the linkage site. The carcinogen intercalates toward the 5'-direction of the modified strand in both duplexes (the adduct is embedded within the same sequence context) with the buckling of the Watson-Crick [BP]dA6.dT17 base pair more pronounced in the (+)-cis-anti-[BP]dA.dT 11-mer duplex compared to its Watson-Crick [BPh]dA.dT17 base pair in the (+)-trans-anti-[BPh]dA.dT 11-mer duplex. The available structural studies of covalent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) carcinogen-DNA adducts point toward the emergence of a general theme where distinct alignments are adopted by PAH adducts covalently linked to the N(6) of adenine when compared to the N(2) of guanine in DNA duplexes. The [BPh]dA and [BP]dA N(6)-adenine adducts intercalate their polycyclic aromatic rings into the helix without disruption of their modified base pairs. This may reflect the potential flexibility associated with the positioning of the covalent tether and the benzylic ring of the carcinogen in the sterically spacious major groove. By contrast, such an intercalation without modified base pair disruption option appears not to be available to [BP]dG N(2)-guanine adducts where the covalent tether and the benzylic ring are positioned in the more sterically crowded minor groove. In the case of [BP]dG adducts, the benzopyrenyl ring is either positioned in the minor groove without base pair disruption, or if intercalated into the helix, requires disruption of the modified base pair and displacement of the bases out of the helix.     

Role of a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon bay region ring in modulating DNA adduct structure: the non-bay region (8S,9R,10S, 11R)-N(6)-[11-(8,9,10,11-tetrahydro-8,9, 10-trihydroxybenz[a]anthracenyl)]-2'-deoxyadenosyl adduct in codon 61 of the human N-ras protooncogene.

The structure of the non-bay region (8S,9R,10S,11R)-N(6)-[11-(8,9,10, 11-tetrahydro-8,9,10-trihydroxybenz[a]anthracenyl)]-2'-de oxyadenosyl adduct at X(6) of 5'-d(CGGACXAGAAG)-3'.5'-d(CTTCTTGTCCG)-3', incorporating codons 60, 61 (underlined), and 62 of the human N-ras protooncogene, was determined. Molecular dynamics simulations were restrained by 475 NOEs from (1)H NMR. The benz[a]anthracene moiety intercalated above the 5'-face of the modified base pair and from the major groove. The duplex suffered distortion at and immediately adjacent to the adduct site. This was evidenced by the disruption of the Watson-Crick base pairing for X(6) x T(17) and A(7) x T(16) and the increased rise of 7.7 A between base pairs C(5) x G(18) and X(6) x T(17). Increased disorder was observed as excess line width of proton resonances near the lesion site. Comparison with the bay region benzo[a]pyrene [Zegar, I. S., Kim, S. J., Johansen, T. N., Horton, P. J., Harris, C. M., Harris, T. M., and Stone, M. P. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 6212-6224] and bay region benz[a]anthracene [Li, Z., Mao, H., Kim, H.-Y., Tamura, P. J., Harris, C. M., Harris, T. M., and Stone, M. P. (1999) Biochemistry 38, 2969-2981] adducts with the corresponding stereochemistry and at the same site shows that this non-bay region benz[a]anthracene lesion assumes different base pair geometry, in addition to exhibiting greater disorder. These differences are attributed to the loss of the bay region ring. The results suggest the bay region ring contributes to base stacking interactions at the lesion site. These structural differences between the non-bay and bay region lesions are correlated with site-specific mutagenesis data. The bay region benzo[a]pyrene and bay region benz[a]anthracene adducts were poorly replicated in vivo, and induced A --> G mutations. In contrast, the non-bay region benz[a]anthracene adduct was easily bypassed in vivo and was nonmutagenic.     

Deoxyguanosine-deoxyadenosine pairing in the d(C-G-A-G-A-A-T-T-C-G-C-G) duplex: conformation and dynamics at and adjacent to the dG X dA mismatch site

