Sample records for n-methylpurine dna glycosylase

  1. N-methylpurine DNA glycosylase and DNA polymerase β modulate BER inhibitor potentiation of glioma cells to temozolomide

    PubMed Central

    Tang, Jiang-bo; Svilar, David; Trivedi, Ram N.; Wang, Xiao-hong; Goellner, Eva M.; Moore, Briana; Hamilton, Ronald L.; Banze, Lauren A.; Brown, Ashley R.; Sobol, Robert W.

    2011-01-01

    Temozolomide (TMZ) is the preferred chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of glioma following surgical resection and/or radiation. Resistance to TMZ is attributed to efficient repair and/or tolerance of TMZ-induced DNA lesions. The majority of the TMZ-induced DNA base adducts are repaired by the base excision repair (BER) pathway and therefore modulation of this pathway can enhance drug sensitivity. N-methylpurine DNA glycosylase (MPG) initiates BER by removing TMZ-induced N3-methyladenine and N7-methylguanine base lesions, leaving abasic sites (AP sites) in DNA for further processing by BER. Using the human glioma cell lines LN428 and T98G, we report here that potentiation of TMZ via BER inhibition [methoxyamine (MX), the PARP inhibitors PJ34 and ABT-888 or depletion (knockdown) of PARG] is greatly enhanced by over-expression of the BER initiating enzyme MPG. We also show that methoxyamine-induced potentiation of TMZ in MPG expressing glioma cells is abrogated by elevated-expression of the rate-limiting BER enzyme DNA polymerase β (Polβ), suggesting that cells proficient for BER readily repair AP sites in the presence of MX. Further, depletion of Polβ increases PARP inhibitor-induced potentiation in the MPG over-expressing glioma cells, suggesting that expression of Polβ modulates the cytotoxic effect of combining increased repair initiation and BER inhibition. This study demonstrates that MPG overexpression, together with inhibition of BER, sensitizes glioma cells to the alkylating agent TMZ in a Polβ-dependent manner, suggesting that the expression level of both MPG and Polβ might be used to predict the effectiveness of MX and PARP-mediated potentiation of TMZ in cancer treatment. PMID:21377995

  2. ATM regulates 3-Methylpurine-DNA glycosylase and promotes therapeutic resistance to alkylating agents

    PubMed Central

    Agnihotri, Sameer; Burrell, Kelly; Buczkowicz, Pawel; Remke, Marc; Golbourn, Brian; Chornenkyy, Yevgen; Gajadhar, Aaron; Fernandez, Nestor A.; Clarke, Ian D.; Barszczyk, Mark S.; Pajovic, Sanja; Ternamian, Christian; Head, Renee; Sabha, Nesrin; Sobol, Robert W.; Taylor, Michael D; Rutka, James T.; Jones, Chris; Dirks, Peter B.; Zadeh, Gelareh; Hawkins, Cynthia

    2014-01-01

    Alkylating agents are a frontline therapy for the treatment of several aggressive cancers including pediatric glioblastoma, a lethal tumor in children. Unfortunately, many tumors are resistant to this therapy. We sought to identify ways of sensitizing tumor cells to alkylating agents while leaving normal cells unharmed; increasing therapeutic response while minimizing toxicity. Using a siRNA screen targeting over 240 DNA damage response genes, we identified novel sensitizers to alkylating agents. In particular the base excision repair (BER) pathway, including 3-methylpurine-DNA glycosylase (MPG), as well as ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) were identified in our screen. Interestingly, we identified MPG as a direct novel substrate of ATM. ATM-mediated phosphorylation of MPG was required for enhanced MPG function. Importantly, combined inhibition or loss of MPG and ATM resulted in increased alkylating agent-induced cytotoxicity in vitro and prolonged survival in vivo. The discovery of the ATM-MPG axis will lead to improved treatment of alkylating agent-resistant tumors. PMID:25100205

  3. Naturally occurring polyphenol, morin hydrate, inhibits enzymatic activity of N-methylpurine DNA glycosylase, a DNA repair enzyme with various roles in human disease

    PubMed Central

    Dixon, Monica; Woodrick, Jordan; Gupta, Suhani; Karmahapatra, Soumendra Krishna; Devito, Stephen; Vasudevan, Sona; Dakshanamurthy, Sivanesan; Adhikari, Sanjay; Yenugonda, Venkata M.; Roy, Rabindra

    2015-01-01

    Interest in the mechanisms of DNA repair pathways, including the base excision repair (BER) pathway specifically, has heightened since these pathways have been shown to modulate important aspects of human disease. Modulation of the expression or activity of a particular BER enzyme, N-methylpurine DNA glycosylase (MPG), has been demonstrated to play a role in carcinogenesis and resistance to chemotherapy as well as neurodegenerative diseases, which has intensified the focus on studying MPG-related mechanisms of repair. A specific small molecule inhibitor for MPG activity would be a valuable biochemical tool for understanding these repair mechanisms. By screening several small molecule chemical libraries, we identified a natural polyphenolic compound, morin hydrate, which inhibits MPG activity specifically (IC50 = 2.6 µM). Detailed mechanism analysis showed that morin hydrate inhibited substrate DNA binding of MPG, and eventually the enzymatic activity of MPG. Computational docking studies with an x-ray derived MPG structure as well as comparison studies with other structurally-related flavanoids offer a rationale for the inhibitory activity of morin hydrate observed. The results of this study suggest that the morin hydrate could be an effective tool for studying MPG function and it is possible that morin hydrate and its derivatives could be utilized in future studies focused on the role of MPG in human disease. PMID:25650313

  4. ATM regulates 3-methylpurine-DNA glycosylase and promotes therapeutic resistance to alkylating agents.

    PubMed

    Agnihotri, Sameer; Burrell, Kelly; Buczkowicz, Pawel; Remke, Marc; Golbourn, Brian; Chornenkyy, Yevgen; Gajadhar, Aaron; Fernandez, Nestor A; Clarke, Ian D; Barszczyk, Mark S; Pajovic, Sanja; Ternamian, Christian; Head, Renee; Sabha, Nesrin; Sobol, Robert W; Taylor, Michael D; Rutka, James T; Jones, Chris; Dirks, Peter B; Zadeh, Gelareh; Hawkins, Cynthia

    2014-10-01

    Alkylating agents are a first-line therapy for the treatment of several aggressive cancers, including pediatric glioblastoma, a lethal tumor in children. Unfortunately, many tumors are resistant to this therapy. We sought to identify ways of sensitizing tumor cells to alkylating agents while leaving normal cells unharmed, increasing therapeutic response while minimizing toxicity. Using an siRNA screen targeting over 240 DNA damage response genes, we identified novel sensitizers to alkylating agents. In particular, the base excision repair (BER) pathway, including 3-methylpurine-DNA glycosylase (MPG), as well as ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), were identified in our screen. Interestingly, we identified MPG as a direct novel substrate of ATM. ATM-mediated phosphorylation of MPG was required for enhanced MPG function. Importantly, combined inhibition or loss of MPG and ATM resulted in increased alkylating agent-induced cytotoxicity in vitro and prolonged survival in vivo. The discovery of the ATM-MPG axis will lead to improved treatment of alkylating agent-resistant tumors. Inhibition of ATM and MPG-mediated BER cooperate to sensitize tumor cells to alkylating agents, impairing tumor growth in vitro and in vivo with no toxicity to normal cells, providing an ideal therapeutic window. ©2014 American Association for Cancer Research.

  5. N-methylpurine DNA glycosylase inhibits p53-mediated cell cycle arrest and coordinates with p53 to determine sensitivity to alkylating agents.

    PubMed

    Song, Shanshan; Xing, Guichun; Yuan, Lin; Wang, Jian; Wang, Shan; Yin, Yuxin; Tian, Chunyan; He, Fuchu; Zhang, Lingqiang

    2012-08-01

    Alkylating agents induce genome-wide base damage, which is repaired mainly by N-methylpurine DNA glycosylase (MPG). An elevated expression of MPG in certain types of tumor cells confers higher sensitivity to alkylation agents because MPG-induced apurinic/apyrimidic (AP) sites trigger more strand breaks. However, the determinant of drug sensitivity or insensitivity still remains unclear. Here, we report that the p53 status coordinates with MPG to play a pivotal role in such process. MPG expression is positive in breast, lung and colon cancers (38.7%, 43.4% and 25.3%, respectively) but negative in all adjacent normal tissues. MPG directly binds to the tumor suppressor p53 and represses p53 activity in unstressed cells. The overexpression of MPG reduced, whereas depletion of MPG increased, the expression levels of pro-arrest gene downstream of p53 including p21, 14-3-3σ and Gadd45 but not proapoptotic ones. The N-terminal region of MPG was specifically required for the interaction with the DNA binding domain of p53. Upon DNA alkylation stress, in p53 wild-type tumor cells, p53 dissociated from MPG and induced cell growth arrest. Then, AP sites were repaired efficiently, which led to insensitivity to alkylating agents. By contrast, in p53-mutated cells, the AP sites were repaired with low efficacy. To our knowledge, this is the first direct evidence to show that a DNA repair enzyme functions as a selective regulator of p53, and these findings provide new insights into the functional linkage between MPG and p53 in cancer therapy.

  6. N-methylpurine DNA glycosylase inhibits p53-mediated cell cycle arrest and coordinates with p53 to determine sensitivity to alkylating agents

    PubMed Central

    Song, Shanshan; Xing, Guichun; Yuan, Lin; Wang, Jian; Wang, Shan; Yin, Yuxin; Tian, Chunyan; He, Fuchu; Zhang, Lingqiang

    2012-01-01

    Alkylating agents induce genome-wide base damage, which is repaired mainly by N-methylpurine DNA glycosylase (MPG). An elevated expression of MPG in certain types of tumor cells confers higher sensitivity to alkylation agents because MPG-induced apurinic/apyrimidic (AP) sites trigger more strand breaks. However, the determinant of drug sensitivity or insensitivity still remains unclear. Here, we report that the p53 status coordinates with MPG to play a pivotal role in such process. MPG expression is positive in breast, lung and colon cancers (38.7%, 43.4% and 25.3%, respectively) but negative in all adjacent normal tissues. MPG directly binds to the tumor suppressor p53 and represses p53 activity in unstressed cells. The overexpression of MPG reduced, whereas depletion of MPG increased, the expression levels of pro-arrest gene downstream of p53 including p21, 14-3-3σ and Gadd45 but not proapoptotic ones. The N-terminal region of MPG was specifically required for the interaction with the DNA binding domain of p53. Upon DNA alkylation stress, in p53 wild-type tumor cells, p53 dissociated from MPG and induced cell growth arrest. Then, AP sites were repaired efficiently, which led to insensitivity to alkylating agents. By contrast, in p53-mutated cells, the AP sites were repaired with low efficacy. To our knowledge, this is the first direct evidence to show that a DNA repair enzyme functions as a selective regulator of p53, and these findings provide new insights into the functional linkage between MPG and p53 in cancer therapy. PMID:22801474

  7. A New Protein Architecture for Processing Alkylation Damaged DNA: The Crystal Structure of DNA Glycosylase AlkD

    PubMed Central

    Rubinson, Emily H.; Metz, Audrey H.; O'Quin, Jami; Eichman, Brandt F.

    2013-01-01

    Summary DNA glycosylases safeguard the genome by locating and excising chemically modified bases from DNA. AlkD is a recently discovered bacterial DNA glycosylase that removes positively charged methylpurines from DNA, and was predicted to adopt a protein fold distinct from other DNA repair proteins. The crystal structure of Bacillus cereus AlkD presented here shows that the protein is composed exclusively of helical HEAT-like repeats, which form a solenoid perfectly shaped to accommodate a DNA duplex on the concave surface. Structural analysis of the variant HEAT repeats in AlkD provides a rationale for how this protein scaffolding motif has been modified to bind DNA. We report 7mG excision and DNA binding activities of AlkD mutants, along with a comparison of alkylpurine DNA glycosylase structures. Together, these data provide important insight into the requirements for alkylation repair within DNA and suggest that AlkD utilizes a novel strategy to manipulate DNA in its search for alkylpurine bases. PMID:18585735

  8. A DNA enzyme with N-glycosylase activity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sheppard, T. L.; Ordoukhanian, P.; Joyce, G. F.

    2000-01-01

    In vitro evolution was used to develop a DNA enzyme that catalyzes the site-specific depurination of DNA with a catalytic rate enhancement of about 10(6)-fold. The reaction involves hydrolysis of the N-glycosidic bond of a particular deoxyguanosine residue, leading to DNA strand scission at the apurinic site. The DNA enzyme contains 93 nucleotides and is structurally complex. It has an absolute requirement for a divalent metal cation and exhibits optimal activity at about pH 5. The mechanism of the reaction was confirmed by analysis of the cleavage products by using HPLC and mass spectrometry. The isolation and characterization of an N-glycosylase DNA enzyme demonstrates that single-stranded DNA, like RNA and proteins, can form a complex tertiary structure and catalyze a difficult biochemical transformation. This DNA enzyme provides a new approach for the site-specific cleavage of DNA molecules.

  9. Pre-steady-state fluorescence analysis of damaged DNA transfer from human DNA glycosylases to AP endonuclease APE1.

    PubMed

    Kuznetsova, Alexandra A; Kuznetsov, Nikita A; Ishchenko, Alexander A; Saparbaev, Murat K; Fedorova, Olga S

    2014-10-01

    DNA glycosylases remove the modified, damaged or mismatched bases from the DNA by hydrolyzing the N-glycosidic bonds. Some enzymes can further catalyze the incision of a resulting abasic (apurinic/apyrimidinic, AP) site through β- or β,δ-elimination mechanisms. In most cases, the incision reaction of the AP-site is catalyzed by special enzymes called AP-endonucleases. Here, we report the kinetic analysis of the mechanisms of modified DNA transfer from some DNA glycosylases to the AP endonuclease, APE1. The modified DNA contained the tetrahydrofurane residue (F), the analogue of the AP-site. DNA glycosylases AAG, OGG1, NEIL1, MBD4(cat) and UNG from different structural superfamilies were used. We found that all DNA glycosylases may utilise direct protein-protein interactions in the transient ternary complex for the transfer of the AP-containing DNA strand to APE1. We hypothesize a fast "flip-flop" exchange mechanism of damaged and undamaged DNA strands within this complex for monofunctional DNA glycosylases like MBD4(cat), AAG and UNG. Bifunctional DNA glycosylase NEIL1 creates tightly specific complex with DNA containing F-site thereby efficiently competing with APE1. Whereas APE1 fast displaces other bifunctional DNA glycosylase OGG1 on F-site thereby induces its shifts to undamaged DNA regions. Kinetic analysis of the transfer of DNA between human DNA glycosylases and APE1 allows us to elucidate the critical step in the base excision repair pathway. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Poxvirus uracil-DNA glycosylase-An unusual member of the family I uracil-DNA glycosylases: Poxvirus Uracil-DNA Glycosylase

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Schormann, Norbert; Zhukovskaya, Natalia; Bedwell, Gregory

    We report that uracil-DNA glycosylases are ubiquitous enzymes, which play a key role repairing damages in DNA and in maintaining genomic integrity by catalyzing the first step in the base excision repair pathway. Within the superfamily of uracil-DNA glycosylases family I enzymes or UNGs are specific for recognizing and removing uracil from DNA. These enzymes feature conserved structural folds, active site residues and use common motifs for DNA binding, uracil recognition and catalysis. Within this family the enzymes of poxviruses are unique and most remarkable in terms of amino acid sequences, characteristic motifs and more importantly for their novel non-enzymaticmore » function in DNA replication. UNG of vaccinia virus, also known as D4, is the most extensively characterized UNG of the poxvirus family. D4 forms an unusual heterodimeric processivity factor by attaching to a poxvirus-specific protein A20, which also binds to the DNA polymerase E9 and recruits other proteins necessary for replication. D4 is thus integrated in the DNA polymerase complex, and its DNA-binding and DNA scanning abilities couple DNA processivity and DNA base excision repair at the replication fork. In conclusion, the adaptations necessary for taking on the new function are reflected in the amino acid sequence and the three-dimensional structure of D4. We provide an overview of the current state of the knowledge on the structure-function relationship of D4.« less

  11. DNA glycosylases search for and remove oxidized DNA bases.

    PubMed

    Wallace, Susan S

    2013-12-01

    This review article presents, an overview of the DNA glycosylases that recognize oxidized DNA bases using the Fpg/Nei family of DNA glycosylases as models for how structure can inform function. For example, even though human NEIL1 and the plant and fungal orthologs lack the zinc finger shown to be required for binding, DNA crystal structures revealed a "zincless finger" with the same properties. Moreover, the "lesion recognition loop" is not involved in lesion recognition, rather, it stabilizes 8-oxoG in the active site pocket. Unlike the other Fpg/Nei family members, Neil3 lacks two of the three void-filling residues that stabilize the DNA duplex and interact with the opposite strand to the damage which may account for its preference for lesions in single-stranded DNA. Also single-molecule approaches show that DNA glycosylases search for their substrates in a sea of undamaged DNA by using a wedge residue that is inserted into the DNA helix to probe for the presence of damage. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. DNA Glycosylases Search for and Remove Oxidized DNA Bases

    PubMed Central

    Wallace, Susan S.

    2014-01-01

    The following mini review summarizes recent research from the Author’s laboratory as presented to the Environmental Mutagen Society in October 2012. It provides an overview of the DNA glycosylases that recognize oxidized DNA bases using the Fpg/Nei family of DNA glycosylases as models for how structure can inform function. For example, even though human NEIL1 and the plant and fungal orthologs lack the zinc finger shown to be required for binding, DNA crystal structures revealed a “zincless finger” with the same properties. Also the “lesion recognition loop” is not involved in lesion recognition rather stabilization of 8-oxoG in the active site pocket. Unlike the other Fpg/Nei family members, Neil3 lacks two of the three void-filling residues that stabilize the duplex and interact with the opposite strand which may account for its preference for lesions in single stranded DNA. We also showed, using single molecule approaches, that DNA glycosylases search for their substrates in a sea of undamaged DNA by using a wedge residue that is inserted into the DNA helix to probe for the presence of damage. PMID:24123395

  13. Binding of undamaged double stranded DNA to vaccinia virus uracil-DNA glycosylase

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Schormann, Norbert; Banerjee, Surajit; Ricciardi, Robert

    Background: Uracil-DNA glycosylases are evolutionarily conserved DNA repair enzymes. However, vaccinia virus uracil-DNA glycosylase (known as D4), also serves as an intrinsic and essential component of the processive DNA polymerase complex during DNA replication. In this complex D4 binds to a unique poxvirus specific protein A20 which tethers it to the DNA polymerase. At the replication fork the DNA scanning and repair function of D4 is coupled with DNA replication. So far, DNA-binding to D4 has not been structurally characterized. Results: This manuscript describes the first structure of a DNA-complex of a uracil-DNA glycosylase from the poxvirus family. This alsomore » represents the first structure of a uracil DNA glycosylase in complex with an undamaged DNA. In the asymmetric unit two D4 subunits bind simultaneously to complementary strands of the DNA double helix. Each D4 subunit interacts mainly with the central region of one strand. DNA binds to the opposite side of the A20-binding surface on D4. In comparison of the present structure with the structure of uracil-containing DNA-bound human uracil-DNA glycosylase suggests that for DNA binding and uracil removal D4 employs a unique set of residues and motifs that are highly conserved within the poxvirus family but different in other organisms. Conclusion: The first structure of D4 bound to a truly non-specific undamaged double-stranded DNA suggests that initial binding of DNA may involve multiple non-specific interactions between the protein and the phosphate backbone.« less

  14. Binding of undamaged double stranded DNA to vaccinia virus uracil-DNA glycosylase

    DOE PAGES

    Schormann, Norbert; Banerjee, Surajit; Ricciardi, Robert; ...

    2015-06-02

    Background: Uracil-DNA glycosylases are evolutionarily conserved DNA repair enzymes. However, vaccinia virus uracil-DNA glycosylase (known as D4), also serves as an intrinsic and essential component of the processive DNA polymerase complex during DNA replication. In this complex D4 binds to a unique poxvirus specific protein A20 which tethers it to the DNA polymerase. At the replication fork the DNA scanning and repair function of D4 is coupled with DNA replication. So far, DNA-binding to D4 has not been structurally characterized. Results: This manuscript describes the first structure of a DNA-complex of a uracil-DNA glycosylase from the poxvirus family. This alsomore » represents the first structure of a uracil DNA glycosylase in complex with an undamaged DNA. In the asymmetric unit two D4 subunits bind simultaneously to complementary strands of the DNA double helix. Each D4 subunit interacts mainly with the central region of one strand. DNA binds to the opposite side of the A20-binding surface on D4. In comparison of the present structure with the structure of uracil-containing DNA-bound human uracil-DNA glycosylase suggests that for DNA binding and uracil removal D4 employs a unique set of residues and motifs that are highly conserved within the poxvirus family but different in other organisms. Conclusion: The first structure of D4 bound to a truly non-specific undamaged double-stranded DNA suggests that initial binding of DNA may involve multiple non-specific interactions between the protein and the phosphate backbone.« less

  15. Recent Advances in the Structural Mechanisms of DNA Glycosylases

    PubMed Central

    Brooks, Sonja C.; Adhikary, Suraj; Rubinson, Emily H.; Eichman, Brandt F.

    2012-01-01

    DNA glycosylases safeguard the genome by locating and excising a diverse array of aberrant nucleobases created from oxidation, alkylation, and deamination of DNA. Since the discovery 28 years ago that these enzymes employ a base flipping mechanism to trap their substrates, six different protein architectures have been identified to perform the same basic task. Work over the past several years has unraveled details for how the various DNA glycosylases survey DNA, detect damage within the duplex, select for the correct modification, and catalyze base excision. Here, we provide a broad overview of these latest advances in glycosylase mechanisms gleaned from structural enzymology, highlighting features common to all glycosylases as well as key differences that define their particular substrate specificities. PMID:23076011

  16. Human methyl purine DNA glycosylase and DNA polymerase ß expression collectively predict sensitivity to temozolomide

    PubMed Central

    Trivedi, Ram N.; Wang, Xiao-hong; Jelezcova, Elena; Goellner, Eva M.; Tang, Jiangbo; Sobol, Robert W.

    2014-01-01

    Over-expression of N-methylpurine DNA glycosylase (MPG) has been suggested as a possible gene therapy approach to sensitize tumor cells to the cell killing effects of temozolomide, an imidazotetrazine-class chemotherapeutic alkylating agent. In the present study, we show that both elevated MPG expression and shRNA-mediated loss of Pol ß expression in human breast cancer cells increases cellular sensitivity to temozolomide. Resistance to temozolomide is restored by complementation of either wild-type human Pol ß or human Pol ß with an inactivating mutation specific to the polymerase active site yet functional for 5′dRP lyase activity. These genetic and cellular studies uniquely demonstrate that over-expression of MPG causes an imbalance in BER leading to an accumulation of cytotoxic 5′dRP lesions and that the 5′dRP lyase activity of Pol ß is required to restore resistance to temozolomide. These results imply that Pol ß dependent 5′dRP lyase activity is the rate-limiting step in BER in these cells and suggests that BER is a tightly balanced pathway for the repair of alkylated bases such as N7-MeG and N3-MeA. Further, we find that 5′dRP-mediated cell death is independent of caspase-3 activation and does not induce the formation of autophagosomes, as measured by GFP-LC3 localization. The experiments presented herein suggest that it will be important to investigate whether an active BER pathway could be partially responsible for the temozolomide-mediated resistance seen in some tumors and that balanced BER protein expression and overall BER capacity may help predict sensitivity to temozolomide. PMID:18477668

  17. Crystal structures of 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylase MagIII and the recognition of alkylated bases

    PubMed Central

    Eichman, Brandt F.; O’Rourke, Eyleen J.; Radicella, J.Pablo; Ellenberger, Tom

    2003-01-01

    DNA glycosylases catalyze the excision of chemically modified bases from DNA. Although most glycosylases are specific to a particular base, the 3-methyladenine (m3A) DNA glycosylases include both highly specific enzymes acting on a single modified base, and enzymes with broader specificity for alkylation-damaged DNA. Our structural understanding of these different enzymatic specificities is currently limited to crystal and NMR structures of the unliganded enzymes and complexes with abasic DNA inhibitors. Presented here are high-resolution crystal structures of the m3A DNA glycosylase from Helicobacter pylori (MagIII) in the unliganded form and bound to alkylated bases 3,9-dimethyladenine and 1,N6-ethenoadenine. These are the first structures of a nucleobase bound in the active site of a m3A glycosylase belonging to the helix–hairpin–helix superfamily. MagIII achieves its specificity for positively-charged m3A not by direct interactions with purine or methyl substituent atoms, but rather by stacking the base between two aromatic side chains in a pocket that excludes 7-methylguanine. We report base excision and DNA binding activities of MagIII active site mutants, together with a structural comparison of the HhH glycosylases. PMID:14517230

  18. Structure determination of uracil-DNA N-glycosylase from Deinococcus radiodurans in complex with DNA.

    PubMed

    Pedersen, Hege Lynum; Johnson, Kenneth A; McVey, Colin E; Leiros, Ingar; Moe, Elin

    2015-10-01

    Uracil-DNA N-glycosylase (UNG) is a DNA-repair enzyme in the base-excision repair (BER) pathway which removes uracil from DNA. Here, the crystal structure of UNG from the extremophilic bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans (DrUNG) in complex with DNA is reported at a resolution of 1.35 Å. Prior to the crystallization experiments, the affinity between DrUNG and different DNA oligonucleotides was tested by electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs). As a result of this analysis, two 16 nt double-stranded DNAs were chosen for the co-crystallization experiments, one of which (16 nt AU) resulted in well diffracting crystals. The DNA in the co-crystal structure contained an abasic site (substrate product) flipped into the active site of the enzyme, with no uracil in the active-site pocket. Despite the high resolution, it was not possible to fit all of the terminal nucleotides of the DNA complex into electron density owing to disorder caused by a lack of stabilizing interactions. However, the DNA which was in contact with the enzyme, close to the active site, was well ordered and allowed detailed analysis of the enzyme-DNA interaction. The complex revealed that the interaction between DrUNG and DNA is similar to that in the previously determined crystal structure of human UNG (hUNG) in complex with DNA [Slupphaug et al. (1996). Nature (London), 384, 87-92]. Substitutions in a (here defined) variable part of the leucine loop result in a shorter loop (eight residues instead of nine) in DrUNG compared with hUNG; regardless of this, it seems to fulfil its role and generate a stabilizing force with the minor groove upon flipping out of the damaged base into the active site. The structure also provides a rationale for the previously observed high catalytic efficiency of DrUNG caused by high substrate affinity by demonstrating an increased number of long-range electrostatic interactions between the enzyme and the DNA. Interestingly, specific interactions between residues

  19. An unconventional family 1 uracil DNA glycosylase in Nitratifractor salsuginis.

    PubMed

    Li, Jing; Chen, Ran; Yang, Ye; Zhang, Zhemin; Fang, Guang-Chen; Xie, Wei; Cao, Weiguo

    2017-12-01

    The uracil DNA glycosylase superfamily consists of at least six families with a diverse specificity toward DNA base damage. Family 1 uracil N-glycosylase (UNG) exhibits exclusive specificity on uracil-containing DNA. Here, we report a family 1 UNG homolog from Nitratifractor salsuginis with distinct biochemical features that differentiate it from conventional family 1 UNGs. Globally, the crystal structure of N. salsuginisUNG shows a few additional secondary structural elements. Biochemical and enzyme kinetic analysis, coupled with structural determination, molecular modeling, and molecular dynamics simulations, shows that N. salsuginisUNG contains a salt bridge network that plays an important role in DNA backbone interactions. Disruption of the amino acid residues involved in the salt bridges greatly impedes the enzymatic activity. A tyrosine residue in motif 1 (GQDPY) is one of the distinct sequence features setting family 1 UNG apart from other families. The crystal structure of Y81G mutant indicates that several subtle changes may account for its inactivity. Unlike the conventional family 1 UNG enzymes, N. salsuginisUNG is not inhibited by Ugi, a potent inhibitor specific for family 1 UNG. This study underscores the diversity of paths that a uracil DNA glycosylase may take to acquire its unique structural and biochemical properties during evolution. Structure data are available in the PDB under accession numbers 5X3G and 5X3H. © 2017 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

  20. Uracil-DNA Glycosylase in Base Excision Repair and Adaptive Immunity

    PubMed Central

    Doseth, Berit; Visnes, Torkild; Wallenius, Anders; Ericsson, Ida; Sarno, Antonio; Pettersen, Henrik Sahlin; Flatberg, Arnar; Catterall, Tara; Slupphaug, Geir; Krokan, Hans E.; Kavli, Bodil

    2011-01-01

    Genomic uracil is a DNA lesion but also an essential key intermediate in adaptive immunity. In B cells, activation-induced cytidine deaminase deaminates cytosine to uracil (U:G mispairs) in Ig genes to initiate antibody maturation. Uracil-DNA glycosylases (UDGs) such as uracil N-glycosylase (UNG), single strand-selective monofunctional uracil-DNA glycosylase 1 (SMUG1), and thymine-DNA glycosylase remove uracil from DNA. Gene-targeted mouse models are extensively used to investigate the role of these enzymes in DNA repair and Ig diversification. However, possible species differences in uracil processing in humans and mice are yet not established. To address this, we analyzed UDG activities and quantities in human and mouse cell lines and in splenic B cells from Ung+/+ and Ung−/− backcrossed mice. Interestingly, human cells displayed ∼15-fold higher total uracil excision capacity due to higher levels of UNG. In contrast, SMUG1 activity was ∼8-fold higher in mouse cells, constituting ∼50% of the total U:G excision activity compared with less than 1% in human cells. In activated B cells, both UNG and SMUG1 activities were at levels comparable with those measured for mouse cell lines. Moreover, SMUG1 activity per cell was not down-regulated after activation. We therefore suggest that SMUG1 may work as a weak backup activity for UNG2 during class switch recombination in Ung−/− mice. Our results reveal significant species differences in genomic uracil processing. These findings should be taken into account when mouse models are used in studies of uracil DNA repair and adaptive immunity. PMID:21454529

  1. Hide and seek: How do DNA glycosylases locate oxidatively damaged DNA bases amidst a sea of undamaged bases?

    PubMed

    Lee, Andrea J; Wallace, Susan S

    2017-06-01

    The first step of the base excision repair (BER) pathway responsible for removing oxidative DNA damage utilizes DNA glycosylases to find and remove the damaged DNA base. How glycosylases find the damaged base amidst a sea of undamaged bases has long been a question in the BER field. Single molecule total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (SM TIRFM) experiments have allowed for an exciting look into this search mechanism and have found that DNA glycosylases scan along the DNA backbone in a bidirectional and random fashion. By comparing the search behavior of bacterial glycosylases from different structural families and with varying substrate specificities, it was found that glycosylases search for damage by periodically inserting a wedge residue into the DNA stack as they redundantly search tracks of DNA that are 450-600bp in length. These studies open up a wealth of possibilities for further study in real time of the interactions of DNA glycosylases and other BER enzymes with various DNA substrates. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Specificity and Catalytic Mechanism in Family 5 Uracil DNA Glycosylase*

    PubMed Central

    Xia, Bo; Liu, Yinling; Li, Wei; Brice, Allyn R.; Dominy, Brian N.; Cao, Weiguo

    2014-01-01

    UDGb belongs to family 5 of the uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) superfamily. Here, we report that family 5 UDGb from Thermus thermophilus HB8 is not only a uracil DNA glycosyase acting on G/U, T/U, C/U, and A/U base pairs, but also a hypoxanthine DNA glycosylase acting on G/I, T/I, and A/I base pairs and a xanthine DNA glycosylase acting on all double-stranded and single-stranded xanthine-containing DNA. Analysis of potentials of mean force indicates that the tendency of hypoxanthine base flipping follows the order of G/I > T/I, A/I > C/I, matching the trend of hypoxanthine DNA glycosylase activity observed in vitro. Genetic analysis indicates that family 5 UDGb can also act as an enzyme to remove uracil incorporated into DNA through the existence of dUTP in the nucleotide pool. Mutational analysis coupled with molecular modeling and molecular dynamics analysis reveals that although hydrogen bonding to O2 of uracil underlies the UDG activity in a dissociative fashion, Tth UDGb relies on multiple catalytic residues to facilitate its excision of hypoxanthine and xanthine. This study underscores the structural and functional diversity in the UDG superfamily. PMID:24838246

  3. Mitochondrial inhibition of uracil-DNA glycosylase is not mutagenic

    PubMed Central

    Kachhap, Sushant; Singh, Keshav K

    2004-01-01

    Background Uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) plays a major role in repair of uracil formed due to deamination of cytosine. UDG in human cells is present in both the nucleus and mitochondrial compartments. Although, UDG's role in the nucleus is well established its role in mitochondria is less clear. Results In order to identify UDG's role in the mitochondria we expressed UGI (uracil glycosylase inhibitor) a natural inhibitor of UDG in the mitochondria. Our studies suggest that inhibition of UDG by UGI in the mitochondria does not lead to either spontaneous or induced mutations in mtDNA. Our studies also suggest that UGI expression has no affect on cellular growth or cytochrome c-oxidase activity. Conclusions These results suggest that human cell mitochondria contain alternatives glycosylase (s) that may function as back up DNA repair protein (s) that repair uracil in the mitochondria. PMID:15574194

  4. Lesion search and recognition by thymine DNA glycosylase revealed by single molecule imaging

    PubMed Central

    Buechner, Claudia N.; Maiti, Atanu; Drohat, Alexander C.; Tessmer, Ingrid

    2015-01-01

    The ability of DNA glycosylases to rapidly and efficiently detect lesions among a vast excess of nondamaged DNA bases is vitally important in base excision repair (BER). Here, we use single molecule imaging by atomic force microscopy (AFM) supported by a 2-aminopurine fluorescence base flipping assay to study damage search by human thymine DNA glycosylase (hTDG), which initiates BER of mutagenic and cytotoxic G:T and G:U mispairs in DNA. Our data reveal an equilibrium between two conformational states of hTDG–DNA complexes, assigned as search complex (SC) and interrogation complex (IC), both at target lesions and undamaged DNA sites. Notably, for both hTDG and a second glycosylase, hOGG1, which recognizes structurally different 8-oxoguanine lesions, the conformation of the DNA in the SC mirrors innate structural properties of their respective target sites. In the IC, the DNA is sharply bent, as seen in crystal structures of hTDG lesion recognition complexes, which likely supports the base flipping required for lesion identification. Our results support a potentially general concept of sculpting of glycosylases to their targets, allowing them to exploit the energetic cost of DNA bending for initial lesion sensing, coupled with continuous (extrahelical) base interrogation during lesion search by DNA glycosylases. PMID:25712093

  5. Integration of single-molecule detection with magnetic separation for multiplexed detection of DNA glycosylases.

    PubMed

    Li, Chen-Chen; Zhang, Yan; Tang, Bo; Zhang, Chun-Yang

    2018-06-05

    We combine single-molecule detection with magnetic separation for simultaneous measurement of human 8-oxoG DNA glycosylase 1 (hOGG1) and uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) based on excision repair-initiated endonuclease IV (Endo IV)-assisted signal amplification. This method can sensitively detect multiple DNA glycosylases, and it can be further applied for the simultaneous measurement of enzyme kinetic parameters and screening of both hOGG1 and UDG inhibitors.

  6. Detection of damaged DNA bases by DNA glycosylase enzymes.

    PubMed

    Friedman, Joshua I; Stivers, James T

    2010-06-22

    A fundamental and shared process in all forms of life is the use of DNA glycosylase enzymes to excise rare damaged bases from genomic DNA. Without such enzymes, the highly ordered primary sequences of genes would rapidly deteriorate. Recent structural and biophysical studies are beginning to reveal a fascinating multistep mechanism for damaged base detection that begins with short-range sliding of the glycosylase along the DNA chain in a distinct conformation we call the search complex (SC). Sliding is frequently punctuated by the formation of a transient "interrogation" complex (IC) where the enzyme extrahelically inspects both normal and damaged bases in an exosite pocket that is distant from the active site. When normal bases are presented in the exosite, the IC rapidly collapses back to the SC, while a damaged base will efficiently partition forward into the active site to form the catalytically competent excision complex (EC). Here we review the unique problems associated with enzymatic detection of rare damaged DNA bases in the genome and emphasize how each complex must have specific dynamic properties that are tuned to optimize the rate and efficiency of damage site location.

  7. Detection of Damaged DNA Bases by DNA Glycosylase Enzymes†

    PubMed Central

    Friedman, Joshua I.; Stivers, James T.

    2010-01-01

    A fundamental and shared process in all forms of life is the use of DNA glycosylase enzymes to excise rare damaged bases from genomic DNA. Without such enzymes, the highly-ordered primary sequences of genes would rapidly deteriorate. Recent structural and biophysical studies are beginning to reveal a fascinating multistep mechanism for damaged base detection that begins with short-range sliding of the glycosylase along the DNA chain in a distinct conformation we refer to as the search complex (SC). Sliding is frequently punctuated by the formation of a transient “interrogation” complex (IC) where the enzyme extrahelically inspects both normal and damaged bases in an exosite pocket that is distant from the active site. When normal bases are presented in the exosite, the IC rapidly collapses back to the SC, while a damaged base will efficiently partition forward into the active site to form the catalytically competent excision complex (EC). Here we review the unique problems associated with enzymatic detection of rare damaged DNA bases in the genome, and emphasize how each complex must have specific dynamic properties that are tuned to optimize the rate and efficiency of damage site location. PMID:20469926

  8. Selective base excision repair of DNA damage by the non-base-flipping DNA glycosylase AlkC

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shi, Rongxin; Mullins, Elwood A.; Shen, Xing‐Xing

    DNA glycosylases preserve genome integrity and define the specificity of the base excision repair pathway for discreet, detrimental modifications, and thus, the mechanisms by which glycosylases locate DNA damage are of particular interest. Bacterial AlkC and AlkD are specific for cationic alkylated nucleobases and have a distinctive HEAT-like repeat (HLR) fold. AlkD uses a unique non-base-flipping mechanism that enables excision of bulky lesions more commonly associated with nucleotide excision repair. In contrast, AlkC has a much narrower specificity for small lesions, principally N3-methyladenine (3mA). Here, we describe how AlkC selects for and excises 3mA using a non-base-flipping strategy distinct frommore » that of AlkD. A crystal structure resembling a catalytic intermediate complex shows how AlkC uses unique HLR and immunoglobulin-like domains to induce a sharp kink in the DNA, exposing the damaged nucleobase to active site residues that project into the DNA. This active site can accommodate and excise N3-methylcytosine (3mC) and N1-methyladenine (1mA), which are also repaired by AlkB-catalyzed oxidative demethylation, providing a potential alternative mechanism for repair of these lesions in bacteria.« less

  9. A structural determinant in the uracil DNA glycosylase superfamily for the removal of uracil from adenine/uracil base pairs

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Dong-Hoon; Liu, Yinling; Lee, Hyun-Wook; Xia, Bo; Brice, Allyn R.; Park, Sung-Hyun; Balduf, Hunter; Dominy, Brian N.; Cao, Weiguo

    2015-01-01

    The uracil DNA glycosylase superfamily consists of several distinct families. Family 2 mismatch-specific uracil DNA glycosylase (MUG) from Escherichia coli is known to exhibit glycosylase activity on three mismatched base pairs, T/U, G/U and C/U. Family 1 uracil N-glycosylase (UNG) from E. coli is an extremely efficient enzyme that can remove uracil from any uracil-containing base pairs including the A/U base pair. Here, we report the identification of an important structural determinant that underlies the functional difference between MUG and UNG. Substitution of a Lys residue at position 68 with Asn in MUG not only accelerates the removal of uracil from mismatched base pairs but also enables the enzyme to gain catalytic activity on A/U base pairs. Binding and kinetic analysis demonstrate that the MUG-K68N substitution results in enhanced ground state binding and transition state interactions. Molecular modeling reveals that MUG-K68N, UNG-N123 and family 5 Thermus thermophiles UDGb-A111N can form bidentate hydrogen bonds with the N3 and O4 moieties of the uracil base. Genetic analysis indicates the gain of function for A/U base pairs allows the MUG-K68N mutant to remove uracil incorporated into the genome during DNA replication. The implications of this study in the origin of life are discussed. PMID:25550433

  10. Structure of a DNA glycosylase that unhooks interstrand cross-links

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mullins, Elwood A.; Warren, Garrett M.; Bradley, Noah P.

    DNA glycosylases are important editing enzymes that protect genomic stability by excising chemically modified nucleobases that alter normal DNA metabolism. These enzymes have been known only to initiate base excision repair of small adducts by extrusion from the DNA helix. However, recent reports have described both vertebrate and microbial DNA glycosylases capable of unhooking highly toxic interstrand cross-links (ICLs) and bulky minor groove adducts normally recognized by Fanconi anemia and nucleotide excision repair machinery, although the mechanisms of these activities are unknown. Here we report the crystal structure of Streptomyces sahachiroi AlkZ (previously Orf1), a bacterial DNA glycosylase that protectsmore » its host by excising ICLs derived from azinomycin B (AZB), a potent antimicrobial and antitumor genotoxin. AlkZ adopts a unique fold in which three tandem winged helix-turn-helix motifs scaffold a positively charged concave surface perfectly shaped for duplex DNA. Through mutational analysis, we identified two glutamine residues and a β-hairpin within this putative DNA-binding cleft that are essential for catalytic activity. Additionally, we present a molecular docking model for how this active site can unhook either or both sides of an AZB ICL, providing a basis for understanding the mechanisms of base excision repair of ICLs. Given the prevalence of this protein fold in pathogenic bacteria, this work also lays the foundation for an emerging role of DNA repair in bacteria-host pathogenesis.« less

  11. The substrate binding interface of alkylpurine DNA glycosylase AlkD.

    PubMed

    Mullins, Elwood A; Rubinson, Emily H; Eichman, Brandt F

    2014-01-01

    Tandem helical repeats have emerged as an important DNA binding architecture. DNA glycosylase AlkD, which excises N3- and N7-alkylated nucleobases, uses repeating helical motifs to bind duplex DNA and to selectively pause at non-Watson-Crick base pairs. Remodeling of the DNA backbone promotes nucleotide flipping of the lesion and the complementary base into the solvent and toward the protein surface, respectively. The important features of this new DNA binding architecture that allow AlkD to distinguish between damaged and normal DNA without contacting the lesion are poorly understood. Here, we show through extensive mutational analysis that DNA binding and N3-methyladenine (3mA) and N7-methylguanine (7mG) excision are dependent upon each residue lining the DNA binding interface. Disrupting electrostatic or hydrophobic interactions with the DNA backbone substantially reduced binding affinity and catalytic activity. These results demonstrate that residues seemingly only involved in general DNA binding are important for catalytic activity and imply that base excision is driven by binding energy provided by the entire substrate interface of this novel DNA binding architecture. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. The Fpg/Nei family of DNA glycosylases: substrates, structures, and search for damage.

    PubMed

    Prakash, Aishwarya; Doublié, Sylvie; Wallace, Susan S

    2012-01-01

    During the initial stages of the base excision DNA repair pathway, DNA glycosylases are responsible for locating and removing the majority of endogenous oxidative base lesions. The bifunctional formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (Fpg) and endonuclease VIII (Nei) are members of the Fpg/Nei family, one of the two families of glycosylases that recognize oxidized DNA bases, the other being the HhH/GPD (or Nth) superfamily. Structural and biochemical developments over the past decades have led to novel insights into the mechanism of damage recognition by the Fpg/Nei family of enzymes. Despite the overall structural similarity among members of this family, these enzymes exhibit distinct features that make them unique. This review summarizes the current structural knowledge of the Fpg/Nei family members, emphasizes their substrate specificities, and describes how these enzymes search for lesions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. DNA bending and a flip-out mechanism for base excision by the helix–hairpin–helix DNA glycosylase, Escherichia coli AlkA

    PubMed Central

    Hollis, Thomas; Ichikawa, Yoshitaka; Ellenberger, Tom

    2000-01-01

    The Escherichia coli AlkA protein is a base excision repair glycosylase that removes a variety of alkylated bases from DNA. The 2.5 Å crystal structure of AlkA complexed to DNA shows a large distortion in the bound DNA. The enzyme flips a 1–azaribose abasic nucleotide out of DNA and induces a 66° bend in the DNA with a marked widening of the minor groove. The position of the 1–azaribose in the enzyme active site suggests an SN1-type mechanism for the glycosylase reaction, in which the essential catalytic Asp238 provides direct assistance for base removal. Catalytic selectivity might result from the enhanced stacking of positively charged, alkylated bases against the aromatic side chain of Trp272 in conjunction with the relative ease of cleaving the weakened glycosylic bond of these modified nucleotides. The structure of the AlkA–DNA complex offers the first glimpse of a helix–hairpin–helix (HhH) glycosylase complexed to DNA. Modeling studies suggest that other HhH glycosylases can bind to DNA in a similar manner. PMID:10675345

  14. Synthesis and characterization of DNA minor groove binding alkylating agents.

    PubMed

    Iyer, Prema; Srinivasan, Ajay; Singh, Sreelekha K; Mascara, Gerard P; Zayitova, Sevara; Sidone, Brian; Fouquerel, Elise; Svilar, David; Sobol, Robert W; Bobola, Michael S; Silber, John R; Gold, Barry

    2013-01-18

    Derivatives of methyl 3-(1-methyl-5-(1-methyl-5-(propylcarbamoyl)-1H-pyrrol-3-ylcarbamoyl)-1H-pyrrol-3-ylamino)-3-oxopropane-1-sulfonate (1), a peptide-based DNA minor groove binding methylating agent, were synthesized and characterized. In all cases, the N-terminus was appended with an O-methyl sulfonate ester, while the C-terminus group was varied with nonpolar and polar side chains. In addition, the number of pyrrole rings was varied from 2 (dipeptide) to 3 (tripeptide). The ability of the different analogues to efficiently generate N3-methyladenine was demonstrated as was their selectivity for minor groove (N3-methyladenine) versus major groove (N7-methylguanine) methylation. Induced circular dichroism studies were used to measure the DNA equilibrium binding properties of the stable sulfone analogues; the tripeptide binds with affinity that is >10-fold higher than that of the dipeptide. The toxicities of the compounds were evaluated in alkA/tag glycosylase mutant E. coli and in human WT glioma cells and in cells overexpressing and under-expressing N-methylpurine-DNA glycosylase, which excises N3-methyladenine from DNA. The results show that equilibrium binding correlates with the levels of N3-methyladenine produced and cellular toxicity. The toxicity of 1 was inversely related to the expression of MPG in both the bacterial and mammalian cell lines. The enhanced toxicity parallels the reduced activation of PARP and the diminished rate of formation of aldehyde reactive sites observed in the MPG knockdown cells. It is proposed that unrepaired N3-methyladenine is toxic due to its ability to directly block DNA polymerization.

  15. Repair of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells: Properties and biological roles of the Fpg and OGG1 DNA N-glycosylases.

    PubMed

    Boiteux, Serge; Coste, Franck; Castaing, Bertrand

    2017-06-01

    Oxidatively damaged DNA results from the attack of sugar and base moieties by reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are formed as byproducts of normal cell metabolism and during exposure to endogenous or exogenous chemical or physical agents. Guanine, having the lowest redox potential, is the DNA base the most susceptible to oxidation, yielding products such as 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoG) and 2-6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5-formamidopyrimidine (FapyG). In DNA, 8-oxoG was shown to be mutagenic yielding GC to TA transversions upon incorporation of dAMP opposite this lesion by replicative DNA polymerases. In prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, 8-oxoG is primarily repaired by the base excision repair pathway (BER) initiated by a DNA N-glycosylase, Fpg and OGG1, respectively. In Escherichia coli, Fpg cooperates with MutY and MutT to prevent 8-oxoG-induced mutations, the "GO-repair system". In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, OGG1 cooperates with nucleotide excision repair (NER), mismatch repair (MMR), post-replication repair (PRR) and DNA polymerase η to prevent mutagenesis. Human and mouse cells mobilize all these pathways using OGG1, MUTYH (MutY-homolog also known as MYH), MTH1 (MutT-homolog also known as NUDT1), NER, MMR, NEILs and DNA polymerases η and λ, to prevent 8-oxoG-induced mutations. In fact, mice deficient in both OGG1 and MUTYH develop cancer in different organs at adult age, which points to the critical impact of 8-oxoG repair on genetic stability in mammals. In this review, we will focus on Fpg and OGG1 proteins, their biochemical and structural properties as well as their biological roles. Other DNA N-glycosylases able to release 8-oxoG from damaged DNA in various organisms will be discussed. Finally, we will report on the role of OGG1 in human disease and the possible use of 8-oxoG DNA N-glycosylases as therapeutic targets. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Correlated Mutation in the Evolution of Catalysis in Uracil DNA Glycosylase Superfamily

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xia, Bo; Liu, Yinling; Guevara, Jose; Li, Jing; Jilich, Celeste; Yang, Ye; Wang, Liangjiang; Dominy, Brian N.; Cao, Weiguo

    2017-04-01

    Enzymes in Uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) superfamily are essential for the removal of uracil. Family 4 UDGa is a robust uracil DNA glycosylase that only acts on double-stranded and single-stranded uracil-containing DNA. Based on mutational, kinetic and modeling analyses, a catalytic mechanism involving leaving group stabilization by H155 in motif 2 and water coordination by N89 in motif 3 is proposed. Mutual Information analysis identifies a complexed correlated mutation network including a strong correlation in the EG doublet in motif 1 of family 4 UDGa and in the QD doublet in motif 1 of family 1 UNG. Conversion of EG doublet in family 4 Thermus thermophilus UDGa to QD doublet increases the catalytic efficiency by over one hundred-fold and seventeen-fold over the E41Q and G42D single mutation, respectively, rectifying the strong correlation in the doublet. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest that the correlated mutations in the doublet in motif 1 position the catalytic H155 in motif 2 to stabilize the leaving uracilate anion. The integrated approach has important implications in studying enzyme evolution and protein structure and function.

  17. Searching for DNA Lesions: Structural Evidence for Lower- and Higher-Affinity DNA Binding Conformations of Human Alkyladenine DNA Glycosylase

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    To efficiently repair DNA, human alkyladenine DNA glycosylase (AAG) must search the million-fold excess of unmodified DNA bases to find a handful of DNA lesions. Such a search can be facilitated by the ability of glycosylases, like AAG, to interact with DNA using two affinities: a lower-affinity interaction in a searching process and a higher-affinity interaction for catalytic repair. Here, we present crystal structures of AAG trapped in two DNA-bound states. The lower-affinity depiction allows us to investigate, for the first time, the conformation of this protein in the absence of a tightly bound DNA adduct. We find that active site residues of AAG involved in binding lesion bases are in a disordered state. Furthermore, two loops that contribute significantly to the positive electrostatic surface of AAG are disordered. Additionally, a higher-affinity state of AAG captured here provides a fortuitous snapshot of how this enzyme interacts with a DNA adduct that resembles a one-base loop. PMID:22148158

  18. Targeted DNA demethylation in human cells by fusion of a plant 5-methylcytosine DNA glycosylase to a sequence-specific DNA binding domain

    PubMed Central

    Parrilla-Doblas, Jara Teresa; Ariza, Rafael R.; Roldán-Arjona, Teresa

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT DNA methylation is a crucial epigenetic mark associated to gene silencing, and its targeted removal is a major goal of epigenetic editing. In animal cells, DNA demethylation involves iterative 5mC oxidation by TET enzymes followed by replication-dependent dilution and/or replication-independent DNA repair of its oxidized derivatives. In contrast, plants use specific DNA glycosylases that directly excise 5mC and initiate its substitution for unmethylated C in a base excision repair process. In this work, we have fused the catalytic domain of Arabidopsis ROS1 5mC DNA glycosylase (ROS1_CD) to the DNA binding domain of yeast GAL4 (GBD). We show that the resultant GBD-ROS1_CD fusion protein binds specifically a GBD-targeted DNA sequence in vitro. We also found that transient in vivo expression of GBD-ROS1_CD in human cells specifically reactivates transcription of a methylation-silenced reporter gene, and that such reactivation requires both ROS1_CD catalytic activity and GBD binding capacity. Finally, we show that reactivation induced by GBD-ROS1_CD is accompanied by decreased methylation levels at several CpG sites of the targeted promoter. All together, these results show that plant 5mC DNA glycosylases can be used for targeted active DNA demethylation in human cells. PMID:28277978

  19. Uracil DNA glycosylase BKRF3 contributes to Epstein-Barr virus DNA replication through physical interactions with proteins in viral DNA replication complex.

    PubMed

    Su, Mei-Tzu; Liu, I-Hua; Wu, Chia-Wei; Chang, Shu-Ming; Tsai, Ching-Hwa; Yang, Pei-Wen; Chuang, Yu-Chia; Lee, Chung-Pei; Chen, Mei-Ru

    2014-08-01

    Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) BKRF3 shares sequence homology with members of the uracil-N-glycosylase (UNG) protein family and has DNA glycosylase activity. Here, we explored how BKRF3 participates in the DNA replication complex and contributes to viral DNA replication. Exogenously expressed Flag-BKRF3 was distributed mostly in the cytoplasm, whereas BKRF3 was translocated into the nucleus and colocalized with the EBV DNA polymerase BALF5 in the replication compartment during EBV lytic replication. The expression level of BKRF3 increased gradually during viral replication, coupled with a decrease of cellular UNG2, suggesting BKRF3 enzyme activity compensates for UNG2 and ensures the fidelity of viral DNA replication. In immunoprecipitation-Western blotting, BKRF3 was coimmuno-precipitated with BALF5, the polymerase processivity factor BMRF1, and the immediate-early transactivator Rta. Coexpression of BMRF1 appeared to facilitate the nuclear targeting of BKRF3 in immunofluorescence staining. Residues 164 to 255 of BKRF3 were required for interaction with Rta and BALF5, whereas residues 81 to 166 of BKRF3 were critical for BMRF1 interaction in glutathione S-transferase (GST) pulldown experiments. Viral DNA replication was defective in cells harboring BKRF3 knockout EBV bacmids. In complementation assays, the catalytic mutant BKRF3(Q90L,D91N) restored viral DNA replication, whereas the leucine loop mutant BKRF3(H213L) only partially rescued viral DNA replication, coupled with a reduced ability to interact with the viral DNA polymerase and Rta. Our data suggest that BKRF3 plays a critical role in viral DNA synthesis predominantly through its interactions with viral proteins in the DNA replication compartment, while its enzymatic activity may be supplementary for uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) function during virus replication. Catalytic activities of both cellular UDG UNG2 and viral UDGs contribute to herpesviral DNA replication. To ensure that the enzyme activity executes at

  20. Glycosylases utilize ``stop and go'' motion to locate DNA damage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nelson, Shane

    2015-03-01

    Oxidative damage to DNA results in alterations that are mutagenic or even cytotoxic. Base excision repair is a mechanism that functions to identify and correct these lesions, and is present in organisms ranging from bacteria to humans. DNA glycosylases are the first enzymes in this pathway and function to locate and remove oxidatively damaged bases, and do so utilizing only thermal energy. However, the question remains of how these enzymes locate and recognize a damaged base among millions of undamaged bases. Utilizing fluorescence video microscopy with high spatial and temporal resolution, we have observed a number of different fluorescently labeled glycosylases (including bacterial FPG, NEI, and NTH as well as mammalian MutyH and OGG). These enzymes diffuse along DNA tightropes at approximately 0.01 +/- 0.005 μm2/s with binding lifetimes ranging from one second to several minutes. Chemically induced damage to the DNA substrate causes a ~ 50% reduction in diffusion coefficients and a ~ 400% increase in binding lifetimes, while mutation of the key ``wedge residue'' - which has been shown to be responsible for damage detection - results in a 200% increase in the diffusion coefficient. Utilizing a sliding window approach to measure diffusion coefficients within individual trajectories, we observe that distributions of diffusion coefficients are bimodal, consistent with periods of diffusive motion interspersed with immobile periods. Utilizing a unique chemo-mechanical simulation approach, we demonstrate that the motion of these glycosylases can be explained as free diffusion along the helical pitch of the DNA, punctuated with two different types of pauses: 1) rapid, short-lived pauses as the enzyme rapidly probes DNA bases to interrogate for damage and, 2) less frequent, longer lived pauses that reflect the enzyme bound to and catalytically removing a damaged base. These simulations also indicate that the wedge residue is critical for interrogation and recognition of

  1. The DNA glycosylase AlkD uses a non-base-flipping mechanism to excise bulky lesions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mullins, Elwood A.; Shi, Rongxin; Parsons, Zachary D.

    Threats to genomic integrity arising from DNA damage are mitigated by DNA glycosylases, which initiate the base excision repair pathway by locating and excising aberrant nucleobases. How these enzymes find small modifications within the genome is a current area of intensive research. A hallmark of these and other DNA repair enzymes is their use of base flipping to sequester modified nucleotides from the DNA helix and into an active site pocket. Consequently, base flipping is generally regarded as an essential aspect of lesion recognition and a necessary precursor to base excision. In this paper, we present the first, to ourmore » knowledge, DNA glycosylase mechanism that does not require base flipping for either binding or catalysis. Using the DNA glycosylase AlkD from Bacillus cereus, we crystallographically monitored excision of an alkylpurine substrate as a function of time, and reconstructed the steps along the reaction coordinate through structures representing substrate, intermediate and product complexes. Instead of directly interacting with the damaged nucleobase, AlkD recognizes aberrant base pairs through interactions with the phosphoribose backbone, while the lesion remains stacked in the DNA duplex. Quantum mechanical calculations revealed that these contacts include catalytic charge–dipole and CH–π interactions that preferentially stabilize the transition state. We show in vitro and in vivo how this unique means of recognition and catalysis enables AlkD to repair large adducts formed by yatakemycin, a member of the duocarmycin family of antimicrobial natural products exploited in bacterial warfare and chemotherapeutic trials. Bulky adducts of this or any type are not excised by DNA glycosylases that use a traditional base-flipping mechanism. Finally and hence, these findings represent a new model for DNA repair and provide insights into catalysis of base excision.« less

  2. The DNA glycosylase AlkD uses a non-base-flipping mechanism to excise bulky lesions

    DOE PAGES

    Mullins, Elwood A.; Shi, Rongxin; Parsons, Zachary D.; ...

    2015-10-28

    Threats to genomic integrity arising from DNA damage are mitigated by DNA glycosylases, which initiate the base excision repair pathway by locating and excising aberrant nucleobases. How these enzymes find small modifications within the genome is a current area of intensive research. A hallmark of these and other DNA repair enzymes is their use of base flipping to sequester modified nucleotides from the DNA helix and into an active site pocket. Consequently, base flipping is generally regarded as an essential aspect of lesion recognition and a necessary precursor to base excision. In this paper, we present the first, to ourmore » knowledge, DNA glycosylase mechanism that does not require base flipping for either binding or catalysis. Using the DNA glycosylase AlkD from Bacillus cereus, we crystallographically monitored excision of an alkylpurine substrate as a function of time, and reconstructed the steps along the reaction coordinate through structures representing substrate, intermediate and product complexes. Instead of directly interacting with the damaged nucleobase, AlkD recognizes aberrant base pairs through interactions with the phosphoribose backbone, while the lesion remains stacked in the DNA duplex. Quantum mechanical calculations revealed that these contacts include catalytic charge–dipole and CH–π interactions that preferentially stabilize the transition state. We show in vitro and in vivo how this unique means of recognition and catalysis enables AlkD to repair large adducts formed by yatakemycin, a member of the duocarmycin family of antimicrobial natural products exploited in bacterial warfare and chemotherapeutic trials. Bulky adducts of this or any type are not excised by DNA glycosylases that use a traditional base-flipping mechanism. Finally and hence, these findings represent a new model for DNA repair and provide insights into catalysis of base excision.« less

  3. The Human DNA glycosylases NEIL1 and NEIL3 Excise Psoralen-Induced DNA-DNA Cross-Links in a Four-Stranded DNA Structure.

    PubMed

    Martin, Peter R; Couvé, Sophie; Zutterling, Caroline; Albelazi, Mustafa S; Groisman, Regina; Matkarimov, Bakhyt T; Parsons, Jason L; Elder, Rhoderick H; Saparbaev, Murat K

    2017-12-12

    Interstrand cross-links (ICLs) are highly cytotoxic DNA lesions that block DNA replication and transcription by preventing strand separation. Previously, we demonstrated that the bacterial and human DNA glycosylases Nei and NEIL1 excise unhooked psoralen-derived ICLs in three-stranded DNA via hydrolysis of the glycosidic bond between the crosslinked base and deoxyribose sugar. Furthermore, NEIL3 from Xenopus laevis has been shown to cleave psoralen- and abasic site-induced ICLs in Xenopus egg extracts. Here we report that human NEIL3 cleaves psoralen-induced DNA-DNA cross-links in three-stranded and four-stranded DNA substrates to generate unhooked DNA fragments containing either an abasic site or a psoralen-thymine monoadduct. Furthermore, while Nei and NEIL1 also cleave a psoralen-induced four-stranded DNA substrate to generate two unhooked DNA duplexes with a nick, NEIL3 targets both DNA strands in the ICL without generating single-strand breaks. The DNA substrate specificities of these Nei-like enzymes imply the occurrence of long uninterrupted three- and four-stranded crosslinked DNA-DNA structures that may originate in vivo from DNA replication fork bypass of an ICL. In conclusion, the Nei-like DNA glycosylases unhook psoralen-derived ICLs in various DNA structures via a genuine repair mechanism in which complex DNA lesions can be removed without generation of highly toxic double-strand breaks.

  4. Atomic substitution reveals the structural basis for substrate adenine recognition and removal by adenine DNA glycosylase

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lee, Seongmin; Verdine, Gregory L.; Harvard)

    2010-01-14

    Adenine DNA glycosylase catalyzes the glycolytic removal of adenine from the promutagenic A {center_dot} oxoG base pair in DNA. The general features of DNA recognition by an adenine DNA glycosylase, Bacillus stearothermophilus MutY, have previously been revealed via the X-ray structure of a catalytically inactive mutant protein bound to an A:oxoG-containing DNA duplex. Although the structure revealed the substrate adenine to be, as expected, extruded from the DNA helix and inserted into an extrahelical active site pocket on the enzyme, the substrate adenine engaged in no direct contacts with active site residues. This feature was paradoxical, because other glycosylases havemore » been observed to engage their substrates primarily through direct contacts. The lack of direct contacts in the case of MutY suggested that either MutY uses a distinctive logic for substrate recognition or that the X-ray structure had captured a noncatalytically competent state in lesion recognition. To gain further insight into this issue, we crystallized wild-type MutY bound to DNA containing a catalytically inactive analog of 2'-deoxyadenosine in which a single 2'-H atom was replaced by fluorine. The structure of this fluorinated lesion-recognition complex (FLRC) reveals the substrate adenine buried more deeply into the active site pocket than in the prior structure and now engaged in multiple direct hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. This structure appears to capture the catalytically competent state of adenine DNA glycosylases, and it suggests a catalytic mechanism for this class of enzymes, one in which general acid-catalyzed protonation of the nucleobase promotes glycosidic bond cleavage.« less

  5. Structural Basis for the Lesion-scanning Mechanism of the MutY DNA Glycosylase

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wang, Lan; Chakravarthy, Srinivas; Verdine, Gregory L.

    The highly mutagenic A:8-oxoguanine (oxoG) base pair is generated mainly by misreplication of the C:oxoG base pair, the oxidation product of the C:G base pair. The A:oxoG base pair is particularly insidious because neither base in it carries faithful information to direct the repair of the other. The bacterial MutY (MUTYH in humans) adenine DNA glycosylase is able to initiate the repair of A:oxoG by selectively cleaving the A base from the A:oxoG base pair. The difference between faithful repair and wreaking mutagenic havoc on the genome lies in the accurate discrimination between two structurally similar base pairs: A:oxoG andmore » A:T. Here we present two crystal structures of the MutY N-terminal domain in complex with either undamaged DNA or DNA containing an intrahelical lesion. These structures have captured for the first time a DNA glycosylase scanning the genome for a damaged base in the very first stage of lesion recognition and the base extrusion pathway. The mode of interaction observed here has suggested a common lesion-scanning mechanism across the entire helix-hairpin-helix superfamily to which MutY belongs. In addition, small angle X-ray scattering studies together with accompanying biochemical assays have suggested a possible role played by the C-terminal oxoG-recognition domain of MutY in lesion scanning.« less

  6. Expression and the Peculiar Enzymatic Behavior of the Trypanosoma cruzi NTH1 DNA Glycosylase

    PubMed Central

    Ormeño, Fernando; Barrientos, Camila; Ramirez, Santiago; Ponce, Iván; Valenzuela, Lucía; Sepúlveda, Sofía; Bitar, Mainá; Kemmerling, Ulrike; Machado, Carlos Renato; Cabrera, Gonzalo; Galanti, Norbel

    2016-01-01

    Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas’ disease, presents three cellular forms (trypomastigotes, epimastigotes and amastigotes), all of which are submitted to oxidative species in its hosts. However, T. cruzi is able to resist oxidative stress suggesting a high efficiency of its DNA repair machinery.The Base Excision Repair (BER) pathway is one of the main DNA repair mechanisms in other eukaryotes and in T. cruzi as well. DNA glycosylases are enzymes involved in the recognition of oxidative DNA damage and in the removal of oxidized bases, constituting the first step of the BER pathway. Here, we describe the presence and activity of TcNTH1, a nuclear T. cruzi DNA glycosylase. Surprisingly, purified recombinant TcNTH1 does not remove the thymine glycol base, but catalyzes the cleavage of a probe showing an AP site. The same activity was found in epimastigote and trypomastigote homogenates suggesting that the BER pathway is not involved in thymine glycol DNA repair. TcNTH1 DNA-binding properties assayed in silico are in agreement with the absence of a thymine glycol removing function of that parasite enzyme. Over expression of TcNTH1 decrease parasite viability when transfected epimastigotes are submitted to a sustained production of H2O2.Therefore, TcNTH1 is the only known NTH1 orthologous unable to eliminate thymine glycol derivatives but that recognizes and cuts an AP site, most probably by a beta-elimination mechanism. We cannot discard that TcNTH1 presents DNA glycosylase activity on other DNA base lesions. Accordingly, a different DNA repair mechanism should be expected leading to eliminate thymine glycol from oxidized parasite DNA. Furthermore, TcNTH1 may play a role in the AP site recognition and processing. PMID:27284968

  7. Regulation of human MutYH DNA glycosylase by the E3 ubiquitin ligase mule.

    PubMed

    Dorn, Julia; Ferrari, Elena; Imhof, Ralph; Ziegler, Nathalie; Hübscher, Ulrich

    2014-03-07

    Oxidation of DNA is a frequent and constantly occurring event. One of the best characterized oxidative DNA lesions is 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxo-G). It instructs most DNA polymerases to preferentially insert an adenine (A) opposite 8-oxo-G instead of the appropriate cytosine (C) thus showing miscoding potential. The MutY DNA glycosylase homologue (MutYH) recognizes A:8-oxo-G mispairs and removes the mispaired A giving way to the canonical base excision repair that ultimately restores undamaged guanine (G). Here we characterize for the first time in detail a posttranslational modification of the human MutYH DNA glycosylase. We show that MutYH is ubiquitinated in vitro and in vivo by the E3 ligase Mule between amino acids 475 and 535. Mutation of five lysine residues in this region significantly stabilizes MutYH, suggesting that these are the target sites for ubiquitination. The endogenous MutYH protein levels depend on the amount of expressed Mule. Furthermore, MutYH and Mule physically interact. We found that a ubiquitination-deficient MutYH mutant shows enhanced binding to chromatin. The mutation frequency of the ovarian cancer cell line A2780, analyzed at the HPRT locus can be increased upon oxidative stress and depends on the MutYH levels that are regulated by Mule. This reflects the importance of tightly regulated MutYH levels in the cell. In summary our data show that ubiquitination is an important regulatory mechanism for the essential MutYH DNA glycosylase in human cells.

  8. Base excision repair: NMR backbone assignments of Escherichia coli formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Buchko, Garry W.; Wallace, Susan S.; Kennedy, Michael A.

    2002-03-01

    Oxidative damage is emerging as one of the most important mechanisms responsible for mutagenesis, carcinogenesis, aging, and various diseases (Farr and Kogma, 1991). One of the potential targets for oxidation is cellular DNA. While exposure to exogenous agents, such as ionizing radiation and chemicals, contributes to damaging DNA, the most important oxidative agents are endogenous, such as the reactive free radicals produced during normal oxidative metabolism (Adelman et., 1988). To mitigate the potentially deleterious effects of oxidative DNA damage virtually all aerobic organisms have developed complex repair mechanisms (Petit and Sancar, 1999). One repair mechanism, base excision repair (BER), appearsmore » to be responsible for replacing most oxidative DNA damage (David and Williams, 1998). Formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase (Fpg), a 269-residue metalloprotein with a molecular weight of 30.2 kDa, is a key BER enzyme in prokaryotes (Boiteaux et al., 1987). Substrates recognized and released by Fpg include 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG), 2,6 diamino-4-hydroxy-5-formamido pyrimidine (Fapy-G), the adenine equivalents 8-oxoA and Fapy-A, 5-hydroxycytosine, 5-hydroxyuracil, B ureidoisobutiric acid, and a-R-hydroxy-B-ureidoisobutiric acid (Freidberg et al., 1995). In vitro Fpg bind double-stranded DNA and performs three catalytic activities: (i) DNA glycosylase, (ii) AP lyase, and (iii) deoxyribophosphodiesterase.« less

  9. Induction of NEIL1 and NEIL2 DNA glycosylases in aniline-induced splenic toxicity

    PubMed Central

    Ma, Huaxian; Wang, Jianling; Abdel-Rahman, Sherif Z.; Hazra, Tapas K.; Boor, Paul J.; Khan, M. Firoze

    2011-01-01

    The mechanisms by which aniline exposure elicits splenotoxic response, especially the tumorigenic response, are not well-understood. Earlier, we have shown that aniline-induced oxidative stress is associated with increased oxidative DNA damage in rat spleen. The base excision repair (BER) pathway is the major mechanism for the repair of oxidative DNA base lesions, and we have shown an up-regulation of 8-oxoguanine glycosylase 1 (OGG1), a specific DNA glycosylase involved in the removal of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) adducts, following aniline exposure. Nei-like DNA glycosylases (NEIL1/2) belong to a family of BER proteins that are distinct from other DNA glycosylases, including OGG1. However, contribution of NEIL1/2 in the repair of aniline-induced oxidative DNA damage in the spleen is not known. This study was, therefore, focused on evaluating if NEILs also contribute to the repair of oxidative DNA lesions in the spleen following aniline exposure. To achieve that, male SD rats were subchronically exposed to aniline (0.5 mmol/kg/day via drinking water for 30 days), while controls received drinking water only. The BER activity of NEIL1/2 was assayed using a bubble structure substrate containing 5-OHU (preferred substrates for NEIL1 and NEIL2) and by quantitating the cleavage products. Aniline treatment led to a 1.25-fold increase in the NEIL1/2-associated BER activity in the nuclear extracts of spleen compared to the controls. Real-time PCR analysis for NEIL1 and NEIL2 mRNA expression in the spleen revealed 2.7- and 3.9-fold increases, respectively, in aniline-treated rats compared to controls. Likewise, Western blot analysis showed that protein expression of NEIL1 and NEIL2 in the nuclear extract of spleens from aniline-treated rats was 2.0- and 3.8-fold higher than controls, respectively. Aniline treatment also led to stronger immunoreactivity for NEIL1 and NEIL2 in the spleens, confined to the red pulp areas. These studies, thus, show that aniline

  10. Structural and biophysical analysis of interactions between cod and human uracil-DNA N-glycosylase (UNG) and UNG inhibitor (Ugi)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Assefa, Netsanet Gizaw; Niiranen, Laila; University of Turku, FIN-20014 Turku

    2014-08-01

    A structural and biophysical study of the interactions between cod and human uracil-DNA N-glycosylase (UNG) and their inhibitor Ugi is presented. The stronger interaction between cod UNG and Ugi can be explained by a greater positive electrostatic surface potential. Uracil-DNA N-glycosylase from Atlantic cod (cUNG) shows cold-adapted features such as high catalytic efficiency, a low temperature optimum for activity and reduced thermal stability compared with its mesophilic homologue human UNG (hUNG). In order to understand the role of the enzyme–substrate interaction related to the cold-adapted properties, the structure of cUNG in complex with a bacteriophage encoded natural UNG inhibitor (Ugi)more » has been determined. The interaction has also been analyzed by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The crystal structure of cUNG–Ugi was determined to a resolution of 1.9 Å with eight complexes in the asymmetric unit related through noncrystallographic symmetry. A comparison of the cUNG–Ugi complex with previously determined structures of UNG–Ugi shows that they are very similar, and confirmed the nucleotide-mimicking properties of Ugi. Biophysically, the interaction between cUNG and Ugi is very strong and shows a binding constant (K{sub b}) which is one order of magnitude larger than that for hUNG–Ugi. The binding of both cUNG and hUNG to Ugi was shown to be favoured by both enthalpic and entropic forces; however, the binding of cUNG to Ugi is mainly dominated by enthalpy, while the entropic term is dominant for hUNG. The observed differences in the binding properties may be explained by an overall greater positive electrostatic surface potential in the protein–Ugi interface of cUNG and the slightly more hydrophobic surface of hUNG.« less

  11. Crystal Structures of Two Archaeal 8-Oxoguanine DNA Glycosylases Provide Structural Insight into Guanine/8-Oxoguanine Distinction

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Faucher, Frédérick; Duclos, Stéphanie; Bandaru, Viswanath

    Among the four DNA bases, guanine is particularly vulnerable to oxidative damage and the most common oxidative product, 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG), is the most prevalent lesion observed in DNA molecules. Fortunately, 8-oxoG is recognized and excised by the 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (Ogg) of the base excision repair pathway. Ogg enzymes are divided into three separate families, namely, Ogg1, Ogg2, and archaeal GO glycosylase (AGOG). To date, structures of members of both Ogg1 and AGOG families are known but no structural information is available for members of Ogg2. Here we describe the first crystal structures of two archaeal Ogg2: Methanocaldococcus janischii Oggmore » and Sulfolobus solfataricus Ogg. A structural comparison with OGG1 and AGOG suggested that the C-terminal lysine of Ogg2 may play a key role in discriminating between guanine and 8-oxoG. This prediction was substantiated by measuring the glycosylase/lyase activity of a C-terminal deletion mutant of MjaOgg.« less

  12. Alkylpurine glycosylase D employs DNA sculpting as a strategy to extrude and excise damaged bases.

    PubMed

    Kossmann, Bradley; Ivanov, Ivaylo

    2014-07-01

    Alkylpurine glycosylase D (AlkD) exhibits a unique base excision strategy. Instead of interacting directly with the lesion, the enzyme engages the non-lesion DNA strand. AlkD induces flipping of the alkylated and opposing base accompanied by DNA stack compression. Since this strategy leaves the alkylated base solvent exposed, the means to achieve enzymatic cleavage had remained unclear. We determined a minimum energy path for flipping out a 3-methyl adenine by AlkD and computed a potential of mean force along this path to delineate the energetics of base extrusion. We show that AlkD acts as a scaffold to stabilize three distinct DNA conformations, including the final extruded state. These states are almost equivalent in free energy and separated by low barriers. Thus, AlkD acts by sculpting the global DNA conformation to achieve lesion expulsion from DNA. N-glycosidic bond scission is then facilitated by a backbone phosphate group proximal to the alkylated base.

  13. Expression and function of AtMBD4L, the single gene encoding the nuclear DNA glycosylase MBD4L in Arabidopsis.

    PubMed

    Nota, Florencia; Cambiagno, Damián A; Ribone, Pamela; Alvarez, María E

    2015-06-01

    DNA glycosylases recognize and excise damaged or incorrect bases from DNA initiating the base excision repair (BER) pathway. Methyl-binding domain protein 4 (MBD4) is a member of the HhH-GPD DNA glycosylase superfamily, which has been well studied in mammals but not in plants. Our knowledge on the plant enzyme is limited to the activity of the Arabidopsis recombinant protein MBD4L in vitro. To start evaluating MBD4L in its biological context, we here characterized the structure, expression and effects of its gene, AtMBD4L. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that AtMBD4L belongs to one of the seven families of HhH-GPD DNA glycosylase genes existing in plants, and is unique on its family. Two AtMBD4L transcripts coding for active enzymes were detected in leaves and flowers. Transgenic plants expressing the AtMBD4L:GUS gene confined GUS activity to perivascular leaf tissues (usually adjacent to hydathodes), flowers (anthers at particular stages of development), and the apex of immature siliques. MBD4L-GFP fusion proteins showed nuclear localization in planta. Interestingly, overexpression of the full length MBD4L, but not a truncated enzyme lacking the DNA glycosylase domain, induced the BER gene LIG1 and enhanced tolerance to oxidative stress. These results suggest that endogenous MBD4L acts on particular tissues, is capable of activating BER, and may contribute to repair DNA damage caused by oxidative stress. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of uracil-DNA glycosylase from Sulfolobus tokodaii strain 7

    PubMed Central

    Kawai, Akito; Higuchi, Shigesada; Tsunoda, Masaru; Nakamura, Kazuo T.; Miyamoto, Shuichi

    2012-01-01

    Uracil-DNA glycosylase (UDG) specifically removes uracil from DNA by catalyzing hydrolysis of the N-glycosidic bond, thereby initiating the base-excision repair pathway. Although a number of UDG structures have been determined, the structure of archaeal UDG remains unknown. In this study, a deletion mutant of UDG isolated from Sulfolobus tokodaii strain 7 (stoUDGΔ) and stoUDGΔ complexed with uracil were crystallized and analyzed by X-ray crystallography. The crystals were found to belong to the orthorhombic space group P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 52.2, b = 52.3, c = 74.7 Å and a = 52.1, b = 52.2, c = 74.1 Å for apo stoUDGΔ and stoUDGΔ complexed with uracil, respectively. PMID:22949205

  15. Thymine DNA Glycosylase (TDG) is involved in the pathogenesis of intestinal tumors with reduced APC expression.

    PubMed

    Xu, Jinfei; Cortellino, Salvatore; Tricarico, Rossella; Chang, Wen-Chi; Scher, Gabrielle; Devarajan, Karthik; Slifker, Michael; Moore, Robert; Bassi, Maria Rosaria; Caretti, Elena; Clapper, Margie; Cooper, Harry; Bellacosa, Alfonso

    2017-10-27

    Thymine DNA Glycosylase (TDG) is a base excision repair enzyme that acts as a thymine and uracil DNA N-glycosylase on G:T and G:U mismatches, thus protecting CpG sites in the genome from mutagenesis by deamination. In addition, TDG has an epigenomic function by removing the novel cytosine derivatives 5-formylcytosine and 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC) generated by Ten-Eleven Translocation (TET) enzymes during active DNA demethylation. We and others previously reported that TDG is essential for mammalian development. However, its involvement in tumor formation is unknown. To study the role of TDG in tumorigenesis, we analyzed the effects of its inactivation in a well-characterized model of tumor predisposition, the Apc Min mouse strain. Mice bearing a conditional Tdg flox allele were crossed with Fabpl ::Cre transgenic mice, in the context of the Apc Min mutation, in order to inactivate Tdg in the small intestinal and colonic epithelium. We observed an approximately 2-fold increase in the number of small intestinal adenomas in the test Tdg -mutant Apc Min mice in comparison to control genotypes (p=0.0001). This increase occurred in female mice, and is similar to the known increase in intestinal adenoma formation due to oophorectomy. In the human colorectal cancer (CRC) TCGA database, the subset of patients with TDG and APC expression in the lowest quartile exhibits an excess of female cases. We conclude that TDG inactivation plays a role in intestinal tumorigenesis initiated by mutation/underexpression of APC . Our results also indicate that TDG may be involved in sex-specific protection from CRC.

  16. Expansion Mechanisms and Evolutionary History on Genes Encoding DNA Glycosylases and Their Involvement in Stress and Hormone Signaling

    PubMed Central

    Jiang, Shu-Ye; Ramachandran, Srinivasan

    2016-01-01

    DNA glycosylases catalyze the release of methylated bases. They play vital roles in the base excision repair pathway and might also function in DNA demethylation. At least three families of DNA glycosylases have been identified, which included 3′-methyladenine DNA glycosylase (MDG) I, MDG II, and HhH-GPD (Helix–hairpin–Helix and Glycine/Proline/aspartate (D)). However, little is known on their genome-wide identification, expansion, and evolutionary history as well as their expression profiling and biological functions. In this study, we have genome-widely identified and evolutionarily characterized these family members. Generally, a genome encodes only one MDG II gene in most of organisms. No MDG I or MDG II gene was detected in green algae. However, HhH-GPD genes were detectable in all available organisms. The ancestor species contain small size of MDG I and HhH-GPD families. These two families were mainly expanded through the whole-genome duplication and segmental duplication. They were evolutionarily conserved and were generally under purifying selection. However, we have detected recent positive selection among the Oryza genus, which might play roles in species divergence. Further investigation showed that expression divergence played important roles in gene survival after expansion. All of these family genes were expressed in most of developmental stages and tissues in rice plants. High ratios of family genes were downregulated by drought and fungus pathogen as well as abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA) treatments, suggesting a negative regulation in response to drought stress and pathogen infection through ABA- and/or JA-dependent hormone signaling pathway. PMID:27026054

  17. The oxidative DNA glycosylases of Mycobacterium tuberculosis exhibit different substrate preferences from their Escherichia coli counterparts

    PubMed Central

    Guo, Yin; Bandaru, Viswanath; Jaruga, Pawel; Zhao, Xiaobei; Burrows, Cynthia J.; Iwai, Shigenori; Dizdaroglu, Miral; Bond, Jeffrey P.; Wallace, Susan S.

    2010-01-01

    The DNA glycosylases that remove oxidized DNA bases fall into two general families: the Fpg/Nei family and the Nth superfamily. Based on protein sequence alignments, we identified four putative Fpg/Nei family members, as well as a putative Nth protein in Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. All four Fpg/Nei proteins were successfully overexpressed using a bicistronic vector created in our laboratory. The MtuNth protein was also overexpressed in soluble form. The substrate specificities of the purified enzymes were characterized in vitro with oligodeoxynucleotide substrates containing single lesions. Some were further characterized by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis of products released from γ-irradiated DNA. MtuFpg1 has a substrate specificity similar to that of EcoFpg. Both EcoFpg and MtuFpg1 are more efficient at removing spiroiminodihydantoin (Sp) than 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG). However, MtuFpg1 shows a substantially increased opposite base discrimination compared to EcoFpg. MtuFpg2 contains only the C-terminal domain of an Fpg protein and has no detectable DNA binding activity or DNA glycosylase/lyase activity and thus appears to be a pseudogene. MtuNei1 recognizes oxidized pyrimidines on both double-stranded and single-stranded DNA and exhibits uracil DNA glycosylase activity. MtuNth recognizes a variety of oxidized bases, including urea, 5,6-dihydrouracil (DHU), 5-hydroxyuracil (5-OHU), 5-hydroxycytosine (5-OHC) and methylhydantoin (MeHyd). Both MtuNei1 and MtuNth excise thymine glycol (Tg); however, MtuNei1 strongly prefers the (5R) isomers, whereas MtuNth recognizes only the (5S) isomers. MtuNei2 did not demonstrate activity in vitro as a recombinant protein, but like MtuNei1 when expressed in Escherichia coli, it decreased the spontaneous mutation frequency of both the fpg mutY nei triple and nei nth double mutants, suggesting that MtuNei2 is functionally active in vivo recognizing both guanine and cytosine oxidation products

  18. DNA translocation by human uracil DNA glycosylase: the case of single-stranded DNA and clustered uracils.

    PubMed

    Schonhoft, Joseph D; Stivers, James T

    2013-04-16

    Human uracil DNA glycosylase (hUNG) plays a central role in DNA repair and programmed mutagenesis of Ig genes, requiring it to act on sparsely or densely spaced uracil bases located in a variety of contexts, including U/A and U/G base pairs, and potentially uracils within single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). An interesting question is whether the facilitated search mode of hUNG, which includes both DNA sliding and hopping, changes in these different contexts. Here we find that hUNG uses an enhanced local search mode when it acts on uracils in ssDNA, and also, in a context where uracils are densely clustered in duplex DNA. In the context of ssDNA, hUNG performs an enhanced local search by sliding with a mean sliding length larger than that of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). In the context of duplex DNA, insertion of high-affinity abasic product sites between two uracil lesions serves to significantly extend the apparent sliding length on dsDNA from 4 to 20 bp and, in some cases, leads to directionally biased 3' → 5' sliding. The presence of intervening abasic product sites mimics the situation where hUNG acts iteratively on densely spaced uracils. The findings suggest that intervening product sites serve to increase the amount of time the enzyme remains associated with DNA as compared to nonspecific DNA, which in turn increases the likelihood of sliding as opposed to falling off the DNA. These findings illustrate how the search mechanism of hUNG is not predetermined but, instead, depends on the context in which the uracils are located.

  19. Chloroethyinitrosourea-derived ethano cytosine and adenine adducts are substrates for escherichia coli glycosylases excising analogous etheno adducts

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Guliaev, Anton B.; Singer, B.; Hang, Bo

    2004-05-05

    Exocyclic ethano DNA adducts are saturated etheno ring derivatives formed mainly by therapeutic chloroethylnitrosoureas (CNUs), which are also mutagenic and carcinogenic. In this work, we report that two of the ethano adducts, 3,N{sup 4}-ethanocytosine (EC) and 1,N{sup 6}-ethanoadenine (EA), are novel substrates for the Escherichia coli mismatch-specific uracil-DNA glycosylase (Mug) and 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylase II (AlkA), respectively. It has been shown previously that Mug excises 3,N{sup 4}-ethenocytosine ({var_epsilon}C) and AlkA releases 1,N{sup 6}-ethenoadenine ({var_epsilon}A). Using synthetic oligonucleotides containing a single ethano or etheno adduct, we found that both glycosylases had a {approx}20-fold lower excision activity toward EC or EA thanmore » that toward their structurally analogous {var_epsilon}C or {var_epsilon}A adduct. Both enzymes were capable of excising the ethano base paired with any of the four natural bases, but with varying efficiencies. The Mug activity toward EC could be stimulated by E. coli endonuclease IV and, more efficiently, by exonuclease III. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations showed similar structural features of the etheno and ethano derivatives when present in DNA duplexes. However, also as shown by MD, the stacking interaction between the EC base and Phe 30 in the Mug active site is reduced as compared to the {var_epsilon}C base, which could account for the lower EC activity observed in this study.« less

  20. Increased postischemic brain injury in mice deficient in uracil-DNA glycosylase

    PubMed Central

    Endres, Matthias; Biniszkiewicz, Detlev; Sobol, Robert W.; Harms, Christoph; Ahmadi, Michael; Lipski, Andreas; Katchanov, Juri; Mergenthaler, Philipp; Dirnagl, Ulrich; Wilson, Samuel H.; Meisel, Andreas; Jaenisch, Rudolf

    2004-01-01

    Uracil-DNA glycosylase (UNG) is involved in base excision repair of aberrant uracil residues in nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. Ung knockout mice generated by gene targeting are viable, fertile, and phenotypically normal and have regular mutation rates. However, when exposed to a nitric oxide donor, Ung–/– fibroblasts show an increase in the uracil/cytosine ratio in the genome and augmented cell death. After combined oxygen-glucose deprivation, Ung–/– primary cortical neurons have increased vulnerability to cell death, which is associated with early mitochondrial dysfunction. In vivo, UNG expression and activity are low in brains of naive WT mice but increase significantly after reversible middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion. Moreover, major increases in infarct size are observed in Ung–/– mice compared with littermate control mice. In conclusion, our results provide compelling evidence that UNG is of major importance for tissue repair after brain ischemia. PMID:15199406

  1. 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1-deficiency modifies allergic airway inflammation by regulating STAT6 and IL-4 in cells and in mice

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Background: 8-oxoguanine-DNA glycosylase (OGG-1) is an enzyme involved in DNA repair. OGG-1 has a potential role in regulating inflammation but its function in modulating allergic diseases remains undefined. Objectives: To investigate the role of OGG-1 in mediating allergic inflammation, we used OGG...

  2. 8-Oxoguanine DNA glycosylase1-driven DNA repair-A paradoxical role in lung aging.

    PubMed

    German, Peter; Saenz, David; Szaniszlo, Peter; Aguilera-Aguirre, Leopoldo; Pan, Lang; Hegde, Muralidhar L; Bacsi, Attila; Hajas, Gyorgy; Radak, Zsolt; Ba, Xueqing; Mitra, Sankar; Papaconstantinou, John; Boldogh, Istvan

    2017-01-01

    Age-associated changes in lung structure and function are some of the most important predictors of overall health, cognitive activities and longevity. Common to all aging cells is an increase in oxidatively modified DNA bases, primarily 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoG). It is repaired via DNA base excision repair pathway driven by 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase-1 (OGG1-BER), whose role in aging has been the focus of many studies. This study hypothesizes that signaling and consequent gene expression during cellular response to OGG1-BER "wires" senescence/aging processes. To test OGG1-BER was mimicked by repeatedly exposing diploid lung fibroblasts cells and airways of mice to 8-oxoG base. Results showed that repeated exposures led to G1 cell cycle arrest and pre-matured senescence of cultured cells in which over 1000 genes were differentially expressed -86% of them been identical to those in naturally senesced cells. Gene ontology analysis of gene expression displayed biological processes driven by small GTPases, phosphoinositide 3-kinase and mitogen activated kinase cascades both in cultured cells and lungs. These results together, points to a new paradigm about the role of DNA damage and repair by OGG1 in aging and age-associated disease processes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Combining H/D exchange mass spectroscopy and computational docking reveals extended DNA-binding surface on uracil-DNA glycosylase

    PubMed Central

    Roberts, Victoria A.; Pique, Michael E.; Hsu, Simon; Li, Sheng; Slupphaug, Geir; Rambo, Robert P.; Jamison, Jonathan W.; Liu, Tong; Lee, Jun H.; Tainer, John A.; Ten Eyck, Lynn F.; Woods, Virgil L.

