Comparison of spontaneous and ultraviolet-induced mutagenesis on naked SV40 DNA and SV40 virus

Molecular aspects of mutagenesis in mammalian cells have been essentially analyzed using biological probes such as viruses and shuttle vector. Although the main data concerning the specificity of carcinogen-induced mutations are similar, the observed spontaneous mutation frequencies are significantly different when using one or the other model. This frequency is considerably higher with shuttle vectors than with viruses. We have performed an analysis of mutagenesis in order to determine if the obligatory transfection step associated with shuttle vector technology was responsible for the high mutation frequency found with these molecules. For this purpose simian virus 40 (SV40) genome used as virus or as naked DNA was introduced into permissive cells by viral infection or DNA transfection respectively. Our results show that transfection alone does not induce a higher mutation frequency on SV40 DNA the virus infection. Moreover, we have shown that the ultraviolet-light induced mutation spectrum was similar on the SV40 VP1 gene after viral infection or DNA transfection.     

Transfected DNA is mutated in monkey, mouse, and human cells.

Papovavirus-based shuttle vectors containing the bacterial lacI gene were used to show that a mutation frequency in the range of 1% occurs in lacI when such vectors are transfected into COS7 and CV-1 simian cells, NIH 3T3, 3T6, L, and C127 mouse cells, and human 293 and HeLa cells. This frequency is approximately four orders of magnitude higher than the spontaneous mutation frequency in either mammalian or bacterial cells. The mutations are predominantly base substitutions and deletions and also include insertions from the mammalian genome. Time course experiments argue that mutagenesis occurs soon after arrival of the DNA into the nucleus. However, replication of the vector is not required since mutations occur even when the vector lacks all viral sequences. The high mutation frequency appears to be the characteristic outcome of transfection of DNA into mammalian cells.     

Use of a simian virus 40-based shuttle vector to analyze enhanced mutagenesis in mitomycin C-treated monkey cells.

When monkey cells were treated with mitomycin C 24 h before transfection with UV-irradiated pZ189 (a simian virus 40-based shuttle vector), there was a twofold increase in the frequency of mutations in the supF gene of the vector. These results suggest the existence of an enhancible mutagenesis pathway in mammalian cells. However, DNA sequence analysis of the SupF- mutants suggested no dramatic changes in the mechanisms of mutagenesis due to mitomycin C treatment of the cells.     

Spontaneous and ultraviolet-induced mutations on a single-stranded shuttle vector transfected into monkey cells.

The shuttle vector plasmid PCF3A, carrying the supF target gene, can be transfected into monkey COS7 cells as single-stranded or double-stranded DNA. Single strand-derived plasmid progeny exhibited a 10-fold higher spontaneous mutation frequency than double strand-derived progeny. The location of spontaneous mutations obtained after transfection of the single-stranded vector shared similarities with that for double-stranded vectors. However, the nature of base changes was very different. Single-stranded PCF3A DNA was used to study ultraviolet-induced mutagenesis. An earlier report (Madzak and Sarasin, J. Mol. Biol., 218 (1991) 667-673) showed that single-stranded DNA exhibited a lower survival and a higher mutation frequency than double-stranded DNA after ultraviolet irradiation. In the present report, sequence analysis of mutant plasmids is presented. The use of a single-stranded vector allowed us to show the targeting of mutations at putative lesion sites and to determine the exact nature of the base implicated in each mutation. Frameshift mutations were more frequent after transfection of control or irradiated plasmid as single-stranded DNA than as double-stranded DNA. Multiple mutations, observed at a high frequency in the spontaneous and ultraviolet-induced mutation spectra following single-stranded DNA transfection, could be due to an error-prone polymerisation step acting on a single-stranded template.     

Error-prone mutagenesis detected in mammalian cells by a shuttle vector containing the supF gene of Escherichia coli.

When a shuttle vector containing a tyrosine suppressor tRNA (supF) gene as a target for mutagenesis replicated in a monkey kidney cell line, the frequency of SupF+ mutations was 2.3 +/- 0.5 x 10(-3). When the host cells were treated with ethyl methanesulfonate 40 h before transfection, a 10-fold increase in SupF+ mutation frequency was observed. These results supported the hypothesis that a damage-inducible mutagenic pathway exists in mammalian cells and also demonstrated the utility of this shuttle vector for the study of mutagenesis in mammalian cells.     

