Pyrosequencing for the quantitative assessment of 8-oxodG bypass DNA synthesis

Translesion synthesis (TLS) with specialized DNA polymerases allows dealing with a base lesion on the template strand during DNA replication; a base is inserted opposite the lesion, correctly or incorrectly, depending on the lesion, the involved DNA polymerase(s) and the sequence context. The major oxidized DNA base 8-oxo-7, 8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) is highly mutagenic due to its ability to pair with either cytosine or adenine during DNA synthesis, depending on its conformation and involved DNA polymerases. To measure the correct or mutagenic outcome of lesion bypass, an original quantitative pyrosequencing method was developed and analytically validated. The method was applied to the study of DNA synthesis fidelity through an 8-oxodG or an undamaged guanine. After an in vitro primer-extension through 8-oxodG in the presence of the four deoxynucleotides triphosphates and a total nuclear protein extract, obtained from normal human intestinal epithelial cells (FHs 74 Int cell line), the reaction products were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and analyzed by pyrosequencing to measure nucleotides inserted opposite the lesion. The 8-oxodG bypass fidelity of FHs 74 Int cells nuclear extract is about 85.3%. We calculated within-day and total precisions for both 8-oxodG (2.8% and 2.8%, respectively) and undamaged templates (1.0% and 1.1%, respectively). We also demonstrated that only cytosine is incorporated opposite a normal guanine and that both cytosine and adenine can be incorporated opposite an 8-oxodG lesion. The proposed method is straightforward, fast, reproducible and easily adaptable to other sequences and lesions. It thus has a wide range of applications in the biological field, notably to elucidate TLS mechanisms and modulators.     

Fmoc-based chemical synthesis and selective binding to supercoiled DNA of the p53 C-terminal segment and its phosphorylated and acetylated derivatives.

The C-terminal domain of p53 comprises a linker, the tetramerization domain and the regulatory domain, and contains at least seven sites of potential post-translational modification. An improved strategy was developed for the synthesis of large peptides that contain phosphorylated amino acids and p53(303-393), a 91-amino acid peptide, and three post-translationally modified derivatives were synthesized through the sequential condensation of three partially protected segments. Peptide thiolesters were prepared using the sulfonamide-based 'safety-catch' resin approach and employing Fmoc-based solid-phase peptide synthesis. At the N-terminus of the middle building block, a photolabile protecting group, 3,4-dimethoxy-6-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl, was incorporated to differentiate the N-terminal amino group from the side-chain amino groups. Two sequential couplings were accomplished following this protection strategy. The synthetic products, p53(303-393) and its phosphorylated or acetylated derivatives, exhibited the ability to bind specifically to supercoiled DNA, which is one of the characteristics of this domain.     

Quantitative analysis of the mutagenic potential of 1-aminopyrene-DNA adduct bypass catalyzed by Y-family DNA polymerases

N-(Deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-1-aminopyrene (dG(AP)) is the predominant nitro polyaromatic hydrocarbon product generated from the air pollutant 1-nitropyrene reacting with DNA. Previous studies have shown that dG(AP) induces genetic mutations in bacterial and mammalian cells. One potential source of these mutations is the error-prone bypass of dG(AP) lesions catalyzed by the low-fidelity Y-family DNA polymerases. To provide a comparative analysis of the mutagenic potential of the translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) of dG(AP), we employed short oligonucleotide sequencing assays (SOSAs) with the model Y-family DNA polymerase from Sulfolobus solfataricus, DNA Polymerase IV (Dpo4), and the human Y-family DNA polymerases eta (hPolη), kappa (hPolκ), and iota (hPolι). Relative to undamaged DNA, all four enzymes generated far more mutations (base deletions, insertions, and substitutions) with a DNA template containing a site-specifically placed dG(AP). Opposite dG(AP) and at an immediate downstream template position, the most frequent mutations made by the three human enzymes were base deletions and the most frequent base substitutions were dAs for all enzymes. Based on the SOSA data, Dpo4 was the least error-prone Y-family DNA polymerase among the four enzymes during the TLS of dG(AP). Among the three human Y-family enzymes, hPolκ made the fewest mutations at all template positions except opposite the lesion site. hPolκ was significantly less error-prone than hPolι and hPolη during the extension of dG(AP) bypass products. Interestingly, the most frequent mutations created by hPolι at all template positions were base deletions. Although hRev1, the fourth human Y-family enzyme, could not extend dG(AP) bypass products in our standing start assays, it preferentially incorporated dCTP opposite the bulky lesion. Collectively, these mutagenic profiles suggest that hPolk and hRev1 are the most suitable human Y-family DNA polymerases to perform TLS of dG(AP) in humans.     

