An improved synthesis of the dinucleotides pdCpA and pdCpdA

An improved route was developed for the preparation of the dinucleotide hybrid 5'-O-phosphoryl-2'-deoxycytidylyl-(3'--> 5')adenosine (pdCpA) 7. This simple and concise synthesis involves the successive coupling of 2-cyanoethyl N, N, N', N'-tetra- isopropylphosphorodiamidite with 4-N-benzoyl-5'-O-(4, 4'-dimethoxytrityl)-2'-deoxy-cytidine 1 and 6-N,6-N,2'-O,3'-O-tetrabenzoyladenosine 2 as the key step. Some dinucleotide derivatives bearing different protecting groups were also synthesized and the selective deprotection conditions were studied in detail. The utility and efficiency of this approach has been further demonstrated by its application to the synthesis of total DNA dinucleotide pdCpdA 17 and total RNA dinucleotide 21.     

Transport of protons and potassium ions across the membranes of bacteria Enterococcus hirae depends on ATP and nicotineamide adenine dinucleotides

The transport of protons and potassium ions across the membranes of the bacteria Enterococcus hirae growing in an alkaline medium (pH 8.0) or under experimental conditions (pH 7.5) during glucose fermentation accomplished by a KtrI-system of absorption of potassium ions, which can interact with F0F1-ATPase to form at H(+)-K(+)-pump, has been studied. It was found on cells with a high membrane permeability that the administration of nicotinamideadenine dinucleotides results in the potassium absorption, which is insensitive to the inhibitor of F0F1-ATPase N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. It is assumed that, along with the KtrI system, which interacts with F0F1-ATPase, a separate or another K+ absorption system operates in these bacteria under particular conditions, which is dependent on NAD(+)+NADH. Presumably, these interact with this system, changing its conformational state required for the transition to the "active" form.     

Analysis of substrate specificity of the PaeR7 endonuclease: effect of base methylation on the kinetics of cleavage.

In murine cells expressing the PaeR7 endonuclease and methylase genes, the recognition sites (CTCGAG) of these enzymes can be methylated at the adenine residue by the PaeR7 methylase and at the internal cytosine by the mouse DNA methyltransferase. Using nonadecameric duplex deoxyoligonucleotide substrates, the specificity of the PaeR7 endonuclease for unmethylated, hemi-methylated, and fully methylated N6-methyladenine (m6A) and C5-methylcytosine (m5C) versions of these substrates has been studied. The Km, Kcat, and Ki values for these model substrates have been measured and suggest that fully or hemi-m6A-methylated PaeR7 sites in the murine genome are completely protected. However, the reactivity of fully or hemi-m5C-methylated PaeR7 sites is depressed 2900- and 100-fold respectively, compared to unmodified PaeR7 sites. The implications of the kinetic constants of the PaeR7 endonuclease for these methylated recognition sites as they occur in murine cells expressing this endonuclease gene are discussed.     

Effects of resin swelling and substitution on solid phase synthesis.

Resins sold by several companies were examined for swelling, uniformity of beads, and substitution in the case of resins sold with the first amino acid attached. Effects of resin swelling, uniformity, and substitution on the solid phase synthesis of long, structured and/or branched peptides were evaluated.     

Solid-phase synthesis of DNA fragments containing the modified base 7-hydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine.

The 5'-(4,4'-dimethoxytrityl) protected 3'-(2-cyanoethoxy)-N,N-diisopropylphosphoramidite of 7-hydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxy-guanosine, the exocyclic amino and lactam functions of which are protected with acetyl and diphenylcarbamoyl groups, respectively, has been prepared from the 8-bromo derivatives of deoxy- and riboguanosine. This synthon, in combination with standard d-nucleoside 3'-(2-cyanoethoxy)-N,N-diisopropylphosphoramidites, was applied successfully to a solid-phase synthesis. Well-defined oligodeoxyribonucleotides containing a 7-hydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine residue at predetermined positions were obtained after deprotection with methanolic ammonia and purification by gel filtration.     

A method for determining the relative effect of ligands on A-T and G-C base pairs in DNA: applications to metal ions, protons and two amino acids.

A new method is described for the study of specific interactions of low-molecular ligands with the base pairs of DNA. This method is based on the comparative analysis of melting temperature changes in DNAs of different GC-content in the presence of low molecular weight ligands. In this paper, the method is applied to Mn2+, Ni2+, Co2+ ions, deprotonation, amino acids, beta-alanine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (gamma-ABA). Differences in Tm are affected not only by the changes of relative stability of AT- and GC-pairs, but also by other factors. A theoretical analysis of the sequence specificity of low-molecular ligands on the base pairs in DNA molecules characterized by a high degree of sequence heterogeneity is also presented.     

Application of base-catalysed reaction to the synthesis of dinucleotides containing the four common deoxyribonucleosides and of oligodeoxythymidylates.

The phosphorylation of nucleosides by a nucleoside phosphorofluoridate in the presence of potassium tert-butoxide is a very effective reaction for internucleotide bond synthesis in the case of pyrimidine deoxynucleosides. However, for the purine deoxynucleosides, yields are reduced due to competing reactions. The method was applied to the stepwise synthesis of oligothymidylates. The yield of the trinucleotide was good whereas that of the tetranucleotide was reduced due to the insolubility of the intermediate trinucleotide in the presence of potassium tert-butoxide.     