    2012-01-01

    X-ray crystallography provides excellent structural data on protein–DNA interfaces, but crystallographic complexes typically contain only small fragments of large DNA molecules. We present a new approach that can use longer DNA substrates and reveal new protein–DNA interactions even in extensively studied systems. Our approach combines rigid-body computational docking with hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (DXMS). DXMS identifies solvent-exposed protein surfaces; docking is used to create a 3-dimensional model of the protein–DNA interaction. We investigated the enzyme uracil-DNA glycosylase (UNG), which detects and cleaves uracil from DNA. UNG was incubated with a 30 bp DNA fragment containing a single uracil, giving the complex with the abasic DNA product. Compared with free UNG, the UNG–DNA complex showed increased solvent protection at the UNG active site and at two regions outside the active site: residues 210–220 and 251–264. Computational docking also identified these two DNA-binding surfaces, but neither shows DNA contact in UNG–DNA crystallographic structures. Our results can be explained by separation of the two DNA strands on one side of the active site. These non-sequence-specific DNA-binding surfaces may aid local uracil search, contribute to binding the abasic DNA product and help present the DNA product to APE-1, the next enzyme on the DNA-repair pathway. PMID:22492624

  4. Loss of NEIL3 DNA glycosylase markedly increases replication associated double strand breaks and enhances sensitivity to ATR inhibitor in glioblastoma cells

    PubMed Central

    Klattenhoff, Alex W.; Thakur, Megha; Chu, Christopher S.; Ray, Debolina; Habib, Samy L.; Kidane, Dawit

    2017-01-01

    DNA endonuclease eight-like glycosylase 3 (NEIL3) is one of the DNA glycosylases that removes oxidized DNA base lesions from single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and non-B DNA structures. Approximately seven percent of human tumors have an altered NEIL3 gene. However, the role of NEIL3 in replication-associated repair and its impact on modulating treatment response is not known. Here, we report that NEIL3 is localized at the DNA double-strand break (DSB) sites during oxidative DNA damage and replication stress. Loss of NEIL3 significantly increased spontaneous replication-associated DSBs and recruitment of replication protein A (RPA). In contrast, we observed a marked decrease in Rad51 on nascent DNA strands at the replication fork, suggesting that HR-dependent repair is compromised in NEIL3-deficient cells. Interestingly, NEIL3-deficient cells were sensitive to ataxia–telangiectasia and Rad3 related protein (ATR) inhibitor alone or in combination with PARP1 inhibitor. This study elucidates the mechanism by which NEIL3 is critical to overcome oxidative and replication-associated genotoxic stress. Our findings may have important clinical implications to utilize ATR and PARP1 inhibitors to enhance cytotoxicity in tumors that carry altered levels of NEIL3. PMID:29348879

  5. DNA Glycosylases Involved in Base Excision Repair May Be Associated with Cancer Risk in BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutation Carriers

    PubMed Central

    Osorio, Ana; Milne, Roger L.; Kuchenbaecker, Karoline; Vaclová, Tereza; Pita, Guillermo; Alonso, Rosario; Peterlongo, Paolo; Blanco, Ignacio; de la Hoya, Miguel; Duran, Mercedes; Díez, Orland; Ramón y Cajal, Teresa; Konstantopoulou, Irene; Martínez-Bouzas, Cristina; Andrés Conejero, Raquel; Soucy, Penny; McGuffog, Lesley; Barrowdale, Daniel; Lee, Andrew; SWE-BRCA; Arver, Brita; Rantala, Johanna; Loman, Niklas; Ehrencrona, Hans; Olopade, Olufunmilayo I.; Beattie, Mary S.; Domchek, Susan M.; Nathanson, Katherine; Rebbeck, Timothy R.; Arun, Banu K.; Karlan, Beth Y.; Walsh, Christine; Lester, Jenny; John, Esther M.; Whittemore, Alice S.; Daly, Mary B.; Southey, Melissa; Hopper, John; Terry, Mary B.; Buys, Saundra S.; Janavicius, Ramunas; Dorfling, Cecilia M.; van Rensburg, Elizabeth J.; Steele, Linda; Neuhausen, Susan L.; Ding, Yuan Chun; Hansen, Thomas v. O.; Jønson, Lars; Ejlertsen, Bent; Gerdes, Anne-Marie; Infante, Mar; Herráez, Belén; Moreno, Leticia Thais; Weitzel, Jeffrey N.; Herzog, Josef; Weeman, Kisa; Manoukian, Siranoush; Peissel, Bernard; Zaffaroni, Daniela; Scuvera, Giulietta; Bonanni, Bernardo; Mariette, Frederique; Volorio, Sara; Viel, Alessandra; Varesco, Liliana; Papi, Laura; Ottini, Laura; Tibiletti, Maria Grazia; Radice, Paolo; Yannoukakos, Drakoulis; Garber, Judy; Ellis, Steve; Frost, Debra; Platte, Radka; Fineberg, Elena; Evans, Gareth; Lalloo, Fiona; Izatt, Louise; Eeles, Ros; Adlard, Julian; Davidson, Rosemarie; Cole, Trevor; Eccles, Diana; Cook, Jackie; Hodgson, Shirley; Brewer, Carole; Tischkowitz, Marc; Douglas, Fiona; Porteous, Mary; Side, Lucy; Walker, Lisa; Morrison, Patrick; Donaldson, Alan; Kennedy, John; Foo, Claire; Godwin, Andrew K.; Schmutzler, Rita Katharina; Wappenschmidt, Barbara; Rhiem, Kerstin; Engel, Christoph; Meindl, Alfons; Ditsch, Nina; Arnold, Norbert; Plendl, Hans Jörg; Niederacher, Dieter; Sutter, Christian; Wang-Gohrke, Shan; Steinemann, Doris; Preisler-Adams, Sabine; Kast, Karin; Varon-Mateeva, Raymonda; Gehrig, Andrea; Stoppa-Lyonnet, Dominique; Sinilnikova, Olga M.; Mazoyer, Sylvie; Damiola, Francesca; Poppe, Bruce; Claes, Kathleen; Piedmonte, Marion; Tucker, Kathy; Backes, Floor; Rodríguez, Gustavo; Brewster, Wendy; Wakeley, Katie; Rutherford, Thomas; Caldés, Trinidad; Nevanlinna, Heli; Aittomäki, Kristiina; Rookus, Matti A.; van Os, Theo A. M.; van der Kolk, Lizet; de Lange, J. L.; Meijers-Heijboer, Hanne E. J.; van der Hout, A. H.; van Asperen, Christi J.; Gómez Garcia, Encarna B.; Hoogerbrugge, Nicoline; Collée, J. Margriet; van Deurzen, Carolien H. M.; van der Luijt, Rob B.; Devilee, Peter; HEBON; Olah, Edith; Lázaro, Conxi; Teulé, Alex; Menéndez, Mireia; Jakubowska, Anna; Cybulski, Cezary; Gronwald, Jacek; Lubinski, Jan; Durda, Katarzyna; Jaworska-Bieniek, Katarzyna; Johannsson, Oskar Th.; Maugard, Christine; Montagna, Marco; Tognazzo, Silvia; Teixeira, Manuel R.; Healey, Sue; Investigators, kConFab; Olswold, Curtis; Guidugli, Lucia; Lindor, Noralane; Slager, Susan; Szabo, Csilla I.; Vijai, Joseph; Robson, Mark; Kauff, Noah; Zhang, Liying; Rau-Murthy, Rohini; Fink-Retter, Anneliese; Singer, Christian F.; Rappaport, Christine; Geschwantler Kaulich, Daphne; Pfeiler, Georg; Tea, Muy-Kheng; Berger, Andreas; Phelan, Catherine M.; Greene, Mark H.; Mai, Phuong L.; Lejbkowicz, Flavio; Andrulis, Irene; Mulligan, Anna Marie; Glendon, Gord; Toland, Amanda Ewart; Bojesen, Anders; Pedersen, Inge Sokilde; Sunde, Lone; Thomassen, Mads; Kruse, Torben A.; Jensen, Uffe Birk; Friedman, Eitan; Laitman, Yael; Shimon, Shani Paluch; Simard, Jacques; Easton, Douglas F.; Offit, Kenneth; Couch, Fergus J.; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Antoniou, Antonis C.; Benitez, Javier

    2014-01-01

    Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes involved in the DNA Base Excision Repair (BER) pathway could be associated with cancer risk in carriers of mutations in the high-penetrance susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2, given the relation of synthetic lethality that exists between one of the components of the BER pathway, PARP1 (poly ADP ribose polymerase), and both BRCA1 and BRCA2. In the present study, we have performed a comprehensive analysis of 18 genes involved in BER using a tagging SNP approach in a large series of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers. 144 SNPs were analyzed in a two stage study involving 23,463 carriers from the CIMBA consortium (the Consortium of Investigators of Modifiers of BRCA1 and BRCA2). Eleven SNPs showed evidence of association with breast and/or ovarian cancer at p<0.05 in the combined analysis. Four of the five genes for which strongest evidence of association was observed were DNA glycosylases. The strongest evidence was for rs1466785 in the NEIL2 (endonuclease VIII-like 2) gene (HR: 1.09, 95% CI (1.03–1.16), p = 2.7×10−3) for association with breast cancer risk in BRCA2 mutation carriers, and rs2304277 in the OGG1 (8-guanine DNA glycosylase) gene, with ovarian cancer risk in BRCA1 mutation carriers (HR: 1.12 95%CI: 1.03–1.21, p = 4.8×10−3). DNA glycosylases involved in the first steps of the BER pathway may be associated with cancer risk in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers and should be more comprehensively studied. PMID:24698998

  6. Pms2 and uracil-DNA glycosylases act jointly in the mismatch repair pathway to generate Ig gene mutations at A-T base pairs.

    PubMed

    Girelli Zubani, Giulia; Zivojnovic, Marija; De Smet, Annie; Albagli-Curiel, Olivier; Huetz, François; Weill, Jean-Claude; Reynaud, Claude-Agnès; Storck, Sébastien

    2017-04-03

    During somatic hypermutation (SHM) of immunoglobulin genes, uracils introduced by activation-induced cytidine deaminase are processed by uracil-DNA glycosylase (UNG) and mismatch repair (MMR) pathways to generate mutations at G-C and A-T base pairs, respectively. Paradoxically, the MMR-nicking complex Pms2/Mlh1 is apparently dispensable for A-T mutagenesis. Thus, how detection of U:G mismatches is translated into the single-strand nick required for error-prone synthesis is an open question. One model proposed that UNG could cooperate with MMR by excising a second uracil in the vicinity of the U:G mismatch, but it failed to explain the low impact of UNG inactivation on A-T mutagenesis. In this study, we show that uracils generated in the G1 phase in B cells can generate equal proportions of A-T and G-C mutations, which suggests that UNG and MMR can operate within the same time frame during SHM. Furthermore, we show that Ung -/- Pms2 -/- mice display a 50% reduction in mutations at A-T base pairs and that most remaining mutations at A-T bases depend on two additional uracil glycosylases, thymine-DNA glycosylase and SMUG1. These results demonstrate that Pms2/Mlh1 and multiple uracil glycosylases act jointly, each one with a distinct strand bias, to enlarge the immunoglobulin gene mutation spectrum from G-C to A-T bases. © 2017 Girelli Zubani et al.

  7. Pms2 and uracil-DNA glycosylases act jointly in the mismatch repair pathway to generate Ig gene mutations at A-T base pairs

    PubMed Central

    De Smet, Annie; Albagli-Curiel, Olivier; Huetz, François; Weill, Jean-Claude

    2017-01-01

    During somatic hypermutation (SHM) of immunoglobulin genes, uracils introduced by activation-induced cytidine deaminase are processed by uracil-DNA glycosylase (UNG) and mismatch repair (MMR) pathways to generate mutations at G-C and A-T base pairs, respectively. Paradoxically, the MMR-nicking complex Pms2/Mlh1 is apparently dispensable for A-T mutagenesis. Thus, how detection of U:G mismatches is translated into the single-strand nick required for error-prone synthesis is an open question. One model proposed that UNG could cooperate with MMR by excising a second uracil in the vicinity of the U:G mismatch, but it failed to explain the low impact of UNG inactivation on A-T mutagenesis. In this study, we show that uracils generated in the G1 phase in B cells can generate equal proportions of A-T and G-C mutations, which suggests that UNG and MMR can operate within the same time frame during SHM. Furthermore, we show that Ung−/−Pms2−/− mice display a 50% reduction in mutations at A-T base pairs and that most remaining mutations at A-T bases depend on two additional uracil glycosylases, thymine-DNA glycosylase and SMUG1. These results demonstrate that Pms2/Mlh1 and multiple uracil glycosylases act jointly, each one with a distinct strand bias, to enlarge the immunoglobulin gene mutation spectrum from G-C to A-T bases. PMID:28283534

  8. The NEIL1 G83D germline DNA glycosylase variant induces genomic instability and cellular transformation

    PubMed Central

    Galick, Heather A.; Marsden, Carolyn G.; Kathe, Scott; Dragon, Julie A.; Volk, Lindsay; Nemec, Antonia A.; Wallace, Susan S.; Prakash, Aishwarya; Doublié, Sylvie; Sweasy, Joann B.

    2017-01-01

    Base excision repair (BER) is a key genome maintenance pathway. The NEIL1 DNA glycosylase recognizes oxidized bases, and likely removes damage in advance of the replication fork. The rs5745906 SNP of the NEIL1 gene is a rare human germline variant that encodes the NEIL1 G83D protein, which is devoid of DNA glycosylase activity. Here we show that expression of G83D NEIL1 in MCF10A immortalized but non-transformed mammary epithelial cells leads to replication fork stress. Upon treatment with hydrogen peroxide, we observe increased levels of stalled replication forks in cells expressing G83D NEIL1 versus cells expressing the wild-type (WT) protein. Double-strand breaks (DSBs) arise in G83D-expressing cells during the S and G2/M phases of the cell cycle. Interestingly, these breaks result in genomic instability in the form of high levels of chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei. Cells expressing G83D also grow in an anchorage independent manner, suggesting that the genomic instability results in a carcinogenic phenotype. Our results are consistent with the idea that an inability to remove oxidative damage in an efficient manner at the replication fork leads to genomic instability and mutagenesis. We suggest that individuals who harbor the G83D NEIL1 variant face an increased risk for human cancer. PMID:29156764

  9. Step-by-step mechanism of DNA damage recognition by human 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase.

    PubMed

    Kuznetsova, Alexandra A; Kuznetsov, Nikita A; Ishchenko, Alexander A; Saparbaev, Murat K; Fedorova, Olga S

    2014-01-01

    Extensive structural studies of human DNA glycosylase hOGG1 have revealed essential conformational changes of the enzyme. However, at present there is little information about the time scale of the rearrangements of the protein structure as well as the dynamic behavior of individual amino acids. Using pre-steady-state kinetic analysis with Trp and 2-aminopurine fluorescence detection the conformational dynamics of hOGG1 wild-type (WT) and mutants Y203W, Y203A, H270W, F45W, F319W and K249Q as well as DNA-substrates was examined. The roles of catalytically important amino acids F45, Y203, K249, H270, and F319 in the hOGG1 enzymatic pathway and their involvement in the step-by-step mechanism of oxidative DNA lesion recognition and catalysis were elucidated. The results show that Tyr-203 participates in the initial steps of the lesion site recognition. The interaction of the His-270 residue with the oxoG base plays a key role in the insertion of the damaged base into the active site. Lys-249 participates not only in the catalytic stages but also in the processes of local duplex distortion and flipping out of the oxoG residue. Non-damaged DNA does not form a stable complex with hOGG1, although a complex with a flipped out guanine base can be formed transiently. The kinetic data obtained in this study significantly improves our understanding of the molecular mechanism of lesion recognition by hOGG1. © 2013.

  10. Toehold-mediated strand displacement reaction-dependent fluorescent strategy for sensitive detection of uracil-DNA glycosylase activity.

    PubMed

    Wu, Yushu; Wang, Lei; Jiang, Wei

    2017-03-15

    Sensitive detection of uracil-DNA glycosylase (UDG) activity is beneficial for evaluating the repairing process of DNA lesions. Here, toehold-mediated strand displacement reaction (TSDR)-dependent fluorescent strategy was constructed for sensitive detection of UDG activity. A single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) probe with two uracil bases and a trigger sequence were designed. A hairpin probe with toehold domain was designed, and a reporter probe was also designed. Under the action of UDG, two uracil bases were removed from ssDNA probe, generating apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites. Then, the AP sites could inhibit the TSDR between ssDNA probe and hairpin probe, leaving the trigger sequence in ssDNA probe still free. Subsequently, the trigger sequence was annealed with the reporter probe, initiating the polymerization and nicking amplification reaction. As a result, numerous G-quadruplex (G4) structures were formed, which could bind with N-methyl-mesoporphyrin IX (NMM) to generate enhanced fluorescent signal. In the absence of UDG, the ssDNA probe could hybridize with the toehold domain of the hairpin probe to initiate TSDR, blocking the trigger sequence, and then the subsequent amplification reaction would not occur. The proposed strategy was successfully implemented for detecting UDG activity with a detection limit of 2.7×10 -5 U/mL. Moreover, the strategy could distinguish UDG well from other interference enzymes. Furthermore, the strategy was also applied for detecting UDG activity in HeLa cells lysate with low effect of cellular components. These results indicated that the proposed strategy offered a promising tool for sensitive quantification of UDG activity in UDG-related function study and disease prognosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Destabilization of the PCNA trimer mediated by its interaction with the NEIL1 DNA glycosylase

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Prakash, Aishwarya; Moharana, Kedar; Wallace, Susan S.

    The base excision repair (BER) pathway repairs oxidized lesions in the DNA that result from reactive oxygen species generated in cells. If left unrepaired, these damaged DNA bases can disrupt cellular processes such as replication. NEIL1 is one of the 11 human DNA glycosylases that catalyze the first step of the BER pathway, i.e. recognition and excision of DNA lesions. NEIL1 interacts with essential replication proteins such as the ring-shaped homotrimeric proliferating cellular nuclear antigen (PCNA). We isolated a complex formed between NEIL1 and PCNA (±DNA) using size exclusion chromatography (SEC). This interaction was confirmed using native gel electrophoresis andmore » mass spectrometry. Stokes radii measured by SEC hinted that PCNA in complex with NEIL1 (±DNA) was no longer a trimer. Height measurements and images obtained by atomic force microscopy also demonstrated the dissociation of the PCNA homotrimer in the presence of NEIL1 and DNA, while small-angle X-ray scattering analysis confirmed the NEIL1 mediated PCNA trimer dissociation and formation of a 1:1:1 NEIL1-DNA-PCNA(monomer) complex. Furthermore, ab initio shape reconstruction provides insights into the solution structure of this previously unreported complex. Together, these data point to a potential mechanistic switch between replication and BER.« less

  12. Oxidized Guanine Base Lesions Function in 8-Oxoguanine DNA Glycosylase-1-mediated Epigenetic Regulation of Nuclear Factor κB-driven Gene Expression*

    PubMed Central

    Pan, Lang; Hao, Wenjing; Ba, Xueqing

    2016-01-01

    A large percentage of redox-responsive gene promoters contain evolutionarily conserved guanine-rich clusters; guanines are the bases most susceptible to oxidative modification(s). Consequently, 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) is one of the most abundant base lesions in promoters and is primarily repaired via the 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase-1 (OOG1)-initiated base excision repair pathway. In view of a prompt cellular response to oxidative challenge, we hypothesized that the 8-oxoG lesion and the cognate repair protein OGG1 are utilized in transcriptional gene activation. Here, we document TNFα-induced enrichment of both 8-oxoG and OGG1 in promoters of pro-inflammatory genes, which precedes interaction of NF-κB with its DNA-binding motif. OGG1 bound to 8-oxoG upstream from the NF-κB motif increased its DNA occupancy by promoting an on-rate of both homodimeric and heterodimeric forms of NF-κB. OGG1 depletion decreased both NF-κB binding and gene expression, whereas Nei-like glycosylase-1 and -2 had a marginal effect. These results are the first to document a novel paradigm wherein the DNA repair protein OGG1 bound to its substrate is coupled to DNA occupancy of NF-κB and functions in epigenetic regulation of gene expression. PMID:27756845

  13. RPA physically interacts with the human DNA glycosylase NEIL1 to regulate excision of oxidative DNA base damage in primer-template structures.

    PubMed

    Theriot, Corey A; Hegde, Muralidhar L; Hazra, Tapas K; Mitra, Sankar

    2010-06-04

    The human DNA glycosylase NEIL1, activated during the S-phase, has been shown to excise oxidized base lesions in single-strand DNA substrates. Furthermore, our previous work demonstrating functional interaction of NEIL1 with PCNA and flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) suggested its involvement in replication-associated repair. Here we show interaction of NEIL1 with replication protein A (RPA), the heterotrimeric single-strand DNA binding protein that is essential for replication and other DNA transactions. The NEIL1 immunocomplex isolated from human cells contains RPA, and its abundance in the complex increases after exposure to oxidative stress. NEIL1 directly interacts with the large subunit of RPA (K(d) approximately 20 nM) via the common interacting interface (residues 312-349) in NEIL1's disordered C-terminal region. RPA inhibits the base excision activity of both wild-type NEIL1 (389 residues) and its C-terminal deletion CDelta78 mutant (lacking the interaction domain) for repairing 5-hydroxyuracil (5-OHU) in a primer-template structure mimicking the DNA replication fork. This inhibition is reduced when the damage is located near the primer-template junction. Contrarily, RPA moderately stimulates wild-type NEIL1 but not the CDelta78 mutant when 5-OHU is located within the duplex region. While NEIL1 is inhibited by both RPA and Escherichia coli single-strand DNA binding protein, only inhibition by RPA is relieved by PCNA. These results showing modulation of NEIL1's activity on single-stranded DNA substrate by RPA and PCNA support NEIL1's involvement in repairing the replicating genome. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Restoration of Cognitive Performance in Mice Carrying a Deficient Allele of 8-Oxoguanine DNA Glycosylase by X-ray Irradiation.

    PubMed

    Hofer, Tim; Duale, Nur; Muusse, Martine; Eide, Dag Marcus; Dahl, Hildegunn; Boix, Fernando; Andersen, Jannike M; Olsen, Ann Karin; Myhre, Oddvar

    2018-05-01

    Environmental stressors inducing oxidative stress such as ionizing radiation may influence cognitive function and neuronal plasticity. Recent studies have shown that transgenic mice deficient of DNA glycosylases display unexpected cognitive deficiencies related to changes in gene expression in the hippocampus. The main objectives of the present study were to determine learning and memory performance in C57BL/6NTac 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 (Ogg1) +/- (heterozygote) and Ogg1 +/+ (wild type, WT) mice, to study whether a single acute X-ray challenge (0.5 Gy, dose rate 0.457 Gy/min) influenced the cognitive performance in the Barnes maze, and if such differences were related to changes in gene expression levels in the hippocampus. We found that the Ogg1 +/- mice exhibited poorer early-phase learning performance compared to the WT mice. Surprisingly, X-ray exposure of the Ogg1 +/- animals improved their early-phase learning performance. No persistent effects on memory in the late-phase (6 weeks after irradiation) were observed. Our results further suggest that expression of 3 (Adrb1, Il1b, Prdx6) out of in total 35 genes investigated in the Ogg1 +/- hippocampus is correlated to spatial learning in the Barnes maze.

  15. Sensitization of human carcinoma cells to alkylating agents by small interfering RNA suppression of 3-alkyladenine-DNA glycosylase.

    PubMed

    Paik, Johanna; Duncan, Tod; Lindahl, Tomas; Sedgwick, Barbara

    2005-11-15

    One of the major cytotoxic lesions generated by alkylating agents is DNA 3-alkyladenine, which can be excised by 3-alkyladenine DNA glycosylase (AAG). Inhibition of AAG may therefore result in increased cellular sensitivity to chemotherapeutic alkylating agents. To investigate this possibility, we have examined the role of AAG in protecting human tumor cells against such agents. Plasmids that express small interfering RNAs targeted to two different regions of AAG mRNA were transfected into HeLa cervical carcinoma cells and A2780-SCA ovarian carcinoma cells. Stable derivatives of both cell types with low AAG protein levels were sensitized to alkylating agents. Two HeLa cell lines with AAG protein levels reduced by at least 80% to 90% displayed a 5- to 10-fold increase in sensitivity to methyl methanesulfonate, N-methyl-N-nitrosourea, and the chemotherapeutic drugs temozolomide and 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea. These cells showed no increase in sensitivity to UV light or ionizing radiation. After treatment with methyl methanesulfonate, AAG knockdown HeLa cells were delayed in S phase but accumulated in G2-M. Our data support the hypothesis that ablation of AAG activity in human tumor cells may provide a useful strategy to enhance the efficacy of current chemotherapeutic regimens that include alkylating agents.

  16. The formation of catalytically competent enzyme-substrate complex is not a bottleneck in lesion excision by human alkyladenine DNA glycosylase.

    PubMed

    Kuznetsov, N A; Kiryutin, A S; Kuznetsova, A A; Panov, M S; Barsukova, M O; Yurkovskaya, A V; Fedorova, O S

    2017-04-01

    Human alkyladenine DNA glycosylase (AAG) protects DNA from alkylated and deaminated purine lesions. AAG flips out the damaged nucleotide from the double helix of DNA and catalyzes the hydrolysis of the N-glycosidic bond to release the damaged base. To understand better, how the step of nucleotide eversion influences the overall catalytic process, we performed a pre-steady-state kinetic analysis of AAG interaction with specific DNA-substrates, 13-base pair duplexes containing in the 7th position 1-N6-ethenoadenine (εA), hypoxanthine (Hx), and the stable product analogue tetrahydrofuran (F). The combination of the fluorescence of tryptophan, 2-aminopurine, and 1-N6-ethenoadenine was used to record conformational changes of the enzyme and DNA during the processes of DNA lesion recognition, damaged base eversion, excision of the N-glycosidic bond, and product release. The thermal stability of the duplexes characterized by the temperature of melting, T m , and the rates of spontaneous opening of individual nucleotide base pairs were determined by NMR spectroscopy. The data show that the relative thermal stability of duplexes containing a particular base pair in position 7, (T m (F/T) < T m (εA/T) < T m (Hx/T) < T m (A/T)) correlates with the rate of reversible spontaneous opening of the base pair. However, in contrast to that, the catalytic lesion excision rate is two orders of magnitude higher for Hx-containing substrates than for substrates containing εA, proving that catalytic activity is not correlated with the stability of the damaged base pair. Our study reveals that the formation of the catalytically competent enzyme-substrate complex is not the bottleneck controlling the catalytic activity of AAG.

  17. Aag DNA Glycosylase Promotes Alkylation-Induced Tissue Damage Mediated by Parp1

    PubMed Central

    Calvo, Jennifer A.; Moroski-Erkul, Catherine A.; Lake, Annabelle; Eichinger, Lindsey W.; Shah, Dharini; Jhun, Iny; Limsirichai, Prajit; Bronson, Roderick T.; Christiani, David C.; Meira, Lisiane B.; Samson, Leona D.

    2013-01-01

    Alkylating agents comprise a major class of front-line cancer chemotherapeutic compounds, and while these agents effectively kill tumor cells, they also damage healthy tissues. Although base excision repair (BER) is essential in repairing DNA alkylation damage, under certain conditions, initiation of BER can be detrimental. Here we illustrate that the alkyladenine DNA glycosylase (AAG) mediates alkylation-induced tissue damage and whole-animal lethality following exposure to alkylating agents. Aag-dependent tissue damage, as observed in cerebellar granule cells, splenocytes, thymocytes, bone marrow cells, pancreatic β-cells, and retinal photoreceptor cells, was detected in wild-type mice, exacerbated in Aag transgenic mice, and completely suppressed in Aag −/− mice. Additional genetic experiments dissected the effects of modulating both BER and Parp1 on alkylation sensitivity in mice and determined that Aag acts upstream of Parp1 in alkylation-induced tissue damage; in fact, cytotoxicity in WT and Aag transgenic mice was abrogated in the absence of Parp1. These results provide in vivo evidence that Aag-initiated BER may play a critical role in determining the side-effects of alkylating agent chemotherapies and that Parp1 plays a crucial role in Aag-mediated tissue damage. PMID:23593019

  18. Detection of HIV-1 by digoxigenin-labelled PCR and microtitre plate solution hybridisation assay and prevention of PCR carry-over by uracil-N-glycosylase.

    PubMed

    King, J A; Ball, J K

    1993-09-01

    An extremely sensitive and convenient microtiter plate solution hybridisation assay for the detection of HIV-1 PCR products was developed. The PCR product is labelled by direct incorporation of digoxigenin-dUTP and after denaturation is captured by a microtitre plate coated with a streptavidin-linked biotinylated probe. The PCR/probe hybrids are reacted with an alkaline phosphate conjugated anti-digoxigenin antibody and detected using an alkaline phosphatase enzyme amplification system. The use of uracil-N-glycosylase and dUTP instead of dTTP in the PCR is used to effectively control carry-over from previous PCR products. The assay can detect single HIV-1 DNA molecules in a background DNA of 0.75 microgram.

  19. Oxidative Stress-Mediated Overexpression of Uracil DNA Glycosylase in Leishmania donovani Confers Tolerance against Antileishmanial Drugs

    PubMed Central

    Mishra, Anshul; Khan, Mohd. Imran; Jha, Pravin K.; Kumar, Ajay; Das, Prolay; Das, Pradeep

    2018-01-01

    Leishmania donovani is an intracellular protozoan parasite that causes endemic tropical disease visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Present drugs used against this fatal disease are facing resistance and toxicity issues. Survival of leishmania inside the host cells depends on the parasite's capacity to cope up with highly oxidative environment. Base excision repair (BER) pathway in L. donovani remains unexplored. We studied uracil DNA glycosylase (UNG), the key enzyme involved in BER pathway, and found that the glycosylase activity of recombinant LdUNG (Leishmania donovani UNG) expressed in E. coli is in sync with the activity of the parasite lysate under different reaction conditions. Overexpression of UNG in the parasite enhances its tolerance towards various agents which produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) and shows a higher infectivity in macrophages. Surprisingly, exposure of parasite to amphotericin B and sodium antimony gluconate upregulates the expression of UNG. Further, we found that the drug resistant parasites isolated from VL patients show higher expression of UNG. Mechanisms of action of some currently used drugs include accumulation of ROS. Our findings strongly suggest that targeting LdUNG would be an attractive therapeutic strategy as well as potential measure to tackle the problem of drug resistance in the treatment of leishmaniasis. PMID:29636843

  20. Synthesis and structure of duplex DNA containing the genotoxic nucleobase lesion N7-methylguanine

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lee, S.; Bowman, B.R.; Ueno, Y.

    2008-11-03

    The predominant product of aberrant DNA methylation is the genotoxic lesion N7-methyl-2{prime}-deoxyguanosine (m{sup 7}dG). M{sup 7}dG is recognized and excised by lesion-specific DNA glycosylases, namely AlkA in E. coli and Aag in humans. Structural studies of m{sup 7}dG recognition and catalysis by these enzymes have been hampered due to a lack of efficient means by which to incorporate the chemically labile m{sup 7}dG moiety site-specifically into DNA on a preparative scale. Here we report a solution to this problem. We stabilized the lesion toward acid-catalyzed and glycosylase-catalyzed depurination by 2{prime}-fluorination and toward base-catalyzed degradation using mild, nonaqueous conditions in themore » DNA deprotection reaction. Duplex DNA containing 2{prime}-fluoro-m{sup 7}dG (Fm{sup 7}dG) cocrystallized with AlkA as a host-guest complex in which the lesion-containing segment of DNA was nearly devoid of protein contacts, thus enabling the first direct visualization of the N7-methylguanine lesion nucleobase in DNA. The structure reveals that the base-pairing mode of Fm{sup 7}dG:C is nearly identical to that of G:C, and Fm{sup 7}dG does not induce any apparent structural disturbance of the duplex structure. These observations suggest that AlkA and Aag must perform a structurally invasive interrogation of DNA in order to detect the presence of intrahelical m{sup 7}dG lesions.« less

  1. Conformational Dynamics of DNA Repair by Escherichia coli Endonuclease III*

    PubMed Central

    Kuznetsov, Nikita A.; Kladova, Olga A.; Kuznetsova, Alexandra A.; Ishchenko, Alexander A.; Saparbaev, Murat K.; Zharkov, Dmitry O.; Fedorova, Olga S.

    2015-01-01

    Escherichia coli endonuclease III (Endo III or Nth) is a DNA glycosylase with a broad substrate specificity for oxidized or reduced pyrimidine bases. Endo III possesses two types of activities: N-glycosylase (hydrolysis of the N-glycosidic bond) and AP lyase (elimination of the 3′-phosphate of the AP-site). We report a pre-steady-state kinetic analysis of structural rearrangements of the DNA substrates and uncleavable ligands during their interaction with Endo III. Oligonucleotide duplexes containing 5,6-dihydrouracil, a natural abasic site, its tetrahydrofuran analog, and undamaged duplexes carried fluorescent DNA base analogs 2-aminopurine and 1,3-diaza-2-oxophenoxazine as environment-sensitive reporter groups. The results suggest that Endo III induces several fast sequential conformational changes in DNA during binding, lesion recognition, and adjustment to a catalytically competent conformation. A comparison of two fluorophores allowed us to distinguish between the events occurring in the damaged and undamaged DNA strand. Combining our data with the available structures of Endo III, we conclude that this glycosylase uses a multistep mechanism of damage recognition, which likely involves Gln41 and Leu81 as DNA lesion sensors. PMID:25869130

  2. Integrating DNA structure switch with branched hairpins for the detection of uracil-DNA glycosylase activity and inhibitor screening.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Jing; Hao, Qijie; Liu, Yi; Guo, Zhaohui; Rustam, Buayxigul; Jiang, Wei

    2018-03-01

    The detection of uracil-DNA glycosylase (UDG) activity is pivotal for its biochemical studies and the development of drugs for UDG-related diseases. Here, we explored an integrated DNA structure switch for high sensitive detection of UDG activity. The DNA structure switch containing two branched hairpins was employed to recognize UDG enzyme and generate fluorescent signal. Under the action of UDG, one branched hairpin was impelled folding into a close conformation after the excision of the single uracil. This reconfigured hairpin could immediately initiate the polymerization/nicking amplification reaction of another branched hairpin accompanying with the release of numerous G-quadruplexes (G4s). In the absence of UDG, the DNA structure switch kept its original configuration, and thus the subsequent polymerization/nicking reaction was inhibited, resulting in the release of few G4 strands. In this work, Thioflavin T was used as signal reporter to target G4s. By integrating the DNA structure switch, the quick response and high sensitivity for UDG determination was achieved and a low detection limit of 0.0001U/mL was obtained, which was superior to the most fluorescent methods for UDG assay. The repeatability of the as-proposed strategy was demonstrated under the concentration of 0.02U/mL and 0.002U/mL, the relative standard deviation obtained from 5 successive samples were 1.7% and 2.8%, respectively. The integrated DNA structure switch strategy proposed here has the potential application for the study of mechanism and function of UDG enzyme and the screening the inhibitors as potential drugs and biochemical tools. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Excited triplet state of N-(9-methylpurin-6-yl)pyridinium cation as an efficient photosensitizer in the oxidation of sulfur-containing amino acids. Laser flash and steady-state photolysis studies

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Marciniak, B.; Hug, G.L.; Bobrowski, K.

    1995-01-11

    In this paper, we present and discuss the results of a detailed mechanistic study of the photosensitized oxidation of sulfur-containing amino acids by N-(9-methylpurin-6-yl)pyridinium cations in aqueous solution. The results provide data on the photoreactivity of the pyridinium salts (derived from the purine bases) in the presence of the electron donors such as sulfur-containing organic compounds and give new experimental evidence for the general mechanism of the sensitized photooxidation of thioethers proposed previously. 39 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs.

  4. Overexpression of the base excision repair NTHL1 glycosylase causes genomic instability and early cellular hallmarks of cancer

    PubMed Central

    Limpose, Kristin L; Trego, Kelly S; Li, Zhentian; Leung, Sara W; Sarker, Altaf H; Shah, Jason A; Ramalingam, Suresh S; Werner, Erica M; Dynan, William S; Cooper, Priscilla K; Corbett, Anita H; Doetsch, Paul W

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Base excision repair (BER), which is initiated by DNA N-glycosylase proteins, is the frontline for repairing potentially mutagenic DNA base damage. The NTHL1 glycosylase, which excises DNA base damage caused by reactive oxygen species, is thought to be a tumor suppressor. However, in addition to NTHL1 loss-of-function mutations, our analysis of cancer genomic datasets reveals that NTHL1 frequently undergoes amplification or upregulation in some cancers. Whether NTHL1 overexpression could contribute to cancer phenotypes has not yet been explored. To address the functional consequences of NTHL1 overexpression, we employed transient overexpression. Both NTHL1 and a catalytically-dead NTHL1 (CATmut) induce DNA damage and genomic instability in non-transformed human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEC) when overexpressed. Strikingly, overexpression of either NTHL1 or CATmut causes replication stress signaling and a decrease in homologous recombination (HR). HBEC cells that overexpress NTHL1 or CATmut acquire the ability to grow in soft agar and exhibit loss of contact inhibition, suggesting that a mechanism independent of NTHL1 catalytic activity contributes to acquisition of cancer-related cellular phenotypes. We provide evidence that NTHL1 interacts with the multifunctional DNA repair protein XPG suggesting that interference with HR is a possible mechanism that contributes to acquisition of early cellular hallmarks of cancer. PMID:29522130

  5. Expression of human oxoguanine glycosylase 1 or formamidopyrimidine glycosylase in human embryonic kidney 293 cells exacerbates methylmercury toxicity in vitro

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ondovcik, Stephanie L.; Preston, Thomas J.; McCallum, Gordon P.

    Exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) acutely at high levels, or via chronic low-level dietary exposure from daily fish consumption, can lead to adverse neurological effects in both the adult and developing conceptus. To determine the impact of variable DNA repair capacity, and the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidatively damaged DNA in the mechanism of toxicity, transgenic human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells that stably express either human oxoguanine glycosylase 1 (hOgg1) or its bacterial homolog, formamidopyrimidine glycosylase (Fpg), which primarily repair the oxidative lesion 8-oxo-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG), were used to assess the in vitro effects of MeHg. Western blottingmore » confirmed the expression of hOgg1 or Fpg in both the nuclear and mitochondrial compartments of their respective cell lines. Following acute (1–2 h) incubations with 0–10 μM MeHg, concentration-dependent decreases in clonogenic survival and cell growth accompanied concentration-dependent increases in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, ROS formation, 8-oxodG levels and apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites, consistent with the onset of cytotoxicity. Paradoxically, hOgg1- and Fpg-expressing HEK 293 cells were more sensitive than wild-type cells stably transfected with the empty vector control to MeHg across all cellular and biochemical parameters, exhibiting reduced clonogenic survival and cell growth, and increased LDH release and DNA damage. Accordingly, upregulation of specific components of the base excision repair (BER) pathway may prove deleterious potentially due to the absence of compensatory enhancement of downstream processes to repair toxic intermediary abasic sites. Thus, interindividual variability in DNA repair activity may constitute an important risk factor for environmentally-initiated, oxidatively damaged DNA and its pathological consequences. - Highlights: • hOgg1 and Fpg repair oxidatively damaged DNA. • hOgg1- and Fpg-expressing cells are more

  6. Human cells contain a factor that facilitates the DNA glycosylase-mediated excision of oxidized bases from occluded sites in nucleosomes.

    PubMed

    Maher, R L; Marsden, C G; Averill, A M; Wallace, S S; Sweasy, J B; Pederson, D S

    2017-09-01

    Reactive oxygen species generate some 20,000 base lesions per human cell per day. The vast majority of these potentially mutagenic or cytotoxic lesions are subject to base excision repair (BER). Although chromatin remodelers have been shown to enhance the excision of oxidized bases from nucleosomes in vitro, it is not clear that they are recruited to and act at sites of BER in vivo. To test the hypothesis that cells possess factors that enhance BER in chromatin, we assessed the capacity of nuclear extracts from human cells to excise thymine glycol (Tg) lesions from exogenously added, model nucleosomes. The DNA glycosylase NTHL1 in these extracts was able to excise Tg from both naked DNA and sites in nucleosomes that earlier studies had shown to be sterically accessible. However, the same extracts were able to excise lesions from sterically-occluded sites in nucleosomes only after the addition of Mg 2+ /ATP. Gel mobility shift assays indicated that nucleosomes remain largely intact following the Mg 2+ /ATP -dependent excision reaction. Size exclusion chromatography indicated that the NTHL1-stimulating activity has a relatively low molecular weight, close to that of NTHL1 and other BER glycosylases; column fractions that contained the very large chromatin remodeling complexes did not exhibit this same stimulatory activity. These results indicate that cells possess a factor(s) that promotes the initiation of BER in chromatin, but differs from most known chromatin remodeling complexes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. The contribution of Nth and Nei DNA glycosylases to mutagenesis in Mycobacterium smegmatis.

    PubMed

    Moolla, Nabiela; Goosens, Vivianne J; Kana, Bavesh D; Gordhan, Bhavna G

    2014-01-01

    The increased prevalence of drug resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) indicates that significant mutagenesis occurs during tuberculosis disease in humans. DNA damage by host-derived reactive oxygen/nitrogen species is hypothesized to be critical for the mutagenic process in Mtb thus, highlighting an important role for DNA repair enzymes in maintenance of genome fidelity. Formamidopyrimidine (Fpg/MutM/Fapy) and EndonucleaseVIII (Nei) constitute the Fpg/Nei family of DNA glycosylases and together with EndonucleaseIII (Nth) are central to the base excision repair pathway in bacteria. In this study we assess the contribution of Nei and Nth DNA repair enzymes in Mycobacterium smegmatis (Msm), which retains a single nth homologue and duplications of the Fpg (fpg1 and fpg2) and Nei (nei1 and nei2) homologues. Using an Escherichia coli nth deletion mutant, we confirm the functionality of the mycobacterial nth gene in the base excision repair pathway. Msm mutants lacking nei1, nei2 and nth individually or in combination did not display aberrant growth in broth culture. Deletion of nth individually results in increased UV-induced mutagenesis and combinatorial deletion with the nei homologues results in reduced survival under oxidative stress conditions and an increase in spontaneous mutagenesis to rifampicin. Deletion of nth together with the fpg homolgues did not result in any growth/survival defects or changes in mutation rate. Furthermore, no differential emergence of the common rifampicin resistance conferring genotypes were noted. Collectively, these data confirm a role for Nth in base excision repair in mycobacteria and further highlight a novel interplay between the Nth and Nei homologues in spontaneous mutagenesis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Ancestor of land plants acquired the DNA-3-methyladenine glycosylase (MAG) gene from bacteria through horizontal gene transfer.

    PubMed

    Fang, Huimin; Huangfu, Liexiang; Chen, Rujia; Li, Pengcheng; Xu, Shuhui; Zhang, Enying; Cao, Wei; Liu, Li; Yao, Youli; Liang, Guohua; Xu, Chenwu; Zhou, Yong; Yang, Zefeng

    2017-08-24

    The origin and evolution of land plants was an important event in the history of life and initiated the establishment of modern terrestrial ecosystems. From water to terrestrial environments, plants needed to overcome the enhanced ultraviolet (UV) radiation and many other DNA-damaging agents. Evolving new genes with the function of DNA repair is critical for the origin and radiation of land plants. In bacteria, the DNA-3-methyladenine glycosylase (MAG) recognizes of a variety of base lesions and initiates the process of the base excision repair for damaged DNA. The homologs of MAG gene are present in all major lineages of streptophytes, and both the phylogenic and sequence similarity analyses revealed that green plant MAG gene originated through an ancient horizontal gene transfer (HGT) event from bacteria. Experimental evidence demonstrated that the expression of the maize ZmMAG gene was induced by UV and zeocin, both of which are known as DNA-damaging agents. Further investigation revealed that Streptophyta MAG genes had undergone positive selection during the initial evolutionary period in the ancestor of land plants. Our findings demonstrated that the ancient HGT of MAG to the ancestor of land plants probably played an important role in preadaptation to DNA-damaging agents in terrestrial environments.

  9. Mitochondrial-targeted DNA repair enzyme 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 protects against ventilator-induced lung injury in intact mice.

    PubMed

    Hashizume, Masahiro; Mouner, Marc; Chouteau, Joshua M; Gorodnya, Olena M; Ruchko, Mykhaylo V; Potter, Barry J; Wilson, Glenn L; Gillespie, Mark N; Parker, James C

    2013-02-15

    This study tested the hypothesis that oxidative mitochondrial-targeted DNA (mtDNA) damage triggered ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI). Control mice and mice infused with a fusion protein targeting the DNA repair enzyme, 8-oxoguanine-DNA glycosylase 1 (OGG1) to mitochondria were mechanically ventilated with a range of peak inflation pressures (PIP) for specified durations. In minimal VILI (1 h at 40 cmH(2)O PIP), lung total extravascular albumin space increased 2.8-fold even though neither lung wet/dry (W/D) weight ratios nor bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2 or IL-6 failed to differ from nonventilated or low PIP controls. This increase in albumin space was attenuated by OGG1. Moderately severe VILI (2 h at 40 cmH(2)O PIP) produced a 25-fold increase in total extravascular albumin space, a 60% increase in W/D weight ratio and marked increases in BAL MIP-2 and IL-6, accompanied by oxidative mitochondrial DNA damage, as well as decreases in the total tissue glutathione (GSH) and GSH/GSSH ratio compared with nonventilated lungs. All of these injury indices were attenuated in OGG1-treated mice. At the highest level of VILI (2 h at 50 cmH(2)O PIP), OGG1 failed to protect against massive lung edema and BAL cytokines or against depletion of the tissue GSH pool. Interestingly, whereas untreated mice died before completing the 2-h protocol, OGG1-treated mice lived for the duration of observation. Thus mitochondrially targeted OGG1 prevented VILI over a range of ventilation times and pressures and enhanced survival in the most severely injured group. These findings support the concept that oxidative mtDNA damage caused by high PIP triggers induction of acute lung inflammation and injury.

  10. N-acetylcysteine normalizes the urea cycle and DNA repair in cells from patients with Batten disease.

    PubMed

    Kim, June-Bum; Lim, Nary; Kim, Sung-Jo; Heo, Tae-Hwe

    2012-12-01

    Batten disease is an inherited disorder characterized by early onset neurodegeneration due to the mutation of the CLN3 gene. The function of the CLN3 protein is not clear, but an association with oxidative stress has been proposed. Oxidative stress and DNA damage play critical roles in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Antioxidants are of interest because of their therapeutic potential for treating neurodegenerative diseases. We tested whether N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a well-known antioxidant, improves the pathology of cells from patients with Batten disease. At first, the expression levels of urea cycle components and DNA repair enzymes were compared between Batten disease cells and normal cells. We used both mRNA expression levels and Western blot analysis. We found that carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1, an enzyme involved in the urea cycle, 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 and DNA polymerase beta, enzymes involved in DNA repair, were expressed at higher levels in Batten disease cells than in normal cells. The treatment of Batten disease cells with NAC for 48 h attenuated activities of the urea cycle and of DNA repair, as indicated by the substantially decreased expression levels of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1, 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 and DNA polymerase beta proteins compared with untreated Batten cells. NAC may serve in alleviating the burden of urea cycle and DNA repair processes in Batten disease cells. We propose that NAC may have beneficial effects in patients with Batten disease. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. Entrapment and Structure of an Extrahelical Guanine Attempting to Enter the Active Site of a Bacterial DNA Glycosylase, MutM

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Qi, Yan; Spong, Marie C.; Nam, Kwangho

    2010-09-21

    MutM, a bacterial DNA glycosylase, protects genome integrity by catalyzing glycosidic bond cleavage of 8-oxoguanine (oxoG) lesions, thereby initiating base excision DNA repair. The process of searching for and locating oxoG lesions is especially challenging, because of the close structural resemblance of oxoG to its million-fold more abundant progenitor, G. Extrusion of the target nucleobase from the DNA double helix to an extrahelical position is an essential step in lesion recognition and catalysis by MutM. Although the interactions between the extruded oxoG and the active site of MutM have been well characterized, little is known in structural detail regarding themore » interrogation of extruded normal DNA bases by MutM. Here we report the capture and structural elucidation of a complex in which MutM is attempting to present an undamaged G to its active site. The structure of this MutM-extrahelical G complex provides insights into the mechanism MutM employs to discriminate against extrahelical normal DNA bases and into the base extrusion process in general.« less

  12. Oxidatively Generated Guanine(C8)-Thymine(N3) Intrastrand Cross-links in Double-stranded DNA Are Repaired by Base Excision Repair Pathways*

    PubMed Central

    Talhaoui, Ibtissam; Shafirovich, Vladimir; Liu, Zhi; Saint-Pierre, Christine; Akishev, Zhiger; Matkarimov, Bakhyt T.; Gasparutto, Didier; Geacintov, Nicholas E.; Saparbaev, Murat

    2015-01-01

    Oxidatively generated guanine radical cations in DNA can undergo various nucleophilic reactions including the formation of C8-guanine cross-links with adjacent or nearby N3-thymines in DNA in the presence of O2. The G*[C8-N3]T* lesions have been identified in the DNA of human cells exposed to oxidative stress, and are most likely genotoxic if not removed by cellular defense mechanisms. It has been shown that the G*[C8-N3]T* lesions are substrates of nucleotide excision repair in human cell extracts. Cleavage at the sites of the lesions was also observed but not further investigated (Ding et al. (2012) Nucleic Acids Res. 40, 2506–2517). Using a panel of eukaryotic and prokaryotic bifunctional DNA glycosylases/lyases (NEIL1, Nei, Fpg, Nth, and NTH1) and apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonucleases (Apn1, APE1, and Nfo), the analysis of cleavage fragments by PAGE and MALDI-TOF/MS show that the G*[C8-N3]T* lesions in 17-mer duplexes are incised on either side of G*, that none of the recovered cleavage fragments contain G*, and that T* is converted to a normal T in the 3′-fragment cleavage products. The abilities of the DNA glycosylases to incise the DNA strand adjacent to G*, while this base is initially cross-linked with T*, is a surprising observation and an indication of the versatility of these base excision repair proteins. PMID:25903131

  13. Evaluating the Substrate Selectivity of Alkyladenine DNA Glycosylase: The Synergistic Interplay of Active Site Flexibility and Water Reorganization.

    PubMed

    Lenz, Stefan A P; Wetmore, Stacey D

    2016-02-09

    Human alkyladenine DNA glycosylase (AAG) functions as part of the base excision repair (BER) pathway by cleaving the N-glycosidic bond that connects nucleobases to the sugar-phosphate backbone in DNA. AAG targets a range of structurally diverse purine lesions using nonspecific DNA-protein π-π interactions. Nevertheless, the enzyme discriminates against the natural purines and is inhibited by pyrimidine lesions. This study uses molecular dynamics simulations and seven different neutral or charged substrates, inhibitors, or canonical purines to probe how the bound nucleotide affects the conformation of the AAG active site, and the role of active site residues in dictating substrate selectivity. The neutral substrates form a common DNA-protein hydrogen bond, which results in a consistent active site conformation that maximizes π-π interactions between the aromatic residues and the nucleobase required for catalysis. Nevertheless, subtle differences in DNA-enzyme contacts for different neutral substrates explain observed differential catalytic efficiencies. In contrast, the exocyclic amino groups of the natural purines clash with active site residues, which leads to catalytically incompetent DNA-enzyme complexes due to significant reorganization of active site water. Specifically, water resides between the A nucleobase and the active site aromatic amino acids required for catalysis, while a shift in the position of the general base (E125) repositions (potentially nucleophilic) water away from G. Despite sharing common amino groups, the methyl substituents in cationic purine lesions (3MeA and 7MeG) exhibit repulsion with active site residues, which repositions the damaged bases in the active site in a manner that promotes their excision. Overall, we provide a structural explanation for the diverse yet discriminatory substrate selectivity of AAG and rationalize key kinetic data available for the enzyme. Specifically, our results highlight the complex interplay of many

  14. Impact of psychostimulants and atomoxetine on the expression of 8-hydroxyguanine glycosylase 1 in human cells.

    PubMed

    Schmidt, Andreas Johannes; Clement, Hans-Willi; Gebhardt, Stefan; Hemmeter, Ulrich Michael; Schulz, Eberhard; Krieg, Jürgen-Christian; Kircher, Tilo; Heiser, Philip

    2010-06-01

    Oxidative DNA damage as one sign of reactive oxygen species induced oxidative stress is an important factor in the pathogenesis of various psychiatric disorders. Altered levels of DNA base damage products as well as the expression of the main repair enzyme 8-hydroxyguanine glycosylase 1 have been described. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of drugs (amphetamine, methylphenidate and atomoxetine) used in the treatment of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder on the expression of this enzyme via reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y and human monocytic U-937 cells at concentrations of 50, 500 and 5,000 ng/ml. We observed decreased expression of this enzyme for all applied substances. In U-937 cells, the significance level was reached after treatment with 5,000 ng/ml amphetamine as well as after treatment with 50, 500 and 5,000 ng/ml atomoxetine. Incubation of SH-SY5Y cells with 50 and 5,000 ng/ml amphetamine and 5,000 ng/ml methylphenidate led to significant decreases of 8-hydroxyguanine glycosylase 1. As a positive correlation between the expression of 8-hydroxyguanine glycosylase 1 and the level of oxidative DNA damage products has been described, we accordingly consider these substances (amphetamine, methylphenidate and atomoxetine) to possibly play a protective role in this process.

  15. DNA Damage Induced Neuronal Death

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1999-10-01

    heterozygous for the DNA repair genes Os-methylguanine methyltransferase (Mgmt), 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylase (Aag) , and xeroderma pigmentosum ...mice by human 06-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase. Science 1993; 259: 219-222. 4. Enokido Y, Inamura N, Araki T, et al: Loss of the xeroderma ... pigmentosum group A gene (XPA) enhances apoptosis of cultured cerebellar neurons induced by UV but not by low-K+ medium. J Neurochem 199; 69: 246-251. 5

  16. Excision Repair-Initiated Enzyme-Assisted Bicyclic Cascade Signal Amplification for Ultrasensitive Detection of Uracil-DNA Glycosylase.

    PubMed

    Wang, Li-Juan; Ren, Ming; Zhang, Qianyi; Tang, Bo; Zhang, Chun-Yang

    2017-04-18

    Uracil-DNA glycosylase (UDG) is an important base excision repair (BER) enzyme responsible for the repair of uracil-induced DNA lesion and the maintenance of genomic integrity, while the aberrant expression of UDG is associated with a variety of cancers. Thus, the accurate detection of UDG activity is essential to biomedical research and clinical diagnosis. Here, we develop a fluorescent method for ultrasensitive detection of UDG activity using excision repair-initiated enzyme-assisted bicyclic cascade signal amplification. This assay involves (1) UDG-actuated uracil-excision repair, (2) excision repair-initiated nicking enzyme-mediated isothermal exponential amplification, (3) ribonuclease H (RNase H)-induced hydrolysis of signal probes for generating fluorescence signal. The presence of UDG enables the removal of uracil from U·A pairs and generates an apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) site. Endonuclease IV (Endo IV) subsequently cleaves the AP site, resulting in the break of DNA substrate. The cleaved DNA substrate functions as both a primer and a template to initiate isothermal exponential amplification, producing a large number of triggers. The resultant trigger may selectively hybridize with the signal probe which is modified with FAM and BHQ1, forming a RNA-DNA heterogeneous duplex. The subsequent hydrolysis of RNA-DNA duplex by RNase H leads to the generation of fluorescence signal. This assay exhibits ultrahigh sensitivity with a detection limit of 0.0001 U/mL, and it can even measure UDG activity at the single-cell level. Moreover, this method can be applied for the measurement of kinetic parameters and the screening of inhibitors, thereby providing a powerful tool for DNA repair enzyme-related biomedical research and clinical diagnosis.

  17. Mutants of the base excision repair glycosylase, endonuclease III: DNA charge transport as a first step in lesion detection.

    PubMed

    Romano, Christine A; Sontz, Pamela A; Barton, Jacqueline K

    2011-07-12

    Endonuclease III (EndoIII) is a base excision repair glycosylase that targets damaged pyrimidines and contains a [4Fe-4S] cluster. We have proposed a model where BER proteins that contain redox-active [4Fe-4S] clusters utilize DNA charge transport (CT) as a first step in the detection of DNA lesions. Here, several mutants of EndoIII were prepared to probe their efficiency of DNA/protein charge transport. Cyclic voltammetry experiments on DNA-modified electrodes show that aromatic residues F30, Y55, Y75, and Y82 help mediate charge transport between DNA and the [4Fe-4S] cluster. On the basis of circular dichroism studies to measure protein stability, mutations at residues W178 and Y185 are found to destabilize the protein; these residues may function to protect the [4Fe-4S] cluster. Atomic force microscopy studies furthermore reveal a correlation in the ability of mutants to carry out protein/DNA CT and their ability to relocalize onto DNA strands containing a single base mismatch; EndoIII mutants that are defective in carrying out DNA/protein CT do not redistribute onto mismatch-containing strands, consistent with our model. These results demonstrate a link between the ability of the repair protein to carry out DNA CT and its ability to relocalize near lesions, thus pointing to DNA CT as a key first step in the detection of base damage in the genome.

  18. Mutants of the Base Excision Repair Glycosylase, Endonuclease III: DNA Charge Transport as a First Step in Lesion Detection

    PubMed Central

    Romano, Christine A.; Sontz, Pamela A.; Barton, Jacqueline K.

    2011-01-01

    Endonuclease III (EndoIII) is a base excision repair glycosylase that targets damaged pyrimidines and contains a [4Fe-4S] cluster. We have proposed a model where BER proteins that contain redox-active [4Fe-4S] clusters utilize DNA charge transport (CT) as a first step in the detection of DNA lesions. Here, several mutants of EndoIII were prepared to probe their efficiency of DNA/protein charge transport. Cyclic voltammetry experiments on DNA-modified electrodes show that aromatic residues F30, Y55, Y75 and Y82 help mediate charge transport between DNA and the [4Fe-4S] cluster. Based on circular dichroism studies to measure protein stability, mutations at residues W178 and Y185 are found to destabilize the protein; these residues may function to protect the [4Fe-4S] cluster. Atomic force microscopy studies furthermore reveal a correlation in the ability of mutants to carry out protein/DNA CT and their ability to relocalize onto DNA strands containing a single base mismatch; EndoIII mutants that are defective in carrying out DNA/protein CT do not redistribute onto mismatch-containing strands, consistent with our model. These results demonstrate a link between the ability of the repair protein to carry out DNA CT and its ability to relocalize near lesions, thus pointing to DNA CT as a key first step in the detection of base damage in the genome. PMID:21651304

  19. Oxidatively Generated Guanine(C8)-Thymine(N3) Intrastrand Cross-links in Double-stranded DNA Are Repaired by Base Excision Repair Pathways.

    PubMed

    Talhaoui, Ibtissam; Shafirovich, Vladimir; Liu, Zhi; Saint-Pierre, Christine; Akishev, Zhiger; Matkarimov, Bakhyt T; Gasparutto, Didier; Geacintov, Nicholas E; Saparbaev, Murat

    2015-06-05

    Oxidatively generated guanine radical cations in DNA can undergo various nucleophilic reactions including the formation of C8-guanine cross-links with adjacent or nearby N3-thymines in DNA in the presence of O2. The G*[C8-N3]T* lesions have been identified in the DNA of human cells exposed to oxidative stress, and are most likely genotoxic if not removed by cellular defense mechanisms. It has been shown that the G*[C8-N3]T* lesions are substrates of nucleotide excision repair in human cell extracts. Cleavage at the sites of the lesions was also observed but not further investigated (Ding et al. (2012) Nucleic Acids Res. 40, 2506-2517). Using a panel of eukaryotic and prokaryotic bifunctional DNA glycosylases/lyases (NEIL1, Nei, Fpg, Nth, and NTH1) and apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonucleases (Apn1, APE1, and Nfo), the analysis of cleavage fragments by PAGE and MALDI-TOF/MS show that the G*[C8-N3]T* lesions in 17-mer duplexes are incised on either side of G*, that none of the recovered cleavage fragments contain G*, and that T* is converted to a normal T in the 3'-fragment cleavage products. The abilities of the DNA glycosylases to incise the DNA strand adjacent to G*, while this base is initially cross-linked with T*, is a surprising observation and an indication of the versatility of these base excision repair proteins. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  20. Visualizing the Search for Radiation-damaged DNA Bases in Real Time.

    PubMed

    Lee, Andrea J; Wallace, Susan S

    2016-11-01

    The Base Excision Repair (BER) pathway removes the vast majority of damages produced by ionizing radiation, including the plethora of radiation-damaged purines and pyrimidines. The first enzymes in the BER pathway are DNA glycosylases, which are responsible for finding and removing the damaged base. Although much is known about the biochemistry of DNA glycosylases, how these enzymes locate their specific damage substrates among an excess of undamaged bases has long remained a mystery. Here we describe the use of single molecule fluorescence to observe the bacterial DNA glycosylases, Nth, Fpg and Nei, scanning along undamaged and damaged DNA. We show that all three enzymes randomly diffuse on the DNA molecule and employ a wedge residue to search for and locate damage. The search behavior of the Escherichia coli DNA glycosylases likely provides a paradigm for their homologous mammalian counterparts.

  1. Visualizing the search for radiation-damaged DNA bases in real time

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Andrea J.; Wallace, Susan S.

    2016-11-01

    The Base Excision Repair (BER) pathway removes the vast majority of damages produced by ionizing radiation, including the plethora of radiation-damaged purines and pyrimidines. The first enzymes in the BER pathway are DNA glycosylases, which are responsible for finding and removing the damaged base. Although much is known about the biochemistry of DNA glycosylases, how these enzymes locate their specific damage substrates among an excess of undamaged bases has long remained a mystery. Here we describe the use of single molecule fluorescence to observe the bacterial DNA glycosylases, Nth, Fpg and Nei, scanning along undamaged and damaged DNA. We show that all three enzymes randomly diffuse on the DNA molecule and employ a wedge residue to search for and locate damage. The search behavior of the Escherichia coli DNA glycosylases likely provides a paradigm for their homologous mammalian counterparts.

  2. Molecular dynamics simulation of the opposite-base preference and interactions in the active site of formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase.

    PubMed

    Popov, Alexander V; Endutkin, Anton V; Vorobjev, Yuri N; Zharkov, Dmitry O

    2017-05-08

    Formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase (Fpg) removes abundant pre-mutagenic 8-oxoguanine (oxoG) bases from DNA through nucleophilic attack of its N-terminal proline at C1' of the damaged nucleotide. Since oxoG efficiently pairs with both C and A, Fpg must excise oxoG from pairs with C but not with A, otherwise a mutation occurs. The crystal structures of several Fpg-DNA complexes have been solved, yet no structure with A opposite the lesion is available. Here we use molecular dynamic simulation to model interactions in the pre-catalytic complex of Lactococcus lactis Fpg with DNA containing oxoG opposite C or A, the latter in either syn or anti conformation. The catalytic dyad, Pro1-Glu2, was modeled in all four possible protonation states. Only one transition was observed in the experimental reaction rate pH dependence plots, and Glu2 kept the same set of interactions regardless of its protonation state, suggesting that it does not limit the reaction rate. The adenine base opposite oxoG was highly distorting for the adjacent nucleotides: in the more stable syn models it formed non-canonical bonds with out-of-register nucleotides in both the damaged and the complementary strand, whereas in the anti models the adenine either formed non-canonical bonds or was expelled into the major groove. The side chains of Arg109 and Phe111 that Fpg inserts into DNA to maintain its kinked conformation tended to withdraw from their positions if A was opposite to the lesion. The region showing the largest differences in the dynamics between oxoG:C and oxoG:A substrates was unexpectedly remote from the active site, located near the linker joining the two domains of Fpg. This region was also highly conserved among 124 analyzed Fpg sequences. Three sites trapping water molecules through multiple bonds were identified on the protein-DNA interface, apparently helping to maintain enzyme-induced DNA distortion and participating in oxoG recognition. Overall, the discrimination against A

  3. Characterization of GM-CSF-inhibitory factor and Uracil DNA glycosylase encoding genes from camel pseudocowpoxvirus.

    PubMed

    Nagarajan, G; Swami, Shelesh Kumar; Dahiya, Shyam Singh; Narnaware, S D; Mehta, S C; Singh, P K; Singh, Raghvendar; Tuteja, F C; Patil, N V

    2015-06-01

    The present study describes the PCR amplification of GM-CSF-inhibitory factor (GIF) and Uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) encoding genes of pseudocowpoxvirus (PCPV) from the Indian Dromedaries (Camelus dromedarius) infected with contagious ecthyma using the primers based on the corresponding gene sequences of human PCPV and reindeer PCPV, respectively. The length of GIF gene of PCPV obtained from camel is 795 bp and due to the addition of one cytosine residue at position 374 and one adenine residue at position 516, the open reading frame (ORF) got altered, resulting in the production of truncated polypeptide. The ORF of UDG encoding gene of camel PCPV is 696 bp encoding a polypeptide of 26.0 kDa. Comparison of amino acid sequence homologies of GIF and UDG of camel PCPV revealed that the camel PCPV is closer to ORFV and PCPV (reference stains of both human and reindeer), respectively. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Altered DNA Methylation and Expression Profiles of 8-Oxoguanine DNA Glycosylase 1 in Lens Tissue from Age-related Cataract Patients.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yong; Li, Fei; Zhang, Guowei; Kang, Lihua; Qin, Bai; Guan, Huaijin

    2015-01-01

    Oxidative stress and DNA damage contribute to the pathogenesis of age-related cataract (ARC). Most oxidative DNA lesions are repaired via the base excision repair (BER) proteins including 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 (OGG1). This study examined DNA methylation of CpG islands upstream of OGG1 and their relation to the gene expression in lens cortex from ARC patients. The clinical case-control study consisted of 15 cortical type of ARC patients and 15 age-matched non-ARC controls who received transparent lens extraction due to vitreoretinal diseases. OGG1 expression in lens cortex was analyzed by qRT-PCR and Western blot. The localization and the proportion of cells positive for OGG1 were determined by immunofluorescence. Bisulfite-sequencing PCR (BSP) was performed to evaluate the methylation status of CpG islands near OGG1 in DNA extracted from lens cortex. To test relationship between the methylation and the expression of the gene of interest, 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-dC) was used to induce demethylation of cultured human lens epithelium B-3 (HLE B-3). To test the role of OGG1 in the repair of cellular damage, HLE B-3 was transfected with OGG1 vector, followed by ultraviolet radiation b (UVB) exposure to induce apoptosis. The mRNA and protein levels of OGG1 were significantly reduced in the lens cortex of ARC. Immunofluorescence showed that the proportion of OGG1-positive cells decreased significantly in ARC cortex in comparison with the control. The CpG island in first exon of OGG1 displayed hypermethylation in the DNA extracted from the lens cortex of ARC. Treatment of HLEB-3 cells with 5-Aza-dC upregulated OGG1 expression. UVB-induced apoptosis was attenuated after transfection with OGG1. A reduced OGG1 expression was correlated with hypermethylation of a CpG island of OGG1 in lens cortex of ARC. The role of epigenetic change in OGG1 gene in the susceptibility to oxidative stress induced cortical ARC is warranted to further study.

  5. Embryonic lethality in mice lacking mismatch-specific thymine DNA glycosylase is partially prevented by DOPS, a precursor of noradrenaline.

    PubMed

    Saito, Yusuke; Ono, Tetsuya; Takeda, Naoki; Nohmi, Takehiko; Seki, Masayuki; Enomoto, Takemi; Noda, Tetsuo; Uehara, Yoshihiko

    2012-01-01

    Thymine DNA glycosylase (TDG) is involved in the repair of G:T and G:U mismatches caused by hydrolytic deamination of 5-methylcytosine and cytosine, respectively. Recent studies have shown that TDG not only has G-T/U glycosylase activities but also acts in the maintaining proper epigenetic status. In order to investigate the function of TDG in vivo, mice lacking Tdg, Tdg (-/-), were generated. Tdg mutant mice died in utero by 11.5 days post coitum (dpc), although there were no significant differences in the spontaneous mutant frequencies between wild type and Tdg (-/-) embryos. On the other hand, the levels of noradrenaline in 10.5 dpc whole embryos, which is necessary for normal embryogenesis, were dramatically reduced in Tdg (-/-) embryos. Consequently, we tested the effect of D, L-threo-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylserine (DOPS), a synthetic precursor of noradrenaline, on the survival of the Tdg (-/-) embryos. DOPS was given to pregnant Tdg (+/-) mice from 6.5 dpc through drinking water. Most of the Tdg (-/-) embryos were alive at 11.5 dpc, and they were partially rescued up to 14.5 dpc by the administration of DOPS. In contrast, the administration of L-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) had marginal effects on Tdg (-/-) embryonic lethality. No embryo was alive without DOPS beyond 11.5 dpc, suggesting that the lethality in (-/-) embryos is partially due to the reduction of noradrenaline. These results suggest that embryonic lethality in Tdg (-/-) embryos is due, in part, to the reduction of noradrenaline levels.

  6. Reaction products from N-methyl-N-nitrosourea and deoxyribonucleic acid containing thymidine residues. Synthesis and identification of a new methylation product, O4-methyl-thymidine

    PubMed Central

    Lawley, P. D.; Orr, D. J.; Shah, S. A.; Farmer, P. B.; Jarman, M.

    1973-01-01

    1. DNA was treated with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea at pH7–8, 37°C, degraded to yield 3- and 7-methylpurines and deoxyribonucleosides and the reaction products were separated by chromatography on ion-exchange resins. The following methods for identification and determination of products were used: with unlabelled N-methyl-N-nitrosourea, u.v. absorption; use of methyl-14C-labelled N-methyl-N-nitrosourea and use of [14C]thymine-labelled DNA. 2. The synthesis of O4-methylthymidine and its identification by u.v. and mass spectroscopy are reported. 3. 3-Methylthymidine and O4-methylthymidine were found as methylation products from N-methyl-N-nitrosourea with thymidine and with DNA, in relatively small yields. Unidentified products containing thymine were found in enzymic digests of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-treated DNA, which may be phosphotriesters. 4. The possible role of formation of methylthymines in mutagenesis by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea is discussed. PMID:4798180

  7. Novel repair activities of AlkA (3-methyladenine DNA glycosylase II) and endonuclease VIII for xanthine and oxanine, guanine lesions induced by nitric oxide and nitrous acid

    PubMed Central

    Terato, Hiroaki; Masaoka, Aya; Asagoshi, Kenjiro; Honsho, Akiko; Ohyama, Yoshihiko; Suzuki, Toshinori; Yamada, Masaki; Makino, Keisuke; Yamamoto, Kazuo; Ide, Hiroshi

    2002-01-01

    Nitrosation of guanine in DNA by nitrogen oxides such as nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous acid leads to formation of xanthine (Xan) and oxanine (Oxa), potentially cytotoxic and mutagenic lesions. In the present study, we have examined the repair capacity of DNA N-glycosylases from Escherichia coli for Xan and Oxa. The nicking assay with the defined substrates containing Xan and Oxa revealed that AlkA [in combination with endonuclease (Endo) IV] and Endo VIII recognized Xan in the tested enzymes. The activity (Vmax/Km) of AlkA for Xan was 5-fold lower than that for 7-methylguanine, and that of Endo VIII was 50-fold lower than that for thymine glycol. The activity of AlkA and Endo VIII for Xan was further substantiated by the release of [3H]Xan from the substrate. The treatment of E.coli with N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine increased the Xan-excising activity in the cell extract from alkA+ but not alkA– strains. The alkA and nei (the Endo VIII gene) double mutant, but not the single mutants, exhibited increased sensitivity to nitrous acid relative to the wild type strain. AlkA and Endo VIII also exhibited excision activity for Oxa, but the activity was much lower than that for Xan. PMID:12434002

  8. Prereplicative repair of oxidized bases in the human genome is mediated by NEIL1 DNA glycosylase together with replication proteins

    PubMed Central

    Hegde, Muralidhar L.; Hegde, Pavana M.; Bellot, Larry J.; Mandal, Santi M.; Hazra, Tapas K.; Li, Guo-Min; Boldogh, Istvan; Tomkinson, Alan E.; Mitra, Sankar

    2013-01-01

    Base oxidation by endogenous and environmentally induced reactive oxygen species preferentially occurs in replicating single-stranded templates in mammalian genomes, warranting prereplicative repair of the mutagenic base lesions. It is not clear how such lesions (which, unlike bulky adducts, do not block replication) are recognized for repair. Furthermore, strand breaks caused by base excision from ssDNA by DNA glycosylases, including Nei-like (NEIL) 1, would generate double-strand breaks during replication, which are not experimentally observed. NEIL1, whose deficiency causes a mutator phenotype and is activated during the S phase, is present in the DNA replication complex isolated from human cells, with enhanced association with DNA in S-phase cells and colocalization with replication foci containing DNA replication proteins. Furthermore, NEIL1 binds to 5-hydroxyuracil, the oxidative deamination product of C, in replication protein A-coated ssDNA template and inhibits DNA synthesis by DNA polymerase δ. We postulate that, upon encountering an oxidized base during replication, NEIL1 initiates prereplicative repair by acting as a “cowcatcher” and preventing nascent chain growth. Regression of the stalled replication fork, possibly mediated by annealing helicases, then allows lesion repair in the reannealed duplex. This model is supported by our observations that NEIL1, whose deficiency slows nascent chain growth in oxidatively stressed cells, is stimulated by replication proteins in vitro. Furthermore, deficiency of the closely related NEIL2 alone does not affect chain elongation, but combined NEIL1/2 deficiency further inhibits DNA replication. These results support a mechanism of NEIL1-mediated prereplicative repair of oxidized bases in the replicating strand, with NEIL2 providing a backup function. PMID:23898192

  9. 8-oxoguanine DNA Glycosylase 1-Deficiency Modifies Allergic Airway Inflammation by Regulating STAT6 and IL-4 in Cells and in Mice

    PubMed Central

    Li, Guoping; Yuan, Kefei; Yan, Chunguang; Fox, John; Gaid, Madeleine; Breitwieser, Wayne; Bansal, Arvind K.; Zeng, Huawei; Gao, Hongwei; Wu, Min

    2013-01-01

    8-oxoguanine-DNA glycosylase (OGG-1) is a base excision DNA repair enzyme; however, its function in modulating allergic diseases remains undefined. Using OGG-1 knockout (KO) mice, we show that this protein impacts allergic airway inflammation following sensitization and challenge by ovalbumin (OVA). OGG-1 KO mice exhibited less inflammatory cell infiltration and reduced oxidative stress in the lungs after OVA challenge compared to WT mice. The KO phenotype included decreased IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-17 in lung tissues. In addition, OGG-1 KO mice showed decreased expression and phosphorylation of STAT6 as well as NF-κB. Down-regulation of OGG-1 by siRNA lowered ROS and IL-4 levels but increased INF-γ production in cultured epithelial cells following exposure to house dust mite (HDM) extracts. OGG-1 may affect the levels of oxidative stress and proinflammatory cytokines during asthmatic conditions. OGG-1-deficiency negatively regulates allergen-induced airway inflammatory response. PMID:22100973

  10. Fe-S Clusters and MutY Base Excision Repair Glycosylases: Purification, Kinetics, and DNA Affinity Measurements.

    PubMed

    Nuñez, Nicole N; Majumdar, Chandrima; Lay, Kori T; David, Sheila S

    2018-01-01

    A growing number of iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster cofactors have been identified in DNA repair proteins. MutY and its homologs are base excision repair (BER) glycosylases that prevent mutations associated with the common oxidation product of guanine (G), 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (OG) by catalyzing adenine (A) base excision from inappropriately formed OG:A mispairs. The finding of an [4Fe-4S] 2+ cluster cofactor in MutY, Endonuclease III, and structurally similar BER enzymes was surprising and initially thought to represent an example of a purely structural role for the cofactor. However, in the two decades subsequent to the initial discovery, purification and in vitro analysis of bacterial MutYs and mammalian homologs, such as human MUTYH and mouse Mutyh, have demonstrated that proper Fe-S cluster coordination is required for OG:A substrate recognition and adenine excision. In addition, the Fe-S cluster in MutY has been shown to be capable of redox chemistry in the presence of DNA. The work in our laboratory aimed at addressing the importance of the MutY Fe-S cluster has involved a battery of approaches, with the overarching hypothesis that understanding the role(s) of the Fe-S cluster is intimately associated with understanding the biological and chemical properties of MutY and its unique damaged DNA substrate as a whole. In this chapter, we focus on methods of enzyme expression and purification, detailed enzyme kinetics, and DNA affinity assays. The methods described herein have not only been leveraged to provide insight into the roles of the MutY Fe-S cluster but have also been provided crucial information needed to delineate the impact of inherited variants of the human homolog MUTYH associated with a colorectal cancer syndrome known as MUTYH-associated polyposis or MAP. Notably, many MAP-associated variants have been found adjacent to the Fe-S cluster further underscoring the intimate relationship between the cofactor, MUTYH-mediated DNA repair, and disease.

  11. Opinion: uracil DNA glycosylase (UNG) plays distinct and non-canonical roles in somatic hypermutation and class switch recombination.

    PubMed

    Yousif, Ashraf S; Stanlie, Andre; Begum, Nasim A; Honjo, Tasuku

    2014-10-01

    Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is essential to class switch recombination (CSR) and somatic hypermutation (SHM). Uracil DNA glycosylase (UNG), a member of the base excision repair complex, is required for CSR. The role of UNG in CSR and SHM is extremely controversial. AID deficiency in mice abolishes both CSR and SHM, while UNG-deficient mice have drastically reduced CSR but augmented SHM raising a possibility of differential functions of UNG in CSR and SHM. Interestingly, UNG has been associated with a CSR-specific repair adapter protein Brd4, which interacts with acetyl histone 4, γH2AX and 53BP1 to promote non-homologous end joining during CSR. A non-canonical scaffold function of UNG, but not the catalytic activity, can be attributed to the recruitment of essential repair proteins associated with the error-free repair during SHM, and the end joining during CSR. © The Japanese Society for Immunology. 2014. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  12. Base excision DNA repair in the embryonic development of the sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus intermedius.

    PubMed

    Torgasheva, Natalya A; Menzorova, Natalya I; Sibirtsev, Yurii T; Rasskazov, Valery A; Zharkov, Dmitry O; Nevinsky, Georgy A

    2016-06-21

    In actively proliferating cells, such as the cells of the developing embryo, DNA repair is crucial for preventing the accumulation of mutations and synchronizing cell division. Sea urchin embryo growth was analyzed and extracts were prepared. The relative activity of DNA polymerase, apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease, uracil-DNA glycosylase, 8-oxoguanine-DNA glycosylase, and other glycosylases was analyzed using specific oligonucleotide substrates of these enzymes; the reaction products were resolved by denaturing 20% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. We have characterized the profile of several key base excision repair activities in the developing embryos (2 blastomers to mid-pluteus) of the grey sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus intermedius. The uracil-DNA glycosylase specific activity sharply increased after blastula hatching, whereas the specific activity of 8-oxoguanine-DNA glycosylase steadily decreased over the course of the development. The AP-endonuclease activity gradually increased but dropped at the last sampled stage (mid-pluteus 2). The DNA polymerase activity was high at the first cleavage division and then quickly decreased, showing a transient peak at blastula hatching. It seems that the developing sea urchin embryo encounters different DNA-damaging factors early in development within the protective envelope and later as a free-floating larva, with hatching necessitating adaptation to the shift in genotoxic stress conditions. No correlation was observed between the dynamics of the enzyme activities and published gene expression data from developing congeneric species, S. purpuratus. The results suggest that base excision repair enzymes may be regulated in the sea urchin embryos at the level of covalent modification or protein stability.

  13. [Over-expression of uracil DNA glycosylase 2 (UNG2) enhances the resistance to oxidative damage in HepG2 cells].

    PubMed

    Cao, Liyan; Cheng, Shan; Du, Juan; Guo, Yanhai; Huang, Xiaofeng

    2017-04-01

    Objective To investigate the uracil glycosidic enzyme activity of uracil DNA glycosylase 2 (UNG2) and study the role of UNG2 in the resistance of antioxidant stress of HepG2 cells. Methods The UNG2-expressing vector was built. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of UNG2. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to observe the cellular location of UNG2. Oligonucleotide was used as substrate for the determination of the UNG2 glycosidic enzyme activity. H 2 O 2 toxicity assay was done to study the function of UNG2 in the antioxidant resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. Results UNG2 was successfully over-expressed in HEK293FT cells, and UNG2 was found to be mainly located in nucleus. Enzyme activity assay showed that UNG2 had significant oligonucleotide dU glycosidic enzyme activity. H 2 O 2 toxicity assay showed that over-expressed UNG2 could remarkably increase the survival of HepG2 cells after exposed to H 2 O 2 . Conclusion UNG2 possesses specific DNA glycosidic enzyme activity, and it can protect HepG2 cells against oxidative stress damage.

  14. Differential effects of silver nanoparticles on DNA damage and DNA repair gene expression in Ogg1-deficient and wild type mice.

    PubMed

    Nallanthighal, Sameera; Chan, Cadia; Murray, Thomas M; Mosier, Aaron P; Cady, Nathaniel C; Reliene, Ramune

    2017-10-01

    Due to extensive use in consumer goods, it is important to understand the genotoxicity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and identify susceptible populations. 8-Oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 (OGG1) excises 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2-deoxyguanine (8-oxoG), a pro-mutagenic lesion induced by oxidative stress. To understand whether defects in OGG1 is a possible genetic factor increasing an individual's susceptibly to AgNPs, we determined DNA damage, genome rearrangements, and expression of DNA repair genes in Ogg1-deficient and wild type mice exposed orally to 4 mg/kg of citrate-coated AgNPs over a period of 7 d. DNA damage was examined at 3 and 7 d of exposure and 7 and 14 d post-exposure. AgNPs induced 8-oxoG, double strand breaks (DSBs), chromosomal damage, and DNA deletions in both genotypes. However, 8-oxoG was induced earlier in Ogg1-deficient mice and 8-oxoG levels were higher after 7-d treatment and persisted longer after exposure termination. AgNPs downregulated DNA glycosylases Ogg1, Neil1, and Neil2 in wild type mice, but upregulated Myh, Neil1, and Neil2 glycosylases in Ogg1-deficient mice. Neil1 and Neil2 can repair 8-oxoG. Thus, AgNP-mediated downregulation of DNA glycosylases in wild type mice may contribute to genotoxicity, while upregulation thereof in Ogg1-deficient mice could serve as an adaptive response to AgNP-induced DNA damage. However, our data show that Ogg1 is indispensable for the efficient repair of AgNP-induced damage. In summary, citrate-coated AgNPs are genotoxic in both genotypes and Ogg1 deficiency exacerbates the effect. These data suggest that humans with genetic polymorphisms and mutations in OGG1 may have increased susceptibility to AgNP-mediated DNA damage.

  15. Activity-based assay for ricin-like toxins

    DOEpatents

    Keener, William K.; Ward, Thomas E.

    2007-02-06

    A method of detecting N-glycosylase activity in a sample involves incubating an oligodeoxyribonucleotide substrate containing a deoxyadenosine or deoxyuridine residue with the sample to be tested such that the N-glycosylase, if present, hydrolyzes the deoxyadenosine or deoxyuridine residue to result in an N-glycosylase product having an abasic site. A primer is annealed to the N-glycosylase product, and the primer is extended with a DNA polymerase, such as Taq DNA polymerase, that pauses at abasic sites. The resulting extension products are melted from the N-glycosylase product, allowed to form hairpins due to self-complementarity, and further extended in the presence of labeled precursors to result in labeled products. Extension products synthesized from undigested substrate as template do not result in labeled products. Thus, detection of labeled products results in detection of N-glycosylase activity. Oligodeoxyribonucleotide substrates, primer, and positive controls and a kit for N-glycosylase assay are also disclosed.

  16. Ugene, a newly identified protein that is commonly over-expressed in cancer, and that binds uracil DNA-glycosylase

    PubMed Central

    Guo, Chunguang; Zhang, Xiaodong; Fink, Stephen P; Platzer, Petra; Wilson, Keith; Willson, James K. V.; Wang, Zhenghe; Markowitz, Sanford D

    2008-01-01

    Expression microarrays identified a novel transcript, designated as Ugene, whose expression is absent in normal colon and colon adenomas, but that is commonly induced in malignant colon cancers. These findings were validated by real-time PCR and Northern blot analysis in an independent panel of colon cancer cases. In addition, Ugene expression was found to be elevated in many other common cancer types, including, breast, lung, uterus, and ovary. Immunofluorescence of V5-tagged Ugene revealed it to have a nuclear localization. In a pull-down assay, uracil DNA-glycosylase 2 (UNG2), an important enzyme in the base excision repair pathway, was identified as a partner protein that binds to Ugene. Co-immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis confirmed the binding between the endogenous Ugene and UNG2 proteins. Using deletion constructs, we find that Ugene binds to the first 25 amino acids of the UNG2 NH2-terminus. We suggest Ugene induction in cancer may contribute to the cancer phenotype by interacting with the base excision repair pathway. PMID:18676834

  17. MutY DNA Glycosylase Protects Cells From Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha-Induced Necroptosis.

    PubMed

    Tran, An Hue Vy; Han, Se Hee; Kim, Joon; Grasso, Francesca; Kim, In San; Han, Ye Sun

    2017-07-01

    Numerous studies have implied that mutY DNA glycosylase (MYH) is involved in the repair of post-replicative mispairs and plays a critical role in the base excision repair pathway. Recent in vitro studies have shown that MYH interacts with tumor necrosis factor receptor type 1-associated death domain (TRADD), a key effector protein of tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 (TNFR1) signaling. The association between MYH and TRADD is reversed during tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)- and camptothecin (CPT)-induced apoptosis, and enhanced during TNF-α-induced survival. After investigating the role of MYH interacts with various proteins following TNF-α stimulation, here, we focus on MYH and TRADD interaction functions in necroptosis and its effects to related proteins. We report that the level of the MYH and TRADD complex was also reduced during necroptosis induced by TNF-α and zVAD-fmk. In particular, we also found that MYH is a biologically important necrosis suppressor. Under combined TNF-α and zVAD-fmk treatment, MYH-deficient cells were induced to enter the necroptosis pathway but primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) were not. Necroptosis in the absence of MYH proceeds via the inactivation of caspase-8, followed by an increase in the formation of the kinase receptor- interacting protein 1 (RIP1)-RIP3 complex. Our results suggested that MYH, which interacts with TRADD, inhibits TNF-α necroptotic signaling. Therefore, MYH inactivation is essential for necroptosis via the downregulation of caspase-8. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 1827-1838, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Thermodynamic Signature of DNA Damage: Characterization of DNA with a 5-Hydroxy-2'-deoxycytidine•2'-Deoxyguanosine Base Pair

    PubMed Central

    Ganguly, Manjori; Szulik, Marta W.; Donahue, Patrick S.; Clancy, Kate; Stone, Michael P.; Gold, Barry

    2012-01-01

    Oxidation of DNA due to exposure to reactive oxygen species is a major source of DNA damage. One of the oxidation lesions formed, 5-hydroxy-2'-deoxycytidine, has been shown to miscode by some replicative DNA polymerases but not by error prone polymerases capable of translesion synthesis. The 5-hydroxy-2'-deoxycytidine lesion is repaired by DNA glycosylases that require the 5-hydroxycytidine base to be extrahelical so it can enter into the enzyme's active site where it is excised off the DNA backbone to afford an abasic site. The thermodynamic and NMR results presented herein, describe the effect of a 5-hydroxy-2'-deoxycytidine•2'-deoxyguanosine base pair on the stability of two different DNA duplexes. The results demonstrate that the lesion is highly destabilizing and that the energy barrier for the unstacking of 5-hydroxy-2'-deoxycytidine from the DNA duplex may be low. This could provide a thermodynamic mode of adduct identification by DNA glycosylases that require the lesion to be extrahelical. PMID:22332945

  19. Systematic analysis of DEMETER-like DNA glycosylase genes shows lineage-specific Smi-miR7972 involved in SmDML1 regulation in Salvia miltiorrhiza.

    PubMed

    Li, Jiang; Li, Caili; Lu, Shanfa

    2018-05-08

    DEMETER-like DNA glycosylases (DMLs) initiate the base excision repair-dependent DNA demethylation to regulate a wide range of biological processes in plants. Six putative SmDML genes, termed SmDML1-SmDML6, were identified from the genome of S. miltiorrhiza, an emerging model plant for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) studies. Integrated analysis of gene structures, sequence features, conserved domains and motifs, phylogenetic analysis and differential expression showed the conservation and divergence of SmDMLs. SmDML1, SmDML2 and SmDML4 were significantly down-regulated by the treatment of 5Aza-dC, a general DNA methylation inhibitor, suggesting involvement of SmDMLs in genome DNA methylation change. SmDML1 was predicted and experimentally validated to be target of Smi-miR7972. Computational analysis of forty whole genome sequences and almost all of RNA-seq data from Lamiids revealed that MIR7972s were only distributed in some plants of the three orders, including Lamiales, Solanales and Boraginales, and the number of MIR7972 genes varied among species. It suggests that MIR7972 genes underwent expansion and loss during the evolution of some Lamiids species. Phylogenetic analysis of MIR7972s showed closer evolutionary relationships between MIR7972s in Boraginales and Solanales in comparison with Lamiales. These results provide a valuable resource for elucidating DNA demethylation mechanism in S. miltiorrhiza.

  20. Hyperosmotic stress memory in Arabidopsis is mediated by distinct epigenetically labile sites in the genome and is restricted in the male germline by DNA glycosylase activity

    PubMed Central

    Wibowo, Anjar; Becker, Claude; Marconi, Gianpiero; Durr, Julius; Price, Jonathan; Hagmann, Jorg; Papareddy, Ranjith; Putra, Hadi; Kageyama, Jorge; Becker, Jorg; Weigel, Detlef; Gutierrez-Marcos, Jose

    2016-01-01

    Inducible epigenetic changes in eukaryotes are believed to enable rapid adaptation to environmental fluctuations. We have found distinct regions of the Arabidopsis genome that are susceptible to DNA (de)methylation in response to hyperosmotic stress. The stress-induced epigenetic changes are associated with conditionally heritable adaptive phenotypic stress responses. However, these stress responses are primarily transmitted to the next generation through the female lineage due to widespread DNA glycosylase activity in the male germline, and extensively reset in the absence of stress. Using the CNI1/ATL31 locus as an example, we demonstrate that epigenetically targeted sequences function as distantly-acting control elements of antisense long non-coding RNAs, which in turn regulate targeted gene expression in response to stress. Collectively, our findings reveal that plants use a highly dynamic maternal ‘short-term stress memory’ with which to respond to adverse external conditions. This transient memory relies on the DNA methylation machinery and associated transcriptional changes to extend the phenotypic plasticity accessible to the immediate offspring. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.13546.001 PMID:27242129

  1. Genome-wide survey of DNA-binding proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana: analysis of distribution and functions.

    PubMed

    Malhotra, Sony; Sowdhamini, Ramanathan

    2013-08-01

    The interaction of proteins with their respective DNA targets is known to control many high-fidelity cellular processes. Performing a comprehensive survey of the sequenced genomes for DNA-binding proteins (DBPs) will help in understanding their distribution and the associated functions in a particular genome. Availability of fully sequenced genome of Arabidopsis thaliana enables the review of distribution of DBPs in this model plant genome. We used profiles of both structure and sequence-based DNA-binding families, derived from PDB and PFam databases, to perform the survey. This resulted in 4471 proteins, identified as DNA-binding in Arabidopsis genome, which are distributed across 300 different PFam families. Apart from several plant-specific DNA-binding families, certain RING fingers and leucine zippers also had high representation. Our search protocol helped to assign DNA-binding property to several proteins that were previously marked as unknown, putative or hypothetical in function. The distribution of Arabidopsis genes having a role in plant DNA repair were particularly studied and noted for their functional mapping. The functions observed to be overrepresented in the plant genome harbour DNA-3-methyladenine glycosylase activity, alkylbase DNA N-glycosylase activity and DNA-(apurinic or apyrimidinic site) lyase activity, suggesting their role in specialized functions such as gene regulation and DNA repair.

  2. Human OGG1 activity in nucleosomes is facilitated by transient unwrapping of DNA and is influenced by the local histone environment.