Mutational specificities of brominated DNA adducts catalyzed by human DNA polymerases

Chronic inflammation is known to lead to an increased risk for the development of cancer. Under inflammatory condition, cellular DNA is damaged by hypobromous acid, which is generated by myeloperoxidase and eosinophil peroxidase. The reactive brominating species induced brominated DNA adducts such as 8-bromo-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-Br-dG), 8-bromo-2′-deoxyadenosine (8-Br-dA), and 5-bromo-2′-deoxycytidine (5-Br-dC). These DNA lesions may be implicated in carcinogenesis. In this study, we analyzed the miscoding properties of the brominated DNA adducts generated by human DNA polymerases (pols). Site-specifically modified oligodeoxynucleotides containing a single 8-Br-dG, 8-Br-dA, or 5-Br-dC were used as a template in primer extension reactions catalyzed by human pols α, κ, and η. When 8-Br-dG-modified template was used, pol α primarily incorporated dCMP, the correct base, opposite the lesion, along with a small amount of one-base deletion (4.8%). Pol κ also promoted one-base deletion (14.2%), accompanied by misincorporation of dGMP (9.5%), dAMP (8.0%), and dTMP (6.1%) opposite the lesion. Pol η, on the other hand, readily bypassed the 8-Br-dG lesion in an error-free manner. As for 8-Br-dA and 5-Br-dC, all the pols bypassed the lesions and no miscoding events were observed. These results indicate that only 8-Br-dG, and not 5-Br-dC and 8-Br-dA, is a mutagenic lesion; the miscoding frequency and specificity vary depending on the DNA pol used. Thus, hypobromous acid-induced 8-Br-dG adduct may increase mutagenic potential at the site of inflammation.     

The role of N3-ethyldeoxythymidine in mutagenesis and cytotoxicity by ethylating agents

The significance of DNA ethylation at the central hydrogen-bonding site (N3) of thymine was investigated using an in vitro DNA replication system. The system utilized a primed template in which the 3'-end of the primer is eight nucleotides away from N3-ethyldeoxythymidine (N3-Et-dT), present at template position 26 from the 3'-end. The 34-nucleotide template corresponds to a specific DNA sequence at gene G of bacteriophage phi X174. DNA synthesis products were quantitated by electrophoretic separation and autoradiography. At 10 microM dNTP and 0.5 mM Mn2+, N3-Et-dT blocked DNA synthesis by Escherichia coli polymerase I (Klenow fragment): 60% after incorporating a nucleotide opposite N3-Et-dT (incorporation-dependent blocked product) and 39% 3' to N3-Et-dT. DNA replication past the lesion (post-lesion synthesis) was negligible. Post-lesion synthesis increased using higher concentrations of dNTP, reaching 68% at 200 microM dNTP. DNA sequencing revealed that dA was incorporated opposite N3-Et-dT in the incorporation-dependent blocked product. In the post-lesion synthesis product, dT was exclusively incorporated opposite N3-Et-dT. Formation of the N3-Et-dT.dA base pair at the replication fork terminated DNA synthesis, while the N3-Et-dT.dT base pair formed at the 3'-end of the growing chain was extended, leading to an A.T----T.A transversion mutation. The results suggest a dual role for the N3-Et-dT lesion, contributing in part to the cytotoxicity and mutagenicity of ethylating agents. These studies provide a basis for understanding the activation of oncogene neu by A.T----T.A transversion mutation in rat neuroblastomas induced by N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea.     