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has been used to monitor the conformation and dynamics of the d-(C1-G2-A3-G4-A5-A6-T6-T5-C4-G3-C2-G1) self-complementary dodecanucleotide (henceforth called 12-mer GA) that contains a dG X dA purine-purine mismatch at position 3 in the sequence. These results are compared with the corresponding d(C-G-C-G-A-A-T-T-C-G-C-G) dodecamer duplex (henceforth called 12-mer) containing standard Watson-Crick base pairs at position 3 [Patel, D.J., Kozlowski, S.A., Marky, L.A., Broka, C., Rice, J.A., Itakura, K., & Breslauer, K.J. (1982) Biochemistry 21, 428-436]. The dG X dA interaction at position 3 was monitored at the guanosine exchangeable H-1 and nonexchangeable H-8 protons and the nonexchangeable adenosine H-2 proton. We demonstrate base-pair formation between anti orientations of the guanosine and adenosine rings on the basis of nuclear Overhauser effects (NOE) observed between the H-2 proton of adenosine 3 and the imino protons of guanosine 3 (intra base pair) and guanosines 2 and 4 (inter base pair). The dG(anti) X dA(anti) pairing should result in hydrogen-bond formation between the guanosine imino H-1 and carbonyl O-6 groups and the adenosine N-1 and NH2-6 groups, respectively. The base pairing on either side of the dG X dA pair remains intact at low temperature, but these dG X dC pairs at positions 2 and 4 are kinetically destabilized in the 12-mer GA compared to the 12-mer duplex. We have estimated the hydrogen exchange kinetics at positions 4-6 from saturation-recovery measurements on the imino protons of the 12-mer GA duplex between 5 and 40 degrees C. The measured activation energies for imino proton exchange in the 12-mer GA are larger by a factor of approximately 2 compared to the corresponding values in the 12-mer duplex. This implies that hydrogen exchange in the 12-mer GA duplex results from a cooperative transition involving exchange of several base pairs as was previously reported for the 12-mer containing a G X T wobble pair at position 3 [Pardi, A., Morden, K.M., Patel, D.J., & Tinoco, I., Jr. (1982) Biochemistry 21, 6567-6574]. We have assigned the nonexchangeable base protons by intra and inter base pair NOE experiments and monitored these assigned markers through the 12-mer GA duplex to strand transition.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Intercalation of the (1S,2R,3S,4R)-N6-[1-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2,3, 4-trihydroxybenz[a]anthracenyl)]-2'-deoxyadenosyl adduct in an oligodeoxynucleotide containing the human N-ras codon 61 sequence

The (1S,2R,3S,4R)-N(6)-[1-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2,3, 4-trihydroxybenz[a]anthracenyl)]-2'-deoxyadenosyl adduct at X6 of 5'-d(CGGACXAGAAG)-3'.5'-d(CTTCTTGTCCG)-3', incorporating codons 60, 61 (underlined), and 62 of the human N-ras protooncogene, results from trans opening of (1R,2S,3S,4R)-1,2-epoxy-1,2,3, 4-tetrahydrobenz[a]anthracenyl-3,4-diol by the exocyclic N6 of adenine. Two conformations of this adduct exist, in slow exchange on the NMR time scale. A structure for the major conformation, which represents approximately 80% of the population, is presented. In this conformation, an anti glycosidic torsion angle is observed for all nucleotides, including S,R,S,RA6. The refined structure is a right-handed duplex, with the benz[a]anthracene moiety intercalated on the 3'-face of the modified base pair, from the major groove. It is located between S,R,S,RA6.T17 and A7.T16. Intercalation is on the opposite face of the modified S,R,S,RA6.T17 base pair as compared to the (1R,2S,3R,4S)-N6-[1-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2, 3,4-trihydroxybenz[a]anthracenyl)]-2'-deoxyadenosyl adduct, which intercalated 5' to the modified R,S,R,SA6.T17 base pair [Li, Z. , Mao, H., Kim, H.-Y., Tamura, P. J., Harris, C. M., Harris, T. M., and Stone, M. P. (1999) Biochemistry 38, 2969-2981]. The spectroscopic data do not allow refinement of the minor conformation, but suggest that the adenyl moiety in the modified nucleoti111S,R, S,RA6 adopts a syn glycosidic torsion angle. Thus, the minor conformation may create greater distortion of the DNA duplex. The results are discussed in the context of site-specific mutagenesis studies which reveal that the S,R,S,RA6 lesion is less mutagenic than the R,S,R,SA6 lesion.     

Solution structures of aminofluorene [AF]-stacked conformers of the syn [AF]-C8-dG adduct positioned opposite dC or dA at a template-primer junction.