    PubMed

    Bilotti, Katharina; Kennedy, Erin E; Li, Chuxuan; Delaney, Sarah

    2017-11-01

    If unrepaired, damage to genomic DNA can cause mutations and/or be cytotoxic. Single base lesions are repaired via the base excision repair (BER) pathway. The first step in BER is the recognition and removal of the nucleobase lesion by a glycosylase enzyme. For example, human oxoguanine glycosylase 1 (hOGG1) is responsible for removal of the prototypic oxidatively damaged nucleobase, 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoG). To date, most studies of glycosylases have used free duplex DNA substrates. However, cellular DNA is packaged as repeating nucleosome units, with 145 base pair segments of DNA wrapped around histone protein octamers. Previous studies revealed inhibition of hOGG1 at the nucleosome dyad axis and in the absence of chromatin remodelers. In this study, we reveal that even in the absence of chromatin remodelers or external cofactors, hOGG1 can initiate BER at positions off the dyad axis and that this activity is facilitated by spontaneous and transient unwrapping of DNA from the histones. Additionally, we find that solution accessibility as determined by hydroxyl radical footprinting is not fully predictive of glycosylase activity and that histone tails can suppress hOGG1 activity. We therefore suggest that local nuances in the nucleosome environment and histone-DNA interactions can impact glycosylase activity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Mode of action of trifluorothymidine (TFT) against DNA replication and repair enzymes.

    PubMed

    Suzuki, Norihiko; Emura, Tomohiro; Fukushima, Masakazu

    2011-07-01

    Trifluorothymidine (TFT) is well known to be converted to TFT-monophosphate by thymidine kinase and to inhibit thymidylate synthase. In addition, TFT-triphosphate (TFT-TP) is also incorporated into DNA, resulting in cytocidal effects. However, the precise mechanism of TFT-induced DNA damage is still unclear. Therefore, we investigated the modes of action of TFT against DNA replication and repair enzymes, as compared with those of 5FU and FdUrd. When HeLa cells were treated with TFT at a concentration of 1 µM (IC50 value), the concentration of TFT in the DNA was calculated as 62.2±0.9 pmol/1x106 cells for 4 h. On the other hand, following treatment of the cells with FdUrd (0.5 µM) and 5FU (10 µM) at their IC50 doses, the drug concentrations in the DNA were 7.53, and 0.17 pmol/1 x 10⁶ cells for 4 h, respectively. These results show the markedly greater degree of incorporation of TFT into the DNA of the HeLa cells compared with that of 5FU (approximately more than 300-fold for 4 h) or FdUrd (approximately more than 8-fold for 4 h). The primer extension assay demonstrated that TFT-TP was also incorporated into the T-sites of the growing DNA strand, however, it competed only weakly with thymidine triphosphate. The DNA glycosylase assay was performed using commercially available DNA glycosylase and fractionated HeLa cell extracts obtained by gel filtration. There was no detectable excision of the TFT pairing to adenine by uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG), thymine DNA glycosylase (TDG), methyl-CpG binding domain 4 (MBD4) or the fractionated HeLa cell extracts, however, TDG and MBD4 were able to excise the TFT pairing to guanine. Additional data indicate that small-interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of TDG or MBD4 significantly increased the resistance to the cytotoxic effects of FdUrd, but not to that of TFT. These studies show the greater degree of incorporation of TFT into the DNA than that of 5FU or FdUrd, and that such a high degree of incorporation of TFT residues

  4. An AP Endonuclease Functions in Active DNA Demethylation and Gene Imprinting in Arabidopsis

    PubMed Central

    Li, Yan; Córdoba-Cañero, Dolores; Qian, Weiqiang; Zhu, Xiaohong; Tang, Kai; Zhang, Huiming; Ariza, Rafael R.; Roldán-Arjona, Teresa; Zhu, Jian-Kang

    2015-01-01

    Active DNA demethylation in plants occurs through base excision repair, beginning with removal of methylated cytosine by the ROS1/DME subfamily of 5-methylcytosine DNA glycosylases. Active DNA demethylation in animals requires the DNA glycosylase TDG or MBD4, which functions after oxidation or deamination of 5-methylcytosine, respectively. However, little is known about the steps following DNA glycosylase action in the active DNA demethylation pathways in plants and animals. We show here that the Arabidopsis APE1L protein has apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease activities and functions downstream of ROS1 and DME. APE1L and ROS1 interact in vitro and co-localize in vivo. Whole genome bisulfite sequencing of ape1l mutant plants revealed widespread alterations in DNA methylation. We show that the ape1l/zdp double mutant displays embryonic lethality. Notably, the ape1l+/−zdp−/− mutant shows a maternal-effect lethality phenotype. APE1L and the DNA phosphatase ZDP are required for FWA and MEA gene imprinting in the endosperm and are important for seed development. Thus, APE1L is a new component of the active DNA demethylation pathway and, together with ZDP, regulates gene imprinting in Arabidopsis. PMID:25569774

  5. The disordered C-terminal domain of human DNA glycosylase NEIL1 contributes to its stability via intramolecular interactions.

    PubMed

    Hegde, Muralidhar L; Tsutakawa, Susan E; Hegde, Pavana M; Holthauzen, Luis Marcelo F; Li, Jing; Oezguen, Numan; Hilser, Vincent J; Tainer, John A; Mitra, Sankar

    2013-07-10

    NEIL1 [Nei (endonuclease VIII)-like protein 1], one of the five mammalian DNA glycosylases that excise oxidized DNA base lesions in the human genome to initiate base excision repair, contains an intrinsically disordered C-terminal domain (CTD; ~100 residues), not conserved in its Escherichia coli prototype Nei. Although dispensable for NEIL1's lesion excision and AP lyase activities, this segment is required for efficient in vivo enzymatic activity and may provide an interaction interface for many of NEIL1's interactions with other base excision repair proteins. Here, we show that the CTD interacts with the folded domain in native NEIL1 containing 389 residues. The CTD is poised for local folding in an ordered structure that is induced in the purified fragment by osmolytes. Furthermore, deletion of the disordered tail lacking both Tyr and Trp residues causes a red shift in NEIL1's intrinsic Trp-specific fluorescence, indicating a more solvent-exposed environment for the Trp residues in the truncated protein, which also exhibits reduced stability compared to the native enzyme. These observations are consistent with stabilization of the native NEIL1 structure via intramolecular, mostly electrostatic, interactions that were disrupted by mutating a positively charged (Lys-rich) cluster of residues (amino acids 355-360) near the C-terminus. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis confirms the flexibility and dynamic nature of NEIL1's CTD, a feature that may be critical to providing specificity for NEIL1's multiple, functional interactions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rubinson, Emily H.; Prakasha Gowda, A.S.; Spratt, Thomas E.

    DNA glycosylases that remove alkylated and deaminated purine nucleobases are essential DNA repair enzymes that protect the genome, and at the same time confound cancer alkylation therapy, by excising cytotoxic N3-methyladenine bases formed by DNA-targeting anticancer compounds. The basis for glycosylase specificity towards N3- and N7-alkylpurines is believed to result from intrinsic instability of the modified bases and not from direct enzyme functional group chemistry. Here we present crystal structures of the recently discovered Bacillus cereus AlkD glycosylase in complex with DNAs containing alkylated, mismatched and abasic nucleotides. Unlike other glycosylases, AlkD captures the extrahelical lesion in a solvent-exposed orientation,more » providing an illustration for how hydrolysis of N3- and N7-alkylated bases may be facilitated by increased lifetime out of the DNA helix. The structures and supporting biochemical analysis of base flipping and catalysis reveal how the HEAT repeats of AlkD distort the DNA backbone to detect non-Watson-Crick base pairs without duplex intercalation.« less

  7. DNA demethylation in the Arabidopsis genome

    PubMed Central

    Penterman, Jon; Zilberman, Daniel; Huh, Jin Hoe; Ballinger, Tracy; Henikoff, Steven; Fischer, Robert L.

    2007-01-01

    Cytosine DNA methylation is considered to be a stable epigenetic mark, but active demethylation has been observed in both plants and animals. In Arabidopsis thaliana, DNA glycosylases of the DEMETER (DME) family remove methylcytosines from DNA. Demethylation by DME is necessary for genomic imprinting, and demethylation by a related protein, REPRESSOR OF SILENCING1, prevents gene silencing in a transgenic background. However, the extent and function of demethylation by DEMETER-LIKE (DML) proteins in WT plants is not known. Using genome-tiling microarrays, we mapped DNA methylation in mutant and WT plants and identified 179 loci actively demethylated by DML enzymes. Mutations in DML genes lead to locus-specific DNA hypermethylation. Reintroducing WT DML genes restores most loci to the normal pattern of methylation, although at some loci, hypermethylated epialleles persist. Of loci demethylated by DML enzymes, >80% are near or overlap genes. Genic demethylation by DML enzymes primarily occurs at the 5′ and 3′ ends, a pattern opposite to the overall distribution of WT DNA methylation. Our results show that demethylation by DML DNA glycosylases edits the patterns of DNA methylation within the Arabidopsis genome to protect genes from potentially deleterious methylation. PMID:17409185

  8. Optimization of strand displacement amplification-sensitized G-quadruplex DNAzyme-based sensing system and its application in activity detection of uracil-DNA glycosylase.

    PubMed

    Du, Yi-Chen; Jiang, Hong-Xin; Huo, Yan-Fang; Han, Gui-Mei; Kong, De-Ming

    2016-03-15

    As an isothermal nucleic acid amplification technique, strand displacement amplification (SDA) reaction has been introduced in G-quadruplex DNAzyme-based sensing system to improve the sensing performance. To further provide useful information for the design of SDA-amplified G-quadruplex DNAzyme-based sensors, the effects of nicking site number in SDA template DNA were investigated. With the increase of the nicking site number from 1 to 2, enrichment of G-quadruplex DNAzyme by SDA is changed from a linear amplification to an exponential amplification, thus greatly increasing the amplification efficiency and subsequently improving the sensing performance of corresponding sensing system. The nicking site number cannot be further increased because more nicking sites might result in high background signals. However, we demonstrated that G-quadruplex DNAzyme enrichment efficiency could be further improved by introducing a cross-triggered SDA strategy, in which two templates each has two nicking sites are used. To validate the proposed cross-triggered SDA strategy, we used it to develop a sensing platform for the detection of uracil-DNA glycosylase (UDG) activity. The sensor enables sensitive detection of UDG activity in the range of 1 × 10(-4)-1 U/mL with a detection limit of 1 × 10(-4)U/mL. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Human 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 mRNA expression as an oxidative stress exposure biomarker of cooking oil fumes.

    PubMed

    Cherng, Shur-Hueih; Huang, Kuo Hao; Yang, Sen-Chih; Wu, Tzu-Chin; Yang, Jia-Ling; Lee, Huei

    2002-02-01

    Epidemiological studies have indicated that the exposure to carcinogenic components formed during the cooking of food might be associated with lung cancer risk of Chinese women. Previous studies have confirmed that cooking oil fumes from frying fish (COF) contained relatively high amount of benzo[a]pyrene, 2-methyl-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f] qunoxaline, benzene, and 1,3-butadiene, reported in fumes from heated soybean oil. Thus, we consider that oxidative stress induced by COF may play a role in lung cancer development among Chinese women. To verify whether the oxidative DNA damage was induced by COF, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis data showed that the levels of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanine (8-OH dG) were increased in a dose-dependent manner when calf thymus DNA reacted with various concentrations of COF. Since human 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 (hOGG1) was a repair enzyme for removing 8- OH dG from damaged DNA, we hypothesized that hOGG1 mRNA may be used to assess the risk of oxidative damage induced by the exposure of COF. The results from reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction showed that the hOGG1 mRNA expression was induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and COF in human lung adenocarcinoma CL-3 cells. To elucidate whether hOGG1 mRNA expression was an exposure biomarker of COF, a cross-sectional study of 238 subjects including 94 professional cooks, 43 housewives, and 101 COF-nonexposed control subjects was conducted. The hOGG1 mRNA expression frequencies of COF-exposed cooks (27 of 94, 28.7%) and housewives (6 of 43, 14%) were significantly higher than those of control subjects (4 of 101, 4%). After adjusting for age, sex, and smoking and drinking status, the odds risks (ORs) of housewives versus control and cooks versus control were 3.94 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.95-16.62) and 10.12 (95% CI = 2.83-36.15), respectively. These results indicated that hOGG1 may be adequate to act as an exposure biomarker to assess the oxidative

  10. Solution structure and intramolecular exchange of methyl-cytosine binding domain protein 4 (MBD4) on DNA suggests a mechanism to scan for mCpG/TpG mismatches

    PubMed Central

    Walavalkar, Ninad M.; Cramer, Jason M.; Buchwald, William A.; Scarsdale, J. Neel; Williams, David C.

    2014-01-01

    Unlike other members of the methyl-cytosine binding domain (MBD) family, MBD4 serves as a potent DNA glycosylase in DNA mismatch repair specifically targeting mCpG/TpG mismatches arising from spontaneous deamination of methyl-cytosine. The protein contains an N-terminal MBD (MBD4MBD) and a C-terminal glycosylase domain (MBD4GD) separated by a long linker. This arrangement suggests that the MBD4MBD either directly augments enzymatic catalysis by the MBD4GD or targets the protein to regions enriched for mCpG/TpG mismatches. Here we present structural and dynamic studies of MBD4MBD bound to dsDNA. We show that MBD4MBD binds with a modest preference formCpG as compared to mismatch, unmethylated and hydroxymethylated DNA. We find that while MBD4MBD exhibits slow exchange between molecules of DNA (intermolecular exchange), the domain exhibits fast exchange between two sites in the same molecule of dsDNA (intramolecular exchange). Introducing a single-strand defect between binding sites does not greatly reduce the intramolecular exchange rate, consistent with a local hopping mechanism for moving along the DNA. These results support a model in which the MBD4MBD4 targets the intact protein to mCpG islands and promotes scanning by rapidly exchanging between successive mCpG sites which facilitates repair of nearby mCpG/TpG mismatches by the glycosylase domain. PMID:25183517

  11. A unique dual recognition hairpin probe mediated fluorescence amplification method for sensitive detection of uracil-DNA glycosylase and endonuclease IV activities.

    PubMed

    Wu, Yushu; Yan, Ping; Xu, Xiaowen; Jiang, Wei

    2016-03-07

    Uracil-DNA glycosylase (UDG) and endonuclease IV (Endo IV) play cooperative roles in uracil base-excision repair (UBER) and inactivity of either will interrupt the UBER to cause disease. Detection of UDG and Endo IV activities is crucial to evaluate the UBER process in fundamental research and diagnostic application. Here, a unique dual recognition hairpin probe mediated fluorescence amplification method was developed for sensitively and selectively detecting UDG and Endo IV activities. For detecting UDG activity, the uracil base in the probe was excised by the target enzyme to generate an apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) site, achieving the UDG recognition. Then, the AP site was cleaved by a tool enzyme Endo IV, releasing a primer to trigger rolling circle amplification (RCA) reaction. Finally, the RCA reaction produced numerous repeated G-quadruplex sequences, which interacted with N-methyl-mesoporphyrin IX to generate an enhanced fluorescence signal. Alternatively, for detecting Endo IV activity, the uracil base in the probe was first converted into an AP site by a tool enzyme UDG. Next, the AP site was cleaved by the target enzyme, achieving the Endo IV recognition. The signal was then generated and amplified in the same way as those in the UDG activity assay. The detection limits were as low as 0.00017 U mL(-1) for UDG and 0.11 U mL(-1) for Endo IV, respectively. Moreover, UDG and Endo IV can be well distinguished from their analogs. This method is beneficial for properly evaluating the UBER process in function studies and disease prognoses.

  12. Regulation and function of DNA methylation in plants and animals

    PubMed Central

    He, Xin-Jian; Chen, Taiping; Zhu, Jian-Kang

    2011-01-01

    DNA methylation is an important epigenetic mark involved in diverse biological processes. In plants, DNA methylation can be established through the RNA-directed DNA methylation pathway, an RNA interference pathway for transcriptional gene silencing (TGS), which requires 24-nt small interfering RNAs. In mammals, de novo DNA methylation occurs primarily at two developmental stages: during early embryogenesis and during gametogenesis. While it is not clear whether establishment of DNA methylation patterns in mammals involves RNA interference in general, de novo DNA methylation and suppression of transposons in germ cells require 24-32-nt piwi-interacting small RNAs. DNA methylation status is dynamically regulated by DNA methylation and demethylation reactions. In plants, active DNA demethylation relies on the repressor of silencing 1 family of bifunctional DNA glycosylases, which remove the 5-methylcytosine base and then cleave the DNA backbone at the abasic site, initiating a base excision repair (BER) pathway. In animals, multiple mechanisms of active DNA demethylation have been proposed, including a deaminase- and DNA glycosylase-initiated BER pathway. New information concerning the effects of various histone modifications on the establishment and maintenance of DNA methylation has broadened our understanding of the regulation of DNA methylation. The function of DNA methylation in plants and animals is also discussed in this review. PMID:21321601

  13. The Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus ExoIII homologue Mth212 is a DNA uridine endonuclease

    PubMed Central

    Georg, Jens; Schomacher, Lars; Chong, James P. J.; Majerník, Alan I.; Raabe, Monika; Urlaub, Henning; Müller, Sabine; Ciirdaeva, Elena; Kramer, Wilfried; Fritz, Hans-Joachim

    2006-01-01

    The genome of Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus, as a hitherto unique case, is apparently devoid of genes coding for general uracil DNA glycosylases, the universal mediators of base excision repair following hydrolytic deamination of DNA cytosine residues. We have now identified protein Mth212, a member of the ExoIII family of nucleases, as a possible initiator of DNA uracil repair in this organism. This enzyme, in addition to bearing all the enzymological hallmarks of an ExoIII homologue, is a DNA uridine endonuclease (U-endo) that nicks double-stranded DNA at the 5′-side of a 2′-d-uridine residue, irrespective of the nature of the opposing nucleotide. This type of activity has not been described before; it is absent from the ExoIII homologues of Escherichia coli, Homo sapiens and Methanosarcina mazei, all of which are equipped with uracil DNA repair glycosylases. The U-endo activity of Mth212 is served by the same catalytic center as its AP-endo activity. PMID:17012282

  14. Transmission of the PabI family of restriction DNA glycosylase genes: mobility and long-term inheritance.

    PubMed

    Kojima, Kenji K; Kobayashi, Ichizo

    2015-10-19

    R.PabI is an exceptional restriction enzyme that functions as a DNA glycosylase. The enzyme excises an unmethylated base from its recognition sequence to generate apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites, and also displays AP lyase activity, cleaving the DNA backbone at the AP site to generate the 3'-phospho alpha, beta-unsaturated aldehyde end in addition to the 5'-phosphate end. The resulting ends are difficult to religate with DNA ligase. The enzyme was originally isolated in Pyrococcus, a hyperthermophilic archaeon, and additional homologs subsequently identified in the epsilon class of the Gram-negative bacterial phylum Proteobacteria, such as Helicobacter pylori. Systematic analysis of R.PabI homologs and their neighboring genes in sequenced genomes revealed co-occurrence of R.PabI with M.PabI homolog methyltransferase genes. R.PabI and M.PabI homolog genes are occasionally found at corresponding (orthologous) loci in different species, such as Helicobacter pylori, Helicobacter acinonychis and Helicobacter cetorum, indicating long-term maintenance of the gene pair. One R.PabI and M.PabI homolog gene pair is observed immediately after the GMP synthase gene in both Campylobacter and Helicobacter, representing orthologs beyond genera. The mobility of the PabI family of restriction-modification (RM) system between genomes is evident upon comparison of genomes of sibling strains/species. Analysis of R.PabI and M.PabI homologs in H. pylori revealed an insertion of integrative and conjugative elements (ICE), and replacement with a gene of unknown function that may specify a membrane-associated toxin (hrgC). In view of the similarity of HrgC with toxins in type I toxin-antitoxin systems, we addressed the biological significance of this substitution. Our data indicate that replacement with hrgC occurred in the common ancestor of hspAmerind and hspEAsia. Subsequently, H. pylori with and without hrgC were intermixed at this locus, leading to complex distribution of hrgC in East

  15. Aag Hypoxanthine-DNA Glycosylase Is Synthesized in the Forespore Compartment and Involved in Counteracting the Genotoxic and Mutagenic Effects of Hypoxanthine and Alkylated Bases in DNA during Bacillus subtilis Sporulation.

    PubMed

    Ayala-García, Víctor M; Valenzuela-García, Luz I; Setlow, Peter; Pedraza-Reyes, Mario

    2016-12-15

    Aag from Bacillus subtilis has been implicated in in vitro removal of hypoxanthine and alkylated bases from DNA. The regulation of expression of aag in B. subtilis and the resistance to genotoxic agents and mutagenic properties of an Aag-deficient strain were studied here. A strain with a transcriptional aag-lacZ fusion expressed low levels of β-galactosidase during growth and early sporulation but exhibited increased transcription during late stages of this developmental process. Notably, aag-lacZ expression was higher inside the forespore than in the mother cell compartment, and this expression was abolished in a sigG-deficient background, suggesting a forespore-specific mechanism of aag transcription. Two additional findings supported this suggestion: (i) expression of an aag-yfp fusion was observed in the forespore, and (ii) in vivo mapping of the aag transcription start site revealed the existence of upstream regulatory sequences possessing homology to σ G -dependent promoters. In comparison with the wild-type strain, disruption of aag significantly reduced survival of sporulating B. subtilis cells following nitrous acid or methyl methanesulfonate treatments, and the Rif r mutation frequency was significantly increased in an aag strain. These results suggest that Aag protects the genome of developing B. subtilis sporangia from the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of base deamination and alkylation. In this study, evidence is presented revealing that aag, encoding a DNA glycosylase implicated in processing of hypoxanthine and alkylated DNA bases, exhibits a forespore-specific pattern of gene expression during B. subtilis sporulation. Consistent with this spatiotemporal mode of expression, Aag was found to protect the sporulating cells of this microorganism from the noxious and mutagenic effects of base deamination and alkylation. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  16. Selective enzymatic cleavage and labeling for sensitive capillary electrophoresis laser-induced fluorescence analysis of oxidized DNA bases.

    PubMed

    Li, Cuiping; Wang, Hailin

    2015-08-07

    Oxidatively generated DNA damage is considered to be a significant contributing factor to cancer, aging, and age-related human diseases. It is important to detect oxidatively generated DNA damage to understand and clinically diagnosis diseases caused by oxidative damage. In this study, using selective enzymatic cleavage and quantum dot (QD) labeling, we developed a novel capillary electrophoresis-laser induced fluorescence method for the sensitive detection of oxidized DNA bases. First, oxidized DNA bases are recognized and removed by one DNA base excision repair glycosylase, leaving apurinic and apyrimidinic sites (AP sites) at the oxidized positions. The AP sites are further excised by the AP nicking activity of the chosen glycosylase, generating a nucleotide gap with 5'- and 3'- phosphate groups. After dephosphorylation with one alkaline phosphatase, a biotinylated ddNTP is introduced into the nucleotide space within the DNA strand by DNA polymerase I. The biotin-tagged DNA is further labeled with a QD-streptavidin conjugate via non-covalent interactions. The DNA-bound QD is well-separated from excess DNA-unbound QD by highly efficient capillary electrophoresis and is sensitively detected by online coupled laser-induced fluorescence analysis. Using this method, we can assess the trace levels of oxidized DNA bases induced by the Fenton reaction and UV irradiation. Interestingly, the use of the formamidopyrimidine glycosylase (FPG) protein and endonuclease VIII enables the detection of oxidized purine and pyrimidine bases, respectively. Using the synthesized standard DNA, the approach has low limits of detection of 1.1×10(-19)mol in mass and 2.9pM in concentration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Cellular Assays for Studying the Fe-S Cluster Containing Base Excision Repair Glycosylase MUTYH and Homologs.

    PubMed

    Majumdar, Chandrima; Nuñez, Nicole N; Raetz, Alan G; Khuu, Cindy; David, Sheila S

    2018-01-01

    Many DNA repair enzymes, including the human adenine glycosylase MUTYH, require iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster cofactors for DNA damage recognition and subsequent repair. MUTYH prokaryotic and eukaryotic homologs are a family of adenine (A) glycosylases that cleave A when mispaired with the oxidatively damaged guanine lesion, 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (OG). Faulty OG:A repair has been linked to the inheritance of missense mutations in the MUTYH gene. These inherited mutations can result in the onset of a familial colorectal cancer disorder known as MUTYH-associated polyposis (MAP). While in vitro studies can be exceptional at unraveling how MutY interacts with its OG:A substrate, cell-based assays are needed to provide a cellular context to these studies. In addition, strategic comparison of in vitro and in vivo studies can provide exquisite insight into the search, selection, excision process, and the coordination with protein partners, required to mediate full repair of the lesion. A commonly used assay is the rifampicin resistance assay that provides an indirect evaluation of the intrinsic mutation rate in Escherichia coli (E. coli or Ec), read out as antibiotic-resistant cell growth. Our laboratory has also developed a bacterial plasmid-based assay that allows for direct evaluation of repair of a defined OG:A mispair. This assay provides a means to assess the impact of catalytic defects in affinity and excision on overall repair. Finally, a mammalian GFP-based reporter assay has been developed that more accurately models features of mammalian cells. Taken together, these assays provide a cellular context to the repair activity of MUTYH and its homologs that illuminates the role these enzymes play in preventing mutations and disease. © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Base Excision Repair and Lesion-Dependent Subpathways for Repair of Oxidative DNA Damage

    PubMed Central

    Svilar, David; Goellner, Eva M.; Almeida, Karen H.

    2011-01-01

    Abstract Nuclear and mitochondrial genomes are under continuous assault by a combination of environmentally and endogenously derived reactive oxygen species, inducing the formation and accumulation of mutagenic, toxic, and/or genome-destabilizing DNA lesions. Failure to resolve these lesions through one or more DNA-repair processes is associated with genome instability, mitochondrial dysfunction, neurodegeneration, inflammation, aging, and cancer, emphasizing the importance of characterizing the pathways and proteins involved in the repair of oxidative DNA damage. This review focuses on the repair of oxidative damage–induced lesions in nuclear and mitochondrial DNA mediated by the base excision repair (BER) pathway in mammalian cells. We discuss the multiple BER subpathways that are initiated by one of 11 different DNA glycosylases of three subtypes: (a) bifunctional with an associated β-lyase activity; (b) monofunctional; and (c) bifunctional with an associated β,δ-lyase activity. These three subtypes of DNA glycosylases all initiate BER but yield different chemical intermediates and hence different BER complexes to complete repair. Additionally, we briefly summarize alternate repair events mediated by BER proteins and the role of BER in the repair of mitochondrial DNA damage induced by ROS. Finally, we discuss the relation of BER and oxidative DNA damage in the onset of human disease. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 14, 2491–2507. PMID:20649466

  19. A DNA 3′-phosphatase functions in active DNA demethylation in Arabidopsis

    PubMed Central

    Martínez-Macías, María Isabel; Qian, Weiqiang; Miki, Daisuke; Pontes, Olga; Liu, Yunhua; Tang, Kai; Liu, Renyi; Morales-Ruiz, Teresa; Ariza, Rafael R.; Roldán-Arjona, Teresa; Zhu, Jian-Kang

    2012-01-01

    SUMMARY DNA methylation is an important epigenetic mark established by the combined actions of methylation and demethylation reactions. Plants use a base excision repair pathway for active DNA demethylation. After 5-methylcytosine removal, the Arabidopsis DNA glycosylase/lyase ROS1 incises the DNA backbone and part of the product has a single-nucleotide gap flanked by 3′- and 5′-phosphate termini. Here we show that the DNA phosphatase ZDP removes the blocking 3′-phosphate, allowing subsequent DNA polymerization and ligation steps needed to complete the repair reactions. ZDP and ROS1 interact in vitro and co-localize in vivo in nucleoplasmic foci. Extracts from zdp mutant plants are unable to complete DNA demethylation in vitro, and the mutations cause DNA hypermethylation and transcriptional silencing of a reporter gene. Genome-wide methylation analysis in zdp mutant plants identified hundreds of hypermethylated endogenous loci. Our results show that ZDP functions downstream of ROS1 in one branch of the active DNA demethylation pathway. PMID:22325353

  20. Psoralen-induced DNA adducts are substrates for the base excision repair pathway in human cells

    PubMed Central

    Couvé-Privat, Sophie; Macé, Gaëtane; Saparbaev, Murat K.

    2007-01-01

    Interstrand cross-link (ICL) is a covalent modification of both strands of DNA, which prevents DNA strand separation during transcription and replication. Upon photoactivation 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP+UVA) alkylates both strands of DNA duplex at the 5,6-double bond of thymidines, generating monoadducts (MAs) and ICLs. It was thought that bulky DNA lesions such as MAs are eliminated only in the nucleotide excision repair pathway. Instead, non-bulky DNA lesions are substrates for DNA glycosylases and AP endonucleases which initiate the base excision repair (BER) pathway. Here we examined whether BER might be involved in the removal of psoralen–DNA photoadducts. The results show that in human cells DNA glycosylase NEIL1 excises the MAs in duplex DNA, subsequently the apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1, APE1, removes the 3′-phosphate residue at single-strand break generated by NEIL1. The apparent kinetic parameters suggest that NEIL1 excises MAs with high efficiency. Consistent with these results HeLa cells lacking APE1 and/or NEIL1 become hypersensitive to 8-MOP+UVA exposure. Furthermore, we demonstrate that bacterial homologues of NEIL1, the Fpg and Nei proteins, also excise MAs. New substrate specificity of the Fpg/Nei protein family provides an alternative repair pathway for ICLs and bulky DNA damage. PMID:17715144

  1. Abnormal Expressions of DNA Glycosylase Genes NEIL1, NEIL2, and NEIL3 Are Associated with Somatic Mutation Loads in Human Cancer.

    PubMed

    Shinmura, Kazuya; Kato, Hisami; Kawanishi, Yuichi; Igarashi, Hisaki; Goto, Masanori; Tao, Hong; Inoue, Yusuke; Nakamura, Satoki; Misawa, Kiyoshi; Mineta, Hiroyuki; Sugimura, Haruhiko

    2016-01-01

    The effects of abnormalities in the DNA glycosylases NEIL1, NEIL2, and NEIL3 on human cancer have not been fully elucidated. In this paper, we found that the median somatic total mutation loads and the median somatic single nucleotide mutation loads exhibited significant inverse correlations with the median NEIL1 and NEIL2 expression levels and a significant positive correlation with the median NEIL3 expression level using data for 13 cancer types from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. A subset of the cancer types exhibited reduced NEIL1 and NEIL2 expressions and elevated NEIL3 expression, and such abnormal expressions of NEIL1, NEIL2, and NEIL3 were also significantly associated with the mutation loads in cancer. As a mechanism underlying the reduced expression of NEIL1 in cancer, the epigenetic silencing of NEIL1 through promoter hypermethylation was found. Finally, we investigated the reason why an elevated NEIL3 expression level was associated with an increased number of somatic mutations in cancer and found that NEIL3 expression was positively correlated with the expression of APOBEC3B, a potent inducer of mutations, in diverse cancers. These results suggested that the abnormal expressions of NEIL1, NEIL2, and NEIL3 are involved in cancer through their association with the somatic mutation load.

  2. Regulation of DNA repair in serum-stimulated xeroderma pigmentosum cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gupta, P.K.; Sirover, M.A.

    1984-10-01

    The regulation of DNA repair during serum stimulation of quiescent cells was examined in normal human cells, in fibroblasts from three xeroderma pigmentosum complementation groups (A, C, and D), in xeroderma pigmentosum variant cells, and in ataxia telangiectasia cells. The regulation of nucleotide excision repair was examined by exposing cells to ultraviolet irradiation at discrete intervals after cell stimulation. Similarly, base excision repair was quantitated after exposure to methylmethane sulfonate. WI-38 normal human diploid fibroblasts, xeroderma pigmentosum variant cells, as well as ataxia telangiectasia cells enhanced their capacity for both nucleotide excision repair and for base excision repair prior tomore » their enhancement of DNA synthesis. Further, in each cell strain, the base excision repair enzyme uracil DNA glycosylase was increased prior to the induction of DNA polymerase using the identical cells to quantitate each activity. In contrast, each of the three xeroderma complementation groups that were examined failed to increase their capacity for nucleotide excision repair above basal levels at any interval examined. This result was observed using either unscheduled DNA synthesis in the presence of 10 mM hydroxyurea or using repair replication in the absence of hydroxyurea to quantitate DNA repair. However, each of the three complementation groups normally regulated the enhancement of base excision repair after methylmethane sulfonate exposure and each induced the uracil DNA glycosylase prior to DNA synthesis. 62 references, 3 figures, 2 tables.« less

  3. Maintaining Genetic Integrity Under Extreme Conditions: Novel DNA Damage Repair Biology in the Archaea

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-11-23

    Genetic analysis of Nre DNA repair function A4 Conclusions B. Widening the net in the search for new DNA-directed enzyme activities C. New tools for H...Figure 1) were hypothesised to be novel DNA repair enzymes . The stated aims of the proposal were to use a combination of genetic, biochemical and...in E.coli Almost all proteins that interact directly with PCNA are enzymes possessing DNA-directed activities such as nucleases, glycosylases

  4. Ada response – a strategy for repair of alkylated DNA in bacteria

    PubMed Central

    Mielecki, Damian; Grzesiuk, Elżbieta

    2014-01-01

    Alkylating agents are widespread in the environment and also occur endogenously. They can be cytotoxic or mutagenic to the cells introducing alkylated bases to DNA or RNA. All organisms have evolved multiple DNA repair mechanisms to counteract the effects of DNA alkylation: the most cytotoxic lesion, N3-methyladenine (3meA), is excised by AlkA glycosylase initiating base excision repair (BER); toxic N1-methyladenine (1meA) and N3-methylcytosine (3meC), induced in DNA and RNA, are removed by AlkB dioxygenase; and mutagenic and cytotoxic O6-methylguanine (O6meG) is repaired by Ada methyltransferase. In Escherichia coli, Ada response involves the expression of four genes, ada, alkA, alkB, and aidB, encoding respective proteins Ada, AlkA, AlkB, and AidB. The Ada response is conserved among many bacterial species; however, it can be organized differently, with diverse substrate specificity of the particular proteins. Here, an overview of the organization of the Ada regulon and function of individual proteins is presented. We put special effort into the characterization of AlkB dioxygenases, their substrate specificity, and function in the repair of alkylation lesions in DNA/RNA. PMID:24810496

  5. Duplex Interrogation by a Direct DNA Repair Protein in Search of Base Damage

    PubMed Central

    Yi, Chengqi; Chen, Baoen; Qi, Bo; Zhang, Wen; Jia, Guifang; Zhang, Liang; Li, Charles J.; Dinner, Aaron R.; Yang, Cai-Guang; He, Chuan

    2012-01-01

    ALKBH2 is a direct DNA repair dioxygenase guarding mammalian genome against N1-methyladenine, N3-methylcytosine, and 1,N6-ethenoadenine damage. A prerequisite for repair is to identify these lesions in the genome. Here we present crystal structures of ALKBH2 bound to different duplex DNAs. Together with computational and biochemical analyses, our results suggest that DNA interrogation by ALKBH2 displays two novel features: i) ALKBH2 probes base-pair stability and detects base pairs with reduced stability; ii) ALKBH2 does not have nor need a “damage-checking site”, which is critical for preventing spurious base-cleavage for several glycosylases. The demethylation mechanism of ALKBH2 insures that only cognate lesions are oxidized and reversed to normal bases, and that a flipped, non-substrate base remains intact in the active site. Overall, the combination of duplex interrogation and oxidation chemistry allows ALKBH2 to detect and process diverse lesions efficiently and correctly. PMID:22659876

  6. Reversing DNA Methylation: Mechanisms, Genomics, and Biological Functions

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Hao; Zhang, Yi

    2014-01-01

    Methylation of cytosines in the mammalian genome represents a key epigenetic modification and is dynamically regulated during development. Compelling evidence now suggests that dynamic regulation of DNA methylation is mainly achieved through a cyclic enzymatic cascade comprised of cytosine methylation, iterative oxidation of methyl group by TET dioxygenases, and restoration of unmodified cytosines by either replication-dependent dilution or DNA glycosylase-initiated base excision repair. In this review, we discuss the mechanism and function of DNA demethylation in mammalian genomes, focusing particularly on how developmental modulation of the cytosine-modifying pathway is coupled to active reversal of DNA methylation in diverse biological processes. PMID:24439369

  7. Suppression of human 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) augments ultrasound-induced apoptosis in cervical cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Xu, Tao; Nie, Yongli; Bai, Jiao; Li, Linjun; Yang, Bo; Zheng, Guangmei; Zhang, Jun; Yu, Jianyun; Cheng, Xiongfei; Jiao, Jiao; Jing, Hongxia

    2016-12-01

    Human 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) is a major base excision repair enzyme, and it was reported to suppress the activation of intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway in response to oxidative stress. In this study, our aim was to investigate the effects of OGG1 downregulation on ultrasound-induced apoptosis in cervical cancer cells. OGG1 expression was silenced by shRNA in the cervical cancer SW756 and CaSki cells. Cell viability was evaluated by MTT assay after OGG1 knockdown following ultrasound treatment. Ultrasound-induced apoptosis was measured by Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and Ca(2+) concentration were detected using a fluorescent probe, 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) and a green fluorescent dye fluo-4AM, respectively. Western blotting was used to analyze the expression of Bcl-2, Bax, cleaved caspase-3, and nuclear factor-κB p65 (NF-κB p65). The results indicated that OGG1 knockdown did not suppress cell proliferation, but significantly augmented ultrasound-induced inhibitory effects on the cell viability, and increased ultrasound-induced early apoptosis and late apoptosis and necrosis in the SW756 and CaSki cells when exposure to ultrasound (1MHz) at 1.5W/cm(2) for 30 and 60s. OGG1 knockdown significantly increased intracellular ROS production and Ca(2+) concentration after incubation of 6, 24, and 48h post-ultrasound treatment. The downregulation of Bcl-2 protein and the upregulation of Bax, cleaved caspase-3, and NF-κB p65 protein levels were observed in the shRNA-OGG1 cells and mock-shRNA cells, but no significant change of these protein levels was found between of them. These results indicate that downregulation of OGG1 expression can augment ultrasound-induced apoptosis in cervical cancer cells, which suggests that OGG1 suppression might provide a new insight for ultrasound-induced therapeutic effects on cervical cancer treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights

  8. Ada response - a strategy for repair of alkylated DNA in bacteria.

    PubMed

    Mielecki, Damian; Grzesiuk, Elżbieta

    2014-06-01

    Alkylating agents are widespread in the environment and also occur endogenously. They can be cytotoxic or mutagenic to the cells introducing alkylated bases to DNA or RNA. All organisms have evolved multiple DNA repair mechanisms to counteract the effects of DNA alkylation: the most cytotoxic lesion, N(3)-methyladenine (3meA), is excised by AlkA glycosylase initiating base excision repair (BER); toxic N(1)-methyladenine (1meA) and N(3)-methylcytosine (3meC), induced in DNA and RNA, are removed by AlkB dioxygenase; and mutagenic and cytotoxic O(6)-methylguanine (O(6) meG) is repaired by Ada methyltransferase. In Escherichia coli, Ada response involves the expression of four genes, ada, alkA, alkB, and aidB, encoding respective proteins Ada, AlkA, AlkB, and AidB. The Ada response is conserved among many bacterial species; however, it can be organized differently, with diverse substrate specificity of the particular proteins. Here, an overview of the organization of the Ada regulon and function of individual proteins is presented. We put special effort into the characterization of AlkB dioxygenases, their substrate specificity, and function in the repair of alkylation lesions in DNA/RNA. © 2014 The Authors. FEMS Microbiology Letters published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Federation of European Microbiological Societies.

  9. Modular Nuclease-Responsive DNA Three-Way Junction-Based Dynamic Assembly of a DNA Device and Its Sensing Application.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Jing; Wang, Lei; Xu, Xiaowen; Wei, Haiping; Jiang, Wei

    2016-04-05

    Here, we explored a modular strategy for rational design of nuclease-responsive three-way junctions (TWJs) and fabricated a dynamic DNA device in a "plug-and-play" fashion. First, inactivated TWJs were designed, which contained three functional domains: the inaccessible toehold and branch migration domains, the specific sites of nucleases, and the auxiliary complementary sequence. The actions of different nucleases on their specific sites in TWJs caused the close proximity of the same toehold and branch migration domains, resulting in the activation of the TWJs and the formation of a universal trigger for the subsequent dynamic assembly. Second, two hairpins (H1 and H2) were introduced, which could coexist in a metastable state, initially to act as the components for the dynamic assembly. Once the trigger initiated the opening of H1 via TWJs-driven strand displacement, the cascade hybridization of hairpins immediately switched on, resulting in the formation of the concatemers of H1/H2 complex appending numerous integrated G-quadruplexes, which were used to obtain label-free signal readout. The inherent modularity of this design allowed us to fabricate a flexible DNA dynamic device and detect multiple nucleases through altering the recognition pattern slightly. Taking uracil-DNA glycosylase and CpG methyltransferase M.SssI as models, we successfully realized the butt joint between the uracil-DNA glycosylase and M.SssI recognition events and the dynamic assembly process. Furthermore, we achieved ultrasensitive assay of nuclease activity and the inhibitor screening. The DNA device proposed here will offer an adaptive and flexible tool for clinical diagnosis and anticancer drug discovery.

  10. Formation and processing of DNA damage substrates for the hNEIL enzymes.

    PubMed

    Fleming, Aaron M; Burrows, Cynthia J

    2017-06-01

    Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are harnessed by the cell for signaling at the same time as being detrimental to cellular components such as DNA. The genome and transcriptome contain instructions that can alter cellular processes when oxidized. The guanine (G) heterocycle in the nucleotide pool, DNA, or RNA is the base most prone to oxidation. The oxidatively-derived products of G consistently observed in high yields from hydroxyl radical, carbonate radical, or singlet oxygen oxidations under conditions modeling the cellular reducing environment are discussed. The major G base oxidation products are 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (OG), 5-carboxamido-5-formamido-2-iminohydantoin (2Ih), spiroiminodihydantoin (Sp), and 5-guanidinohydantoin (Gh). The yields of these products show dependency on the oxidant and the reaction context that includes nucleoside, single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), and G-quadruplex DNA (G4-DNA) structures. Upon formation of these products in cells, they are recognized by the DNA glycosylases in the base excision repair (BER) pathway. This review focuses on initiation of BER by the mammalian Nei-like1-3 (NEIL1-3) glycosylases for removal of 2Ih, Sp, and Gh. The unique ability of the human NEILs to initiate removal of the hydantoins in ssDNA, bulge-DNA, bubble-DNA, dsDNA, and G4-DNA is outlined. Additionally, when Gh exists in a G4 DNA found in a gene promoter, NEIL-mediated repair is modulated by the plasticity of the G4-DNA structure provided by additional G-runs flanking the sequence. On the basis of these observations and cellular studies from the literature, the interplay between DNA oxidation and BER to alter gene expression is discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. T:G mismatch-specific thymine-DNA glycosylase (TDG) as a coregulator of transcription interacts with SRC1 family members through a novel tyrosine repeat motif

    PubMed Central

    Lucey, Marie J.; Chen, Dongsheng; Lopez-Garcia, Jorge; Hart, Stephen M.; Phoenix, Fladia; Al-Jehani, Rajai; Alao, John P.; White, Roger; Kindle, Karin B.; Losson, Régine; Chambon, Pierre; Parker, Malcolm G.; Schär, Primo; Heery, David M.; Buluwela, Lakjaya; Ali, Simak

    2005-01-01

    Gene activation involves protein complexes with diverse enzymatic activities, some of which are involved in chromatin modification. We have shown previously that the base excision repair enzyme thymine DNA glycosylase (TDG) acts as a potent coactivator for estrogen receptor-α. To further understand how TDG acts in this context, we studied its interaction with known coactivators of nuclear receptors. We find that TDG interacts in vitro and in vivo with the p160 coactivator SRC1, with the interaction being mediated by a previously undescribed motif encoding four equally spaced tyrosine residues in TDG, each tyrosine being separated by three amino acids. This is found to interact with two motifs in SRC1 also containing tyrosine residues separated by three amino acids. Site-directed mutagenesis shows that the tyrosines encoded in these motifs are critical for the interaction. The related p160 protein TIF2 does not interact with TDG and has the altered sequence, F-X-X-X-Y, at the equivalent positions relative to SRC1. Substitution of the phenylalanines to tyrosines is sufficient to bring about interaction of TIF2 with TDG. These findings highlight a new protein–protein interaction motif based on Y-X-X-X-Y and provide new insight into the interaction of diverse proteins in coactivator complexes. PMID:16282588

  12. Inducible repair of alkylated DNA in microorganisms.

    PubMed

    Mielecki, Damian; Wrzesiński, Michał; Grzesiuk, Elżbieta

    2015-01-01

    Alkylating agents, which are widespread in the environment, also occur endogenously as primary and secondary metabolites. Such compounds have intrinsically extremely cytotoxic and frequently mutagenic effects, to which organisms have developed resistance by evolving multiple repair mechanisms to protect cellular DNA. One such defense against alkylation lesions is an inducible Adaptive (Ada) response. In Escherichia coli, the Ada response enhances cell resistance by the biosynthesis of four proteins: Ada, AlkA, AlkB, and AidB. The glycosidic bonds of the most cytotoxic lesion, N3-methyladenine (3meA), together with N3-methylguanine (3meG), O(2)-methylthymine (O(2)-meT), and O(2)-methylcytosine (O(2)-meC), are cleaved by AlkA DNA glycosylase. Lesions such as N1-methyladenine (1meA) and N3-methylcytosine (3meC) are removed from DNA and RNA by AlkB dioxygenase. Cytotoxic and mutagenic O(6)-methylguanine (O(6)meG) is repaired by Ada DNA methyltransferase, which transfers the methyl group onto its own cysteine residue from the methylated oxygen. We review (i) the individual Ada proteins Ada, AlkA, AlkB, AidB, and COG3826, with emphasis on the ubiquitous and versatile AlkB and its prokaryotic and eukaryotic homologs; (ii) the organization of the Ada regulon in several bacterial species; (iii) the mechanisms underlying activation of Ada transcription. In vivo and in silico analysis of various microorganisms shows the widespread existence and versatile organization of Ada regulon genes, including not only ada, alkA, alkB, and aidB but also COG3826, alkD, and other genes whose roles in repair of alkylated DNA remain to be elucidated. This review explores the comparative organization of Ada response and protein functions among bacterial species beyond the classical E. coli model. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Effect of pH and temperature on the stability of UV-induced repairable pyrimidine hydrates in DNA.

    PubMed

    O'Donnell, R E; Boorstein, R J; Cunningham, R P; Teebor, G W

    1994-08-23

    UV irradiation of cytosine yields 6-hydroxy-5,6-dihydrocytosine (cytosine hydrate) whether the cytosine is in solution as base, nucleoside, or nucleotide or on the DNA backbone. Cytosine hydrate decomposes by elimination of water, yielding cytosine, or by irreversible deamination, yielding uracil hydrate, which, in turn, decomposes by dehydration yielding uracil. To determine how pH and temperature affect these decomposition reactions, alternating poly(dG-[3H]dC) copolymer was irradiated at 254 nm and incubated under different conditions of pH and temperature. The cytosine hydrate and uracil hydrate content of the DNA was determined by the use of Escherichia coli endonuclease III, which releases pyrimidine hydrates from DNA by virtue of its DNA glycosylase activity. Uracil content was determined by using uracil-DNA glycosylase. The rate of decomposition of cytosine hydrate to cytosine was determined at 4 temperatures at pH 3.1, 5.4, and 7.4. The Ea was determined from the rates by using the Arrhenius equation and proved to be the same at pH 5.4 and 7.4, although the decomposition rate at pH 5.4 was faster at all temperatures. At pH 3.1, the Ea was reduced. These results suggest that the dehydration reaction is affected by two discrete protonations, most probably of the N-3 and the OH group of C-6 of cytosine hydrate. The deamination of cytosine hydrate to uracil hydrate was maximal at pH 3.1 at all temperatures. The doubly protonated cytosine hydrate probably is the common intermediate for both competing decomposition reactions, explaining why cytosine hydrate is prone to deamination at acid pH.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  14. The RON Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Promotes Metastasis by Triggering MBD4-Dependent DNA Methylation Reprogramming

    PubMed Central

    Cunha, Stéphanie; Lin, Yi-Chun; Goossen, Elizabeth A.; DeVette, Christa I.; Albertella, Mark R.; Thomson, Stuart; Mulvihill, Mark J.; Welm, Alana L.

    2017-01-01

    SUMMARY Metastasis is the major cause of death in cancer patients, yet the genetic and epigenetic programs that drive metastasis are poorly understood. Here, we report an epigenetic reprogramming pathway that is required for breast cancer metastasis. Concerted differential DNA methylation is initiated by the activation of the RON receptor tyrosine kinase by its ligand, macrophage stimulating protein (MSP). Through PI3K signaling, RON/MSP promotes expression of the G:T mismatch-specific thymine glycosylase MBD4. RON/MSP and MBD4-dependent aberrant DNA methylation results in the misregulation of a specific set of genes. Knockdown of MBD4 reverses methylation at these specific loci and blocks metastasis. We also show that the MBD4 glycosylase catalytic residue is required for RON/MSP-driven metastasis. Analysis of human breast cancers revealed that this epigenetic program is significantly associated with poor clinical outcome. Furthermore, inhibition of Ron kinase activity with a pharmacological agent blocks metastasis of patient-derived breast tumor grafts in vivo. PMID:24388747

  15. Infrared laser effects at fluences used for treatment of dentin hypersensitivity on DNA repair in Escherichia coli and plasmids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rocha Teixeira, Gleica; da Silva Marciano, Roberta; da Silva Sergio, Luiz Philippe; Castanheira Polignano, Giovanni Augusto; Roberto Guimarães, Oscar; Geller, Mauro; de Paoli, Flavia; de Souza da Fonseca, Adenilson

    2014-12-01

    Low-intensity infrared lasers are proposed in clinical protocols based on biostimulative effects, yet dosimetry is inaccurate and their effects on DNA at therapeutic doses are controversial. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of low-intensity infrared laser on survival and induction of filamentation of Escherichia coli cells, and induction of DNA lesions in bacterial plasmids. E. coli cultures were exposed to laser (808 nm, 100 mW, 40 and 60 J/cm2) to study bacterial survival and filamentation. Also, bacterial plasmids were exposed to laser to study DNA lesions by electrophoretic profile and action of DNA repair enzymes. Data indicate low-intensity infrared laser has no effect on survival of E. coli wild type and exonuclease III, but decreases the survival of formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase/MutM protein and endonuclease III deficient cells in stationary growth phase, induces bacterial filamentation, does not alter the electrophoretic profile of plasmids in agarose gels and does not alter the electrophoretic profile of plasmids incubated with endonuclease III, formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase/MutM protein and exonuclease III. Our findings show that low-intensity laser exposure causes DNA lesions at sub-lethal level and induces cellular mechanisms involved in repair of oxidative lesions in DNA. Studies about laser dosimetry and safety strategies are necessary for professionals and patients exposed to low-intensity lasers at therapeutic doses.

  16. Selective DNA demethylation by fusion of TDG with a sequence-specific DNA-binding domain

    PubMed Central

    Gregory, David J.; Mikhaylova, Lyudmila; Fedulov, Alexey V.

    2012-01-01

    Our ability to selectively manipulate gene expression by epigenetic means is limited, as there is no approach for targeted reactivation of epigenetically silenced genes, in contrast to what is available for selective gene silencing. We aimed to develop a tool for selective transcriptional activation by DNA demethylation. Here we present evidence that direct targeting of thymine-DNA-glycosylase (TDG) to specific sequences in the DNA can result in local DNA demethylation at potential regulatory sequences and lead to enhanced gene induction. When TDG was fused to a well-characterized DNA-binding domain [the Rel-homology domain (RHD) of NFκB], we observed decreased DNA methylation and increased transcriptional response to unrelated stimulus of inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2). The effect was not seen for control genes lacking either RHD-binding sites or high levels of methylation, nor in control mock-transduced cells. Specific reactivation of epigenetically silenced genes may thus be achievable by this approach, which provides a broadly useful strategy to further our exploration of biological mechanisms and to improve control over the epigenome. PMID:22419066

  17. Nucleosomes Suppress the Formation of Double-strand DNA Breaks during Attempted Base Excision Repair of Clustered Oxidative Damages*

    PubMed Central

    Cannan, Wendy J.; Tsang, Betty P.; Wallace, Susan S.; Pederson, David S.

    2014-01-01

    Exposure to ionizing radiation can produce multiple, clustered oxidative lesions in DNA. The near simultaneous excision of nearby lesions in opposing DNA strands by the base excision repair (BER) enzymes can produce double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs). This attempted BER accounts for many of the potentially lethal or mutagenic DSBs that occur in vivo. To assess the impact of nucleosomes on the frequency and pattern of BER-dependent DSB formation, we incubated nucleosomes containing oxidative damages in opposing DNA strands with selected DNA glycosylases and human apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1. Overall, nucleosomes substantially suppressed DSB formation. However, the degree of suppression varied as a function of (i) the lesion type and DNA glycosylase tested, (ii) local sequence context and the stagger between opposing strand lesions, (iii) the helical orientation of oxidative lesions relative to the underlying histone octamer, and (iv) the distance between the lesion cluster and the nucleosome edge. In some instances the binding of a BER factor to one nucleosomal lesion appeared to facilitate binding to the opposing strand lesion. DSB formation did not invariably lead to nucleosome dissolution, and in some cases, free DNA ends resulting from DSB formation remained associated with the histone octamer. These observations explain how specific structural and dynamic properties of nucleosomes contribute to the suppression of BER-generated DSBs. These studies also suggest that most BER-generated DSBs will occur in linker DNA and in genomic regions associated with elevated rates of nucleosome turnover or remodeling. PMID:24891506

  18. Direct inhibition of excision/synthesis DNA repair activities by cadmium: analysis on dedicated biochips.

    PubMed

    Candéias, S; Pons, B; Viau, M; Caillat, S; Sauvaigo, S

    2010-12-10

    The well established toxicity of cadmium and cadmium compounds results from their additive effects on several key cellular processes, including DNA repair. Mammalian cells have evolved several biochemical pathways to repair DNA lesions and maintain genomic integrity. By interfering with the homeostasis of redox metals and antioxidant systems, cadmium promotes the development of an intracellular environment that results in oxidative DNA damage which can be mutagenic if unrepaired. Small base lesions are recognised by specialized glycosylases and excised from the DNA molecule. The resulting abasic sites are incised, and the correct sequences restored by DNA polymerases using the opposite strands as template. Bulky lesions are recognised by a different set of proteins and excised from DNA as part of an oligonucleotide. As in base repair, the resulting gaps are filled by DNA polymerases using the opposite strands as template. Thus, these two repair pathways consist in excision of the lesion followed by DNA synthesis. In this study, we analysed in vitro the direct effects of cadmium exposure on the functionality of base and nucleotide DNA repair pathways. To this end, we used recently described dedicated microarrays that allow the parallel monitoring in cell extracts of the repair activities directed against several model base and/or nucleotide lesions. Both base and nucleotide excision/repair pathways are inhibited by CdCl₂, with different sensitivities. The inhibitory effects of cadmium affect mainly the recognition and excision stages of these processes. Furthermore, our data indicate that the repair activities directed against different damaged bases also exhibit distinct sensitivities, and the direct comparison of cadmium effects on the excision of uracile in different sequences even allows us to propose a hierarchy of cadmium sensibility within the glycosylases removing U from DNA. These results indicate that, in our experimental conditions, cadmium is a very

  19. Crystal Structure of the Vaccinia Virus DNA Polymerase Holoenzyme Subunit D4 in Complex with the A20 N-Terminal Domain

    PubMed Central

    Contesto-Richefeu, Céline; Tarbouriech, Nicolas; Brazzolotto, Xavier; Betzi, Stéphane; Morelli, Xavier; Burmeister, Wim P.; Iseni, Frédéric

    2014-01-01

    Vaccinia virus polymerase holoenzyme is composed of the DNA polymerase E9, the uracil-DNA glycosylase D4 and A20, a protein with no known enzymatic activity. The D4/A20 heterodimer is the DNA polymerase co-factor whose function is essential for processive DNA synthesis. Genetic and biochemical data have established that residues located in the N-terminus of A20 are critical for binding to D4. However, no information regarding the residues of D4 involved in A20 binding is yet available. We expressed and purified the complex formed by D4 and the first 50 amino acids of A20 (D4/A201–50). We showed that whereas D4 forms homodimers in solution when expressed alone, D4/A201–50 clearly behaves as a heterodimer. The crystal structure of D4/A201–50 solved at 1.85 Å resolution reveals that the D4/A20 interface (including residues 167 to 180 and 191 to 206 of D4) partially overlaps the previously described D4/D4 dimer interface. A201–50 binding to D4 is mediated by an α-helical domain with important leucine residues located at the very N-terminal end of A20 and a second stretch of residues containing Trp43 involved in stacking interactions with Arg167 and Pro173 of D4. Point mutations of the latter residues disturb D4/A201–50 formation and reduce significantly thermal stability of the complex. Interestingly, small molecule docking with anti-poxvirus inhibitors selected to interfere with D4/A20 binding could reproduce several key features of the D4/A201–50 interaction. Finally, we propose a model of D4/A201–50 in complex with DNA and discuss a number of mutants described in the literature, which affect DNA synthesis. Overall, our data give new insights into the assembly of the poxvirus DNA polymerase cofactor and may be useful for the design and rational improvement of antivirals targeting the D4/A20 interface. PMID:24603707

  20. A network of enzymes involved in repair of oxidative DNA damage in Neisseria meningitidis

    PubMed Central

    Li, Yanwen; Pelicic, Vladimir; Freemont, Paul S.; Baldwin, Geoff S.; Tang, Christoph M.

    2013-01-01

    Although oxidative stress is a key aspect of innate immunity, little is known about how host-restricted pathogens successfully repair DNA damage. Base excision repair (BER) is responsible for correcting nucleobases damaged by oxidative stress, and is essential for bloodstream infection caused by the human pathogen, Neisseria meningitidis. We have characterised meningococcal BER enzymes involved in the recognition and removal of damaged nucleobases, and incision of the DNA backbone. We demonstrate that the bi-functional glycosylase/lyases Nth and MutM share several overlapping activities and functional redundancy. However MutM and other members of the GO system, which deal with 8-oxoG, a common lesion of oxidative damage, are not required for survival of N. meningitidis under oxidative stress. Instead, the mismatch repair pathway provides back-up for the GO system, while the lyase activity of Nth can substitute for the meningococcal AP endonuclease, NApe. Our genetic and biochemical evidence show that DNA repair is achieved through a robust network of enzymes that provides a flexible system of DNA repair. This network is likely to reflect successful adaptation to the human nasopharynx, and might provide a paradigm for DNA repair in other prokaryotes. PMID:22296581

  1. Pro-oxidant Induced DNA Damage in Human Lymphoblastoid Cells: Homeostatic Mechanisms of Genotoxic Tolerance

    PubMed Central

    Seager, Anna L.

    2012-01-01

    Oxidative stress contributes to many disease etiologies including ageing, neurodegeneration, and cancer, partly through DNA damage induction (genotoxicity). Understanding the i nteractions of free radicals with DNA is fundamental to discern mutation risks. In genetic toxicology, regulatory authorities consider that most genotoxins exhibit a linear relationship between dose and mutagenic response. Yet, homeostatic mechanisms, including DNA repair, that allow cells to tolerate low levels of genotoxic exposure exist. Acceptance of thresholds for genotoxicity has widespread consequences in terms of understanding cancer risk and regulating human exposure to chemicals/drugs. Three pro-oxidant chemicals, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), potassium bromate (KBrO3), and menadione, were examined for low dose-response curves in human lymphoblastoid cells. DNA repair and antioxidant capacity were assessed as possible threshold mechanisms. H2O2 and KBrO3, but not menadione, exhibited thresholded responses, containing a range of nongenotoxic low doses. Levels of the DNA glycosylase 8-oxoguanine glycosylase were unchanged in response to pro- oxidant stress. DNA repair–focused gene expression arrays reported changes in ATM and BRCA1, involved in double-strand break repair, in response to low-dose pro-oxidant exposure; however, these alterations were not substantiated at the protein level. Determination of oxidatively induced DNA damage in H2O2-treated AHH-1 cells reported accumulation of thymine glycol above the genotoxic threshold. Further, the H2O2 dose-response curve was shifted by modulating the antioxidant glutathione. Hence, observed pro- oxidant thresholds were due to protective capacities of base excision repair enzymes and antioxidants against DNA damage, highlighting the importance of homeostatic mechanisms in “genotoxic tolerance.” PMID:22539617

  2. Base Excision Repair

    PubMed Central

    Krokan, Hans E.; Bjørås, Magnar

    2013-01-01

    Base excision repair (BER) corrects DNA damage from oxidation, deamination and alkylation. Such base lesions cause little distortion to the DNA helix structure. BER is initiated by a DNA glycosylase that recognizes and removes the damaged base, leaving an abasic site that is further processed by short-patch repair or long-patch repair that largely uses different proteins to complete BER. At least 11 distinct mammalian DNA glycosylases are known, each recognizing a few related lesions, frequently with some overlap in specificities. Impressively, the damaged bases are rapidly identified in a vast excess of normal bases, without a supply of energy. BER protects against cancer, aging, and neurodegeneration and takes place both in nuclei and mitochondria. More recently, an important role of uracil-DNA glycosylase UNG2 in adaptive immunity was revealed. Furthermore, other DNA glycosylases may have important roles in epigenetics, thus expanding the repertoire of BER proteins. PMID:23545420

  3. Advanced uracil DNA glycosylase-supplemented real-time reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (UDG-rRT-LAMP) method for universal and specific detection of Tembusu virus

    PubMed Central

    Tang, Yi; Chen, Hao; Diao, Youxiang

    2016-01-01

    Tembusu virus (TMUV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus which threatens both poultry production and public health. In this study we developed a complete open reading frame alignment-based rRT-LAMP method for the universal detection of TUMV. To prevent false-positive results, the reaction was supplemented with uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) to eliminate carryover contamination. The detection limit of the newly developed UDG-rRT-LAMP for TMUV was as low as 100 copies/reaction of viral RNA and 1 × 100.89 − 1 × 101.55 tissue culture infectious dose/100 μL of viruses. There were no cross-reactions with other viruses, and the reproducibility of the assay was confirmed by intra- and inter-assay tests with variability ranging from 0.22–3.33%. The new UDG-rRT-LAMP method for TMUV produced the same results as viral isolation combined with RT-PCR as the “gold standard” in 96.88% of cases for 81 clinical samples from subjects with suspected TMUV infection. The addition of UDG can eliminate as much as 1 × 10−16 g/reaction of contaminants, which can significantly reduce the likelihood of false-positive results during the rRT-LAMP reaction. Our result indicated that our UDG-rRT-LAMP is a rapid, sensitive, specific, and reliable method that can effectively prevent carryover contamination in the detection of TMUV. PMID:27270462

  4. Low-concentration exposure to BPA, BPF and BPAF induces oxidative DNA bases lesions in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

    PubMed

    Mokra, Katarzyna; Woźniak, Katarzyna; Bukowska, Bożena; Sicińska, Paulina; Michałowicz, Jaromir

    2018-06-01

    Because bisphenol A (BPA) and some of its analogs have been supposed to influence development of cancer, we have assessed the effect of BPA, bisphenol S (BPS), bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol AF (BPAF) on DNA bases oxidation, which is a key process in cancer initiation. The analysis was conducted on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), which are very useful model to assess genotoxic potential of various toxicants in different cell types. In order to determine oxidative damage to DNA pyrimidines and purines, alkaline version of the comet assay with DNA glycosylases, i.e. endonuclease III (Nth) and human 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (hOGG1) was used. PBMCs were exposed to BPA or its analogs in the concentrations of 0.01, 0.1 and 1 μg/mL for 4 h and 0.001, 0.01 and 0.1 μg/mL for 48 h. We have observed that BPA, BPS, BPF and particularly BPAF caused oxidative damage to DNA pyrimidines and more strongly to purines in human PBMCs. The results have also shown that BPS, which is the most commonly used as a substitute for BPA in the manufacture induced definitely the smallest oxidative DNA bases lesions in PBMCs. Moreover, we have noticed that BPA, BPF and BPAF caused DNA damage at very low concentration of 1 ng/mL. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Formamidopyrimidines in DNA: mechanisms of formation, repair, and biological effects.

    PubMed

    Dizdaroglu, Miral; Kirkali, Güldal; Jaruga, Pawel

    2008-12-15

    Oxidatively induced damage to DNA results in a plethora of lesions comprising modified bases and sugars, DNA-protein cross-links, tandem lesions, strand breaks, and clustered lesions. Formamidopyrimidines, 4,6-diamino-5-formamidopyrimidine (FapyAde) and 2,6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5-formamidopyrimidine (FapyGua), are among the major lesions generated in DNA by hydroxyl radical attack, UV radiation, or photosensitization under numerous in vitro and in vivo conditions. They are formed by one-electron reduction of C8-OH-adduct radicals of purines and thus have a common precursor with 8-hydroxypurines generated upon one-electron oxidation. Methodologies using mass spectrometry exist to accurately measure FapyAde and FapyGua in vitro and in vivo. Formamidopyrimidines are repaired by base excision repair. Numerous prokaryotic and eukaryotic DNA glycosylases are highly specific for removal of these lesions from DNA in the first step of this repair pathway, indicating their biological importance. FapyAde and FapyGua are bypassed by DNA polymerases with the insertion of the wrong intact base opposite them, leading to mutagenesis. In mammalian cells, the mutagenicity of FapyGua exceeds that of 8-hydroxyguanine, which is thought to be the most mutagenic of the oxidatively induced lesions in DNA. The background and formation levels of the former in vitro and in vivo equal or exceed those of the latter under various conditions. FapyAde and FapyGua exist in living cells at significant background levels and are abundantly generated upon exposure to oxidative stress. Mice lacking the genes that encode specific DNA glycosylases accumulate these lesions in different organs and, in some cases, exhibit a series of pathological conditions including metabolic syndrome and cancer. Animals exposed to environmental toxins accumulate formamidopyrimidines in their organs. Here, we extensively review the mechanisms of formation, measurement, repair, and biological effects of formamidopyrimidines

  6. Is Human Oxoguanine Glycosylase 1 Genetic Variant Successful Even on Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma?

    PubMed

    Aydemir, Levent; Bireller, Elif Sinem; Avci, Hakan; Boy Metin, Zeynep; Deger, Kemal; Unur, Meral; Cakmakoglu, Bedia

    2017-01-01

    Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most widespread cancer types that arise from different sites of oral cavity and has a 5-year survival rate. This study is aimed at investigating the human oxoguanine glycosylase 1 (hOGG1)-Ser326Cys and APE-Asp148Glu polymorphisms of DNA repair genes in OSCC. We investigated the hOGG1-Ser326Cys and APE-Asp148Glu polymorphisms of DNA repair genes in the oral cavity. Genotyping was conducted using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis based on 132 patients who were diagnosed as having OSCC and 160 healthy subjects. Individuals with the genotype hOGG1-Ser326Cys, Cys allele carriers, were found significantly more frequently in the patient group compared to the control group as increase in risk (p < 0.001). Furthermore, it was observed that there were significantly more individuals with the Ser allele in the control group (p < 0.001). Individuals with genotype APE-Asp148Glu were not statistically significant; however, they were still more in the control group and provided protection against the disease. Our findings showed that hOGG1-Ser326Cys Cys allele is statistically important and relevant with respect to the development of oral squamous cancer. In view of our results, further studies including expression levels are required in which hOGG1-Ser326Cys should be investigated as molecular biomarkers for the early prediction of squamous cell carcinoma. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  7. Nucleosomes suppress the formation of double-strand DNA breaks during attempted base excision repair of clustered oxidative damages.

    PubMed

    Cannan, Wendy J; Tsang, Betty P; Wallace, Susan S; Pederson, David S

    2014-07-18

    Exposure to ionizing radiation can produce multiple, clustered oxidative lesions in DNA. The near simultaneous excision of nearby lesions in opposing DNA strands by the base excision repair (BER) enzymes can produce double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs). This attempted BER accounts for many of the potentially lethal or mutagenic DSBs that occur in vivo. To assess the impact of nucleosomes on the frequency and pattern of BER-dependent DSB formation, we incubated nucleosomes containing oxidative damages in opposing DNA strands with selected DNA glycosylases and human apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1. Overall, nucleosomes substantially suppressed DSB formation. However, the degree of suppression varied as a function of (i) the lesion type and DNA glycosylase tested, (ii) local sequence context and the stagger between opposing strand lesions, (iii) the helical orientation of oxidative lesions relative to the underlying histone octamer, and (iv) the distance between the lesion cluster and the nucleosome edge. In some instances the binding of a BER factor to one nucleosomal lesion appeared to facilitate binding to the opposing strand lesion. DSB formation did not invariably lead to nucleosome dissolution, and in some cases, free DNA ends resulting from DSB formation remained associated with the histone octamer. These observations explain how specific structural and dynamic properties of nucleosomes contribute to the suppression of BER-generated DSBs. These studies also suggest that most BER-generated DSBs will occur in linker DNA and in genomic regions associated with elevated rates of nucleosome turnover or remodeling. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  8. Ntg1p, the base excision repair protein, generates mutagenic intermediates in yeast mitochondrial DNA.

    PubMed

    Phadnis, Naina; Mehta, Reema; Meednu, Nida; Sia, Elaine A

    2006-07-13

    Mitochondrial DNA is predicted to be highly prone to oxidative damage due to its proximity to free radicals generated by oxidative phosphorylation. Base excision repair (BER) is the primary repair pathway responsible for repairing oxidative damage in nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. In yeast mitochondria, three N-glycosylases have been identified so far, Ntg1p, Ogg1p and Ung1p. Ntg1p, a broad specificity N-glycosylase, takes part in catalyzing the first step of BER that involves the removal of the damaged base. In this study, we examined the role of Ntg1p in maintaining yeast mitochondrial genome integrity. Using genetic reporters and assays to assess mitochondrial mutations, we found that loss of Ntg1p suppresses mitochondrial point mutation rates, frameshifts and recombination rates. We also observed a suppression of respiration loss in the ntg1-Delta cells in response to ultraviolet light exposure implying an overlap between BER and UV-induced damage in the yeast mitochondrial compartment. Over-expression of the BER AP endonuclease, Apn1p, did not significantly affect the mitochondrial mutation rate in the presence of Ntg1p, whereas Apn1p over-expression in an ntg1-Delta background increased the frequency of mitochondrial mutations. In addition, loss of Apn1p also suppressed mitochondrial point mutations. Our work suggests that both Ntg1p and Apn1p generate mutagenic intermediates in the yeast mitochondrial genome.

  9. Development of uracil-DNA-glycosylase-supplemented loop-mediated isothermal amplification coupled with nanogold probe (UDG-LAMP-AuNP) for specific detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

    PubMed Central

    Manajit, Orapan; Longyant, Siwaporn; Sithigorngul, Paisarn; Chaivisuthangkura, Parin

    2018-01-01

    Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is an important opportunistic pathogen that causes serious infections in humans, including keratitis in contact lens wearers. Therefore, establishing a rapid, specific and sensitive method for the identification of P. aeruginosa is imperative. In the present study, the uracil-DNA-glycosylase-supplemented loop-mediated isothermal amplification combined with nanogold labeled hybridization probe (UDG-LAMP-AuNP) was developed for the detection of P. aeruginosa. UDG-LAMP was performed to prevent carry over contamination and the LAMP reactions can be readily observed using the nanogold probe. A set of 4 primers and a hybridization probe were designed based on the ecfX gene. The UDG-LAMP reactions were performed at 65°C for 60 min using the ratio of 40% deoxyuridine triphosphate to 60% deoxythymidine triphosphate. The detection of UDG-LAMP products using the nanogold labeled hybridization probe, which appeared as a red-purple color, was examined at 65°C for 5 min with 40 mM MgSO4. The UDG-LAMP-AuNP demonstrated specificity to all tested isolates of P. aeruginosa without cross reaction to other bacteria. The sensitivity for the detection of pure culture was 1.6×103 colony-forming units (CFU) ml−1 or equivalent to 3 CFU per reaction while that of polymerase chain reaction was 30 CFU per reaction. The detection limit of spiked contact lenses was 1.1×103 CFU ml−1 or equivalent to 2 CFU per reaction. In conclusion, the UDG-LAMP-AuNP assay was rapid, simple, specific and was effective for the identification of P. aeruginosa in contaminated samples. PMID:29436623

  10. DNA repair genes polymorphisms and genetic susceptibility to Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms in a Portuguese population: The role of base excision repair genes polymorphisms.

    PubMed

    Azevedo, Ana P; Silva, Susana N; De Lima, João P; Reichert, Alice; Lima, Fernando; Júnior, Esmeraldina; Rueff, José

    2017-06-01

    The role of base excision repair (BER) genes in Philadelphia-negative (PN)-myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) susceptibility was evaluated by genotyping eight polymorphisms [apurinic/apyrimidinic endodeoxyribonuclease 1, mutY DNA glycosylase, earlier mutY homolog ( E. coli ) (MUTYH), 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) 1, PARP4 and X-ray repair cross-complementing 1 (XRCC1)] in a case-control study involving 133 Caucasian Portuguese patients. The results did not reveal a correlation between individual BER polymorphisms and PN-MPNs when considered as a whole. However, stratification for essential thrombocythaemia revealed i) borderline effect/tendency to increased risk when carrying at least one variant allele for XRCC1_399 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP); ii) decreased risk for Janus kinase 2-positive patients carrying at least one variant allele for XRCC1_399 SNP; and iii) decreased risk in females carrying at least one variant allele for MUTYH SNP. Combination of alleles demonstrated an increased risk to PN-MPNs for one specific haplogroup. These findings may provide evidence for gene variants in susceptibility to MPNs. Indeed, common variants in DNA repair genes may hamper the capacity to repair DNA, thus increasing cancer susceptibility.

  11. DNA repair genes polymorphisms and genetic susceptibility to Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms in a Portuguese population: The role of base excision repair genes polymorphisms

    PubMed Central

    Azevedo, Ana P.; Silva, Susana N.; De Lima, João P.; Reichert, Alice; Lima, Fernando; Júnior, Esmeraldina; Rueff, José

    2017-01-01

    The role of base excision repair (BER) genes in Philadelphia-negative (PN)-myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) susceptibility was evaluated by genotyping eight polymorphisms [apurinic/apyrimidinic endodeoxyribonuclease 1, mutY DNA glycosylase, earlier mutY homolog (E. coli) (MUTYH), 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) 1, PARP4 and X-ray repair cross-complementing 1 (XRCC1)] in a case-control study involving 133 Caucasian Portuguese patients. The results did not reveal a correlation between individual BER polymorphisms and PN-MPNs when considered as a whole. However, stratification for essential thrombocythaemia revealed i) borderline effect/tendency to increased risk when carrying at least one variant allele for XRCC1_399 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP); ii) decreased risk for Janus kinase 2-positive patients carrying at least one variant allele for XRCC1_399 SNP; and iii) decreased risk in females carrying at least one variant allele for MUTYH SNP. Combination of alleles demonstrated an increased risk to PN-MPNs for one specific haplogroup. These findings may provide evidence for gene variants in susceptibility to MPNs. Indeed, common variants in DNA repair genes may hamper the capacity to repair DNA, thus increasing cancer susceptibility. PMID:28599464

  12. Reduced DNA repair in mouse satellite DNA after treatment with methylmethanesulfonate, and N-methyl-N-nitrosourea.

    PubMed Central

    Bodell, W J; Banerjee, M R

    1976-01-01

    We have measured DNA repair in mouse satellite and main band DNA as resolved by Ag+-Cs2SO4 centrifugation in response to treatment with the alkylating agents, methyl methanesulfonate, and N-methyl-N-nitrosourea. We find that there is a statistically significant lower incorporation of 3H-Tdr into the satellite DNA as compared to the main band at varying periods after treatment with the alkylating agents. This suggests a reduced repair activity in the satellite DNA. We have measured the extent of binding of 14C-methyl methanesulfonate to the satellite, and main band DNA, and no difference in binding was observed, indicating that the reduced repair activity of satellite DNA is not due to a difference in binding of alkylating agents. We believe that the reduced incorporation of 3H-Tdr into satellite DNA may be due to its location in the condensed chromatin fraction. PMID:184436

  13. Selective inhibition by harmane of the apurinic apyrimidinic endonuclease activity of phage T4-induced UV endonuclease.

    PubMed

    Warner, H R; Persson, M L; Bensen, R J; Mosbaugh, D W; Linn, S

    1981-11-25

    1-Methyl-9H-pyrido-[3,4-b]indole (harmane) inhibits the apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease activity of the UV endonuclease induced by phage T4, whereas it stimulates the pyrimidine dimer-DNA glycosylase activity of that enzyme. E. coli endonuclease IV, E. coli endonuclease VI (the AP endonuclease activity associated with E. coli exonuclease III), and E. coli uracil-DNA glycosylase were not inhibited by harmane. Human fibroblast AP endonucleases I and II also were only slightly inhibited. Therefore, harmane is neither a general inhibitor of AP endonucleases, nor a general inhibitor of Class I AP endonucleases which incise DNA on the 3'-side of AP sites. However, E. coli endonuclease III and its associated dihydroxythymine-DNA glycosylase activity were both inhibited by harmane. This observation suggests that harmane may inhibit only AP endonucleases which have associated glycosylase activities.

  14. Selective inhibition by harmane of the apurinic apyrimidinic endonuclease activity of phage T4-induced UV endonuclease.

    PubMed Central

    Warner, H R; Persson, M L; Bensen, R J; Mosbaugh, D W; Linn, S

    1981-01-01

    1-Methyl-9H-pyrido-[3,4-b]indole (harmane) inhibits the apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease activity of the UV endonuclease induced by phage T4, whereas it stimulates the pyrimidine dimer-DNA glycosylase activity of that enzyme. E. coli endonuclease IV, E. coli endonuclease VI (the AP endonuclease activity associated with E. coli exonuclease III), and E. coli uracil-DNA glycosylase were not inhibited by harmane. Human fibroblast AP endonucleases I and II also were only slightly inhibited. Therefore, harmane is neither a general inhibitor of AP endonucleases, nor a general inhibitor of Class I AP endonucleases which incise DNA on the 3'-side of AP sites. However, E. coli endonuclease III and its associated dihydroxythymine-DNA glycosylase activity were both inhibited by harmane. This observation suggests that harmane may inhibit only AP endonucleases which have associated glycosylase activities. PMID:6273822

  15. Redox-linked effects of green tea on DNA damage and repair, and influence of microsatellite polymorphism in HMOX-1: results of a human intervention trial.

    PubMed

    Choi, Siu-Wai; Yeung, Vincent T F; Collins, Andrew R; Benzie, Iris F F

    2015-01-01

    Green tea has many reported health benefits, including genoprotective and antioxidant effects, but green tea has pro-oxidant activity in vitro. A tea-induced pro-oxidant shift that triggers cytoprotective adaptations has been postulated, but human data are lacking. We investigated effects on oxidation-induced DNA damage and redox-linked cytoprotective factors, including 8-oxoguanine glycosylase (hOGG1) and heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX-1) in lymphocytes in a randomised, placebo-controlled, cross-over supplementation trial. hOGG1 catalyses the first step in base excision repair; increased HMOX-1 is a sign of cytoprotective response to pro-oxidant change. The influence of microsatellite polymorphisms in the HMOX-1 promoter region was also explored. Higher numbers of GT repeats [GT(n)] in this region reportedly diminish response to pro-oxidant change. Green tea [2 × 150 ml of 1% w/v tea/day (or water as control)] was taken for 12 weeks by 43 Type 2 diabetes subjects {20 with short [S/S; GT(n) < 25] and 23 with long [L/L; GT(n) ≥ 25]}. Fasting venous blood was collected before and after each treatment. The formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase-assisted comet assay was used to measure DNA damage in lymphocytes. For measuring hOGG1 activity, we used photo-damaged HeLa cells incubated with lymphocyte extracts from test subjects, in combination with the comet assay. Lymphocyte HMOX-1 and hOGG1 protein concentrations and expression (mRNA) of redox-sensitive genes, including HMOX-1 and hOGG1, were also investigated. Results showed significantly (P < 0.01) lower (~15%) DNA damage, higher (~50%) hOGG1 activity and higher (~40%) HMOX-1 protein concentration after tea. No changes in mRNA expression were seen. Baseline HMOX-1 protein and hOGG1 activity were higher (P < 0.05) in the S/S group, but tea-associated responses were similar in both GT(n) groups. Green tea is clearly associated with lowered DNA damage, increased hOGG1 activity and higher HMOX-1 protein levels. Further study is

  16. Human 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase gene polymorphism (Ser326Cys) and cancer risk: updated meta-analysis

    PubMed Central

    Park, Hae Jeong; Chung, Joo-Ho; Ban, Ju Yeon

    2017-01-01

    Genetic polymorphism of human 8-oxoguanine glycosylase 1 (hOGG1) has been reported to have a relationship with the risk of the development of various cancers. Many studies have described the influence of Ser326Cys polymorphism of the hOGG1 gene on cancer susceptibility. However, the results have remained inconclusive and controversial. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to more precisely determine the relationship between the hOGG1 polymorphism and the development of cancer. Electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, and the Korean Studies Information Service System (KISS) were searched. The odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval (CI), and p value were calculated to assess the strength of the association with the risk of cancer using Comprehensive Meta-analysis software (Corporation, NJ, USA). The 127 studies including 38,757 cancer patients and 50,177 control subjects were analyzed for the meta-analysis. Our meta-analysis revealed that G allele of Ser326Cys polymorphism of the hOGG1 gene statistically increased the susceptibility of cancer (all population, OR = 1.092, 95% CI = 1.051-1.134, p < 0.001; in Asian, OR = 1.095, 95% CI = 1.048-1.145, p < 0.001; in Caucasian, OR = 1.097, 95% CI = 1.033-1.179, p = 0.002). Also, other genotype models showed significant association with cancer (p < 0.05, respectively). The present meta-analysis concluded that the G allele was associated with an increased risk of cancer. It suggested that the hOGG1 polymorphism may be a candidate marker of cancer. PMID:28415770

  17. Selenium-Mediated Dehalogenation of Halogenated Nucleosides and its Relevance to the DNA Repair Pathway.

    PubMed

    Mondal, Santanu; Manna, Debasish; Mugesh, Govindasamy

    2015-08-03

    Halogenated nucleosides can be incorporated into the newly synthesized DNA of replicating cells and therefore are commonly used in the detection of proliferating cells in living tissues. Dehalogenation of these modified nucleosides is one of the key pathways involved in DNA repair mediated by the uracil-DNA glycosylase. Herein, we report the first example of a selenium-mediated dehalogenation of halogenated nucleosides. We also show that the mechanism for the debromination is remarkably different from that of deiodination and that the presence of a ribose or deoxyribose moiety in the nucleosides facilitates the deiodination. The results described herein should help in understanding the metabolism of halogenated nucleosides in DNA and RNA. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Kinetics and Thermodynamics of DNA Processing by Wild Type DNA-Glycosylase Endo III and Its Catalytically Inactive Mutant Forms.

    PubMed

    Kladova, Olga A; Krasnoperov, Lev N; Kuznetsov, Nikita A; Fedorova, Olga S

    2018-03-30

    Endonuclease III (Endo III or Nth) is one of the key enzymes responsible for initiating the base excision repair of oxidized or reduced pyrimidine bases in DNA. In this study, a thermodynamic analysis of structural rearrangements of the specific and nonspecific DNA-duplexes during their interaction with Endo III is performed based on stopped-flow kinetic data. 1,3-diaza-2-oxophenoxazine (tC O ), a fluorescent analog of the natural nucleobase cytosine, is used to record multistep DNA binding and lesion recognition within a temperature range (5-37 °C). Standard Gibbs energy, enthalpy, and entropy of the specific steps are derived from kinetic data using Van't Hoff plots. The data suggest that enthalpy-driven exothermic 5,6-dihydrouracil (DHU) recognition and desolvation-accompanied entropy-driven adjustment of the enzyme-substrate complex into a catalytically active state play equally important parts in the overall process. The roles of catalytically significant amino acids Lys120 and Asp138 in the DNA lesion recognition and catalysis are identified. Lys120 participates not only in the catalytic steps but also in the processes of local duplex distortion, whereas substitution Asp138Ala leads to a complete loss of the ability of Endo III to distort a DNA double chain during enzyme-DNA complex formation.

  19. Trifluorothymidine exhibits potent antitumor activity via the induction of DNA double-strand breaks.

    PubMed

    Suzuki, Norihiko; Nakagawa, Fumio; Nukatsuka, Mamoru; Fukushima, Masakazu

    2011-05-01

    TAS-102 is an oral anticancer drug composed of trifluorothymidine (TFT) and TPI (an inhibitor of thymidine phosphorylase that strongly inhibits the biodegradation of TFT). Similar to 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine (FdUrd), TFT also inhibits thymidylate synthase (TS), a rate-limiting enzyme of DNA biosynthesis, and is incorporated into DNA. TFT exhibits an anticancer effect on colorectal cancer cells that have acquired 5FU and/or FdUrd resistance as a result of the overexpression of TS. Therefore, we examined the mode of action of TFT-induced DNA damage after its incorporation into DNA. When HeLa cells were treated with TFT, the number of ring-open aldehyde forms at apurinic/apyrimidinic sites increased in a dose-dependent manner, although we previously reported that no detectable excisions of TFT paired to adenine were observed using uracil DNA glycosylases, thymine DNA glycosylase or methyl-CpG binding domain 4 and HeLa whole cell extracts. To investigate the functional mechanism of TFT-induced DNA damage, we measured the phosphorylation of ATR, ATM, BRCA2, chk1 and chk2 in nuclear extracts of HeLa cells after 0, 24, 48 or 72 h of exposure to an IC(50) concentration of TFT, FdUrd or 5FU using Western blot analysis or an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Unlike FdUrd and 5FU, TFT resulted in an earlier phosphorylation of ATR and chk1 proteins after only 24 h of exposure, while phosphorylated ATM, BRCA2 and chk2 proteins were detected after more than 48 h of exposure to TFT. These results suggest that TFT causes single-strand breaks followed by double-strand breaks in the DNA of TFT-treated cells. TFT (as TAS-102) showed a more potent antitumor activity than oral 5FU on CO-3 colon cancer xenografts in mice, and such antitumor potency was supported by the increased number of double-strand breaks occurring after single-strand breaks in the DNA of the TFT-treated tumors. These results suggest that TFT causes single-strand breaks after its

  20. DNA repair in mammalian mitochondria: Much more than we thought?

    PubMed

    Liu, Pingfang; Demple, Bruce

    2010-06-01

    For many years, the repair of most damage in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was thought limited to short-patch base excision repair (SP-BER), which replaces a single nucleotide by the sequential action of DNA glycosylases, an apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease, the mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma, an abasic lyase activity, and mitochondrial DNA ligase. However, the likely array of lesions inflicted on mtDNA by oxygen radicals and the possibility of replication errors and disruptions indicated that such a restricted repair repertoire would be inadequate. Recent studies have considerably expanded our knowledge of mtDNA repair to include long-patch base excision repair (LP-BER), mismatch repair, and homologous recombination and nonhomologous end-joining. In addition, elimination of mutagenic 8-oxodeoxyguanosine triphosphate (8-oxodGTP) helps prevent cell death due to the accumulation of this oxidation product in mtDNA. Although it was suspected for many years that irreparably damaged mtDNA might be targeted for degradation, only recently was clear evidence provided for this hypothesis. Therefore, multiple DNA repair pathways and controlled degradation of mtDNA function together to maintain the integrity of mitochondrial genome.

  1. DNA damage in blood cells exposed to low-level lasers.

    PubMed

    Sergio, Luiz Philippe da Silva; Silva, Ana Paula Almeida da; Amorim, Philipi Freitas; Campos, Vera Maria Araújo; Magalhães, Luis Alexandre Gonçalves; de Paoli, Flavia; de Souza da Fonseca, Adenilson

    2015-04-01

    In regenerative medicine, there are increasing applications of low-level lasers in therapeutic protocols for treatment of diseases in soft and in bone tissues. However, there are doubts about effects on DNA, and an adequate dosimetry could improve the safety of clinical applications of these lasers. This work aimed to evaluate DNA damage in peripheral blood cells of Wistar rats induced by low-level red and infrared lasers at different fluences, powers, and emission modes according to therapeutic protocols. Peripheral blood samples were exposed to lasers and DNA damage was accessed by comet assay. In other experiments, DNA damage was accessed in blood cells by modified comet assay using formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (Fpg) and endonuclease III enzymes. Data show that exposure to low-level red and infrared lasers induce DNA damage depending on fluence, power and emission mode, which are targeted by Fpg and endonuclease III. Oxidative DNA damage should be considered for therapeutic efficacy and patient safety in clinical applications based on low-level red and infrared lasers. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Mitochondrial ROS Induces Cardiac Inflammation via a Pathway through mtDNA Damage in a Pneumonia-Related Sepsis Model.

    PubMed

    Yao, Xiao; Carlson, Deborah; Sun, Yuxiao; Ma, Lisha; Wolf, Steven E; Minei, Joseph P; Zang, Qun S

    2015-01-01

    We have previously shown that mitochondria-targeted vitamin E (Mito-Vit-E), a mtROS specific antioxidant, improves cardiac performance and attenuates inflammation in a pneumonia-related sepsis model. In this study, we applied the same approaches to decipher the signaling pathway(s) of mtROS-dependent cardiac inflammation after sepsis. Sepsis was induced in Sprague Dawley rats by intratracheal injection of S. pneumoniae. Mito-Vit-E, vitamin E or vehicle was administered 30 minutes later. In myocardium 24 hours post-inoculation, Mito-Vit-E, but not vitamin E, significantly protected mtDNA integrity and decreased mtDNA damage. Mito-Vit-E alleviated sepsis-induced reduction in mitochondria-localized DNA repair enzymes including DNA polymerase γ, AP endonuclease, 8-oxoguanine glycosylase, and uracil-DNA glycosylase. Mito-Vit-E dramatically improved metabolism and membrane integrity in mitochondria, suppressed leakage of mtDNA into the cytoplasm, inhibited up-regulation of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) pathway factors MYD88 and RAGE, and limited RAGE interaction with its ligand TFAM in septic hearts. Mito-Vit-E also deactivated NF-κB and caspase 1, reduced expression of the essential inflammasome component ASC, and decreased inflammatory cytokine IL-1β. In vitro, both Mito-Vit-E and TLR9 inhibitor OND-I suppressed LPS-induced up-regulation in MYD88, RAGE, ASC, active caspase 1, and IL-1β in cardiomyocytes. Since free mtDNA escaped from damaged mitochondria function as a type of DAMPs to stimulate inflammation through TLR9, these data together suggest that sepsis-induced cardiac inflammation is mediated, at least partially, through mtDNA-TLR9-RAGE. At last, Mito-Vit-E reduced the circulation of myocardial injury marker troponin-I, diminished apoptosis and amended morphology in septic hearts, suggesting that mitochondria-targeted antioxidants are a potential cardioprotective approach for sepsis.