From simian virus 40 to transient shuttle vectors in mutagenesis studies

Exogenous DNA probes are frequently used to study mutagenesis in mammalian cells. Experimental protocols utilizing simian virus 40 (SV40) and transient shuttle vectors able to replicate in mammalian cells as well as in bacteria are described. The main interests and the limits of the 2 genetic assays are discussed from results obtained with both systems. Despite some minor discrepancies, results obtained are very similar using either method. The complementarity of the 2 assays will allow a better comprehension of the mechanisms by which mutations may arise in mammalian cells.     

Sequence specificity of point mutations induced during passage of a UV-irradiated shuttle vector plasmid in monkey cells.

A simian virus 40-based shuttle vector was used to characterize UV-induced mutations generated in mammalian cells. The small size and placement of the mutagenesis marker (the supF suppressor tRNA gene from Escherichia coli) within the vector substantially reduced the frequency of spontaneous mutations normally observed after transfection of mammalian cells with plasmid DNA; hence, UV-induced mutations were easily identified above the spontaneous background. UV-induced mutations characterized by DNA sequencing were found primarily to be base substitutions; about 56% of these were single-base changes, and 17% were tandem double-base changes. About 24% of the UV-induced mutants carried multiple mutations clustered within the 160-base-pair region sequenced. The majority (61%) of base changes were the G . C----A . T transitions; the other transition (A . T----G . C) and all four transversions occurred at about equal frequencies. Hot spots for UV mutagenesis did not correspond to hot spots for UV-induced photoproduct formation (determined by a DNA synthesis arrest assay); in particular, sites of TT dimers were underrepresented among the UV-induced mutations. These observations suggest to us that the DNA polymerase(s) responsible for mutation induction exhibits a localized loss of fidelity in DNA synthesis on UV-damaged templates such that it synthesizes past UV photoproducts, preferentially inserting adenine, and sometimes misincorporates bases at undamaged sites nearby.     

SV40-based shuttle viruses

We summarize in this paper the advantages of the shuttle virus system. These SV40-based vectors exhibit the unique properties of being packaged as SV40 pseudo-virions and of being able to infect host cells. Using these transient vectors, we show that their replication can be regulated in some monkey cell lines, in such a way that either low or very high amounts of plasmid DNA can be obtained. The stability of these infectious shuttle vectors in different conditions is analyzed by rescuing them in E. coli, using various gene mutation targets. Moreover, we describe a new series of vectors which can be produced as single-stranded DNA in bacteria. They allow the transfection of a plasmid genome into mammalian cells, as either single-stranded or double-stranded DNA.     

Analysis of mutations occurring during replication of a SV40 shuttle vector in mammalian cells

To analyse mutations that arise in mammalian cells we have used a SV40::plasmid shuttle vector containing a portion of the E. coli lacZ gene. We have found that following transfection into monkey Cos-7 cell mutations are not detected in the recovered plasmids at 24 h post transfection, but are found at 48 h post transfection, after the onset of DNA replication. Analysis of the mutant plasmids shows that in almost all cases the mutant phenotype is caused by a deletion or rearrangement of the lacZ gene in the shuttle vector.     

The development of transient SV40 based shuttle vectors for mutagenesis studies: problems and solutions

Shuttle-vector plasmids would appear to provide a powerful technology for studying mutagenesis in mammalian (including human) cells. Recently, as described in this and other papers in this volume, several shuttle-vector systems have been described and applied. The development of the first shuttle vectors for these purposes was hindered by two major problems. The first of these was the 'poison' sequence present in many pBR322 based vectors. The second was the problem of spontaneous mutagenesis associated with transfection of the plasmids into mammalian cells. Effective solutions for both problems have been devised, and it is now possible to experimentally address a variety of questions concerning mutagenesis and repair in mammalian cells.     

SV40-based shuttle viruses

We summarize in this paper the advantages of the shuttle virus system. These SV40-based vectors exhibit the unique properties of being packaged as SV40 pseudo-virions and of being able to infect host cells. Using these transient vectors, we show that their replication can be regulated in some monkey cell lines, in such a way that either low or very high amounts of plasmid DNA can be obtained. The stability of these infectious shuttle vectors in different conditions is analyzed by rescuing them in E. coli, using various gene mutation targets. Moreover, we describe a new series of vectors which can be produced as single-stranded DNA in bacteria. They allow the transfection of a plasmid genome into mammalian cells, as either single-stranded or double-stranded DNA.     