Synthesis and Evaluation of Oligonucleotides of High Purity

Abstract

We have developed and evaluated methods for the production of highly pure oligonucleotides.

Presently the solid phase synthesis in an automated DNA synthesiser applying the phosphoramidite chemistry can be regarded as a standard. During the synthesis several undesirable by-products arise:

- incomplete coupling (1%) leads to 5′-truncated sequences. These sequences are acetylated at their 5′-hydroxyl group to prevent further elongation in subsequent coupling steps, but this “capping step” is incomplete, the capping-yield is 90%, leading to accumulation of sequences of the length n-1 with internal deletions.

- the glycosidic bond to N-protected purines, especially adenine, is susceptible to acid leading to depurination and subsequently to strand scission during alkaline deprotection of the oligonucleotide. This gives rise to 3′- and to 5′-truncated sequences. The 3′-truncated sequences will not be removed by standard Rp HPLC as they are tritylated.

- the reactions involved in synthesis and deprotection may cause base modifications (full length product with damaged bases).

- insufficient deprotection procedures may result in incomplete removal of protecting groups, especially from the bases (full length products with altered bases).

We have set up two different schemes (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2) for synthesis and purification, which should provide highly pure oligonucleotides with the potential of adapting to large scale production:

- accumulation of n-1 sequences (failure of capping) will be avoided by a double capping procedure using phosphite in the first capping step and an acetic anhydride capping reagent in the second capping step, as described in the literature¹.

- 3′-truncated sequences are removed by different methqds in the two schemes. In scheme I (Fig. 1) the 3′-truncated sequences can be washed off, as the 3′-full length product still is anchored to the solid support after deprotection. In scheme II (Fig. 2) the 3′truncated sequences are digested by snake venom phosphodiesterase. The 3′-full length product is protected against digestion by a 3′ - 3′-inverted end. An oligo with a correct 3′-end is, in both schemes, eventually obtained by cleaving with RNase between the ribo unit and the requested DNA-sequence.

- 5′-truncated sequences are removed by Rp HPLC using the DMTr group of the last coupling step (trityl-on synthesis) as a hydrophobic tag.

Very labile protecting groups will be used to avoid problems with deprotection.     

Mechanisms of inhibitions of DNA polymerase gamma by nucleotide analogues having anti-HIV activities.

Inhibition mechanisms of 5'-triphosphates of 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT-TP) and 3'-deoxythymidine (ddTTP) on extensively purified DNA polymerase gamma from bovine testes were examined by analysis of the products synthesized on singly primed M13mp18 single-stranded DNA or synthetic oligonucleotide template-primer in the presence of analogues. The results indicate that AZT-TP inhibits DNA polymerase gamma in competition with dTTP but is not incorporated into DNA, whereas ddTTP is incorporated into DNA and causes chain termination.     

植物组织中低聚糖乙酰化及毛细管气相色谱分析

建立一种用乙酰化衍生处理低聚糖并用毛细管气相色谱-FID进行分析的方法。以1-甲基咪唑为催化剂并以乙酸酐为乙酰化试剂, 同时对植物样品中蔗糖、棉子糖和水苏糖等低聚糖乙酰化产物进行毛细管气相色谱分离和FID检测。确定了低聚糖乙酰化衍生物的毛细管气相色谱分析条件, 并对低聚糖乙酰化反应条件及色谱分离条件进行了优化。结果表明, 在80–1 000 ng·μL^–1范围内线性关系良好, 蔗糖、棉子糖和水苏糖的相关系数(R)分别为0.995 2、0.995 7和0.987 7, 并且精准度与回收率均较高。使用该方法对低聚糖进行乙酰化反应重现性好、所需样品材料及试剂量少且污染毒害小, 能够得到理想的分离、检测和定量分析效果, 适用于少量植物组织中低聚糖的定量分析。该方法在食品、医药检测和基础科学研究领域均具有广泛的适用性及参考价值。     

The mutagenesis protein UmuC is a DNA polymerase activated by UmuD', RecA, and SSB and is specialized for translesion replication.