  3. Surveying the repair of ancient DNA from bones via high-throughput sequencing.

    PubMed

    Mouttham, Nathalie; Klunk, Jennifer; Kuch, Melanie; Fourney, Ron; Poinar, Hendrik

    2015-07-01

    DNA damage in the form of abasic sites, chemically altered nucleotides, and strand fragmentation is the foremost limitation in obtaining genetic information from many ancient samples. Upon cell death, DNA continues to endure various chemical attacks such as hydrolysis and oxidation, but repair pathways found in vivo no longer operate. By incubating degraded DNA with specific enzyme combinations adopted from these pathways, it is possible to reverse some of the post-mortem nucleic acid damage prior to downstream analyses such as library preparation, targeted enrichment, and high-throughput sequencing. Here, we evaluate the performance of two available repair protocols on previously characterized DNA extracts from four mammoths. Both methods use endonucleases and glycosylases along with a DNA polymerase-ligase combination. PreCR Repair Mix increases the number of molecules converted to sequencing libraries, leading to an increase in endogenous content and a decrease in cytosine-to-thymine transitions due to cytosine deamination. However, the effects of Nelson Repair Mix on repair of DNA damage remain inconclusive.

  4. Development of uracil-DNA-glycosylase-supplemented loop-mediated isothermal amplification coupled with nanogold probe (UDG-LAMP-AuNP) for specific detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

    PubMed

    Manajit, Orapan; Longyant, Siwaporn; Sithigorngul, Paisarn; Chaivisuthangkura, Parin

    2018-04-01

    Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is an important opportunistic pathogen that causes serious infections in humans, including keratitis in contact lens wearers. Therefore, establishing a rapid, specific and sensitive method for the identification of P. aeruginosa is imperative. In the present study, the uracil-DNA-glycosylase-supplemented loop-mediated isothermal amplification combined with nanogold labeled hybridization probe (UDG-LAMP-AuNP) was developed for the detection of P. aeruginosa. UDG-LAMP was performed to prevent carry over contamination and the LAMP reactions can be readily observed using the nanogold probe. A set of 4 primers and a hybridization probe were designed based on the ecfX gene. The UDG-LAMP reactions were performed at 65˚C for 60 min using the ratio of 40% deoxyuridine triphosphate to 60% deoxythymidine triphosphate. The detection of UDG-LAMP products using the nanogold labeled hybridization probe, which appeared as a red-purple color, was examined at 65˚C for 5 min with 40 mM MgSO4. The UDG-LAMP-AuNP demonstrated specificity to all tested isolates of P. aeruginosa without cross reaction to other bacteria. The sensitivity for the detection of pure culture was 1.6x103 colony-forming units (CFU) ml-1 or equivalent to 3 CFU per reaction while that of polymerase chain reaction was 30 CFU per reaction. The detection limit of spiked contact lenses was 1.1x103 CFU ml-1 or equivalent to 2 CFU per reaction. In conclusion, the UDG-LAMP-AuNP assay was rapid, simple, specific and was effective for the identification of P. aeruginosa in contaminated samples.

  5. Automation and validation of micronucleus detection in the 3D EpiDerm™ human reconstructed skin assay and correlation with 2D dose responses.

    PubMed

    Chapman, K E; Thomas, A D; Wills, J W; Pfuhler, S; Doak, S H; Jenkins, G J S

    2014-05-01

    Recent restrictions on the testing of cosmetic ingredients in animals have resulted in the need to test the genotoxic potential of chemicals exclusively in vitro prior to licensing. However, as current in vitro tests produce some misleading positive results, sole reliance on such tests could prevent some chemicals with safe or beneficial exposure levels from being marketed. The 3D human reconstructed skin micronucleus (RSMN) assay is a promising new in vitro approach designed to assess genotoxicity of dermally applied compounds. The assay utilises a highly differentiated in vitro model of the human epidermis. For the first time, we have applied automated micronucleus detection to this assay using MetaSystems Metafer Slide Scanning Platform (Metafer), demonstrating concordance with manual scoring. The RSMN assay's fixation protocol was found to be compatible with the Metafer, providing a considerably shorter alternative to the recommended Metafer protocol. Lowest observed genotoxic effect levels (LOGELs) were observed for mitomycin-C at 4.8 µg/ml and methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) at 1750 µg/ml when applied topically to the skin surface. In-medium dosing with MMS produced a LOGEL of 20 µg/ml, which was very similar to the topical LOGEL when considering the total mass of MMS added. Comparisons between 3D medium and 2D LOGELs resulted in a 7-fold difference in total mass of MMS applied to each system, suggesting a protective function of the 3D microarchitecture. Interestingly, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a positive clastogen in 2D systems, tested negative in this assay. A non-genotoxic carcinogen, methyl carbamate, produced negative results, as expected. We also demonstrated expression of the DNA repair protein N-methylpurine-DNA glycosylase in EpiDerm™. Our preliminary validation here demonstrates that the RSMN assay may be a valuable follow-up to the current in vitro test battery, and together with its automation, could contribute to minimising unnecessary in vivo

  6. Protective effects of folic acid on DNA damage and DNA methylation levels induced by N-methyl- N'-nitro- N-nitrosoguanidine in Kazakh esophageal epithelial cells.

    PubMed

    Chen, Y; Feng, H; Chen, D; Abuduwaili, K; Li, X; Zhang, H

    2018-01-01

    The protective effects of folic acid on DNA damage and DNA methylation induced by N-methyl- N'-nitro- N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) in Kazakh esophageal epithelial cells were investigated using a 3 × 3 factorial design trial. The cells were cultured in vitro and exposed to media containing different concentrations of folic acid and MNNG, after which growth indices were detected. DNA damage levels were measured using comet assays, and genome-wide DNA methylation levels (MLs) were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. The DNA methylation of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and folate receptor- α (FR α) genes was detected by bisulfite sequencing polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results showed significant increases in tail DNA concentration, tail length, and Olive tail moment ( p < 0.01); a significant reduction of genome-wide DNA MLs ( p < 0.01); and an increase in the methylation frequencies of MTHFR and FR α genes. In particular, significant differences were observed in the promoter regions of both genes ( p < 0.01). Our study indicated that a reduction in folic acid concentration promotes DNA damage and DNA methylation in Kazakh esophageal epithelial cells upon MNNG exposure. Thus, sufficient folic acid levels could play a protective role against the damage induced by this compound.

  7. Base Excision Repair of Oxidative DNA Damage

    PubMed Central

    David, Sheila S.; O’Shea, Valerie L.; Kundu, Sucharita

    2010-01-01

    Base excision repair plays an important role in preventing mutations associated with the common product of oxidative damage, 8-oxoguanine. Recent structural studies have shown that 8-oxoguanine glycosylases use an intricate series of steps to efficiently search and locate 8-oxoguanine lesions within the multitude of undamaged bases. The importance of prevention of mutations associated with 8-oxoguanine has also been illustrated by direct connections between defects in the BER glycosylase MUTYH and colorectal cancer. In addition, the properties of other guanine oxidation products and the BER glycosylases that remove them are being uncovered. This work is providing surprising and intriguing new insights into the process of base excision repair. PMID:17581577

  8. Enhanced Mitochondrial DNA Repair of the Common Disease-Associated Variant, Ser326Cys, of hOGG1 through Small Molecule Intervention.

    PubMed

    Baptiste, Beverly A; Katchur, Steven R; Fivenson, Elayne M; Croteau, Deborah L; Rumsey, William L; Bohr, Vilhelm A

    2018-06-04

    The common oxidatively generated lesion, 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoGua), is removed from DNA by base excision repair. The glycosylase primarily charged with recognition and removal of this lesion is 8-oxoGuaDNA glycosylase 1 (OGG1). When left unrepaired, 8-oxodG alters transcription and is mutagenic. Individuals homozygous for the less active OGG1 allele, Ser326Cys, have increased risk of several cancers. Here, small molecule enhancers of OGG1 were identified and tested for their ability to stimulate DNA repair and protect cells from the environmental hazard paraquat (PQ). PQ-induced mtDNA damage was inversely proportional to the levels of OGG1 expression whereas stimulation of OGG1, in some cases, entirely abolished its cellular effects. The PQ-mediated decline of mitochondrial membrane potential or nuclear condensation were prevented by the OGG1 activators. In addition, in Ogg1 -/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts complemented with hOGG1 S326C , there was increased cellular and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species compared to their wild type counterparts. Mitochondrial extracts from cells expressing hOGG1 S326C were deficient in mitochondrial 8-oxodG incision activity, which was rescued by the OGG1 activators. These data demonstrate that small molecules can stimulate OGG1 activity with consequent cellular protection. Thus, OGG1-activating compounds may be useful in select humans to mitigate the deleterious effects of environmental oxidants and mutagens. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Trifluorothymidine exhibits potent antitumor activity via the induction of DNA double-strand breaks

    PubMed Central

    SUZUKI, NORIHIKO; NAKAGAWA, FUMIO; NUKATSUKA, MAMORU; FUKUSHIMA, MASAKAZU

    2011-01-01

    TAS-102 is an oral anticancer drug composed of trifluorothymidine (TFT) and TPI (an inhibitor of thymidine phosphorylase that strongly inhibits the biodegradation of TFT). Similar to 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine (FdUrd), TFT also inhibits thymidylate synthase (TS), a rate-limiting enzyme of DNA biosynthesis, and is incorporated into DNA. TFT exhibits an anticancer effect on colorectal cancer cells that have acquired 5FU and/or FdUrd resistance as a result of the overexpression of TS. Therefore, we examined the mode of action of TFT-induced DNA damage after its incorporation into DNA. When HeLa cells were treated with TFT, the number of ring-open aldehyde forms at apurinic/apyrimidinic sites increased in a dose-dependent manner, although we previously reported that no detectable excisions of TFT paired to adenine were observed using uracil DNA glycosylases, thymine DNA glycosylase or methyl-CpG binding domain 4 and HeLa whole cell extracts. To investigate the functional mechanism of TFT-induced DNA damage, we measured the phosphorylation of ATR, ATM, BRCA2, chk1 and chk2 in nuclear extracts of HeLa cells after 0, 24, 48 or 72 h of exposure to an IC50 concentration of TFT, FdUrd or 5FU using Western blot analysis or an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Unlike FdUrd and 5FU, TFT resulted in an earlier phosphorylation of ATR and chk1 proteins after only 24 h of exposure, while phosphorylated ATM, BRCA2 and chk2 proteins were detected after more than 48 h of exposure to TFT. These results suggest that TFT causes single-strand breaks followed by double-strand breaks in the DNA of TFT-treated cells. TFT (as TAS-102) showed a more potent antitumor activity than oral 5FU on CO-3 colon cancer xenografts in mice, and such antitumor potency was supported by the increased number of double-strand breaks occurring after single-strand breaks in the DNA of the TFT-treated tumors. These results suggest that TFT causes single-strand breaks after its

  10. Oxidative DNA damage and its repair in rat spleen following subchronic exposure to aniline

    PubMed Central

    Ma, Huaxian; Wang, Jianling; Abdel-Rahman, Sherif Z.; Boor, Paul J.; Khan, M. Firoze

    2008-01-01

    The mechanisms by which aniline exposure elicits splenotoxic response, especially the tumorigenic response, are not well-understood. Splenotoxicity of aniline is associated with iron overload and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which can cause oxidative damage to DNA, proteins and lipids (oxidative stress). 8-Hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) is one of the most abundant oxidative DNA lesions resulting from ROS, and 8-oxoguanine glycosylase 1 (OGG1), a specific DNA glycosylase/lyase enzyme, plays a key role in the removal of 8-OHdG adducts. This study focused on examining DNA damage (8-OHdG) and repair (OGG1) in the spleen in an experimental condition preceding a tumorigenic response. To achieve that, male Sprague-Dawley rats were subchronically exposed to aniline (0.5 mmol/kg/day via drinking water for 30 days), while controls received drinking water only. Aniline treatment led to a significant increase in splenic oxidative DNA damage, manifested as a 2.8-fold increase in 8-OHdG levels. DNA repair activity, measured as OGG1 base excision repair (BER) activity, increased by ~1.3 fold in the nuclear protein extracts (NE) and ~1.2 fold in the mitochondrial protein extracts (ME) of spleens from aniline-treated rats as compared to the controls. Real-time PCR analysis for OGG1 mRNA expression in the spleen revealed a 2-fold increase in expression in aniline-treated rats than the controls. Likewise, OGG1 protein expression in the NEs of spleens from aniline-treated rats was ~1.5 fold higher, whereas in the MEs it was ~1.3 fold higher than the controls. Aniline treatment also led to stronger immunostaining for both 8-OHdG and OGG1 in the spleens, confined to the red pulp areas. It is thus evident from our studies that aniline-induced oxidative stress is associated with increased oxidative DNA damage. The BER pathway was also activated, but not enough to prevent the accumulation of oxidative DNA damage (8-OHdG). Accumulation of mutagenic oxidative DNA lesions

  11. Role of DNA repair enzymes in the cellular resistance to oxidative stress.

    PubMed

    Laval, J

    1996-01-01

    ) excise many oxidized pyrimidines, whereas the FPG protein (formamidopyrimidine-DNA-glycosylase) eliminates 8-oxoG and Fapy lesions. Besides its DNA glycosylase activity, the protein FPG has a beta-lyase activity incising DNA at abasic site by a beta-delta elimination mechanism, and a dRPase activity. The FPG protein has a zinc finger motive which is mandatory for the recognition of its substrate. Mammalian cells have similar DNA repair proteins and it should be emphazized that there is conservation of the different functions and in most cases a remarquable homology of the amino acids sequences from E. coli to man.

  12. Dichromatic laser radiation effects on DNA of Escherichia coli and plasmids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martins, W. A.; Polignano, G. A. C.; Guimarães, O. R.; Geller, M.; Paoli, F.; Fonseca, A. S.

    2015-04-01

    Dichromatic and consecutive laser radiations have attracted increased attention for clinical applications as offering new tools for the treatment of dysfunctional tissues in situations where monochromatic radiation is not effective. This work evaluated the survival, filamentation and morphology of Escherichia coli cells, and the induction of DNA lesions, in plasmid DNA exposed to low-intensity consecutive dichromatic laser radiation. Exponential and stationary wild type and formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase/MutM protein deficient E. coli cultures were exposed to consecutive low-intensity dichromatic laser radiation (infrared laser immediately after red laser) to study the survival, filamentation and morphology of bacterial cells. Plasmid DNA samples were exposed to dichromatic radiation to study DNA lesions by electrophoretic profile. Dichromatic laser radiation affects the survival, filamentation and morphology of E. coli cultures depending on the growth phase and the functional repair mechanism of oxidizing lesions in DNA, but does not induce single/double strands breaks or alkali-labile DNA lesions. Results show that low-intensity consecutive dichromatic laser radiation induces biological effects that differ from those induced by monochromatic laser radiation, suggesting that other therapeutic effects could be obtained using dichromatic radiation.

  13. The aminoglycoside antibiotic kanamycin damages DNA bases in Escherichia coli: caffeine potentiates the DNA-damaging effects of kanamycin while suppressing cell killing by ciprofloxacin in Escherichia coli and Bacillus anthracis.

    PubMed

    Kang, Tina Manzhu; Yuan, Jessica; Nguyen, Angelyn; Becket, Elinne; Yang, Hanjing; Miller, Jeffrey H

    2012-06-01

    The distribution of mutants in the Keio collection of Escherichia coli gene knockout mutants that display increased sensitivity to the aminoglycosides kanamycin and neomycin indicates that damaged bases resulting from antibiotic action can lead to cell death. Strains lacking one of a number of glycosylases (e.g., AlkA, YzaB, Ogt, KsgA) or other specific repair proteins (AlkB, PhrB, SmbC) are more sensitive to these antibiotics. Mutants lacking AlkB display the strongest sensitivity among the glycosylase- or direct lesion removal-deficient strains. This perhaps suggests the involvement of ethenoadenine adducts, resulting from reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation, since AlkB removes this lesion. Other sensitivities displayed by mutants lacking UvrA, polymerase V (Pol V), or components of double-strand break repair indicate that kanamycin results in damaged base pairs that need to be removed or replicated past in order to avoid double-strand breaks that saturate the cellular repair capacity. Caffeine enhances the sensitivities of these repair-deficient strains to kanamycin and neomycin. The gene knockout mutants that display increased sensitivity to caffeine (dnaQ, holC, holD, and priA knockout mutants) indicate that caffeine blocks DNA replication, ultimately leading to double-strand breaks that require recombinational repair by functions encoded by recA, recB, and recC, among others. Additionally, caffeine partially protects cells of both Escherichia coli and Bacillus anthracis from killing by the widely used fluoroquinolone antibiotic ciprofloxacin.

  14. The DnaA N-terminal domain interacts with Hda to facilitate replicase clamp-mediated inactivation of DnaA.

    PubMed

    Su'etsugu, Masayuki; Harada, Yuji; Keyamura, Kenji; Matsunaga, Chika; Kasho, Kazutoshi; Abe, Yoshito; Ueda, Tadashi; Katayama, Tsutomu

    2013-12-01

    DnaA activity for replication initiation of the Escherichia coli chromosome is negatively regulated by feedback from the DNA-loaded form of the replicase clamp. In this process, called RIDA (regulatory inactivation of DnaA), ATP-bound DnaA transiently assembles into a complex consisting of Hda and the DNA-clamp, which promotes inter-AAA+ domain association between Hda and DnaA and stimulates hydrolysis of DnaA-bound ATP, producing inactive ADP-DnaA. Using a truncated DnaA mutant, we previously demonstrated that the DnaA N-terminal domain is involved in RIDA. However, the precise role of the N-terminal domain in RIDA has remained largely unclear. Here, we used an in vitro reconstituted system to demonstrate that the Asn-44 residue in the N-terminal domain of DnaA is crucial for RIDA but not for replication initiation. Moreover, an assay termed PDAX (pull-down after cross-linking) revealed an unstable interaction between a DnaA-N44A mutant and Hda. In vivo, this mutant exhibited an increase in the cellular level of ATP-bound DnaA. These results establish a model in which interaction between DnaA Asn-44 and Hda stabilizes the association between the AAA+ domains of DnaA and Hda to facilitate DnaA-ATP hydrolysis during RIDA. © 2013 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Protective effect of KI in mtDNA in porcine thyroid: comparison with KIO₃ and nDNA.

    PubMed

    Karbownik-Lewinska, Malgorzata; Stepniak, Jan; Milczarek, Magdalena; Lewinski, Andrzej

    2015-03-01

    Iodine, bivalent iron (Fe²⁺), and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), all significantly affecting the red-ox balance, are required for thyroid hormone synthesis. Intracellular iodine excess (≥10⁻³ M) transiently blocks thyroid hormonogenesis (an adaptive mechanism called Wolff-Chaikoff effect). The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of iodine, used as potassium iodide (KI) or potassium iodate (KIO₃), in concentrations corresponding to those typical for Wolff-Chaikoff effect, on the level of oxidative damage to nuclear DNA (nDNA) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) isolated from porcine thyroid under basal conditions and in the presence of Fenton reaction (Fe²⁺+H₂O₂ → Fe³⁺+(·)OH + OH⁻) substrates. Thyroid nDNA and mtDNA were incubated in the presence of either KI or KIO₃ (2.5-50 mM), without/with FeSO₄ (30 µM) + H₂O₂ (0.5 mM). Index of DNA damage, i.e., 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine, was measured by HPLC. Neither KI nor KIO₃ increased the basal level of 8-oxodG in both nDNA and mtDNA. KI-in all used concentrations-completely prevented the damaging effect of Fenton reaction substrates in mtDNA, and it partially prevented this damage in nDNA. KIO₃ partially prevented Fe²⁺+H₂O₂-induced oxidative damage in both DNA only in its highest used concentrations (≥25 mM). Without additional prooxidative abuse, both iodine compounds, i.e., KI and KIO₃, seem to be safe in terms of their potential oxidative damage to DNA in the thyroid. The superiority of KI over KIO₃ relies on its stronger protective effects against oxidative damage to mtDNA, which constitutes an argument for its preferential utility in iodine prophylaxis.

  16. Circadian Modulation of 8-Oxoguanine DNA Damage Repair

    PubMed Central

    Manzella, Nicola; Bracci, Massimo; Strafella, Elisabetta; Staffolani, Sara; Ciarapica, Veronica; Copertaro, Alfredo; Rapisarda, Venerando; Ledda, Caterina; Amati, Monica; Valentino, Matteo; Tomasetti, Marco; Stevens, Richard G.; Santarelli, Lory

    2015-01-01

    The DNA base excision repair pathway is the main system involved in the removal of oxidative damage to DNA such as 8-Oxoguanine (8-oxoG) primarily via the 8-Oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1). Our goal was to investigate whether the repair of 8-oxoG DNA damage follow a circadian rhythm. In a group of 15 healthy volunteers, we found a daily variation of Ogg1 expression and activity with higher levels in the morning compared to the evening hours. Consistent with this, we also found lower levels of 8-oxoG in morning hours compared to those in the evening hours. Lymphocytes exposed to oxidative damage to DNA at 8:00 AM display lower accumulation of 8-oxoG than lymphocytes exposed at 8:00 PM. Furthermore, altered levels of Ogg1 expression were also observed in a group of shift workers experiencing a deregulation of circadian clock genes compared to a control group. Moreover, BMAL1 knockdown fibroblasts with a deregulated molecular clock showed an abolishment of circadian variation of Ogg1 expression and an increase of OGG1 activity. Our results suggest that the circadian modulation of 8-oxoG DNA damage repair, according to a variation of Ogg1 expression, could render humans less susceptible to accumulate 8-oxoG DNA damage in the morning hours. PMID:26337123

  17. Oxidative DNA damage is instrumental in hyperreplication stress-induced inviability of Escherichia coli

    PubMed Central

    Charbon, Godefroid; Bjørn, Louise; Mendoza-Chamizo, Belén; Frimodt-Møller, Jakob; Løbner-Olesen, Anders

    2014-01-01

    In Escherichia coli, an increase in the ATP bound form of the DnaA initiator protein results in hyperinitiation and inviability. Here, we show that such replication stress is tolerated during anaerobic growth. In hyperinitiating cells, a shift from anaerobic to aerobic growth resulted in appearance of fragmented chromosomes and a decrease in terminus concentration, leading to a dramatic increase in ori/ter ratio and cessation of cell growth. Aerobic viability was restored by reducing the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) or by deleting mutM (Fpg glycosylase). The double-strand breaks observed in hyperinitiating cells therefore results from replication forks encountering single-stranded DNA lesions generated while removing oxidized bases, primarily 8-oxoG, from the DNA. We conclude that there is a delicate balance between chromosome replication and ROS inflicted DNA damage so the number of replication forks can only increase when ROS formation is reduced or when the pertinent repair is compromised. PMID:25389264

  18. Increased 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine in plasma and decreased mRNA expression of human 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1, anti-oxidant enzymes, mitochondrial biogenesis-related proteins and glycolytic enzymes in leucocytes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

    PubMed

    Lee, H-T; Lin, C-S; Lee, C-S; Tsai, C-Y; Wei, Y-H

    2014-04-01

    We measured plasma levels of the oxidative DNA damage marker 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and leucocyte mRNA expression levels of the genes encoding the 8-OHdG repair enzyme human 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 (hOGG1), the anti-oxidant enzymes copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/ZnSOD), manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPx-1), GPx-4, glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione synthetase (GS), the mitochondrial biogenesis-related proteins mtDNA-encoded ND 1 polypeptide (ND1), ND6, ATPase 6, mitochondrial transcription factor A (Tfam), nuclear respiratory factor 1(NRF-1), pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 component alpha subunit (PDHA1), pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isoenzyme 1 (PDK-1) and hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and the glycolytic enzymes hexokinase-II (HK-II), glucose 6-phosphate isomerase (GPI), phosphofructokinase (PFK), glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHa). We analysed their relevance to oxidative damage in 85 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, four complicated SLE patients undergoing rituximab treatment and 45 healthy individuals. SLE patients had higher plasma 8-OHdG levels (P < 0·01) but lower leucocyte expression of the genes encoding hOGG1(P < 0·01), anti-oxidant enzymes (P < 0·05), mitochondrial biogenesis-related proteins (P < 0·05) and glycolytic enzymes (P < 0·05) than healthy individuals. The increase in plasma 8-OHdG was correlated positively with the elevation of leucocyte expression of the genes encoding hOGG1 (P < 0·05), anti-oxidant enzymes (P < 0·05), several mitochondrial biogenesis-related proteins (P < 0·05) and glycolytic enzymes (P < 0·05) in lupus patients. The patients, whose leucocyte mtDNA harboured D310 heteroplasmy, exhibited a positive correlation between the mtDNA copy number and expression of ND1, ND6 and ATPase 6 (P < 0·05) and a negative correlation between mtDNA

  19. Cigarette smoking and hOGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism are associated with 8-OHdG accumulation on mitochondrial DNA in thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Lin, Chen-Sung; Wang, Liang-Shun; Chou, Teh-Ying; Hsu, Wen-Hu; Lin, Hui-Chen; Lee, Shu-Yu; Lee, Mau-Hua; Chang, Shi-Chuan; Wei, Yau-Huei

    2013-12-01

    We examined whether cigarette smoking affects the degrees of oxidative damage (8-hydroxyl-2'-deoxyguanosine [8-OHdG]) on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), whether the degree of 8-OHdG accumulation on mtDNA is related to the increased total mtDNA copy number, and whether human 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 (hOGG1) Ser326Cys polymorphisms affect the degrees of 8-OHdG accumulation on mtDNA in thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (TESCC). DNA extracted from microdissected tissues of paired noncancerous esophageal muscles, noncancerous esophageal mucosa, and cancerous TESCC nests (n = 74) along with metastatic lymph nodes (n = 38) of 74 TESCC patients was analyzed. Both the mtDNA copy number and mtDNA integrity were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The hOGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphisms were identified by restriction fragment length polymorphism PCR and PCR-based direct sequencing. Among noncancerous esophageal mucosa, cancerous TESCC nests, and metastatic lymph nodes, the mtDNA integrity decreased (95.2 to 47.9 to 18.6 %; P < 0.001) and the mtDNA copy number disproportionally increased (0.163 to 0.204 to 0.207; P = 0.026). In TESCC, higher indexes of cigarette smoking (0, 0-20, 20-40, and >40 pack-years) were related to an advanced pathologic N category (P = 0.038), elevated mtDNA copy number (P = 0.013), higher mtDNA copy ratio (P = 0.028), and increased mtDNA integrity (P = 0.069). The TESCC mtDNA integrity in patients with Ser/Ser, Ser/Cys, and Cys/Cys hOGG1 variants decreased stepwise from 65.2 to 52.1 to 41.3 % (P = 0.051). Elevated 8-OHdG accumulations on mtDNA in TESCC were observed. Such accumulations were associated with a compensatory increase in total mtDNA copy number, indexes of cigarette smoking, and hOGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphisms.

  20. Base excision repair in Archaea: back to the future in DNA repair.

    PubMed

    Grasso, Stefano; Tell, Gianluca

    2014-09-01

    Together with Bacteria and Eukarya, Archaea represents one of the three domain of life. In contrast with the morphological difference existing between Archaea and Eukarya, these two domains are closely related. Phylogenetic analyses confirm this evolutionary relationship showing that most of the proteins involved in DNA transcription and replication are highly conserved. On the contrary, information is scanty about DNA repair pathways and their mechanisms. In the present review the most important proteins involved in base excision repair, namely glycosylases, AP lyases, AP endonucleases, polymerases, sliding clamps, flap endonucleases, and ligases, will be discussed and compared with bacterial and eukaryotic ones. Finally, possible applications and future perspectives derived from studies on Archaea and their repair pathways, will be taken into account. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Critical roles of DNA demethylation in the activation of ripening-induced genes and inhibition of ripening-repressed genes in tomato fruit

    PubMed Central

    Lang, Zhaobo; Wang, Yihai; Tang, Kai; Tang, Dengguo; Datsenka, Tatsiana; Cheng, Jingfei; Zhang, Yijing; Handa, Avtar K.

    2017-01-01

    DNA methylation is a conserved epigenetic mark important for genome integrity, development, and environmental responses in plants and mammals. Active DNA demethylation in plants is initiated by a family of 5-mC DNA glycosylases/lyases (i.e., DNA demethylases). Recent reports suggested a role of active DNA demethylation in fruit ripening in tomato. In this study, we generated loss-of-function mutant alleles of a tomato gene, SlDML2, which is a close homolog of the Arabidopsis DNA demethylase gene ROS1. In the fruits of the tomato mutants, increased DNA methylation was found in thousands of genes. These genes included not only hundreds of ripening-induced genes but also many ripening-repressed genes. Our results show that SlDML2 is critical for tomato fruit ripening and suggest that active DNA demethylation is required for both the activation of ripening-induced genes and the inhibition of ripening-repressed genes. PMID:28507144

  2. The major human AP endonuclease (Ape1) is involved in the nucleotide incision repair pathway

    PubMed Central

    Gros, Laurent; Ishchenko, Alexander A.; Ide, Hiroshi; Elder, Rhoderick H.; Saparbaev, Murat K.

    2004-01-01

    In nucleotide incision repair (NIR), an endonuclease nicks oxidatively damaged DNA in a DNA glycosylase-independent manner, providing the correct ends for DNA synthesis coupled to the repair of the remaining 5′-dangling modified nucleotide. This mechanistic feature is distinct from DNA glycosylase-mediated base excision repair. Here we report that Ape1, the major apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease in human cells, is the damage- specific endonuclease involved in NIR. We show that Ape1 incises DNA containing 5,6-dihydro-2′-deoxyuridine, 5,6-dihydrothymidine, 5-hydroxy-2′-deoxyuridine, alpha-2′-deoxyadenosine and alpha-thymidine adducts, generating 3′-hydroxyl and 5′-phosphate termini. The kinetic constants indicate that Ape1-catalysed NIR activity is highly efficient. The substrate specificity and protein conformation of Ape1 is modulated by MgCl2 concentrations, thus providing conditions under which NIR becomes a major activity in cell-free extracts. While the N-terminal region of Ape1 is not required for AP endonuclease function, we show that it regulates the NIR activity. The physiological relevance of the mammalian NIR pathway is discussed. PMID:14704345

  3. The 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 (ogg1) decreases the vulnerability of the developing brain to DNA damage.

    PubMed

    Gu, Aihua; Ji, Guixiang; Yan, Lifeng; Zhou, Yong

    2013-12-01

    The developing brain is particularly vulnerable to oxidative DNA damage, which may be the cause of most major congenital mental anomalies. The repair enzyme ogg1 initiates the highly conserved base-excision repair pathway. However, its function in the embryonic brain is largely unknown. This study is the first to validate the function of ogg1 during brain development using zebrafish embryos. Ogg1 was found to be highly expressed in the brain throughout early embryonic development, with particularly enrichment observed in the midbrain. The lack of ogg1 causes severe brain defects including changes in brain volume and integrity, destruction of the midbrain-hindbrain boundary, and balance and motor impairment, while overexpression of ogg1 can partially rescue these defects. Multiple cellular and molecular events were involved in the manifestation of brain defects due primarily to the lack of ogg1. These included (1) increased apoptosis; (2) decreased proliferation; and (3) aberrant axon distribution and extension from the inner surface towards the outer layers. The results of a microarray analysis showed that the expression of genes involved in cell cycle checkpoint, apoptosis, and neurogenesis were significantly changed in response to ogg1 knockdown. Cmyb was the key downstream gene that responses to DNA damage caused by ogg1 deficiency. Notably, the recruitment of ogg1 mRNA can alleviate the effects on the brain due to neural DNA damage. In summary, we introduce here that ogg1 is fundamentally required for protecting the developing brain, which may be helpful in understanding the aetiology of congenital brain deficits. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Expression and purification of active mouse and human NEIL3 proteins

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Minmin; Bandaru, Viswanath; Holmes, Alicia; Averill, April M.; Cannan, Wendy

    2012-01-01

    Endonuclease VIII-like 3 (Neil3) is one of the five DNA glycosylases found in mammals that recognize and remove oxidized bases, and initiate the Base Excision Repair (BER) pathway. Previous attempts to express and purify the mouse and human orthologs of Neil3 in their active form have not been successful. Here we report the construction of bicistronic expression vectors for expressing in Escherichia coli the full-length mouse Neil3 (MmuNeil3), its glycosylase domain (MmuNeil3Δ324), as well as the glycosylase domain of human Neil3 (NEIL3Δ324). The purified Neil3 proteins are all active, and NEIL3Δ324 exhibits similar glycosylase/lyase activity as MmuNeil3Δ324 on both single-stranded and double-stranded substrates containing thymine glycol (Tg), spiroiminodihydantoin (Sp) or an abasic site (AP). We show that N-terminal initiator methionine processing is critical for the activity of both mouse and human Neil3 proteins. Co-expressing an E. coli methionine aminopeptidase (EcoMap) Y168A variant with MmuNeil3, MmuNeil3Δ324 and NEIL3Δ324 improves the N-terminal methionine processing and increases the percentage of active Neil3 proteins in the preparation. The purified Neil3 proteins are suitable for biochemical, structural and functional studies. PMID:22569481

  5. OGG1 Involvement in High Glucose-Mediated Enhancement of Bupivacaine-Induced Oxidative DNA Damage in SH-SY5Y Cells

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Zhong-Jie; Zhao, Wei; Zhang, Qing-Guo; Li, Le; Lai, Lu-Ying; Jiang, Shan; Xu, Shi-Yuan

    2015-01-01

    Hyperglycemia can inhibit expression of the 8-oxoG-DNA glycosylase (OGG1) which is one of the key repair enzymes for DNA oxidative damage. The effect of hyperglycemia on OGG1 expression in response to local anesthetics-induced DNA damage is unknown. This study was designed to determine whether high glucose inhibits OGG1 expression and aggravates bupivacaine-induced DNA damage via reactive oxygen species (ROS). SH-SY5Y cells were cultured with or without 50 mM glucose for 8 days before they were treated with 1.5 mM bupivacaine for 24 h. OGG1 expression was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot. ROS was estimated using the redox-sensitive fluorescent dye DCFH-DA. DNA damage was investigated with immunostaining for 8-oxodG and comet assays. OGG1 expression was inhibited in cells exposed to high glucose with concomitant increase in ROS production and more severe DNA damage as compared to control culture conditions, and these changes were further exacerbated by bupivacaine. Treatment with the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) prevented high glucose and bupivacaine mediated increase in ROS production and restored functional expression of OGG1, which lead to attenuated high glucose-mediated exacerbation of bupivacaine neurotoxicity. Our findings indicate that subjects with diabetes may experience more detrimental effects following bupivacaine use. PMID:26161242

  6. The N-terminal Region of the DNA-dependent Protein Kinase Catalytic Subunit Is Required for Its DNA Double-stranded Break-mediated Activation*

    PubMed Central

    Davis, Anthony J.; Lee, Kyung-Jong; Chen, David J.

    2013-01-01

    DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) plays an essential role in the repair of DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs) mediated by the nonhomologous end-joining pathway. DNA-PK is a holoenzyme consisting of a DNA-binding (Ku70/Ku80) and catalytic (DNA-PKcs) subunit. DNA-PKcs is a serine/threonine protein kinase that is recruited to DSBs via Ku70/80 and is activated once the kinase is bound to the DSB ends. In this study, two large, distinct fragments of DNA-PKcs, consisting of the N terminus (amino acids 1–2713), termed N-PKcs, and the C terminus (amino acids 2714–4128), termed C-PKcs, were produced to determine the role of each terminal region in regulating the activity of DNA-PKcs. N-PKcs but not C-PKcs interacts with the Ku-DNA complex and is required for the ability of DNA-PKcs to localize to DSBs. C-PKcs has increased basal kinase activity compared with DNA-PKcs, suggesting that the N-terminal region of DNA-PKcs keeps basal activity low. The kinase activity of C-PKcs is not stimulated by Ku70/80 and DNA, further supporting that the N-terminal region is required for binding to the Ku-DNA complex and full activation of kinase activity. Collectively, the results show the N-terminal region mediates the interaction between DNA-PKcs and the Ku-DNA complex and is required for its DSB-induced enzymatic activity. PMID:23322783

  7. Sensitivity to methylmercury toxicity is enhanced in oxoguanine glycosylase 1 knockout murine embryonic fibroblasts and is dependent on cellular proliferation capacity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ondovcik, Stephanie L.; Tamblyn, Laura; McPherson, John Peter

    2013-07-01

    Methylmercury (MeHg) is a persistent environmental contaminant with potent neurotoxic action for which the underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be conclusively delineated. Our objectives herein were twofold: first, to corroborate our previous findings of an increased sensitivity of spontaneously-immortalized oxoguanine glycosylase 1-null (Ogg1{sup −/−}) murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) to MeHg through generation of Simian virus 40 (SV40) large T antigen-immortalized wild-type and Ogg1{sup −/−} MEFs; and second, to determine whether MeHg toxicity is proliferation-dependent. As with the spontaneously-immortalized cells used previously, the SV40 large T antigen-immortalized cells exhibited similar tendencies to undergo MeHg-initiated cell cycle arrest, with increased sensitivity inmore » the Ogg1{sup −/−} MEFs as measured by clonogenic survival and DNA damage. Compared to exponentially growing cells, those seeded at a higher density exhibited compromised proliferation, which proved protective against MeHg-mediated cell cycle arrest and induction of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs), measured by phosphorylation of the core histone H2A variant (H2AX) on serine 139 (γH2AX), and by its functional confirmation by micronucleus assessment. This enhanced sensitivity of Ogg1{sup −/−} MEFs to MeHg toxicity using discrete SV40 immortalization corroborates our previous studies, and suggests a novel role for OGG1 in minimizing MeHg-initiated DNA lesions that trigger replication-associated DSBs. Furthermore, proliferative capacity may determine MeHg toxicity in vivo and in utero. Accordingly, variations in cellular proliferative capacity and interindividual variability in repair activity may modulate the risk of toxicological consequences following MeHg exposure. - Highlights: • SV40 large T antigen-immortalized Ogg1{sup −/−} cells are more sensitive to MeHg. • Sensitivity to MeHg is dependent on cellular proliferation capacity. • OGG1 maintains

  8. The antileishmanial drug miltefosine (Impavido(®)) causes oxidation of DNA bases, apoptosis, and necrosis in mammalian cells.

    PubMed

    Castelo Branco, Patrícia Valéria; Soares, Rossy-Eric Pereira; de Jesus, Luís Cláudio Lima; Moreira, Vanessa Ribeiro; Alves, Hugo José; de Castro Belfort, Marta Regina; Silva, Vera Lucia Maciel; Ferreira Pereira, Silma Regina

    2016-08-01

    Miltefosine was developed to treat skin cancer; further studies showed that the drug also has activity against Leishmania. Miltefosine is the first oral agent for treating leishmaniasis. However, its mechanism of action is not completely understood. We have evaluated the induction of DNA damage by miltefosine. Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity (comet assay) tests were performed on human leukocytes exposed to the drug in vitro. Apoptosis and necrosis were also evaluated. In vivo tests were conducted in Swiss male mice (Mus musculus) treated orally with miltefosine. Oxidation of DNA bases in peripheral blood cells was measured using the comet assay followed by digestion with formamidopyrimidine glycosylase (FPG), which removes oxidized guanine bases. The micronucleus test was performed on bone marrow erythrocytes. Miltefosine caused DNA damage, apoptosis, and necrosis in vitro. Mice treated with miltefosine showed an increase in the DNA damage score, which was further increased following FPG digestion. The micronucleus test was also positive. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. The Role of Mitochondrial DNA in Mediating Alveolar Epithelial Cell Apoptosis and Pulmonary Fibrosis

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Seok-Jo; Cheresh, Paul; Jablonski, Renea P.; Williams, David B.; Kamp, David W.

    2015-01-01

    Convincing evidence has emerged demonstrating that impairment of mitochondrial function is critically important in regulating alveolar epithelial cell (AEC) programmed cell death (apoptosis) that may contribute to aging-related lung diseases, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and asbestosis (pulmonary fibrosis following asbestos exposure). The mammalian mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) encodes for 13 proteins, including several essential for oxidative phosphorylation. We review the evidence implicating that oxidative stress-induced mtDNA damage promotes AEC apoptosis and pulmonary fibrosis. We focus on the emerging role for AEC mtDNA damage repair by 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) and mitochondrial aconitase (ACO-2) in maintaining mtDNA integrity which is important in preventing AEC apoptosis and asbestos-induced pulmonary fibrosis in a murine model. We then review recent studies linking the sirtuin (SIRT) family members, especially SIRT3, to mitochondrial integrity and mtDNA damage repair and aging. We present a conceptual model of how SIRTs modulate reactive oxygen species (ROS)-driven mitochondrial metabolism that may be important for their tumor suppressor function. The emerging insights into the pathobiology underlying AEC mtDNA damage and apoptosis is suggesting novel therapeutic targets that may prove useful for the management of age-related diseases, including pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer. PMID:26370974

  10. Basal damage and oxidative DNA damage in children with chronic kidney disease measured by use of the comet assay.

    PubMed

    Aykanat, Banu; Demircigil, Gonca Cakmak; Fidan, Kibriya; Buyan, Necla; Gulleroglu, Kaan; Baskin, Esra; Bayrakci, Umut Selda; Sepici, Aylin; Buyukkaragoz, Bahar; Karakayali, Hamdi; Haberal, Mehmet; Burgaz, Sema

    2011-10-09

    One consequence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an elevated risk for cancer. There is sufficient evidence to conclude that there is an increased incidence of at least some cancers in kidney-dialysis patients. Cancer risk after kidney transplantation has mainly been attributed to immunosuppressive therapy. There are no data evaluating DNA damage in children with CKD, in dialysis patients, or following kidney transplantation. In this study, the comet assay and the enzyme-modified comet assay - with the use of endonuclease III (Endo III) and formamidopyrimidine glycosylase (FPG) enzymes - were conducted to investigate the basal damage and the oxidative DNA damage as a result of treatment in peripheral blood lymphocytes of children. Children at various stages of treatment for kidney disease, including pre-dialysis patients (PreD) (n=17), regular hemodialysis patients (HD) (n=15), and those that received kidney transplants (Tx) (n=17), comprised the study group. They were compared with age- and gender-matched healthy children (n=20) as a control group. Our results show that the %DNA intensity, a measure of basal damage, was significantly increased in children with CKD (mean ± SD) (5.22 ± 1.57) and also in each of the PreD, HD, and Tx groups [(4.92 ± 1.23), (4.91 ± 1.35), and (5.79 ± 1.94), respectively, vs the healthy children (2.74 ± 2.91) (p<0.001). Significant increases in oxidative DNA damage were only found in the FPG-sensitive sites for the PreD and Tx groups, compared with control and HD groups (p<0.05), suggesting that basal DNA damage was more evident for the PreD, HD, and Tx groups. The findings of the present study indicate a critical need for further research on genomic damage with different endpoints and also for preventive measures and improvements in treatment of pediatric patients, in order to improve their life expectancy. 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Evaluation of basal DNA damage and oxidative stress in Wistar rat leukocytes after exposure to microwave radiation.

    PubMed

    Garaj-Vrhovac, Vera; Gajski, Goran; Trosić, Ivancica; Pavicić, Ivan

    2009-05-17

    The aim of this study was to assess whether microwave-induced DNA damage is basal or it is also generated through reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. After having irradiated Wistar rats with 915MHz microwave radiation, we assessed different DNA alterations in peripheral leukocytes using standard and formamidopyrimidine DNA-glycosylase (Fpg)-modified comet assay. The first is a sensitive tool for detecting primary DNA damage, and the second is much more specific for detecting oxidative damage. The animals were irradiated for 1h a day for 2 weeks at a field power density of 2.4W/m(2), and the whole-body average specific absorption rate (SAR) of 0.6W/kg. Both the standard and the Fpg-modified comet assay detected increased DNA damage in blood leukocytes of the exposed rats. The significant increase in Fpg-detected DNA damage in the exposed rats suggests that oxidative stress is likely to be responsible. DNA damage detected by the standard comet assay indicates that some other mechanisms may also be involved. In addition, both methods served proved sensitive enough to measure basal and oxidative DNA damage after long-term exposure to 915MHz microwave radiation in vivo.

  12. Radioprotective effects of honeybee venom (Apis mellifera) against 915-MHz microwave radiation-induced DNA damage in wistar rat lymphocytes: in vitro study.

    PubMed

    Gajski, Goran; Garaj-Vrhovac, Vera

    2009-01-01

    The aim of this study is to investigate the radioprotective effect of bee venom against DNA damage induced by 915-MHz microwave radiation (specific absorption rate of 0.6 W/kg) in Wistar rats. Whole blood lymphocytes of Wistar rats are treated with 1 microg/mL bee venom 4 hours prior to and immediately before irradiation. Standard and formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase (Fpg)-modified comet assays are used to assess basal and oxidative DNA damage produced by reactive oxygen species. Bee venom shows a decrease in DNA damage compared with irradiated samples. Parameters of Fpg-modified comet assay are statistically different from controls, making this assay more sensitive and suggesting that oxidative stress is a possible mechanism of DNA damage induction. Bee venom is demonstrated to have a radioprotective effect against basal and oxidative DNA damage. Furthermore, bee venom is not genotoxic and does not produce oxidative damage in the low concentrations used in this study.

  13. The Enzymatic Release of O6-methylguanine and 3-methyladenine from DNA Reacted with the Carcinogen N-methyl-N-nitrosourea

    PubMed Central

    Kirtikar, D. M.; Goldthwait, D. A.

    1974-01-01

    Endonuclease II (deoxyribonucleate oligonucleotidohydrolase, EC 3.1.4.30) of Escherichia coli has been shown to break phosphodiester bonds in alkylated DNA and depurinated DNA. The hypothesis that depurination is a step in the mechanism of the reaction with alkylated DNA is supported by in vitro experiments with DNA reacted with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea. Endonuclease II releases O6-methylguanine and 3-methyladenine, but not 7-methylguanine, from DNA that has been methylated by the carcinogen N-methyl-N-nitrosourea. PMID:4600266

  14. DNA damage induced by the direct effect of radiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yokoya, A.; Shikazono, N.; Fujii, K.; Urushibara, A.; Akamatsu, K.; Watanabe, R.

    2008-10-01

    We have studied the nature of DNA damage induced by the direct effect of radiation. The yields of single- (SSB) and double-strand breaks (DSB), base lesions and clustered damage were measured using the agarose gel electrophoresis method after exposing to various kinds of radiations to a simple model DNA molecule, fully hydrated closed-circular plasmid DNA (pUC18). The yield of SSB does not show significant dependence on linear energy transfer (LET) values. On the other hand, the yields of base lesions revealed by enzymatic probes, endonuclease III (Nth) and formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (Fpg), which excise base lesions and leave a nick at the damage site, strongly depend on LET values. Soft X-ray photon (150 kVp) irradiation gives a maximum yield of the base lesions detected by the enzymatic probes as SSB and clustered damage, which is composed of one base lesion and proximate other base lesions or SSBs. The clustered damage is visualized as an enzymatically induced DSB. The yields of the enzymatically additional damages strikingly decrease with increasing levels of LET. These results suggest that in higher LET regions, the repair enzymes used as probes are compromised because of the dense damage clustering. The studies using simple plasmid DNA as a irradiation sample, however, have a technical difficulty to detect multiple SSBs in a plasmid DNA. To detect the additional SSBs induced in opposite strand of the first SSB, we have also developed a novel technique of DNA-denaturation assay. This allows us to detect multiply induced SSBs in both strand of DNA, but not induced DSB.

  15. Roles of Rev1, Pol ζ, Pol32 and Pol η in the bypass of chromosomal abasic sites in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

    PubMed Central

    Auerbach, Paul A.; Demple, Bruce

    2010-01-01

    Translesion synthesis (TLS) on DNA is a process by which potentially cytotoxic replication-blocking lesions are bypassed, but at the risk of increased mutagenesis. The exact in vivo role of the individual TLS enzymes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been difficult to determine from previous studies due to differing results from the variety of systems used. We have generated a series of S.cerevisiae strains in which each of the TLS-related genes REV1, REV3, REV7, RAD30 and POL32 was deleted, and in which chromosomal apyrimidinic sites were generated during normal cell growth by the activity of altered forms of human uracil-DNA glycosylase that remove undamaged cytosines or thymines. Deletion of REV1, REV3 or REV7 resulted in slower growth dependent on (rev3Δ and rev7Δ) or enhanced by (rev1Δ) expression of the mutator glycosylases and a nearly complete abolition of glycosylase-induced mutagenesis. Deletion of POL32 resulted in cell death when the mutator glycosylases were expressed and, in their absence, diminished spontaneous mutagenesis. RAD30 appeared to be unnecessary for mutagenesis in response to abasic sites, as deleting this gene caused no significant change in either the mutation rates or the mutational spectra due to glycosylase expression. PMID:19901007

  16. Amplification of bovine papillomavirus DNA by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, ultraviolet irradiation, or infection with herpes simplex virus

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Schmitt, J.; Schlehofer, J.R.; Mergener, K.

    1989-09-01

    Treatment with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) or irradiation with ultraviolet light (uv254 nm) induces amplification of integrated as well as episomal sequences of bovine papillomavirus (BPV) type 1 DNA in BPV-1-transformed mouse C127 cells (i.e., ID13 cells). This is shown by filter in situ hybridization and Southern blot analysis of cellular DNA. Similarly, infection of ID13 cells with herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 which has been shown to be mutagenic for host cell DNA leads to amplification of BPV DNA sequences. In contrast to this induction of DNA amplification by initiators, treatment of ID13 cells with the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)more » does not result in increased synthesis of BPV DNA nor does TPA treatment modulate the initiator-induced DNA amplification. Similar to other cell systems infection with adeno-associated virus (AAV) type 2 inhibits BPV-1 DNA amplification irrespective of the inducing agent. In contrast to initiator-induced DNA amplification, treatment with carcinogen (MNNG) or tumor promoters or combination of MNNG and promoter of C127 cells prior to transformation by BPV-1 does not lead to an increase in the number of transformed foci. The induction of amplification of papillomavirus DNA by initiating agents possibly represents one of the mechanisms by which the observed synergism between papillomavirus infection and initiators in tumorigenesis might occur.« less

  17. Genotoxic effect of N-hydroxy-4-acetylaminobiphenyl on human DNA: implications in bladder cancer.

    PubMed

    Shahab, Uzma; Moinuddin; Ahmad, Saheem; Dixit, Kiran; Habib, Safia; Alam, Khursheed; Ali, Asif

    2013-01-01

    The interaction of environmental chemicals and their metabolites with biological macromolecules can result in cytotoxic and genotoxic effects. 4-Aminobiphenyl (4-ABP) and several other related arylamines have been shown to be causally involved in the induction of human urinary bladder cancers. The genotoxic and the carcinogenic effects of 4-ABP are exhibited only when it is metabolically converted to a reactive electrophile, the aryl nitrenium ions, which subsequently binds to DNA and induce lesions. Although several studies have reported the formation of 4-ABP-DNA adducts, no extensive work has been done to investigate the immunogenicity of 4-ABP-modified DNA and its possible involvement in the generation of antibodies in bladder cancer patients. Human DNA was modified by N-hydroxy-4-acetylaminobiphenyl (N-OH-AABP), a reactive metabolite of 4-ABP. Structural perturbations in the N-OH-AABP modified DNA were assessed by ultraviolet, fluorescence, and circular dichroic spectroscopy as well as by agarose gel electrophoresis. Genotoxicity of N-OH-AABP modified DNA was ascertained by comet assay. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of native and modified DNA samples confirmed the formation of N-(deoxyguanosine-8-yl)-4-aminobiphenyl (dG-C8-4ABP) in the N-OH-AABP damaged DNA. The experimentally induced antibodies against N-OH-AABP-modified DNA exhibited much better recognition of the DNA isolated from bladder cancer patients as compared to the DNA obtained from healthy individuals in competitive binding ELISA. This work shows epitope sharing between the DNA isolated from bladder cancer patients and the N-OH-AABP-modified DNA implicating the role of 4-ABP metabolites in the DNA damage and neo-antigenic epitope generation that could lead to the induction of antibodies in bladder cancer patients.

  18. Assessment of DNA damage in a group of professional dancers during a 10-month dancing season.

    PubMed

    Esteves, Filipa; Teixeira, Eduardo; Amorim, Tânia; Costa, Carla; Pereira, Cristiana; Fraga, Sónia; De Andrade, Vanessa Moraes; Teixeira, João Paulo; Costa, Solange

    2017-01-01

    Despite the numerous health benefits of physical activity, some studies reported that increased intensity and duration may induce oxidative stress in several cellular components including DNA. The aim of this study was to assess the level of basal DNA damage as well as oxidative DNA damage in a group of professional dancers before and after a 10-month dancing season. A group of individuals from general population was also assessed as a control. The alkaline version of the comet assay was the method selected to measure both basal DNA damage and oxidative stress, since this method quantifies both endpoints. In order to measure oxidative stress, the comet assay was coupled with a lesion-specific endonuclease (formamidopyrimidine glycosylase) to detect oxidized purines. The levels of oxidative DNA damage in dancers were significantly increased after the dancing season. Pre-season levels of oxidative DNA damage were lower in dancers than those obtained from the general population, suggesting an adaptation of antioxidant system in dancers. Results of the present biomonitoring study indicate the need for more effective measures to protect ballet dancers from potentially occupational health risks related to regular intensive physical exercise.

  19. Effects of single dose and regular intake of green tea (Camellia sinensis) on DNA damage, DNA repair, and heme oxygenase-1 expression in a randomized controlled human supplementation study.

    PubMed

    Ho, Cyrus K; Choi, Siu-wai; Siu, Parco M; Benzie, Iris F F

    2014-06-01

    Regular intake of green tea (Camellia sinensis) lowers DNA damage in humans, but molecular mechanisms of genoprotection are not clear. Protection could be via direct antioxidant effects of tea catechins, but, paradoxically, catechins have pro-oxidant activity in vitro, and it is hypothesized that mechanisms relate to redox-sensitive cytoprotective adaptations. We investigated this hypothesis, focusing particularly on effects on the DNA repair enzyme human oxoguanine glycosylase 1 (hOGG1), and heme oxygenase-1, a protein that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. A randomized, placebo-controlled, human supplementation study of crossover design was performed. Subjects (n = 16) took a single dose (200 mL of 1.5%, w/v) and 7-days of (2 × 200 mL 1%, w/v per day) green tea (with water as control treatment). Lymphocytic DNA damage was ∼30% (p < 0.001) lower at 60 and 120 min after the single dose and in fasting samples collected after 7-day tea supplementation. Lymphocytic hOGG1 activity was higher (p < 0.0001) at 60 and 120 min after tea ingestion. Significant increases (p < 0.0005) were seen in hOGG1 activity and heme oxygenase-1 after 7 days. Results indicate that molecular triggering of redox-sensitive cytoprotective adaptations and posttranslational changes affecting hOGG1 occur in vivo in response to both a single dose and regular intake of green tea, and contribute to the observed genoprotective effects of green tea. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Synthesis of G-N2-(CH2)3-N2-G Trimethylene DNA interstrand cross-links

    PubMed Central

    Gruppi, Francesca; Salyard, Tracy L. Johnson; Rizzo, Carmelo J.

    2014-01-01

    The synthesis of G-N2-(CH2)3-N2-G trimethylene DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs) in a 5′-CG-3′ and 5′-GC-3′ sequence from oligodeoxynucleotides containing N2-(3-aminopropyl)-2′-deoxyguanosine and 2-fluoro-O6-(trimethylsilylethyl)inosine is presented. Automated solid-phase DNA synthesis was used for unmodified bases and modified nucleotides were incorporated via their corresponding phosphoramidite reagent by a manual coupling protocol. The preparation of the phosphoramidite reagents for incorporation of N2-(3-aminopropyl)-2′-deoxyguanosine is reported. The high-purity trimethylene DNA interstrand cross-link product is obtained through a nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction between the N2-(3-aminopropyl)-2′-deoxyguanosine and 2-fluoro-O6-(trimethylsilylethyl)inosine containing oligodeoxynucleotides. PMID:25431636

  1. MUTYH mediates the toxicity of combined DNA 6-thioguanine and UVA radiation

    PubMed Central

    De Luca, Gabriele; Leopardi, Paola; Mancuso, Maria Teresa; Casorelli, Ida; Pichierri, Pietro; Karran, Peter; Bignami, Margherita

    2015-01-01

    The therapeutic thiopurines, including the immunosuppressant azathioprine (Aza) cause the accumulation of the UVA photosensitizer 6-thioguanine (6-TG) in the DNA of the patients' cells. DNA 6-TG and UVA are synergistically cytotoxic and their interaction causes oxidative damage. The MUTYH DNA glycosylase participates in the base excision repair of oxidized DNA bases. Using Mutyh-nullmouse fibroblasts (MEFs) we examined whether MUTYH provides protection against the lethal effects of combined DNA 6-TG/UVA. Surprisingly, Mutyh-null MEFs were more resistant than wild-type MEFs, despite accumulating higher levels of DNA 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoG). Their enhanced 6-TG/UVA resistance reflected the absence of the MUTYH protein and MEFs expressing enzymatically-dead human variants were as sensitive as wild-type cells. Consistent with their enhanced resistance, Mutyh-null cells sustained fewer DNA strand breaks and lower levels of chromosomal damage after 6-TG/UVA. Although 6-TG/UVA treatment caused early checkpoint activation irrespective of the MUTYH status, Mutyh-null cells failed to arrest in S-phase at late time points. MUTYH-dependent toxicity was also apparent in vivo. Mutyh−/−mice survived better than wild-type during a 12-month chronicexposure to Aza/UVA treatments that significantly increased levels of skin DNA 8-oxoG. Two squamous cell skin carcinomas arose in Aza/UVA treated Mutyh−/− mice whereas similarly treated wild-type animals remained tumor-free. PMID:25638157

  2. MUTYH mediates the toxicity of combined DNA 6-thioguanine and UVA radiation.

    PubMed

    Grasso, Francesca; Ruggieri, Vitalba; De Luca, Gabriele; Leopardi, Paola; Mancuso, Maria Teresa; Casorelli, Ida; Pichierri, Pietro; Karran, Peter; Bignami, Margherita

    2015-04-10

    The therapeutic thiopurines, including the immunosuppressant azathioprine (Aza) cause the accumulation of the UVA photosensitizer 6-thioguanine (6-TG) in the DNA of the patients' cells. DNA 6-TG and UVA are synergistically cytotoxic and their interaction causes oxidative damage. The MUTYH DNA glycosylase participates in the base excision repair of oxidized DNA bases. Using Mutyh-nullmouse fibroblasts (MEFs) we examined whether MUTYH provides protection against the lethal effects of combined DNA 6-TG/UVA. Surprisingly, Mutyh-null MEFs were more resistant than wild-type MEFs, despite accumulating higher levels of DNA 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoG).Their enhanced 6-TG/UVA resistance reflected the absence of the MUTYH protein and MEFs expressing enzymatically-dead human variants were as sensitive as wild-type cells. Consistent with their enhanced resistance, Mutyh-null cells sustained fewer DNA strand breaks and lower levels of chromosomal damage after 6-TG/UVA. Although 6-TG/UVA treatment caused early checkpoint activation irrespective of the MUTYH status, Mutyh-null cells failed to arrest in S-phase at late time points. MUTYH-dependent toxicity was also apparent in vivo. Mutyh-/- mice survived better than wild-type during a 12-month chronicexposure to Aza/UVA treatments that significantly increased levels of skin DNA 8-oxoG. Two squamous cell skin carcinomas arose in Aza/UVA treated Mutyh-/- mice whereas similarly treated wild-type animals remained tumor-free.

  3. Oxidative stress, DNA damage, and inflammation induced by ambient air and wood smoke particulate matter in human A549 and THP-1 cell lines.

    PubMed

    Danielsen, Pernille Høgh; Møller, Peter; Jensen, Keld Alstrup; Sharma, Anoop Kumar; Wallin, Håkan; Bossi, Rossana; Autrup, Herman; Mølhave, Lars; Ravanat, Jean-Luc; Briedé, Jacob Jan; de Kok, Theo Martinus; Loft, Steffen

    2011-02-18

    Combustion of biomass and wood for residential heating and/or cooking contributes substantially to both ambient air and indoor levels of particulate matter (PM). Toxicological characterization of ambient air PM, especially related to traffic, is well advanced, whereas the toxicology of wood smoke PM (WSPM) is poorly assessed. We assessed a wide spectrum of toxicity end points in human A549 lung epithelial and THP-1 monocytic cell lines comparing WSPM from high or low oxygen combustion and ambient PM collected in a village with many operating wood stoves and from a rural background area. In both cell types, all extensively characterized PM samples (1.25-100 μg/mL) induced dose-dependent formation of reactive oxygen species and DNA damage in terms of strand breaks and formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase sites assessed by the comet assay with WSPM being most potent. The WSPM contained more polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), less soluble metals, and expectedly also had a smaller particle size than PM collected from ambient air. All four types of PM combined increased the levels of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine dose-dependently in A549 cells, whereas there was no change in the levels of etheno-adducts or bulky DNA adducts. Furthermore, mRNA expression of the proinflammatory genes monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, interleukin-8, and tumor necrosis factor-α as well as the oxidative stress gene heme oxygenase-1 was upregulated in the THP-1 cells especially by WSPM and ambient PM sampled from the wood stove area. Expression of oxoguanine glycosylase 1, lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1, and interleukin-6 did not change. We conclude that WSPM has small particle size, high level of PAH, low level of water-soluble metals, and produces high levels of free radicals, DNA damage as well as inflammatory and oxidative stress response gene expression in cultured human cells.

  4. Investigating fast enzyme-DNA kinetics using multidimensional fluorescence imaging and microfluidics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Robinson, Tom; Manning, Hugh B.; Dunsby, Christopher; Neil, Mark A. A.; Baldwin, Geoff S.; de Mello, Andrew J.; French, Paul M. W.

    2010-02-01

    We have developed a rapid microfluidic mixing device to image fast kinetics. To verify the performance of the device it was simulated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and the results were directly compared to experimental fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) measurements. The theoretical and measured mixing times of the device were found to be in agreement over a range of flow rates. This mixing device is being developed with the aim of analysing fast enzyme kinetics in the sub-millisecond time domain, which cannot be achieved with conventional macro-stopped flow devices. Here we have studied the binding of a DNA repair enzyme, uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG), to a fluorescently labelled DNA substrate. Bulk phase fluorescence measurements have been used to measure changes on binding: it was found that the fluorescence lifetime increased along with an increase in the polarisation anisotropy and rotational correlation time. Analysis of the same reaction in the microfluidic mixer by CFD enabled us to predict the mixing time of the device to be 46 μs, more than 20 times faster than current stopped-flow techniques. We also demonstrate that it is possible to image UDG-DNA interactions within the micromixer using the signal changes observed from the multidimensional spectrofluorometer.

  5. Synthesis and properties of 2'-O-methyl-4'-thioRNA.

    PubMed

    Takahashi, Mayumi; Inoue, Naonori; Minakawa, Noriaki; Matsuda, Akira

    2005-01-01

    In this presentation, we will discuss the synthesis and properties of 2'-O-methyl-4'-thioRNA, an RNA molecule consisting of 2'-O-methyl-4'-thionucleosides. We first synthesized 2'-O-methyl-4'-thiouridine and -cytidine derivatives via 2,2'-O-anhydro-4'-thiouridine. The RNA consisting of 2'-O-methyl-4'-thiopyrimidine nucleosides and 2'-O-methylpurine nucleosides, 2'-OMe-4'-thioRNA, was synthesized on a DNA synthesizer according to the standard phosphoramidite protocol.

  6. Ecological niche modelling and nDNA sequencing support a new, morphologically cryptic beetle species unveiled by DNA barcoding.

    PubMed

    Hawlitschek, Oliver; Porch, Nick; Hendrich, Lars; Balke, Michael

    2011-02-09

    DNA sequencing techniques used to estimate biodiversity, such as DNA barcoding, may reveal cryptic species. However, disagreements between barcoding and morphological data have already led to controversy. Species delimitation should therefore not be based on mtDNA alone. Here, we explore the use of nDNA and bioclimatic modelling in a new species of aquatic beetle revealed by mtDNA sequence data. The aquatic beetle fauna of Australia is characterised by high degrees of endemism, including local radiations such as the genus Antiporus. Antiporus femoralis was previously considered to exist in two disjunct, but morphologically indistinguishable populations in south-western and south-eastern Australia. We constructed a phylogeny of Antiporus and detected a deep split between these populations. Diagnostic characters from the highly variable nuclear protein encoding arginine kinase gene confirmed the presence of two isolated populations. We then used ecological niche modelling to examine the climatic niche characteristics of the two populations. All results support the status of the two populations as distinct species. We describe the south-western species as Antiporus occidentalis sp.n. In addition to nDNA sequence data and extended use of mitochondrial sequences, ecological niche modelling has great potential for delineating morphologically cryptic species.

  7. Ecological Niche Modelling and nDNA Sequencing Support a New, Morphologically Cryptic Beetle Species Unveiled by DNA Barcoding

    PubMed Central

    Hawlitschek, Oliver; Porch, Nick; Hendrich, Lars; Balke, Michael

    2011-01-01

    Background DNA sequencing techniques used to estimate biodiversity, such as DNA barcoding, may reveal cryptic species. However, disagreements between barcoding and morphological data have already led to controversy. Species delimitation should therefore not be based on mtDNA alone. Here, we explore the use of nDNA and bioclimatic modelling in a new species of aquatic beetle revealed by mtDNA sequence data. Methodology/Principal Findings The aquatic beetle fauna of Australia is characterised by high degrees of endemism, including local radiations such as the genus Antiporus. Antiporus femoralis was previously considered to exist in two disjunct, but morphologically indistinguishable populations in south-western and south-eastern Australia. We constructed a phylogeny of Antiporus and detected a deep split between these populations. Diagnostic characters from the highly variable nuclear protein encoding arginine kinase gene confirmed the presence of two isolated populations. We then used ecological niche modelling to examine the climatic niche characteristics of the two populations. All results support the status of the two populations as distinct species. We describe the south-western species as Antiporus occidentalis sp.n. Conclusion/Significance In addition to nDNA sequence data and extended use of mitochondrial sequences, ecological niche modelling has great potential for delineating morphologically cryptic species. PMID:21347370

  8. Combined subtraction hybridization and polymerase chain reaction amplification procedure for isolation of strain-specific Rhizobium DNA sequences.

    PubMed Central

    Bjourson, A J; Stone, C E; Cooper, J E

    1992-01-01

    A novel subtraction hybridization procedure, incorporating a combination of four separation strategies, was developed to isolate unique DNA sequences from a strain of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii. Sau3A-digested DNA from this strain, i.e., the probe strain, was ligated to a linker and hybridized in solution with an excess of pooled subtracter DNA from seven other strains of the same biovar which had been restricted, ligated to a different, biotinylated, subtracter-specific linker, and amplified by polymerase chain reaction to incorporate dUTP. Subtracter DNA and subtracter-probe hybrids were removed by phenol-chloroform extraction of a streptavidin-biotin-DNA complex. NENSORB chromatography of the sequences remaining in the aqueous layer captured biotinylated subtracter DNA which may have escaped removal by phenol-chloroform treatment. Any traces of contaminating subtracter DNA were removed by digestion with uracil DNA glycosylase. Finally, remaining sequences were amplified by polymerase chain reaction with a probe strain-specific primer, labelled with 32P, and tested for specificity in dot blot hybridizations against total genomic target DNA from each strain in the subtracter pool. Two rounds of subtraction-amplification were sufficient to remove cross-hybridizing sequences and to give a probe which hybridized only with homologous target DNA. The method is applicable to the isolation of DNA and RNA sequences from both procaryotic and eucaryotic cells. Images PMID:1637166

  9. NMR of enzymatically synthesized uniformly 13C15N-labeled DNA oligonucleotides.

    PubMed Central

    Zimmer, D P; Crothers, D M

    1995-01-01

    A procedure for the enzymatic synthesis of uniformly 13C15N-labeled DNA oligonucleotides in milligram quantities for NMR studies is described. Deoxynucleotides obtained from microorganisms grown on 13C and 15N nutrient sources are enzymatically phosphorylated to dNTPs, and the dNTPs are incorporated into oligonucleotides using a 3'-5' exonuclease-deficient mutant of Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase I and an oligonucleotide template primer designed for efficient separation of labeled product DNA from unlabeled template. The labeling strategy has been used to uniformly label one or the other oligonucleotide strand in the DNA duplex dGGCAAAACGG.dCCGTTTTGCC in order to facilitate assignment and structure determination by NMR. Application of 15N and 13C heteronuclear NMR experiments to isotopically labeled DNA is presented. Images Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 PMID:7724521

  10. Pyrrolo-dC modified duplex DNA as a novel probe for the sensitive assay of base excision repair enzyme activity.

    PubMed

    Lee, Chang Yeol; Park, Ki Soo; Park, Hyun Gyu

    2017-12-15

    We develop a novel approach to determine formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (Fpg) activity by taking advantage of the unique fluorescence property of pyrrolo-dC (PdC) positioned opposite to 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) in duplex DNA. In its initial state, PdC in duplex DNA undergoes the efficient stacking and collisional quenching interactions, showing the low fluorescence signal. In contrast, the presence of Fpg, which specifically removes 8-oxoG and incises resulting apurinic (AP) site, transforms duplex DNA into single-stranded (ss) DNAs. As a result, the intrinsic fluorescence signal of PdC in ssDNA is recovered to exhibit the significantly enhanced fluorescence signal. Based on this Fpg-dependent fluorescence response of PdC, we could reliably determine Fpg activity down to 1.25U/ml with a linear response from 0 to 50U/ml. In addition, the diagnostic capability of this strategy was successfully demonstrated by reliably assaying Fpg activity in human blood serum, showing its great potential in the practical applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Increased levels of the acetaldehyde-derived DNA adduct N 2-ethyldeoxyguanosine in oral mucosa DNA from Rhesus monkeys exposed to alcohol

    PubMed Central

    Balbo, Silvia; Juanes, Rita Cervera; Khariwala, Samir; Baker, Erich J.; Daunais, James B.; Grant, Kathleen A.

    2016-01-01

    Alcohol is a human carcinogen. A causal link has been established between alcohol drinking and cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract, colon, liver and breast. Despite this established association, the underlying mechanisms of alcohol-induced carcinogenesis remain unclear. Various mechanisms may come into play depending on the type of cancer; however, convincing evidence supports the concept that ethanol’s major metabolite acetaldehyde may play a major role. Acetaldehyde can react with DNA forming adducts which can serve as biomarkers of carcinogen exposure and potentially of cancer risk. The major DNA adduct formed from this reaction is N 2-ethylidenedeoxyguanosine, which can be quantified as its reduced form N 2-ethyl-dG by LC-ESI-MS/MS. To investigate the potential use of N 2-ethyl-dG as a biomarker of alcohol-induced DNA damage, we quantified this adduct in DNA from the oral, oesophageal and mammary gland tissues from rhesus monkeys exposed to alcohol drinking over their lifetimes and compared it to controls. N 2-Ethyl-dG levels were significantly higher in the oral mucosa DNA of the exposed animals. Levels of the DNA adduct measured in the oesophageal mucosa of exposed animals were not significantly different from controls. A correlation between the levels measured in the oral and oesophageal DNA, however, was observed, suggesting a common source of formation of the DNA adducts. N 2-Ethyl-dG was measured in mammary gland DNA from a small cohort of female animals, but no difference was observed between exposed animals and controls. These results support the hypothesis that acetaldehyde induces DNA damage in the oral mucosa of alcohol-exposed animals and that it may play role in the alcohol-induced carcinogenic process. The decrease of N 2-ethyl-dG levels in exposed tissues further removed from the mouth also suggests a role of alcohol metabolism in the oral cavity, which may be considered separately from ethanol liver metabolism in the investigation of

  12. Reevaluation of the effect of ellagic acid on N-methyl-N-nitrosourea DNA alkylation and mutagenicity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lord, H.L.; Josephy, P.D.; Snieckus, V.A.

    N-Methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) is a reactive, mutagenic methylating agent. MNU methylates DNA at various sites, including guanine N{sup 7}, guanine O{sup 6}, and adenine N{sup 3}. Dixit and Gold ((1986) Proc. Natl, Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 83, 8039-8043) reported that ellagic acid, a phenolic natural product, inhibited the mutagenicity of MNU in Salmonella typhimurium strain TA 100, inhibited salmon sperm DNA alkylation by ({sup 3}H)MNU, and also greatly reduced the ratio of guanine O{sup 6} to guanine N{sup 7} alkylation. We have examined the MNU-induced alkylation of calf thymus DNA and evaluated the effect of ellagic acid on this binding. Ellagic acidmore » had only a slight effect on total alkylation and did not alter the ratio of methylation at guanine-O{sup 6} and -N{sup 7} positions. In further experiments, ellagic acid did not significantly inhibit MNU mutagenicity. These findings do not support the potential use of ellagic acid as an inhibitor of biological damage induced by nitrosoureas.« less

  13. Oxidatively-induced DNA damage and base excision repair in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder.

    PubMed

    Ceylan, Deniz; Tuna, Gamze; Kirkali, Güldal; Tunca, Zeliha; Can, Güneş; Arat, Hidayet Ece; Kant, Melis; Dizdaroglu, Miral; Özerdem, Ayşegül

    2018-05-01

    Oxidatively-induced DNA damage has previously been associated with bipolar disorder. More recently, impairments in DNA repair mechanisms have also been reported. We aimed to investigate oxidatively-induced DNA lesions and expression of DNA glycosylases involved in base excision repair in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder compared to healthy individuals. DNA base lesions including both base and nucleoside modifications were measured using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with isotope-dilution in DNA samples isolated from leukocytes of euthymic patients with bipolar disorder (n = 32) and healthy individuals (n = 51). The expression of DNA repair enzymes OGG1 and NEIL1 were measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The levels of malondialdehyde were measured using high performance liquid chromatography. Seven DNA base lesions in DNA of leukocytes of patients and healthy individuals were identified and quantified. Three of them had significantly elevated levels in bipolar patients when compared to healthy individuals. No elevation of lipid peroxidation marker malondialdehyde was observed. The level of OGG1 expression was significantly reduced in bipolar patients compared to healthy individuals, whereas the two groups exhibited similar levels of NEIL1 expression. Our results suggest that oxidatively-induced DNA damage occurs and base excision repair capacity may be decreased in bipolar patients when compared to healthy individuals. Measurement of oxidatively-induced DNA base lesions and the expression of DNA repair enzymes may be of great importance for large scale basic research and clinical studies of bipolar disorder. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. A Specific Mutational Signature Associated with DNA 8-Oxoguanine Persistence in MUTYH-defective Colorectal Cancer

    DOE PAGES

    Viel, Alessandra; Bruselles, Alessandro; Meccia, Ettore; ...

    2017-04-13

    8-Oxoguanine, a common mutagenic DNA lesion, generates G:C > T:A transversions via mispairing with adenine during DNA replication. When operating normally, the MUTYH DNA glycosylase prevents 8-oxoguanine-related mutagenesis by excising the incorporated adenine. Biallelic MUTYH mutations impair this enzymatic function and are associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) in MUTYH-Associated Polyposis (MAP) syndrome. Here in this paper, we perform whole-exome sequencing that reveals a modest mutator phenotype in MAP CRCs compared to sporadic CRC stem cell lines or bulk tumours. The excess G:C > T:A transversion mutations in MAP CRCs exhibits a novel mutational signature, termed Signature 36, with a strongmore » sequence dependence. The MUTYH mutational signature reflecting persistent 8-oxoG:A mismatches occurs frequently in the APC, KRAS, PIK3CA, FAT4, TP53, FAT1, AMER1, KDM6A, SMAD4 and SMAD2 genes that are associated with CRC. In conclusion, the occurrence of Signature 36 in other types of human cancer indicates that DNA 8-oxoguanine-related mutations might contribute to the development of cancer in other organs.« less

  15. A Specific Mutational Signature Associated with DNA 8-Oxoguanine Persistence in MUTYH-defective Colorectal Cancer

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Viel, Alessandra; Bruselles, Alessandro; Meccia, Ettore

    8-Oxoguanine, a common mutagenic DNA lesion, generates G:C > T:A transversions via mispairing with adenine during DNA replication. When operating normally, the MUTYH DNA glycosylase prevents 8-oxoguanine-related mutagenesis by excising the incorporated adenine. Biallelic MUTYH mutations impair this enzymatic function and are associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) in MUTYH-Associated Polyposis (MAP) syndrome. Here in this paper, we perform whole-exome sequencing that reveals a modest mutator phenotype in MAP CRCs compared to sporadic CRC stem cell lines or bulk tumours. The excess G:C > T:A transversion mutations in MAP CRCs exhibits a novel mutational signature, termed Signature 36, with a strongmore » sequence dependence. The MUTYH mutational signature reflecting persistent 8-oxoG:A mismatches occurs frequently in the APC, KRAS, PIK3CA, FAT4, TP53, FAT1, AMER1, KDM6A, SMAD4 and SMAD2 genes that are associated with CRC. In conclusion, the occurrence of Signature 36 in other types of human cancer indicates that DNA 8-oxoguanine-related mutations might contribute to the development of cancer in other organs.« less

  16. Low-level laser irradiation alters mRNA expression from genes involved in DNA repair and genomic stabilization in myoblasts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trajano, L. A. S. N.; Sergio, L. P. S.; Silva, C. L.; Carvalho, L.; Mencalha, A. L.; Stumbo, A. C.; Fonseca, A. S.

    2016-07-01

    Low-level lasers are used for the treatment of diseases in soft and bone tissues, but few data are available regarding their effects on genomic stability. In this study, we investigated mRNA expression from genes involved in DNA repair and genomic stabilization in myoblasts exposed to low-level infrared laser. C2C12 myoblast cultures in different fetal bovine serum concentrations were exposed to low-level infrared laser (10, 35 and 70 J cm-2), and collected for the evaluation of DNA repair gene expression. Laser exposure increased gene expression related to base excision repair (8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase and apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1), nucleotide excision repair (excision repair cross-complementation group 1 and xeroderma pigmentosum C protein) and genomic stabilization (ATM serine/threonine kinase and tumor protein p53) in normal and low fetal bovine serum concentrations. Results suggest that genomic stability could be part of a biostimulation effect of low-level laser therapy in injured muscles.

  17. Novel DNA packaging recognition in the unusual bacteriophage N15

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Feiss, Michael; Geyer, Henriette, E-mail: henriettegeyer@gmail.com; Division of Viral Infections, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin

    Phage lambda's cosB packaging recognition site is tripartite, consisting of 3 TerS binding sites, called R sequences. TerS binding to the critical R3 site positions the TerL endonuclease for nicking cosN to generate cohesive ends. The N15 cos (cos{sup N15}) is closely related to cos{sup λ}, but whereas the cosB{sup N15} subsite has R3, it lacks the R2 and R1 sites and the IHF binding site of cosB{sup λ}. A bioinformatic study of N15-like phages indicates that cosB{sup N15} also has an accessory, remote rR2 site, which is proposed to increase packaging efficiency, like R2 and R1 of lambda. N15more » plus five prophages all have the rR2 sequence, which is located in the TerS-encoding 1 gene, approximately 200 bp distal to R3. An additional set of four highly related prophages, exemplified by Monarch, has R3 sequence, but also has R2 and R1 sequences characteristic of cosB–λ. The DNA binding domain of TerS-N15 is a dimer. - Highlights: • There are two classes of DNA packaging signals in N15-related phages. • Phage N15's TerS binding site: a critical site and a possible remote accessory site. • Viral DNA recognition signals by the λ-like bacteriophages: the odd case of N15.« less

  18. Artifacts associated with the measurement of oxidized DNA bases.

    PubMed Central

    Cadet, J; Douki, T; Ravanat, J L

    1997-01-01

    In this paper we review recent aspects of the measurement of oxidized DNA bases, currently a matter of debate. There has long been an interest in the determination of the level of oxidized bases in cellular DNA under both normal and oxidative stress conditions. In this respect, the situation is confusing because variations that may be as large as two orders of magnitude have been reported for the yield of the formation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoGua) in similar DNA samples. However, recent findings clearly show that application of several assays like gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and -32P--postlabeling may lead to a significant overestimation of the level of oxidized bases in cellular DNA. In particular, the silylation step, which is required to make the samples volatile for the GC-MS analysis, has been shown to induce oxidation of normal bases at the level of about one oxidized base per 10(4) normal bases. This has been found to be a general process that applies in particular to 8-oxoGua, 8-oxo-7, 8-dihydroadenine,5-hydroxycytosine, 5-(hydroxymethyl)uracil, and 5-formyluracil. Interestingly, prepurification of the oxidized bases from DNA hydrolysate prior to the derivatization reaction prevents artefactual oxidation. Under these conditions, the level of oxidized bases measured by GC-MS is similar to that obtained by HPLC associated with electrochemical detection (HPLC-EC). It should be added that the level of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2;-deoxyguanosine in control cellular DNA has been found to be about fivefold lower than in earlier HPLC-EC measurements by using appropriate conditions of extraction and enzymatic digestion of DNA. Similar conclusions were reached by measuring formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase sensitive sites as revealed by the single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay. Images Figure 1. PMID:9349826

  19. Parameters of oxidative stress, DNA damage and DNA repair in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

    PubMed

    Pácal, Lukáš; Varvařovská, Jana; Rušavý, Zdeněk; Lacigová, Silva; Stětina, Rudolf; Racek, Jaroslav; Pomahačová, Renata; Tanhäuserová, Veronika; Kaňková, Kateřina

    2011-10-01

    (i) to determine the extent of oxidative stress and DNA damage and repair using a panel of selected markers in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T1DM, T2DM), (ii) to find their possible relationships with diabetes compensation and duration, and finally (iii) to test for the effect of functional polymorphisms in the 8-oxoguanin DNA glycosylase (rs1052133), catalase (rs1001179) and superoxide dismutase (rs4880) genes on respective intermediate phenotypes. A total of 207 subjects (23 children and 44 adults with T1DM, 52 adult patients with T2DM and 88 healthy adult control subjects) were enrolled in the study. The following markers of redox state were determined in participants: erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (Ery-SOD), whole blood glutathione peroxidase (WB-GPx), erythrocyte glutathione (Ery-GSH), plasma total antioxidant capacity (P-tAOC) and plasma malondialdehyde (P-MDA). Furthermore, the extent of DNA damage and repair was ascertained using the following parameters: DNA single strand breaks (DNAssb), DNA repair capacity (DNArc) and DNA repair index (DNRI). Comparison of T1DM vs. T2DM patients revealed significantly higher Ery-GSH content (P < 0.0001) and significantly lower Ery-SOD activity (P = 0.0006) and P-tAOC level (P < 0.0001) in T1DM subjects. T2DM diabetics exhibited a significant increase in DNAssb (P < 0.0001) and significant decrease in both DNArc (P < 0.0001) and DNRI (P <  .0001) compared with T1DM patients. Patient's age (irrespective of DM type) significantly correlated with DNAssb (r = 0.48, P < 0.0001), DNArc (r = -0.67, P < 0.0001) and DNRI (r = -0.7, P < 0.0001). Allele frequencies of all studied polymorphisms did not exhibit any significant association with the investigated parameters. We demonstrated significant age- and DM type-related changes of oxidative DNA modification and capacity for its repair in subjects with T1DM and T2DM.

  20. Microcystin-LR induced DNA damage in human peripheral blood lymphocytes.

    PubMed

    Zegura, B; Gajski, G; Straser, A; Garaj-Vrhovac, V; Filipič, M

    2011-12-24

    Human exposure to microcystins, which are produced by freshwater cyanobacterial species, is of growing concern due to increasing appearance of cyanobacterial blooms as a consequence of global warming and increasing water eutrophication. Although microcystins are considered to be liver-specific, there is evidence that they may also affect other tissues. These substances have been shown to induce DNA damage in vitro and in vivo, but the mechanisms of their genotoxic activity remain unclear. In human peripheral blood lymphocytes (HPBLs) exposure to non-cytotoxic concentrations (0, 0.1, 1 and 10μg/ml) of microcystin-LR (MCLR) induced a dose- and time-dependent increase in DNA damage, as measured with the comet assay. Digestion of DNA from MCLR-treated HPBLs with purified formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase (Fpg) displayed a greater number of DNA strand-breaks than non-digested DNA, confirming the evidence that MCLR induces oxidative DNA damage. With the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay no statistically significant induction of micronuclei, nucleoplasmic bridges and nuclear buds was observed after a 24-h exposure to MCLR. At the molecular level, no changes in the expression of selected genes involved in the cellular response to DNA damage and oxidative stress were observed after a 4-h exposure to MCLR (1μg/ml). After 24h, DNA damage-responsive genes (p53, mdm2, gadd45a, cdkn1a), a gene involved in apoptosis (bax) and oxidative stress-responsive genes (cat, gpx1, sod1, gsr, gclc) were up-regulated. These results provide strong support that MCLR is an indirectly genotoxic agent, acting via induction of oxidative stress, and that lymphocytes are also the target of microcystin-induced toxicity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dots trigger DNA repair and antioxidant enzyme systems in Medicago sativa cells in suspension culture

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Nanoparticles appear to be promising devices for application in the agriculture and food industries, but information regarding the response of plants to contact with nano-devices is scarce. Toxic effects may be imposed depending on the type and concentration of nanoparticle as well as time of exposure. A number of mechanisms may underlie the ability of nanoparticles to cause genotoxicity, besides the activation of ROS scavenging mechanisms. In a previous study, we showed that plant cells accumulate 3-Mercaptopropanoic acid-CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (MPA-CdSe/ZnS QD) in their cytosol and nucleus and increased production of ROS in a dose dependent manner when exposed to QD and that a concentration of 10 nM should be cyto-compatible. Results When Medicago sativa cells were exposed to 10, 50 and 100 nM MPA-CdSe/ZnS QD a correspondent increase in the activity of Superoxide dismutase, Catalase and Glutathione reductase was registered. Different versions of the COMET assay were used to assess the genotoxicity of MPA-CdSe/ZnS QD. The number of DNA single and double strand breaks increased with increasing concentrations of MPA-CdSe/ZnS QD. At the highest concentrations, tested purine bases were more oxidized than the pyrimidine ones. The transcription of the DNA repair enzymes Formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase, Tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase I and DNA Topoisomerase I was up-regulated in the presence of increasing concentrations of MPA-CdSe/ZnS QD. Conclusions Concentrations as low as 10 nM MPA-CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dots are cytotoxic and genotoxic to plant cells, although not lethal. This sets a limit for the concentrations to be used when practical applications using nanodevices of this type on plants are being considered. This work describes for the first time the genotoxic effect of Quantum Dots in plant cells and demonstrates that both the DNA repair genes (Tdp1β, Top1β and Fpg) and the ROS scavenging mechanisms are activated when MPA-CdSe/ZnS QD contact M. sativa

  2. The cytosolic Fe-S cluster assembly component MET18 is required for the full enzymatic activity of ROS1 in active DNA demethylation.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xiaokang; Li, Qi; Yuan, Wei; Cao, Zhendong; Qi, Bei; Kumar, Suresh; Li, Yan; Qian, Weiqiang

    2016-05-19

    DNA methylation patterns in plants are dynamically regulated by DNA methylation and active DNA demethylation in response to both environmental changes and development of plant. Beginning with the removal of methylated cytosine by ROS1/DME family of 5-methylcytosine DNA glycosylases, active DNA demethylation in plants occurs through base excision repair. So far, many components involved in active DNA demethylation remain undiscovered. Through a forward genetic screening of Arabidopsis mutants showing DNA hypermethylation at the EPF2 promoter region, we identified the conserved iron-sulfur cluster assembly protein MET18. MET18 dysfunction caused DNA hypermethylation at more than 1000 loci as well as the silencing of reporter genes and some endogenous genes. MET18 can directly interact with ROS1 in vitro and in vivo. ROS1 activity was reduced in the met18 mutant plants and point mutation in the conserved Fe-S cluster binding motif of ROS1 disrupted its biological function. Interestingly, a large number of DNA hypomethylated loci, especially in the CHH context, were identified from the met18 mutants and most of the hypo-DMRs were from TE regions. Our results suggest that MET18 can regulate both active DNA demethylation and DNA methylation pathways in Arabidopsis.

  3. The cytosolic Fe-S cluster assembly component MET18 is required for the full enzymatic activity of ROS1 in active DNA demethylation

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Xiaokang; Li, Qi; Yuan, Wei; Cao, Zhendong; Qi, Bei; Kumar, Suresh; Li, Yan; Qian, Weiqiang

    2016-01-01

    DNA methylation patterns in plants are dynamically regulated by DNA methylation and active DNA demethylation in response to both environmental changes and development of plant. Beginning with the removal of methylated cytosine by ROS1/DME family of 5-methylcytosine DNA glycosylases, active DNA demethylation in plants occurs through base excision repair. So far, many components involved in active DNA demethylation remain undiscovered. Through a forward genetic screening of Arabidopsis mutants showing DNA hypermethylation at the EPF2 promoter region, we identified the conserved iron-sulfur cluster assembly protein MET18. MET18 dysfunction caused DNA hypermethylation at more than 1000 loci as well as the silencing of reporter genes and some endogenous genes. MET18 can directly interact with ROS1 in vitro and in vivo. ROS1 activity was reduced in the met18 mutant plants and point mutation in the conserved Fe-S cluster binding motif of ROS1 disrupted its biological function. Interestingly, a large number of DNA hypomethylated loci, especially in the CHH context, were identified from the met18 mutants and most of the hypo-DMRs were from TE regions. Our results suggest that MET18 can regulate both active DNA demethylation and DNA methylation pathways in Arabidopsis. PMID:27193999

  4. Effects of Complementary DNA and Salt on the Thermoresponsiveness of Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-b-DNA.

    PubMed

    Fujita, Masahiro; Hiramine, Hayato; Pan, Pengju; Hikima, Takaaki; Maeda, Mizuo

    2016-02-02

    The thermoresponsive structural transition of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm)-b-DNA copolymers was explored. Molecular assembly of the block copolymers was facilitated by adding salt, and this assembly was not nucleated by the association between DNA strands but by the coil-globule transition of PNIPAAm blocks. Below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of PNIPAAm, the copolymer solution remained transparent even at high salt concentrations, regardless of whether DNA was hybridized with its complementary partner to form a double-strand (or single-strand) structure. At the LCST, the hybridized copolymer assembled in spherical nanoparticles, surrounded by double-stranded DNA; subsequently, the non-cross-linking aggregation occurred, while the nanoparticles were dispersed if the salt concentration was low or DNA blocks were unhybridized. When the DNA duplex was denatured to a single-stranded state by heating, the aggregated nanoparticles redispersed owing to the recovery of the steric repulsion of the DNA strands. The changes in the steric and electrostatic effects by hybridization and the addition of salt did not result in any specific attraction between DNA strands but merely decreased the repulsive interactions. The van der Waals attraction between the nanoparticles overcame such repulsive interactions so that the non-cross-linking aggregation of the micellar particles was mediated.

  5. DNA N(6)-methyladenine: a new epigenetic mark in eukaryotes?

    PubMed

    Luo, Guan-Zheng; Blanco, Mario Andres; Greer, Eric Lieberman; He, Chuan; Shi, Yang

    2015-12-01

    DNA N(6)-adenine methylation (N(6)-methyladenine; 6mA) in prokaryotes functions primarily in the host defence system. The prevalence and significance of this modification in eukaryotes had been unclear until recently. Here, we discuss recent publications documenting the presence of 6mA in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans; consider possible roles for this DNA modification in regulating transcription, the activity of transposable elements and transgenerational epigenetic inheritance; and propose 6mA as a new epigenetic mark in eukaryotes.