A solution structural study has been undertaken on the aminofluorene-C8-dG ([AF]dG) adduct located at a single-strand-double-strand d(A1-A2-C3-[AF]G4-C5-T6-A7-C8-C9-A10-T11-C12-C13). d(G14-G15-A16-T17-G18-G19-T20- A21-G22-N23) 13/10-mer junction (N = C or A) using proton-proton distance restraints derived from NMR data in combination with intensity-based relaxation matrix refinement computations. This single-strand-double-strand junction models one arm of a replication fork composed of a 13-mer template strand which contains the [AF]dG modification site and a 10-mer primer strand which has been elongated up to the modified guanine with either its complementary dC partner or a dA mismatch. The solution structures establish that the duplex segment retains a minimally perturbed B-DNA conformation with Watson-Crick hydrogen-bonding retained up to the dC5.dG22 base pair. The guanine ring of the [AF]dG4 adduct adopts a syn glycosidic torsion angle and is displaced into the major groove when positioned opposite dC or dA residues. This base displacement of the modified guanine is accompanied by stacking of one face of the aminofluorene ring of [AF]dG4 with the dC5.dG22 base pair, while the other face of the aminofluorene ring is stacked with the purine ring of the nonadjacent dA2 residue. By contrast, the dC and dA residues opposite the junctional [AF]dG4 adduct site adopt distinctly different alignments. The dC23 residue positioned opposite the adduct site is looped out into the minor groove by the aminofluorene ring. The syn displaced orientation of the modified dG with stacking of the aminofluorene and the looped out position of the partner dC could be envisioned to cause polymerase stalling associated with subsequent misalignment leading to frameshift mutations in appropriate sequences. The dA23 residue positioned opposite the adduct site is positioned in the major groove with its purine ring aligned face down over the van der Waals surface of the major groove and its amino group directed toward the T6.A21 base pair. The Hoogsteen edge of the modified guanine of [AF]dG4 and the Watson-Crick edge of dA23 positioned opposite it are approximately coplanar and directed toward each other but are separated by twice the hydrogen-bonding distance required for pairing. This structure of [AF]dG opposite dA at a model template-primer junctional site can be compared with a previous structure of [AF]dG opposite dA within a fully paired duplex [Norman, D., Abuaf, P., Hingerty, B. E., Live, D. , Grunberger, D., Broyde, S., and Patel, D. J. (1989) Biochemistry 28, 7462-7476]. The alignment of the Hoogsteen edge of [AF]dG (syn) positioned opposite the Watson-Crick edge of dA (anti) has been observed for both systems with the separation greater in the case of the junctional alignment in the model template-primer system. However, the aminofluorene ring is positioned in the minor groove in the fully paired duplex while it stacks over the junctional base pair in the template-primer system. This suggests that the syn [AF]dG opposite dA junctional alignment can be readily incorporated within a duplex by a translation of this entity toward the minor groove.     

Conformational transitions in cytidine bulge-containing deoxytridecanucleotide duplexes: extra cytidine equilibrates between looped out (low temperature) and stacked (elevated temperature) conformations in solution

High-resolution homonuclear and heteronuclear two-dimensional NMR studies have been carried out on the self-complementary d(C-C-G-C-G-A-A-T-T-C-C-G-G) duplex (designated GCG 13-mer) in aqueous solution. This sequence contains an extra cytidine located between residues G3 and G4 on each strand of the duplex. The exchangeable and nonexchangeable proton resonances have been assigned from an analysis of two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser enhancement (NOESY) and correlated (COSY and relay COSY) spectra for the GCG 13-mer duplex in H2O and D2O solution. The extra cytidine at the bulge site (designated CX) results in more pronounced changes in the NOE distance connectivities for the G3-CX-G4 segment centered about the CX residue compared to the C9-C10 segment on the partner strand opposite the CX residue for the GCG 13-mer duplex at 25 degrees C. The cross-peak intensities in the short mixing time NOESY spectrum also establish that all glycosidic torsion angles including that of CX are anti in the GCG 13-mer duplex at 25 degrees C. The observed chemical shift changes for the CX base protons and the G3pCX phosphorus resonance with temperature between 0 and 40 degrees C demonstrate a temperature-dependent conformational equilibrium in the premelting transition region. The NOE and chemical shift parameters establish that the predominant conformation at low temperature (0 degree C) has the extra cytidine looped out of the helix with the flanking G3.C10 and G4.C9 base pairs stacked on each other. These results support conclusions based on earlier one-dimensional NMR studies of extra cytidine containing complementary duplexes in aqueous solution [Morden, K. M., Chu, Y. G., Martin, F. H., & Tinoco, I., Jr. (1983) Biochemistry 22, 5557-5563. Woodson, S. A., & Crothers, D. M. (1987) Biochemistry 26, 904-912]. By contrast, the chemical shift and NOE parameters demonstrate that the conformational equilibrium shifts toward a structure with a stacked extra cytidine on raising the temperature to 40 degrees C prior to the helix-coil melting transition. The most downfield shifted phosphorus resonance in the GCG 13-mer duplex has been assigned to the phosphate in the C2-G3 step, and this observation demonstrates that the perturbation in the phosphodiester backbone extends to regions removed from the (G3-CX-G4).(C9-C10) bulge site.