Replication of DNA lesions leads to the formation of mutations. In Escherichia coli this process is regulated by the SOS stress response, and requires the mutagenesis proteins UmuC and UmuD'. Analysis of translesion replication using a recently reconstituted in vitro system (Reuven, N. B., Tomer, G., and Livneh, Z. (1998) Mol. Cell 2, 191-199) revealed that lesion bypass occurred with a UmuC fusion protein, UmuD', RecA, and SSB in the absence of added DNA polymerase. Further analysis revealed that UmuC was a DNA polymerase (E. coli DNA polymerase V), with a weak polymerizing activity. Upon addition of UmuD', RecA, and SSB, the UmuC DNA polymerase was greatly activated, and replicated a synthetic abasic site with great efficiency (45% bypass in 6 min), 10-100-fold higher than E. coli DNA polymerases I, II, or III holoenzyme. Analysis of bypass products revealed insertion of primarily dAMP (69%), and to a lesser degree dGMP (31%) opposite the abasic site. The UmuC104 mutant protein was defective both in lesion bypass and in DNA synthesis. These results indicate that UmuC is a UmuD'-, RecA-, and SSB-activated DNA polymerase, which is specialized for lesion bypass. UmuC is a member of a new family of DNA polymerases which are specialized for lesion bypass, and include the yeast RAD30 and the human XP-V genes, encoding DNA polymerase eta.     

植物组织中低聚糖乙酰化及毛细管气相色谱分析

建立一种用乙酰化衍生处理低聚糖并用毛细管气相色谱-FID进行分析的方法。以1-甲基咪唑为催化剂并以乙酸酐为乙酰化试剂,同时对植物样品中蔗糖、棉子糖和水苏糖等低聚糖乙酰化产物进行毛细管气相色谱分离和FID检测。确定了低聚糖乙酰化衍生物的毛细管气相色谱分析条件,并对低聚糖乙酰化反应条件及色谱分离条件进行了优化。结果表明,在80–1000ng·μL–1范围内线性关系良好,蔗糖、棉子糖和水苏糖的相关系数（R）分别为0.9952、0.9957和0.9877,并且精准度与回收率均较高。使用该方法对低聚糖进行乙酰化反应重现性好、所需样品材料及试剂量少且污染毒害小,能够得到理想的分离、检测和定量分析效果,适用于少量植物组织中低聚糖的定量分析。该方法在食品、医药检测和基础科学研究领域均具有广泛的适用性及参考价值。     

Chemistry of the alkali-labile lesion formed from iron(II) bleomycin and d(CGCTTTAAAGCG)

Two sets of products are formed from DNA upon treatment with Fe(II).bleomycin + O2. One set, which is believed to derive from a C-4' hydroperoxy derivative of the DNA deoxyribose moiety, includes the four possible base propenals, as well as DNA oligomers having deoxynucleoside 3'-(phosphoro-2"-O-glycolates) at their 3'-termini. The other set of products consists of free bases and alkali-labile lesions, the latter of which had not previously been characterized structurally. By use of the self-complementary dodecanucleotide d(CGCTTTAAAGCG) having a site modified by Fe-bleomycin three nucleotides from the 5'-end, it has been possible to characterize the alkali-labile product as a C-4' hydroxyapurinic acid. When the bleomycin-treated dodecanucleotide was treated with agents that effected decomposition of the alkali-labile lesion, products of the form CpGpx were obtained, and these proved useful for structural characterization of the alkali-labile lesion. Treatment with alkali produced CpGpx, where x was 2,4-dihydroxycyclopentenone. Alternatively, treatment with hydrazine provided a pyridazine derivative, and aqueous alkylamines led to formation of CpGp itself. The structures of all dinucleotides produced from the alkali-labile lesion were verified by direct comparison with authentic synthetic samples.     