The base substitution fidelity of eucaryotic DNA polymerases. Mispairing frequencies, site preferences, insertion preferences, and base substitution by dislocation

The base substitution fidelity of DNA polymerase-alpha, -beta, and -gamma (pol-alpha, -beta, and -gamma, respectively) has been determined in vitro, for all 12 possible mispairs at 96 sites in a forward mutational target. Averaging all errors over all known detectable sites, pol-gamma is the most accurate enzyme, producing one error for every 10,000 bases polymerized. Pol-beta is much less accurate, with an error rate of 1/1,500, while pol-alpha has an intermediate accuracy of 1/4,000. The relative differences in fidelity between the DNA polymerases are strongly influenced by the nature of the mispair. For example, G(template):dATP mispairs and G:dGTP mispairs are formed with about equal frequency by all three classes of DNA polymerases, yet pol-gamma produces T:dGTP mispairs at a 100-fold lower frequency than does pol-beta. The DNA polymerases exhibit distinct differences in template site preferences as well as substrate insertion preferences. The increase in accuracy apparent in proceeding from the least selective to the most accurate enzyme results primarily from a decrease in mispair formations at template A and T residues and a decrease in misinsertion of pyrimidine deoxynucleotides. These data clearly demonstrate a major role for eucaryotic DNA polymerases in modulating base mispair frequencies at the level of insertion. In addition to direct mispair formation due to an incorrect incorporation event, an examination of the errors produced by each of the three classes of DNA polymerases at two particular sites in the target sequence suggests that some base substitution errors result from transient misalignment of the primer-template. A model is presented to explain this phenomenon, termed "Dislocation Mutagenesis." The data are discussed in relation to the extensive literature on base substitution errors and to the origin of spontaneous base substitutions in animal cells.     

Nuclear magnetic spectra of self complementary decanucleotides in solution; base sequence effect on the chemical shifts of nonexchangeable protons

The aim of this study was to attempt to determine the extent to which the chemical shifts of the nonexchangeable base protons of a DNA helix depend upon the base sequence. We measured the proton NMR spectra of twelve decadeoxynucleotides in order to carry out a "statistical" treatment. In the helices, the chemical shifts were found to be determined within +/- 0.04 ppm, largely by the nearest neighbor residues on the 5'-side, and to a smaller extent by the residue on the 3'-side. The theoretical chemical shift calculations reproduced very well the polymerization shifts measured for H2 protons of adenosines if the electrostatic field effect was taken into account. A fair agreement was also obtained for H8 protons of the adenosine and guanosine residues. However, theory underestimates the polarization effects of the base protons of cytidine. This discrepancy suggests that the conformation of this residue is different in the mononucleotides relative to double helices.     

Kinetics of formation of hypoxanthine containing base pairs by HIV-RT: RNA template effects on the base substitution frequencies

Hypoxanthine (H), the deamination product of adenine, has been implicated in the high frequency of A to G transitions observed in retroviral and other RNA genomes. Although H·C base pairs are thermodynamically more stable than other H·N pairs, polymerase selection may be determined in part by kinetic factors. Therefore, the hypoxanthine induced substitution pattern resulting from replication by viral polymerases may be more complex than that predicted from thermodynamics. We have examined the steady-state kinetics of formation of base pairs opposite template H in RNA by HIV-RT, and for the incorporation of dITP during first- and second-strand synthesis. Hypoxanthine in an RNA template enhances the k_2app for pairing with standard dNTPs by factors of 10–1000 relative to adenine at the same sequence position. The order of base pairing preferences for H in RNA was observed to be H·C >> H·T > H·A > H·G. Steady-state kinetics of insertion for all possible mispairs formed with dITP were examined on RNA and DNA templates of identical sequence. Insertion of dITP opposite all bases occurs 2–20 times more frequently on RNA templates. This bias for higher insertion frequencies on RNA relative to DNA templates is also observed for formation of mispairs at template A. This kinetic advantage afforded by RNA templates for mismatches and pairing involving H suggests a higher induction of mutations at adenines during first-strand synthesis by HIV-RT.     

Conformation studies of 13 trinucleoside diphosphates by 360 MHz PMR spectroscopy. A bulged base conformation. I. Base protons and H1' protons

The 360 MHz NMR spectra of the base protons and the H1 protons of thirteen trinucleoside diphosphates have been analyzed. The sequences chosen represent all purine-pyrimidine sequences. The chemical shifts of the base protons give evidence for strong next nearest-neighbor effects in some oligonucleotides. Although increasing chain length usually increases nearest-neighbor base-base stacking, it is not always so. Comparing ApCpG, ApUpG and GpUpG to their component dimers, one finds a decrease in stacking of the center pyrimidine with the purine on either side. The coupling constants J 1'2' also show that these three trimers show less stacking for their terminal residues than expected from their component dimers. We conclude that the sequence Pu-Py-Pu favors a conformation in which the pyrimidine is bulged out and the two purines stack on each other.     