  6. Cdc13 N-Terminal Dimerization DNA Binding and Telomere Length Regulation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    M Mitchell; J Smith; M Mason

    The essential yeast protein Cdc13 facilitates chromosome end replication by recruiting telomerase to telomeres, and together with its interacting partners Stn1 and Ten1, it protects chromosome ends from nucleolytic attack, thus contributing to genome integrity. Although Cdc13 has been studied extensively, the precise role of its N-terminal domain (Cdc13N) in telomere length regulation remains unclear. Here we present a structural, biochemical, and functional characterization of Cdc13N. The structure reveals that this domain comprises an oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide binding (OB) fold and is involved in Cdc13 dimerization. Biochemical data show that Cdc13N weakly binds long, single-stranded, telomeric DNA in a fashion that ismore » directly dependent on domain oligomerization. When introduced into full-length Cdc13 in vivo, point mutations that prevented Cdc13N dimerization or DNA binding caused telomere shortening or lengthening, respectively. The multiple DNA binding domains and dimeric nature of Cdc13 offer unique insights into how it coordinates the recruitment and regulation of telomerase access to the telomeres.« less

  7. Bisphenol A Promotes Cell Survival Following Oxidative DNA Damage in Mouse Fibroblasts

    PubMed Central

    Gassman, Natalie R.; Coskun, Erdem; Stefanick, Donna F.; Horton, Julie K.; Jaruga, Pawel; Dizdaroglu, Miral; Wilson, Samuel H.

    2015-01-01

    Bisphenol A (BPA) is a biologically active industrial chemical used in production of consumer products. BPA has become a target of intense public scrutiny following concerns about its association with human diseases such as obesity, diabetes, reproductive disorders, and cancer. Recent studies link BPA with the generation of reactive oxygen species, and base excision repair (BER) is responsible for removing oxidatively induced DNA lesions. Yet, the relationship between BPA and BER has yet to be examined. Further, the ubiquitous nature of BPA allows continuous exposure of the human genome concurrent with the normal endogenous and exogenous insults to the genome, and this co-exposure may impact the DNA damage response and repair. To determine the effect of BPA exposure on base excision repair of oxidatively induced DNA damage, cells compromised in double-strand break repair were treated with BPA alone or co-exposed with either potassium bromate (KBrO3) or laser irradiation as oxidative damaging agents. In experiments with KBrO3, co-treatment with BPA partially reversed the KBrO3-induced cytotoxicity observed in these cells, and this was coincident with an increase in guanine base lesions in genomic DNA. The improvement in cell survival and the increase in oxidatively induced DNA base lesions were reminiscent of previous results with alkyl adenine DNA glycosylase-deficient cells, suggesting that BPA may prevent initiation of repair of oxidized base lesions. With laser irradiation-induced DNA damage, treatment with BPA suppressed DNA repair as revealed by several indicators. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that BPA can induce a suppression of oxidized base lesion DNA repair by the base excision repair pathway. PMID:25693136

  8. Highly sensitive sites for guanine-O6 ethylation in rat brain DNA exposed to N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea in vivo.

    PubMed Central

    Nehls, P; Rajewsky, M F; Spiess, E; Werner, D

    1984-01-01

    Brain chromosomal DNA isolated from fetal BDIX-rats 1 h after i.v. administration of the ethylating N-nitroso carcinogen N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (75 micrograms/g body weight), statistically contained one molecule of O6-ethyl-2'-deoxyguanosine (O6-EtdGuo) per 81 micron of DNA, as determined in enzymatic DNA hydrolysates by competitive radio-immunoassay using a high-affinity anti-(O6-EtdGuo) monoclonal antibody (ER-6). After fragmentation of the DNA by the restriction enzyme AluI (average fragment length, Lav = 0.28 micron = 970 bp; length range, Lr = 1.87-0.02 micron = 6540 - 60 bp), a small (approximately 2%) fraction of DNA enriched in specific polypeptides tightly associated with DNA was separated from the bulk DNA by a glass fiber binding technique. As analyzed by immune electron microscopy, approximately 1% of the DNA molecules in this fraction contained clusters of 2-10 (O6-EtdGuo)-antibody binding sites (ABS). On the cluster-bearing fragments (Lav, 0.85 micron +/- 0.50 micron S.D.; corresponding to 2970 +/- 1760 bp) the average ABS-ABS interspace distance was 110 nm (= 390 bp; range approximately 9-600 nm), indicating a highly non-random distribution of O6-EtdGuo in target cell DNA. Images Fig. 2. PMID:6370677

  9. In Vitro Fluorogenic Real-time Assay of the Repair of Oxidative DNA Damage

    PubMed Central

    Edwards, Sarah K.; Ono, Toshikazu; Wang, Shenliang; Jiang, Wei; Franzini, Raphael M.; Jung, Jong Wha; Chan, Ke Min; Kool, Eric T.

    2015-01-01

    The repair of oxidative damage to DNA is essential to avoidance of mutations that lead to cancer. Oxidized DNA bases, such as 8-oxoguanine, are a chief source of these mutations, and the enzyme 8-oxoguanine glycosylase 1 (OGG1) is the chief human enzyme that excises 8-oxoguanine from DNA. The activity of OGG1 has been linked to human inflammation responses and to cancer, and researchers are beginning to search for inhibitors of the enzyme. However, measuring the activity of the enzyme typically requires laborious gel-based measurements of radiolabeled DNAs. Here we report on the design and properties of fluorogenic probes that directly report on OGG1 (and bacterial homologue Fpg) activity in real time as the oxidized base is excised. The probes are short modified DNA oligomers containing fluorescent DNA bases and are designed to utilize the damaged DNA base itself as a fluorescence quencher. Screening of combinations of fluorophores and 8-oxoguanine revealed two fluorophores, pyrene and tCo, that are strongly quenched by the damaged base. We tested 42 potential probe designs containing these fluorophores, and we found an optimized probe OGR1 that yields a 60-fold light-up signal in vitro with OGG1 and Fpg, and can report on oxidative repair activity in mammalian cell lysate and with bacterial cells overexpressing a repair enzyme. Such probes may be useful in quantifying enzyme activity and performing competitive inhibition assays. PMID:26073452

  10. The replicative DNA polymerase of herpes simplex virus 1 exhibits apurinic/apyrimidinic and 5′-deoxyribose phosphate lyase activities

    PubMed Central

    Bogani, Federica; Boehmer, Paul E.

    2008-01-01

    Base excision repair (BER) is essential for maintaining genome stability both to counter the accumulation of unusual bases and to protect from base loss in the DNA. Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is a large dsDNA virus that encodes its own DNA replication machinery, including enzymes involved in nucleotide metabolism. We report on a replicative family B and a herpesvirus-encoded DNA Pol that possesses DNA lyase activity. We have discovered that the catalytic subunit of the HSV-1 DNA polymerase (Pol) (UL30) exhibits apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) and 5′-deoxyribose phosphate (dRP) lyase activities. These activities are integral to BER and lead to DNA cleavage on the 3′ side of abasic sites and 5′-dRP residues that remain after cleavage by 5′-AP endonuclease. The UL30-catalyzed reaction occurs independently of divalent cation and proceeds via a Schiff base intermediate, indicating that it occurs via a lyase mechanism. Partial proteolysis of the Schiff base shows that the DNA lyase activity resides in the Pol domain of UL30. These observations together with the presence of a virus-encoded uracil DNA glycosylase indicates that HSV-1 has the capacity to perform critical steps in BER. These findings have implications on the role of BER in viral genome maintenance during lytic replication and reactivation from latency. PMID:18695225

  11. REPRESSOR OF SILENCING5 Encodes a Member of the Small Heat Shock Protein Family and Is Required for DNA Demethylation in Arabidopsis[C][W

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Yusheng; Xie, Shaojun; Li, Xiaojie; Wang, Chunlei; Chen, Zhongzhou; Lai, Jinsheng; Gong, Zhizhong

    2014-01-01

    In Arabidopsis thaliana, active DNA demethylation is initiated by the DNA glycosylase REPRESSOR OF SILENCING1 (ROS1) and its paralogs DEMETER, DEMETER-LIKE2 (DML2), and DML3. How these demethylation enzymes are regulated, however, is poorly understood. Here, using a transgenic Arabidopsis line harboring the stress-inducible RESPONSIVE TO DEHYDRATION29A (RD29A) promoter–LUCIFERASE (LUC) reporter gene and the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter (35S)–NEOMYCIN PHOSPHOTRANSFERASE II (NPTII) antibiotic resistance marker gene, we characterize a ROS locus, ROS5, that encodes a protein in the small heat shock protein family. ROS5 mutations lead to the silencing of the 35S-NPTII transgene due to DNA hypermethylation but do not affect the expression of the RD29A-LUC transgene. ROS5 physically interacts with the histone acetyltransferase ROS4/INCREASED DNA METHYLATION1 (IDM1) and is required to prevent the DNA hypermethylation of some genes that are also regulated by ROS1 and IDM1. We propose that ROS5 regulates DNA demethylation by interacting with IDM1, thereby creating a chromatin environment that facilitates the binding of ROS1 to erase DNA methylation. PMID:24920332

  12. DNA damage and glutathione level in children with asthma bronchiale: effect of antiasthmatic therapy.

    PubMed

    Hasbal, Canan; Aksu, Bagdagul Y; Himmetoglu, Solen; Dincer, Yildiz; Koc, Eylem E; Hatipoglu, Sami; Akcay, Tulay

    2010-06-01

    When the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) exceeds the capacity of antioxidant defences, a condition known as oxidative stress occurs and it has been implicated in many pathological conditions including asthma. Interaction of ROS with DNA may result in mutagenic oxidative base modifications such as 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dGuo) and DNA strand breaks. Reduced glutathione (GSH) serves as a powerful antioxidant against harmful effects of ROS. The aim of this study was to describe DNA damage as level of DNA strand breaks and formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (Fpg)-sensitive sites, which reflects oxidative DNA damage and GSH level in children with mild-to-moderate persistent asthma; and to examine the effect of antiasthmatic therapy on these DNA damage parameters and GSH level. Before and after 8 wk of antiasthmatic therapy blood samples were taken, DNA strand breaks and Fpg-sensitive sites in peripheral leukocytes were determined by comet assay, GSH level of whole blood was measured by spectrophotometric method. DNA strand breaks and Fpg-sensitive sites in the asthma group were found to be increased as compared with control group. GSH level in the asthma group was not significantly different from those in the control group. Levels of strand breaks, Fpg-sensitive sites and GSH were found to be decreased in the asthma group after the treatment. In conclusion, oxidative DNA damage (strand breaks and Fpg-sensitive sites) is at a high level in children with asthma. DNA damage parameters and GSH level were found to be decreased after therapy. Our findings imply that antiasthmatic therapy including glucocorticosteroids not only controls asthma but also decreases mutation risk in children with asthma bronchiale.

  13. Mechanism underlying the effect of long-term exposure to low dose of pesticides on DNA integrity.

    PubMed

    Alleva, Renata; Manzella, Nicola; Gaetani, Simona; Bacchetti, Tiziana; Bracci, Massimo; Ciarapica, Veronica; Monaco, Federica; Borghi, Battista; Amati, Monica; Ferretti, Gianna; Tomasetti, Marco

    2018-04-01

    Pesticides, including herbicides, insecticides and fungicides, are widely used in intensive agriculture. Recently, the long-term effects of pesticide exposure were found to be associated with many diseases. In this study, we evaluated the long-term effect of low-level exposure to a mixture of pesticides on DNA damage response (DDR) in relation to individual detoxifying variability. A residential population chronically exposed to pesticides was enrolled, biological/environmental pesticide levels; paroxonase 1 (PON-1) activity and 192 Q/R polymorphism and DDR were evaluated at three different periods of pesticide exposure. OGG1-dependent DNA repair activity was decreased in relation to pesticide exposure. The increase of DNA lesions and pesticide levels in the intensive pesticide-spraying period was independent on PON-1 activity. Next, human bronchial epithelial and neuronal cells were used as a model for in vitro evaluation of the mechanistic effect of pesticides. Pesticides induced mitochondrial dysfunction leading to ROS formation. ROS from mitochondria induced DNA damage, which in turn induced OGG1-dependent DNA repair activity through 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 (OGG1) expression and activation. Even though OGG1 was overexpressed, an inhibition of its activity, associated with DNA lesion accumulation, was found at prolonged pesticide-exposure. A post-translational regulation of OGG1 by pesticide may be postulated. Taken together, long-term exposure to low-levels of pesticides affects DDR resulting in accumulation of DNA lesions that eventually may lead to cancer or neurological disorders. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Replication fork collapse is a major cause of the high mutation frequency at three-base lesion clusters

    PubMed Central

    Sedletska, Yuliya; Radicella, J. Pablo; Sage, Evelyne

    2013-01-01

    Unresolved repair of clustered DNA lesions can lead to the formation of deleterious double strand breaks (DSB) or to mutation induction. Here, we investigated the outcome of clusters composed of base lesions for which base excision repair enzymes have different kinetics of excision/incision. We designed multiply damaged sites (MDS) composed of a rapidly excised uracil (U) and two oxidized bases, 5-hydroxyuracil (hU) and 8-oxoguanine (oG), excised more slowly. Plasmids harboring these U-oG/hU MDS-carrying duplexes were introduced into Escherichia coli cells either wild type or deficient for DNA n-glycosylases. Induction of DSB was estimated from plasmid survival and mutagenesis determined by sequencing of surviving clones. We show that a large majority of MDS is converted to DSB, whereas almost all surviving clones are mutated at hU. We demonstrate that mutagenesis at hU is correlated with excision of the U placed on the opposite strand. We propose that excision of U by Ung initiates the loss of U-oG-carrying strand, resulting in enhanced mutagenesis at the lesion present on the opposite strand. Our results highlight the importance of the kinetics of excision by base excision repair DNA n-glycosylases in the processing and fate of MDS and provide evidence for the role of strand loss/replication fork collapse during the processing of MDS on their mutational consequences. PMID:23945941

  15. Vitamin A and C compounds permitted in supplements differ in their abilities to affect cell viability, DNA and the DNA nucleoside deoxyguanosine.

    PubMed

    Bergström, Therese; Bergman, Jan; Möller, Lennart

    2011-11-01

    In accordance with the European Parliament and Council's directive, vitamin A and C supplements can include any of four (vitamin A) or five (vitamin C) specified compounds. This study focuses on these compounds and compares their abilities to affect the DNA and viability of cells in culture, but also their potencies to chemically oxidise the DNA nucleoside deoxyguanosine (dG). To study the vitamins' strict chemical oxidation potencies, dG was exposed to vitamin solution and the amount of the oxidation product 8'-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) formed was estimated using a high-performance liquid chromatography system with electrochemical and ultraviolet detection. The vitamin's ability to cause DNA damage to promyelocytic leukaemia cells (HL-60), as detected by strand breaks, alkaline labile sites and formamido pyrimidine DNA glycosylase (FPG)-sensitive sites was, after vitamin exposure, measured using the comet assay and cytotoxicity was estimated using trypan blue staining. The results highlight that vitamin A and C compounds found in supplements do have different properties, chemically as well as in a cellular system. Among the vitamin C compounds, ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate and calcium ascorbate stood out causing both oxidation to dG and cytotoxicity to cells. The vitamin A compounds retinol, retinyl acetate and retinal (a breakdown product found in vivo) caused oxidation of dG, while retinal was the only compound causing cytotoxicity, giving rise to an almost complete cell death. β-carotene caused, as the only vitamin compound, a small increase in FPG-sensitive sites. It is concluded that even though the compounds are found under the same name (vitamin A or C), they do have different properties linked to oxidation, cytotoxicity and DNA damage.

  16. Basis of Miscoding of the DNA Adduct N2,3-Ethenoguanine by Human Y-family DNA Polymerases*

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Linlin; Pence, Matthew G.; Christov, Plamen P.; Wawrzak, Zdzislaw; Choi, Jeong-Yun; Rizzo, Carmelo J.; Egli, Martin; Guengerich, F. Peter

    2012-01-01

    N2,3-Ethenoguanine (N2,3-ϵG) is one of the exocyclic DNA adducts produced by endogenous processes (e.g. lipid peroxidation) and exposure to bioactivated vinyl monomers such as vinyl chloride, which is a known human carcinogen. Existing studies exploring the miscoding potential of this lesion are quite indirect because of the lability of the glycosidic bond. We utilized a 2′-fluoro isostere approach to stabilize this lesion and synthesized oligonucleotides containing 2′-fluoro-N2,3-ϵ-2′-deoxyarabinoguanosine to investigate the miscoding potential of N2,3-ϵG by Y-family human DNA polymerases (pols). In primer extension assays, pol η and pol κ replicated through N2,3-ϵG, whereas pol ι and REV1 yielded only 1-base incorporation. Steady-state kinetics revealed that dCTP incorporation is preferred opposite N2,3-ϵG with relative efficiencies in the order of pol κ > REV1 > pol η ≈ pol ι, and dTTP misincorporation is the major miscoding event by all four Y-family human DNA pols. Pol ι had the highest dTTP misincorporation frequency (0.71) followed by pol η (0.63). REV1 misincorporated dTTP and dGTP with much lower frequencies. Crystal structures of pol ι with N2,3-ϵG paired to dCTP and dTTP revealed Hoogsteen-like base pairing mechanisms. Two hydrogen bonds were observed in the N2,3-ϵG:dCTP base pair, whereas only one appears to be present in the case of the N2,3-ϵG:dTTP pair. Base pairing mechanisms derived from the crystal structures explain the slightly favored dCTP insertion for pol ι in steady-state kinetic analysis. Taken together, these results provide a basis for the mutagenic potential of N2,3-ϵG. PMID:22910910

  17. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Faucher, Frédérick; Robey-Bond, Susan M.; Wallace, Susan S.

    DNA is subject to a multitude of oxidative damages generated by oxidizing agents from metabolism and exogenous sources and by ionizing radiation. Guanine is particularly vulnerable to oxidation, and the most common oxidative product 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) is the most prevalent lesion observed in DNA molecules. 8-OxoG can form a normal Watson-Crick pair with cytosine (8-oxoG:C), but it can also form a stable Hoogsteen pair with adenine (8-oxoG:A), leading to a G:C {yields} T:A transversion after replication. Fortunately, 8-oxoG is recognized and excised by either of two DNA glycosylases of the base excision repair pathway: formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase and 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylasemore » (Ogg). While Clostridium acetobutylicum Ogg (CacOgg) DNA glycosylase can specifically recognize and remove 8-oxoG, it displays little preference for the base opposite the lesion, which is unusual for a member of the Ogg1 family. This work describes the crystal structures of CacOgg in its apo form and in complex with 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine. A structural comparison between the apo form and the liganded form of the enzyme reveals a structural reorganization of the C-terminal domain upon binding of 8-oxoG, similar to that reported for human OGG1. A structural comparison of CacOgg with human OGG1, in complex with 8-oxoG containing DNA, provides a structural rationale for the lack of opposite base specificity displayed by CacOgg.« less

  18. Base Excision Repair of Tandem Modifications in a Methylated CpG Dinucleotide*

    PubMed Central

    Sassa, Akira; Çağlayan, Melike; Dyrkheeva, Nadezhda S.; Beard, William A.; Wilson, Samuel H.

    2014-01-01

    Cytosine methylation and demethylation in tracks of CpG dinucleotides is an epigenetic mechanism for control of gene expression. The initial step in the demethylation process can be deamination of 5-methylcytosine producing the TpG alteration and T:G mispair, and this step is followed by thymine DNA glycosylase (TDG) initiated base excision repair (BER). A further consideration is that guanine in the CpG dinucleotide may become oxidized to 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG), and this could affect the demethylation process involving TDG-initiated BER. However, little is known about the enzymology of BER of altered in-tandem CpG dinucleotides; e.g. Tp8-oxoG. Here, we investigated interactions between this altered dinucleotide and purified BER enzymes, the DNA glycosylases TDG and 8-oxoG DNA glycosylase 1 (OGG1), apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease 1, DNA polymerase β, and DNA ligases. The overall TDG-initiated BER of the Tp8-oxoG dinucleotide is significantly reduced. Specifically, TDG and DNA ligase activities are reduced by a 3′-flanking 8-oxoG. In contrast, the OGG1-initiated BER pathway is blocked due to the 5′-flanking T:G mispair; this reduces OGG1, AP endonuclease 1, and DNA polymerase β activities. Furthermore, in TDG-initiated BER, TDG remains bound to its product AP site blocking OGG1 access to the adjacent 8-oxoG. These results reveal BER enzyme specificities enabling suppression of OGG1-initiated BER and coordination of TDG-initiated BER at this tandem alteration in the CpG dinucleotide. PMID:24695738

  19. Electronic cigarette aerosols suppress cellular antioxidant defenses and induce significant oxidative DNA damage

    PubMed Central

    Ganapathy, Vengatesh; Manyanga, Jimmy; Brame, Lacy; McGuire, Dehra; Sadhasivam, Balaji; Floyd, Evan; Rubenstein, David A.; Ramachandran, Ilangovan; Wagener, Theodore

    2017-01-01

    Background Electronic cigarette (EC) aerosols contain unique compounds in addition to toxicants and carcinogens traditionally found in tobacco smoke. Studies are warranted to understand the public health risks of ECs. Objective The aim of this study was to determine the genotoxicity and the mechanisms induced by EC aerosol extracts on human oral and lung epithelial cells. Methods Cells were exposed to EC aerosol or mainstream smoke extracts and DNA damage was measured using the primer anchored DNA damage detection assay (q-PADDA) and 8-oxo-dG ELISA assay. Cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were measured using standard methods. mRNA and protein expression were evaluated by RT-PCR and western blot, respectively. Results EC aerosol extracts induced DNA damage in a dose-dependent manner, but independently of nicotine concentration. Overall, EC aerosol extracts induced significantly less DNA damage than mainstream smoke extracts, as measured by q-PADDA. However, the levels of oxidative DNA damage, as indicated by the presence of 8-oxo-dG, a highly mutagenic DNA lesion, were similar or slightly higher after exposure to EC aerosol compared to mainstream smoke extracts. Mechanistically, while exposure to EC extracts significantly increased ROS, it decreased TAC as well as the expression of 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1), an enzyme essential for the removal of oxidative DNA damage. Conclusions Exposure to EC aerosol extracts suppressed the cellular antioxidant defenses and led to significant DNA damage. These findings emphasize the urgent need to investigate the potential long-term cancer risk of exposure to EC aerosol for vapers and the general public. PMID:28542301

  20. Lead induces DNA damage and alteration of ALAD and antioxidant genes mRNA expression in construction site workers.

    PubMed

    Akram, Zertashia; Riaz, Sadaf; Kayani, Mahmood Akhtar; Jahan, Sarwat; Ahmad, Malik Waqar; Ullah, Muhammad Abaid; Wazir, Hizbullah; Mahjabeen, Ishrat

    2018-01-16

    Oxidative stress and DNA damage are considered as possible mechanisms involved in lead toxicity. To test this hypothesis, DNA damage and expression variations of aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD), superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), and 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 2a (OGG1-2a) genes was studied in a cohort of 100 exposed workers and 100 controls with comet assay and real-time polymerse chain reaction (PCR). Results indicated that increased number of comets was observed in exposed workers versus controls (p < 0.001). After qPCR analysis, significant down-regulation in ALAD (p < 0.0001), SOD2 (p < 0.0001), and OGG1-2a (p < 0.0001) level was observed in exposed workers versus controls. Additionally, a positive spearmen correlation was observed between ALAD versus SOD2 (r = 0.402**, p < 0.001), ALAD versus OGG1-2a (r = 0.235*, p < 0.05), and SOD2 versus OGG1-2a (r = 0.292*, p < 0.05). This study showed that lead exposure induces DNA damage, which is accompanied by an elevated intensity of oxidative stress and expression variation of lead-related gene.

  1. Evidence that a burst of DNA depurination in SENCAR mouse skin induces error-prone repair and forms mutations in the H-ras gene.

    PubMed

    Chakravarti, D; Mailander, P C; Li, K M; Higginbotham, S; Zhang, H L; Gross, M L; Meza, J L; Cavalieri, E L; Rogan, E G

    2001-11-29

    Treatment of SENCAR mouse skin with dibenzo[a,l]pyrene results in abundant formation of abasic sites that undergo error-prone excision repair, forming oncogenic H-ras mutations in the early preneoplastic period. To examine whether the abundance of abasic sites causes repair infidelity, we treated SENCAR mouse skin with estradiol-3,4-quinone (E(2)-3,4-Q) and determined adduct levels 1 h after treatment, as well as mutation spectra in the H-ras gene between 6 h and 3 days after treatment. E(2)-3,4-Q formed predominantly (> or =99%) the rapidly-depurinating 4-hydroxy estradiol (4-OHE(2))-1-N3Ade adduct and the slower-depurinating 4-OHE(2)-1-N7Gua adduct. Between 6 h and 3 days, E(2)-3,4-Q induced abundant A to G mutations in H-ras DNA, frequently in the context of a 3'-G residue. Using a T.G-DNA glycosylase (TDG)-PCR assay, we determined that the early A to G mutations (6 and 12 h) were in the form of G.T heteroduplexes, suggesting misrepair at A-specific depurination sites. Since G-specific mutations were infrequent in the spectra, it appears that the slow rate of depurination of the N7Gua adducts during active repair may not generate a threshold level of G-specific abasic sites to affect repair fidelity. These results also suggest that E(2)-3,4-Q, a suspected endogenous carcinogen, is a genotoxic compound and could cause mutations.

  2. Theoretical study on the binding mechanism between N6-methyladenine and natural DNA bases.

    PubMed

    Song, Qi-Xia; Ding, Zhen-Dong; Liu, Jian-Hua; Li, Yan; Wang, Hai-Jun

    2013-03-01

    N6-methyladenine (m(6)A) is a rare base naturally occurring in DNA. It is different from the base adenine due to its N-CH(3). Therefore, the base not only pairs with thymine, but also with other DNA bases (cytosine, adenine and guanine). In this work, Møller-Plesset second-order (MP2) method has been used to investigate the binding mechanism between m(6)A and natural DNA bases in gas phase and in aqueous solution. The results show that N-CH(3) changed the way of N6-methyladenine binding to natural DNA bases. The binding style significantly influences the stability of base pairs. The trans-m(6)A:G and trans-m(6)A:C conformers are the most stable among all the base pairs. The existence of solvent can remarkably reduce the stability of the base pairs, and the DNA bases prefer pairing with trans-m(6)A to cis-m(6)A. Besides, the properties of these hydrogen bonds have been analyzed by atom in molecules (AIM) theory, natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis and Wiberg bond indexes (WBI). In addition, pairing with m(6)A decreases the binding energies compared to the normal Watson-Crick base pairs, it may explain the instability of the N6 site methylated DNA in theory.

  3. Monitoring of the spatial and temporal dynamics of BER/SSBR pathway proteins, including MYH, UNG2, MPG, NTH1 and NEIL1-3, during DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Bj Rås, Karine Ø; Sousa, Mirta M L; Sharma, Animesh; Fonseca, Davi M; S Gaard, Caroline K; Bj Rås, Magnar; Otterlei, Marit

    2017-08-21

    Base lesions in DNA can stall the replication machinery or induce mutations if bypassed. Consequently, lesions must be repaired before replication or in a post-replicative process to maintain genomic stability. Base excision repair (BER) is the main pathway for repair of base lesions and is known to be associated with DNA replication, but how BER is organized during replication is unclear. Here we coupled the iPOND (isolation of proteins on nascent DNA) technique with targeted mass-spectrometry analysis, which enabled us to detect all proteins required for BER on nascent DNA and to monitor their spatiotemporal orchestration at replication forks. We demonstrate that XRCC1 and other BER/single-strand break repair (SSBR) proteins are enriched in replisomes in unstressed cells, supporting a cellular capacity of post-replicative BER/SSBR. Importantly, we identify for the first time the DNA glycosylases MYH, UNG2, MPG, NTH1, NEIL1, 2 and 3 on nascent DNA. Our findings suggest that a broad spectrum of DNA base lesions are recognized and repaired by BER in a post-replicative process. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  4. Exposure to 1800 MHz radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation induces oxidative DNA base damage in a mouse spermatocyte-derived cell line.

    PubMed

    Liu, Chuan; Duan, Weixia; Xu, Shangcheng; Chen, Chunhai; He, Mindi; Zhang, Lei; Yu, Zhengping; Zhou, Zhou

    2013-03-27

    Whether exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) emitted from mobile phones can induce DNA damage in male germ cells remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a 24h intermittent exposure (5 min on and 10 min off) of a mouse spermatocyte-derived GC-2 cell line to 1800 MHz Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) signals in GSM-Talk mode at specific absorption rates (SAR) of 1 W/kg, 2 W/kg or 4 W/kg. Subsequently, through the use of formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (FPG) in a modified comet assay, we determined that the extent of DNA migration was significantly increased at a SAR of 4 W/kg. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that levels of the DNA adduct 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) were also increased at a SAR of 4 W/kg. These increases were concomitant with similar increases in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS); these phenomena were mitigated by co-treatment with the antioxidant α-tocopherol. However, no detectable DNA strand breakage was observed by the alkaline comet assay. Taking together, these findings may imply the novel possibility that RF-EMR with insufficient energy for the direct induction of DNA strand breaks may produce genotoxicity through oxidative DNA base damage in male germ cells. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. DNA precursor pool: a significant target for N-methyl-N-nitrosourea in C3H/10T1/2 clone 8 cells.

    PubMed Central

    Topal, M D; Baker, M S

    1982-01-01

    Synchronized C3H/10T1/2 clone 8 cells were treated in vitro with a nontoxic dose of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea during their S phase. Chromatographic isolation of the deoxyribonucleotide DNA precursor pool and measurement of the precursor content per cell showed that a nucleic acid residue in the precursor pool is 190-13,000 times more susceptible to methylation than a residue in the DNA duplex, depending on the site of methylation. This conclusion comes from measurements indicating that, for example, the N-1 position of adenine in dATP is 6.3 times more methylated than the same position in the DNA, even though the adenine content of the pool is only a fraction (0.0005) of the adenine content of the DNA helix. The comparative susceptibility between pool and DNA was found to vary with the site of methylation in the order the N-1 position of adenine greater than phosphate greater than the N-3 position of adenine greater than the O6 position of guanine greater than the N-7 position of guanine. The significance of these results for chemical mutagenesis and carcinogenesis is discussed. PMID:6954535

  6. MET18 Connects the Cytosolic Iron-Sulfur Cluster Assembly Pathway to Active DNA Demethylation in Arabidopsis

    PubMed Central

    Tang, Kai; Zhang, Huiming; Mangrauthia, Satendra K.; Lei, Mingguang; Hsu, Chuan-Chih; Hou, Yueh-Ju; Wang, Chunguo; Li, Yan; Tao, W. Andy; Zhu, Jian-Kang

    2015-01-01

    DNA demethylation mediated by the DNA glycosylase ROS1 helps determine genomic DNA methylation patterns and protects active genes from being silenced. However, little is known about the mechanism of regulation of ROS1 enzymatic activity. Using a forward genetic screen, we identified an anti-silencing (ASI) factor, ASI3, the dysfunction of which causes transgene promoter hyper-methylation and silencing. Map-based cloning identified ASI3 as MET18, a component of the cytosolic iron-sulfur cluster assembly (CIA) pathway. Mutation in MET18 leads to hyper-methylation at thousands of genomic loci, the majority of which overlap with hypermethylated loci identified in ros1 and ros1dml2dml3 mutants. Affinity purification followed by mass spectrometry indicated that ROS1 physically associates with MET18 and other CIA components. Yeast two-hybrid and split luciferase assays showed that ROS1 can directly interact with MET18 and another CIA component, AE7. Site-directed mutagenesis of ROS1 indicated that the conserved iron-sulfur motif is indispensable for ROS1 enzymatic activity. Our results suggest that ROS1-mediated active DNA demethylation requires MET18-dependent transfer of the iron-sulfur cluster, highlighting an important role of the CIA pathway in epigenetic regulation. PMID:26492035

  7. Targeting human 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase to mitochondria protects cells from high glucose-induced apoptosis.

    PubMed

    Zou, Yu-Ling; Luo, Wen-Bin; Xie, Lin; Mao, Xin-Bang; Wu, Chao; You, Zhi-Peng

    2018-06-01

    Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a major vision threatening disease mainly induced by high glucose. Despite great efforts were made to explore the etiology of DR, the exact mechanism responsible for its pathogenesis remains elusive. In our study, we constructed diabetic rats via Streptozotocin (STZ) injection. TUNEL assay was employed to examine retinal cell apoptosis. The levels of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were analyzed via flow cytometry. The mRNA and protein levels of mitochondrial respiratory chain were investigated by RT-qPCR and western blot. Compared with normal rats, the retinal cell apoptosis rate in diabetic rats was significantly upregulated. What's more, the signals of 8-OHdG and the levels of Cytochrome C in diabetic rats were enhanced; however, the MnSOD signals and NADPH-1 levels were reduced. We investigated the effect of mitochondrialy targeted hOGG1 (MTS-hOGG1) on the primary rRECs under high glucose. Compared with vector-transfected cells, MTS-hOGG1-expressing cells blocked high glucose-induced cell apoptosis, the loss of MMP and the overproduction of ROS. In addition, under high glucose, MTS-hOGG1 transfection blocked the expression of Cytochrome C, but enhanced the expression of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 and NADPH-1. These findings indicated that high glucose induced cell apoptosis by causing the loss of MMP, the overproduction of ROS and mtDNA damage. Targeting DNA repair enzymes hOGG1 in mitochondria partly mitigated the high glucose-induced consequences, which shed new light for DR therapy.

  8. Replication of N[superscript 2],3-Ethenoguanine by DNA Polymerases

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhao, Linlin; Christov, Plamen P.; Kozekov, Ivan D.

    2014-10-02

    The unstable DNA adduct N2,3-ethenoguanine, a product of both exposure to the carcinogen vinyl chloride and of oxidative stress, was built into an oligonucleotide, using an isostere strategy to stabilize the glycosidic bond. This modification was then used to examine the cause of mutations by DNA polymerases, in terms of both the biochemistry of the lesion and a structure of the lesion within a polymerase.

  9. Persistent damaged bases in DNA allow mutagenic break repair in Escherichia coli

    PubMed Central

    Moore, Jessica M.; Correa, Raul; Rosenberg, Susan M.

    2017-01-01

    Bacteria, yeast and human cancer cells possess mechanisms of mutagenesis upregulated by stress responses. Stress-inducible mutagenesis potentially accelerates adaptation, and may provide important models for mutagenesis that drives cancers, host pathogen interactions, antibiotic resistance and possibly much of evolution generally. In Escherichia coli repair of double-strand breaks (DSBs) becomes mutagenic, using low-fidelity DNA polymerases under the control of the SOS DNA-damage response and RpoS general stress response, which upregulate and allow the action of error-prone DNA polymerases IV (DinB), II and V to make mutations during repair. Pol IV is implied to compete with and replace high-fidelity DNA polymerases at the DSB-repair replisome, causing mutagenesis. We report that up-regulated Pol IV is not sufficient for mutagenic break repair (MBR); damaged bases in the DNA are also required, and that in starvation-stressed cells, these are caused by reactive-oxygen species (ROS). First, MBR is reduced by either ROS-scavenging agents or constitutive activation of oxidative-damage responses, both of which reduce cellular ROS levels. The ROS promote MBR other than by causing DSBs, saturating mismatch repair, oxidizing proteins, or inducing the SOS response or the general stress response. We find that ROS drive MBR through oxidized guanines (8-oxo-dG) in DNA, in that overproduction of a glycosylase that removes 8-oxo-dG from DNA prevents MBR. Further, other damaged DNA bases can substitute for 8-oxo-dG because ROS-scavenged cells resume MBR if either DNA pyrimidine dimers or alkylated bases are induced. We hypothesize that damaged bases in DNA pause the replisome and allow the critical switch from high fidelity to error-prone DNA polymerases in the DSB-repair replisome, thus allowing MBR. The data imply that in addition to the indirect stress-response controlled switch to MBR, a direct cis-acting switch to MBR occurs independently of DNA breakage, caused by ROS

  10. Persistent damaged bases in DNA allow mutagenic break repair in Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Moore, Jessica M; Correa, Raul; Rosenberg, Susan M; Hastings, P J

    2017-07-01

    Bacteria, yeast and human cancer cells possess mechanisms of mutagenesis upregulated by stress responses. Stress-inducible mutagenesis potentially accelerates adaptation, and may provide important models for mutagenesis that drives cancers, host pathogen interactions, antibiotic resistance and possibly much of evolution generally. In Escherichia coli repair of double-strand breaks (DSBs) becomes mutagenic, using low-fidelity DNA polymerases under the control of the SOS DNA-damage response and RpoS general stress response, which upregulate and allow the action of error-prone DNA polymerases IV (DinB), II and V to make mutations during repair. Pol IV is implied to compete with and replace high-fidelity DNA polymerases at the DSB-repair replisome, causing mutagenesis. We report that up-regulated Pol IV is not sufficient for mutagenic break repair (MBR); damaged bases in the DNA are also required, and that in starvation-stressed cells, these are caused by reactive-oxygen species (ROS). First, MBR is reduced by either ROS-scavenging agents or constitutive activation of oxidative-damage responses, both of which reduce cellular ROS levels. The ROS promote MBR other than by causing DSBs, saturating mismatch repair, oxidizing proteins, or inducing the SOS response or the general stress response. We find that ROS drive MBR through oxidized guanines (8-oxo-dG) in DNA, in that overproduction of a glycosylase that removes 8-oxo-dG from DNA prevents MBR. Further, other damaged DNA bases can substitute for 8-oxo-dG because ROS-scavenged cells resume MBR if either DNA pyrimidine dimers or alkylated bases are induced. We hypothesize that damaged bases in DNA pause the replisome and allow the critical switch from high fidelity to error-prone DNA polymerases in the DSB-repair replisome, thus allowing MBR. The data imply that in addition to the indirect stress-response controlled switch to MBR, a direct cis-acting switch to MBR occurs independently of DNA breakage, caused by ROS

  11. Control of DEMETER DNA demethylase gene transcription in male and female gamete companion cells in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    PubMed

    Park, Jin-Sup; Frost, Jennifer M; Park, Kyunghyuk; Ohr, Hyonhwa; Park, Guen Tae; Kim, Seohyun; Eom, Hyunjoo; Lee, Ilha; Brooks, Janie S; Fischer, Robert L; Choi, Yeonhee

    2017-02-21

    The DEMETER (DME) DNA glycosylase initiates active DNA demethylation via the base-excision repair pathway and is vital for reproduction in Arabidopsis thaliana DME-mediated DNA demethylation is preferentially targeted to small, AT-rich, and nucleosome-depleted euchromatic transposable elements, influencing expression of adjacent genes and leading to imprinting in the endosperm. In the female gametophyte, DME expression and subsequent genome-wide DNA demethylation are confined to the companion cell of the egg, the central cell. Here, we show that, in the male gametophyte, DME expression is limited to the companion cell of sperm, the vegetative cell, and to a narrow window of time: immediately after separation of the companion cell lineage from the germline. We define transcriptional regulatory elements of DME using reporter genes, showing that a small region, which surprisingly lies within the DME gene, controls its expression in male and female companion cells. DME expression from this minimal promoter is sufficient to rescue seed abortion and the aberrant DNA methylome associated with the null dme-2 mutation. Within this minimal promoter, we found short, conserved enhancer sequences necessary for the transcriptional activities of DME and combined predicted binding motifs with published transcription factor binding coordinates to produce a list of candidate upstream pathway members in the genetic circuitry controlling DNA demethylation in gamete companion cells. These data show how DNA demethylation is regulated to facilitate endosperm gene imprinting and potential transgenerational epigenetic regulation, without subjecting the germline to potentially deleterious transposable element demethylation.

  12. Compartmentalized self-replication (CSR) selection of Thermococcus litoralis Sh1B DNA polymerase for diminished uracil binding.

    PubMed

    Tubeleviciute, Agne; Skirgaila, Remigijus

    2010-08-01

    The thermostable archaeal DNA polymerase Sh1B from Thermococcus litoralis has a typical uracil-binding pocket, which in nature plays an essential role in preventing the accumulation of mutations caused by cytosine deamination to uracil and subsequent G-C base pair transition to A-T during the genomic DNA replication. The uracil-binding pocket recognizes and binds uracil base in a template strand trapping the polymerase. Since DNA replication stops, the repair systems have a chance to correct the promutagenic event. Archaeal family B DNA polymerases are employed in various PCR applications. Contrary to nature, in PCR the uracil-binding property of archaeal polymerases is disadvantageous and results in decreased DNA amplification yields and lowered sensitivity. Furthermore, in diagnostics qPCR, RT-qPCR and end-point PCR are performed using dNTP mixtures, where dTTP is partially or fully replaced by dUTP. Uracil-DNA glycosylase treatment and subsequent heating of the samples is used to degrade the DNA containing uracil and prevent carryover contamination, which is the main concern in diagnostic laboratories. A thermostable archaeal DNA polymerase with the abolished uracil binding would be a highly desirable and commercially interesting product. An attempt to disable uracil binding in DNA polymerase Sh1B from T. litoralis by generating site-specific mutants did not yield satisfactory results. However, a combination of random mutagenesis of the whole polymerase gene and compartmentalized self-replication was successfully used to select variants of thermostable Sh1B polymerase capable of performing PCR with dUTP instead of dTTP.

  13. Measuring oxidative damage to DNA and its repair with the comet assay.

    PubMed

    Collins, Andrew R

    2014-02-01

    Single cell gel electrophoresis, or the comet assay, was devised as a sensitive method for detecting DNA strand breaks, at the level of individual cells. A simple modification, incorporating a digestion of DNA with a lesion-specific endonuclease, makes it possible to measure oxidised bases. With the inclusion of formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase to recognise oxidised purines, or Nth (endonuclease III) to detect oxidised pyrimidines, the comet assay has been used extensively in human biomonitoring to monitor oxidative stress, usually in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. There is evidence to suggest that the enzymic approach is more accurate than chromatographic methods, when applied to low background levels of base oxidation. However, there are potential problems of over-estimation (because the enzymes are not completely specific) or under-estimation (failure to detect lesions that are close together). Attempts have been made to improve the inter-laboratory reproducibility of the comet assay. In addition to measuring DNA damage, the assay can be used to monitor the cellular or in vitro repair of strand breaks or oxidised bases. It also has applications in assessing the antioxidant status of cells. In its various forms, the comet assay is now an invaluable tool in human biomonitoring and genotoxicity testing. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Current methods to study reactive oxygen species - pros and cons and biophysics of membrane proteins. Guest Editor: Christine Winterbourn. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. DNA Packaging Specificity of Bacteriophage N15 with an Excursion into the Genetics of a Cohesive End Mismatch

    PubMed Central

    Feiss, Michael; Young Min, Jea; Sultana, Sawsan; Patel, Priyal; Sippy, Jean

    2015-01-01

    During DNA replication by the λ-like bacteriophages, immature concatemeric DNA is produced by rolling circle replication. The concatemers are processed into mature chromosomes with cohesive ends, and packaged into prohead shells, during virion assembly. Cohesive ends are generated by the viral enzyme terminase, which introduces staggered nicks at cos, an approx. 200 bp-long sequence containing subsites cosQ, cosN and cosB. Interactions of cos subsites of immature concatemeric DNA with terminase orchestrate DNA processing and packaging. To initiate DNA packaging, terminase interacts with cosB and nicks cosN. The cohesive ends of N15 DNA differ from those of λ at 2/12 positions. Genetic experiments show that phages with chromosomes containing mismatched cohesive ends are functional. In at least some infections, the cohesive end mismatch persists through cyclization and replication, so that progeny phages of both allelic types are produced in the infected cell. N15 possesses an asymmetric packaging specificity: N15 DNA is not packaged by phages λ or 21, but surprisingly, N15-specific terminase packages λ DNA. Implications for genetic interactions among λ-like bacteriophages are discussed. PMID:26633301

  15. APE2 Zf-GRF facilitates 3'-5' resection of DNA damage following oxidative stress

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wallace, Bret D.; Berman, Zachary; Mueller, Geoffrey A.

    The Xenopus laevis APE2 (apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 2) nuclease participates in 3'-5' nucleolytic resection of oxidative DNA damage and activation of the ATR-Chk1 DNA damage response (DDR) pathway via ill-defined mechanisms. Here we report that APE2 resection activity is regulated by DNA interactions in its Zf-GRF domain, a region sharing high homology with DDR proteins Topoisomerase 3α (TOP3α) and NEIL3 (Nei-like DNA glycosylase 3), as well as transcription and RNA regulatory proteins, such as TTF2 (transcription termination factor 2), TFIIS, and RPB9. Biochemical and NMR results establish the nucleic acid-binding activity of the Zf-GRF domain. Moreover, an APE2 Zf-GRF X-ray structuremore » and small-angle X-ray scattering analyses show that the Zf-GRF fold is typified by a crescent-shaped ssDNA binding claw that is flexibly appended to an APE2 endonuclease/exonuclease/phosphatase (EEP) catalytic core. Structure-guided Zf-GRF mutations impact APE2 DNA binding and 3'-5' exonuclease processing, and also prevent efficient APE2-dependent RPA recruitment to damaged chromatin and activation of the ATR-Chk1 DDR pathway in response to oxidative stress in Xenopus egg extracts. Collectively, our data unveil the APE2 Zf-GRF domain as a nucleic acid interaction module in the regulation of a key single-strand break resection function of APE2, and also reveal topologic similarity of the Zf-GRF to the zinc ribbon domains of TFIIS and RPB9.« less

  16. Pioglitazone retrieves hepatic antioxidant DNA repair in a mice model of high fat diet

    PubMed Central

    Hsiao, Pi-Jung; Hsieh, Tusty-Jiuan; Kuo, Kung-Kai; Hung, Wei-Wen; Tsai, Kun-Bow; Yang, Ching-Hsiu; Yu, Ming-Lung; Shin, Shyi-Jang

    2008-01-01

    Background Pioglitazone was reported to improve hepatic steatosis and necroinflammation in human studies. To investigate whether the hepato-protective effect of pioglitazone was associated with an improvement of antioxidant defense mechanism, oxidative DNA damage and repair activity were determined in a high fat diet model. Male C57BL/6 mice were respectively fed with a 30% fat diet, the same diet with pioglitazone 100 mg/kg/day, or a chow diet as control for 8 weeks. Tissue oxidative stress was indicated by malondialdehyde concentration. Oxidative DNA damage was detected by immunohistochemical 8-oxoG staining. Enzymatic antioxidant defense was detected by the real-time PCR of superoxide dismutase (Sod1, Sod2) and DNA glycosylase (Ogg1, MutY). Oxidative DNA repair was detected by immunohistochemical staining and western blotting of OGG1 expression. Results Our results show that hepatic steatosis was induced by a high-fat diet and improved by adding pioglitazone. Malondialdehyde concentration and 8-oxoG staining were strongly increased in the high-fat diet group, but attenuated by pioglitazone. Gene expressions of antioxidant defense mechanism: Sod1, Sod2, Ogg1 and MutY significantly decreased in the high-fat diet group but reversed by pioglitazone co-administration. Conclusion The attenuation of hepatic oxidative DNA damage by pioglitazone in a high-fat diet may be mediated by up-regulation of the antioxidant defense mechanism and oxidative DNA repair activity. The diminution of oxidative damage may explain the clinical benefit of pioglitazone treatment in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. PMID:18822121

  17. Exposure to Ultrafine Particles from Ambient Air and Oxidative Stress–Induced DNA Damage

    PubMed Central

    Bräuner, Elvira Vaclavik; Forchhammer, Lykke; Møller, Peter; Simonsen, Jacob; Glasius, Marianne; Wåhlin, Peter; Raaschou-Nielsen, Ole; Loft, Steffen

    2007-01-01

    Background Particulate matter, especially ultrafine particles (UFPs), may cause health effects through generation of oxidative stress, with resulting damage to DNA and other macromolecules. Objective We investigated oxidative damage to DNA and related repair capacity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) during controlled exposure to urban air particles with assignment of number concentration (NC) to four size modes with average diameters of 12, 23, 57, and 212 nm. Design Twenty-nine healthy adults participated in a randomized, two-factor cross-over study with or without biking exercise for 180 min and with exposure to particles (NC 6169-15362/cm3) or filtered air (NC 91-542/cm3) for 24 hr. Methods The levels of DNA strand breaks (SBs), oxidized purines as formamidopyrimidine DNA glycolase (FPG) sites, and activity of 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine-DNA glycosylase (OGG1) in PBMCs were measured by the Comet assay. mRNA levels of OGG1, nucleoside diphosphate linked moiety X-type motif 1 (NUDT1), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO1) were determined by real-time reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction. Results Exposure to UFPs for 6 and 24 hr significantly increased the levels of SBs and FPG sites, with a further insignificant increase after physical exercise. The OGG1 activity and expression of OGG1, NUDT1, and HO1 were unaltered. There was a significant dose–response relationship between NC and DNA damage, with the 57-nm mode as the major contributor to effects. Concomitant exposure to ozone, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide had no influence. Conclusion Our results indicate that UFPs, especially the 57-nm soot fraction from vehicle emissions, causes systemic oxidative stress with damage to DNA and no apparent compensatory up-regulation of DNA repair within 24 hr. PMID:17687444

  18. Does a role for selenium in DNA damage repair explain apparent controversies in its use in chemoprevention?

    PubMed Central

    Diamond, Alan M.

    2013-01-01

    The trace element selenium is an essential micronutrient that has received considerable attention for its potential use in the prevention of cancer. In spite of this interest, the mechanism(s) by which selenium might function as a chemopreventive remain to be determined. Considerable experimental evidence indicates that one possible mechanism by which selenium supplementation may exert its benefits is by enhancing the DNA damage repair response, and this includes data obtained using cultured cells, animal models as well as in human clinical studies. In these studies, selenium supplementation has been shown to be beneficial in reducing the frequency of DNA adducts and chromosome breaks, consequentially reducing the likelihood of detrimental mutations that ultimately contribute to carcinogenesis. The benefits of selenium can be envisioned as being due, at least in part, to it being a critical constituent of selenoproteins such as glutathione peroxidases and thioredoxin reductases, proteins that play important roles in antioxidant defence and maintaining the cellular reducing environment. Selenium, therefore, may be protective by preventing DNA damage from occurring as well as by increasing the activity of repair enzymes such as DNA glycosylases and DNA damage repair pathways that involve p53, BRCA1 and Gadd45. An improved understanding of the mechanism of selenium’s impact on DNA repair processes may help to resolve the apparently contradicting data obtained from decades of animal work, human epidemiology and more recently, clinical supplementation studies. PMID:23204505

  19. DIFFERENTIAL ROLE OF BASE EXCISION REPAIR PROTEINS IN MEDIATING CISPLATIN CYTOTOXICITY

    PubMed Central

    Sawant, Akshada; Floyd, Ashley M.; Dangeti, Mohan; Lei, Wen; Sobol, Robert W.; Patrick, Steve M.

    2017-01-01

    Interstrand crosslinks (ICLs) are covalent lesions formed by cisplatin. The mechanism for the processing and removal of ICLs by DNA repair proteins involves nucleotide excision repair (NER), homologous recombination (HR) and fanconi anemia (FA) pathways. In this report, we monitored the processing of a flanking uracil adjacent to a cisplatin ICL by the proteins involved in the base excision repair (BER) pathway. Using a combination of extracts, purified proteins, inhibitors, functional assays and cell culture studies, we determined the specific BER proteins required for processing a DNA substrate with a uracil adjacent to a cisplatin ICL. Uracil DNA glycosylase (UNG) is the primary glycosylase responsible for the removal of uracils adjacent to cisplatin ICLs, whereas other uracil glycosylases can process uracils in the context of undamaged DNA. Repair of the uracil adjacent to cisplatin ICLs proceeds through the classical BER pathway, highlighting the importance of specific proteins in this redundant pathway. Removal of uracil is followed by the generation of an abasic site and subsequent cleavage by AP endonuclease 1 (APE1). Inhibition of either the repair or redox domain of APE1 gives rise to cisplatin resistance. Inhibition of the lyase domain of Polymerase β (Polβ) does not influence cisplatin cytotoxicity. In addition, lack of XRCC1 leads to increased DNA damage and results in increased cisplatin cytotoxicity. Our results indicate that BER activation at cisplatin ICLs influences crosslink repair and modulates cisplatin cytotoxicity via specific UNG, APE1 and Polβ polymerase functions. PMID:28110804

  20. Differential role of base excision repair proteins in mediating cisplatin cytotoxicity.

    PubMed

    Sawant, Akshada; Floyd, Ashley M; Dangeti, Mohan; Lei, Wen; Sobol, Robert W; Patrick, Steve M

    2017-03-01

    Interstrand crosslinks (ICLs) are covalent lesions formed by cisplatin. The mechanism for the processing and removal of ICLs by DNA repair proteins involves nucleotide excision repair (NER), homologous recombination (HR) and fanconi anemia (FA) pathways. In this report, we monitored the processing of a flanking uracil adjacent to a cisplatin ICL by the proteins involved in the base excision repair (BER) pathway. Using a combination of extracts, purified proteins, inhibitors, functional assays and cell culture studies, we determined the specific BER proteins required for processing a DNA substrate with a uracil adjacent to a cisplatin ICL. Uracil DNA glycosylase (UNG) is the primary glycosylase responsible for the removal of uracils adjacent to cisplatin ICLs, whereas other uracil glycosylases can process uracils in the context of undamaged DNA. Repair of the uracil adjacent to cisplatin ICLs proceeds through the classical BER pathway, highlighting the importance of specific proteins in this redundant pathway. Removal of uracil is followed by the generation of an abasic site and subsequent cleavage by AP endonuclease 1 (APE1). Inhibition of either the repair or redox domain of APE1 gives rise to cisplatin resistance. Inhibition of the lyase domain of Polymerase β (Polβ) does not influence cisplatin cytotoxicity. In addition, lack of XRCC1 leads to increased DNA damage and results in increased cisplatin cytotoxicity. Our results indicate that BER activation at cisplatin ICLs influences crosslink repair and modulates cisplatin cytotoxicity via specific UNG, APE1 and Polβ polymerase functions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Comparison of multiple gene assembly methods for metabolic engineering

    Treesearch

    Chenfeng Lu; Karen Mansoorabadi; Thomas Jeffries

    2007-01-01

    A universal, rapid DNA assembly method for efficient multigene plasmid construction is important for biological research and for optimizing gene expression in industrial microbes. Three different approaches to achieve this goal were evaluated. These included creating long complementary extensions using a uracil-DNA glycosylase technique, overlap extension polymerase...

  2. FACT complex is required for DNA demethylation at heterochromatin during reproduction in Arabidopsis.

    PubMed

    Frost, Jennifer M; Kim, M Yvonne; Park, Guen Tae; Hsieh, Ping-Hung; Nakamura, Miyuki; Lin, Samuel J H; Yoo, Hyunjin; Choi, Jaemyung; Ikeda, Yoko; Kinoshita, Tetsu; Choi, Yeonhee; Zilberman, Daniel; Fischer, Robert L

    2018-05-15

    The DEMETER (DME) DNA glycosylase catalyzes genome-wide DNA demethylation and is required for endosperm genomic imprinting and embryo viability. Targets of DME-mediated DNA demethylation reside in small, euchromatic, AT-rich transposons and at the boundaries of large transposons, but how DME interacts with these diverse chromatin states is unknown. The STRUCTURE SPECIFIC RECOGNITION PROTEIN 1 (SSRP1) subunit of the chromatin remodeler FACT (facilitates chromatin transactions), was previously shown to be involved in the DME-dependent regulation of genomic imprinting in Arabidopsis endosperm. Therefore, to investigate the interaction between DME and chromatin, we focused on the activity of the two FACT subunits, SSRP1 and SUPPRESSOR of TY16 (SPT16), during reproduction in Arabidopsis We found that FACT colocalizes with nuclear DME in vivo, and that DME has two classes of target sites, the first being euchromatic and accessible to DME, but the second, representing over half of DME targets, requiring the action of FACT for DME-mediated DNA demethylation genome-wide. Our results show that the FACT-dependent DME targets are GC-rich heterochromatin domains with high nucleosome occupancy enriched with H3K9me2 and H3K27me1. Further, we demonstrate that heterochromatin-associated linker histone H1 specifically mediates the requirement for FACT at a subset of DME-target loci. Overall, our results demonstrate that FACT is required for DME targeting by facilitating its access to heterochromatin. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

  3. Effects of melatonin on DNA damage induced by cyclophosphamide in rats

    PubMed Central

    Ferreira, S.G.; Peliciari-Garcia, R.A.; Takahashi-Hyodo, S.A.; Rodrigues, A.C.; Amaral, F.G.; Berra, C.M.; Bordin, S.; Curi, R.; Cipolla-Neto, J.

    2013-01-01

    The antioxidant and free radical scavenger properties of melatonin have been well described in the literature. In this study, our objective was to determine the protective effect of the pineal gland hormone against the DNA damage induced by cyclophosphamide (CP), an anti-tumor agent that is widely applied in clinical practice. DNA damage was induced in rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of CP (20 or 50 mg/kg). Animals received melatonin during the dark period for 15 days (1 mg/kg in the drinking water). Rat bone marrow cells were used for the determination of chromosomal aberrations and of formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase enzyme (Fpg)-sensitive sites by the comet technique and of Xpf mRNA expression by qRT-PCR. The number (mean ± SE) of chromosomal aberrations in pinealectomized (PINX) animals treated with melatonin and CP (2.50 ± 0.50/100 cells) was lower than that obtained for PINX animals injected with CP (12 ± 1.8/100 cells), thus showing a reduction of 85.8% in the number of chromosomal aberrations. This melatonin-mediated protection was also observed when oxidative lesions were analyzed by the Fpg-sensitive assay, both 24 and 48 h after CP administration. The expression of Xpf mRNA, which is involved in the DNA nucleotide excision repair machinery, was up-regulated by melatonin. The results indicate that melatonin is able to protect bone marrow cells by completely blocking CP-induced chromosome aberrations. Therefore, melatonin administration could be an alternative and effective treatment during chemotherapy. PMID:23471360

  4. DNA methylation on N6-adenine in mammalian embryonic stem cells

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Tao P.; Wang, Tao; Seetin, Matthew G.; Lai, Yongquan; Zhu, Shijia; Lin, Kaixuan; Liu, Yifei; Byrum, Stephanie D.; Mackintosh, Samuel G.; Zhong, Mei; Tackett, Alan; Wang, Guilin; Hon, Lawrence S.; Fang, Gang; Swenberg, James A.; Xiao, Andrew Z.

    2016-01-01

    It has been widely accepted that 5-methylcytosine is the only form of DNA methylation in mammalian genomes. Here we identify N6-methyladenine as another form of DNA modification in mouse embryonic stem cells. Alkbh1 encodes a demethylase for N6-methyladenine. An increase of N6-methyladenine levels in Alkbh1-deficient cells leads to transcriptional silencing. N6-methyladenine deposition is inversely correlated with the evolutionary age of LINE-1 transposons; its deposition is strongly enriched at young (<1.5 million years old) but not old (>6 million years old) L1 elements. The deposition of N6-methyladenine correlates with epigenetic silencing of such LINE-1 transposons, together with their neighbouring enhancers and genes, thereby resisting the gene activation signals during embryonic stem cell differentiation. As young full-length LINE-1 transposons are strongly enriched on the X chromosome, genes located on the X chromosome are also silenced. Thus, N6-methyladenine developed a new role in epigenetic silencing in mammalian evolution distinct from its role in gene activation in other organisms. Our results demonstrate that N6-methyladenine constitutes a crucial component of the epigenetic regulation repertoire in mammalian genomes. PMID:27027282

  5. "DNA Re-EvolutioN": A Game for Learning Molecular Genetics and Evolution

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miralles, Laura; Moran, Paloma; Dopico, Eduardo; Garcia-Vazquez, Eva

    2013-01-01

    Evolution is a main concept in biology, but not many students understand how it works. In this article we introduce the game "DNA Re-EvolutioN" as an active learning tool that uses genetic concepts (DNA structure, transcription and translation, mutations, natural selection, etc.) as playing rules. Students will learn about molecular…

  6. The N-Terminal Domain of Human DNA Helicase Rtel1 Contains a Redox Active Iron-Sulfur Cluster

    PubMed Central

    Landry, Aaron P.

    2014-01-01

    Human telomere length regulator Rtel1 is a superfamily II DNA helicase and is essential for maintaining proper length of telomeres in chromosomes. Here we report that the N-terminal domain of human Rtel1 (RtelN) expressed in Escherichia coli cells produces a protein that contains a redox active iron-sulfur cluster with the redox midpoint potential of −248 ± 10 mV (pH 8.0). The iron-sulfur cluster in RtelN is sensitive to hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide, indicating that reactive oxygen/nitrogen species may modulate the DNA helicase activity of Rtel1 via modification of its iron-sulfur cluster. Purified RtelN retains a weak binding affinity for the single-stranded (ss) and double-stranded (ds) DNA in vitro. However, modification of the iron-sulfur cluster by hydrogen peroxide or nitric oxide does not significantly affect the DNA binding activity of RtelN, suggesting that the iron-sulfur cluster is not directly involved in the DNA interaction in the N-terminal domain of Rtel1. PMID:25147792

  7. The N-terminal domain of human DNA helicase Rtel1 contains a redox active iron-sulfur cluster.

    PubMed

    Landry, Aaron P; Ding, Huangen

    2014-01-01

    Human telomere length regulator Rtel1 is a superfamily II DNA helicase and is essential for maintaining proper length of telomeres in chromosomes. Here we report that the N-terminal domain of human Rtel1 (RtelN) expressed in Escherichia coli cells produces a protein that contains a redox active iron-sulfur cluster with the redox midpoint potential of -248 ± 10 mV (pH 8.0). The iron-sulfur cluster in RtelN is sensitive to hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide, indicating that reactive oxygen/nitrogen species may modulate the DNA helicase activity of Rtel1 via modification of its iron-sulfur cluster. Purified RtelN retains a weak binding affinity for the single-stranded (ss) and double-stranded (ds) DNA in vitro. However, modification of the iron-sulfur cluster by hydrogen peroxide or nitric oxide does not significantly affect the DNA binding activity of RtelN, suggesting that the iron-sulfur cluster is not directly involved in the DNA interaction in the N-terminal domain of Rtel1.

  8. Mitochondrial DNA Damage Initiates Acute Lung Injury and Multi-Organ System Failure Evoked in Rats by Intra-Tracheal Pseudomonas Aeruginosa.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yann-Leei; Obiako, Boniface; Gorodnya, Olena M; Ruchko, Mykhaylo V; Kuck, Jamie L; Pastukh, Viktor M; Wilson, Glenn L; Simmons, Jon D; Gillespie, Mark N

    2017-07-01

    Although studies in rat cultured pulmonary artery endothelial cells, perfused lungs, and intact mice support the concept that oxidative mitochondrial (mt) DNA damage triggers acute lung injury (ALI), it has not yet been determined whether enhanced mtDNA repair forestalls development of ALI and its progression to multiple organ system failure (MOSF). Accordingly, here we examined the effect of a fusion protein construct targeting the DNA glycosylase, Ogg1, to mitochondria in a rat model intra-tracheal Pseudomonas aeruginosa (strain 103; PA103)-induced ALI and MOSF. Relative to controls, animals given PA103 displayed increases in lung vascular filtration coefficient accompanied by transient lung tissue oxidative mtDNA damage and variable changes in mtDNA copy number without evidence of nuclear DNA damage. The approximate 40% of animals surviving 24 h after bacterial administration exhibited multiple organ dysfunction, manifest as increased serum and tissue-specific indices of kidney and liver failure, along with depressed heart rate and blood pressure. While administration of mt-targeted Ogg1 to control animals was innocuous, the active fusion protein, but not a DNA repair-deficient mutant, prevented bacteria-induced increases in lung tissue oxidative mtDNA damage, failed to alter mtDNA copy number, and attenuated lung endothelial barrier degradation. These changes were associated with suppression of liver, kidney, and cardiovascular dysfunction and with decreased 24 h mortality. Collectively, the present findings indicate that oxidative mtDNA damage to lung tissue initiates PA103-induced ALI and MOSF in rats.

  9. 8-Oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 (ogg1) maintains the function of cardiac progenitor cells during heart formation in zebrafish

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yan, Lifeng; Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029; Zhou, Yong

    Genomic damage may devastate the potential of progenitor cells and consequently impair early organogenesis. We found that ogg1, a key enzyme initiating the base-excision repair, was enriched in the embryonic heart in zebrafish. So far, little is known about DNA repair in cardiogenesis. Here, we addressed the critical role of ogg1 in cardiogenesis for the first time. ogg1 mainly expressed in the anterior lateral plate mesoderm (ALPM), the primary heart tube, and subsequently the embryonic myocardium by in situ hybridisation. Loss of ogg1 resulted in severe cardiac morphogenesis and functional abnormalities, including the short heart length, arrhythmia, decreased cardiomyocytes andmore » nkx2.5{sup +} cardiac progenitor cells. Moreover, the increased apoptosis and repressed proliferation of progenitor cells caused by ogg1 deficiency might contribute to the heart phenotype. The microarray analysis showed that the expression of genes involved in embryonic heart tube morphogenesis and heart structure were significantly changed due to the lack of ogg1. Among those, foxh1 is an important partner of ogg1 in the cardiac development in response to DNA damage. Our work demonstrates the requirement of ogg1 in cardiac progenitors and heart development in zebrafish. These findings may be helpful for understanding the aetiology of congenital cardiac deficits. - Highlights: • A key DNA repair enzyme ogg1 is expressed in the embryonic heart in zebrafish. • We found that ogg1 is essential for normal cardiac morphogenesis in zebrafish. • The production of embryonic cardiomyocytes requires appropriate ogg1 expression. • Ogg1 critically regulated proliferation of cardiac progenitor cells in zebrafish. • foxh1 is a partner of ogg1 in the cardiac development in response to DNA damage.« less

  10. Sequence distribution of acetaldehyde-derived N2-ethyl-dG adducts along duplex DNA.

    PubMed

    Matter, Brock; Guza, Rebecca; Zhao, Jianwei; Li, Zhong-ze; Jones, Roger; Tretyakova, Natalia

    2007-10-01

    Acetaldehyde (AA) is the major metabolite of ethanol and may be responsible for an increased gastrointestinal cancer risk associated with alcohol beverage consumption. Furthermore, AA is one of the most abundant carcinogens in tobacco smoke and induces tumors of the respiratory tract in laboratory animals. AA binding to DNA induces Schiff base adducts at the exocyclic amino group of dG, N2-ethylidene-dG, which are reversible on the nucleoside level but can be stabilized by reduction to N2-ethyl-dG. Mutagenesis studies in the HPRT reporter gene and in the p53 tumor suppressor gene have revealed the ability of AA to induce G-->A transitions and A-->T transversions, as well as frameshift and splice mutations. AA-induced point mutations are most prominent at 5'-AGG-3' trinucleotides, possibly a result of sequence specific adduct formation, mispairing, and/or repair. However, DNA sequence preferences for the formation of acetaldehyde adducts have not been previously examined. In the present work, we employed a stable isotope labeling-HPLC-ESI+-MS/MS approach developed in our laboratory to analyze the distribution of acetaldehyde-derived N2-ethyl-dG adducts along double-stranded oligodeoxynucleotides representing two prominent lung cancer mutational "hotspots" and their surrounding DNA sequences. 1,7,NH 2-(15)N-2-(13)C-dG was placed at defined positions within DNA duplexes derived from the K-ras protooncogene and the p53 tumor suppressor gene, followed by AA treatment and NaBH 3CN reduction to convert N2-ethylidene-dG to N2-ethyl-dG. Capillary HPLC-ESI+-MS/MS was used to quantify N2-ethyl-dG adducts originating from the isotopically labeled and unlabeled guanine nucleobases and to map adduct formation along DNA duplexes. We found that the formation of N2-ethyl-dG adducts was only weakly affected by the local sequence context and was slightly increased in the presence of 5-methylcytosine within CG dinucleotides. These results are in contrast with sequence

  11. Metabolically Generated Stable Isotope-Labeled Deoxynucleoside Code for Tracing DNA N6-Methyladenine in Human Cells.

    PubMed

    Liu, Baodong; Liu, Xiaoling; Lai, Weiyi; Wang, Hailin

    2017-06-06

    DNA N 6 -methyl-2'-deoxyadenosine (6mdA) is an epigenetic modification in both eukaryotes and bacteria. Here we exploited stable isotope-labeled deoxynucleoside [ 15 N 5 ]-2'-deoxyadenosine ([ 15 N 5 ]-dA) as an initiation tracer and for the first time developed a metabolically differential tracing code for monitoring DNA 6mdA in human cells. We demonstrate that the initiation tracer [ 15 N 5 ]-dA undergoes a specific and efficient adenine deamination reaction leading to the loss the exocyclic amine 15 N, and further utilizes the purine salvage pathway to generate mainly both [ 15 N 4 ]-dA and [ 15 N 4 ]-2'-deoxyguanosine ([ 15 N 4 ]-dG) in mammalian genomes. However, [ 15 N 5 ]-dA is largely retained in the genomes of mycoplasmas, which are often found in cultured cells and experimental animals. Consequently, the methylation of dA generates 6mdA with a consistent coding pattern, with a predominance of [ 15 N 4 ]-6mdA. Therefore, mammalian DNA 6mdA can be potentially discriminated from that generated by infecting mycoplasmas. Collectively, we show a promising approach for identification of authentic DNA 6mdA in human cells and determine if the human cells are contaminated with mycoplasmas.

  12. Interaction of metronidazole with DNA repair mutants of Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Yeung, T C; Beaulieu, B B; McLafferty, M A; Goldman, P

    1984-01-01

    It has been proposed that one of metronidazole's partially reduced intermediates interacts either with DNA to exert a bactericidal effect or with water to form acetamide. To test this hypothesis we have examined the effect of metronidazole on several mutants of Escherichia coli that are defective in DNA repair. UV-susceptible RecA- and UvrB- point mutants have an increased susceptibility to metronidazole as manifested by both a decreased minimal inhibitory concentration and a greater bactericidal response to metronidazole in resting cultures. By these criteria, however, we find that UvrB- deletion mutants, which lack the ability to reduce nitrate and chlorate, are no more susceptible to metronidazole than is the wild type. We find, however, that these deletion mutants also lack the ability to reduce metronidazole and thus possibly to form its reactive species. When metronidazole's bactericidal effect is expressed in terms of the concurrent accumulation of acetamide derived from metronidazole, then all RecA- and UvrB- mutants are killed more efficiently than their wild types. The data are consistent, therefore, with metronidazole's lethal effect being mediated by a partially reduced intermediate on the metabolic pathway between metronidazole and acetamide. Defects in other aspects of the DNA repair system do not confer this increased susceptibility to the proposed intermediate. A Tag- mutant, for example, which is defective in 3-methyl-adenine-DNA glycosylase, does not have this increased susceptibility to the presumed precursor of acetamide. Thus, these results provide further support for the hypothesis that the bactericidal effect of metronidazole is mediated by a partially reduced intermediate in the metabolic conversion of metronidazole to acetamide and suggest that this intermediate interacts with DNA to produce a lesion similar to that caused by UV light.

  13. Interaction of metronidazole with DNA repair mutants of Escherichia coli.

    PubMed Central

    Yeung, T C; Beaulieu, B B; McLafferty, M A; Goldman, P

    1984-01-01

    It has been proposed that one of metronidazole's partially reduced intermediates interacts either with DNA to exert a bactericidal effect or with water to form acetamide. To test this hypothesis we have examined the effect of metronidazole on several mutants of Escherichia coli that are defective in DNA repair. UV-susceptible RecA- and UvrB- point mutants have an increased susceptibility to metronidazole as manifested by both a decreased minimal inhibitory concentration and a greater bactericidal response to metronidazole in resting cultures. By these criteria, however, we find that UvrB- deletion mutants, which lack the ability to reduce nitrate and chlorate, are no more susceptible to metronidazole than is the wild type. We find, however, that these deletion mutants also lack the ability to reduce metronidazole and thus possibly to form its reactive species. When metronidazole's bactericidal effect is expressed in terms of the concurrent accumulation of acetamide derived from metronidazole, then all RecA- and UvrB- mutants are killed more efficiently than their wild types. The data are consistent, therefore, with metronidazole's lethal effect being mediated by a partially reduced intermediate on the metabolic pathway between metronidazole and acetamide. Defects in other aspects of the DNA repair system do not confer this increased susceptibility to the proposed intermediate. A Tag- mutant, for example, which is defective in 3-methyl-adenine-DNA glycosylase, does not have this increased susceptibility to the presumed precursor of acetamide. Thus, these results provide further support for the hypothesis that the bactericidal effect of metronidazole is mediated by a partially reduced intermediate in the metabolic conversion of metronidazole to acetamide and suggest that this intermediate interacts with DNA to produce a lesion similar to that caused by UV light. PMID:6367636

  14. Inhalative Exposure to Vanadium Pentoxide Causes DNA Damage in Workers: Results of a Multiple End Point Study

    PubMed Central

    Ehrlich, Veronika A.; Nersesyan, Armen K.; Hoelzl, Christine; Ferk, Franziska; Bichler, Julia; Valic, Eva; Schaffer, Andreas; Schulte-Hermann, Rolf; Fenech, Michael; Wagner, Karl-Heinz; Knasmüller, Siegfried

    2008-01-01

    Background Inhalative exposure to vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) causes lung cancer in rodents. Objective The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of V2O5 on DNA stability in workers from a V2O5 factory. Methods We determined DNA strand breaks in leukocytes of 52 workers and controls using the alkaline comet assay. We also investigated different parameters of chromosomal instability in lymphocytes of 23 workers and 24 controls using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (MN) cytome method. Results Seven of eight biomarkers were increased in blood cells of the workers, and vanadium plasma concentrations in plasma were 7-fold higher than in the controls (0.31 μg/L). We observed no difference in DNA migration under standard conditions, but we found increased tail lengths due to formation of oxidized purines (7%) and pyrimidines (30%) with lesion-specific enzymes (formamidopyrimidine glycosylase and endonuclease III) in the workers. Bleomycin-induced DNA migration was higher in the exposed group (25%), whereas the repair of bleomycin-induced lesions was reduced. Workers had a 2.5-fold higher MN frequency, and nucleoplasmic bridges (NPBs) and nuclear buds (Nbuds) were increased 7-fold and 3-fold, respectively. Also, apoptosis and necrosis rates were higher, but only the latter parameter reached statistical significance. Conclusions V2O5 causes oxidation of DNA bases, affects DNA repair, and induces formation of MNs, NPBs, and Nbuds in blood cells, suggesting that the workers are at increased risk for cancer and other diseases that are related to DNA instability. PMID:19079721

  15. Control of DEMETER DNA demethylase gene transcription in male and female gamete companion cells in Arabidopsis thaliana

    PubMed Central

    Park, Jin-Sup; Frost, Jennifer M.; Park, Kyunghyuk; Ohr, Hyonhwa; Park, Guen Tae; Kim, Seohyun; Eom, Hyunjoo; Lee, Ilha; Brooks, Janie S.; Fischer, Robert L.; Choi, Yeonhee

    2017-01-01

    The DEMETER (DME) DNA glycosylase initiates active DNA demethylation via the base-excision repair pathway and is vital for reproduction in Arabidopsis thaliana. DME-mediated DNA demethylation is preferentially targeted to small, AT-rich, and nucleosome-depleted euchromatic transposable elements, influencing expression of adjacent genes and leading to imprinting in the endosperm. In the female gametophyte, DME expression and subsequent genome-wide DNA demethylation are confined to the companion cell of the egg, the central cell. Here, we show that, in the male gametophyte, DME expression is limited to the companion cell of sperm, the vegetative cell, and to a narrow window of time: immediately after separation of the companion cell lineage from the germline. We define transcriptional regulatory elements of DME using reporter genes, showing that a small region, which surprisingly lies within the DME gene, controls its expression in male and female companion cells. DME expression from this minimal promoter is sufficient to rescue seed abortion and the aberrant DNA methylome associated with the null dme-2 mutation. Within this minimal promoter, we found short, conserved enhancer sequences necessary for the transcriptional activities of DME and combined predicted binding motifs with published transcription factor binding coordinates to produce a list of candidate upstream pathway members in the genetic circuitry controlling DNA demethylation in gamete companion cells. These data show how DNA demethylation is regulated to facilitate endosperm gene imprinting and potential transgenerational epigenetic regulation, without subjecting the germline to potentially deleterious transposable element demethylation. PMID:28130550

  16. Regulation of Active DNA Demethylation by a Methyl-CpG-Binding Domain Protein in Arabidopsis thaliana

    PubMed Central

    Sun, Han; Zeng, Jun; Cao, Zhendong; Li, Yan; Qian, Weiqiang

    2015-01-01

    Active DNA demethylation plays crucial roles in the regulation of gene expression in both plants and animals. In Arabidopsis thaliana, active DNA demethylation is initiated by the ROS1 subfamily of 5-methylcytosine-specific DNA glycosylases via a base excision repair mechanism. Recently, IDM1 and IDM2 were shown to be required for the recruitment of ROS1 to some of its target loci. However, the mechanism(s) by which IDM1 is targeted to specific genomic loci remains to be determined. Affinity purification of IDM1- and IDM2- associating proteins demonstrated that IDM1 and IDM2 copurify together with two novel components, methyl-CpG-binding domain protein 7 (MBD7) and IDM2-like protein 1 (IDL1). IDL1 encodes an α-crystallin domain protein that shows high sequence similarity with IDM2. MBD7 interacts with IDM2 and IDL1 in vitro and in vivo and they form a protein complex associating with IDM1 in vivo. MBD7 directly binds to the target loci and is required for the H3K18 and H3K23 acetylation in planta. MBD7 dysfunction causes DNA hypermethylation and silencing of reporter genes and a subset of endogenous genes. Our results suggest that a histone acetyltransferase complex functions in active DNA demethylation and in suppression of gene silencing at some loci in Arabidopsis. PMID:25933434

  17. Cell-free identification of novel N-myristoylated proteins from complementary DNA resources using bioorthogonal myristic acid analogues.

    PubMed

    Takamitsu, Emi; Fukunaga, Kazuki; Iio, Yusuke; Moriya, Koko; Utsumi, Toshihiko

    2014-11-01

    To establish a non-radioactive, cell-free detection system for protein N-myristoylation, metabolic labeling in a cell-free protein synthesis system using bioorthogonal myristic acid analogues was performed. After Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) with a biotin tag, the tagged proteins were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and blotted on a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane, and then protein N-myristoylation was detected by enhanced chemiluminescence (ECL) using horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated streptavidin. The results showed that metabolic labeling in an insect cell-free protein synthesis system using an azide analogue of myristic acid followed by CuAAC with alkynyl biotin was the most effective strategy for cell-free detection of protein N-myristoylation. To determine whether the newly developed detection method can be applied for the detection of novel N-myristoylated proteins from complementary DNA (cDNA) resources, four candidate cDNA clones were selected from a human cDNA resource and their susceptibility to protein N-myristoylation was evaluated using the newly developed strategy. As a result, the products of three cDNA clones were found to be novel N-myristoylated protein, and myristoylation-dependent specific intracellular localization was observed for two novel N-myristoylated proteins. Thus, the metabolic labeling in an insect cell-free protein synthesis system using bioorthogonal azide analogue of myristic acid was an effective strategy to identify novel N-myristoylated proteins from cDNA resources. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Oxidative stress in bacteria (Pseudomonas putida) exposed to nanostructures of silicon carbide.

    PubMed

    Borkowski, Andrzej; Szala, Mateusz; Kowalczyk, Paweł; Cłapa, Tomasz; Narożna, Dorota; Selwet, Marek

    2015-09-01

    Silicon carbide (SiC) nanostructures produced by combustion synthesis can cause oxidative stress in the bacterium Pseudomonas putida. The results of this study showed that SiC nanostructures damaged the cell membrane, which can lead to oxidative stress in living cells and to the loss of cell viability. As a reference, micrometric SiC was also used, which did not exhibit toxicity toward cells. Oxidative stress was studied by analyzing the activity of peroxidases, and the expression of the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase gene (zwf1) using real-time PCR and northern blot techniques. Damage to nucleic acid was studied by isolating and hydrolyzing plasmids with the formamidopyrimidine [fapy]-DNA glycosylase (also known as 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase) (Fpg), which is able to detect damaged DNA. The level of viable microbial cells was investigated by propidium iodide and acridine orange staining. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. The Influence of Hepatitis C Virus Therapy on the DNA Base Excision Repair System of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells.

    PubMed

    Czarny, Piotr; Merecz-Sadowska, Anna; Majchrzak, Kinga; Jabłkowski, Maciej; Szemraj, Janusz; Śliwiński, Tomasz; Karwowski, Bolesław

    2017-07-01

    Hepatitis C virus (HCV) can infect extrahepatic tissues, including lymphocytes, creating reservoir of the virus. Moreover, HCV proteins can interact with DNA damage response proteins of infected cells. In this article we investigated the influence of the virus infection and a new ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir ± dasabuvir ± ribavirin (OBV/PTV/r ± DSV ± RBV) anti-HCV therapy on the PBMCs (peripheral blood mononuclear cells, mainly lymphocytes) DNA base excision repair (BER) system. BER protein activity was analyzed in the nuclear and mitochondrial extracts (NE and ME) of PBMC isolated from patients before and after therapy, and from subjects without HCV, using modeled double-strand DNA, with 2'-deoxyuridine substitution as the DNA damage. The NE and ME obtained from patients before therapy demonstrated lower efficacy of 2'-deoxyuridine removal and DNA repair polymerization than those of the control group or patients after therapy. Moreover, the extracts from the patients after therapy had similar activity to those from the control group. However, the efficacy of apurinic/apyrimidinic site excision in NE did not differ between the studied groups. We postulate that infection of lymphocytes by the HCV can lead to a decrease in the activity of BER enzymes. However, the use of novel therapy results in the improvement of glycosylase activity as well as the regeneration of endonuclease and other crucial repair enzymes.

  20. Clay-enhanced DNA separation in low-molecular-weight poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) solution by capillary electrophoresis.

    PubMed

    Liang, D; Song, L; Chen, Z; Chu, B

    2001-06-01

    The effect of the separation medium in capillary electrophoresis consisting of a low-molecular-mass poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA) solution on the DNA separation by adding a small amount of montmorillonite clay into the polymer matrix is presented. On the separation of the pBR322/HaeIII digest, both the resolution and the efficiency were increased by adding 2.5-5.0 x 10(-5) g/mL clay into the 5% w/v PDMA with a molecular mass of only 100 K. Moreover, there was no increase in the migration time of DNA fragments. Similar results were observed by using a C-terminated pGEM-3Zf(+) sequencing DNA sample in a sequencing buffer. Experimental data also showed that the addition of clay increased the viscosity of the polymer solution. We attribute this effect to the structural change of the polymer matrix caused by the exfoliated clay sheets, whereby the thin clay sheets function like a "dynamic cross-linking plate" for the PDMA chains and effectively increase the apparent molecular mass of PDMA.

  1. Disruption of Higher Order DNA Structures in Friedreich’s Ataxia (GAA)n Repeats by PNA or LNA Targeting

    PubMed Central

    Bergquist, Helen; Rocha, Cristina S. J.; Álvarez-Asencio, Rubén; Nguyen, Chi-Hung; Rutland, Mark. W.; Smith, C. I. Edvard; Good, Liam; Nielsen, Peter E.; Zain, Rula

    2016-01-01

    Expansion of (GAA)n repeats in the first intron of the Frataxin gene is associated with reduced mRNA and protein levels and the development of Friedreich’s ataxia. (GAA)n expansions form non-canonical structures, including intramolecular triplex (H-DNA), and R-loops and are associated with epigenetic modifications. With the aim of interfering with higher order H-DNA (like) DNA structures within pathological (GAA)n expansions, we examined sequence-specific interaction of peptide nucleic acid (PNA) with (GAA)n repeats of different lengths (short: n=9, medium: n=75 or long: n=115) by chemical probing of triple helical and single stranded regions. We found that a triplex structure (H-DNA) forms at GAA repeats of different lengths; however, single stranded regions were not detected within the medium size pathological repeat, suggesting the presence of a more complex structure. Furthermore, (GAA)4-PNA binding of the repeat abolished all detectable triplex DNA structures, whereas (CTT)5-PNA did not. We present evidence that (GAA)4-PNA can invade the DNA at the repeat region by binding the DNA CTT strand, thereby preventing non-canonical-DNA formation, and that triplex invasion complexes by (CTT)5-PNA form at the GAA repeats. Locked nucleic acid (LNA) oligonucleotides also inhibited triplex formation at GAA repeat expansions, and atomic force microscopy analysis showed significant relaxation of plasmid morphology in the presence of GAA-LNA. Thus, by inhibiting disease related higher order DNA structures in the Frataxin gene, such PNA and LNA oligomers may have potential for discovery of drugs aiming at recovering Frataxin expression. PMID:27846236

  2. Aneuploidogenic effects and DNA oxidation induced in vitro by differently sized gold nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Di Bucchianico, Sebastiano; Fabbrizi, Maria Rita; Cirillo, Silvia; Uboldi, Chiara; Gilliland, Douglas; Valsami-Jones, Eugenia; Migliore, Lucia

    2014-01-01

    Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) are used in many fields, including biomedical applications; however, no conclusive information on their potential cytotoxicity and genotoxicity mechanisms is available. For this reason, experiments in human primary lymphocytes and murine macrophages (Raw264.7) were performed exposing cells to spherical citrate-capped Au NPs with two different nominal diameters (5 nm and 15 nm). The proliferative activity, mitotic, apoptotic, and necrotic markers, as well as chromosomal damage were assessed by the cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assay. Fluorescence in situ hybridization with human and murine pancentromeric probes was applied to distinguish between clastogenic and aneuploidogenic effects. Our results indicate that 5 nm and 15 nm Au NPs are able to inhibit cell proliferation by apoptosis and to induce chromosomal damage, in particular chromosome mis-segregation. DNA strand breaks were detected by comet assay, and the modified protocol using endonuclease-III and formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase restriction enzymes showed that pyrimidines and purines were oxidatively damaged by Au NPs. Moreover, we show a size-independent correlation between the cytotoxicity of Au NPs and their tested mass concentration or absolute number, and genotoxic effects which were more severe for Au NP 15 nm compared to Au NP 5 nm. Results indicate that apoptosis, aneuploidy, and DNA oxidation play a pivotal role in the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity exerted by Au NPs in our cell models. PMID:24855356

  3. Aneuploidogenic effects and DNA oxidation induced in vitro by differently sized gold nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Di Bucchianico, Sebastiano; Fabbrizi, Maria Rita; Cirillo, Silvia; Uboldi, Chiara; Gilliland, Douglas; Valsami-Jones, Eugenia; Migliore, Lucia

    2014-01-01

    Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) are used in many fields, including biomedical applications; however, no conclusive information on their potential cytotoxicity and genotoxicity mechanisms is available. For this reason, experiments in human primary lymphocytes and murine macrophages (Raw264.7) were performed exposing cells to spherical citrate-capped Au NPs with two different nominal diameters (5 nm and 15 nm). The proliferative activity, mitotic, apoptotic, and necrotic markers, as well as chromosomal damage were assessed by the cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assay. Fluorescence in situ hybridization with human and murine pancentromeric probes was applied to distinguish between clastogenic and aneuploidogenic effects. Our results indicate that 5 nm and 15 nm Au NPs are able to inhibit cell proliferation by apoptosis and to induce chromosomal damage, in particular chromosome mis-segregation. DNA strand breaks were detected by comet assay, and the modified protocol using endonuclease-III and formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase restriction enzymes showed that pyrimidines and purines were oxidatively damaged by Au NPs. Moreover, we show a size-independent correlation between the cytotoxicity of Au NPs and their tested mass concentration or absolute number, and genotoxic effects which were more severe for Au NP 15 nm compared to Au NP 5 nm. Results indicate that apoptosis, aneuploidy, and DNA oxidation play a pivotal role in the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity exerted by Au NPs in our cell models.

  4. Analysis of the machinery and intermediates of the 5hmC-mediated DNA demethylation pathway in aging on samples from the MARK-AGE Study.

    PubMed

    Valentini, Elisabetta; Zampieri, Michele; Malavolta, Marco; Bacalini, Maria Giulia; Calabrese, Roberta; Guastafierro, Tiziana; Reale, Anna; Franceschi, Claudio; Hervonen, Antti; Koller, Bernhard; Bernhardt, Jürgen; Slagboom, P Eline; Toussaint, Olivier; Sikora, Ewa; Gonos, Efstathios S; Breusing, Nicolle; Grune, Tilman; Jansen, Eugène; Dollé, Martijn E T; Moreno-Villanueva, María; Sindlinger, Thilo; Bürkle, Alexander; Ciccarone, Fabio; Caiafa, Paola

    2016-08-29

    Gradual changes in the DNA methylation landscape occur throughout aging virtually in all human tissues. A widespread reduction of 5-methylcytosine (5mC), associated with highly reproducible site-specific hypermethylation, characterizes the genome in aging. Therefore, an equilibrium seems to exist between general and directional deregulating events concerning DNA methylation controllers, which may underpin the age-related epigenetic changes. In this context, 5mC-hydroxylases (TET enzymes) are new potential players. In fact, TETs catalyze the stepwise oxidation of 5mC to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5fC) and 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC), driving the DNA demethylation process based on thymine DNA glycosylase (TDG)-mediated DNA repair pathway. The present paper reports the expression of DNA hydroxymethylation components, the levels of 5hmC and of its derivatives in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of age-stratified donors recruited in several European countries in the context of the EU Project 'MARK-AGE'. The results provide evidence for an age-related decline of TET1 , TET3 and TDG gene expression along with a decrease of 5hmC and an accumulation of 5caC. These associations were independent of confounding variables, including recruitment center, gender and leukocyte composition. The observed impairment of 5hmC-mediated DNA demethylation pathway in blood cells may lead to aberrant transcriptional programs in the elderly.

  5. Uracil Accumulation and Mutagenesis Dominated by Cytosine Deamination in CpG Dinucleotides in Mice Lacking UNG and SMUG1

    DOE PAGES

    Alsøe, Lene; Sarno, Antonio; Carracedo, Sergio; ...