Carbohydrate-linked asparagine-101 of prothrombin contains a metal ion protected acetylation site. Acetylation of this site causes loss of metal ion induced protein fluorescence change

Prothrombin fragment 1 (prothrombin residues 1-156) contains two acetylation sites that are protected from derivatization by calcium. The first site was protected by only calcium [Welsch, D. J., & Nelsestuen, G. L. (1988) Biochemistry (second of three papers in this issue)] while the second site was protected by magnesium as well. To identify this second acetylation site, fragment 1 was first acetylated with unlabeled reagent in the presence of magnesium. Metal ions were removed, and the protein was acetylated with radiolabeled reagent. The incorporated radiolabel was stable over long periods of time and at acidic or basic pH as long as elevated temperatures were avoided. The radiolabel was removed by treatment of the protein at pH 10 and 50 degrees C or with 0.2 M hydroxylamine at 50 degrees C for at least 30 min. Proteolytic degradation of the protein showed that the radioactivity appeared in a tryptic peptide corresponding to residues 94-111 of prothrombin. The Lys-97 in this peptide was acetylated but did not contain radiolabel. Amino acid sequence analysis revealed that the radiolabel was associated with an unextracted sequence product. Aglycofragment 1, produced by treatment of fragment 1 with HF, was radiolabeled by this procedure; peptide 94-111 was isolated and was further digested with protease. The major radiolabeled product contained Asn101-Ser102 along with the expected chitobiose attached to Asn-101. NMR analysis revealed the presence of three acetate groups which would correspond to two from the chitobiose plus the incorporated acetate residue.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Misincorporation of dAMP opposite 2-hydroxyadenine, an oxidative form of adenine.

Nucleotide incorporation opposite an oxidative form of adenine, 2-hydroxyadenine (2-OH-Ade) was investigated. When a primed template with 2-OH-Ade was treated with an exonuclease-deficient Klenow fragment of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I (KFexo-), recombinant rat DNA polymerase beta (pol beta) or calf thymus DNA polymerase alpha (pol alpha), incorporation of dTMP and dAMP was observed. In addition, KFexo- inserted dGMP as well. A steady-state kinetic study indicated that the insertion of dAMP and dTMP opposite the DNA lesion occurred with similar frequency with KFexo- and pol beta. Insertion of dTMP opposite 2-OH-Ade was favored to that of dAMP by pol alpha. Chain extension from the A.2-OH-Ade pair is less favored than that from the T.2-OH-Ade pair by all three DNA polymerase. Analysis of full-length products of in vitro DNA synthesis showed that dTMP and dAMP were incorporated by DNA polymerases and that exonuclease-proficient and -deficient Klenow fragments also inserted dGMP opposite 2-OH-Ade. These results suggest that formation of 2-OH-Ade from A in DNA will induce A-->T and A-->C transversions in cells.     

Chemical modification of nucleic acids. Methylation of calf thymus DNA investigated by mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography

Mass spectrometry provides an extremely sensitive method for the identification and quantification of modified nucleosides and hence for determining chemical modifications of nucleic acids. When mass spectrometry is used in conjunction with a new high-performance liquid chromatographic system capable of separating 15 methylated and naturally occurring nucleosides, this allows the quantification of products of in vitro DNA methylation. With synthetic (2H3)methyl-labeled methylnucleosides as internal references, the distribution of methylated products formed when calf thymus DNA was reacted with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea(MeNU) was determined. Five modified products, 1-methyldeoxyadenosine(m1dA), 3-methyldeoxycytidine(m3dC), 7-methyldeoxyguanosine(m7dG), 3-methylthymidine(m3T) and O4-methylthymidine(m4T) were detected and the relative distributions were measured. The ability of mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (tandem mass spectrometry) to increase specificity and sensitivity in this determination is demonstrated and its application to in vivo studies is suggested.     