The effect of the Q base modification on the usage of tRNAHis in globin synthesis

The incorporation of histidine by two competing histidine isoaccepting tRNA species into rabbit globin in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate was studied. The results show that incorporation by each isoacceptor is in proportion to its abundance, indicating that neither species is used preferentially. In a previous study (McNamara and Smith (1978) J. Biol. Chem. $\text{253}$, 5964–5970) we showed that neither tRNA^His species responds preferentially to either of the histidine codons and that there is no preferential incorporation by either species into any histidine-containing site in either globin subunit. The Q base modification is found in one tRNA^His isoacceptor while the other is hypomodified in this this characteristic. The results indicate that none of the aspects of tRNA function in translation that have been examined is affected by Q base.     

Copper N2S2 Schiff base macrocycles: The effect of structure on redox potential

A series of bis-salicylidene based N₂S₂ copper macrocycles were prepared, structurally characterised and subjected to electrochemical analysis. The aim was to investigate the effects of length of polymethylene chains between either the imine donors or the sulfur donors on redox state and potential of the metal. The complexes structurally characterised had either distorted square planar or tetrahedral geometries depending on their oxidation state (Cu²⁺ or Cu⁺, respectively), and the N–(CH₂)_n–N bridge was found to be most critical moiety in determining the redox potential and oxidation state of the copper macrocycles, with relatively little change in these properties caused by lengthening the S–(CH₂)_n–S bridge from two to three carbons. In fact, a weakness was observed in the complexes at the sulfur donor, as further lengthening of the S–(CH₂)_n–S methylene bridge to four carbons caused fission of the carbon–sulfur bond to give dimeric rings and supramolecular assemblies. Cu⁺ complexes could be oxidised to Cu²⁺ by tert-butylhydroperoxide, with a corresponding change in the spectrophotometric properties, and likewise Cu²⁺ complexes could be reduced to Cu⁺ by treatment with β-mercaptoethylamine. However, repeated redox cycles appeared to compromise the stability of the macrocycles, most probably by a competing oxidation of the ligand. Thus the copper N₂S₂ macrocycles show potential as redox sensors, but further development is required to improve their performance in a biochemical environment.     

The synthesis of polymeric schiff base metal complexes with 4 N ligands

The bifunctional aldehyde 3,3′diamino-4,4′diformyldiphenyl-sulfone was prepared and reacted with diamines to Schiff bases. Polymeric metal complexes were obtained with Mn²⁺, Ni²⁺, Pd²⁺, Pt²⁺, Ir³⁺ and Au³⁺. The thermal stabilities of these complexes are reported.     

P48L和D74N突变对p16基因功能的影响

应用DNA聚合酶链式反应(PCR)技术,对p16抑癌基因(CDKN2)进行体外定点突变,在p16cDNA中引入第48位密码子CCG(Pro)→CTG(Leu)和第74位密码子GAC(Asp)→AAC(Asn)突变,构建了p16-P48L和p16-D74N突变体。野生型和突变型p16 cDNA克隆于pcDNA3构建pCMV-p16、pCMV-p16P48L和pCMV-p16D74N真核表达载体,导入纯合缺失p16基因的人肺癌细胞株H460,经RNA点杂交、RNA印迹和细胞免疫化学染色,检测到P16表达。通过比较表达野生型和突变型P16的H460细胞在~3H-TdR掺入及细胞所在周期的差异,证实P16表达抑制细胞进入S期,而P48L和D74N突变体对细胞进入S期没有什么影响,提示P48L和D74N突变导致P16蛋白功能丧失。     

The mutational specificity of DNA polymerase-beta during in vitro DNA synthesis. Production of frameshift, base substitution, and deletion mutations

The frequency and specificity of mutations produced in vitro by eucaryotic DNA polymerase-beta have been determined in a forward mutation assay using a 250-base target sequence in M13mp2 DNA. Homogeneous DNA polymerase-beta, isolated from four different sources, produces mutations at a frequency of 4-6%/single round of gap-filling DNA synthesis. DNA sequence analyses of 460 independent mutants resulting from this error-prone DNA synthesis demonstrate a wide variety of mutational events. Frameshift and base substitutions are made at approximately equal frequency and together comprise about 90% of all mutations. Two mutational "hot spots" for frameshift and base substitution mutations were observed. The characteristics of the mutations at these sites suggest that certain base substitution errors result from dislocation of template bases rather than from direct mispair formation by DNA polymerase-beta. When considering the entire target sequence, single-base frameshift mutations occur primarily in runs of identical bases, usually pyrimidines. The loss of a single base occurs 20-80 times more frequently than single-base additions and much more frequently than the loss of two or more bases. Base substitutions occur at many sites throughout the target, representing a wide spectrum of mispair formations. Averaged over a large number of phenotypically detectable sites, the base substitution error frequency is greater than one mistake for every 5000 bases polymerized. Large deletion mutations are also observed, at a frequency more than 10-fold over background, indicating that purified DNA polymerases alone are capable of producing such deletions. These data are discussed in relation to the physical and kinetic properties of the purified enzymes and with respect to the proposed role for this DNA polymerase in vivo.