    2017-08-03

    Both a DNA lesion and an intermediate for antibody maturation, uracil is primarily processed by base excision repair (BER), either initiated by uracil-DNA glycosylase (UNG) or by single-strand selective monofunctional uracil DNA glycosylase (SMUG1). The relative in vivo contributions of each glycosylase remain elusive. To assess the impact of SMUG1 deficiency, we measured uracil and 5-hydroxymethyluracil, another SMUG1 substrate, in Smug1 -/ - mice. Here, we found that 5-hydroxymethyluracil accumulated in Smug1 -/ - tissues and correlated with 5-hydroxymethylcytosine levels. The highest increase was found in brain, which contained about 26-fold higher genomic 5-hydroxymethyluracil levels than the wild type. Smug1more » -/ - mice did not accumulate uracil in their genome and Ung -/ - mice showed slightly elevated uracil levels. Contrastingly, Ung -/ -Smug1 -/ - mice showed a synergistic increase in uracil levels with up to 25-fold higher uracil levels than wild type. Whole genome sequencing of UNG/SMUG1-deficient tumours revealed that combined UNG and SMUG1 deficiency leads to the accumulation of mutations, primarily C to T transitions within CpG sequences. This unexpected sequence bias suggests that CpG dinucleotides are intrinsically more mutation prone. In conclusion, we showed that SMUG1 efficiently prevent genomic uracil accumulation, even in the presence of UNG, and identified mutational signatures associated with combined UNG and SMUG1 deficiency.« less

  6. Uracil Accumulation and Mutagenesis Dominated by Cytosine Deamination in CpG Dinucleotides in Mice Lacking UNG and SMUG1

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Alsøe, Lene; Sarno, Antonio; Carracedo, Sergio

    Both a DNA lesion and an intermediate for antibody maturation, uracil is primarily processed by base excision repair (BER), either initiated by uracil-DNA glycosylase (UNG) or by single-strand selective monofunctional uracil DNA glycosylase (SMUG1). The relative in vivo contributions of each glycosylase remain elusive. To assess the impact of SMUG1 deficiency, we measured uracil and 5-hydroxymethyluracil, another SMUG1 substrate, in Smug1 -/ - mice. Here, we found that 5-hydroxymethyluracil accumulated in Smug1 -/ - tissues and correlated with 5-hydroxymethylcytosine levels. The highest increase was found in brain, which contained about 26-fold higher genomic 5-hydroxymethyluracil levels than the wild type. Smug1more » -/ - mice did not accumulate uracil in their genome and Ung -/ - mice showed slightly elevated uracil levels. Contrastingly, Ung -/ -Smug1 -/ - mice showed a synergistic increase in uracil levels with up to 25-fold higher uracil levels than wild type. Whole genome sequencing of UNG/SMUG1-deficient tumours revealed that combined UNG and SMUG1 deficiency leads to the accumulation of mutations, primarily C to T transitions within CpG sequences. This unexpected sequence bias suggests that CpG dinucleotides are intrinsically more mutation prone. In conclusion, we showed that SMUG1 efficiently prevent genomic uracil accumulation, even in the presence of UNG, and identified mutational signatures associated with combined UNG and SMUG1 deficiency.« less

  7. Identification of Human N-Myristoylated Proteins from Human Complementary DNA Resources by Cell-Free and Cellular Metabolic Labeling Analyses.

    PubMed

    Takamitsu, Emi; Otsuka, Motoaki; Haebara, Tatsuki; Yano, Manami; Matsuzaki, Kanako; Kobuchi, Hirotsugu; Moriya, Koko; Utsumi, Toshihiko

    2015-01-01

    To identify physiologically important human N-myristoylated proteins, 90 cDNA clones predicted to encode human N-myristoylated proteins were selected from a human cDNA resource (4,369 Kazusa ORFeome project human cDNA clones) by two bioinformatic N-myristoylation prediction systems, NMT-The MYR Predictor and Myristoylator. After database searches to exclude known human N-myristoylated proteins, 37 cDNA clones were selected as potential human N-myristoylated proteins. The susceptibility of these cDNA clones to protein N-myristoylation was first evaluated using fusion proteins in which the N-terminal ten amino acid residues were fused to an epitope-tagged model protein. Then, protein N-myristoylation of the gene products of full-length cDNAs was evaluated by metabolic labeling experiments both in an insect cell-free protein synthesis system and in transfected human cells. As a result, the products of 13 cDNA clones (FBXL7, PPM1B, SAMM50, PLEKHN, AIFM3, C22orf42, STK32A, FAM131C, DRICH1, MCC1, HID1, P2RX5, STK32B) were found to be human N-myristoylated proteins. Analysis of the role of protein N-myristoylation on the intracellular localization of SAMM50, a mitochondrial outer membrane protein, revealed that protein N-myristoylation was required for proper targeting of SAMM50 to mitochondria. Thus, the strategy used in this study is useful for the identification of physiologically important human N-myristoylated proteins from human cDNA resources.

  8. Identification of Human N-Myristoylated Proteins from Human Complementary DNA Resources by Cell-Free and Cellular Metabolic Labeling Analyses

    PubMed Central

    Takamitsu, Emi; Otsuka, Motoaki; Haebara, Tatsuki; Yano, Manami; Matsuzaki, Kanako; Kobuchi, Hirotsugu; Moriya, Koko; Utsumi, Toshihiko

    2015-01-01

    To identify physiologically important human N-myristoylated proteins, 90 cDNA clones predicted to encode human N-myristoylated proteins were selected from a human cDNA resource (4,369 Kazusa ORFeome project human cDNA clones) by two bioinformatic N-myristoylation prediction systems, NMT-The MYR Predictor and Myristoylator. After database searches to exclude known human N-myristoylated proteins, 37 cDNA clones were selected as potential human N-myristoylated proteins. The susceptibility of these cDNA clones to protein N-myristoylation was first evaluated using fusion proteins in which the N-terminal ten amino acid residues were fused to an epitope-tagged model protein. Then, protein N-myristoylation of the gene products of full-length cDNAs was evaluated by metabolic labeling experiments both in an insect cell-free protein synthesis system and in transfected human cells. As a result, the products of 13 cDNA clones (FBXL7, PPM1B, SAMM50, PLEKHN, AIFM3, C22orf42, STK32A, FAM131C, DRICH1, MCC1, HID1, P2RX5, STK32B) were found to be human N-myristoylated proteins. Analysis of the role of protein N-myristoylation on the intracellular localization of SAMM50, a mitochondrial outer membrane protein, revealed that protein N-myristoylation was required for proper targeting of SAMM50 to mitochondria. Thus, the strategy used in this study is useful for the identification of physiologically important human N-myristoylated proteins from human cDNA resources. PMID:26308446

  9. DNA polymerase θ contributes to the generation of C/G mutations during somatic hypermutation of Ig genes

    PubMed Central

    Masuda, Keiji; Ouchida, Rika; Takeuchi, Arata; Saito, Takashi; Koseki, Haruhiko; Kawamura, Kiyoko; Tagawa, Masatoshi; Tokuhisa, Takeshi; Azuma, Takachika; O-Wang, Jiyang

    2005-01-01

    Somatic hypermutation of Ig variable region genes is initiated by activation-induced cytidine deaminase; however, the activity of multiple DNA polymerases is required to ultimately introduce mutations. DNA polymerase η (Polη) has been implicated in mutations at A/T, but polymerases involved in C/G mutations have not been identified. We have generated mutant mice expressing DNA polymerase (Polθ) specifically devoid of polymerase activity. Compared with WT mice, Polq-inactive (Polq, the gene encoding Polθ) mice exhibited a reduced level of serum IgM and IgG1. The mutant mice mounted relatively normal primary and secondary immune responses to a T-dependent antigen, but the production of high-affinity specific antibodies was partially impaired. Analysis of the JH4 intronic sequences revealed a slight reduction in the overall mutation frequency in Polq-inactive mice. Remarkably, although mutations at A/T were unaffected, mutations at C/G were significantly decreased, indicating an important, albeit not exclusive, role for Polθ activity. The reduction of C/G mutations was particularly focused on the intrinsic somatic hypermutation hotspots and both transitions and transversions were similarly reduced. These findings, together with the recent observation that Polθ efficiently catalyzes the bypass of abasic sites, lead us to propose that Polθ introduces mutations at C/G by replicating over abasic sites generated via uracil-DNA glycosylase. PMID:16172387

  10. In Vitro Repair of UV-Irradiated Micrococcus luteus Bacteriophage N1 Transfecting DNA 1

    PubMed Central

    Mahler, Inga; George, Jeanne; Grossman, Lawrence

    1974-01-01

    Calcium-treated UV-sensitive, host cell reactivation− strains of Micrococcus luteus are infected with UV-irradiated N1 DNA. In strains lacking UV endonuclease, in vitro treatment of the irradiated DNA results in transfection enhancement. PMID:4823319

  11. N-Acetylcysteine supplementation reduces oxidative stress and DNA damage in children with β-thalassemia.

    PubMed

    Ozdemir, Zeynep Canan; Koc, Ahmet; Aycicek, Ali; Kocyigit, Abdurrahim

    2014-01-01

    There are several reports that increased oxidative stress and DNA damage were found in β-thalassemia major (β-TM) patients. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and vitamin E on total oxidative stress and DNA damage in children with β-TM. Seventy-five children with transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia (β-thal) were randomly chosen to receive 10 mg/kg/day of NAC or 10 IU/kg/day of vitamin E or no supplementation; 28 healthy controls were also included in the study. Serum total oxidant status (TOS) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were measured, oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated, and mononuclear DNA damage was assessed by alkaline comet assay; they were determined before treatment and after 3 months of treatment. Total oxydent status, OSI, and DNA damage levels were significantly higher and TAC levels were significantly lower in the thalassemic children than in the healthy controls (p < 0.001). In both supplemented groups, mean TOS and OSI levels were decreased; TAC and pre transfusion hemoglobin (Hb) levels were significantly increased after 3 months (p ≤ 0.002). In the NAC group, DNA damage score decreased (p = 0.001). N-Acetylcysteine and vitamin E may be effective in reducing serum oxidative stress and increase pre transfusion Hb levels in children with β-thal. N-Acetylcysteine also can reduce DNA damage.

  12. Evaluation of imazethapyr-induced DNA oxidative damage by alkaline Endo III- and Fpg-modified single-cell gel electrophoresis assay in Hypsiboas pulchellus tadpoles (Anura, Hylidae).

    PubMed

    Pérez-Iglesias, Juan Manuel; Ruiz de Arcaute, Celeste; Natale, Guillermo S; Soloneski, S; Larramendy, Marcelo L

    2017-08-01

    Imazethapyr (IMZT) is a selective postemergent herbicide with residual action. Available data analyzing its effects in aquatic vertebrates are scarce. In previous studies, we demonstrated that IMZT induces lesions into the DNA of Hypsiboas pulchellus tadpoles using the single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) assay as a biomarker for genotoxicity. Currently, this assay can be modified by including incubation with lesion-specific endonucleases, e.g., endonuclease III (Endo III) and formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase (Fpg), which detect oxidized pyrimidine and purine bases, respectively. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of oxidative stress in the genotoxic damage in circulating blood cells of H. pulchellus tadpoles exposed to the IMZT-based Pivot H ® formulation (10.59% IMZT) at a concentration equivalent to 25% of the LC 50 (96h) value (0.39mg/L IMZT) during 48 and 96h. Our results demonstrate that the herbicide induces oxidative DNA damage on H. pulchellus tadpoles at purines bases but not at pyrimidines. Our findings represent the first evidence of oxidative damage caused by IMZT on anuran DNA using the alkaline restriction enzyme-modified SCGE assay. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. NEIL2 Protects against Oxidative DNA Damage Induced by Sidestream Smoke in Human Cells

    PubMed Central

    Sarker, Altaf H.; Chatterjee, Arpita; Williams, Monique; Lin, Sabrina; Havel, Christopher; Jacob III, Peyton; Boldogh, Istvan; Hazra, Tapas K.; Talbot, Prudence; Hang, Bo

    2014-01-01

    Secondhand smoke (SHS) is a confirmed lung carcinogen that introduces thousands of toxic chemicals into the lungs. SHS contains chemicals that have been implicated in causing oxidative DNA damage in the airway epithelium. Although DNA repair is considered a key defensive mechanism against various environmental attacks, such as cigarette smoking, the associations of individual repair enzymes with susceptibility to lung cancer are largely unknown. This study investigated the role of NEIL2, a DNA glycosylase excising oxidative base lesions, in human lung cells treated with sidestream smoke (SSS), the main component of SHS. To do so, we generated NEIL2 knockdown cells using siRNA-technology and exposed them to SSS-laden medium. Representative SSS chemical compounds in the medium were analyzed by mass spectrometry. An increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in SSS-exposed cells was detected through the fluorescent detection and the induction of HIF-1α. The long amplicon–quantitative PCR (LA-QPCR) assay detected significant dose-dependent increases of oxidative DNA damage in the HPRT gene of cultured human pulmonary fibroblasts (hPF) and BEAS-2B epithelial cells exposed to SSS for 24 h. These data suggest that SSS exposure increased oxidative stress, which could contribute to SSS-mediated toxicity. siRNA knockdown of NEIL2 in hPF and HEK 293 cells exposed to SSS for 24 h resulted in significantly more oxidative DNA damage in HPRT and POLB than in cells with control siRNA. Taken together, our data strongly suggest that decreased repair of oxidative DNA base lesions due to an impaired NEIL2 expression in non-smokers exposed to SSS would lead to accumulation of mutations in genomic DNA of lung cells over time, thus contributing to the onset of SSS-induced lung cancer. PMID:24595271

  14. Role of DNA base excision repair in the mutability and virulence of Streptococcus mutans

    PubMed Central

    Gonzalez, Kaisha; Faustoferri, Roberta C.; Quivey, Robert G.

    2012-01-01

    Summary The oral pathogen, Streptococcus mutans, possesses inducible DNA repair defenses for protection against pH fluctuations and production of reactive oxygen metabolites such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which are present in the oral cavity. DNA base excision repair (BER) has a critical role in genome maintenance by preventing the accumulation of mutations associated with environmental factors and normal products of cellular metabolism. In this study, we examined the consequences of compromising the DNA glycosylases (Fpg and MutY) and endonucleases (Smx and Smn) of the BER pathway and their relative role in adaptation and virulence. Enzymatic characterization of the BER system showed that it protects the organism against the effects of the highly mutagenic lesion, 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2’-deoxyguanine (8-oxo-dG). S. mutans strains lacking a functional Fpg, MutY, or Smn showed elevated spontaneous mutation frequencies; and, these mutator phenotypes correlated with the ability of the strains to survive killing by acid and oxidative agents. In addition, in the G. mellonella virulence model, strains of S. mutans deficient in Fpg, MutY and Smn showed increased virulence as compared to the parent strain. Our results suggest that, for S. mutans, mutator phenotypes, due to loss of BER enzymes, may confer an advantage to virulence of the organism. PMID:22651851

  15. Role of Bacillus subtilis Error Prevention Oxidized Guanine System in Counteracting Hexavalent Chromium-Promoted Oxidative DNA Damage

    PubMed Central

    Santos-Escobar, Fernando; Gutiérrez-Corona, J. Félix

    2014-01-01

    Chromium pollution is potentially detrimental to bacterial soil communities, compromising carbon and nitrogen cycles that are essential for life on earth. It has been proposed that intracellular reduction of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] to trivalent chromium [Cr(III)] may cause bacterial death by a mechanism that involves reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced DNA damage; the molecular basis of the phenomenon was investigated in this work. Here, we report that Bacillus subtilis cells lacking a functional error prevention oxidized guanine (GO) system were significantly more sensitive to Cr(VI) treatment than cells of the wild-type (WT) strain, suggesting that oxidative damage to DNA is involved in the deleterious effects of the oxyanion. In agreement with this suggestion, Cr(VI) dramatically increased the ROS concentration and induced mutagenesis in a GO-deficient B. subtilis strain. Alkaline gel electrophoresis (AGE) analysis of chromosomal DNA of WT and ΔGO mutant strains subjected to Cr(VI) treatment revealed that the DNA of the ΔGO strain was more susceptible to DNA glycosylase Fpg attack, suggesting that chromium genotoxicity is associated with 7,8-dihydro-8-oxodeoxyguanosine (8-oxo-G) lesions. In support of this notion, specific monoclonal antibodies detected the accumulation of 8-oxo-G lesions in the chromosomes of B. subtilis cells subjected to Cr(VI) treatment. We conclude that Cr(VI) promotes mutagenesis and cell death in B. subtilis by a mechanism that involves radical oxygen attack of DNA, generating 8-oxo-G, and that such effects are counteracted by the prevention and repair GO system. PMID:24973075

  16. Heat shock protein 70 enhanced deoxyribonucleic acid base excision repair in human leukemic cells after ionizing radiation

    PubMed Central

    Bases, Robert

    2006-01-01

    Base excision repair (BER) of DNA damage in irradiated THP1 human leukemic cells was stimulated by pretreating the cells with exogenous recombinant Hsp70. The treatment of THP1 cells with recombinant Hsp70 in cell culture promoted repair by reducing the frequency of apurinic, apyrimidinic (AP) sites in DNA before and after 1.3 Gy of radiation. However, by 30 minutes after 2.6 Gy, accelerated repair of abasic sites supervened, which may contribute to the loss of the very-low-dose cell hypersensitivity seen in clonogenic studies of other laboratories. After irradiation with 2.6 Gy, the crucial initial glycosylase step was markedly incomplete when cells had been transfected 24 hours before with a small interfering RNA (siRNA) designed to inhibit synthesis of Hsp70. In confirmation, lysates from irradiated siRNA-treated cells after 2.6 Gy were deficient in uracil glycosylase activity (UDG). Transfection with a scrambled RNA of the same size did not interfere with the glycosylase step, ie, the prompt conversion of damaged pyrimidine sites to abasic sites as well as the subsequent repair of those sites. BER measured by reduction of DNA AP sites before and after low-dose radiation was also deficient in THP1 cells that had been transfected with the siRNA designed to inhibit synthesis of Hsp70. These results implicate BER and the participation of Hsp70 in the repair of DNA in human leukemic cells with the doses of ionizing radiation used in clinical regimens. PMID:17009597

  17. DNA damage in wounded, hypoxic and acidotic human skin fibroblast cell cultures after low laser irradiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hawkins Evans, D.; Mbene, A.; Zungu, I.; Houreld, N.; Abrahamse, H.

    2009-02-01

    Phototherapy has become more popular and widely used in the treatment of a variety of medical conditions. To ensure sound results as evidence of its effectiveness, well designed experiments must be conducted when determining the effect of phototherapy. Cell culture models such as hypoxic, acidotic and wounded cell cultures simulating different disease conditions including ischemic heart disease, diabetes and wound healing were used to determine the effect of laser irradiation on the genetic integrity of the cell. Even though phototherapy has been found to be beneficial in a wide spectrum of conditions, it has been shown to induce DNA damage. However, this damage appears to be repairable. The risk lies in the fact that phototherapy may help the medical condition initially but damage DNA at the same time leaving undetected damage that may result in late onset, more severe, induced medical conditions including cancer. Human skin fibroblasts were cultured and used to induce a wound (by the central scratch model), hypoxic (by incubation in an anaerobic jar, 95% N2 and 5% O2) and acidotic (reducing the pH of the media to 6.7) conditions. Different models were irradiated using a Helium-Neon (632.8 nm) laser with a power density of 2.07 mW/cm2 and a fluence of 5 J/cm2 or 16 J/cm2. The effect of the irradiation was determined using the Comet assay 1 and 24 h after irradiation. In addition, the Comet assay was performed with the addition of formamidopyrimidine glycosylase (FPG) obviating strand brakes in oxidized bases at a high fluence of 16 J/cm2. A significant increase in DNA damage was seen in all three injured models at both 1 and 24 h post-irradiation when compared to the normal un-injured cells. However, when compared to non-irradiated controls the acidotic model showed a significant decrease in DNA damage 24 h after irradiation indicating the possible induction of cellular DNA repair mechanisms. When wounded cells were irradiated with higher fluences of 16 J/cm2

  18. Induction and repair of DNA damage measured by the comet assay in human T lymphocytes separated by immunomagnetic cell sorting.

    PubMed

    Bausinger, Julia; Speit, Günter

    2014-11-01

    The comet assay is widely used in human biomonitoring to measure DNA damage in whole blood or isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) as a marker of exposure to genotoxic agents. Cytogenetic assays with phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated cultured T lymphocytes are also frequently performed in human biomonitoring. Cytogenetic effects (micronuclei, chromosome aberrations, sister chromatid exchanges) may be induced in vivo but also occur ex vivo during the cultivation of lymphocytes as a consequence of DNA damage present in lymphocytes at the time of sampling. To better understand whether DNA damage measured by the comet assay in PBMC is representative for DNA damage in T cells, we comparatively investigated DNA damage and its repair in PBMC and T cells obtained by immunomagnetic cell sorting. PBMC cultures and T cell cultures were exposed to mutagens with different modes of genotoxic action and DNA damage was measured by the comet assay after the end of a 2h exposure and after 18h post-incubation. The mutagens tested were methyl methanesulfonate (MMS), (±)-anti-B[a]P-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE), 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO), styrene oxide and potassium bromate. MMS and potassium bromate were also tested by the modified comet assay with formamido pyrimidine glycosylase (FPG) protein. The results indicate that the mutagens tested induce DNA damage in PBMC and T cells in the same range of concentrations and removal of induced DNA lesions occurs to a comparable extent. Based on these results, we conclude that the comet assay with PBMC is suited to predict DNA damage and its removal in T cells. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. New N-phenylpyrrolamide DNA gyrase B inhibitors: Optimization of efficacy and antibacterial activity.

    PubMed

    Durcik, Martina; Lovison, Denise; Skok, Žiga; Durante Cruz, Cristina; Tammela, Päivi; Tomašič, Tihomir; Benedetto Tiz, Davide; Draskovits, Gábor; Nyerges, Ákos; Pál, Csaba; Ilaš, Janez; Peterlin Mašič, Lucija; Kikelj, Danijel; Zidar, Nace

    2018-06-25

    The ATP binding site located on the subunit B of DNA gyrase is an attractive target for the development of new antibacterial agents. In recent decades, several small-molecule inhibitor classes have been discovered but none has so far reached the market. We present here the discovery of a promising new series of N-phenylpyrrolamides with low nanomolar IC 50 values against DNA gyrase, and submicromolar IC 50 values against topoisomerase IV from Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The most potent compound in the series has an IC 50 value of 13 nM against E. coli gyrase. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against Gram-positive bacteria are in the low micromolar range. The oxadiazolone derivative 11a, with an IC 50 value of 85 nM against E. coli DNA gyrase displays the most potent antibacterial activity, with MIC values of 1.56 μM against Enterococcus faecalis, and 3.13 μM against wild type S. aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE). The activity against wild type E. coli in the presence of efflux pump inhibitor phenylalanine-arginine β-naphthylamide (PAβN) is 4.6 μM. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  20. Structural insights into abasic site for Fpg specific binding and catalysis: comparative high-resolution crystallographic studies of Fpg bound to various models of abasic site analogues-containing DNA

    PubMed Central

    de Jésus, Karine Pereira; Serre, Laurence; Zelwer, Charles; Castaing, Bertrand

    2005-01-01

    Fpg is a DNA glycosylase that recognizes and excises the mutagenic 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) and the potentially lethal formamidopyrimidic residues (Fapy). Fpg is also associated with an AP lyase activity which successively cleaves the abasic (AP) site at the 3′ and 5′ sides by βδ-elimination. Here, we present the high-resolution crystal structures of the wild-type and the P1G defective mutant of Fpg from Lactococcus lactis bound to 14mer DNA duplexes containing either a tetrahydrofuran (THF) or 1,3-propanediol (Pr) AP site analogues. Structures show that THF is less extrahelical than Pr and its backbone C5′–C4′–C3′ diverges significantly from those of Pr, rAP, 8-oxodG and FapydG. Clearly, the heterocyclic oxygen of THF is pushed back by the carboxylate of the strictly conserved E2 residue. We can propose that the ring-opened form of the damaged deoxyribose is the structure active form of the sugar for Fpg catalysis process. Both structural and functional data suggest that the first step of catalysis mediated by Fpg involves the expulsion of the O4′ leaving group facilitated by general acid catalysis (involving E2), rather than the immediate cleavage of the N-glycosic bond of the damaged nucleoside. PMID:16243784

  1. DNA sequence-specific dimeric bisbenzimidazoles DBP(n) and DBPA(n) as inhibitors of H-NS silencing in bacterial cells.

    PubMed

    Melkina, Olga E; Koval, Vasilii S; Ivanov, Alexander A; Zhuze, Alexei L; Zavilgelsky, Gennadii B

    2018-03-01

    DNA sequence-specific fluorescent dimeric bisbenzimidazoles DBP(n) and DBPA(n), noncovalently interacting with A-T pairs in the minor groove of double-stranded DNA were used for studying and monitoring the expression of histone-like H-NS-dependent promoters. Histone-like H-NS selectively binds to AT-rich segments of DNA and silences a large number of genes in bacterial chromosomes. The H-NS-dependent promoters of Quorum Sensing (QS)-regulated lux operons of the marine bacteria mesophilic Aliivibrio fischeri, psychrophilic Aliivibrio logei were used. Escherichia coli lux biosensors were constructed by cloning fragments bearing QS-regulated promoters into the vector, thereby placing each fragment upstream of the promoterless Photorhabdus luminescens luxCDABE genes. It was shown that the dimeric bisbenzimidazoles DBP(n) and DBPA(n) counteract the H-NS silencing activity. Thus, the presence of DBP(n) or DBPA(n) in the medium leads to an approximately 10-100-fold increase in the level of transcription of QS promoters in E. coli hns + . The largest decrease in the level of H-NS repression was observed using ligands containing a linker with a length of ca. 18Å, such as DBP(2) and DBPA(2). Ligands containing linkers with n=1 and 3 are an order of magnitude less active; ligands with n=4 are inactive. DBPA(2) exhibits activity starting with a concentration of 0.5μM; the minimum concentration of DBP(2) is 5-7 times higher. It is suggested that A-T pairs located at five nucleotide pair intervals, which correspond to the linker length in highly active ligands with n=2, play a key role in the structure of H-NS-binding sites in QS-regulated promoters. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  2. Biochemical behavior of N-oxidized cytosine and adenine bases in DNA polymerase-mediated primer extension reactions.

    PubMed

    Tsunoda, Hirosuke; Kudo, Tomomi; Masaki, Yoshiaki; Ohkubo, Akihiro; Seio, Kohji; Sekine, Mitsuo

    2011-04-01

    To clarify the biochemical behavior of 2'-deoxyribonucleoside 5'-triphosphates and oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ODNs) containing cytosine N-oxide (C(o)) and adenine N-oxide (A(o)), we examined their base recognition ability in DNA duplex formation using melting temperature (T(m)) experiments and their substrate specificity in DNA polymerase-mediated replication. As the result, it was found that the T(m) values of modified DNA-DNA duplexes incorporating 2'-deoxyribonucleoside N-oxide derivatives significantly decreased compared with those of the unmodified duplexes. However, single insertion reactions by DNA polymerases of Klenow fragment (KF) (exo(-)) and Vent (exo(-)) suggested that C(o) and A(o) selectively recognized G and T, respectively. Meanwhile, the kinetic study showed that the incorporation efficiencies of the modified bases were lower than those of natural bases. Ab initio calculations suggest that these modified bases can form the stable base pairs with the original complementary bases. These results indicate that the modified bases usually recognize the original bases as partners for base pairing, except for misrecognition of dATP by the action of KF (exo(-)) toward A(o) on the template, and the primers could be extended on the template DNA. When they misrecognized wrong bases, the chain could not be elongated so that the modified base served as the chain terminator.

  3. Thermodynamic characterization of binding Oxytricha nova single strand telomere DNA with the alpha protein N-terminal domain.

    PubMed

    Buczek, Pawel; Horvath, Martin P

    2006-06-23

    The Oxytricha nova telemere binding protein alpha subunit binds single strand DNA and participates in a nucleoprotein complex that protects the very ends of chromosomes. To understand how the N-terminal, DNA binding domain of alpha interacts with DNA we measured the stoichiometry, enthalpy (DeltaH), entropy (DeltaS), and dissociation constant (K(D-DNA)) for binding telomere DNA fragments at different temperatures and salt concentrations using native gel electrophoresis and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). About 85% of the total free energy of binding corresponded with non-electrostatic interactions for all DNAs. Telomere DNA fragments d(T(2)G(4)), d(T(4)G(4)), d(G(3)T(4)G(4)), and d(G(4)T(4)G(4)) each formed monovalent protein complexes. In the case of d(T(4)G(4)T(4)G(4)), which has two tandemly repeated d(TTTTTGGGG) telomere motifs, two binding sites were observed. The high-affinity "A site" has a dissociation constant, K(D-DNA(A)) = 13(+/-4) nM, while the low-affinity "B site" is characterized by K(D-DNA(B)) = 5600(+/-600) nM at 25 degrees C. Nucleotide substitution variants verified that the A site corresponds principally with the 3'-terminal portion of d(T(4)G(4)T(4)G(4)). The relative contributions of entropy (DeltaS) and enthalpy (DeltaH) for binding reactions were DNA length-dependent as was heat capacity (DeltaCp). These trends with respect to DNA length likely reflect structural transitions in the DNA molecule that are coupled with DNA-protein association. Results presented here are important for understanding early intermediates and subsequent stages in the assembly of the full telomere nucleoprotein complex and how binding events can prepare the telomere DNA for extension by telomerase, a critical event in telomere biology.

  4. DNA Repair Modulates The Vulnerability of The Developing Brain to Alkylating Agents

    PubMed Central

    Kisby, G.E.; Olivas, A.; Park, T.; Churchwell, M.; Doerge, D.; Samson, L. D.; Gerson, S.L.; Turker, M.S.

    2009-01-01

    Neurons of the developing brain are especially vulnerable to environmental agents that damage DNA (i.e., genotoxicants), but the mechanism is poorly understood. The focus of the present study is to demonstrate that DNA damage plays a key role in disrupting neurodevelopment. To examine this hypothesis, we compared the cytotoxic and DNA damaging properties of the methylating agents methylazoxymethanol (MAM) and dimethyl sulfate (DMS) and the mono- and bifunctional alkylating agents chloroethylamine (CEA) and nitrogen mustard (HN2), in granule cell neurons derived from the cerebellum of neonatal wild type mice and three transgenic DNA repair strains. Wild type cerebellar neurons were significantly more sensitive to the alkylating agents DMS and HN2 than neuronal cultures treated with MAM or the half-mustard CEA. Parallel studies with neuronal cultures from mice deficient in alkylguanine DNA glycosylase (Aag-/-) or O6-methylguanine methyltransferase (Mgmt-/-), revealed significant differences in the sensitivity of neurons to all four genotoxicants. Mgmt-/- neurons were more sensitive to MAM and HN2 than the other genotoxicants and wild type neurons treated with either alkylating agent. In contrast, Aag-/- neurons were for the most part significantly less sensitive than wild type or Mgmt-/- neurons to MAM and HN2. Aag-/- neurons were also significantly less sensitive than wild type neurons treated with either DMS or CEA. Granule cell development and motor function were also more severely disturbed by MAM and HN2 in Mgmt-/- mice than in comparably treated wild type mice. In contrast, cerebellar development and motor function were well preserved in MAM treated Aag-/- or MGMT overexpressing (MgmtTg+) mice, even as compared with wild type mice suggesting that AAG protein increases MAM toxicity, whereas MGMT protein decreases toxicity. Surprisingly, neuronal development and motor function were severely disturbed in MgmtTg+ mice treated with HN2. Collectively, these in vitro

  5. Thermoresponsive N-alkoxyalkylacrylamide polymers as a sieving matrix for high-resolution DNA separations on a microfluidic chip

    PubMed Central

    Root, Brian E.; Hammock, Mallory L.; Barron, Annelise E.

    2012-01-01

    In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for a wide range of DNA separations that require the development of materials to meet the needs of high resolution and high throughput. Here, we demonstrate the use of thermoresponsive N-alkoxyalkylacrylamide polymers as a sieving matrix for DNA separations on a microfluidic chip. The viscosities of the N-alkoxyalkylacrylamide polymers are more than an order of magnitude lower than that of a linear polyacrylamide of corresponding molecular weight, allowing rapid loading of the microchip. At 25 °C, N-alkoxyalkylacrylamide polymers can provide improved DNA separations compared to LPA in terms of reduced separation time and increased separation efficiency, particularly for the larger DNA fragments. The improved separation efficiency in N-alkoxyalkylacrylamide polymers is attributed to the peak widths increasing only slightly with DNA fragment size, while the peak widths increase appreciably above 150 bp using an LPA matrix. Upon elevating the temperature to 50 °C, the increase in viscosity of the N-alkoxyalkylacrylamide solutions is dependent upon their overall degree of hydrophobicity. The most hydrophobic polymers exhibit an LCST below 50 °C, undergoing a coil-to-globule transition followed by chain aggregation. DNA separation efficiency at 50 °C therefore decreases significantly with increasing hydrophobic character of the polymers, and no separations were possible with solutions with an LCST below 50 °C. The work reported here demonstrates the potential for this class of polymer to be used for applications such as PCR product and RFLP sizing, and provides insight into the effect of polymer hydrophobicity on DNA separations. PMID:19053065

  6. Regulation of oxidative DNA damage repair by DNA polymerase λ and MutYH by cross-talk of phosphorylation and ubiquitination

    PubMed Central

    Markkanen, Enni; van Loon, Barbara; Ferrari, Elena; Parsons, Jason L.; Dianov, Grigory L.; Hübscher, Ulrich

    2012-01-01

    It is of pivotal importance for genome stability that repair DNA polymerases (Pols), such as Pols λ and β, which all exhibit considerably reduced fidelity when replicating undamaged DNA, are tightly regulated, because their misregulation could lead to mutagenesis. Recently, we found that the correct repair of the abundant and highly miscoding oxidative DNA lesion 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2′-deoxyguanine (8-oxo-G) is performed by an accurate repair pathway that is coordinated by the MutY glycosylase homologue (MutYH) and Pol λ in vitro and in vivo. Pol λ is phosphorylated by Cdk2/cyclinA in late S and G2 phases of the cell cycle, promoting Pol λ stability by preventing it from being targeted for proteasomal degradation by ubiquitination. However, it has remained a mystery how the levels of Pol λ are controlled, how phosphorylation promotes its stability, and how the engagement of Pol λ in active repair complexes is coordinated. Here, we show that the E3 ligase Mule mediates the degradation of Pol λ and that the control of Pol λ levels by Mule has functional consequences for the ability of mammalian cells to deal with 8-oxo-G lesions. Furthermore, we demonstrate that phosphorylation of Pol λ by Cdk2/cyclinA counteracts its Mule-mediated degradation by promoting recruitment of Pol λ to chromatin into active 8-oxo-G repair complexes through an increase in Pol λ’s affinity to chromatin-bound MutYH. Finally, MutYH appears to promote the stability of Pol λ by binding it to chromatin. In contrast, Pol λ not engaged in active repair on chromatin is subject for proteasomal degradation. PMID:22203964

  7. Analysis of the machinery and intermediates of the 5hmC-mediated DNA demethylation pathway in aging on samples from the MARK-AGE Study

    PubMed Central

    Valentini, Elisabetta; Zampieri, Michele; Malavolta, Marco; Bacalini, Maria Giulia; Calabrese, Roberta; Guastafierro, Tiziana; Reale, Anna; Franceschi, Claudio; Hervonen, Antti; Koller, Bernhard; Bernhardt, Jürgen; Slagboom, P. Eline; Toussaint, Olivier; Sikora, Ewa; Gonos, Efstathios S.; Breusing, Nicolle; Grune, Tilman; Jansen, Eugène; Dollé, Martijn E.T.; Moreno-Villanueva, María; Sindlinger, Thilo; Bürkle, Alexander; Ciccarone, Fabio; Caiafa, Paola

    2016-01-01

    Gradual changes in the DNA methylation landscape occur throughout aging virtually in all human tissues. A widespread reduction of 5-methylcytosine (5mC), associated with highly reproducible site-specific hypermethylation, characterizes the genome in aging. Therefore, an equilibrium seems to exist between general and directional deregulating events concerning DNA methylation controllers, which may underpin the age-related epigenetic changes. In this context, 5mC-hydroxylases (TET enzymes) are new potential players. In fact, TETs catalyze the stepwise oxidation of 5mC to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5fC) and 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC), driving the DNA demethylation process based on thymine DNA glycosylase (TDG)-mediated DNA repair pathway. The present paper reports the expression of DNA hydroxymethylation components, the levels of 5hmC and of its derivatives in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of age-stratified donors recruited in several European countries in the context of the EU Project ‘MARK-AGE’. The results provide evidence for an age-related decline of TET1, TET3 and TDG gene expression along with a decrease of 5hmC and an accumulation of 5caC. These associations were independent of confounding variables, including recruitment center, gender and leukocyte composition. The observed impairment of 5hmC-mediated DNA demethylation pathway in blood cells may lead to aberrant transcriptional programs in the elderly. PMID:27587280

  8. Thermodynamic Characterization of Binding Oxytricha nova Single Strand Telomere DNA with the Alpha Protein N-terminal Domain

    PubMed Central

    Buczek, Pawel; Horvath, Martin P.

    2010-01-01

    The Oxytricha nova telomere binding protein alpha subunit binds single strand DNA and participates in a nucleoprotein complex that protects the very ends of chromosomes. To understand how the N-terminal, DNA binding domain of alpha interacts with DNA we measured the stoichiometry, enthalpy (ΔH), entropy (ΔS), and dissociation constant (KD-DNA) for binding telomere DNA fragments at different temperatures and salt concentrations using native gel electrophoresis and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). About 85% of the total free energy of binding corresponded with non-electrostatic interactions for all DNAs. Telomere DNA fragments d(T2G4), d(T4G4), d(G3T4G4), and d(G4T4G4) each formed monovalent protein complexes. In the case of d(T4G4T4G4), which has two tandemly repeated d(TTTTTGGGG) telomere motifs, two binding sites were observed. The high-affinity “A site” has a dissociation constant, KD-DNA(A)=13(±4) nM, while the low-affinity “B site” is characterized by KD-DNA(B)=5600(±600) nM at 25 °C. Nucleotide substitution variants verified that the A site corresponds principally with the 3′-terminal portion of d(T4G4T4G4). The relative contributions of entropy (ΔS) and enthalpy (ΔH) for binding reactions were DNA length-dependent as was heat capacity (ΔCp). These trends with respect to DNA length likely reflect structural transitions in the DNA molecule that are coupled with DNA–protein association. Results presented here are important for understanding early intermediates and subsequent stages in the assembly of the full telomere nucleoprotein complex and how binding events can prepare the telomere DNA for extension by telomerase, a critical event in telomere biology. PMID:16678852

  9. Evaluation of the DNA damaging potential of cannabis cigarette smoke by the determination of acetaldehyde derived N2-ethyl-2'-deoxyguanosine adducts.

    PubMed

    Singh, Rajinder; Sandhu, Jatinderpal; Kaur, Balvinder; Juren, Tina; Steward, William P; Segerbäck, Dan; Farmer, Peter B

    2009-06-01

    Acetaldehyde is an ubiquitous genotoxic compound that has been classified as a possible carcinogen to humans. It can react with DNA to form primarily a Schiff base N(2)-ethylidene-2'-deoxyguanosine (N(2)-ethylidene-dG) adduct. An online column-switching valve liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) selected reaction monitoring (SRM) method was developed for the determination of N(2)-ethylidene-dG adducts in DNA following reduction with sodium cyanoborohydride (NaBH(3)CN) to the chemically stable N(2)-ethyl-2'-deoxyguanosine (N(2)-ethyl-dG) adduct. Accurate quantitation of the adduct was obtained by the addition of the [(15)N(5)]N(2)-ethyl-dG stable isotope-labeled internal standard prior to enzymatic hydrolysis of the DNA samples to 2'-deoxynucleosides with the incorporation of NaBH(3)CN in the DNA hydrolysis buffer. The method required 50 microg of hydrolyzed DNA on column for the analysis, and the limit of detection for N(2)-ethyl-dG was 2.0 fmol. The analysis of calf thymus DNA treated in vitro with acetaldehyde (ranging from 0.5 to 100 mM) or with the smoke generated from 1, 5, and 10 cannabis cigarettes showed linear dose-dependent increases in the level of N(2)-ethyl-dG adducts (r = 0.954 and r = 0.999, respectively). Similar levels (332.8 +/- 21.9 vs 348.4 +/- 19.1 adducts per 10(8) 2'-deoxynucleosides) of N(2)-ethyl-dG adducts were detected following the exposure of calf thymus DNA to 10 tobacco or 10 cannabis cigarettes. No significant difference was found in the levels of N(2)-ethyl-dG adducts in human lung DNA obtained from nonsmokers (n = 4) and smokers (n = 4) with the average level observed as 13.3 +/- 0.7 adducts per 10(8) 2'-deoxynucleosides. No N(2)-ethyl-dG adducts were detected in any of the DNA samples following analysis with the omission of NaBH(3)CN from the DNA hydrolysis buffer. In conclusion, these results provide evidence for the DNA damaging potential of cannabis smoke, implying that the consumption of cannabis

  10. Effects of trimethylamine N-oxide and urea on DNA duplex and G-quadruplex.

    PubMed

    Ueda, Yu-Mi; Zouzumi, Yu-Ki; Maruyama, Atsushi; Nakano, Shu-Ichi; Sugimoto, Naoki; Miyoshi, Daisuke

    2016-01-01

    We systematically investigated effects of molecular crowding with trimethylamine N -oxide (TMAO) as a zwitterionic and protective osmolyte and urea as a nonionic denaturing osmolyte on conformation and thermodynamics of the canonical DNA duplex and the non-canonical DNA G-quadruplex. It was found that TMAO and urea stabilized and destabilized, respectively, the G-quadruplex. On the other hand, these osmolytes generally destabilize the duplex; however, it was observed that osmolytes having the trimethylamine group stabilized the duplex at the lower concentrations because of a direct binding to a groove of the duplex. These results are useful not only to predict DNA structures and their thermodynamics under physiological environments in living cells, but also design of polymers and materials to regulate structure and stability of DNA sequences.

  11. Mechanism of error-free DNA synthesis across N1-methyl-deoxyadenosine by human DNA polymerase-ι

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jain, Rinku; Choudhury, Jayati Roy; Buku, Angeliki

    N1-methyl-deoxyadenosine (1-MeA) is formed by methylation of deoxyadenosine at the N1 atom. 1-MeA presents a block to replicative DNA polymerases due to its inability to participate in Watson-Crick (W-C) base pairing. Here we determine how human DNA polymerase-ι (Polι) promotes error-free replication across 1-MeA. Steady state kinetic analyses indicate that Polι is ~100 fold more efficient in incorporating the correct nucleotide T versus the incorrect nucleotide C opposite 1-MeA. To understand the basis of this selectivity, we determined ternary structures of Polι bound to template 1-MeA and incoming dTTP or dCTP. In both structures, template 1-MeA rotates to the synmore » conformation but pairs differently with dTTP versus dCTP. Thus, whereas dTTP partakes in stable Hoogsteen base pairing with 1-MeA, dCTP fails to gain a “foothold” and is largely disordered. Together, our kinetic and structural studies show how Polι maintains discrimination between correct and incorrect incoming nucleotide opposite 1-MeA in preserving genome integrity.« less

  12. Mechanism of Error-Free DNA Replication Past Lucidin-Derived DNA Damage by Human DNA Polymerase κ.

    PubMed

    Yockey, Oliver P; Jha, Vikash; Ghodke, Pratibha P; Xu, Tianzuo; Xu, Wenyan; Ling, Hong; Pradeepkumar, P I; Zhao, Linlin

    2017-11-20

    DNA damage impinges on genetic information flow and has significant implications in human disease and aging. Lucidin-3-O-primeveroside (LuP) is an anthraquinone derivative present in madder root, which has been used as a coloring agent and food additive. LuP can be metabolically converted to genotoxic compound lucidin, which subsequently forms lucidin-specific N 2 -2'-deoxyguanosine (N 2 -dG) and N 6 -2'-deoxyadenosine (N 6 -dA) DNA adducts. Lucidin is mutagenic and carcinogenic in rodents but has low carcinogenic risks in humans. To understand the molecular mechanism of low carcinogenicity of lucidin in humans, we performed DNA replication assays using site-specifically modified oligodeoxynucleotides containing a structural analogue (LdG) of lucidin-N 2 -dG DNA adduct and determined the crystal structures of DNA polymerase (pol) κ in complex with LdG-bearing DNA and an incoming nucleotide. We examined four human pols (pol η, pol ι, pol κ, and Rev1) in their efficiency and accuracy during DNA replication with LdG; these pols are key players in translesion DNA synthesis. Our results demonstrate that pol κ efficiently and accurately replicates past the LdG adduct, whereas DNA replication by pol η, pol ι is compromised to different extents. Rev1 retains its ability to incorporate dCTP opposite the lesion albeit with decreased efficiency. Two ternary crystal structures of pol κ illustrate that the LdG adduct is accommodated by pol κ at the enzyme active site during insertion and postlesion-extension steps. The unique open active site of pol κ allows the adducted DNA to adopt a standard B-form for accurate DNA replication. Collectively, these biochemical and structural data provide mechanistic insights into the low carcinogenic risk of lucidin in humans.

  13. Sequential addition of short DNA oligos in DNA-polymerase-based synthesis reactions

    DOEpatents

    Gardner, Shea N [San Leandro, CA; Mariella, Jr., Raymond P.; Christian, Allen T [Tracy, CA; Young, Jennifer A [Berkeley, CA; Clague, David S [Livermore, CA

    2011-01-18

    A method of fabricating a DNA molecule of user-defined sequence. The method comprises the steps of preselecting a multiplicity of DNA sequence segments that will comprise the DNA molecule of user-defined sequence, separating the DNA sequence segments temporally, and combining the multiplicity of DNA sequence segments with at least one polymerase enzyme wherein the multiplicity of DNA sequence segments join to produce the DNA molecule of user-defined sequence. Sequence segments may be of length n, where n is an even or odd integer. In one embodiment the length of desired hybridizing overlap is specified by the user and the sequences and the protocol for combining them are guided by computational (bioinformatics) predictions. In one embodiment sequence segments are combined from multiple reading frames to span the same region of a sequence, so that multiple desired hybridizations may occur with different overlap lengths. In one embodiment starting sequence fragments are of different lengths, n, n+1, n+2, etc.

  14. Pseudomonas putida AlkA and AlkB Proteins Comprise Different Defense Systems for the Repair of Alkylation Damage to DNA – In Vivo, In Vitro, and In Silico Studies

    PubMed Central

    Mielecki, Damian; Saumaa, Signe; Wrzesiński, Michał; Maciejewska, Agnieszka M.; Żuchniewicz, Karolina; Sikora, Anna; Piwowarski, Jan; Nieminuszczy, Jadwiga; Kivisaar, Maia; Grzesiuk, Elżbieta

    2013-01-01

    Alkylating agents introduce cytotoxic and/or mutagenic lesions to DNA bases leading to induction of adaptive (Ada) response, a mechanism protecting cells against deleterious effects of environmental chemicals. In Escherichia coli, the Ada response involves expression of four genes: ada, alkA, alkB, and aidB. In Pseudomonas putida, the organization of Ada regulon is different, raising questions regarding regulation of Ada gene expression. The aim of the presented studies was to analyze the role of AlkA glycosylase and AlkB dioxygenase in protecting P. putida cells against damage to DNA caused by alkylating agents. The results of bioinformatic analysis, of survival and mutagenesis of methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) or N-methyl-N’-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) treated P. putida mutants in ada, alkA and alkB genes as well as assay of promoter activity revealed diverse roles of Ada, AlkA and AlkB proteins in protecting cellular DNA against alkylating agents. We found AlkA protein crucial to abolish the cytotoxic but not the mutagenic effects of alkylans since: (i) the mutation in the alkA gene was the most deleterious for MMS/MNNG treated P. putida cells, (ii) the activity of the alkA promoter was Ada-dependent and the highest among the tested genes. P. putida AlkB (PpAlkB), characterized by optimal conditions for in vitro repair of specific substrates, complementation assay, and M13/MS2 survival test, allowed to establish conservation of enzymatic function of P. putida and E. coli AlkB protein. We found that the organization of P. putida Ada regulon differs from that of E. coli. AlkA protein induced within the Ada response is crucial for protecting P. putida against cytotoxicity, whereas Ada prevents the mutagenic action of alkylating agents. In contrast to E. coli AlkB (EcAlkB), PpAlkB remains beyond the Ada regulon and is expressed constitutively. It probably creates a backup system that protects P. putida strains defective in other DNA repair systems against

  15. Biochemical behavior of N-oxidized cytosine and adenine bases in DNA polymerase-mediated primer extension reactions

    PubMed Central

    Tsunoda, Hirosuke; Kudo, Tomomi; Masaki, Yoshiaki; Ohkubo, Akihiro; Seio, Kohji; Sekine, Mitsuo

    2011-01-01

    To clarify the biochemical behavior of 2′-deoxyribonucleoside 5′-triphosphates and oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ODNs) containing cytosine N-oxide (Co) and adenine N-oxide (Ao), we examined their base recognition ability in DNA duplex formation using melting temperature (Tm) experiments and their substrate specificity in DNA polymerase-mediated replication. As the result, it was found that the Tm values of modified DNA–DNA duplexes incorporating 2′-deoxyribonucleoside N-oxide derivatives significantly decreased compared with those of the unmodified duplexes. However, single insertion reactions by DNA polymerases of Klenow fragment (KF) (exo−) and Vent (exo−) suggested that Co and Ao selectively recognized G and T, respectively. Meanwhile, the kinetic study showed that the incorporation efficiencies of the modified bases were lower than those of natural bases. Ab initio calculations suggest that these modified bases can form the stable base pairs with the original complementary bases. These results indicate that the modified bases usually recognize the original bases as partners for base pairing, except for misrecognition of dATP by the action of KF (exo−) toward Ao on the template, and the primers could be extended on the template DNA. When they misrecognized wrong bases, the chain could not be elongated so that the modified base served as the chain terminator. PMID:21300642

  16. N-Sulfomethylation of guanine, adenine and cytosine with formaldehyde-bisulfite. A selective modification of guanine in DNA.

    PubMed

    Hayatsu, H; Yamashita, Y; Yui, S; Yamagata, Y; Tomita, K; Negishi, K

    1982-10-25

    When guanine-, adenine- and cytosine-nucleosides and nucleotides were treated with formaldehyde and then with bisulfite, stable N-sulfomethyl compounds were formed. N2-Sulfomethylguanine, N6-sulfomethyladenine, N4-sulfomthylcytosine and N6-sulfomethyl-9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyladenine were isolated as crystals and characterized. A guanine-specific sulfomethylation was brought about by treatment and denatured single-stranded DNA with formaldehyde and then with bisulfite at pH 7 and 4 degrees C. Since native double-stranded DNA was not modified by this treatment, this new method of modification is expected to be useful as a conformational probe for polynucleotides.

  17. N-Sulfomethylation of guanine, adenine and cytosine with formaldehyde-bisulfite. A selective modification of guanine in DNA.

    PubMed Central

    Hayatsu, H; Yamashita, Y; Yui, S; Yamagata, Y; Tomita, K; Negishi, K

    1982-01-01

    When guanine-, adenine- and cytosine-nucleosides and nucleotides were treated with formaldehyde and then with bisulfite, stable N-sulfomethyl compounds were formed. N2-Sulfomethylguanine, N6-sulfomethyladenine, N4-sulfomthylcytosine and N6-sulfomethyl-9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyladenine were isolated as crystals and characterized. A guanine-specific sulfomethylation was brought about by treatment and denatured single-stranded DNA with formaldehyde and then with bisulfite at pH 7 and 4 degrees C. Since native double-stranded DNA was not modified by this treatment, this new method of modification is expected to be useful as a conformational probe for polynucleotides. PMID:7177848

  18. Effects of trimethylamine N-oxide and urea on DNA duplex and G-quadruplex

    PubMed Central

    Ueda, Yu-mi; Zouzumi, Yu-ki; Maruyama, Atsushi; Nakano, Shu-ichi; Sugimoto, Naoki; Miyoshi, Daisuke

    2016-01-01

    Abstract We systematically investigated effects of molecular crowding with trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) as a zwitterionic and protective osmolyte and urea as a nonionic denaturing osmolyte on conformation and thermodynamics of the canonical DNA duplex and the non-canonical DNA G-quadruplex. It was found that TMAO and urea stabilized and destabilized, respectively, the G-quadruplex. On the other hand, these osmolytes generally destabilize the duplex; however, it was observed that osmolytes having the trimethylamine group stabilized the duplex at the lower concentrations because of a direct binding to a groove of the duplex. These results are useful not only to predict DNA structures and their thermodynamics under physiological environments in living cells, but also design of polymers and materials to regulate structure and stability of DNA sequences. PMID:27933115

  19. S - and N-alkylating agents diminish the fluorescence of fluorescent dye-stained DNA.

    PubMed

    Giesche, Robert; John, Harald; Kehe, Kai; Schmidt, Annette; Popp, Tanja; Balzuweit, Frank; Thiermann, Horst; Gudermann, Thomas; Steinritz, Dirk

    2017-01-25

    Sulfur mustard (SM), a chemical warfare agent, causes DNA alkylation, which is believed to be the main cause of its toxicity. SM DNA adducts are commonly used to verify exposure to this vesicant. However, the required analytical state-of-the-art mass-spectrometry methods are complex, use delicate instruments, are not mobile, and require laboratory infrastructure that is most likely not available in conflict zones. Attempts have thus been made to develop rapid detection methods that can be used in the field. The analysis of SM DNA adducts (HETE-G) by immunodetection is a convenient and suitable method. For a diagnostic assessment, HETE-G levels must be determined in relation to the total DNA in the sample. Total DNA can be easily visualized by the use of fluorescent DNA dyes. This study examines whether SM and related compounds affect total DNA staining, an issue that has not been investigated before. After pure DNA was extracted from human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells), DNA was exposed to different S- and N-alkylating agents. Our experiments revealed a significant, dose-dependent decrease in the fluorescence signal of fluorescent dye-stained DNA after exposure to alkylating agents. After mass spectrometry and additional fluorescence measurements ruled out covalent modifications of ethidium bromide (EthBr) by SM, we assumed that DNA crosslinks caused DNA condensation and thereby impaired access of the fluorescent dyes to the DNA. DNA digestion by restriction enzymes restored fluorescence, a fact that strengthened our hypothesis. However, monofunctional agents, which are unable to crosslink DNA, also decreased the fluorescence signal. In subsequent experiments, we demonstrated that protons produced during DNA alkylation caused a pH decrease that was found responsible for the reduction in fluorescence. The use of an appropriate buffer system eliminated the adverse effect of alkylating agents on DNA staining with fluorescent dyes. An appropriate buffer system is thus

  20. N-terminal-mediated oligomerization of DnaA drives the occupancy-dependent rejuvenation of the protein on the membrane.

    PubMed

    Aranovich, Alexander; Braier-Marcovitz, Shani; Ansbacher, Esti; Granek, Rony; Parola, Abraham H; Fishov, Itzhak

    2015-08-13

    DnaA, the initiator of chromosome replication in most known eubacteria species, is activated once per cell division cycle. Its overall activity cycle is driven by ATP hydrolysis and ADP-ATP exchange. The latter can be promoted by binding to specific sequences on the chromosome and/or to acidic phospholipids in the membrane. We have previously shown that the transition into an active form (rejuvenation) is strongly co-operative with respect to DnaA membrane occupancy. Only at low membrane occupancy is DnaA reactivation efficiently catalysed by the acidic phospholipids. The present study was aimed at unravelling the molecular mechanism underlying the occupancy-dependent DnaA rejuvenation. We found that truncation of the DnaA N-terminal completely abolishes the co-operative transformation between the high and low occupancy states (I and II respectively) without affecting the membrane binding. The environmentally sensitive fluorophore specifically attached to the N-terminal cysteines of DnaA reported on occupancy-correlated changes in its vicinity. Cross-linking of DnaA with a short homobifunctional reagent revealed that state II of the protein on the membrane corresponds to a distinct oligomeric form of DnaA. The kinetic transition of DnaA on the membrane surface is described in the present study by a generalized 2D condensation phase transition model, confirming the existence of two states of DnaA on the membrane and pointing to the possibility that membrane protein density serves as an on-off switch in vivo. We conclude that the DnaA conformation attained at low surface density drives its N-terminal-mediated oligomerization, which is presumably a pre-requisite for facilitated nt exchange. © 2015 Authors.

  1. Chemical repair of base lesions, AP-sites, and strand breaks on plasmid DNA in dilute aqueous solution by ascorbic acid

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hata, Kuniki; Advanced Science Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-4 Shirakatashirane, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki 319-1195; Urushibara, Ayumi

    Highlights: •We report a novel mechanism of radiation protection of DNA by chemical activity of ascorbic acid. •The “chemical repair” of DNA damage was revealed using biochemical assay and chemical kinetics analysis. •We found that ascorbic acid significantly repairs precursors of nucleobase lesions and abasic sites. •However, ascorbic acid seldom repairs precursors of DNA-strand breaks. -- Abstract: We quantified the damage yields produced in plasmid DNA by γ-irradiation in the presence of low concentrations (10–100 μM) of ascorbic acid, which is a major antioxidant in living systems, to clarify whether it chemically repairs radiation damage in DNA. The yield ofmore » DNA single strand breaks induced by irradiation was analyzed with agarose gel electrophoresis as conformational changes in closed circular plasmids. Base lesions and abasic sites were also observed as additional conformational changes by treating irradiated samples with glycosylase proteins. By comparing the suppression efficiencies to the induction of each DNA lesion, in addition to scavenging of the OH radicals derived from water radiolysis, it was found that ascorbic acid promotes the chemical repair of precursors of AP-sites and base lesions more effectively than those of single strand breaks. We estimated the efficiency of the chemical repair of each lesion using a kinetic model. Approximately 50–60% of base lesions and AP-sites were repaired by 10 μM ascorbic acid, although strand breaks were largely unrepaired by ascorbic acid at low concentrations. The methods in this study will provide a route to understanding the mechanistic aspects of antioxidant activity in living systems.« less

  2. Multiplexing N-glycan analysis by DNA analyzer.

    PubMed

    Feng, Hua-Tao; Li, Pingjing; Rui, Guo; Stray, James; Khan, Shaheer; Chen, Shiaw-Min; Li, Sam F Y

    2017-07-01

    Analysis of N-glycan structures has been gaining attentions over the years due to their critical importance to biopharma-based applications and growing roles in biological research. Glycan profiling is also critical to the development of biosimilar drugs. The detailed characterization of N-glycosylation is mandatory because it is a nontemplate driven process and that significantly influences critical properties such as bio-safety and bio-activity. The ability to comprehensively characterize highly complex mixtures of N-glycans has been analytically challenging and stimulating because of the difficulties in both the structure complexity and time-consuming sample pretreatment procedures. CE-LIF is one of the typical techniques for N-glycan analysis due to its high separation efficiency. In this paper, a 16-capillary DNA analyzer was coupled with a magnetic bead glycan purification method to accelerate the sample preparation procedure and therefore increase N-glycan assay throughput. Routinely, the labeling dye used for CE-LIF is 8-aminopyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid, while the typical identification method involves matching migration times with database entries. Two new fluorescent dyes were used to either cross-validate and increase the glycan identification precision or simplify sample preparation steps. Exoglycosidase studies were carried out using neuramididase, galactosidase, and fucosidase to confirm the results of three dye cross-validation. The optimized method combines the parallel separation capacity of multiple-capillary separation with three labeling dyes, magnetic bead assisted preparation, and exoglycosidase treatment to allow rapid and accurate analysis of N-glycans. These new methods provided enough useful structural information to permit N-glycan structure elucidation with only one sample injection. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Analysis of the Intrinsically Disordered N-Terminus of the DNA Junction-Resolving Enzyme T7 Endonuclease I: Identification of Structure Formed upon DNA Binding

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    The four-way (Holliday) DNA junction of homologous recombination is processed by the symmetrical cleavage of two strands by a nuclease. These junction-resolving enzymes bind to four-way junctions in dimeric form, distorting the structure of the junction in the process. Crystal structures of T7 endonuclease I have been determined as free protein, and the complex with a DNA junction. In neither crystal structure was the N-terminal 16-amino acid peptide visible, yet deletion of this peptide has a marked effect on the resolution process. Here we have investigated the N-terminal peptide by inclusion of spin-label probes at unique sites within this region, studied by electron paramagnetic resonance. Continuous wave experiments show that these labels are mobile in the free protein but become constrained on binding a DNA junction, with the main interaction occurring for residues 7–10 and 12. Distance measurements between equivalent positions within the two peptides of a dimer using PELDOR showed that the intermonomeric distances for residues 2–12 are long and broadly distributed in the free protein but are significantly shortened and become more defined on binding to DNA. These results suggest that the N-terminal peptides become more organized on binding to the DNA junction and nestle into the minor grooves at the branchpoint, consistent with the biochemical data indicating an important role in the resolution process. This study demonstrates the presence of structure within a protein region that cannot be viewed by crystallography. PMID:27387136

  4. Methanol exposure does not produce oxidatively damaged DNA in lung, liver or kidney of adult mice, rabbits or primates

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    McCallum, Gordon P.; Siu, Michelle; Sweeting, J. Nicole

    2011-01-15

    In vitro and in vivo genotoxicity tests indicate methanol (MeOH) is not mutagenic, but carcinogenic potential has been claimed in one controversial long-term rodent cancer bioassay that has not been replicated. To determine whether MeOH could indirectly damage DNA via reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated mechanisms, we treated male CD-1 mice, New Zealand white rabbits and cynomolgus monkeys with MeOH (2.0 g/kg ip) and 6 h later assessed oxidative damage to DNA, measured as 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) by HPLC with electrochemical detection. We found no MeOH-dependent increases in 8-oxodG in lung, liver or kidney of any species. Chronic treatment of CD-1 micemore » with MeOH (2.0 g/kg ip) daily for 15 days also did not increase 8-oxodG levels in these organs. These results were corroborated in DNA repair-deficient oxoguanine glycosylase 1 (Ogg1) knockout (KO) mice, which accumulated 8-oxodG in lung, kidney and liver with age, but exhibited no increase following MeOH, despite a 2-fold increase in renal 8-oxodG in Ogg1 KO mice following treatment with a ROS-initiating positive control, the renal carcinogen potassium bromate (KBrO{sub 3}; 100 mg/kg ip). These observations suggest that MeOH exposure does not promote the accumulation of oxidatively damaged DNA in lung, kidney or liver, and that environmental exposure to MeOH is unlikely to initiate carcinogenesis in these organs by DNA oxidation.« less

  5. DNA methylation of ESR-1 and N-33 in colorectal mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC).

    PubMed

    Arasaradnam, Ramesh P; Khoo, Kevin; Bradburn, Mike; Mathers, John C; Kelly, Seamus B

    2010-07-01

    Epigenetic marking such as DNA methylation influence gene transcription and chromosomal stability and may also be affected by environmental exposures. Few studies exist on alteration in DNA methylation profiles (genomic and gene specific methylation) in patients with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and no studies exist that assess its relationship with lifestyle exposures. The methylation level of both ESR-1 and N-33 genes were significantly higher in UC subjects compared with controls (7.9% vs. 5.9%; p = 0.015 and 66% vs. 9.3%; p < 0.001 respectively). There was no detectable difference in global DNA methylation between patients with UC and age and sex matched controls. No associations between indices of DNA methylation and anthropometric measures or smoking patterns were detected. To assess genomic methylation and promoter methylation of the ESR-1 (oestrogen receptor-1) and N-33 (tumor suppressor candidate-3) genes in the macroscopically normal mucosa of UC patients as well as to investigate effects of anthropometric and lifestyle exposures on DNA methylation. Sixty eight subjects were recruited (24 UC and 44 age and sex matched controls). Colorectal mucosal biopsies were obtained and DNA was extracted. Genomic DNA methylation was quantified using the tritium-labelled cytosine extension assay (3[H] dCTP) while gene specific methylation was quantified using the COBRA method. For the first time, we have shown increased methylation in the promoter regions of the putative tumor suppressor gene N-33 in macroscopically normal mucosa of patients with UC. In addition, we have confirmed that methylation of ESR-1 promoter is higher in UC patients compared with age and sex matched controls. These findings suggest that inactivation through methylation of the putative tumor suppressor genes N-33 and ESR-1 may not be associated with colorectal carcinogenesis in UC.

  6. The N-terminus of RPA large subunit and its spatial position are important for the 5'->3' resection of DNA double-strand breaks.

    PubMed

    Tammaro, Margaret; Liao, Shuren; McCane, Jill; Yan, Hong

    2015-10-15

    The first step of homology-dependent repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) is the resection of the 5' strand to generate 3' ss-DNA. Of the two major nucleases responsible for resection, EXO1 has intrinsic 5'->3' directionality, but DNA2 does not. DNA2 acts with RecQ helicases such as the Werner syndrome protein (WRN) and the heterotrimeric eukaryotic ss-DNA binding protein RPA. We have found that the N-terminus of the RPA large subunit (RPA1N) interacts with both WRN and DNA2 and is essential for stimulating WRN's 3'->5' helicase activity and DNA2's 5'->3' ss-DNA exonuclease activity. A mutant RPA complex that lacks RPA1N is unable to support resection in Xenopus egg extracts and human cells. Furthermore, relocating RPA1N to the middle subunit but not to the small subunit causes severe defects in stimulating DNA2 and WRN and in supporting resection. Together, these findings suggest that RPA1N and its spatial position are critical for restricting the directionality of the WRN-DNA2 resection pathway. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  7. Long repeating (TTAGGG)n single stranded DNA self-condenses into compact beaded filaments stabilized by G-quadruplex formation.

    PubMed

    Kar, Anirban; Jones, Nathan; Arat, N Özlem; Fishel, Richard; Griffith, Jack

    2018-04-19

    Conformations adopted by long stretches of single stranded DNA (ssDNA) are of central interest in understanding the architecture of replication forks, R loops, and other structures generated during DNA metabolism in vivo. This is particularly so if the ssDNA consists of short nucleotide repeats. Such studies have been hampered by the lack of defined substrates greater than ~150 nt, and the absence of high-resolution biophysical approaches. Here we describe the generation of very long ssDNA consisting of the mammalian telomeric repeat (5'-TTAGGG-3')n as well as the interrogation of its structure by electron microscopy (EM) and single molecule magnetic tweezers (smMT). This repeat is of particular interest as it contains a run of 3 contiguous guanine residues capable of forming G quartets as ssDNA. Fluorescent-dye exclusion assays confirmed that this G-strand ssDNA forms ubiquitous G-quadruplex folds. EM revealed thick bead-like filaments that condensed the DNA ~12 fold. The bead-like structures were 5 nm and 8 nm in diameter and linked by thin filaments. The G-strand ssDNA displayed initial stability to smMT force extension that ultimately released in steps that were multiples ~28 nm at forces between 6-12 pN; well below the >20 pN required to unravel G-quadruplexes. Most smMT steps were consistent with the disruption of the beads seen by EM. Binding by RAD51 distinctively altered the force extension properties of the G-strand ssDNA, suggesting a stochastic G-quadruplex-dependent condensation model that is discussed. Published under license by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  8. NEIL1 protects against aflatoxin-induced hepatocellular carcinoma in mice.

    PubMed

    Vartanian, Vladimir; Minko, Irina G; Chawanthayatham, Supawadee; Egner, Patricia A; Lin, Ying-Chih; Earley, Lauriel F; Makar, Rosemary; Eng, Jennifer R; Camp, Matthew T; Li, Liang; Stone, Michael P; Lasarev, Michael R; Groopman, John D; Croy, Robert G; Essigmann, John M; McCullough, Amanda K; Lloyd, R Stephen

    2017-04-18

    Global distribution of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) is dominated by its incidence in developing countries, accounting for >700,000 estimated deaths per year, with dietary exposures to aflatoxin (AFB 1 ) and subsequent DNA adduct formation being a significant driver. Genetic variants that increase individual susceptibility to AFB 1 -induced HCCs are poorly understood. Herein, it is shown that the DNA base excision repair (BER) enzyme, DNA glycosylase NEIL1, efficiently recognizes and excises the highly mutagenic imidazole ring-opened AFB 1 -deoxyguanosine adduct (AFB 1 -Fapy-dG). Consistent with this in vitro result, newborn mice injected with AFB 1 show significant increases in the levels of AFB 1 -Fapy-dG in Neil1 -/- vs. wild-type liver DNA. Further, Neil1 -/- mice are highly susceptible to AFB 1 -induced HCCs relative to WT controls, with both the frequency and average size of hepatocellular carcinomas being elevated in Neil1 -/- The magnitude of this effect in Neil1 -/- mice is greater than that previously measured in Xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group A (XPA) mice that are deficient in nucleotide excision repair (NER). Given that several human polymorphic variants of NEIL1 are catalytically inactive for their DNA glycosylase activity, these deficiencies may increase susceptibility to AFB 1 -associated HCCs.

  9. Basic N-terminus of yeast Nhp6A regulates the mechanism of its DNA flexibility enhancement.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jingyun; McCauley, Micah J; Maher, L James; Williams, Mark C; Israeloff, Nathan E

    2012-02-10

    HMGB (high-mobility group box) proteins are members of a class of small proteins that are ubiquitous in eukaryotic cells and nonspecifically bind to DNA, inducing large-angle DNA bends, enhancing the flexibility of DNA, and likely facilitating numerous important biological interactions. To determine the nature of this behavior for different HMGB proteins, we used atomic force microscopy to quantitatively characterize the bend angle distributions of DNA complexes with human HMGB2(Box A), yeast Nhp6A, and two chimeric mutants of these proteins. While all of the HMGB proteins bend DNA to preferred angles, Nhp6A promoted the formation of higher-order oligomer structures and induced a significantly broader distribution of angles, suggesting that the mechanism of Nhp6A is like a flexible hinge more than that of HMGB2(Box A). To determine the structural origins of this behavior, we used portions of the cationic N-terminus of Nhp6A to replace corresponding HMGB2(Box A) sequences. We found that the oligomerization and broader angle distribution correlated directly with the length of the N-terminus incorporated into the HMGB2(Box A) construct. Therefore, the basic N-terminus of Nhp6A is responsible for its ability to act as a flexible hinge and to form high-order structures. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Synthesis and circularization of N- and B-tropic retroviral DNA in Fv-1 permissive and restrictive mouse cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yang, W.K.; Kiggans, J.O.; Yang, D.M.

    1980-05-01

    Production of various forms of nonintegrated viral DNA was measured in cultured mouse cells carrying different Fv-1 alleles early after infection with N-tropic or B-tropic retroviruses. Quantitative analyses were performed by agarose gel electrophoresis, transfer to diazobenzyloxymethyl-paper, and molecular hybridization. In permissive infection of Fv-1/sup n/ cells (NIH Swiss and DBA mouse strains) with N-tropic virus and of Fv-1/sup b/ cells (BALB/c and C57BL/6 strains) with B-tropic virus, form III (double-stranded linear) DNA first appeared at 3 to 4 hr and reached a maximum at 8 to 10 hr; two form I (closed circle) DNAs appeared at 7 to 8more » hr and reached a maximum at or beyond 12 hr. In the two Fv-1/sup b/ cells infected with N-tropic virus and in DBA (Fv-1/sup n/) cells infected with B-tropic virus, formation of the two form I DNAs was quantitatively restricted but formation of form III DNA was unaltered. In Fv-1/sup n/ NIH Swiss mouse embryo cells infected with B-tropic virus, the level of form III DNA was markedly depressed and hence the two form I DNAs were not detectable. In C57BL/6 cells as well as in DBA/2 cells 12 hr after infection, the quantity of form III DNA varied directly with the amount of restricted virus, whereas the quantity of form I DNA varied according to the square of the amount of restricted virus. The significance of these results for understanding the molecular basis of retrovirus replication and its restriction by the Fv-1 gene is discussed.« less

  11. The N Terminus of the Retinoblastoma Protein Inhibits DNA Replication via a Bipartite Mechanism Disrupted in Partially Penetrant Retinoblastomas

    PubMed Central

    Borysov, Sergiy I.; Nepon-Sixt, Brook S.

    2015-01-01

    The N-terminal domain of the retinoblastoma (Rb) tumor suppressor protein (RbN) harbors in-frame exon deletions in partially penetrant hereditary retinoblastomas and is known to impair cell growth and tumorigenesis. However, how such RbN deletions contribute to Rb tumor- and growth-suppressive functions is unknown. Here we establish that RbN directly inhibits DNA replication initiation and elongation using a bipartite mechanism involving N-terminal exons lost in cancer. Specifically, Rb exon 7 is necessary and sufficient to target and inhibit the replicative CMG helicase, resulting in the accumulation of inactive CMGs on chromatin. An independent N-terminal loop domain, which forms a projection, specifically blocks DNA polymerase α (Pol-α) and Ctf4 recruitment without affecting DNA polymerases ε and δ or the CMG helicase. Individual disruption of exon 7 or the projection in RbN or Rb, as occurs in inherited cancers, partially impairs the ability of Rb/RbN to inhibit DNA replication and block G1-to-S cell cycle transit. However, their combined loss abolishes these functions of Rb. Thus, Rb growth-suppressive functions include its ability to block replicative complexes via bipartite, independent, and additive N-terminal domains. The partial loss of replication, CMG, or Pol-α control provides a potential molecular explanation for how N-terminal Rb loss-of-function deletions contribute to the etiology of partially penetrant retinoblastomas. PMID:26711265

  12. Physical mapping of repetitive DNA suggests 2n reduction in Amazon turtles Podocnemis (Testudines: Podocnemididae)

    PubMed Central

    Cavalcante, Manoella Gemaque; Bastos, Carlos Eduardo Matos Carvalho; Nagamachi, Cleusa Yoshiko; Pieczarka, Julio Cesar; Vicari, Marcelo Ricardo; Noronha, Renata Coelho Rodrigues

    2018-01-01

    Cytogenetic studies show that there is great karyotypic diversity in order Testudines (2n = 26–68), and that this may be mainly attributed to the presence/absence of microchromosomes. Members of the Podocnemididae family have the smallest diploid numbers of this order (2n = 26–28), which may be a derived condition of the group. Diverse studies suggest that repetitive-DNA-rich sites generally act as hotspots for double-strand breaks and chromosomal reorganization. In this context, we used fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) to map telomeric sequences (TTAGGG)n, 45S rDNA, and the genes encoding histones H1 and H3 in two species of genus Podocnemis. We also observed conservation of the 45S rDNA and H1 histone sequences (probable case of conserved synteny), but multiple conserved and non-conserved clusters of H3 genes, which colocalized with the interstitial telomeric sequences in the Podocnemis genome. Our results suggest that fusions have occurred between macro and microchromosomes or between microchromosomes, leading to the observed reduction in diploid number in the family Podocnemididae. PMID:29813087

  13. Physical mapping of repetitive DNA suggests 2n reduction in Amazon turtles Podocnemis (Testudines: Podocnemididae).

    PubMed

    Cavalcante, Manoella Gemaque; Bastos, Carlos Eduardo Matos Carvalho; Nagamachi, Cleusa Yoshiko; Pieczarka, Julio Cesar; Vicari, Marcelo Ricardo; Noronha, Renata Coelho Rodrigues

    2018-01-01

    Cytogenetic studies show that there is great karyotypic diversity in order Testudines (2n = 26-68), and that this may be mainly attributed to the presence/absence of microchromosomes. Members of the Podocnemididae family have the smallest diploid numbers of this order (2n = 26-28), which may be a derived condition of the group. Diverse studies suggest that repetitive-DNA-rich sites generally act as hotspots for double-strand breaks and chromosomal reorganization. In this context, we used fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) to map telomeric sequences (TTAGGG)n, 45S rDNA, and the genes encoding histones H1 and H3 in two species of genus Podocnemis. We also observed conservation of the 45S rDNA and H1 histone sequences (probable case of conserved synteny), but multiple conserved and non-conserved clusters of H3 genes, which colocalized with the interstitial telomeric sequences in the Podocnemis genome. Our results suggest that fusions have occurred between macro and microchromosomes or between microchromosomes, leading to the observed reduction in diploid number in the family Podocnemididae.

  14. Ebselen attenuates oxidative DNA damage and enhances its repair activity in the thalamus after focal cortical infarction in hypertensive rats.

    PubMed

    He, Meixia; Xing, Shihui; Yang, Bo; Zhao, Liqun; Hua, Haiying; Liang, Zhijian; Zhou, Wenliang; Zeng, Jinsheng; Pei, Zhong

    2007-11-21

    Oxidative DNA damage has been proposed to be a major contributor to focal cerebral ischemic injury. However, little is known about the role of oxidative DNA damage in remote damage secondary to the primary infarction. In the present study, we investigated oxidative damage within the ventroposterior nucleus (VPN) after distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in hypertensive rats. We also examined the possible protective effect of ebselen, one glutathione peroxidase mimic, on delayed degeneration in the VPN after distal MCAO. Neuronal damage in the ipsilateral VPN was examined by Nissl staining. Oxidative DNA damage and base repair enzyme activity were assessed by analyzing immunoreactivity of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-ohdG) and 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1), respectively. The number of intact neurons in the ipsilateral VPN decreased by 52% compared to the contralateral side in ischemia group 2 weeks after distal cerebral cortical infarction. The immunoreactivity of 8-ohdG significantly increased while OGG1 immunoreactivity significantly decreased in the ipsilateral VPN 2 weeks after distal cortical infarction (all p<0.01). Compared with vehicle treatment, ebselen significantly attenuated the neuron loss, ameliorated ischemia-induced increase in 8-ohdG level as well as decrease in OGG1 level within the ipsilateral VPN (all p<0.01). OGG1 was further demonstrated to mainly express in neurons. These findings strongly suggest that oxidative DNA damage may be involved in the delayed neuronal death in the VPN region following distal MCAO. Furthermore, ebselen protects against the delayed damage in the VPN when given at 24 h following distal MCAO.

  15. Sulfur K-Edge XAS Studies of the Effect of DNA Binding on the [Fe 4 S 4 ] Site in EndoIII and MutY

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ha, Yang; Arnold, Anna R.; Nuñez, Nicole N.

    S K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) was used to study the [Fe 4S 4] clusters in the DNA repair glycosylases EndoIII and MutY to evaluate the effects of DNA binding and solvation on Fe–S bond covalencies (i.e., the amount of S 3p character mixed into the Fe 3d valence orbitals). Increased covalencies in both iron–thiolate and iron–sulfide bonds would stabilize the oxidized state of the [Fe 4S 4] clusters. Our results are compared to those on previously studied [Fe 4S 4] model complexes, ferredoxin (Fd), and to new data on high-potential iron–sulfur protein (HiPIP). A limited decrease in covalency ismore » observed upon removal of solvent water from EndoIII and MutY, opposite to the significant increase observed for Fd, where the [Fe 4S 4] cluster is solvent exposed. Importantly, in EndoIII and MutY, a large increase in covalency is observed upon DNA binding, which is due to the effect of its negative charge on the iron–sulfur bonds. Furthermore, in EndoIII, this change in covalency can be quantified and makes a significant contribution to the observed decrease in reduction potential found experimentally in DNA repair proteins, enabling their HiPIP-like redox behavior.« less

  16. Sulfur K-Edge XAS Studies of the Effect of DNA Binding on the [Fe 4 S 4 ] Site in EndoIII and MutY

    DOE PAGES

    Ha, Yang; Arnold, Anna R.; Nuñez, Nicole N.; ...

    2017-07-18

    S K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) was used to study the [Fe 4S 4] clusters in the DNA repair glycosylases EndoIII and MutY to evaluate the effects of DNA binding and solvation on Fe–S bond covalencies (i.e., the amount of S 3p character mixed into the Fe 3d valence orbitals). Increased covalencies in both iron–thiolate and iron–sulfide bonds would stabilize the oxidized state of the [Fe 4S 4] clusters. Our results are compared to those on previously studied [Fe 4S 4] model complexes, ferredoxin (Fd), and to new data on high-potential iron–sulfur protein (HiPIP). A limited decrease in covalency ismore » observed upon removal of solvent water from EndoIII and MutY, opposite to the significant increase observed for Fd, where the [Fe 4S 4] cluster is solvent exposed. Importantly, in EndoIII and MutY, a large increase in covalency is observed upon DNA binding, which is due to the effect of its negative charge on the iron–sulfur bonds. Furthermore, in EndoIII, this change in covalency can be quantified and makes a significant contribution to the observed decrease in reduction potential found experimentally in DNA repair proteins, enabling their HiPIP-like redox behavior.« less

  17. N-terminal domains of human DNA polymerase lambda promote primer realignment during translesion DNA synthesis

    PubMed Central

    Taggart, David J.; Dayeh, Daniel M.; Fredrickson, Saul W.; Suo, Zucai

    2014-01-01

    The X-family DNA polymerases λ (Polλ) and β (Polβ) possess similar 5′-2-deoxyribose-5-phosphatelyase (dRPase) and polymerase domains. Besides these domains, Polλ also possesses a BRCA1 C-terminal (BRCT) domain and a proline-rich domain at its N terminus. However, it is unclear how these non-enzymatic domains contribute to the unique biological functions of Polλ. Here, we used primer extension assays and a newly developed high-throughput short oligonucleotide sequencing assay (HT-SOSA) to compare the efficiency of lesion bypass and fidelity of human Polβ, Polλ and two N-terminal deletion constructs of Polλ during the bypass of either an abasic site or a 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) lesion. We demonstrate that the BRCT domain of Polλ enhances the efficiency of abasic site bypass by approximately 1.6-fold. In contrast, deletion of the N-terminal domains of Polλ did not affect the efficiency of 8-oxodG bypass relative to nucleotide incorporations opposite undamaged dG. HT-SOSA analysis demonstrated that Polλ and Polβ preferentially generated −1 or −2 frameshift mutations when bypassing an abasic site and the single or double base deletion frequency was highly sequence dependent. Interestingly, the BRCT and proline-rich domains of Polλ cooperatively promoted the generation of −2 frameshift mutations when the abasic site was situated within a sequence context that was susceptible to homology-driven primer realignment. Furthermore, both N-terminal domains of Polλ increased the generation of −1 frameshift mutations during 8-oxodG bypass and influenced the frequency of substitution mutations produced by Polλ opposite the 8-oxodG lesion. Overall, our data support a model wherein the BRCT and proline-rich domains of Polλ act cooperatively to promote primer/template realignment between DNA strands of limited sequence homology. This function of the N-terminal domains may facilitate the role of Polλ as a gap-filling polymerase

  18. Sperm DNA oxidative damage and DNA adducts

    PubMed Central

    Jeng, Hueiwang Anna; Pan, Chih-Hong; Chao, Mu-Rong; Lin, Wen-Yi

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate DNA damage and adducts in sperm from coke oven workers who have been exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. A longitudinal study was conducted with repeated measurements during spermatogenesis. Coke-oven workers (n=112) from a coke-oven plant served the PAH-exposed group, while administrators and security personnel (n=67) served the control. Routine semen parameters (concentration, motility, vitality, and morphology) were analyzed simultaneously; the assessment of sperm DNA integrity endpoints included DNA fragmentation, bulky DNA adducts, and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dGuo). The degree of sperm DNA fragmentation was measured using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay and sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA). The PAH-exposed group had a significant increase in bulky DNA adducts and 8-oxo-dGuo compared to the control subjects (Ps = 0.002 and 0.045, respectively). Coke oven workers' percentages of DNA fragmentation and denaturation from the PAH-exposed group were not significantly different from those of the control subjects (Ps = 0.232 and 0.245, respectively). Routine semen parameters and DNA integrity endpoints were not correlated. Concentrations of 8-oxo-dGuo were positively correlated with percentages of DNA fragmentation measured by both TUNEL and SCSA (Ps = 0.045 and 0.034, respectively). However, the concentrations of 8-oxo-dGuo and percentages of DNA fragmentation did not correlate with concentrations of bulky DNA adducts. In summary, coke oven workers with chronic exposure to PAHs experienced decreased sperm DNA integrity. Oxidative stress could contribute to the degree of DNA fragmentation. Bulky DNA adducts may be independent of the formation of DNA fragmentation and oxidative adducts in sperm. Monitoring sperm DNA integrity is recommended as a part of the process of assessing the impact of occupational and environmental toxins on

  19. [Synthesis and study on the interaction of rare earth complexes of N', N-bis(2-pyridinecarboxamide)-1, 2-ethane with DNA].

    PubMed

    Lu, Xiao-Hong; Lin, Qiu-Yue; Hu, Rui-Ding; Liu, Wei-Dong; Feng, Jie

    2007-06-01

    Four rare earth complexes of N', N-bis(2-pyridinecarboxamide)-1, 2-ethane were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, conductivity measurement, thermal studies, IR and electronic spectra. The composition of the four complexes is [Ln(H2L)(NO3)2](NO3) x 3H2O (Ln=Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb). Results of spectral measurements indicate that the oxygen of carbonyl and the nitrogen of pyridyl coordinate with Ln(III) respectively, and the NO3- shows bidentate coordination. So the four complexes are 1 : 1 chelated complexes. The interaction between [Sm(H2L) (NO3)2](NO3) x 3H2O and DNA was studied by employing UV-Visible (UV-Vis) spectra, fluorescence spectra and SERS spectra. Experimental results show that with the incremental addition of DNA, the bands at 265 nm show hypochromism accompanied by a small red shift and the binding constant Kb Obtained is 1.24 x 10(5). Meanwhile fluorescence spectra show that the addition of [Sm(H2L) (NO3)2] (NO3) x 3H2O to DNA pretreated with EB causes an appreciable reduction in fluorescence intensity, indicating that the complex competes with ethidium bromide in binding to DNA, and free ethidium bromide increases. The addition of DNA causes the SERS signals of the complex to weaken and the band at 1 282 cm(-1) to disappear, which suggests that the planar pyridine molecule of the ligand may partly be inserted into the double-stranded helix plane in DNA, making pi electronic density of aromatic rings in complex change. The above phenomena indicate that [Sm(H2L) (NO3)] (NO3) x 3H2O interacts intensively with DNA.

  20. Effects of physical exercise training in DNA damage and repair activity in humans with different genetic polymorphisms of hOGG1 (Ser326Cys).

    PubMed

    Soares, Jorge Pinto; Silva, Ana Inês; Silva, Amélia M; Almeida, Vanessa; Teixeira, João Paulo; Matos, Manuela; Gaivão, Isabel; Mota, Maria Paula

    2015-12-01

    The main purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the possible influence of genetic polymorphisms of the hOGG1 (Ser326Cys) gene in DNA damage and repair activity by 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 (OGG1 enzyme) in response to 16 weeks of combined physical exercise training. Thirty-two healthy Caucasian men (40-74 years old) were enrolled in this study. All the subjects were submitted to a training of 16 weeks of combined physical exercise. The subjects with Ser/Ser genotype were considered as wild-type group (WTG), and Ser/Cys and Cys/Cys genotype were analysed together as mutant group (MG). We used comet assay in conjunction with formamidopyrimidine DNA glycoslyase (FPG) to analyse both strand breaks and FPG-sensitive sites. DNA repair activity were also analysed with the comet assay technique. Our results showed no differences between DNA damage (both strand breaks and FPG-sensitive sites) and repair activity (OGG1) between genotype groups (in the pre-training condition). Regarding the possible influence of genotype in the response to 16 weeks of physical exercise training, the results revealed a decrease in DNA strand breaks in both groups, a decrease in FPG-sensitive sites and an increase in total antioxidant capacity in the WTG, but no changes were found in MG. No significant changes in DNA repair activity was observed in both genotype groups with physical exercise training. This preliminary study suggests the possibility of different responses in DNA damage to the physical exercise training, considering the hOGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  1. [Polymorphism of genes encoding proteins of DNA repair vs. occupational and environmental exposure to lead, arsenic and pesticides].

    PubMed

    Bukowski, Karol; Woźniak, Katarzyna

    2018-03-09

    Genetic polymorphism is associated with the occurrence of at least 2 different alleles in the locus with a frequency higher than 1% in the population. Among polymorphisms we can find single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and polymorphism of variable number of tandem repeats. The presence of certain polymorphisms in genes encoding DNA repair enzymes is associated with the speed and efficiency of DNA repair and can protect or expose humans to the effects provoked by xenobiotics. Chemicals, such as lead, arsenic pesticides are considered to exhibit strong toxicity. There are many different polymorphisms in genes encoding DNA repair enzymes, which determine the speed and efficiency of DNA damage repair induced by these xenobiotics. In the case of lead, the influence of various polymorphisms, such as APE1 (apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1) (rs1130409), hOGG1 (human 8-oxoguanine glycosylase) (rs1052133), XRCC1 (X-ray repair cross-complementing protein group 1) (rs25487), XRCC1 (rs1799782) and XRCC3 (X-ray repair cross-complementing protein group 3) (rs861539) were described. For arsenic polymorphisms, such as ERCC2 (excision repair cross-complementing) (rs13181), XRCC3 (rs861539), APE1 (rs1130409) and hOGG1 (rs1052133) were examined. As to pesticides, separate and combined effects of polymorphisms in genes encoding DNA repair enzymes, such as XRCC1 (rs1799782), hOGG1 (rs1052133), XRCC4 (X-ray repair cross-complementing protein group 4) (rs28360135) and the gene encoding the detoxification enzyme PON1 paraoxonase (rs662) were reported. Med Pr 2018;69(2):225-235. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

  2. DHA-rich n-3 fatty acid supplementation decreases DNA methylation in blood leukocytes: the OmegAD study.

    PubMed

    Karimi, Mohsen; Vedin, Inger; Freund Levi, Yvonne; Basun, Hans; Faxén Irving, Gerd; Eriksdotter, Maria; Wahlund, Lars-Olof; Schultzberg, Marianne; Hjorth, Erik; Cederholm, Tommy; Palmblad, Jan

    2017-10-01

    Background: Dietary fish oils, rich in long-chain n-3 (ω-3) fatty acids (FAs) [e.g., docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3)], modulate inflammatory reactions through various mechanisms, including gene expression, which is measured as messenger RNA concentration. However, the effects of long-term treatment of humans with DHA and EPA on various epigenetic factors-such as DNA methylation, which controls messenger RNA generation-are poorly described. Objective: We wanted to determine the effects of 6 mo of dietary supplementation with an n-3 FA preparation rich in DHA on global DNA methylation of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) and the relation to plasma EPA and DHA concentrations in Alzheimer disease (AD) patients. Design: In the present study, DNA methylation in four 5'-cytosine-phosphate-guanine-3' (CpG) sites of long interspersed nuclear element-1 repetitive sequences was assessed in a group of 63 patients (30 given the n-3 FA preparation and 33 given placebo) as an estimation of the global DNA methylation in blood cells. Patients originated from the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled OmegAD study, in which 174 AD patients received either 1.7 g DHA and 0.6 g EPA (the n-3 FA group) or placebo daily for 6 mo. Results: At 6 mo, the n-3 FA group displayed marked increases in DHA and EPA plasma concentrations (2.6- and 3.5-fold), as well as decreased methylation in 2 out of 4 CpG sites ( P < 0.05 for all), respectively. This hypomethylation in CpG2 and CpG4 sites showed a reverse correlation to changes in plasma EPA concentration ( r = -0.25, P = 0.045; and r = -0.26, P = 0.041, respectively), but not to changes in plasma DHA concentration, and were not related to apolipoprotein E-4 allele frequency. Conclusion: Supplementation with n-3 FA for 6 mo was associated with global DNA hypomethylation in PBLs. Our data may be of importance in measuring various effects of marine oils, including gene expression, in patients

  3. Effect of DNA-injuring agents on B. stearothermophilus. Report 1. High resistance of B. stearothermophilus to N-nitroso-N-methylurea, ultraviolet and gamma radiation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gainullina, S.M.; Gumanova, A.V.; Vinogradova, N.A.

    1978-01-01

    The effects of DNA-attacking agents on thermophilic microorganisms were investigated. Bacillus stearothermophilus were treated with N-nitroso-N-methylurea, ultraviolet radiation or gamma radiation. Survival curves were plotted.