Test of models for the sequence specificity of UV-induced mutations in mammalian cells

We have used mathematical modeling and statistical analysis to examine the correlation between UV-induced DNA damage and resulting base-substitution mutations in mammalian cells. The frequency and site specificity of UV-induced photoproducts in the supF gene of the pZ189 shuttle vector plasmid were compared with the frequency and site specificity of base-substitution mutations induced upon passage of the UV-irradiated vector in monkey cells. The hypothesis that the observed mutational spectrum is due to a preferential insertion of adenosine opposite UV photoproducts in the DNA template was found to best explain the mutational data. Models in which it was postulated that only (6-4) photoproducts, and not cyclobutane dimers, are mutagenic, or that the relative frequency of photoproduct formation does not influence mutation frequencies, fit the data much less well. This analysis demonstrates that molecular mechanisms of mutagenesis in mammalian cells can be deduced from mutational data obtained with a shuttle vector system.     

Triple mammalian/yeast/bacterial shuttle vectors for single and combined Lentivirus- and Sindbis virus-mediated infections of neurons

Today, a large variety of viral vectors is available for ectopic gene expression in mammalian cell cultures or in vivo. Among them, infection with Sindbis virus- or Lentivirus-derived constructs is often used to address biological questions or for applications in neuronal therapies. However, cloning of genes of interest is time consuming, since it relies on restriction and ligation, frequently of PCR-generated DNA fragments with suitable restriction sites introduced by the primers employed. We here take advantage of the unusually high capacity for homologous recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to circumvent this problem, and introduce a new set of triple shuttle vectors, which can be shuffled between E. coli, yeast, and mammalian cells. The system allows the introduction of genes of interest largely independent of the target site in the vectors. It also allows the removal of the yeast selection marker by Cre-recombinase directed recombination in E. coli, if vector size limits transfection efficiency in the mammalian cells. We demonstrate the expression of genes encoding fluorescent proteins (EGFP and mCherry) both separately and in combination, using two different viral systems in mammalian cell lines, primary neurons and organotypic slices.     

Construction of a shuttle vector containing a single O6-methylguanine: a probe for mutagenesis in mammalian cells

A shuttle vector, pKE15, was constructed for investigating the mechanisms by which single carcinogen-DNA adducts induce mutations in mammalian cells. pKE15 contains the SV40 origin of replication, the neomycin resistance gene, SV40 polyadenylation sequences and the pML2 origin of replication. Transfection of pKE15 into CHO cells established the G418-resistant phenotype; the frequency of G418-resistant clones was approximately 10(-4), a value that is similar to those obtained with other SV40-based vectors expressing the neomycin resistance gene. A tetranucleotide containing O6-methylguanine, a DNA adduct formed by carcinogenic alkylating agents, was incorporated into a 4-base gap positioned in the center of a PstI site. The tetranucleotide containing the adduct was physically mapped to a 14-base-pair region of the shuttle vector that included the ligation target, the PstI site. It was incorporated approximately equally into either of the complementary strands of the shuttle vector. The ligation efficiency of the tetranucleotide into the gapped genome was approximately 100% and was independent of the concentration of tetranucleotide used at concentrations ranging over one order of magnitude. The potential applications of the site-specifically modified genome for establishing the mutagenic fate of O6-methylguanine in repair-proficient and -deficient CHO cells are discussed.     

Singlet Oxygen Induces Predominantly G to T Transversions on a Single-Stranded Shuttle Vector Replicated in Monkey Cells

To elucidate the mechanisms of mutagenesis by singlet oxygen DNA damage in mammalian cells, a SV40-derived single-stranded shuttle vector was exposed to the water soluble endoperoxide 3,3'-(1,4-naphthylidene) dipropionate (NDPO₂). The damaged vector was transfected into monkey COS7 cells and the plasmid progeny exhibited up to 10 fold increase on the mutation frequency in the supF target gene, when compared to untreated vector. The sequence in the supF locus of such mutants revealed that singlet oxygen-induced mutagenesis in single-stranded vector is significantly different from spontaneous mutagenesis. Among the base substitutions, most of the mutations involved deoxyguanosines, being G to T transversions the predominant type of change. The data indicate that mutagenesis by singlet oxygen in mammalian cells may be generated by an error prone bypass of damaged deoxyguanosines at the template DNA.     

Description of a new amplifiable shuttle vector for mutagenesis studies in human cells: application to N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine-induced mutation spectrum.