Thermostable DNA polymerases can perform translesion synthesis using 8-oxoguanine and tetrahydrofuran-containing DNA templates

The translesion synthesis (TLS) capacity of the thermostable DNA polymerases Taq, Tte and Tte-seq utilizing a synthetic abasic site, tetrahydrofuran (THF), and an 8-oxoguanine-containing DNA template was investigated. Measurements with human DNA polymerase beta were used as a "positive control". Thermostable DNA polymerases were observed to perform TLS with different specificities on both substrates. With a THF-containing template, dGMP was preferentially inserted by all the DNA polymerases. In the presence of Mn(II) as a cofactor, all the polymerases incorporated dCMP opposite 8-oxoguanine whereas, in the presence of Mg(II) ions, dAMP was incorporated. It was found that none of the thermophilic DNA polymerases utilized dTTP with either an 8-oxoguanine or a THF-containing template. In all cases, DNA duplex containing THF as damage was processed to full length less effectively than DNA duplex containing 8-oxoguanine.     

Translesion synthesis past 2'-deoxyxanthosine, a nitric oxide-derived DNA adduct, by mammalian DNA polymerases

Cellular DNA is damaged by nitric oxide (NO), a multifunctional bioregulator and an environmental pollutant that has been implicated in diseases associated with cancer and chronic inflammation. 2'-Deoxyxanthosine (dX) is a major NO-derived DNA lesion. To explore the mutagenic potential of dX, a 38-mer oligodeoxynucleotide ((5')CATGCTGATGAATTCCTTCXCTTCTTTCCTCTCCCTTT) modified site-specifically with dX at the X position was prepared post-synthetically and used as a DNA template in primer extension reactions catalyzed by calf thymus DNA polymerase (pol) alpha and human DNA pol beta, eta, and kappa. Primer extension reactions catalyzed by pol alpha or beta in the presence of four dNTPs were retarded at the dX lesion while pol eta and kappa readily bypassed the lesion. The fully extended products were analyzed to quantify the miscoding specificity and frequency of dX using two-phase polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). With pol alpha, eta and kappa, incorrect dTMP was preferentially incorporated opposite the lesion, along with lesser amounts of dCMP, the correct base. When pol beta was used, direct incorporation of correct dCMP was primarily observed, accompanied by small amounts of misincorporation of dTMP, dAMP and dGMP. Steady-state kinetic analyses supported the results obtained from the two-phase PAGE assay. dX is a miscoding lesion capable of preferentially generating G-->A mutations. The miscoding frequency varied depending on DNA polymerase used.     

Solid-Phase synthesis of peptide nucleic acids

Peptide nucleic acids (PNA) were synthesized by a modified Merrifield method using several improvements. Activation by O-(benzotriazol-1-yl)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyluronium hexafluorophosphate in combination with in situ neutralization of the resin allowed efficient coupling of all four Boc-protected PNA monomers within 30 min. HPLC analysis of the crude product obtained from a fully automated synthesis of the model PNA oligomer H-CGGACTAAGTCCATTGC-Gly-NH₂, indicated an average yield per synthetic cycle of 97.1%. N¹-benzyloxycarbonyl-N6³-methylimidazole triflate substantially outperformed acetic anhydride as a capping reagent. The resin-bound PNAs were successfully cleaved by the ‘low–high’ trifluoromethanesulphonic acid procedure.     

Non-volatile floral oils of Diascia spp. (Scrophulariaceae)

The floral oils of Diascia purpurea, Diascia vigilis, Diascia cordata, Diascia megathura, Diascia integerrima and Diascia barberae (Scrophulariaceae) were selectively collected from trichome elaiophores. The derivatized floral oils were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), whilst the underivatized samples were analysed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS). The most common constituents of the floral oils investigated are partially acetylated acylglycerols of (3R)-acetoxy fatty acids (C(14), C(16), and C(18)), as was proven with non-racemic synthetic reference samples. The importance of these oils for Rediviva bees is discussed in a co-evolutionary context.