  4. DNA Re-EvolutioN: a game for learning molecular genetics and evolution.

    PubMed

    Miralles, Laura; Moran, Paloma; Dopico, Eduardo; Garcia-Vazquez, Eva

    2013-01-01

    Evolution is a main concept in biology, but not many students understand how it works. In this article we introduce the game DNA Re-EvolutioN as an active learning tool that uses genetic concepts (DNA structure, transcription and translation, mutations, natural selection, etc.) as playing rules. Students will learn about molecular evolution while playing a game that mixes up theory and entertainment. The game can be easily adapted to different educational levels. The main goal of this play is to arrive at the end of the game with the longest protein. Students play with pawns and dices, a board containing hypothetical events (mutations, selection) that happen to molecules, "Evolution cards" with indications for DNA mutations, prototypes of a DNA and a mRNA chain with colored "nucleotides" (plasticine balls), and small pieces simulating t-RNA with aminoacids that will serve to construct a "protein" based on the DNA chain. Students will understand how changes in DNA affect the final protein product and may be subjected to positive or negative selection, using a didactic tool funnier than classical theory lectures and easier than molecular laboratory experiments: a flexible and feasible game to learn and enjoy molecular evolution at no-cost. The game was tested by majors and non-majors in genetics from 13 different countries and evaluated with pre- and post-tests obtaining very positive results. © 2013 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

  5. Transgenerational inheritance of modified DNA methylation patterns and enhanced tolerance induced by heavy metal stress in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

    PubMed

    Ou, Xiufang; Zhang, Yunhong; Xu, Chunming; Lin, Xiuyun; Zang, Qi; Zhuang, Tingting; Jiang, Lili; von Wettstein, Diter; Liu, Bao

    2012-01-01

    DNA methylation is sensitive and responsive to stressful environmental conditions. Nonetheless, the extent to which condition-induced somatic methylation modifications can impose transgenerational effects remains to be fully understood. Even less is known about the biological relevance of the induced epigenetic changes for potentially altered well-being of the organismal progenies regarding adaptation to the specific condition their progenitors experienced. We analyzed DNA methylation pattern by gel-blotting at genomic loci representing transposable elements and protein-coding genes in leaf-tissue of heavy metal-treated rice (Oryza sativa) plants (S0), and its three successive organismal generations. We assessed expression of putative genes involved in establishing and/or maintaining DNA methylation patterns by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. We measured growth of the stressed plants and their unstressed progenies vs. the control plants. We found (1) relative to control, DNA methylation patterns were modified in leaf-tissue of the immediately treated plants, and the modifications were exclusively confined to CHG hypomethylation; (2) the CHG-demethylated states were heritable via both maternal and paternal germline, albeit often accompanying further hypomethylation; (3) altered expression of genes encoding for DNA methyltransferases, DNA glycosylase and SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling factor (DDM1) were induced by the stress; (4) progenies of the stressed plants exhibited enhanced tolerance to the same stress their progenitor experienced, and this transgenerational inheritance of the effect of condition accompanying heritability of modified methylation patterns. Our findings suggest that stressful environmental condition can produce transgenerational epigenetic modifications. Progenies of stressed plants may develop enhanced adaptability to the condition, and this acquired trait is inheritable and accord with transmission of the epigenetic modifications. We suggest

  6. The N-terminus of RPA large subunit and its spatial position are important for the 5′->3′ resection of DNA double-strand breaks

    PubMed Central

    Tammaro, Margaret; Liao, Shuren; McCane, Jill; Yan, Hong

    2015-01-01

    The first step of homology-dependent repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) is the resection of the 5′ strand to generate 3′ ss-DNA. Of the two major nucleases responsible for resection, EXO1 has intrinsic 5′->3′ directionality, but DNA2 does not. DNA2 acts with RecQ helicases such as the Werner syndrome protein (WRN) and the heterotrimeric eukaryotic ss-DNA binding protein RPA. We have found that the N-terminus of the RPA large subunit (RPA1N) interacts with both WRN and DNA2 and is essential for stimulating WRN's 3′->5′ helicase activity and DNA2's 5′->3′ ss-DNA exonuclease activity. A mutant RPA complex that lacks RPA1N is unable to support resection in Xenopus egg extracts and human cells. Furthermore, relocating RPA1N to the middle subunit but not to the small subunit causes severe defects in stimulating DNA2 and WRN and in supporting resection. Together, these findings suggest that RPA1N and its spatial position are critical for restricting the directionality of the WRN-DNA2 resection pathway. PMID:26227969

  7. Dioxin induces Ahr-dependent robust DNA demethylation of the Cyp1a1 promoter via Tdg in the mouse liver.

    PubMed

    Amenya, Hesbon Z; Tohyama, Chiharu; Ohsako, Seiichiroh

    2016-10-07

    The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr) is a highly conserved nuclear receptor that plays an important role in the manifestation of toxicity induced by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. As a xenobiotic sensor, Ahr is involved in chemical biotransformation through activation of drug metabolizing enzymes. The activated Ahr cooperates with coactivator complexes to induce epigenetic modifications at target genes. Thus, it is conceivable that 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a potent Ahr ligand, may elicit robust epigenetic changes in vivo at the Ahr target gene cytochrome P450 1a1 (Cyp1a1). A single dose of TCDD administered to adult mice induced Ahr-dependent CpG hypomethylation, changes in histone modifications, and thymine DNA glycosylase (Tdg) recruitment at the Cyp1a1 promoter in the liver within 24 hrs. These epigenetic changes persisted until 40 days post-TCDD treatment and there was Cyp1a1 mRNA hyperinduction upon repeat administration of TCDD at this time-point. Our demethylation assay using siRNA knockdown and an in vitro methylated plasmid showed that Ahr, Tdg, and the ten-eleven translocation methyldioxygenases Tet2 and Tet3 are required for the TCDD-induced DNA demethylation. These results provide novel evidence of Ahr-driven active DNA demethylation and epigenetic memory. The epigenetic alterations influence response to subsequent chemical exposure and imply an adaptive mechanism to xenobiotic stress.

  8. Dioxin induces Ahr-dependent robust DNA demethylation of the Cyp1a1 promoter via Tdg in the mouse liver

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Amenya, Hesbon Z.; Tohyama, Chiharu; Ohsako, Seiichiroh

    2016-10-01

    The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr) is a highly conserved nuclear receptor that plays an important role in the manifestation of toxicity induced by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. As a xenobiotic sensor, Ahr is involved in chemical biotransformation through activation of drug metabolizing enzymes. The activated Ahr cooperates with coactivator complexes to induce epigenetic modifications at target genes. Thus, it is conceivable that 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a potent Ahr ligand, may elicit robust epigenetic changes in vivo at the Ahr target gene cytochrome P450 1a1 (Cyp1a1). A single dose of TCDD administered to adult mice induced Ahr-dependent CpG hypomethylation, changes in histone modifications, and thymine DNA glycosylase (Tdg) recruitment at the Cyp1a1 promoter in the liver within 24 hrs. These epigenetic changes persisted until 40 days post-TCDD treatment and there was Cyp1a1 mRNA hyperinduction upon repeat administration of TCDD at this time-point. Our demethylation assay using siRNA knockdown and an in vitro methylated plasmid showed that Ahr, Tdg, and the ten-eleven translocation methyldioxygenases Tet2 and Tet3 are required for the TCDD-induced DNA demethylation. These results provide novel evidence of Ahr-driven active DNA demethylation and epigenetic memory. The epigenetic alterations influence response to subsequent chemical exposure and imply an adaptive mechanism to xenobiotic stress.

  9. A cyclobutane thymine–N4-methylcytosine dimer is resistant to hydrolysis but strongly blocks DNA synthesis

    PubMed Central

    Yamamoto, Junpei; Oyama, Tomoko; Kunishi, Tomohiro; Masutani, Chikahide; Hanaoka, Fumio; Iwai, Shigenori

    2014-01-01

    Exposure of DNA to ultraviolet light produces harmful crosslinks between adjacent pyrimidine bases, to form cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) and pyrimidine(6–4)pyrimidone photoproducts. The CPD is frequently formed, and its repair mechanisms have been exclusively studied by using a CPD formed at a TT site. On the other hand, biochemical analyses using CPDs formed within cytosine-containing sequence contexts are practically difficult, because saturated cytosine easily undergoes hydrolytic deamination. Here, we found that N-alkylation of the exocyclic amino group of 2′-deoxycytidine prevents hydrolysis in CPD formation, and an N-methylated cytosine-containing CPD was stable enough to be derivatized into its phosphoramidite building block and incorporated into oligonucleotides. Kinetic studies of the CPD-containing oligonucleotide indicated that its lifetime under physiological conditions is relatively long (∼7 days). In biochemical analyses using human DNA polymerase η, incorporation of TMP opposite the N-methylcytosine moiety of the CPD was clearly detected, in addition to dGMP incorporation, and the incorrect TMP incorporation blocked DNA synthesis. The thermodynamic parameters confirmed the formation of this unusual base pair. PMID:24185703

  10. Single-Molecule Interactions of a Monoclonal Anti-DNA Antibody with DNA

    PubMed Central

    Nevzorova, Tatiana A.; Zhao, Qingze; Lomakin, Yakov A.; Ponomareva, Anastasia A.; Mukhitov, Alexander R.; Purohit, Prashant K.; Weisel, John W.; Litvinov, Rustem I.

    2017-01-01

    Interactions of DNA with proteins are essential for key biological processes and have both a fundamental and practical significance. In particular, DNA binding to anti-DNA antibodies is a pathogenic mechanism in autoimmune pathology, such as systemic lupus erythematosus. Here we measured at the single-molecule level binding and forced unbinding of surface-attached DNA and a monoclonal anti-DNA antibody MRL4 from a lupus erythematosus mouse. In optical trap-based force spectroscopy, a microscopic antibodycoated latex bead is trapped by a focused laser beam and repeatedly brought into contact with a DNA-coated surface. After careful discrimination of non-specific interactions, we showed that the DNA-antibody rupture force spectra had two regimes, reflecting formation of weaker (20–40 pN) and stronger (>40 pN) immune complexes that implies the existence of at least two bound states with different mechanical stability. The two-dimensional force-free off-rate for the DNA-antibody complexes was ~2.2 × 10−3 s−1, the transition state distance was ~0.94 nm, the apparent on-rate was ~5.26 s−1, and the stiffness of the DNA-antibody complex was characterized by a spring constant of 0.0021 pN/nm, suggesting that the DNA-antibody complex is a relatively stable, but soft and deformable macromolecular structure. The stretching elasticity of the DNA molecules was characteristic of single-stranded DNA, suggesting preferential binding of the MRL4 antibody to one strand of DNA. Collectively, the results provide fundamental characteristics of formation and forced dissociation of DNA-antibody complexes that help to understand principles of DNA-protein interactions and shed light on the molecular basis of autoimmune diseases accompanied by formation of anti-DNA antibodies. PMID:29104846

  11. A soluble RecN homologue provides means for biochemical and genetic analysis of DNA double-strand break repair in Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Grove, Jane I; Wood, Stuart R; Briggs, Geoffrey S; Oldham, Neil J; Lloyd, Robert G

    2009-12-03

    RecN is a highly conserved, SMC-like protein in bacteria. It plays an important role in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks and is therefore a key factor in maintaining genome integrity. The insolubility of Escherichia coli RecN has limited efforts to unravel its function. We overcame this limitation by replacing the resident coding sequence with that of Haemophilus influenzae RecN. The heterologous construct expresses Haemophilus RecN from the SOS-inducible E. coli promoter. The hybrid gene is fully functional, promoting survival after I-SceI induced DNA breakage, gamma irradiation or exposure to mitomycin C as effectively as the native gene, indicating that the repair activity is conserved between these two species. H. influenzae RecN is quite soluble, even when expressed at high levels, and is readily purified. Its analysis by ionisation-mass spectrometry, gel filtration and glutaraldehyde crosslinking indicates that it is probably a dimer under physiological conditions, although a higher multimer cannot be excluded. The purified protein displays a weak ATPase activity that is essential for its DNA repair function in vivo. However, no DNA-binding activity was detected, which contrasts with RecN from Bacillus subtilis. RecN proteins from Aquifex aeolicus and Bacteriodes fragilis also proved soluble. Neither binds DNA, but the Aquifex RecN has weak ATPase activity. Our findings support studies indicating that RecN, and the SOS response in general, behave differently in E. coli and B. subtilis. The hybrid recN reported provides new opportunities to study the genetics and biochemistry of how RecN operates in E. coli.

  12. Chemistry and Biology of DNA Containing 1,N2-Deoxyguanosine Adducts of the α,β-Unsaturated Aldehydes Acrolein, Crotonaldehyde, and 4-Hydroxynonenal

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    The α,β-unsaturated aldehydes (enals) acrolein, crotonaldehyde, and trans-4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) are products of endogenous lipid peroxidation, arising as a consequence of oxidative stress. The addition of enals to dG involves Michael addition of the N2-amine to give N2-(3-oxopropyl)-dG adducts, followed by reversible cyclization of N1 with the aldehyde, yielding 1,N2-dG exocyclic products. The 1,N2-dG exocyclic adducts from acrolein, crotonaldehyde, and 4-HNE exist in human and rodent DNA. The enal-induced 1,N2-dG lesions are repaired by the nucleotide excision repair pathway in both Escherichia coli and mammalian cells. Oligodeoxynucleotides containing structurally defined 1,N2-dG adducts of acrolein, crotonaldehyde, and 4-HNE were synthesized via a postsynthetic modification strategy. Site-specific mutagenesis of enal adducts has been carried out in E. coli and various mammalian cells. In all cases, the predominant mutations observed are G→T transversions, but these adducts are not strongly miscoding. When placed into duplex DNA opposite dC, the 1,N2-dG exocyclic lesions undergo ring opening to the corresponding N2-(3-oxopropyl)-dG derivatives. Significantly, this places a reactive aldehyde in the minor groove of DNA, and the adducted base possesses a modestly perturbed Watson−Crick face. Replication bypass studies in vitro indicate that DNA synthesis past the ring-opened lesions can be catalyzed by pol η, pol ι, and pol κ. It also can be accomplished by a combination of Rev1 and pol ζ acting sequentially. However, efficient nucleotide insertion opposite the 1,N2-dG ring-closed adducts can be carried out only by pol ι and Rev1, two DNA polymerases that do not rely on the Watson−Crick pairing to recognize the template base. The N2-(3-oxopropyl)-dG adducts can undergo further chemistry, forming interstrand DNA cross-links in the 5′-CpG-3′ sequence, intrastrand DNA cross-links, or DNA−protein conjugates. NMR and mass spectrometric analyses

  13. General methods for analysis of sequential "n-step" kinetic mechanisms: application to single turnover kinetics of helicase-catalyzed DNA unwinding.

    PubMed

    Lucius, Aaron L; Maluf, Nasib K; Fischer, Christopher J; Lohman, Timothy M

    2003-10-01

    Helicase-catalyzed DNA unwinding is often studied using "all or none" assays that detect only the final product of fully unwound DNA. Even using these assays, quantitative analysis of DNA unwinding time courses for DNA duplexes of different lengths, L, using "n-step" sequential mechanisms, can reveal information about the number of intermediates in the unwinding reaction and the "kinetic step size", m, defined as the average number of basepairs unwound between two successive rate limiting steps in the unwinding cycle. Simultaneous nonlinear least-squares analysis using "n-step" sequential mechanisms has previously been limited by an inability to float the number of "unwinding steps", n, and m, in the fitting algorithm. Here we discuss the behavior of single turnover DNA unwinding time courses and describe novel methods for nonlinear least-squares analysis that overcome these problems. Analytic expressions for the time courses, f(ss)(t), when obtainable, can be written using gamma and incomplete gamma functions. When analytic expressions are not obtainable, the numerical solution of the inverse Laplace transform can be used to obtain f(ss)(t). Both methods allow n and m to be continuous fitting parameters. These approaches are generally applicable to enzymes that translocate along a lattice or require repetition of a series of steps before product formation.

  14. KDM1A triggers androgen-induced miRNA transcription via H3K4me2 demethylation and DNA oxidation.

    PubMed

    Yang, Shu; Zhang, Jiyuan; Zhang, Yalong; Wan, Xuechao; Zhang, Congzhe; Huang, Xiaohui; Huang, Wenhua; Pu, Honglei; Pei, Chaohan; Wu, Hai; Huang, Yan; Huang, Shengdong; Li, Yao

    2015-06-15

    Androgen receptor (AR) is a ligand dependent transcription factor that regulates the transcription of target genes. AR activity is closely involved in the maintenance and progression of prostate cancer. After the binding with androgen, AR moves into nucleus and binds to DNA sequence containing androgen response elements (ARE). Flavin-dependent monoamine oxidase KDM1A is necessary for AR driven transcription while the mechanism remains unclear. The association between androgen-dependent transcription and oxidation was tested through pharmaceutical inhibitions and siRNA knockdown of DNA oxidation repair components in prostate cancer cells. The recruitment of involved proteins and the histone methylation dynamics on ARE region was explored by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). Oxidation inhibition reduced AR dependent expression of KLK3, TMPRSS2, hsa-miR-125b2, and hsa-miR-133b. And such reduction could be restored by H2 O2 treatment. KDM1A recruitment and H3K4me2 demethylation on ARE regions, which produce H2 O2 , are associated with AR targets transcription. AR targets transcription and coupled oxidation recruit 8-oxoguanine-DNA glycosylase (OGG1) and the nuclease APEX1 to ARE regions. Such recruitment depends on KDM1A, and is necessary for AR targets transcription. Our work underlined the importance of histone demethylation and DNA oxidation/repairing machinery in androgen-dependent transcription. The present finds have implications for research into new druggable targets for prostate cancer relying on the cascade of AR activity regulation. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. DNA adducts and liver DNA replication in rats during chronic exposure to N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and their relationships to the dose-dependence of NDMA hepatocarcinogenesis.

    PubMed

    Souliotis, Vassilis L; Henneman, John R; Reed, Carl D; Chhabra, Saranjit K; Diwan, Bhalchandra A; Anderson, Lucy M; Kyrtopoulos, Soterios A

    2002-03-20

    Exposure of rats to the hepatocarcinogen N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) (0.2-2.64 ppm in the drinking water) for up to 180 days resulted in rapid accumulation of N7- and O6-methylguanine in liver and white blood cell DNA, maximum adduct levels being reached within 1-7 days, depending on the dose. The levels of both adducts remained constant up to treatment day 28, subsequently declining slowly to about 40% of maximal levels for the liver and 60% for white blood cells by day 180. In order to elucidate the role of DNA replication in NDMA hepatocarcinogenesis, changes in liver cell labeling index (LI) were also measured on treatment days 21, 120 and 180. Although the time- and dose-dependence of the observed effects were complex, a clear trend towards increased rates of hepatocyte LI, as indicated by BrdU incorporation, with increasing NDMA doses was evident, particularly above 1 ppm, a concentration above which NDMA hepatocarcinogenicity is known to increase sharply. In contrast, no increase in Kupffer cell DNA replication was found at any of the doses employed, in accordance with the low susceptibility of these cells to NDMA-induced carcinogenesis. No significant increase in the occurrence of necrotic or apoptotic cells was noted under the treatment conditions employed. These results suggest that, in addition to the accumulation of DNA damage, alterations in hepatocyte DNA replication during the chronic NDMA exposure may influence the dose-dependence of its carcinogenic efficacy.

  16. Spaceflight induces both transient and heritable alterations in DNA methylation and gene expression in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

    PubMed

    Ou, Xiufang; Long, Likun; Zhang, Yunhong; Xue, Yiqun; Liu, Jingchun; Lin, Xiuyun; Liu, Bao

    2009-03-09

    Spaceflight represents a complex environmental condition in which several interacting factors such as cosmic radiation, microgravity and space magnetic fields are involved, which may provoke stress responses and jeopardize genome integrity. Given the inherent property of epigenetic modifications to respond to intrinsic as well as external perturbations, it is conceivable that epigenetic markers like DNA methylation may undergo alterations in response to spaceflight. We report here that extensive alteration in both DNA methylation and gene expression occurred in rice plants subjected to a spaceflight, as revealed by a set of characterized sequences including 6 transposable elements (TEs) and 11 cellular genes. We found that several features characterize the alterations: (1) All detected alterations are hypermethylation events; (2) whereas alteration in both CG and CNG methylation occurred in the TEs, only alteration in CNG methylation occurred in the cellular genes; (3) alteration in expression includes both up- and down-regulations, which did not show a general correlation with alteration in methylation; (4) altered methylation patterns in both TEs and cellular genes are heritable to progenies at variable frequencies; however, stochastic reversion to wild-type patterns and further de novo changes in progenies are also apparent; and (5) the altered expression states in both TEs and cellular genes are also heritable to selfed progenies but with markedly lower transmission frequencies than altered DNA methylation states. Furthermore, we found that a set of genes encoding for the various putative DNA methyltransferases, 5-methylcytosine DNA glycosylases, the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeller (DDM1) and siRNA-related proteins are extremely sensitive to perturbation by spaceflight, which might be an underlying cause for the altered methylation patterns in the space-flown plants. We discuss implications of spaceflight-induced epigenetic variations with regard to health safety

  17. Perinatal transmission of human papilomavirus DNA

    PubMed Central

    Rombaldi, Renato L; Serafini, Eduardo P; Mandelli, Jovana; Zimmermann, Edineia; Losquiavo, Kamille P

    2009-01-01

    The purpose was to study the perinatal transmission of human papillomavirus DNA (HPV-DNA) in 63 mother-newborn pairs, besides looking at the epidemiological factors involved in the viral DNA transmission. The following sampling methods were used: (1) in the pregnant woman, when was recruited, in cervix and clinical lesions of the vagina, vulva and perineal region; (2) in the newborn, (a) buccal, axillary and inguinal regions; (b) nasopharyngeal aspirate, and (c) cord blood; (3) in the children, buccal was repeated in the 4th week and 6th and 12th month of life. HPV-DNA was identified using two methodologies: multiplex PCR (PGMY09 and MY11 primers) and nested-PCR (genotypes 6/11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 42, 52 and 58). Perinatal transmission was considered when concordance was found in type-specific HPV between mother/newborn or mother/child. HPV-DNA genital was detected in 49 pregnant women submitted to delivery. Eleven newborns (22.4%, n = 11/49) were HPV-DNA positive. In 8 cases (16.3%, n = 8/49) there was type specific HPV concordance between mother/newborn samples. At the end of the first month of life three children (6.1%, n = 3/49) became HPV-DNA positive, while two remained positive from birth. In 3 cases (100%, n = 3/3) there was type specific HPV concordance between mother/newborn samples. In the 6th month, a child (2%, n = 1/49) had become HPV-DNA positive between the 1st and 6th month of life, and there was type specific HPV concordance of mother/newborn samples. All the HPV-DNA positive children (22.4%, n = 11/49) at birth and at the end first month of life (6.1%, n = 3/49) became HPV-DNA negative at the age of 6 months. The HPV-DNA positive child (2%, n = 1/49) from 1st to the 6th month of life became HPV-DNA negative between the 6th and 12th month of life and one child had anogenital warts. In the twelfth month all (100%, n = 49/49) the children studied were HPV-DNA negative. A positive and significant correlation was observed between perinatal transmission

  18. Ubiquitylation-dependent regulation of NEIL1 by Mule and TRIM26 is required for the cellular DNA damage response.

    PubMed

    Edmonds, Matthew J; Carter, Rachel J; Nickson, Catherine M; Williams, Sarah C; Parsons, Jason L

    2017-01-25

    Endonuclease VIII-like protein 1 (NEIL1) is a DNA glycosylase involved in initiating the base excision repair pathway, the major cellular mechanism for repairing DNA base damage. Here, we have purified the major E3 ubiquitin ligases from human cells responsible for regulation of NEIL1 by ubiquitylation. Interestingly, we have identified two enzymes that catalyse NEIL1 polyubiquitylation, Mcl-1 ubiquitin ligase E3 (Mule) and tripartite motif 26 (TRIM26). We demonstrate that these enzymes are capable of polyubiquitylating NEIL1 in vitro, and that both catalyse ubiquitylation of NEIL1 within the same C-terminal lysine residues. An siRNA-mediated knockdown of Mule or TRIM26 leads to stabilisation of NEIL1, demonstrating that these enzymes are important in regulating cellular NEIL1 steady state protein levels. Similarly, a mutant NEIL1 protein lacking residues for ubiquitylation is more stable than the wild type protein in vivo We also demonstrate that cellular NEIL1 protein is induced in response to ionising radiation (IR), although this occurs specifically in a Mule-dependent manner. Finally we show that stabilisation of NEIL1, particularly following TRIM26 siRNA, contributes to cellular resistance to IR. This highlights the importance of Mule and TRIM26 in maintaining steady state levels of NEIL1, but also those required for the cellular DNA damage response. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  19. Optimal dose selection of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea for the rat comet assay to evaluate DNA damage in organs with different susceptibility to cytotoxicity.

    PubMed

    Kitamoto, Sachiko; Matsuyama, Ryoko; Uematsu, Yasuaki; Ogata, Keiko; Ota, Mika; Yamada, Toru; Miyata, Kaori; Funabashi, Hitoshi; Saito, Koichi

    2015-07-01

    The in vivo rodent alkaline comet assay (comet assay) is a promising technique to evaluate DNA damage in vivo. However, there is no agreement on a method to evaluate DNA damage in organs where cytotoxicity is observed. As a part of the Japanese Center for the Validation of Alternative Methods (JaCVAM)-initiative international validation study of the comet assay, we examined DNA damage in the liver, stomach, and bone marrow of rats given three oral doses of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) up to the maximum tolerated dose based on systemic toxicity. MNU significantly increased the % tail DNA in all the organs. Histopathological analysis showed no cytotoxic effect on the liver, indicating clearly that MNU has a genotoxic potential in the liver. In the stomach, however, the cytotoxic effects were very severe at systemically non-toxic doses. Low-dose MNU significantly increased the % tail DNA even at a non-cytotoxic dose, indicating that MNU has a genotoxic potential also in the stomach. Part of the DNA damage at cytotoxic doses was considered to be a secondary effect of severe cell damage. In the bone marrow, both the % tail DNA and incidence of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes significantly increased at non-hematotoxic doses, which were different from the non-cytotoxic doses for liver and stomach. These findings indicate that an optimal dose for detecting DNA damage may vary among organs and that careful attention is required to select an optimum dose for the comet assay based on systemic toxicity such as mortality and clinical observations. The present study shows that when serious cytotoxicity is suggested by increased % hedgehogs in the comet assay, histopathological examination should be included for the evaluation of a positive response. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Effect of ionic strength and cationic DNA affinity binders on the DNA sequence selective alkylation of guanine N7-positions by nitrogen mustards

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hartley, J.A.; Forrow, S.M.; Souhami, R.L.

    Large variations in alkylation intensities exist among guanines in a DNA sequence following treatment with chemotherapeutic alkylating agents such as nitrogen mustards, and the substituent attached to the reactive group can impose a distinct sequence preference for reaction. In order to understand further the structural and electrostatic factors which determine the sequence selectivity of alkylation reactions, the effect of increase ionic strength, the intercalator ethidium bromide, AT-specific minor groove binders distamycin A and netropsin, and the polyamine spermine on guanine N7-alkylation by L-phenylalanine mustard (L-Pam), uracil mustard (UM), and quinacrine mustard (QM) was investigated with a modification of the guanine-specificmore » chemical cleavage technique for DNA sequencing. The result differed with both the nitrogen mustard and the cationic agent used. The effect, which resulted in both enhancement and suppression of alkylation sites, was most striking in the case of netropsin and distamycin A, which differed from each other. DNA footprinting indicated that selective binding to AT sequences in the minor groove of DNA can have long-range effects on the alkylation pattern of DNA in the major groove.« less

  1. Environmental exposure to human carcinogens in teenagers and the association with DNA damage.

    PubMed

    Franken, Carmen; Koppen, Gudrun; Lambrechts, Nathalie; Govarts, Eva; Bruckers, Liesbeth; Den Hond, Elly; Loots, Ilse; Nelen, Vera; Sioen, Isabelle; Nawrot, Tim S; Baeyens, Willy; Van Larebeke, Nicolas; Boonen, Francis; Ooms, Daniëlla; Wevers, Mai; Jacobs, Griet; Covaci, Adrian; Schettgen, Thomas; Schoeters, Greet

    2017-01-01

    We investigated whether human environmental exposure to chemicals that are labeled as (potential) carcinogens leads to increased (oxidative) damage to DNA in adolescents. Six hundred 14-15-year-old youngsters were recruited all over Flanders (Belgium) and in two areas with important industrial activities. DNA damage was assessed by alkaline and formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (Fpg) modified comet assays in peripheral blood cells and analysis of urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels. Personal exposure to potentially carcinogenic compounds was measured in urine, namely: chromium, cadmium, nickel, 1-hydroxypyrene as a proxy for exposure to other carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), t,t-muconic acid as a metabolite of benzene, 2,5-dichlorophenol (2,5-DCP), organophosphate pesticide metabolites, and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) metabolites. In blood, arsenic, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners 118 and 156, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were analyzed. Levels of methylmercury (MeHg) were measured in hair. Multiple linear regression models were used to establish exposure-response relationships. Biomarkers of exposure to PAHs and urinary chromium were associated with higher levels of both 8-OHdG in urine and DNA damage detected by the alkaline comet assay. Concentrations of 8-OHdG in urine increased in relation with increasing concentrations of urinary t,t-muconic acid, cadmium, nickel, 2,5-DCP, and DEHP metabolites. Increased concentrations of PFOA in blood were associated with higher levels of DNA damage measured by the alkaline comet assay, whereas DDT was associated in the same direction with the Fpg-modified comet assay. Inverse associations were observed between blood arsenic, hair MeHg, PCB 156 and HCB, and urinary 8-OHdG. The latter exposure biomarkers were also associated with higher fish intake. Urinary nickel and t,t-muconic acid were inversely associated

  2. Association of Leukotrichia in Vitiligo and Asp148Glu Polymorphism of Apurinic/Apyrimidinic Endonuclease 1.

    PubMed

    Aydin, A Fatih; Aydıngöz, İkbal Esen; Doğru-Abbasoğlu, Semra; Vural, Pervin; Uysal, Müjdat

    2017-01-01

    Oxidative stress and increased DNA damage have been implicated in the etiopathogenesis of vitiligo. Oxidative DNA damage is mainly repaired by the base excision repair (BER) pathway. We sought to determine whether polymorphisms in DNA repair genes may have a role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. We conducted a study including 100 patients with vitiligo and age- and sex-matched 193 control subjects to examine the role of single-nucleotide polymorphisms of BER genes, human 8-oxoG DNA N-glycosylase 1 (codon 326), apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) (codon 148), and X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (codon 399) as risk factors for vitiligo. These polymorphisms were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and melting curve analysis. No significant association was observed between the variant alleles of studied genes and vitiligo. However, we showed that the presence of APE1 148Glu variant allele is associated with leukotrichia. This preliminary study suggests that APE1 (codon 148) polymorphism may play a role in vitiligo pathogenesis.

  3. Excess processing of oxidative damaged bases causes hypersensitivity to oxidative stress and low dose rate irradiation.

    PubMed

    Yoshikawa, Y; Yamasaki, A; Takatori, K; Suzuki, M; Kobayashi, J; Takao, M; Zhang-Akiyama, Q-M

    2015-10-01

    Ionizing radiations such as X-ray and γ-ray can directly or indirectly produce clustered or multiple damages in DNA. Previous studies have reported that overexpression of DNA glycosylases in Escherichia coli (E. coli) and human lymphoblast cells caused increased sensitivity to γ-ray and X-ray irradiation. However, the effects and the mechanisms of other radiation, such as low dose rate radiation, heavy-ion beams, or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), are still poorly understood. In the present study, we constructed a stable HeLaS3 cell line overexpressing human 8-oxoguanine DNA N-glycosylase 1 (hOGG1) protein. We determined the survival of HeLaS3 and HeLaS3/hOGG1 cells exposed to UV, heavy-ion beams, γ-rays, and H2O2. The results showed that HeLaS3 cells overexpressing hOGG1 were more sensitive to γ-rays, OH(•), and H2O2, but not to UV or heavy-ion beams, than control HeLaS3. We further determined the levels of 8-oxoG foci and of chromosomal double-strand breaks (DSBs) by detecting γ-H2AX foci formation in DNA. The results demonstrated that both γ-rays and H2O2 induced 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) foci formation in HeLaS3 cells. hOGG1-overexpressing cells had increased amounts of γ-H2AX foci and decreased amounts of 8-oxoG foci compared with HeLaS3 control cells. These results suggest that excess hOGG1 removes the oxidatively damaged 8-oxoG in DNA more efficiently and therefore generates more DSBs. Micronucleus formation also supported this conclusion. Low dose-rate γ-ray effects were also investigated. We first found that overexpression of hOGG1 also caused increased sensitivity to low dose rate γ-ray irradiation. The rate of micronucleus formation supported the notion that low dose rate irradiation increased genome instability.

  4. Sorting through the chaff, nDNA gene trees for phylogenetic inference and hybrid identification of annual sunflowers (Helianthus sect. Helianthus).

    PubMed

    Moody, Michael L; Rieseberg, Loren H

    2012-07-01

    The annual sunflowers (Helianthus sect. Helianthus) present a formidable challenge for phylogenetic inference because of ancient hybrid speciation, recent introgression, and suspected issues with deep coalescence. Here we analyze sequence data from 11 nuclear DNA (nDNA) genes for multiple genotypes of species within the section to (1) reconstruct the phylogeny of this group, (2) explore the utility of nDNA gene trees for detecting hybrid speciation and introgression; and (3) test an empirical method of hybrid identification based on the phylogenetic congruence of nDNA gene trees from tightly linked genes. We uncovered considerable topological heterogeneity among gene trees with or without three previously identified hybrid species included in the analyses, as well as a general lack of reciprocal monophyly of species. Nonetheless, partitioned Bayesian analyses provided strong support for the reciprocal monophyly of all species except H. annuus (0.89 PP), the most widespread and abundant annual sunflower. Previous hypotheses of relationships among taxa were generally strongly supported (1.0 PP), except among taxa typically associated with H. annuus, apparently due to the paraphyly of the latter in all gene trees. While the individual nDNA gene trees provided a useful means for detecting recent hybridization, identification of ancient hybridization was problematic for all ancient hybrid species, even when linkage was considered. We discuss biological factors that affect the efficacy of phylogenetic methods for hybrid identification.

  5. Synthesis, spectroscopic, molecular orbital calculation, cytotoxic, molecular docking of DNA binding and DNA cleavage studies of transition metal complexes with N-benzylidene-N'-salicylidene-1,1-diaminopropane

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Al-Mogren, Muneerah M.; Alaghaz, Abdel-Nasser M. A.; Elbohy, Salwa A. H.

    2013-10-01

    Eight mononuclear chromium(III), manganese(II), iron(III), cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II), zinc(II) and cadmium(II) complexes of Schiff's base ligand were synthesized and determined by different physical techniques. The complexes are insoluble in common organic solvents but soluble in DMF and DMSO. The measured molar conductance values in DMSO indicate that the complexes are non-electrolytic in nature. All the eight metal complexes have been fully characterized with the help of elemental analyses, molecular weights, molar conductance values, magnetic moments and spectroscopic data. The analytical data helped to elucidate the structure of the metal complexes. The Schiff base is found to act as tridentate ligand using N2O donor set of atoms leading to an octahedral geometry for the complexes around all the metal ions. Quantum chemical calculations were performed with semi-empirical method to find the optimum geometry of the ligand and its complexes. Additionally in silico, the docking studies and the calculated pharmacokinetic parameters show promising futures for application of the ligand and complexes as high potency agents for DNA binding activity. The interaction of the complexes with calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) has been investigated by UV absorption method, and the mode of CT-DNA binding to the complexes has been explored. Furthermore, the DNA cleavage activity by the complexes was performed. The Schiff base and their complexes have been screened for their antibacterial activity against bacterial strains [Staphylococcus aureus (RCMB010027), Staphylococcus epidermidis (RCMB010024), Bacillis subtilis (RCMB010063), Proteous vulgaris (RCMB 010085), Klebsiella pneumonia (RCMB 010093) and Shigella flexneri (RCMB 0100542)] and fungi [(Aspergillus fumigates (RCMB 02564), Aspergillus clavatus (RCMB 02593) and Candida albicans (RCMB05035)] by disk diffusion method. All the metal complexes have potent biocidal activity than the free ligand.

  6. Sequential addition of short DNA oligos in DNA-polymerase-based synthesis reactions

    DOEpatents

    Gardner, Shea N; Mariella, Jr., Raymond P; Christian, Allen T; Young, Jennifer A; Clague, David S

    2013-06-25

    A method of preselecting a multiplicity of DNA sequence segments that will comprise the DNA molecule of user-defined sequence, separating the DNA sequence segments temporally, and combining the multiplicity of DNA sequence segments with at least one polymerase enzyme wherein the multiplicity of DNA sequence segments join to produce the DNA molecule of user-defined sequence. Sequence segments may be of length n, where n is an odd integer. In one embodiment the length of desired hybridizing overlap is specified by the user and the sequences and the protocol for combining them are guided by computational (bioinformatics) predictions. In one embodiment sequence segments are combined from multiple reading frames to span the same region of a sequence, so that multiple desired hybridizations may occur with different overlap lengths.

  7. 35 GHz ENDOR characterization of the "very rapid" signal of xanthine oxidase reacted with 2-hydroxy-6-methylpurine (13C8): evidence against direct Mo-C8 interaction.

    PubMed

    Manikandan, P; Choi, E Y; Hille, R; Hoffman, B M

    2001-03-21

    Xanthine oxidase is a molybdenum-containing enzyme that catalyzes the hydroxylation of xanthine and a wide variety of other aromatic heterocycles. In the course of the reaction with xanthine and substrates such as 2-hydroxy-6-methylpurine (HMP), the enzyme gives rise to a Mo(V) EPR signal, denoted "very rapid", that arises from an authentic catalytic intermediate. The two alternative catalytic mechanisms proposed for this enzyme differ critically in whether the distance between Mo and C8 of the purine nucleus in this intermediate is short enough to admit a direct bonding interaction. To examine this distance, we have performed 13C ENDOR measurements of the "very rapid" EPR signal generated by xanthine oxidase during reaction with 13C8-HMP. The resulting (13)C8 hyperfine tensor, A = [10.2(1), 7.0(1), 6.5(1)] MHz, is discussed in the framework of a detailed consideration of factors involved in extracting metrical parameters from an anisotropic hyperfine interaction composed of contributions from multiple sources, in particular, the effect of the local contributions from spin density on (13)C8. The analysis presented here gives a Mo...C distance whose value is expected to be ca. 2.7-2.9 A in the "very rapid" intermediates formed with both xanthine and HMP, consistent with plausible bond lengths for a Mo-O-C8 fragment where C8 is a trigonal-planar aromatic carbon. The difference from earlier conclusions is explained. The data thus do not support the existence of a direct Mo-C bond in the signal-giving species. This conclusion supports a mechanism that does not involve such an interaction and which begins with base-assisted nucleophilic attack of the Mo(VI)-OH group on the C-8 of substrate, with concomitant hydride transfer to the Mo=S group to give Mo(IV)-SH; the EPR-active "very rapid" species then forms by one-electron oxidation and deprotonation to yield the EPR-detectable Mo(V)OS(OR) species. We further discuss the complexities and limitations of the semiempirical

  8. Molecular mechanism for generation of antibody memory.

    PubMed

    Shivarov, Velizar; Shinkura, Reiko; Doi, Tomomitsu; Begum, Nasim A; Nagaoka, Hitoshi; Okazaki, Il-Mi; Ito, Satomi; Nonaka, Taichiro; Kinoshita, Kazuo; Honjo, Tasuku

    2009-03-12

    Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is the essential enzyme inducing the DNA cleavage required for both somatic hypermutation and class switch recombination (CSR) of the immunoglobulin gene. We originally proposed the RNA-editing model for the mechanism of DNA cleavage by AID. We obtained evidence that fulfils three requirements for CSR by this model, namely (i) AID shuttling between nucleus and cytoplasm, (ii) de novo protein synthesis for CSR, and (iii) AID-RNA complex formation. The alternative hypothesis, designated as the DNA-deamination model, assumes that the in vitro DNA deamination activity of AID is representative of its physiological function in vivo. Furthermore, the resulting dU was removed by uracil DNA glycosylase (UNG) to generate a basic site, followed by phosphodiester bond cleavage by AP endonuclease. We critically examined each of these provisional steps. We identified a cluster of mutants (H48A, L49A, R50A and N51A) that had particularly higher CSR activities than expected from their DNA deamination activities. The most striking was the N51A mutant that had no ability to deaminate DNA in vitro but retained approximately 50 per cent of the wild-type level of CSR activity. We also provide further evidence that UNG plays a non-canonical role in CSR, namely in the repair step of the DNA breaks. Taking these results together, we favour the RNA-editing model for the function of AID in CSR.

  9. Thymidine kinase 2 (H126N) knockin mice show the essential role of balanced deoxynucleotide pools for mitochondrial DNA maintenance.

    PubMed

    Akman, Hasan O; Dorado, Beatriz; López, Luis C; García-Cazorla, Angeles; Vilà, Maya R; Tanabe, Lauren M; Dauer, William T; Bonilla, Eduardo; Tanji, Kurenai; Hirano, Michio

    2008-08-15

    Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion syndrome (MDS), an autosomal recessive condition, is characterized by variable organ involvement with decreased mtDNA copy number and activities of respiratory chain enzymes in affected tissues. MtDNA depletion has been associated with mutations in nine autosomal genes, including thymidine kinase (TK2), which encodes a ubiquitous mitochondrial protein. To study the pathogenesis of TK2-deficiency, we generated mice harboring an H126N Tk2 mutation. Homozygous Tk2 mutant (Tk2(-/-)) mice developed rapidly progressive weakness after age 10 days and died between ages 2 and 3 weeks. Tk2(-/-) animals showed Tk2 deficiency, unbalanced dNTP pools, mtDNA depletion and defects of respiratory chain enzymes containing mtDNA-encoded subunits that were most prominent in the central nervous system. Histopathology revealed an encephalomyelopathy with prominent vacuolar changes in the anterior horn of the spinal cord. The H126N TK2 mouse is the first knock-in animal model of human MDS and demonstrates that the severity of TK2 deficiency in tissues may determine the organ-specific phenotype.

  10. Direct detection of methylation in genomic DNA

    PubMed Central

    Bart, A.; van Passel, M. W. J.; van Amsterdam, K.; van der Ende, A.

    2005-01-01

    The identification of methylated sites on bacterial genomic DNA would be a useful tool to study the major roles of DNA methylation in prokaryotes: distinction of self and nonself DNA, direction of post-replicative mismatch repair, control of DNA replication and cell cycle, and regulation of gene expression. Three types of methylated nucleobases are known: N6-methyladenine, 5-methylcytosine and N4-methylcytosine. The aim of this study was to develop a method to detect all three types of DNA methylation in complete genomic DNA. It was previously shown that N6-methyladenine and 5-methylcytosine in plasmid and viral DNA can be detected by intersequence trace comparison of methylated and unmethylated DNA. We extended this method to include N4-methylcytosine detection in both in vitro and in vivo methylated DNA. Furthermore, application of intersequence trace comparison was extended to bacterial genomic DNA. Finally, we present evidence that intrasequence comparison suffices to detect methylated sites in genomic DNA. In conclusion, we present a method to detect all three natural types of DNA methylation in bacterial genomic DNA. This provides the possibility to define the complete methylome of any prokaryote. PMID:16091626

  11. [Endonuclease modified comet assay for oxidative DNA damage induced by detection of genetic toxicants].

    PubMed

    Zhao, Jian; Li, Hongli; Zhai, Qingfeng; Qiu, Yugang; Niu, Yong; Dai, Yufei; Zheng, Yuxin; Duan, Huawei

    2014-03-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the use of the lesion-specific endonucleases-modified comet assay for analysis of DNA oxidation in cell lines. DNA breaks and oxidative damage were evaluated by normal alkaline and formamidopyrimidine-DNA-glycosylase (FPG) modified comet assays. Cytotoxicity were assessed by MTT method. The human bronchial epithelial cell (16HBE) were treated with benzo (a) pyrene (B(a)P), methyl methanesulfonate (MMS), colchicine (COL) and vincristine (VCR) respectively, and the dose is 20 µmol/L, 25 mg/ml, 5 mg/L and 0.5 mg/L for 24 h, respectively. Oxidative damage was also detected by levels of reactive oxygen species in treated cells. Four genotoxicants give higher cytotoxicity and no significant changes on parameters of comet assay treated by enzyme buffer. Cell survival rate were (59.69 ± 2.60) %, (54.33 ± 2.81) %, (53.11 ± 4.00) %, (51.43 ± 3.92) % in four groups, respectively. There was the direct DNA damage induced by test genotoxicants presented by tail length, Olive tail moment (TM) and tail DNA (%) in the comet assay. The presence of FPG in the assays increased DNA migration in treated groups when compared to those without it, and the difference was statistically significant which indicated that the clastogen and aneugen could induce oxidative damage in DNA strand. In the three parameters, the Olive TM was changed most obviously after genotoxicants treatment. In the contrast group, the Olive TM of B(a) P,MMS, COL,VCR in the contrast groups were 22.99 ± 17.33, 31.65 ± 18.86, 19.86 ± 9.56 and 17.02 ± 9.39, respectively, after dealing with the FPG, the Olive TM were 34.50 ± 17.29, 43.80 ± 10.06, 33.10 ± 12.38, 28.60 ± 10.53, increased by 58.94%, 38.48%, 66.86% and 68.21%, respectively (t value was 3.91, 3.89, 6.66 and 3.87, respectively, and all P < 0.05), and the correlation between Olive TM and reactive oxygen species was better than other parameters (r = 0.77, P < 0.05). This study indicates that FPG-comet assay

  12. High Sensitivity Detection of CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dot-Labeled DNA Based on N-type Porous Silicon Microcavities.

    PubMed

    Lv, Changwu; Jia, Zhenhong; Lv, Jie; Zhang, Hongyan; Li, Yanyu

    2017-01-01

    N-type macroporous silicon microcavity structures were prepared using electrochemical etching in an HF solution in the absence of light and oxidants. The CdSe/ZnS water-soluble quantum dot-labeled DNA target molecules were detected by monitoring the microcavity reflectance spectrum, which was characterized by the reflectance spectrum defect state position shift resulting from changes to the structures' refractive index. Quantum dots with a high refractive index and DNA coupling can improve the detection sensitivity by amplifying the optical response signals of the target DNA. The experimental results show that DNA combined with a quantum dot can improve the sensitivity of DNA detection by more than five times.

  13. Transgenerational Inheritance of Modified DNA Methylation Patterns and Enhanced Tolerance Induced by Heavy Metal Stress in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

    PubMed Central

    Xu, Chunming; Lin, Xiuyun; Zang, Qi; Zhuang, Tingting; Jiang, Lili; von Wettstein, Diter; Liu, Bao

    2012-01-01

    Background DNA methylation is sensitive and responsive to stressful environmental conditions. Nonetheless, the extent to which condition-induced somatic methylation modifications can impose transgenerational effects remains to be fully understood. Even less is known about the biological relevance of the induced epigenetic changes for potentially altered well-being of the organismal progenies regarding adaptation to the specific condition their progenitors experienced. Methodology/Principal Findings We analyzed DNA methylation pattern by gel-blotting at genomic loci representing transposable elements and protein-coding genes in leaf-tissue of heavy metal-treated rice (Oryza sativa) plants (S0), and its three successive organismal generations. We assessed expression of putative genes involved in establishing and/or maintaining DNA methylation patterns by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. We measured growth of the stressed plants and their unstressed progenies vs. the control plants. We found (1) relative to control, DNA methylation patterns were modified in leaf-tissue of the immediately treated plants, and the modifications were exclusively confined to CHG hypomethylation; (2) the CHG-demethylated states were heritable via both maternal and paternal germline, albeit often accompanying further hypomethylation; (3) altered expression of genes encoding for DNA methyltransferases, DNA glycosylase and SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling factor (DDM1) were induced by the stress; (4) progenies of the stressed plants exhibited enhanced tolerance to the same stress their progenitor experienced, and this transgenerational inheritance of the effect of condition accompanying heritability of modified methylation patterns. Conclusions/Significance Our findings suggest that stressful environmental condition can produce transgenerational epigenetic modifications. Progenies of stressed plants may develop enhanced adaptability to the condition, and this acquired trait is inheritable and

  14. General Methods for Analysis of Sequential “n-step” Kinetic Mechanisms: Application to Single Turnover Kinetics of Helicase-Catalyzed DNA Unwinding

    PubMed Central

    Lucius, Aaron L.; Maluf, Nasib K.; Fischer, Christopher J.; Lohman, Timothy M.

    2003-01-01

    Helicase-catalyzed DNA unwinding is often studied using “all or none” assays that detect only the final product of fully unwound DNA. Even using these assays, quantitative analysis of DNA unwinding time courses for DNA duplexes of different lengths, L, using “n-step” sequential mechanisms, can reveal information about the number of intermediates in the unwinding reaction and the “kinetic step size”, m, defined as the average number of basepairs unwound between two successive rate limiting steps in the unwinding cycle. Simultaneous nonlinear least-squares analysis using “n-step” sequential mechanisms has previously been limited by an inability to float the number of “unwinding steps”, n, and m, in the fitting algorithm. Here we discuss the behavior of single turnover DNA unwinding time courses and describe novel methods for nonlinear least-squares analysis that overcome these problems. Analytic expressions for the time courses, fss(t), when obtainable, can be written using gamma and incomplete gamma functions. When analytic expressions are not obtainable, the numerical solution of the inverse Laplace transform can be used to obtain fss(t). Both methods allow n and m to be continuous fitting parameters. These approaches are generally applicable to enzymes that translocate along a lattice or require repetition of a series of steps before product formation. PMID:14507688

  15. DNA compaction in the early part of the SOS response is dependent on RecN and RecA.

    PubMed

    Odsbu, Ingvild; Skarstad, Kirsten

    2014-05-01

    The nucleoids of undamaged Escherichia coli cells have a characteristic shape and number, which is dependent on the growth medium. Upon induction of the SOS response by a low dose of UV irradiation an extensive reorganization of the nucleoids occurred. Two distinct phases were observed by fluorescence microscopy. First, the nucleoids were found to change shape and fuse into compact structures at midcell. The compaction of the nucleoids lasted for 10-20 min and was followed by a phase where the DNA was dispersed throughout the cells. This second phase lasted for ~1 h. The compaction was found to be dependent on the recombination proteins RecA, RecO and RecR as well as the SOS-inducible, SMC (structural maintenance of chromosomes)-like protein RecN. RecN protein is produced in high amounts during the first part of the SOS response. It is possible that the RecN-mediated 'compact DNA' stage at the beginning of the SOS response serves to stabilize damaged DNA prior to recombination and repair.

  16. Thymidine kinase 2 (H126N) knockin mice show the essential role of balanced deoxynucleotide pools for mitochondrial DNA maintenance

    PubMed Central

    Akman, Hasan O.; Dorado, Beatriz; López, Luis C.; García-Cazorla, Ángeles; Vilà, Maya R.; Tanabe, Lauren M.; Dauer, William T.; Bonilla, Eduardo; Tanji, Kurenai; Hirano, Michio

    2008-01-01

    Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion syndrome (MDS), an autosomal recessive condition, is characterized by variable organ involvement with decreased mtDNA copy number and activities of respiratory chain enzymes in affected tissues. MtDNA depletion has been associated with mutations in nine autosomal genes, including thymidine kinase (TK2), which encodes a ubiquitous mitochondrial protein. To study the pathogenesis of TK2-deficiency, we generated mice harboring an H126N Tk2 mutation. Homozygous Tk2 mutant (Tk2−/−) mice developed rapidly progressive weakness after age 10 days and died between ages 2 and 3 weeks. Tk2−/− animals showed Tk2 deficiency, unbalanced dNTP pools, mtDNA depletion and defects of respiratory chain enzymes containing mtDNA-encoded subunits that were most prominent in the central nervous system. Histopathology revealed an encephalomyelopathy with prominent vacuolar changes in the anterior horn of the spinal cord. The H126N TK2 mouse is the first knock-in animal model of human MDS and demonstrates that the severity of TK2 deficiency in tissues may determine the organ-specific phenotype. PMID:18467430

  17. The 3′→5′ Exonuclease of Apn1 Provides an Alternative Pathway To Repair 7,8-Dihydro-8-Oxodeoxyguanosine in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

    PubMed Central

    Ishchenko, Alexander A.; Yang, Xiaoming; Ramotar, Dindial; Saparbaev, Murat

    2005-01-01

    The 8-oxo-7,8-dihydrodeoxyguanosine (8oxoG), a major mutagenic DNA lesion, results either from direct oxidation of guanines or misincorporation of 8oxodGTP by DNA polymerases. At present, little is known about the mechanisms preventing the mutagenic action of 8oxodGTP in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Herein, we report for the first time the identification of an alternative repair pathway for 8oxoG residues initiated by S. cerevisiae AP endonuclease Apn1, which is endowed with a robust progressive 3′→5′ exonuclease activity towards duplex DNA. We show that yeast cell extracts, as well as purified Apn1, excise misincorporated 8oxoG, providing a damage-cleansing function to DNA synthesis. Consistent with these results, deletion of both OGG1 encoding 8oxoG-DNA glycosylase and APN1 causes nearly 46-fold synergistic increase in the spontaneous mutation rate, and this enhanced mutagenesis is primarily due to G · C to T · A transversions. Expression of the bacterial 8oxodGTP triphosphotase MutT in the apn1Δ ogg1Δ mutant reduces the mutagenesis. Taken together, our results indicate that Apn1 is involved in an S. cerevisiae 8-oxoguanine-DNA glycosylase (Ogg1)-independent repair pathway for 8oxoG residues. Interestingly, the human major AP endonuclease, Ape1, also exhibits similar exonuclease activity towards 8oxoG residues, raising the possibility that this enzyme could participate in the prevention of mutations that would otherwise result from the incorporation of 8oxodGTP. PMID:16024777

  18. Combined effects of π-π stacking and hydrogen bonding on the (N1) acidity of uracil and hydrolysis of 2'-deoxyuridine.

    PubMed

    Kellie, Jennifer L; Navarro-Whyte, Lex; Carvey, Matthew T; Wetmore, Stacey D

    2012-03-01

    M06-2X/6-31+G(d,p) is used to study the simultaneous effects of π-π stacking interactions with phenylalanine (modeled as benzene) and hydrogen bonding with small molecules (HF, H(2)O, and NH(3)) on the N1 acidity of uracil and the hydrolytic deglycosylation of 2'-deoxyuridine (dU) (facilitated by fully (OH(-)) or partially (HCOO(-)···H(2)O) activated water). When phenylalanine is complexed with isolated uracil, the proton affinity of all acceptor sites significantly increases (by up to 28 kJ mol(-1)), while the N1 acidity slightly decreases (by ~6 kJ mol(-1)). When small molecules are hydrogen bound to uracil, addition of the phenylalanine ring can increase or decrease the acidity of uracil depending on the number and nature (acidity) of the molecules bound. Furthermore, a strong correlation between the effects of π-π stacking on the acidity of U and the dU deglycosylation reaction energetics is found, where the hydrolysis barrier can increase or decrease depending on the nature and number of small molecules bound, the nucleophile considered (which dictates the negative charge on U in the transition state), and the polarity of the (bulk) environment. These findings emphasize that the catalytic (or anticatalytic) role of the active-site aromatic amino acid residues is highly dependent on the situation under consideration. In the case of uracil-DNA glycosylase (UNG), which catalyzes the hydrolytic excision of uracil from DNA, the type of discrete hydrogen-bonding interactions with U, the nature of the nucleophile, and the anticipated weak, nonpolar environment in the active site suggest that phenylalanine will be slightly anticatalytic in the chemical step, and therefore experimentally observed contributions to catalysis may entirely result from associated structural changes that occur prior to deglycosylation.

  19. High Sensitivity Detection of CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dot-Labeled DNA Based on N-type Porous Silicon Microcavities

    PubMed Central

    Lv, Changwu; Jia, Zhenhong; Lv, Jie; Zhang, Hongyan; Li, Yanyu

    2017-01-01

    N-type macroporous silicon microcavity structures were prepared using electrochemical etching in an HF solution in the absence of light and oxidants. The CdSe/ZnS water-soluble quantum dot-labeled DNA target molecules were detected by monitoring the microcavity reflectance spectrum, which was characterized by the reflectance spectrum defect state position shift resulting from changes to the structures’ refractive index. Quantum dots with a high refractive index and DNA coupling can improve the detection sensitivity by amplifying the optical response signals of the target DNA. The experimental results show that DNA combined with a quantum dot can improve the sensitivity of DNA detection by more than five times. PMID:28045442

  20. The Seed Repair Response during Germination: Disclosing Correlations between DNA Repair, Antioxidant Response, and Chromatin Remodeling in Medicago truncatula

    PubMed Central

    Pagano, Andrea; Araújo, Susana de Sousa; Macovei, Anca; Leonetti, Paola; Balestrazzi, Alma

    2017-01-01

    This work provides novel insights into the effects caused by the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA) during Medicago truncatula seed germination, with emphasis on the seed repair response. Seeds treated with H2O and TSA (10 and 20 μM) were collected during imbibition (8 h) and at the radicle protrusion phase. Biometric data showed delayed germination and impaired seedling growth in TSA-treated samples. Comet assay, performed on radicles at the protrusion phase and 4-days old M. truncatula seedlings, revealed accumulation of DNA strand breaks upon exposure to TSA. Activation of DNA repair toward TSA-mediated genotoxic damage was evidenced by the up-regulation of MtOGG1(8-OXOGUANINE GLYCOSYLASE/LYASE) gene involved in the removal of oxidative DNA lesions, MtLIGIV(LIGASE IV) gene, a key determinant of seed quality, required for the rejoining of DNA double strand breaks and TDP(TYROSYL-DNA PHOSPHODIESTERASE) genes encoding the multipurpose DNA repair enzymes tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterases. Since radical scavenging can prevent DNA damage, the specific antioxidant activity (SAA) was measured by DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) and Folin-Ciocalteu reagent assays. Fluctuations of SAA were observed in TSA-treated seeds/seedlings concomitant with the up-regulation of antioxidant genes MtSOD(SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE, MtAPX(ASCORBATE PEROXIDASE) and MtMT2(TYPE 2 METALLOTHIONEIN). Chromatin remodeling, required to facilitate the access of DNA repair enzymes at the damaged sites, is also part of the multifaceted seed repair response. To address this aspect, still poorly explored in plants, the MtTRRAP(TRANSFORMATION/TRANSACTIVATION DOMAIN-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN) gene was analyzed. TRRAP is a transcriptional adaptor, so far characterized only in human cells where it is needed for the recruitment of histone acetyltransferase complexes to chromatin during DNA repair. The MtTRRAP gene and the predicted interacting partners MtHAM2 (HISTONE ACETYLTRANSFERASE OF THE MYST

  1. Protection against avian influenza H9N2 virus challenge by immunization with hemagglutinin- or neuraminidase-expressing DNA in BALB/c mice

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Qiu Meizhen; Fang Fang; Chen Yan

    2006-05-19

    Avian influenza viruses of H9N2 subtype are widely spread in avian species. The viruses have recently been transmitted to mammalian species, including humans, accelerating the efforts to devise protective strategies against them. In this study, an avian influenza H9N2 virus strain (A/Chicken/Jiangsu/7/2002), isolated in Jiangsu Province, China, was used to infect BALB/c mice for adaptation. After five lung-to-lung passages, the virus was stably proliferated in a large quantity in the murine lung and caused the deaths of mice. In addition, we explored the protection induced by H9N2 virus hemagglutinin (HA)- and neuraminidase (NA)-expressing DNAs in BALB/c mice. Female BALB/c micemore » aged 6-8 weeks were immunized once or twice at a 3-week interval with HA-DNA and NA-DNA by electroporation, respectively, each at a dose of 3, 10 or 30 {mu}g. The mice were challenged with a lethal dose (40x LD{sub 5}) of influenza H9N2 virus four weeks after immunization once or one week after immunization twice. The protections of DNA vaccines were evaluated by the serum antibody titers, residual lung virus titers, and survival rates of the mice. The result showed that immunization once with not less than 10 {mu}g or twice with 3 {mu}g HA-DNA or NA-DNA provided effective protection against homologous avian influenza H9N2 virus.« less

  2. Protein-binding aptamer assisted signal amplification for the detection of influenza A (H1N1) DNA sequences based on quantum dot fluorescence polarization analysis.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Juanni; Tian, Jianniao; He, Yanlong; Chen, Sheng; Jiang, Yixuan; Zhao, Yanchun; Zhao, Shulin

    2013-09-07

    We report a fluorescence polarization platform for H1N1 detection based on the construction of a DNA functional QD fluorescence polarization probe and a bi-functional protein binding aptamer (Apt-DNA). The assay has a linear range from 10 nM to 100 nM with a detection limit of 3.45 nM and is selective over the mismatched bases.

  3. Exposure to runoff from coal-tar-sealed pavement induces genotoxicity and impairment of DNA repair capacity in the RTL-W1 fish liver cell line

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kienzler, Aude; Mahler, Barbara J.; Van Metre, Peter C.; Schweigert, Nathalie; Devaux, Alain; Bony, Sylvie

    2015-01-01

    Coal-tar-based (CTB) sealcoat, frequently applied to parking lots and driveways in North America, contains elevated concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and related compounds. The RTL-W1 fish liver cell line was used to investigate two endpoints (genotoxicity and DNA-repair-capacity impairment) associated with exposure to runoff from asphalt pavement with CTB sealcoat or with an asphalt-based sealcoat hypothesized to contain about 7% CTB sealcoat (AS-blend). Genotoxic potential was assessed by the Formamido pyrimidine glycosylase (Fpg)-modified comet assay for 1:10 and 1:100 dilutions of runoff samples collected from 5 h to 36 d following sealcoat application. DNA-repair capacity was assessed by the base excision repair comet assay for 1:10 dilution of samples collected 26 h and 36 d following application. Both assays were run with and without co-exposure to ultraviolet-A radiation (UVA). With co-exposure to UVA, genotoxic effects were significant for both dilutions of CTB runoff for three of four sample times, and for some samples of AS-blend runoff. Base excision repair was significantly impaired for CTB runoff both with and without UVA exposure, and for AS-blend runoff only in the absence of UVA. This study is the first to investigate the effects of exposure to the complex mixture of chemicals in coal tar on DNA repair capacity. The results indicate that co-exposure to runoff from CT-sealcoated pavement and UVA as much as a month after sealcoat application has the potential to cause genotoxicity and impair DNA repair capacity.

  4. Mass Spectrometric Analysis of a Cyclic 7,8-Butanoguanine Adduct of N-Nitrosopyrrolidine: Comparison to other N-Nitrosopyrrolidine Adducts in Rat Hepatic DNA

    PubMed Central

    Loureiro, Ana Paula M.; Zhang, Wenbing; Kassie, Fekadu; Zhang, Siyi; Villalta, Peter W.; Wang, Mingyao; Hecht, Stephen S.

    2009-01-01

    The well established rat hepatocarcinogen N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR, 1) requires metabolic activation to DNA adducts to express its carcinogenic activity. Among the NPYR-DNA adducts that have been identified, the cyclic 7,8-butanoguanine adduct 2-amino-6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-9-hydroxypyrido[2,1-f]purine-4(3H)-one (6), has been quantified using moderately sensitive methods, but its levels have never been compared to those of other DNA adducts of NPYR in rat hepatic DNA. Therefore, in this study, we developed a sensitive new LC-ESI-MS/MS-SRM method for quantitation of adduct 6, and compared its levels to those of several other NPYR-DNA adducts formed by different mechanisms. The new method was shown to be accurate and precise, with good recoveries and low fmol detection limits. Rats were treated with NPYR by gavage at doses of 46, 92, or 184 mg/kg body weight and sacrificed 16 h later. Hepatic DNA was isolated and analyzed for NPYR-DNA adducts. Adduct 6 was by far the most prevalent, with levels ranging from about 900 – 3000 μmol/mol Gua and responsive to dose. Levels of adducts formed from crotonaldehyde, a metabolite of NPYR, were about 0.2 – 0.9 Pmol/mol dGuo, while those of adducts resulting from reaction with DNA of tetrahydrofuranyl- like intermediates were in the range of 0.01 – 4 μmol/mol deoxyribonucleoside. The results of this study demonstrate that, among typical NPYR-DNA adducts, adduct 6 is easily the most abundant in hepatic DNA. Since previous studies have shown that it can be detected in the urine of NPYR-treated rats, the results suggest that it is a potential candidate as a biomarker for assessing human exposure to and metabolic activation of NPYR. PMID:19761253

  5. Environmental exposure to human carcinogens in teenagers and the association with DNA damage

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Franken, Carmen, E-mail: carmen.franken@vito.be

    Background: We investigated whether human environmental exposure to chemicals that are labeled as (potential) carcinogens leads to increased (oxidative) damage to DNA in adolescents. Material and methods: Six hundred 14–15-year-old youngsters were recruited all over Flanders (Belgium) and in two areas with important industrial activities. DNA damage was assessed by alkaline and formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (Fpg) modified comet assays in peripheral blood cells and analysis of urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels. Personal exposure to potentially carcinogenic compounds was measured in urine, namely: chromium, cadmium, nickel, 1-hydroxypyrene as a proxy for exposure to other carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), t,t-muconic acid asmore » a metabolite of benzene, 2,5-dichlorophenol (2,5-DCP), organophosphate pesticide metabolites, and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) metabolites. In blood, arsenic, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners 118 and 156, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were analyzed. Levels of methylmercury (MeHg) were measured in hair. Multiple linear regression models were used to establish exposure-response relationships. Results: Biomarkers of exposure to PAHs and urinary chromium were associated with higher levels of both 8-OHdG in urine and DNA damage detected by the alkaline comet assay. Concentrations of 8-OHdG in urine increased in relation with increasing concentrations of urinary t,t-muconic acid, cadmium, nickel, 2,5-DCP, and DEHP metabolites. Increased concentrations of PFOA in blood were associated with higher levels of DNA damage measured by the alkaline comet assay, whereas DDT was associated in the same direction with the Fpg-modified comet assay. Inverse associations were observed between blood arsenic, hair MeHg, PCB 156 and HCB, and urinary 8-OHdG. The latter exposure biomarkers were also associated with higher fish intake. Urinary

  6. Effect of sample storage time on detection of hybridization signals in Checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization.

    PubMed

    do Nascimento, Cássio; Muller, Katia; Sato, Sandra; Albuquerque Junior, Rubens Ferreira

    2012-04-01

    Long-term sample storage can affect the intensity of the hybridization signals provided by molecular diagnostic methods that use chemiluminescent detection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different storage times on the hybridization signals of 13 bacterial species detected by the Checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization method using whole-genomic DNA probes. Ninety-six subgingival biofilm samples were collected from 36 healthy subjects, and the intensity of hybridization signals was evaluated at 4 different time periods: (1) immediately after collecting (n = 24) and (2) after storage at -20 °C for 6 months (n = 24), (3) for 12 months (n = 24), and (4) for 24 months (n = 24). The intensity of hybridization signals obtained from groups 1 and 2 were significantly higher than in the other groups (p < 0.001). No differences were found between groups 1 and 2 (p > 0.05). The Checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization method was suitable to detect hybridization signals from all groups evaluated, and the intensity of signals decreased significantly after long periods of sample storage.

  7. Physical mapping of 18S-25S rDNA and 5S rDNA in Lupinus via fluorescent in situ hybridization.

    PubMed

    Naganowska, Barbara; Zielińska, Anna

    2002-01-01

    Double-target fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to determine the genomic distribution of ribosomal RNA genes in five Lupinus species: L. cosentinii (2n=32), L. pilosus (2n=42), L. angustifolius (2n=40), L. luteus (2n=52) and L. mutabilis (2n=48). 18S-25S rDNA and 5S rDNA were used as probes. Some interspecific variation was observed in the number and size of the 18S-25S rDNA loci. All the studied species had one chromosome pair carrying 5S rDNA.

  8. Refining the Genetic Alphabet: A Late-Period Selection Pressure?

    PubMed Central

    Tor, Yitzhak

    2012-01-01

    Abstract The transition from genomic ribonucleic acid (RNA) to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in primitive cells may have created a selection pressure that refined the genetic alphabet, resulting from the global weakening of the N-glycosyl bonds. Hydrolytic rupture of these bonds, termed deglycosylation, leaves an abasic site that is the single greatest threat to the stability and integrity of genomic DNA. The rates of deglycosylation are highly dependent on the identity of the nucleobases. Modifications made to the bases, such as deamination, oxidation, and alkylation, can further increase deglycosylation reaction rates, suggesting that the native bases provide optimum N-glycosyl bond stability. To protect their genomes, cells have evolved highly specific enzymes called glycosylases, associated with DNA repair, that detect and remove these damaged bases. In RNA, however, the occurrence of many of these modified bases is deliberate. The dichotomous behavior that cells exhibit toward base modifications may have originated in the RNA world. Modified bases would have been advantageous for the functional and structural repertoire of catalytic RNAs. Yet in an early DNA world, the utility of these heterocycles was greatly diminished, and their presence posed a distinct liability to the stability of cells' genomes. A natural selection for bases exhibiting the greatest resistance to deglycosylation would have ensured the viability of early DNA life, along with the recruitment of DNA repair. Key Words: DNA—Nucleic acids—RNA world—Asteroid—Chemical evolution—Ribozymes. Astrobiology 12, 884–891. PMID:22984873

  9. Efficient DNA ligation in DNA–RNA hybrid helices by Chlorella virus DNA ligase

    PubMed Central

    Lohman, Gregory J. S.; Zhang, Yinhua; Zhelkovsky, Alexander M.; Cantor, Eric J.; Evans, Thomas C.

    2014-01-01

    Single-stranded DNA molecules (ssDNA) annealed to an RNA splint are notoriously poor substrates for DNA ligases. Herein we report the unexpectedly efficient ligation of RNA-splinted DNA by Chlorella virus DNA ligase (PBCV-1 DNA ligase). PBCV-1 DNA ligase ligated ssDNA splinted by RNA with kcat ≈ 8 x 10−3 s−1 and KM < 1 nM at 25°C under conditions where T4 DNA ligase produced only 5′-adenylylated DNA with a 20-fold lower kcat and a KM ≈ 300 nM. The rate of ligation increased with addition of Mn2+, but was strongly inhibited by concentrations of NaCl >100 mM. Abortive adenylylation was suppressed at low ATP concentrations (<100 µM) and pH >8, leading to increased product yields. The ligation reaction was rapid for a broad range of substrate sequences, but was relatively slower for substrates with a 5′-phosphorylated dC or dG residue on the 3′ side of the ligation junction. Nevertheless, PBCV-1 DNA ligase ligated all sequences tested with 10-fold less enzyme and 15-fold shorter incubation times than required when using T4 DNA ligase. Furthermore, this ligase was used in a ligation-based detection assay system to show increased sensitivity over T4 DNA ligase in the specific detection of a target mRNA. PMID:24203707

  10. Novel mechanism of regulation of the DNA repair enzyme OGG1 in tuberin-deficient cells

    PubMed Central

    Habib, Samy L.; Bhandari, Besant K.; Sadek, Nahed; Abboud-Werner, Sherry L.; Abboud, Hanna E.

    2010-01-01

    Tuberin (protein encodes by tuberous sclerosis complex 2, Tsc2) deficiency is associated with the decrease in the DNA repair enzyme 8-oxoG-DNA glycosylase (OGG1) in tumour kidney of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) patients. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the mechanisms by which tuberin regulates OGG1. The partial deficiency in tuberin expression that occurs in the renal proximal tubular cells and kidney cortex of the Eker rat is associated with decreased activator protein 4 (AP4) and OGG1 expression. A complete deficiency in tuberin is associated with loss of AP4 and OGG1 expression in kidney tumour from Eker rats and the accumulation of significant levels of 8-oxo-deoxyguanosine. Knockdown of tuberin expression in human renal epithelial cells (HEK293) with small interfering RNA (siRNA) also resulted in a marked decrease in the expression of AP4 and OGG1. In contrast, overexpression of tuberin in HEK293 cells increased the expression of AP4 and OGG1 proteins. Downregulation of AP4 expression using siRNA resulted in a significant decrease in the protein expression of OGG1. Immunoprecipitation studies show that AP4 is associated with tuberin in cells. Gel shift analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation identified the transcription factor AP4 as a positive regulator of the OGG1 promoter. AP4 DNA-binding activity is significantly reduced in Tsc2−/− as compared with Tsc2+/+ cells. Transcriptional activity of the OGG1 promoter is also decreased in tuberin-null cells compared with wild-type cells. These data indicate a novel role for tuberin in the regulation of OGG1 through the transcription factor AP4. This regulation may be important in the pathogenesis of kidney tumours in patients with TSC disease. PMID:20837600

  11. Long-term exposure to diesel engine exhaust induces primary DNA damage: a population-based study.

    PubMed

    Duan, Huawei; Jia, Xiaowei; Zhai, Qingfeng; Ma, Lu; Wang, Shan; Huang, Chuanfeng; Wang, Haisheng; Niu, Yong; Li, Xue; Dai, Yufei; Yu, Shanfa; Gao, Weimin; Chen, Wen; Zheng, Yuxin

    2016-02-01

    Diesel engine exhaust (DEE) is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant and is carcinogenic to humans. To seek early and sensitive biomarkers for prediction of adverse health effects, we analysed the components of DEE particles, and examined the genetic and oxidative damages in DEE-exposed workers. 101 male diesel engine testing workers who were constantly exposed to DEE and 106 matched controls were enrolled in the present study. The components of DEE were analysed, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5), element carbon (EC), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Postshift urine samples were collected and analysed for 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP), an internal exposure marker for DEE. Levels of DNA strand breaks and oxidised purines, defined as formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase (FPG) sites in leucocytes, were measured by medium throughput Comet assay. Urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) was also used to determine the level of oxidative stress. We found higher levels of PM2.5, EC, NO2, SO2 and PAHs in the diesel engine testing workshop and significantly higher urinary 1-OHP concentrations in exposed subjects (p<0.001). Compared with controls, the levels of parameters in normal Comet and FPG-Comet assay were all significantly higher in DEE-exposed workers (p<0.001), and in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. There were no significant differences between DEE-exposed workers and controls in regard to leucocyte FPG sensitive sites and urinary 8-OHdG levels. These findings suggest that DEE exposure mainly induces DNA damage, which might be used as an early biomarker for risk assessment of DEE exposure. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  12. Reduced expression of DNA repair genes (XRCC1, XPD, and OGG1) in squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck in North India.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Anil; Pant, Mohan Chand; Singh, Hirdya Shanker; Khandelwal, Shashi

    2012-02-01

    Squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck (SCCHN) is the sixth most common cancer globally, and in India, it accounts for 30% of all cancer cases. Epidemiological studies have shown a positive association between defective DNA repair capacity and SCCHN. The underlying mechanism of their involvement is not well understood. In the present study, we have analyzed the relationship between SCCHN and the expression of DNA repair genes namely X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1), xeroderma pigmentosum group D (XPD), and 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) in 75 SCCHN cases and equal number of matched healthy controls. Additionally, levels of DNA adduct [8-hydroxyguanine (8-OHdG)] in 45 SCCHN cases and 45 healthy controls were also determined, to ascertain a link between mRNA expression of these three genes and DNA adducts. The relative expression of XRCC1, XPD, and OGG1 in head and neck cancer patients was found to be significantly low as compared to controls. The percent difference of mean relative expression between cases and controls demonstrated maximum lowering in OGG1 (47.3%) > XPD (30.7%) > XRCC1 (25.2%). A negative Spearmen correlation between XRCC1 vs. 8-OHdG in cases was observed. In multivariate logistic regression analysis (adjusting for age, gender, smoking status, and alcohol use), low expression of XRCC1, XPD, and OGG1 was associated with a statistically significant increased risk of SCCHN [crude odds ratios (ORs) (95%CI) OR 2.10; (1.06-4.17), OR 2.76; (1.39-5.49), and 5.24 (2.38-11.52), respectively]. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that reduced expression of XRCC1, XPD, and OGG1 is associated with more than twofold increased risk in SCCHN.

  13. N6-methyladenine: a conserved and dynamic DNA mark

    PubMed Central

    O’Brown, Zach Klapholz; Greer, Eric Lieberman

    2017-01-01

    Chromatin, consisting of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) wrapped around histone proteins, facilitates DNA compaction and allows identical DNA code to confer many different cellular phenotypes. This biological versatility is accomplished in large part by post-translational modifications to histones and chemical modifications to DNA. These modifications direct the cellular machinery to expand or compact specific chromatin regions, and mark regions of the DNA as important for cellular functions. While each of the four bases that make up DNA can be modified (Iyer et al. 2011), this chapter will focus on methylation of the 6th position on adenines (6mA), as this modification has been poorly characterized in recently evolved eukaryotes but shows promise as a new conserved layer of epigenetic regulation. 6mA was previously thought to be restricted to unicellular organisms, but recent work has revealed its presence in more recently evolved metazoa. Here, we will briefly describe the history of 6mA, examine its evolutionary conservation, and evaluate the current methods for detecting 6mA. We will discuss the enzymes that bind and regulate this mark and finally examine known and potential functions of 6mA in eukaryotes. PMID:27826841

  14. Lighting Up the Thioflavin T by Parallel-Stranded TG(GA) n DNA Homoduplexes.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Jinbo; Yan, Zhiqiang; Zhou, Weijun; Liu, Chuanbo; Wang, Jin; Wang, Erkang

    2018-06-22

    Thioflavin T (ThT) was once regarded to be a specific fluorescent probe for the human telomeric G-quadruplex, but more other kinds of DNA were found that can also bind to ThT in recent years. Herein, we focus on G-rich parallel-stranded DNA and utilize fluorescence, absorbance, circular dichroism, and surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy to investigate its interaction with ThT. Pyrene label and molecular modeling are applied to unveil the binding mechanism. We find a new class of non-G-quadruplex G-rich parallel-stranded ( ps) DNA with the sequence of TG(GA) n can bind to ThT and increase the fluorescence with an enhancement ability superior to G-quadruplex. The optimal binding specificity for ThT is conferred by two parts. The first part is composed of two bases TG at the 5' end, which is a critical domain and plays an important role in the formation of the binding site for ThT. The second part is the rest alternative d(GA) bases, which forms the ps homoduplex and cooperates with the TG bases at the 5' end to bind the ThT.

  15. The UNG2 Arg88Cys variant abrogates RPA-mediated recruitment of UNG2 to single-stranded DNA.

    PubMed

    Torseth, Kathrin; Doseth, Berit; Hagen, Lars; Olaisen, Camilla; Liabakk, Nina-Beate; Græsmann, Heidi; Durandy, Anne; Otterlei, Marit; Krokan, Hans E; Kavli, Bodil; Slupphaug, Geir

    2012-06-01

    In human cell nuclei, UNG2 is the major uracil-DNA glycosylase initiating DNA base excision repair of uracil. In activated B cells it has an additional role in facilitating mutagenic processing of AID-induced uracil at Ig loci and UNG-deficient patients develop hyper-IgM syndrome characterized by impaired class-switch recombination and disturbed somatic hypermutation. How UNG2 is recruited to either error-free or mutagenic uracil processing remains obscure, but likely involves regulated interactions with other proteins. The UNG2 N-terminal domain contains binding motifs for both proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and replication protein A (RPA), but the relative contribution of these interactions to genomic uracil processing is not understood. Interestingly, a heterozygous germline single-nucleotide variant leading to Arg88Cys (R88C) substitution in the RPA-interaction motif of UNG2 has been observed in humans, but with unknown functional relevance. Here we demonstrate that UNG2-R88C protein is expressed from the variant allele in a lymphoblastoid cell line derived from a heterozygous germ line carrier. Enzyme activity as well as localization in replication foci of UNG2-R88C was similar to that of WT. However, binding to RPA was essentially abolished by the R88C substitution, whereas binding to PCNA was unaffected. Moreover, we show that disruption of the PCNA-binding motif impaired recruitment of UNG2 to S-phase replication foci, demonstrating that PCNA is a major factor for recruitment of UNG2 to unperturbed replication forks. Conversely, in cells treated with hydroxyurea, RPA mediated recruitment of UNG2 to stalled replication forks independently of functional PCNA binding. Modulation of PCNA- versus RPA-binding may thus constitute a functional switch for UNG2 in cells subsequent to genotoxic stress and potentially also during the processing of uracil at the immunoglobulin locus in antigen-stimulated B cells. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights

  16. Combustion products of 1,3-butadiene inhibit catalase activity and induce expression of oxidative DNA damage repair enzymes in human bronchial epithelial cells.

    PubMed

    Kennedy, Christopher H; Catallo, W James; Wilson, Vincent L; Mitchell, James B

    2009-10-01

    1,3-Butadiene, an important petrochemical, is commonly burned off when excess amounts need to be destroyed. This combustion process produces butadiene soot (BDS), which is composed of a complex mixture of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in particulates ranging in size from <1 microm to 1 mm. An organic extract of BDS is both cytotoxic and genotoxic to normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells. Based on the oxidizing potential of BDS, we hypothesized that an organic extract of this particulate matter would (1) cause enzyme inactivation due to protein amino acid oxidation and (2) induce oxidative DNA damage in NHBE cells. Thus, our aims were to determine the effect of butadiene soot ethanol extract (BSEE) on both enzyme activity and the expression of proteins involved in the repair of oxidative DNA damage. Catalase was found to be sensitive to BDS as catalase activity was potently diminished in the presence of BSEE. Using Western analysis, both the alpha isoform of human 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (alpha-hOGG1) and human apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease (APE-1) were shown to be significantly overexpressed as compared to untreated controls after exposure of NHBE cells to BSEE. Our results indicate that BSEE is capable of effectively inactivating the antioxidant enzyme catalase, presumably via oxidation of protein amino acids. The presence of oxidized biomolecules may partially explain the extranuclear fluorescence that is detected when NHBE cells are treated with an organic extract of BDS. Overexpression of both alpha-hOGG1 and APE-1 proteins following treatment of NHBE cells with BSEE suggests that this mixture causes oxidative DNA damage.

  17. Combustion products of 1,3-butadiene inhibit catalase activity and induce expression of oxidative DNA damage repair enzymes in human bronchial epithelial cells

    PubMed Central

    Kennedy, Christopher H.; Catallo, W. James; Wilson, Vincent L.; Mitchell, James B.

    2012-01-01

    1,3-Butadiene, an important petrochemical, is commonly burned off when excess amounts need to be destroyed. This combustion process produces butadiene soot (BDS), which is composed of a complex mixture of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in particulates ranging in size from <1μm to 1 mm. An organic extract of BDS is both cytotoxic and genotoxic to normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells. Based on the oxidizing potential of BDS, we hypothesized that an organic extract of this particulate matter would: 1) cause enzyme inactivation due to protein amino acid oxidation; and 2) induce oxidative DNA damage in NHBE cells. Thus, our aims were to determine the effect of butadiene soot ethanol extract (BSEE) on both enzyme activity and expression of proteins involved in the repair of oxidative DNA damage. Catalase was found to be sensitive to BDS as catalase activity was potently diminished in the presence of BSEE. Using Western analysis, both the alpha isoform of human 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (α-hOGG1) and human apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease (APE-1) were shown to be significantly overexpressed as compared to untreated controls after exposure of NHBE cells to BSEE. Our results indicate that BSEE is capable of effectively inactivating the antioxidant enzyme catalase, presumably via oxidation of protein amino acids. The presence of oxidized proteins may partially explain the extranuclear fluorescence that is detected when NHBE cells are treated with an organic extract of BDS. Overexpression of both α-hOGG1 and APE-1 proteins following treatment of NHBE cells with BSEE suggests that this mixture causes oxidative DNA damage. PMID:18685817

  18. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Adhikary, Suraj; Eichman, Brandt F.

    DNA glycosylases specialized for the repair of alkylation damage must identify, with fine specificity, a diverse array of subtle modifications within DNA. The current mechanism involves damage sensing through interrogation of the DNA duplex, followed by more specific recognition of the target base inside the active site pocket. To better understand the physical basis for alkylpurine detection, we determined the crystal structure of Schizosaccharomyces pombe Mag1 (spMag1) in complex with DNA and performed a mutational analysis of spMag1 and the close homologue from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (scMag). Despite strong homology, spMag1 and scMag differ in substrate specificity and cellular alkylation sensitivity,more » although the enzymological basis for their functional differences is unknown. We show that Mag preference for 1,N{sup 6}-ethenoadenine ({var_epsilon}A) is influenced by a minor groove-interrogating residue more than the composition of the nucleobase-binding pocket. Exchanging this residue between Mag proteins swapped their {var_epsilon}A activities, providing evidence that residues outside the extrahelical base-binding pocket have a role in identification of a particular modification in addition to sensing damage.« less

  19. Biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation after wood smoke exposure in a reconstructed Viking Age house.

    PubMed

    Jensen, Annie; Karottki, Dorina Gabriela; Christensen, Jannie Marie; Bønløkke, Jakob Hjort; Sigsgaard, Torben; Glasius, Marianne; Loft, Steffen; Møller, Peter

    2014-10-01

    Exposure to particles from combustion of wood is associated with respiratory symptoms, whereas there is limited knowledge about systemic effects. We investigated effects on systemic inflammation, oxidative stress and DNA damage in humans who lived in a reconstructed Viking Age house, with indoor combustion of wood for heating and cooking. The subjects were exposed to high indoor concentrations of PM2.5 (700-3,600 µg/m(3)), CO (10.7-15.3 ppm) and NO2 (140-154 µg/m(3)) during a 1-week stay. Nevertheless, there were unaltered levels of genotoxicity, determined as DNA strand breaks and formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase and oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 sensitive sites in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. There were also unaltered expression levels of OGG1, HMOX1, CCL2, IL8, and TNF levels in leukocytes. In serum, there were unaltered levels of C-reactive protein, IL6, IL8, TNF, lactate dehydrogenase, cholesterol, triglycerides, and high-density lipoproteins. The wood smoke exposure was associated with decreased serum levels of sICAM-1, and a tendency to decreased sVCAM-1 levels. There was a minor increase in the levels of circulating monocytes expressing CD31, whereas there were unaltered expression levels of CD11b, CD49d, and CD62L on monocytes after the stay in the house. In conclusion, even a high inhalation exposure to wood smoke was associated with limited systemic effects on markers of oxidative stress, DNA damage, inflammation, and monocyte activation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Characterization of cDNA for human tripeptidyl peptidase II: The N-terminal part of the enzyme is similar to subtilisin

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tomkinson, B.; Jonsson, A-K

    1991-01-01

    Tripeptidyl peptidase II is a high molecular weight serine exopeptidase, which has been purified from rat liver and human erythrocytes. Four clones, representing 4453 bp, or 90{percent} of the mRNA of the human enzyme, have been isolated from two different cDNA libraries. One clone, designated A2, was obtained after screening a human B-lymphocyte cDNA library with a degenerated oligonucleotide mixture. The B-lymphocyte cDNA library, obtained from human fibroblasts, were rescreened with a 147 bp fragment from the 5{prime} part of the A2 clone, whereby three different overlapping cDNA clones could be isolated. The deduced amino acid sequence, 1196 amino acidmore » residues, corresponding to the longest open rading frame of the assembled nucleotide sequence, was compared to sequences of current databases. This revealed a 56{percent} similarity between the bacterial enzyme subtilisin and the N-terminal part of tripeptidyl peptidase II. The enzyme was found to be represented by two different mRNAs of 4.2 and 5.0 kilobases, respectively, which probably result from the utilziation of two different polyadenylation sites. Futhermore, cDNA corresponding to both the N-terminal and C-terminal part of tripeptidyl peptidase II hybridized with genomic DNA from mouse, horse, calf, and hen, even under fairly high stringency conditions, indicating that tripeptidyl peptidase II is highly conserved.« less

  1. N(4)C-ethyl-N(4)C cross-linked DNA: synthesis and characterization of duplexes with interstrand cross-links of different orientations.

    PubMed

    Noronha, Anne M; Noll, David M; Wilds, Christopher J; Miller, Paul S

    2002-01-22

    The preparation and physical properties of short DNA duplexes that contain a N(4)C-ethyl-N(4)C interstrand cross-link are described. Duplexes that contain an interstrand cross-link between mismatched C-C residues and duplexes in which the C residues of a -CG- or -GC- step are linked to give "staggered" interstrand cross-links were prepared using a novel N(4)C-ethyl-N(4)C phosphoramidite reagent. Duplexes with the C-C mismatch cross-link have UV thermal transition temperatures that are 25 degrees C higher than the melting temperatures of control duplexes in which the cross-link is replaced with a G-C base pair. It appears that this cross-link stabilizes adjacent base pairs and does not perturb the structure of the helix, a conclusion that is supported by the CD spectrum of this duplex and by molecular models. An even higher level of stabilization, 49 degrees C, is seen with the duplex that contains a -CG- staggered cross-link. Molecular models suggest that this cross-link may induce propeller twisting in the cross-linked base pairs, and the CD spectrum of this duplex exhibits an unusual negative band at 298 nm, although the remainder of the spectrum is similar to that of B-form DNA. Mismatched C-C or -CG- staggered cross-linked duplexes that have complementary overhanging ends can undergo self-ligation catalyzed by T4 DNA ligase. Analysis of the ligated oligomers by nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis shows that the resulting oligomers migrate in a manner similar to that of a mixture of non-cross-linked control oligomers and suggests that these cross-links do not result in significant bending of the helix. However, the orientation of the staggered cross-link can have a significant effect on the structure and stability of the cross-linked duplex. Thus, the thermal stability of the duplex that contains a -GC- staggered cross-link is 10 degrees C lower than the melting temperature of the control, non-cross-linked duplex. Unlike the -CG- staggered cross

  2. Immobilization of DNA onto poly(dimethylsiloxane) surfaces and application to a microelectrochemical enzyme-amplified DNA hybridization assay.

    PubMed

    Liu, Daojun; Perdue, Robbyn K; Sun, Li; Crooks, Richard M

    2004-07-06

    This paper describes immobilization of DNA onto the interior walls of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microsystems and its application to an enzyme-amplified electrochemical DNA assay. DNA immobilization was carried out by silanization of the PDMS surface with 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane to yield a thiol-terminated surface. 5'-acrylamide-modified DNA reacts with the pendant thiol groups to yield DNA-modified PDMS. Surface-immobilized DNA oligos serve as capture probes for target DNA. Biotin-labeled target DNA hybridizes to the PDMS-immobilized capture DNA, and subsequent introduction of alkaline phosphatase (AP) conjugated to streptavidin results in attachment of the enzyme to hybridized DNA. Electrochemical detection of DNA hybridization benefits from enzyme amplification. Specifically, AP converts electroinactive p-aminophenyl phosphate to electroactive p-aminophenol, which is detected using an indium tin oxide interdigitated array (IDA) electrode. The IDA electrode eliminates the need for a reference electrode and provides a steady-state current that is related to the concentration of hybridized DNA. At present, the limit of detection of the DNA target is 1 nM in a volume of 20 nL, which corresponds to 20 attomoles of DNA.