In order to analyze the mechanisms of mutagenesis in human cells, we have established a human 293 cell-derived line containing a permanent mutagenesis target, the bacterial lacZ' gene, on an episomal EBV/SV40-based shuttle vector. This plasmid was maintained at a low copy number per cell which rendered it closer to an endogenous gene as compared to the usual transient shuttle vectors. Transient amplification of vectors, inside the host cell due to expression of the SV40 T-antigen, allowed the recovery of a large number of bacterial colonies transformed by plasmids extracted from human cells. Mutations produced in human host cells on the lacZ' locus were easily and rapidly scored and identified in bacteria using the blue/white color assay. Over a 6-month period in culture, we have shown that the lacZ' gene exhibited a low background frequency of point mutations (< 4.8 x 10(-6)). The efficiency of our system for detecting genotoxic-induced mutations was investigated by treating cells with a potent mutagen, the direct alkylating agent N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG). A significant increase (< 230-fold) in the frequency of single-base substitutions was observed after MNNG treatment. In total, 63 MNNG-induced independent mutations were characterized. All substitutions but one involved G:C base pairs with 89% being G:C to A:T transitions which is consistent with the MNNG mutagenic specificity already reported in bacteria and mammalian cells. Mutations were distributed along the two strands of the lacZ' gene and there was no obvious influence of either the 5' or the 3' flanking base near the G:C to A:T transition sites. The low spontaneous point mutation frequency on the mutagenesis locus and the ability to detect induced point mutations indicate that this system could be readily used in human mutagenesis studies at the molecular level.     

Mutation spectrum following transfection of ultraviolet-irradiated single-stranded or double-stranded shuttle vector DNA into monkey cells

We designed a shuttle vector system that allowed a comparison of the mutation spectrum on the supF target gene after transfection of single-stranded or double-stranded DNA into monkey cells. Single-strand-derived plasmids exhibited a spontaneous mutation frequency tenfold higher than double-strand-derived ones. These spontaneous mutations comprised deletions and point substitutions. This system was applied to the study of ultraviolet-induced mutagenesis. Single-stranded DNA exhibited a lower survival and a higher mutation frequency than double-stranded DNA after identical ultraviolet-irradiation. The use of single-stranded DNA allowed us to confirm and complete the data about the targeting of ultraviolet-induced mutations and the exact nature of the base changes involved. One class of mutations was more frequent after transfection of ultraviolet-irradiated single-stranded DNA than for double-stranded DNA: frameshifts represented 10% of the mutants. Multiple mutations, attributed by some authors to an error-prone excision repair process, have also been observed in the spontaneous and ultraviolet-induced mutation spectra following single-stranded DNA transfection, although it cannot be a direct substrate for excision repair.     

A signature element distinguishes sibling and independent mutations in a shuttle vector plasmid.

We have developed a new shuttle vector plasmid for studying mutagenesis in mammalian cells that permits proof of independence of identical mutations. Mutations occur more frequently at some sites in a gene than in others, and in a collection of mutant plasmids from a single transfection of mammalian cells the same mutation may appear several times. However, those arising from independent events cannot be distinguished from siblings of an initial event. The new vector system (pSP189) is a population of plasmids, each of which contains an 8-bp 'signature sequence'. This sequence confers a unique identification tag to each plasmid and allows individual members to be identified by a distinctive signature. The plasmid also carries the Escherichia coli bacterial supF gene as a marker for mutagenesis, as well as sequences which support replication in primate (including human) cells and E. coli. We have used the pSP189 system to generate a UV-induced spectrum of mutations in supF following replication in a single plate of human DNA-repair-deficient cells (xeroderma pigmentosum, complementation group A). With the signature sequence, we were able to determine whether identical mutations derived from the transfection were of independent or sibling origin. There were eight identical mutations at the strongest hotspot, all of which had different signature sequences. Only one of these events would have been reported in previous experiments. This plasmid reduces the effort required to generate a spectrum of mutations caused by a DNA-damaging agent and allows a more accurate assessment of mutational hotspot intensity.     

A shuttle vector plasmid for studying carcinogen-induced point mutations in mammalian cells

We have constructed a shuttle vector plasmid for studying mutagenesis in mammalian cells. The plasmid replicates in cell lines permissive for SV40 virus as well as in the bacterium Escherichia coli and carries a bacterial suppressor tRNA gene (supF) that can serve as a mutagenesis marker. The plasmid replicates as efficiently as SV40 virus in African Green Monkey kidney CV1 cells, indicating that all traces of the inhibitory sequences normally found in pBR322 and its derivatives have been removed. The design of the plasmid and the small size of the mutagenesis target gene decrease the probability of recovering spontaneous deletion mutations that have been shown to occur at high frequency during passage in mammalian cells. The frequency of spontaneous-mutant plasmids recovered after passage in CV1 cells is substantially lower than with other vectors described previously. When the plasmid DNA is treated with UV radiation before passage in CV1 cells, mutants are observed at a frequency about 20-fold above the spontaneous background.