  3. Lipofection: a highly efficient, lipid-mediated DNA-transfection procedure.

    PubMed Central

    Felgner, P L; Gadek, T R; Holm, M; Roman, R; Chan, H W; Wenz, M; Northrop, J P; Ringold, G M; Danielsen, M

    1987-01-01

    A DNA-transfection protocol has been developed that makes use of a synthetic cationic lipid, N-[1-(2,3-dioleyloxy)propyl]-N,N,N-trimethylammonium chloride (DOTMA). Small unilamellar liposomes containing DOTMA interact spontaneously with DNA to form lipid-DNA complexes with 100% entrapment of the DNA, DOTMA facilitates fusion of the complex with the plasma membrane of tissue culture cells, resulting in both uptake and expression of the DNA. The technique is simple, highly reproducible, and effective for both transient and stable expression of transfected DNA. Depending upon the cell line, lipofection is from 5- to greater than 100-fold more effective than either the calcium phosphate or the DEAE-dextran transfection technique. Images PMID:2823261

  4. Immunoglobulin class-switch recombination deficiencies.

    PubMed

    Durandy, Anne; Kracker, Sven

    2012-07-30

    Immunoglobulin class-switch recombination deficiencies (Ig-CSR-Ds) are rare primary immunodeficiencies characterized by defective switched isotype (IgG/IgA/IgE) production. Depending on the molecular defect in question, the Ig-CSR-D may be combined with an impairment in somatic hypermutation (SHM). Some of the mechanisms underlying Ig-CSR and SHM have been described by studying natural mutants in humans. This approach has revealed that T cell-B cell interaction (resulting in CD40-mediated signaling), intrinsic B-cell mechanisms (activation-induced cytidine deaminase-induced DNA damage), and complex DNA repair machineries (including uracil-N-glycosylase and mismatch repair pathways) are all involved in class-switch recombination and SHM. However, several of the mechanisms required for full antibody maturation have yet to be defined. Elucidation of the molecular defects underlying the diverse set of Ig-CSR-Ds is essential for understanding Ig diversification and has prompted better definition of the clinical spectrum of diseases and the development of increasingly accurate diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

  5. Scaffold Functions of 14-3-3 Adaptors in B Cell Immunoglobulin Class Switch DNA Recombination

    PubMed Central

    White, Clayton A.; Li, Guideng; Pone, Egest J.; Xu, Zhenming; Casali, Paolo

    2013-01-01

    Class switch DNA recombination (CSR) of the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) locus crucially diversifies antibody biological effector functions. CSR involves the induction of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) expression and AID targeting to switch (S) regions by 14-3-3 adaptors. 14-3-3 adaptors specifically bind to 5′-AGCT-3′ repeats, which make up for the core of all IgH locus S regions. They selectively target the upstream and downstream S regions that are set to undergo S–S DNA recombination. We hypothesized that 14-3-3 adaptors function as scaffolds to stabilize CSR enzymatic elements on S regions. Here we demonstrate that all seven 14-3-3β, 14-3-3ε, 14-3-3γ, 14-3-3η, 14-3-3σ, 14-3-3τ and 14-3-3ζ adaptors directly interacted with AID, PKA-Cα (catalytic subunit) and PKA-RIα (regulatory inhibitory subunit) and uracil DNA glycosylase (Ung). 14-3-3 adaptors, however, did not interact with AID C-terminal truncation mutant AIDΔ(180–198) or AIDF193A and AIDL196A point-mutants (which have been shown not to bind to S region DNA and fail to mediate CSR). 14-3-3 adaptors colocalized with AID and replication protein A (RPA) in B cells undergoing CSR. 14-3-3 and AID binding to S region DNA was disrupted by viral protein R (Vpr), an accessory protein of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1), which inhibited CSR without altering AID expression or germline IH-CH transcription. Accordingly, we demonstrated that 14-3-3 directly interact with Vpr, which in turn, also interact with AID, PKA-Cα and Ung. Altogether, our findings suggest that 14-3-3 adaptors play important scaffold functions and nucleate the assembly of multiple CSR factors on S regions. They also show that such assembly can be disrupted by a viral protein, thereby allowing us to hypothesize that small molecule compounds that specifically block 14-3-3 interactions with AID, PKA and/or Ung can be used to inhibit unwanted CSR. PMID:24282540

  6. Mitochondrial DNA alteration in obstructive sleep apnea.

    PubMed

    Lacedonia, Donato; Carpagnano, Giovanna E; Crisetti, Elisabetta; Cotugno, Grazia; Palladino, Grazia P; Patricelli, Giulia; Sabato, Roberto; Foschino Barbaro, Maria P

    2015-04-07

    Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSAS) is a disease associated with the increase of cardiovascular risk and it is characterized by repeated episodes of Intermittent Hypoxia (IH) which inducing oxidative stress and systemic inflammation. Mitochondria are cell organelles involved in the respiratory that have their own DNA (MtDNA). The aim of this study was to investigate if the increase of oxidative stress in OSAS patients can induce also MtDNA alterations. 46 OSAS patients (age 59.27 ± 11.38; BMI 30.84 ± 3.64; AHI 36.63 ± 24.18) were compared with 36 control subjects (age 54.42 ± 6.63; BMI 29.06 ± 4.7; AHI 3.8 ± 1.10). In blood cells Content of MtDNA and nuclear DNA (nDNA) was measured in OSAS patients by Real Time PCR. The ratio between MtDNA/nDNA was then calculated. Presence of oxidative stress was evaluated by levels of Reactive Oxygen Metabolites (ROMs), measured by diacron reactive oxygen metabolite test (d-ROM test). MtDNA/nDNA was higher in patients with OSAS than in the control group (150.94 ± 49.14 vs 128.96 ± 45.8; p = 0.04), the levels of ROMs were also higher in OSAS subjects (329.71 ± 70.17 vs 226 ± 36.76; p = 0.04) and they were positively correlated with MtDNA/nDNA (R = 0.5, p < 0.01). In OSAS patients there is a Mitochondrial DNA damage induced by the increase of oxidative stress. Intermittent hypoxia seems to be the main mechanism which leads to this process.

  7. Exercise Modulates Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Aging and Cardiovascular Diseases.

    PubMed

    Sallam, Nada; Laher, Ismail

    2016-01-01

    Despite the wealth of epidemiological and experimental studies indicating the protective role of regular physical activity/exercise training against the sequels of aging and cardiovascular diseases, the molecular transducers of exercise/physical activity benefits are not fully identified but should be further investigated in more integrative and innovative approaches, as they bear the potential for transformative discoveries of novel therapeutic targets. As aging and cardiovascular diseases are associated with a chronic state of oxidative stress and inflammation mediated via complex and interconnected pathways, we will focus in this review on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions of exercise, mainly exerted on adipose tissue, skeletal muscles, immune system, and cardiovascular system by modulating anti-inflammatory/proinflammatory cytokines profile, redox-sensitive transcription factors such as nuclear factor kappa B, activator protein-1, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha, antioxidant and prooxidant enzymes, and repair proteins such as heat shock proteins, proteasome complex, oxoguanine DNA glycosylase, uracil DNA glycosylase, and telomerase. It is important to note that the effects of exercise vary depending on the type, intensity, frequency, and duration of exercise as well as on the individual's characteristics; therefore, the development of personalized exercise programs is essential.

  8. Antibacterial and DNA cleavage activity of carbonyl functionalized N-heterocyclic carbene-silver(I) and selenium compounds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haque, Rosenani A.; Iqbal, Muhammad Adnan; Mohamad, Faisal; Razali, Mohd R.

    2018-03-01

    The article describes syntheses and characterizations of carbonyl functionalized benzimidazolium salts, I-IV. While salts I-III are unstable at room temperature, salt IV remained stable and was further utilised to form N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) compounds of silver(I), V and VI, and selenium compound, VII respectively. Compounds IV-VII were tested for their antibacterial potential against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Salt IV shows a very low inhibition potential (minimum inhibitory concentration, MIC 500 μg/mL) compared to the respective silver(I)-NHC, V and VI (MIC 31.25 μg/mL against both, E. coli and S. aureus) and selenium compound, VII (MIC 125 μg/mL against E. coli and 62.50 μg/mL against S. aureus). In DNA cleavage abilities, all the test compounds cleave DNA in which the VII cleaves the DNA at the faster rate. Meanwhile, the silver(I)-NHC complexes V and VI act at the same mode and pattern of DNA cleavage while VII is similar to IV.

  9. Ball with hair: modular functionalization of highly stable G-quadruplex DNA nano-scaffolds through N2-guanine modification

    PubMed Central

    Lech, Christopher Jacques

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Functionalized nanoparticles have seen valuable applications, particularly in the delivery of therapeutic and diagnostic agents in biological systems. However, the manufacturing of such nano-scale systems with the consistency required for biological application can be challenging, as variation in size and shape have large influences in nanoparticle behavior in vivo. We report on the development of a versatile nano-scaffold based on the modular functionalization of a DNA G-quadruplex. DNA sequences are functionalized in a modular fashion using well-established phosphoramidite chemical synthesis with nucleotides containing modification of the amino (N2) position of the guanine base. In physiological conditions, these sequences fold into well-defined G-quadruplex structures. The resulting DNA nano-scaffolds are thermally stable, consistent in size, and functionalized in a manner that allows for control over the density and relative orientation of functional chemistries on the nano-scaffold surface. Various chemistries including small modifications (N2-methyl-guanine), bulky aromatic modifications (N2-benzyl-guanine), and long chain-like modifications (N2-6-amino-hexyl-guanine) are tested and are found to be generally compatible with G-quadruplex formation. Furthermore, these modifications stabilize the G-quadruplex scaffold by 2.0–13.3 °C per modification in the melting temperature, with concurrent modifications producing extremely stable nano-scaffolds. We demonstrate the potential of this approach by functionalizing nano-scaffolds for use within the biotin–avidin conjugation approach. PMID:28499037

  10. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hang, Bo; Rodriguez, Ben; Yang, Yanu

    Benzene, a ubiquitous human carcinogen, forms DNA adducts through its metabolites such as p-benzoquinone (p-BQ) and hydroquinone (HQ). N(2)-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-2'-deoxyguanosine (N(2)-4-HOPh-dG) is the principal adduct identified in vivo by (32)P-postlabeling in cells or animals treated with p-BQ or HQ. To study its effect on repair specificity and replication fidelity, we recently synthesized defined oligonucleotides containing a site-specific adduct using phosphoramidite chemistry. We here report the repair of this adduct by Escherichia coli UvrABC complex, which performs the initial damage recognition and incision steps in the nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway. We first showed that the p-BQ-treated plasmid was efficiently cleaved bymore » the complex, indicating the formation of DNA lesions that are substrates for NER. Using a 40-mer substrate, we found that UvrABC incises the DNA strand containing N(2)-4-HOPh-dG in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The specificity of such repair was also compared with that of DNA glycosylases and damage-specific endonucleases of E. coli, both of which were found to have no detectable activity toward N(2)-4-HOPh-dG. To understand why this adduct is specifically recognized and processed by UvrABC, molecular modeling studies were performed. Analysis of molecular dynamics trajectories showed that stable G:C-like hydrogen bonding patterns of all three Watson-Crick hydrogen bonds are present within the N(2)-4-HOPh-G:C base pair, with the hydroxyphenyl ring at an almost planar position. In addition, N(2)-4-HOPh-dG has a tendency to form more stable stacking interactions than a normal G in B-type DNA. These conformational properties may be critical in differential recognition of this adduct by specific repair enzymes.« less

  11. Carbinolamine Formation and Dehydration in a DNA Repair Enzyme Active Site

    PubMed Central

    Dodson, M. L.; Walker, Ross C.; Lloyd, R. Stephen

    2012-01-01

    In order to suggest detailed mechanistic hypotheses for the formation and dehydration of a key carbinolamine intermediate in the T4 pyrimidine dimer glycosylase (T4PDG) reaction, we have investigated these reactions using steered molecular dynamics with a coupled quantum mechanics–molecular mechanics potential (QM/MM). We carried out simulations of DNA abasic site carbinolamine formation with and without a water molecule restrained to remain within the active site quantum region. We recovered potentials of mean force (PMF) from thirty replicate reaction trajectories using Jarzynski averaging. We demonstrated feasible pathways involving water, as well as those independent of water participation. The water–independent enzyme–catalyzed reaction had a bias–corrected Jarzynski–average barrier height of approximately for the carbinolamine formation reaction and ) for the reverse reaction at this level of representation. When the proton transfer was facilitated with an intrinsic quantum water, the barrier height was approximately in the forward (formation) reaction and for the reverse. In addition, two modes of unsteered (free dynamics) carbinolamine dehydration were observed: in one, the quantum water participated as an intermediate proton transfer species, and in the other, the active site protonated glutamate hydrogen was directly transferred to the carbinolamine oxygen. Water–independent unforced proton transfer from the protonated active site glutamate carboxyl to the unprotonated N–terminal amine was also observed. In summary, complex proton transfer events, some involving water intermediates, were studied in QM/MM simulations of T4PDG bound to a DNA abasic site. Imine carbinolamine formation was characterized using steered QM/MM molecular dynamics. Dehydration of the carbinolamine intermediate to form the final imine product was observed in free, unsteered, QM/MM dynamics simulations, as was unforced acid-base transfer between the active site

  12. Synthesis, characterization, DNA-Binding, enzyme inhibition and antioxidant studies of new N-methylated derivatives of pyridinium amine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zafar, Muhammad Naveed; Perveen, Fouzia; Nazar, Muhammad Faizan; Mughal, Ehsan Ullah; Rafique, Humera; Tahir, Muhammad Nawaz; Akbar, Muhammad Sharif; Zahra, Sabeen

    2017-06-01

    A series of novel N-methylated derivatives of pyridinium amine, [L1][Tf]-[L5][Tf], were synthesized and characterized by FTIR, NMR, MS and XRD analyses. Preliminary biological screening of these compounds including antioxidant, enzyme inhibition and DNA (salmon sperm) interaction studies were also carried out. The targeted compounds were synthesized by a melt reaction between 4-chloro-N-methyl pyridinium triflate and corresponding amines (1-naphthyl amine, o-ansidine, 2-nitroaniline, p-ansidine and cyclohexyl amine) at temperature of 230 °C. The DPPH radical antioxidant scavenging activities of these compounds at maximum concentration of 50 μg/mL were observed in the range of 60-70%. Acetylcholine esterase (AChE) and Butylcholine esterase (BChE) inhibitory activities of synthesized compounds at 2 mM concentration were also measured to be at maximum of 79 and 71% respectively. The spectral behavior of ligand-DNA obtained from photo-luminescent measurements showed that all ligands bind with DNA via non-covalent interactions. The binding constant values were determined by UV-visible and fluorescence spectroscopy and were quite close to that obtained from molecular docking studies.

  13. Mathematical Methods for Studying DNA and Protein Interactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    LeGresley, Sarah

    Deoxyribnucleic Acid (DNA) damage can lead to health related issues such as developmental disorders, aging, and cancer. It has been estimated that damage rates may be as high as 100,000 per cell per day. Because of the devastating effects that DNA damage can have, DNA repair mechanisms are of great interest yet are not completely understood. To gain a better understanding of possible DNA repair mechanisms, my dissertation focused on mathematical methods for understanding the interactions between DNA and proteins. I developed a damaged DNA model to estimate the probabilities of damaged DNA being located at specific positions. Experiments were then performed that suggested that the damaged DNA may be repositioned. These experimental results were consistent with the model's prediction that damaged DNA has preferred locations. To study how proteins might be moving along the DNA, I studied the use of the uniform motion "n-step" model. The n-step model has been used to determine the kinetics parameters (e.g. rates at which a protein moves along the DNA, how much energy is required to move a protein along a specified amount of DNA, etc.) of proteins moving along the DNA. Monte Carlo methods were used to simulate proteins moving with different types of non-uniform motion (e.g. backward, jumping, etc.) along the DNA. Estimates for the kinetics parameters in the n-step model were found by fitting of the Monte Carlo simulation data. Analysis indicated that non-uniform motion of the protein may lead to over or underestimation of the kinetic parameters of this n-step model.

  14. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies of an N2-Guanine Adduct Derived from the Tumorigen Dibenzo[a,l]pyrene in DNA: Impact of Adduct Stereochemistry, Size, and Local DNA Sequence on Solution Conformations

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    The dimensions and arrangements of aromatic rings (topology) in adducts derived from the reactions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) diol epoxide metabolites with DNA influence the distortions and stabilities of double-stranded DNA, and hence their recognition and processing by the human nucleotide excision repair (NER) system. Dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DB[a,l]P) is a highly tumorigenic six-ring PAH, which contains a nonplanar and aromatic fjord region that is absent in the structurally related bay region five-ring PAH benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P). The PAH diol epoxide–DNA adducts formed include the stereoisomeric 14S and 14Rtrans-anti-DB[a,l]P-N2-dG and the stereochemically analogous 10S- and 10R-B[a]P-N2-dG (B[a]P-dG) guanine adducts. However, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) solution studies of the 14S-DB[a,l]P-N2-dG adduct in DNA have not yet been presented. Here we have investigated the 14S-DB[a,l]P-N2-dG adduct in two different sequence contexts using NMR methods with distance-restrained molecular dynamics simulations. In duplexes with dC opposite the adduct deleted, a well-resolved base-displaced intercalative adduct conformation can be observed. In full duplexes, in contrast to the intercalated 14R stereoisomeric adduct, the bulky DB[a,l]P residue in the 14S adduct is positioned in a greatly widened and distorted minor groove, with significant disruptions and distortions of base pairing at the lesion site and two 5′-side adjacent base pairs. These unique structural features are significantly different from those of the stereochemically analogous but smaller B[a]P-dG adduct. The greater size and different topology of the DB[a,l]P aromatic ring system lead to greater structurally destabilizing DNA distortions that are partially compensated by stabilizing DB[a,l]P-DNA van der Waals interactions, whose combined effects impact the NER response to the adduct. These structural results broaden our understanding of the structure–function relationship in NER. PMID

  15. Residue-and-polymer-free graphene transfer: DNA-CTMA/graphene/GaN bio-hybrid photodiode for light-sensitive applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reddy, M. Siva Pratap; Park, Herie; Lee, Jung-Hee

    2018-02-01

    In this work, we present a residue-and-polymer-free graphene transfer method by using the adhesive force between graphene and a target substrate, the hydrophobic property of graphene, and the surface tension of the solutions. We used an n-type GaN substrate as the target substrate to make a photodiode (PD). Recently, the inclusion of biomolecules in photodetection technology has attracted considerable attention in the electronics and photonics research, particularly due to the rapid evolution of organic-inorganic bio-hybrid PDs (Bio-HPDs). This report presents a significant photoresponse of the bioinspired graphene-based PD fabricated with deoxyribonucleic acid-cetyltrimetylammonium chloride (DNA-CTMA) biomolecules on the n-type GaN substrate. Bio-HPDs respond to the infrared, visible, and ultraviolet wavelengths. Moreover, the Bio-HPDs show photosensitivities (Iphoto/Idark) of 21, 143, and 1194 for infrared, visible, and ultraviolet wavebands, respectively, which can be attributed to the integration of high-mobility graphene and photosensitive DNA-CTMA biomolecules. In addition, the corresponding charge transfer mechanisms in the PDs are explained by energy band diagrams.

  16. Environmental DNA (eDNA) Detection Probability Is Influenced by Seasonal Activity of Organisms.

    PubMed

    de Souza, Lesley S; Godwin, James C; Renshaw, Mark A; Larson, Eric

    2016-01-01

    Environmental DNA (eDNA) holds great promise for conservation applications like the monitoring of invasive or imperiled species, yet this emerging technique requires ongoing testing in order to determine the contexts over which it is effective. For example, little research to date has evaluated how seasonality of organism behavior or activity may influence detection probability of eDNA. We applied eDNA to survey for two highly imperiled species endemic to the upper Black Warrior River basin in Alabama, US: the Black Warrior Waterdog (Necturus alabamensis) and the Flattened Musk Turtle (Sternotherus depressus). Importantly, these species have contrasting patterns of seasonal activity, with N. alabamensis more active in the cool season (October-April) and S. depressus more active in the warm season (May-September). We surveyed sites historically occupied by these species across cool and warm seasons over two years with replicated eDNA water samples, which were analyzed in the laboratory using species-specific quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays. We then used occupancy estimation with detection probability modeling to evaluate both the effects of landscape attributes on organism presence and season of sampling on detection probability of eDNA. Importantly, we found that season strongly affected eDNA detection probability for both species, with N. alabamensis having higher eDNA detection probabilities during the cool season and S. depressus have higher eDNA detection probabilities during the warm season. These results illustrate the influence of organismal behavior or activity on eDNA detection in the environment and identify an important role for basic natural history in designing eDNA monitoring programs.

  17. Exposure to runoff from coal-tar-sealed pavement induces genotoxicity and impairment of DNA repair capacity in the RTL-W1 fish liver cell line.

    PubMed

    Kienzler, Aude; Mahler, Barbara J; Van Metre, Peter C; Schweigert, Nathalie; Devaux, Alain; Bony, Sylvie

    2015-07-01

    Coal-tar-based (CTB) sealcoat, frequently applied to parking lots and driveways in North America, contains elevated concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and related compounds. The RTL-W1 fish liver cell line was used to investigate two endpoints (genotoxicity and DNA-repair-capacity impairment) associated with exposure to runoff from asphalt pavement with CTB sealcoat or with an asphalt-based sealcoat hypothesized to contain about 7% CTB sealcoat (AS-blend). Genotoxic potential was assessed by the Formamido pyrimidine glycosylase (Fpg)-modified comet assay for 1:10 and 1:100 dilutions of runoff samples collected from 5 h to 36 d following sealcoat application. DNA-repair capacity was assessed by the base excision repair comet assay for 1:10 dilution of samples collected 26 h and 36 d following application. Both assays were run with and without co-exposure to ultraviolet-A radiation (UVA). With co-exposure to UVA, genotoxic effects were significant for both dilutions of CTB runoff for three of four sample times, and for some samples of AS-blend runoff. Base excision repair was significantly impaired for CTB runoff both with and without UVA exposure, and for AS-blend runoff only in the absence of UVA. This study is the first to investigate the effects of exposure to the complex mixture of chemicals in coal tar on DNA repair capacity. The results indicate that co-exposure to runoff from CT-sealcoated pavement and UVA as much as a month after sealcoat application has the potential to cause genotoxicity and impair DNA repair capacity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Oxidative Stress, DNA Damage and DNA Repair in Female Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Type 2

    PubMed Central

    Grindel, Annemarie; Guggenberger, Bianca; Eichberger, Lukas; Pöppelmeyer, Christina; Gschaider, Michaela; Tosevska, Anela; Mare, George; Briskey, David; Brath, Helmut; Wagner, Karl-Heinz

    2016-01-01

    Background Diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) is associated with oxidative stress which in turn can lead to DNA damage. The aim of the present study was to analyze oxidative stress, DNA damage and DNA repair in regard to hyperglycemic state and diabetes duration. Methods Female T2DM patients (n = 146) were enrolled in the MIKRODIAB study and allocated in two groups regarding their glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level (HbA1c≤7.5%, n = 74; HbA1c>7.5%, n = 72). In addition, tertiles according to diabetes duration (DD) were created (DDI = 6.94±3.1 y, n = 49; DDII = 13.35±1.1 y, n = 48; DDIII = 22.90±7.3 y, n = 49). Oxidative stress parameters, including ferric reducing ability potential, malondialdehyde, oxidized and reduced glutathione, reduced thiols, oxidized LDL and F2-Isoprostane as well as the activity of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase were measured. Damage to DNA was analyzed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and whole blood with single cell gel electrophoresis. DNA base excision repair capacity was tested with the modified comet repair assay. Additionally, mRNA expressions of nine genes related to base excision repair were analyzed in a subset of 46 matched individuals. Results No significant differences in oxidative stress parameters, antioxidant enzyme activities, damage to DNA and base excision repair capacity, neither between a HbA1c cut off />7.5%, nor between diabetes duration was found. A significant up-regulation in mRNA expression was found for APEX1, LIG3 and XRCC1 in patients with >7.5% HbA1c. Additionally, we observed higher total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, LDL/HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, Framingham risk score, systolic blood pressure, BMI and lower HDL-cholesterol in the hyperglycemic group. Conclusion BMI, blood pressure and blood lipid status were worse in hyperglycemic individuals. However, no major disparities regarding oxidative stress, damage to DNA and DNA repair were present which

  19. Oxidative Stress, DNA Damage and DNA Repair in Female Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Type 2.

    PubMed

    Grindel, Annemarie; Guggenberger, Bianca; Eichberger, Lukas; Pöppelmeyer, Christina; Gschaider, Michaela; Tosevska, Anela; Mare, George; Briskey, David; Brath, Helmut; Wagner, Karl-Heinz

    2016-01-01

    Diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) is associated with oxidative stress which in turn can lead to DNA damage. The aim of the present study was to analyze oxidative stress, DNA damage and DNA repair in regard to hyperglycemic state and diabetes duration. Female T2DM patients (n = 146) were enrolled in the MIKRODIAB study and allocated in two groups regarding their glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level (HbA1c≤7.5%, n = 74; HbA1c>7.5%, n = 72). In addition, tertiles according to diabetes duration (DD) were created (DDI = 6.94±3.1 y, n = 49; DDII = 13.35±1.1 y, n = 48; DDIII = 22.90±7.3 y, n = 49). Oxidative stress parameters, including ferric reducing ability potential, malondialdehyde, oxidized and reduced glutathione, reduced thiols, oxidized LDL and F2-Isoprostane as well as the activity of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase were measured. Damage to DNA was analyzed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and whole blood with single cell gel electrophoresis. DNA base excision repair capacity was tested with the modified comet repair assay. Additionally, mRNA expressions of nine genes related to base excision repair were analyzed in a subset of 46 matched individuals. No significant differences in oxidative stress parameters, antioxidant enzyme activities, damage to DNA and base excision repair capacity, neither between a HbA1c cut off />7.5%, nor between diabetes duration was found. A significant up-regulation in mRNA expression was found for APEX1, LIG3 and XRCC1 in patients with >7.5% HbA1c. Additionally, we observed higher total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, LDL/HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, Framingham risk score, systolic blood pressure, BMI and lower HDL-cholesterol in the hyperglycemic group. BMI, blood pressure and blood lipid status were worse in hyperglycemic individuals. However, no major disparities regarding oxidative stress, damage to DNA and DNA repair were present which might be due to good medical treatment

  20. Complexes of DNA bases and Watson-Crick base pairs interaction with neutral silver Agn (n = 8, 10, 12) clusters: a DFT and TDDFT study.

    PubMed

    Srivastava, Ruby

    2018-03-01

    We study the binding of the neutral Ag n (n = 8, 10, 12) to the DNA base-adenine (A), guanine (G) and Watson-Crick -adenine-thymine, guanine-cytosine pairs. Geometries of complexes were optimized at the DFT level using the hybrid B3LYP functional. LANL2DZ effective core potential was used for silver and 6-31 + G ** was used for all other atoms. NBO charges were analyzed using the Natural population analysis. The absorption properties of Ag n -A,G/WC complexes were also studied using time-dependent density functional theory. The absorption spectra for these complexes show wavelength in the visible region. It was revealed that silver clusters interact more strongly with WC pairs than with isolated DNA complexes. Furthermore, it was found that the electronic charge transferred from silver to isolated DNA clusters are less than the electronic charge transferred from silver to the Ag n -WC complexes. The vertical ionization potential, vertical electron affinity, hardness, and electrophilicity index of Ag n -DNA/WC complexes have also been discussed.

  1. Products of the direct reaction of the diazonium ion of a metabolite of the carcinogen N-nitrosomorpholine with purines of nucleosides and DNA.

    PubMed

    Zink, Charles N; Soissons, Nicolas; Fishbein, James C

    2010-07-19

    A number of putative purine nucleoside and nucleobase adducts of the diazonium ion derived from 3-hydroxy-N-nitrosomorpholine have been synthesized as dimethylacetals. These are converted, in most cases nearly quantitatively, to the aldehydes, or in two cases to their derivatives, on treatment with mild acid to yield standards for a quantitative investigation of alkylation of purine nucleosides and DNA by the above metabolite of the powerful carcinogen N-nitrosomorpholine. The stability of the resulting nucleobase ethoxyacetaldehyde (EA) adducts has been characterized under a number of conditions with respect to their propensity to decompose. The stabilities, compared to that of the previously characterized adduct of the model benzimidazole, are generally unexceptional. Deposition of adducts on purine nucleosides and DNA were quantified in reactions in which 3-hydroperoxy-N-nitrosomorpholine was reduced to the hydroxy metabolite by a water-soluble phosphine at 21 +/- 2 degrees C. The adduct profile is highly similar to that observed from simpler alpha-hydroxy metabolites of acyclic dialkylnitrosamines, with the three most abundant ethoxyacetaldehyde (EA) adducts in reactions of duplex DNA being N7-EA-Gua approximately O(6)-EA-Gua > N3-EA-Ade. The initial rate kinetics of formation of hydroxyethyl (HE) lesions from the initially formed EA lesions have been determined in the case of the major products in the cases of both the nucleoside and DNA adducts. The rates of formation of HE adducts are accelerated in DNA, relative to the nucleosides in the cases of the N7-EA-Ade, N7-EA-Gua, and O(6)-EA-Gua adducts by factors of 7, 14, and 54, respectively. The initial rates of depurination of the N3-EA-Ade, N7-EA-Gua, and N7-EA-Gua adducts have also been quantified, and they are unexceptional in comparison with what has been previously reported for simple alkyl adducts. The adduct profiles reported here stand in significant contrast to what has been reported previously for

  2. Tetrameric Ctp1 coordinates DNA binding and DNA bridging in DNA double-strand-break repair

    DOE PAGES

    Andres, Sara N.; Appel, C. Denise; Westmoreland, James W.; ...

    2015-01-12

    Ctp1 (also known as CtIP or Sae2) collaborates with Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 to initiate repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), but its functions remain enigmatic. In this paper, we report that tetrameric Schizosaccharomyces pombe Ctp1 contains multivalent DNA-binding and DNA-bridging activities. Through structural and biophysical analyses of the Ctp1 tetramer, we define the salient features of Ctp1 architecture: an N-terminal interlocking tetrameric helical dimer-of-dimers (THDD) domain and a central intrinsically disordered region (IDR) linked to C-terminal 'RHR' DNA-interaction motifs. The THDD, IDR and RHR are required for Ctp1 DNA-bridging activity in vitro, and both the THDD and RHR are required for efficientmore » DSB repair in S. pombe. Finally, our results establish non-nucleolytic roles of Ctp1 in binding and coordination of DSB-repair intermediates and suggest that ablation of human CtIP DNA binding by truncating mutations underlie the CtIP-linked Seckel and Jawad syndromes.« less

  3. SA1 and TRF1 synergistically bind to telomeric DNA and promote DNA-DNA pairing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Hong; Lin, Jiangguo; Countryman, Preston; Pan, Hai; Parminder Kaur Team; Robert Riehn Team; Patricia Opresko Team; Jane Tao Team; Susan Smith Team

    Impaired telomere cohesion leads to increased aneuploidy and early onset of tumorigenesis. Cohesion is thought to occur through the entrapment of two DNA strands within tripartite cohesin ring(s), along with a fourth subunit (SA1/SA2). Surprisingly, cohesion rings are not essential for telomere cohesion, which instead requires SA1 and shelterin proteins including TRF1. However, neither this unique cohesion mechanism at telomeres or DNA-binding properties of SA1 is understood. Here, using single-molecule fluorescence imaging of quantum dot-labeled proteins on DNA we discover that while SA1 diffuses across multiple telomeric and non-telomeric regions, the diffusion mediated through its N-terminal domain is slower at telomeric regions. However, addition of TRF1 traps SA1 within telomeric regions, which form longer DNA-DNA pairing tracts than with TRF1 alone, as revealed by atomic force microscopy. Together, these experimental results and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations suggest that TRF1 and SA1 synergistically interact with DNA to support telomere cohesion without cohesin rings.

  4. Fluorescence of size-expanded DNA bases: reporting on DNA sequence and structure with an unnatural genetic set.

    PubMed

    Krueger, Andrew T; Kool, Eric T

    2008-03-26

    We recently described the synthesis and helix assembly properties of expanded DNA (xDNA), which contains base pairs 2.4 A larger than natural DNA pairs. This designed genetic set is under study with the goals of mimicking the functions of the natural DNA-based genetic system and of developing useful research tools. Here, we study the fluorescence properties of the four expanded bases of xDNA (xA, xC, xG, xT) and evaluate how their emission varies with changes in oligomer length, composition, and hybridization. Experiments were carried out with short oligomers of xDNA nucleosides conjugated to a DNA oligonucleotide, and we investigated the effects of hybridizing these fluorescent oligomers to short complementary DNAs with varied bases opposite the xDNA bases. As monomer nucleosides, the xDNA bases absorb light in two bands: one at approximately 260 nm (similar to DNA) and one at longer wavelength ( approximately 330 nm). All are efficient violet-blue fluorophores with emission maxima at approximately 380-410 nm and quantum yields (Phifl) of 0.30-0.52. Short homo-oligomers of the xDNA bases (length 1-4 monomers) showed moderate self-quenching except xC, which showed enhancement of Phifl with increasing length. Interestingly, multimers of xA emitted at longer wavelengths (520 nm) as an apparent excimer. Hybridization of an oligonucleotide to the DNA adjacent to the xDNA bases (with the xDNA portion overhanging) resulted in no change in fluorescence. However, addition of one, two, or more DNA bases in these duplexes opposite the xDNA portion resulted in a number of significant fluorescence responses, including wavelength shifts, enhancements, or quenching. The strongest responses were the enhancement of (xG)n emission by hybridization of one or more adenines opposite them, and the quenching of (xT)n and (xC)n emission by guanines opposite. The data suggest multiple ways in which the xDNA bases, both alone and in oligomers, may be useful as tools in biophysical analysis

  5. Evolution of the tetraploid Anemone multifida (2n = 32) and hexaploid A. baldensis (2n = 48) (Ranunculaceae) was accompanied by rDNA loci loss and intergenomic translocation: evidence for their common genome origin.

    PubMed

    Mlinarec, J; Šatović, Z; Malenica, N; Ivančić-Baće, I; Besendorfer, V

    2012-08-01

    In the genus Anemone two small groups of taxa occur with the highest ploidy levels 2n = 6x = 48, belonging to the closely related clades: the montane/alpine Baldensis clade and the more temperate Multifida clade. To understand the formation of polyploids within these groups, the evolution of allohexaploid A. baldensis (AABBDD, 2n = 6x = 48) from Europe and allotetraploid Anemone multifida (BBDD, 2n = 4x = 32) from America was analysed. Internal transcribed spacer and non-transcribed spacer sequences were used as molecular markers for phylogenetic analyses. Cytogenetic studies, including genomic in situ hybridization with genomic DNA of potential parental species as probe, fluorescence in situ hybridization with 5S and 18S rDNA as probes and 18S rDNA restriction analyses, were used to identify the parental origin of chromosomes and to study genomic changes following polyploidization. This study shows that A. multifida (BBDD, 2n= 4x = 32) and A. baldensis (AABBDD, 2n = 6x = 48) are allopolyploids originating from the crosses of diploid members of the Multifida (donor of the A and B subgenomes) and Baldensis groups (donor of the D subgenome). The A and B subgenomes are closely related to the genomes of A. sylvestris, A. virginiana and A. cylindrica, indicating that these species or their progeny might be the ancestral donors of the B subgenome of A. multifida and A and B subgenomes of A. baldensis. Both polyploids have undergone genomic changes such as interchromosomal translocation affecting B and D subgenomes and changes at rDNA sites. Anemone multifida has lost the 35S rDNA loci characteristic of the maternal donor (B subgenome) and maintained only the rDNA loci of the paternal donor (D subgenome). It is proposed that A. multifida and A. baldensis probably had a common ancestor and their evolution was facilitated by vegetation changes during the Quaternary, resulting in their present disjunctive distribution.

  6. Evolution of the tetraploid Anemone multifida (2n = 32) and hexaploid A. baldensis (2n = 48) (Ranunculaceae) was accompanied by rDNA loci loss and intergenomic translocation: evidence for their common genome origin

    PubMed Central

    Mlinarec, J.; Šatović, Z.; Malenica, N.; Ivančić-Baće, I.; Besendorfer, V.

    2012-01-01

    Background and Aims In the genus Anemone two small groups of taxa occur with the highest ploidy levels 2n = 6x = 48, belonging to the closely related clades: the montane/alpine Baldensis clade and the more temperate Multifida clade. To understand the formation of polyploids within these groups, the evolution of allohexaploid A. baldensis (AABBDD, 2n = 6x = 48) from Europe and allotetraploid Anemone multifida (BBDD, 2n = 4x = 32) from America was analysed. Methods Internal transcribed spacer and non-transcribed spacer sequences were used as molecular markers for phylogenetic analyses. Cytogenetic studies, including genomic in situ hybridization with genomic DNA of potential parental species as probe, fluorescence in situ hybridization with 5S and 18S rDNA as probes and 18S rDNA restriction analyses, were used to identify the parental origin of chromosomes and to study genomic changes following polyploidization. Key Results This study shows that A. multifida (BBDD, 2n= 4x = 32) and A. baldensis (AABBDD, 2n = 6x = 48) are allopolyploids originating from the crosses of diploid members of the Multifida (donor of the A and B subgenomes) and Baldensis groups (donor of the D subgenome). The A and B subgenomes are closely related to the genomes of A. sylvestris, A. virginiana and A. cylindrica, indicating that these species or their progeny might be the ancestral donors of the B subgenome of A. multifida and A and B subgenomes of A. baldensis. Both polyploids have undergone genomic changes such as interchromosomal translocation affecting B and D subgenomes and changes at rDNA sites. Anemone multifida has lost the 35S rDNA loci characteristic of the maternal donor (B subgenome) and maintained only the rDNA loci of the paternal donor (D subgenome). Conclusions It is proposed that A. multifida and A. baldensis probably had a common ancestor and their evolution was facilitated by vegetation changes during the Quaternary, resulting in their present disjunctive distribution. PMID

  7. Ball with hair: modular functionalization of highly stable G-quadruplex DNA nano-scaffolds through N2-guanine modification.

    PubMed

    Lech, Christopher Jacques; Phan, Anh Tuân

    2017-06-20

    Functionalized nanoparticles have seen valuable applications, particularly in the delivery of therapeutic and diagnostic agents in biological systems. However, the manufacturing of such nano-scale systems with the consistency required for biological application can be challenging, as variation in size and shape have large influences in nanoparticle behavior in vivo. We report on the development of a versatile nano-scaffold based on the modular functionalization of a DNA G-quadruplex. DNA sequences are functionalized in a modular fashion using well-established phosphoramidite chemical synthesis with nucleotides containing modification of the amino (N2) position of the guanine base. In physiological conditions, these sequences fold into well-defined G-quadruplex structures. The resulting DNA nano-scaffolds are thermally stable, consistent in size, and functionalized in a manner that allows for control over the density and relative orientation of functional chemistries on the nano-scaffold surface. Various chemistries including small modifications (N2-methyl-guanine), bulky aromatic modifications (N2-benzyl-guanine), and long chain-like modifications (N2-6-amino-hexyl-guanine) are tested and are found to be generally compatible with G-quadruplex formation. Furthermore, these modifications stabilize the G-quadruplex scaffold by 2.0-13.3 °C per modification in the melting temperature, with concurrent modifications producing extremely stable nano-scaffolds. We demonstrate the potential of this approach by functionalizing nano-scaffolds for use within the biotin-avidin conjugation approach. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  8. Environmental DNA (eDNA) Detection Probability Is Influenced by Seasonal Activity of Organisms

    PubMed Central

    de Souza, Lesley S.; Godwin, James C.; Renshaw, Mark A.; Larson, Eric

    2016-01-01

    Environmental DNA (eDNA) holds great promise for conservation applications like the monitoring of invasive or imperiled species, yet this emerging technique requires ongoing testing in order to determine the contexts over which it is effective. For example, little research to date has evaluated how seasonality of organism behavior or activity may influence detection probability of eDNA. We applied eDNA to survey for two highly imperiled species endemic to the upper Black Warrior River basin in Alabama, US: the Black Warrior Waterdog (Necturus alabamensis) and the Flattened Musk Turtle (Sternotherus depressus). Importantly, these species have contrasting patterns of seasonal activity, with N. alabamensis more active in the cool season (October-April) and S. depressus more active in the warm season (May-September). We surveyed sites historically occupied by these species across cool and warm seasons over two years with replicated eDNA water samples, which were analyzed in the laboratory using species-specific quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays. We then used occupancy estimation with detection probability modeling to evaluate both the effects of landscape attributes on organism presence and season of sampling on detection probability of eDNA. Importantly, we found that season strongly affected eDNA detection probability for both species, with N. alabamensis having higher eDNA detection probabilities during the cool season and S. depressus have higher eDNA detection probabilities during the warm season. These results illustrate the influence of organismal behavior or activity on eDNA detection in the environment and identify an important role for basic natural history in designing eDNA monitoring programs. PMID:27776150

  9. Nucleotide Excision Repair and Transcription-coupled DNA Repair Abrogate the Impact of DNA Damage on Transcription*

    PubMed Central

    Nadkarni, Aditi; Burns, John A.; Gandolfi, Alberto; Chowdhury, Moinuddin A.; Cartularo, Laura; Berens, Christian; Geacintov, Nicholas E.; Scicchitano, David A.

    2016-01-01

    DNA adducts derived from carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons like benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and benzo[c]phenanthrene (B[c]Ph) impede replication and transcription, resulting in aberrant cell division and gene expression. Global nucleotide excision repair (NER) and transcription-coupled DNA repair (TCR) are among the DNA repair pathways that evolved to maintain genome integrity by removing DNA damage. The interplay between global NER and TCR in repairing the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-derived DNA adducts (+)-trans-anti-B[a]P-N6-dA, which is subject to NER and blocks transcription in vitro, and (+)-trans-anti-B[c]Ph-N6-dA, which is a poor substrate for NER but also blocks transcription in vitro, was tested. The results show that both adducts inhibit transcription in human cells that lack both NER and TCR. The (+)-trans-anti-B[a]P-N6-dA lesion exhibited no detectable effect on transcription in cells proficient in NER but lacking TCR, indicating that NER can remove the lesion in the absence of TCR, which is consistent with in vitro data. In primary human cells lacking NER, (+)-trans-anti-B[a]P-N6-dA exhibited a deleterious effect on transcription that was less severe than in cells lacking both pathways, suggesting that TCR can repair the adduct but not as effectively as global NER. In contrast, (+)-trans-anti-B[c]Ph-N6-dA dramatically reduces transcript production in cells proficient in global NER but lacking TCR, indicating that TCR is necessary for the removal of this adduct, which is consistent with in vitro data showing that it is a poor substrate for NER. Hence, both global NER and TCR enhance the recovery of gene expression following DNA damage, and TCR plays an important role in removing DNA damage that is refractory to NER. PMID:26559971

  10. [DNA-dependent DNA polymerase induced by herpes virus papio (HVP) in producing cells].

    PubMed

    D'iachenko, A G; Beriia, L Ia; Matsenko, L D; Kakubava, V V; Kokosh, L V

    1980-11-01

    A new DNA polymerase was found in the cells of suspension lymphoblastoid cultures, which produce lymphotropic baboon herpes virus (HVP). The enzyme was isolated in a partially purified form. In some properties the enzyme differs from other cellular DNA polymerases. The HVP-induced DNA polymerase has the molecular weight of 1,6 x 10(5) and sedimentation coefficient of about 8S. The enzyme is resistant to high salt concentrations and N-ethylmaleimide, but shows a pronounced sensitivity to phosphonoacetate. The enzyme effectively copies "activated" DNA and synthetic deoxyribohomopolymers. The attempts to detect the DNA polymerase activity in HVP virions were unsuccessful.

  11. Machine Learned Replacement of N-Labels for Basecalled Sequences in DNA Barcoding.

    PubMed

    Ma, Eddie Y T; Ratnasingham, Sujeevan; Kremer, Stefan C

    2018-01-01

    This study presents a machine learning method that increases the number of identified bases in Sanger Sequencing. The system post-processes a KB basecalled chromatogram. It selects a recoverable subset of N-labels in the KB-called chromatogram to replace with basecalls (A,C,G,T). An N-label correction is defined given an additional read of the same sequence, and a human finished sequence. Corrections are added to the dataset when an alignment determines the additional read and human agree on the identity of the N-label. KB must also rate the replacement with quality value of in the additional read. Corrections are only available during system training. Developing the system, nearly 850,000 N-labels are obtained from Barcode of Life Datasystems, the premier database of genetic markers called DNA Barcodes. Increasing the number of correct bases improves reference sequence reliability, increases sequence identification accuracy, and assures analysis correctness. Keeping with barcoding standards, our system maintains an error rate of percent. Our system only applies corrections when it estimates low rate of error. Tested on this data, our automation selects and recovers: 79 percent of N-labels from COI (animal barcode); 80 percent from matK and rbcL (plant barcodes); and 58 percent from non-protein-coding sequences (across eukaryotes).

  12. DNA damage tolerance pathway involving DNA polymerase ι and the tumor suppressor p53 regulates DNA replication fork progression.

    PubMed

    Hampp, Stephanie; Kiessling, Tina; Buechle, Kerstin; Mansilla, Sabrina F; Thomale, Jürgen; Rall, Melanie; Ahn, Jinwoo; Pospiech, Helmut; Gottifredi, Vanesa; Wiesmüller, Lisa

    2016-07-26

    DNA damage tolerance facilitates the progression of replication forks that have encountered obstacles on the template strands. It involves either translesion DNA synthesis initiated by proliferating cell nuclear antigen monoubiquitination or less well-characterized fork reversal and template switch mechanisms. Herein, we characterize a novel tolerance pathway requiring the tumor suppressor p53, the translesion polymerase ι (POLι), the ubiquitin ligase Rad5-related helicase-like transcription factor (HLTF), and the SWI/SNF catalytic subunit (SNF2) translocase zinc finger ran-binding domain containing 3 (ZRANB3). This novel p53 activity is lost in the exonuclease-deficient but transcriptionally active p53(H115N) mutant. Wild-type p53, but not p53(H115N), associates with POLι in vivo. Strikingly, the concerted action of p53 and POLι decelerates nascent DNA elongation and promotes HLTF/ZRANB3-dependent recombination during unperturbed DNA replication. Particularly after cross-linker-induced replication stress, p53 and POLι also act together to promote meiotic recombination enzyme 11 (MRE11)-dependent accumulation of (phospho-)replication protein A (RPA)-coated ssDNA. These results implicate a direct role of p53 in the processing of replication forks encountering obstacles on the template strand. Our findings define an unprecedented function of p53 and POLι in the DNA damage response to endogenous or exogenous replication stress.

  13. Human urinary bladder epithelial cells lacking wild-type p53 function are deficient in the repair of 4-aminobiphenyl-DNA adducts in genomic DNA.

    PubMed

    Swaminathan, Santhanam; Torino, Jennifer L; Burger, Melissa S

    2002-01-29

    The effect of the tumor suppressor gene TP53 on repair of genomic DNA damage was examined in human urinary bladder transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) cell lines. Utilizing TCC10 containing wild-type p53 (wt-p53) as the parental line, an isogenic set of cell lines was derived by retroviral infection that expressed a transdominant mutant p53 (Arg --> His at codon 273, TDM273-TCC10), or the human papilloma virus 16-E6 oncoprotein (E6-TCC10). 32P-postlabeling analyses were performed on DNA from TCC cultures obtained after treatment with N-hydroxy-4-aminobiphenyl (N-OH-ABP), N-hydroxy-4-acetylaminobiphenyl (N-OH-AABP) and N-acetoxy-4-acetylaminobiphenyl (N-OAc-AABP). The major adduct was identified as N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-4-aminobiphenyl (dG-C8-ABP) with all three chemicals. The amount of adducts in urothelial DNA ranged between 0.1 and 20 per 10(6) nucleotides, N-OAc-AABP yielding the highest levels, followed by N-OH-ABP and N-OH-AABP. To determine, if the functional status of p53 affects the rate of repair of dG-C8-ABP in genomic DNA, TCC10 and the TDM273-TCC10 and E6-TCC10 isotypes were exposed to N-OH-AABP for 12h and the DNA damage was allowed to repair up to 24h. The adduct levels were quantified and compared between the TCC10 isotypes. The amounts of dG-C8-ABP that remained in genomic DNA from E6-TCC10 and TDM273-TCC10 were approximately two-fold higher, as compared to the parental TCC10. At the dose used for DNA repair studies, N-OH-AABP or N-OAc-AABP did not induce apoptosis in TCC10. However, N-OAc-AABP at high doses (>5 microM) induced apoptosis, as evidenced by DNA fragmentation analyses. Furthermore, N-OAc-AABP-mediated apoptosis was independent of the functional status of wt-p53, since both E6-TCC10 and the parental TCC10 exhibited DNA fragmentation following treatment. These results suggest that p53 might modulate the repair of DNA adducts generated from the human bladder carcinogen ABP in its target human uroepithelial cells. This implies that in p53

  14. Mutations associated with base excision repair deficiency and methylation-induced genotoxic stress

    PubMed Central

    Sobol, Robert W.; Watson, David E.; Nakamura, Jun; Yakes, F. Michael; Hou, Esther; Horton, Julie K.; Ladapo, Joseph; Van Houten, Bennett; Swenberg, James A.; Tindall, Kenneth R.; Samson, Leona D.; Wilson, Samuel H.

    2002-01-01

    The long-term effect of exposure to DNA alkylating agents is entwined with the cell's genetic capacity for DNA repair and appropriate DNA damage responses. A unique combination of environmental exposure and deficiency in these responses can lead to genomic instability; this “gene–environment interaction” paradigm is a theme for research on chronic disease etiology. In the present study, we used mouse embryonic fibroblasts with a gene deletion in the base excision repair (BER) enzymes DNA β-polymerase (β-pol) and alkyladenine DNA glycosylase (AAG), along with exposure to methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) to study mutagenesis as a function of a particular gene–environment interaction. The β-pol null cells, defective in BER, exhibit a modest increase in spontaneous mutagenesis compared with wild-type cells. MMS exposure increases mutant frequency in β-pol null cells, but not in isogenic wild-type cells; UV light exposure or N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine exposure increases mutant frequency similarly in both cell lines. The MMS-induced increase in mutant frequency in β-pol null cells appears to be caused by DNA lesions that are AAG substrates, because overexpression of AAG in β-pol null cells eliminates the effect. In contrast, β-pol/AAG double null cells are slightly more mutable than the β-pol null cells after MMS exposure. These results illustrate that BER plays a role in protecting mouse embryonic fibroblast cells against methylation-induced mutations and characterize the effect of a particular combination of BER gene defect and environmental exposure. PMID:11983862

  15. Polymer support oligonucleotide synthesis XVIII: use of beta-cyanoethyl-N,N-dialkylamino-/N-morpholino phosphoramidite of deoxynucleosides for the synthesis of DNA fragments simplifying deprotection and isolation of the final product.

    PubMed Central

    Sinha, N D; Biernat, J; McManus, J; Köster, H

    1984-01-01

    Various 5'O-N-protected deoxynucleoside-3'-O-beta-cyanoethyl-N,N-dialkylamino-/N- morpholinophosphoramidites were prepared from beta-cyanoethyl monochlorophosphoramidites of N,N-dimethylamine, N,N-diisopropylamine and N-morpholine. These active deoxynucleoside phosphates have successfully been used for oligodeoxynucleotide synthesis on controlled pore glass as polymer support and are very suitable for automated DNA-synthesis due to their stability in solution. The intermediate dichloro-beta- cyanoethoxyphosphine can easily be prepared free from any PC1(3) contamination. The active monomers obtained from beta-cyanoethyl monochloro N,N- diisopropylaminophosphoramidites are favoured. Cleavage of the oligonucleotide chain from the polymer support, N-deacylation and deprotection of beta-cyanoethyl group from the phosphate triester moiety can be performed in one step with concentrated aqueous ammonia. Mixed oligodeoxynucleotides are characterized by the sequencing method of Maxam and Gilbert. Images PMID:6547529

  16. DNA Base Flipping: A General Mechanism for Writing, Reading, and Erasing DNA Modifications

    PubMed Central

    Cheng, Xiaodong

    2017-01-01

    The modification of DNA bases is a classic hallmark of epigenetics. Four forms of modified cytosine—5-methylcytosine, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, 5-formylcytosine, and 5-carboxylcytosine—have been discovered in eukaryotic DNA. In addition to cytosine carbon-5 modifications, cytosine and adenine methylated in the exocyclic amine—N4-methylcytosine and N6-methyladenine—are other modified DNA bases discovered even earlier. Each modified base can be considered a distinct epigenetic signal with broader biological implications beyond simple chemical changes. Since 1994, crystal structures of proteins and enzymes involved in writing, reading, and erasing modified bases have become available. Here, we present a structural synopsis of writers, readers, and erasers of the modified bases from prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Despite significant differences in structures and functions, they are remarkably similar regarding their engagement in flipping a target base/nucleotide within DNA for specific recognitions and/or reactions. We thus highlight base flipping as a common structural framework broadly applied by distinct classes of proteins and enzymes across phyla for epigenetic regulations of DNA. PMID:27826845

  17. Hydrodynamic interactions in DNA thermophoresis.

    PubMed

    Ly, Aboubakry; Würger, Alois

    2018-01-31

    We theoretically study the molecular-weight dependence of DNA thermophoresis, which arises from mutual advection of the n repeat units of the molecular chain. As a main result we find that the dominant driving forces, i.e., the thermally induced permittivity gradient and the electrolyte Seebeck effect, result in characteristic hydrodynamic screening. In comparison with recent experimental data on single-stranded DNA (2 ≤ n ≤ 80), our theory provides a good description for the increase of the drift velocity up to n = 30; the slowing-down of longer molecules is well accounted for by a simple model for counterion condensation. It turns out that thermophoresis may change sign as a function of n: for an appropriate choice of the salt-specific Seebeck coefficient, short molecules move to the cold and long ones to the hot; this could be used for separating DNA by molecular weight.

  18. DNA-Catalyzed DNA Cleavage by a Radical Pathway with Well-Defined Products.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yujeong; Klauser, Paul C; Brandsen, Benjamin M; Zhou, Cong; Li, Xinyi; Silverman, Scott K

    2017-01-11

    We describe an unprecedented DNA-catalyzed DNA cleavage process in which a radical-based reaction pathway cleanly results in excision of most atoms of a specific guanosine nucleoside. Two new deoxyribozymes (DNA enzymes) were identified by in vitro selection from N 40 or N 100 random pools initially seeking amide bond hydrolysis, although they both cleave simple single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides. Each deoxyribozyme generates both superoxide (O 2 -• or HOO • ) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and leads to the same set of products (3'-phosphoglycolate, 5'-phosphate, and base propenal) as formed by the natural product bleomycin, with product assignments by mass spectrometry and colorimetric assay. We infer the same mechanistic pathway, involving formation of the C4' radical of the guanosine nucleoside that is subsequently excised. Consistent with a radical pathway, glutathione fully suppresses catalysis. Conversely, adding either superoxide or H 2 O 2 from the outset strongly enhances catalysis. The mechanism of generation and involvement of superoxide and H 2 O 2 by the deoxyribozymes is not yet defined. The deoxyribozymes do not require redox-active metal ions and function with a combination of Zn 2+ and Mg 2+ , although including Mn 2+ increases the activity, and Mn 2+ alone also supports catalysis. In contrast to all of these observations, unrelated DNA-catalyzed radical DNA cleavage reactions require redox-active metals and lead to mixtures of products. This study reports an intriguing example of a well-defined, DNA-catalyzed, radical reaction process that cleaves single-stranded DNA and requires only redox-inactive metal ions.

  19. Msh1p counteracts oxidative lesion-induced instability of mtDNA and stimulates mitochondrial recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    PubMed

    Kaniak, Aneta; Dzierzbicki, Piotr; Rogowska, Agata T; Malc, Ewa; Fikus, Marta; Ciesla, Zygmunt

    2009-03-01

    The proximity of the mitochondrial genome to the respiratory chain, a major source of ROS (radical oxygen species), makes mtDNA more vulnerable to oxidative damage than nuclear DNA. Mitochondrial BER (base excision repair) is generally considered to be the main pathway involved in the prevention of oxidative lesion-induced mutations in mtDNA. However, we previously demonstrated that the increased frequency of mitochondrial Oli(r) mutants in an ogg1Delta strain, lacking the activity of a crucial mtBER glycosylase, is reduced in the presence of plasmids encoding Msh1p, the mitochondrial homologue of the bacterial mismatch protein MutS. This finding suggested that Msh1p might be involved in the prevention of mitochondrial mutagenesis induced by oxidative stress. Here we show that a double mutant carrying the msh1-R813W allele, encoding a variant of the protein defective in the ATP hydrolysis activity, combined with deletion of SOD2, encoding the mitochondrial superoxide dismutase, displays a synergistic effect on the frequency of Oli(r) mutants, indicating that Msh1p prevents generation of oxidative lesion-induced mitochondrial mutations. We also show that double mutants carrying the msh1-R813W allele, combined with deletion of either OGG1 or APN1, the latter resulting in deficiency of the Apn1 endonuclease, exhibit a synergistic effect on the frequency of respiration-defective mutants having gross rearrangements of the mitochondrial genome. This suggests that Msh1p, Ogg1p and Apn1p play overlapping functions in maintaining the stability of mtDNA. In addition, we demonstrate, using a novel ARG8(m) recombination assay, that a surplus of Msh1p results in enhanced mitochondrial recombination. Interestingly, the mutant forms of the protein, msh1p-R813W and msh1p-G776D, fail to stimulate recombination. We postulate that the Msh1p-enhanced homologous recombination may play an important role in the prevention of oxidative lesion-induced rearrangements of the mitochondrial

  20. Cross-protection among lethal H5N2 influenza viruses induced by DNA vaccine to the hemagglutinin.

    PubMed Central

    Kodihalli, S; Haynes, J R; Robinson, H L; Webster, R G

    1997-01-01

    Inoculation of mice with hemagglutinin (HA)-expressing DNA affords reliable protection against lethal influenza virus infection, while in chickens the same strategy has yielded variable results. Here we show that gene gun delivery of DNA encoding an H5 HA protein confers complete immune protection to chickens challenged with lethal H5 viruses. In tests of the influence of promoter selection on vaccine efficacy, close correlations were obtained between immune responses and the dose of DNA administered, whether a cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate-early promoter or a chicken beta-actin promoter was used. Perhaps most important, the HA-DNA vaccine conferred 95% cross-protection against challenge with lethal antigenic variants that differed from the primary antigen by 11 to 13% (HA1 amino acid sequence homology). Overall, the high levels of protection seen with gene gun delivery of HA-DNA were as good as, if not better than, those achieved with a conventional whole-virus vaccine, with fewer instances of morbidity and death. The absence of detectable antibody titers after primary immunization, together with the rapid appearance of high titers immediately after challenge, implicates efficient B-cell priming as the principal mechanism of DNA-mediated immune protection. Our results suggest that the efficacy of HA-DNA influenza virus vaccine in mice extends to chickens and probably to other avian species as well. Indeed, the H5 preparation we describe offers an attractive means to protect the domestic poultry industry in the United States from lethal H5N2 viruses, which continue to circulate in Mexico. PMID:9094608

  1. DNA fragmentation status in patients with necrozoospermia.

    PubMed

    Brahem, Sonia; Jellad, Sonia; Ibala, Samira; Saad, Ali; Mehdi, Meriem

    2012-12-01

    The aim of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between the levels of sperm DNA fragmentation and necrospermia in infertile men. Semen samples obtained from 70 men consulting for infertility evaluation were analyzed according to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Patients were subdivided into three groups according to the percentage of necrotic spermatozoa: normozoospermia (<30%; n = 20), moderate necrozoospermia (50-80%; n = 30), and severe necrozoospermia (>80%; n = 20). DNA fragmentation was detected by the terminal desoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate biotin nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. The sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) was 9.28 ± 2.98% in patients with a normal level of necrotic spermatozoa, 20.25 ± 3.21% in patients with moderate necrozoospermia, and 35.31 ± 5.25% in patients with severe necrozoospermia. There was a statistically significant increase of DNA fragmentation in the necrozoospermic group (P < 0.01). A strong correlation was found between the degree of necrozoospermia and sperm DNA fragmentation. We concluded that patients with necrozoospermia showed a high level of DNA fragmentation compared to normozoospermic men. Severe necrozoospermia (>80%) is a predictive factor for increased sperm DNA damage.

  2. Microsatellite DNA library for Caiman latirostris.

    PubMed

    Zucoloto, Rodrigo Barban; Verdade, Luciano Martins; Coutinho, Luiz Lehmann

    2002-12-15

    New genetic markers were characterized for the broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris) by constructing libraries enriched for microsatellite DNA. Construction and characterization of these libraries are described in the present study. One microsatellite marker was developed from a (ACC-TGG)(n)enriched microsatellite DNA library, and 12 microsatellite markers were developed from a (AC-TG)(n)enriched microsatellite DNA library. These markers were tested in wild-caught animals, and these tests resulted in ten new polymorphic microsatellites for C. latirostris. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  3. The Roles of Family B and D DNA Polymerases in Thermococcus Species 9°N Okazaki Fragment Maturation*

    PubMed Central

    Greenough, Lucia; Kelman, Zvi; Gardner, Andrew F.

    2015-01-01

    During replication, Okazaki fragment maturation is a fundamental process that joins discontinuously synthesized DNA fragments into a contiguous lagging strand. Efficient maturation prevents repeat sequence expansions, small duplications, and generation of double-stranded DNA breaks. To address the components required for the process in Thermococcus, Okazaki fragment maturation was reconstituted in vitro using purified proteins from Thermococcus species 9°N or cell extracts. A dual color fluorescence assay was developed to monitor reaction substrates, intermediates, and products. DNA polymerase D (polD) was proposed to function as the replicative polymerase in Thermococcus replicating both the leading and the lagging strands. It is shown here, however, that it stops before the previous Okazaki fragments, failing to rapidly process them. Instead, Family B DNA polymerase (polB) was observed to rapidly fill the gaps left by polD and displaces the downstream Okazaki fragment to create a flap structure. This flap structure was cleaved by flap endonuclease 1 (Fen1) and the resultant nick was ligated by DNA ligase to form a mature lagging strand. The similarities to both bacterial and eukaryotic systems and evolutionary implications of archaeal Okazaki fragment maturation are discussed. PMID:25814667

  4. Reduced 4-Aminobiphenyl-Induced Liver Tumorigenicity but not DNA Damage in Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase Null Mice

    PubMed Central

    Sugamori, Kim S.; Brenneman, Debbie; Sanchez, Otto; Doll, Mark A.; Hein, David W.; Pierce, William M.; Grant, Denis M.

    2012-01-01

    The aromatic amine 4-aminobiphenyl (ABP) is a liver procarcinogen in mice, requiring enzymatic bioactivation to exert its tumorigenic effect. To assess the role of arylamine N-acetyltransferase (NAT)-dependent acetylation capacity in the risk for ABP-induced liver tumors, we compared 1-year liver tumor incidence following the postnatal exposure of wild-type and NAT-deficient Nat1/2(−/−) mice to ABP. At an ABP exposure of 1200 nmoles, male Nat1/2(−/−) mice had a liver tumor incidence of 36% compared to 69% in wild-type males, and at 600 nmoles there was a complete absence of tumors compared to 60% in wild-type mice. Only one female wild-type mouse had a tumor using this exposure protocol. However, levels of N-deoxyguanosin-8-yl-ABP-DNA adducts did not correlate with either the strain or sex differences in tumor incidence. These results suggest that female sex and NAT deficiency reduce risk for ABP-induced liver tumors, but by mechanisms unrelated to differences in DNA-damaging events. PMID:22193722

  5. Transfection of Fv-1 permissive and restrictive mouse cells with integrated DNA of murine leukemia viruses (host range restriction/Fv-1 gene/DNA transfection)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hsu, I.C.; Yang, W.K.; Tennant, R.W.

    1978-03-01

    Whole-cell DNA preparations isolated from SC-1 cells chronically infected with N- or B-tropic murine leukemia viruses (MuLV) were tested for infectious activity in an Fv-1/sup n/ (NIH-3T3) and two Fv-1/sup b/ (C57BL/6 and SV-A31) cell cultures. Efficiency of transfection for all DNAs was better in the NIH-3T3 cells than in C57BL/6 or SV-A31 cells; and an (N-tropic MuLV)SC-1 cell DNA preparation was slightly more infectious than a (B-tropic MuLV)SC-1 cell DNA preparation in all three cell cultures, regardless of their Fv-1 geonotypes. Progeny viruses from the transfection showed N- or B-tropism corresponding to that of the parent viruses produced bymore » the infected SC-I cells that were used for the DNA preparation. DNA dose-response studies in NIH-3T3 cells revealed a one-hit mechanism for both the (B-tropic MuLV)SC-1 cell DNA and the (N-tropic MuLV)SC-1 cell DNA preparation. These results demonstrate that, in contrast to virion infection, transfection of N- and B-tropic MuLV with DNA preparations from chronically infected cells is not affected by the Fv-1 gene.« less

  6. Visualization of complex DNA damage along accelerated ions tracks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kulikova, Elena; Boreyko, Alla; Bulanova, Tatiana; Ježková, Lucie; Zadneprianetc, Mariia; Smirnova, Elena

    2018-04-01

    The most deleterious DNA lesions induced by ionizing radiation are clustered DNA double-strand breaks (DSB). Clustered or complex DNA damage is a combination of a few simple lesions (single-strand breaks, base damage etc.) within one or two DNA helix turns. It is known that yield of complex DNA lesions increases with increasing linear energy transfer (LET) of radiation. For investigation of the induction and repair of complex DNA lesions, human fibroblasts were irradiated with high-LET 15N ions (LET = 183.3 keV/μm, E = 13MeV/n) and low-LET 60Co γ-rays (LET ≈ 0.3 keV/μm) radiation. DNA DSBs (γH2AX and 53BP1) and base damage (OGG1) markers were visualized by immunofluorecence staining and high-resolution microscopy. The obtained results showed slower repair kinetics of induced DSBs in cells irradiated with accelerated ions compared to 60Co γ-rays, indicating induction of more complex DNA damage. Confirming previous assumptions, detailed 3D analysis of γH2AX/53BP1 foci in 15N ions tracks revealed more complicated structure of the foci in contrast to γ-rays. It was shown that proteins 53BP1 and OGG1 involved in repair of DNA DSBs and modified bases, respectively, were colocalized in tracks of 15N ions and thus represented clustered DNA DSBs.

  7. Selective recognition of N4-methylcytosine in DNA by engineered transcription-activator-like effectors.

    PubMed

    Rathi, Preeti; Maurer, Sara; Summerer, Daniel

    2018-06-05

    The epigenetic DNA nucleobases 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and N 4-methylcytosine (4mC) coexist in bacterial genomes and have important functions in host defence and transcription regulation. To better understand the individual biological roles of both methylated nucleobases, analytical strategies for distinguishing unmodified cytosine (C) from 4mC and 5mC are required. Transcription-activator-like effectors (TALEs) are programmable DNA-binding repeat proteins, which can be re-engineered for the direct detection of epigenetic nucleobases in user-defined DNA sequences. We here report the natural, cytosine-binding TALE repeat to not strongly differentiate between 5mC and 4mC. To engineer repeats with selectivity in the context of C, 5mC and 4mC, we developed a homogeneous fluorescence assay and screened a library of size-reduced TALE repeats for binding to all three nucleobases. This provided insights into the requirements of size-reduced TALE repeats for 4mC binding and revealed a single mutant repeat as a selective binder of 4mC. Employment of a TALE with this repeat in affinity enrichment enabled the isolation of a user-defined DNA sequence containing a single 4mC but not C or 5mC from the background of a bacterial genome. Comparative enrichments with TALEs bearing this or the natural C-binding repeat provides an approach for the complete, programmable decoding of all cytosine nucleobases found in bacterial genomes.This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Frontiers in epigenetic chemical biology'. © 2018 The Author(s).

  8. Transition-state destabilization reveals how human DNA polymerase β proceeds across the chemically unstable lesion N7-methylguanine

    PubMed Central

    Ouzon-Shubeita, Hala; Lee, Seongmin

    2014-01-01

    N7-Methyl-2′-deoxyguanosine (m7dG) is the predominant lesion formed by methylating agents. A systematic investigation on the effect of m7dG on DNA replication has been difficult due to the chemical instability of m7dG. To gain insights into the m7dG effect, we employed a 2′-fluorine-mediated transition-state destabilzation strategy. Specifically, we determined kinetic parameters for dCTP insertion opposite a chemically stable m7dG analogue, 2′-fluoro-m7dG (Fm7dG), by human DNA polymerase β (polβ) and solved three X-ray structures of polβ in complex with the templating Fm7dG paired with incoming dCTP or dTTP analogues. The kinetic studies reveal that the templating Fm7dG slows polβ catalysis ∼300-fold, suggesting that m7dG in genomic DNA may impede replication by some DNA polymerases. The structural analysis reveals that Fm7dG forms a canonical Watson–Crick base pair with dCTP, but metal ion coordination is suboptimal for catalysis in the polβ-Fm7dG:dCTP complex, which partially explains the slow insertion of dCTP opposite Fm7dG by polβ. In addition, the polβ-Fm7dG:dTTP structure shows open protein conformations and staggered base pair conformations, indicating that N7-methylation of dG does not promote a promutagenic replication. Overall, the first systematic studies on the effect of m7dG on DNA replication reveal that polβ catalysis across m7dG is slow, yet highly accurate. PMID:24966350

  9. Mechanistic Investigation of the Bypass of a Bulky Aromatic DNA Adduct Catalyzed by a Y-family DNA Polymerase

    PubMed Central

    Gadkari, Varun V.; Tokarsky, E. John; Malik, Chanchal K.; Basu, Ashis K.; Suo, Zucai

    2014-01-01

    3-Nitrobenzanthrone (3-NBA), a nitropolyaromatic hydrocarbon (NitroPAH) pollutant in diesel exhaust, is a potent mutagen and carcinogen. After metabolic activation, the primary metabolites of 3-NBA react with DNA to form dG and dA adducts. One of the three major adducts identified is N-(2’-deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-3-aminobenzanthrone (dGC8-N-ABA). This bulky adduct likely stalls replicative DNA polymerases but can be traversed by lesion bypass polymerases in vivo. Here, we employed running start assays to show that a site-specifically placed dGC8-N-ABA is bypassed in vitro by Sulfolobus solfataricus DNA polymerase IV (Dpo4), a model Y-family DNA polymerase. However, the nucleotide incorporation rate of Dpo4 was significantly reduced opposite both the lesion and the template position immediately downstream from the lesion site, leading to two strong pause sites. To investigate the kinetic effect of dGC8-N-ABA on polymerization, we utilized pre-steady-state kinetic methods to determine the kinetic parameters for individual nucleotide incorporations upstream, opposite, and downstream from the dGC8-N-ABA lesion. Relative to the replication of the corresponding undamaged DNA template, both nucleotide incorporation efficiency and fidelity of Dpo4 were considerably decreased during dGC8-N-ABA lesion bypass and the subsequent extension step. The lower nucleotide incorporation efficiency caused by the lesion is a result of a significantly reduced dNTP incorporation rate constant and modestly weaker dNTP binding affinity. At both pause sites, nucleotide incorporation followed biphasic kinetics with a fast and a slow phase and their rates varied with nucleotide concentration. In contrast, only the fast phase was observed with undamaged DNA. A kinetic mechanism was proposed for the bypass of dGC8-N-ABA bypass catalyzed by Dpo4. PMID:25048879

  10. Gyrodiniellum shiwhaense n. gen., n. sp., a new planktonic heterotrophic dinoflagellate from the coastal waters of western Korea: morphology and ribosomal DNA gene sequence.

    PubMed

    Kang, Nam Seon; Jeong, Hae Jin; Moestrup, Ojvind; Park, Tae Gyu

    2011-01-01

    The heterotrophic dinoflagellate Gyrodiniellum shiwhaense n. gen., n. sp. is described from live cells and from cells prepared for light, scanning electron, and transmission electron microscopy. Also, sequences of the small subunit (SSU) and large subunit (LSU) of rDNA have been analyzed. The episome is conical, while the hyposome is ellipsoid. Cells are covered with polygonal amphiesmal vesicles arranged in 16 horizontal rows. Unlike other Gyrodinium-like dinoflagellates, the apical end of the cell shows a loop-shaped row of five elongate amphiesmal vesicles. The cingulum is displaced by 0.3-0.5 × cell length. Cells that were feeding on the dinoflagellate Amphidinium carterae Hulburt were 9.1-21.6 μm long and 6.6-15.7 μm wide. Cells of G. shiwhaense contain nematocysts, trichocysts, a peduncle, and pusule systems, but they lack chloroplasts. The SSU rDNA sequence is >3% different from that of the six most closely related species: Warnowia sp. (FJ947040), Lepidodinium viride Watanabe, Suda, Inouye, Sawaguchi & Chihara, Gymnodinium aureolum (Hulburt) Hansen, Gymnodinium catenatum Graham, Nematodinium sp. (FJ947039), and Gymnodinium sp. MUCC284 (AF022196), while the LSU rDNA is 11-12% different from that of Warnowia sp., G. aureolum, and Nematodinium sp. (FJ947041). The phylogenetic trees show that the species belongs in the Gymnodinium sensu stricto clade. However, in contrast to Gymnodinium spp., cells lack nuclear envelope chambers and a nuclear fibrous connective. Unlike Polykrikos spp., cells of which possess a taeniocyst-nematocyst complex, G. shiwhaense has nematocysts but lacks taeniocysts. It differs from Paragymnodinium shiwhaense Kang, Jeong, Moestrup & Shin by possessing nematocysts with stylets and filaments. Gyrodiniellum shiwhaense n. gen., n. sp. furthermore lacks ocelloids, in contrast to Warnowia spp., Nematodinium spp., and Proterythropsis spp. Based on morphological and molecular data, we suggest that the taxon represents a new species within a

  11. Deep-sea vent phage DNA polymerase specifically initiates DNA synthesis in the absence of primers.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Bin; Wang, Longfei; Mitsunobu, Hitoshi; Lu, Xueling; Hernandez, Alfredo J; Yoshida-Takashima, Yukari; Nunoura, Takuro; Tabor, Stanley; Richardson, Charles C

    2017-03-21

    A DNA polymerase is encoded by the deep-sea vent phage NrS-1. NrS-1 has a unique genome organization containing genes that are predicted to encode a helicase and a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA)-binding protein. The gene for an unknown protein shares weak homology with the bifunctional primase-polymerases (prim-pols) from archaeal plasmids but is missing the zinc-binding domain typically found in primases. We show that this gene product has efficient DNA polymerase activity and is processive in DNA synthesis in the presence of the NrS-1 helicase and ssDNA-binding protein. Remarkably, this NrS-1 DNA polymerase initiates DNA synthesis from a specific template DNA sequence in the absence of any primer. The de novo DNA polymerase activity resides in the N-terminal domain of the protein, whereas the C-terminal domain enhances DNA binding.

  12. [Variation of mini- and microsatellite DNA repeats in parthenogenetic lizard Darevskia armeniaca as revealed by DNA fingerprinting analysis].

    PubMed

    Martirosian, I A; Kan, N G; Petrosian, V G; Malysheva, D N; Trofimova, A A; Danielian, F D; Darevskiĭ, I S; Korochkin, L I; Ryskov, A P; Tokarskaia, O N

    2003-02-01

    Population and family samples of two morphological forms (mutant and normal with respect to dorsal color) of pathogenetic lizard Darevskia armeniaca were examined by means of DNA fingerprinting using M13 mini- and (GATA)n and (TCC)n microsatellite DNA markers. The morphological forms examined were characterized by clonally inherited, species-specific patterns of the DNA markers, which were different from the species-specific DNA fingerprints of the other parthenogenetic species of the genus Darevskia (D. dahli. D. unisexualis, and D. rostombekovi). The mean index of similarity (S) obtained for a sample of 36 individuals from three isolated populations using three types of DNA markers was 0.966. This was similar to the variability level observed in D. dahli (0.962) (P > 0.05), but higher than that in D. unisexualis (0.950) (P < 0.05) and D. rostombekovi (0.875) (P < 0.01). Inheritance of M13 minisatellite and (TCC)n microsatellite DNA markers in the F1 offspring of parthenogenetic lizards was examined. It was shown that variability and clonal diversity of the fingerprint phenotypes observed in the populations and families of D. armeniaca could be at least partly explained by RFLP mutations in microsatellite repeats.

  13. Nucleotide Excision Repair and Transcription-coupled DNA Repair Abrogate the Impact of DNA Damage on Transcription.

    PubMed

    Nadkarni, Aditi; Burns, John A; Gandolfi, Alberto; Chowdhury, Moinuddin A; Cartularo, Laura; Berens, Christian; Geacintov, Nicholas E; Scicchitano, David A

    2016-01-08

    DNA adducts derived from carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons like benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and benzo[c]phenanthrene (B[c]Ph) impede replication and transcription, resulting in aberrant cell division and gene expression. Global nucleotide excision repair (NER) and transcription-coupled DNA repair (TCR) are among the DNA repair pathways that evolved to maintain genome integrity by removing DNA damage. The interplay between global NER and TCR in repairing the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-derived DNA adducts (+)-trans-anti-B[a]P-N(6)-dA, which is subject to NER and blocks transcription in vitro, and (+)-trans-anti-B[c]Ph-N(6)-dA, which is a poor substrate for NER but also blocks transcription in vitro, was tested. The results show that both adducts inhibit transcription in human cells that lack both NER and TCR. The (+)-trans-anti-B[a]P-N(6)-dA lesion exhibited no detectable effect on transcription in cells proficient in NER but lacking TCR, indicating that NER can remove the lesion in the absence of TCR, which is consistent with in vitro data. In primary human cells lacking NER, (+)-trans-anti-B[a]P-N(6)-dA exhibited a deleterious effect on transcription that was less severe than in cells lacking both pathways, suggesting that TCR can repair the adduct but not as effectively as global NER. In contrast, (+)-trans-anti-B[c]Ph-N(6)-dA dramatically reduces transcript production in cells proficient in global NER but lacking TCR, indicating that TCR is necessary for the removal of this adduct, which is consistent with in vitro data showing that it is a poor substrate for NER. Hence, both global NER and TCR enhance the recovery of gene expression following DNA damage, and TCR plays an important role in removing DNA damage that is refractory to NER. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  14. Mechanisms of DNA Packaging by Large Double-Stranded DNA Viruses

    PubMed Central

    Rao, Venigalla B.; Feiss, Michael

    2016-01-01

    Translocation of viral double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) into the icosahedral prohead shell is catalyzed by TerL, a motor protein that has ATPase, endonuclease, and translocase activities. TerL, following endonucleolytic cleavage of immature viral DNA concatemer recognized by TerS, assembles into a pentameric ring motor on the prohead’s portal vertex and uses ATP hydrolysis energy for DNA translocation. TerL’s N-terminal ATPase is connected by a hinge to the C-terminal endonuclease. Inchworm models propose that modest domain motions accompanying ATP hydrolysis are amplified, through changes in electrostatic interactions, into larger movements of the C-terminal domain bound to DNA. In phage φ29, four of the five TerL subunits sequentially hydrolyze ATP, each powering translocation of 2.5 bp. After one viral genome is encapsidated, the internal pressure signals termination of packaging and ejection of the motor. Current focus is on the structures of packaging complexes and the dynamics of TerL during DNA packaging, endonuclease regulation, and motor mechanics. PMID:26958920

  15. Exercise Modulates Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Aging and Cardiovascular Diseases

    PubMed Central

    Sallam, Nada

    2016-01-01

    Despite the wealth of epidemiological and experimental studies indicating the protective role of regular physical activity/exercise training against the sequels of aging and cardiovascular diseases, the molecular transducers of exercise/physical activity benefits are not fully identified but should be further investigated in more integrative and innovative approaches, as they bear the potential for transformative discoveries of novel therapeutic targets. As aging and cardiovascular diseases are associated with a chronic state of oxidative stress and inflammation mediated via complex and interconnected pathways, we will focus in this review on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions of exercise, mainly exerted on adipose tissue, skeletal muscles, immune system, and cardiovascular system by modulating anti-inflammatory/proinflammatory cytokines profile, redox-sensitive transcription factors such as nuclear factor kappa B, activator protein-1, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha, antioxidant and prooxidant enzymes, and repair proteins such as heat shock proteins, proteasome complex, oxoguanine DNA glycosylase, uracil DNA glycosylase, and telomerase. It is important to note that the effects of exercise vary depending on the type, intensity, frequency, and duration of exercise as well as on the individual's characteristics; therefore, the development of personalized exercise programs is essential. PMID:26823952

  16. An Electrochemical DNA Microbiosensor Based on Succinimide-Modified Acrylic Microspheres

    PubMed Central

    Ulianas, Alizar; Heng, Lee Yook; Hanifah, Sharina Abu; Ling, Tan Ling

    2012-01-01

    An electrochemical microbiosensor for DNA has been fabricated based on new acrylic microspheres modified with reactive N-acryloxysuccinimide (NAS) functional groups. Hydrophobic poly(n-butylacrylate-N-acryloxysuccinimide) microspheres were synthesized in an emulsion form with a simple one-step photopolymerization technique. Aminated DNA probe was attached to the succinimde functional group of the acrylic microspheres via covalent bonding. The hybridization of the immobilized DNA probe with the complementary DNA was studied by differential pulse voltametry using anthraquninone-2-sulfonic acid monohydrate sodium salt (AQMS) as the electroactive hybridization label. The influences of many factors such as duration of DNA probe immobilization and hybridization, pH, type of ions, buffer concentrations, ionic strength, operational temperature and non-complementary DNA on the biosensor performance were evaluated. Under optimized conditions, the DNA microbiosensor demonstrated a linear response range to target DNA over a wide concentration range of 1.0 × 10−16 and 1.0 × 10−8 M with a lower limit of detection (LOD) of 9.46 × 10−17 M (R2 = 0.97). This DNA microbiosensor showed good reproducibility with 2.84% RSD (relative standard deviation) (n = 3). Application of the NAS-modified acrylic microspheres in the construction of DNA microbiosensor had improved the overall analytical performance of the resultant DNA microbiosensor when compared with other reported DNA biosensors using other nano-materials for membranes and microspheres as DNA immobilization matrices. PMID:22778594

  17. Determination of oxidation products of 5-methylcytosine in plants by chemical derivatization coupled with liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry analysis.

    PubMed

    Tang, Yang; Xiong, Jun; Jiang, Han-Peng; Zheng, Shu-Jian; Feng, Yu-Qi; Yuan, Bi-Feng

    2014-08-05

    Cytosine methylation (5-methylcytosine, 5-mC) in DNA is an important epigenetic mark that has regulatory roles in various biological processes. In plants, active DNA demethylation can be achieved through direct cleavage by DNA glycosylases, followed by replacement of 5-mC with cytosine by base excision repair (BER) machinery. Recent studies in mammals have demonstrated 5-mC can be sequentially oxidized to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5-foC), and 5-carboxylcytosine (5-caC) by Ten-eleven translocation (TET) proteins. The consecutive oxidations of 5-mC constitute the active DNA demethylation pathway in mammals, which raised the possible presence of oxidation products of 5-mC (5-hmC, 5-foC, and 5-caC) in plant genomes. However, there is no definitive evidence supporting the presence of these modified bases in plant genomic DNA, especially for 5-foC and 5-caC. Here we developed a chemical derivatization strategy combined with liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS) method to determine 5-formyl-2'-deoxycytidine (5-fodC) and 5-carboxyl-2'-deoxycytidine (5-cadC). Derivatization of 5-fodC and 5-cadC by Girard's reagents (GirD, GirT, and GirP) significantly increased the detection sensitivities of 5-fodC and 5-cadC by 52-260-fold. Using this method, we demonstrated the widespread existence of 5-fodC and 5-cadC in genomic DNA of various plant tissues, indicating that active DNA demethylation in plants may go through an alternative pathway similar to mammals besides the pathway of direct DNA glycosylases cleavage combined with BER. Moreover, we found that environmental stresses of drought and salinity can change the contents of 5-fodC and 5-cadC in plant genomes, suggesting the functional roles of 5-fodC and 5-cadC in response to environmental stresses.

  18. Formation of O2-methylthymine in poly(dA-dT) on methylation with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea and dimethyl sulphate. Evidence that O2-methylthymine does not miscode during DNA synthesis.

    PubMed Central

    Saffhill, R; Abbott, P J

    1978-01-01

    The alternating co-polymer has been methylated with either N methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) or dimethyl sulphate (DMS) and the levels of the various methylated thymidines (O2-methylthymidine, 3-methylthymidine and O4-methylthymidine) measured. MNU produced all three compounds whereas DMS only produced 3-methylthymidine and O2-methylthymidine at detectable levels. These results have been combined with our earlier results concerning the misincorporation of dGMP with E. coli DNA polymerase using MNU-methylated poly(dA-dT). These results indicate that O2-methylthymidine does not miscode during DNA synthesis. PMID:353735

  19. Evaluation of DNA Binding Drugs as Inhibitors of ESX, and ETS Domain Transcription Factor Associated With Breast Cancer: Effects of ESX/DNA Complex Disruption

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2000-08-01

    4). Sequence recognition of all four DNA bases is achieved by positioning an N- methylimidazole opposite guanine or N-methylpyrrole opposite...unique sequences of DNA based upon selective binding motifs to all four DNA bases , although relatively little is known about the ability of these agents to

  20. Characterization of DNA condensates induced by poly(ethylene oxide) and polylysine.

    PubMed Central

    Laemmli, U K

    1975-01-01

    High-molecular-weight DNA is known to collapse into very compact particles in a salt solution containing polymers like poly(ethylene oxide) [(EO)n] or polyacrylate. The biological relevance of this phenomenon is suggested by our recent finding that high concentrations of the highly acidic internal peptides found in the mature T4 bacteriophage head, as well as poly(glutamic acid) and poly(aspartic acid), can collapse DNA in a similar manner. The structure of DNAs collapsed by various methods has been studied with electron microscope. We find (EO)n collapses T4 or T7 bacteriophage DNA into compact particles only slightly larger than the size of the T4 and T7 head, respectively. In contrast, polylysine collapses DNA into different types of structures. Double-stranded DNA collapsed with (EO)n is cut by the single-strand specific Neurospora crassa endonuclease (EC 3.1.4.21) into small fragments. Extensive digestion only occurs above the critical concentration of polymer required for DNA collapse, demonstrating the (EO)n-collapsed DNA contains enzyme-vulnerable regions (probably at each fold), which are preferentially attacked. The size of the DNA fragments produced by limit-digestion with the nuclease ranges between 200 and 400 base pairs when DNA is collapsed by (EO)n. Only fragments of DNA which are larger than 600 base pairs are cut by the endonuclease in (EO)n-containing solution. Images PMID:1060108

  1. Molecular Dynamics Simulations of DNA-Free and DNA-Bound TAL Effectors

    PubMed Central

    Wan, Hua; Hu, Jian-ping; Li, Kang-shun; Tian, Xu-hong; Chang, Shan

    2013-01-01

    TAL (transcriptional activator-like) effectors (TALEs) are DNA-binding proteins, containing a modular central domain that recognizes specific DNA sequences. Recently, the crystallographic studies of TALEs revealed the structure of DNA-recognition domain. In this article, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are employed to study two crystal structures of an 11.5-repeat TALE, in the presence and absence of DNA, respectively. The simulated results indicate that the specific binding of RVDs (repeat-variable diresidues) with DNA leads to the markedly reduced fluctuations of tandem repeats, especially at the two ends. In the DNA-bound TALE system, the base-specific interaction is formed mainly by the residue at position 13 within a TAL repeat. Tandem repeats with weak RVDs are unfavorable for the TALE-DNA binding. These observations are consistent with experimental studies. By using principal component analysis (PCA), the dominant motions are open-close movements between the two ends of the superhelical structure in both DNA-free and DNA-bound TALE systems. The open-close movements are found to be critical for the recognition and binding of TALE-DNA based on the analysis of free energy landscape (FEL). The conformational analysis of DNA indicates that the 5′ end of DNA target sequence has more remarkable structural deformability than the other sites. Meanwhile, the conformational change of DNA is likely associated with the specific interaction of TALE-DNA. We further suggest that the arrangement of N-terminal repeats with strong RVDs may help in the design of efficient TALEs. This study provides some new insights into the understanding of the TALE-DNA recognition mechanism. PMID:24130757

  2. Spectroelectrochemical insights into structural and redox properties of immobilized endonuclease III and its catalytically inactive mutant

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moe, Elin; Rollo, Filipe; Silveira, Célia M.; Sezer, Murat; Hildebrandt, Peter; Todorovic, Smilja

    2018-01-01

    Endonuclease III is a Fe-S containing bifunctional DNA glycosylase which is involved in the repair of oxidation damaged DNA. Here we employ surface enhanced IR spectroelectrochemistry and electrochemistry to study the enzyme from the highly radiation- and desiccation-resistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans (DrEndoIII2). The experiments are designed to shed more light onto specific parameters that are currently proposed to govern damage search and recognition by endonucleases III. We demonstrate that electrostatic interactions required for the redox activation of DrEndoIII2 may result in high electric fields that alter its structural and thermodynamic properties. Analysis of inactive DrEndoIII2 (K132A/D150A double mutant) interacting with undamaged DNA, and the active enzyme interacting with damaged DNA also indicate that the electron transfer is modulated by subtle differences in the protein-DNA complex.

  3. The roles of family B and D DNA polymerases in Thermococcus species 9°N Okazaki fragment maturation.

    PubMed

    Greenough, Lucia; Kelman, Zvi; Gardner, Andrew F

    2015-05-15

    During replication, Okazaki fragment maturation is a fundamental process that joins discontinuously synthesized DNA fragments into a contiguous lagging strand. Efficient maturation prevents repeat sequence expansions, small duplications, and generation of double-stranded DNA breaks. To address the components required for the process in Thermococcus, Okazaki fragment maturation was reconstituted in vitro using purified proteins from Thermococcus species 9°N or cell extracts. A dual color fluorescence assay was developed to monitor reaction substrates, intermediates, and products. DNA polymerase D (polD) was proposed to function as the replicative polymerase in Thermococcus replicating both the leading and the lagging strands. It is shown here, however, that it stops before the previous Okazaki fragments, failing to rapidly process them. Instead, Family B DNA polymerase (polB) was observed to rapidly fill the gaps left by polD and displaces the downstream Okazaki fragment to create a flap structure. This flap structure was cleaved by flap endonuclease 1 (Fen1) and the resultant nick was ligated by DNA ligase to form a mature lagging strand. The similarities to both bacterial and eukaryotic systems and evolutionary implications of archaeal Okazaki fragment maturation are discussed. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  4. Characterization of the DNA binding properties of polyomavirus capsid protein

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chang, D.; Cai, X.; Consigli, R. A.; Spooner, B. S. (Principal Investigator)

    1993-01-01

    The DNA binding properties of the polyomavirus structural proteins VP1, VP2, and VP3 were studied by Southwestern analysis. The major viral structural protein VP1 and host-contributed histone proteins of polyomavirus virions were shown to exhibit DNA binding activity, but the minor capsid proteins VP2 and VP3 failed to bind DNA. The N-terminal first five amino acids (Ala-1 to Lys-5) were identified as the VP1 DNA binding domain by genetic and biochemical approaches. Wild-type VP1 expressed in Escherichia coli (RK1448) exhibited DNA binding activity, but the N-terminal truncated VP1 mutants (lacking Ala-1 to Lys-5 and Ala-1 to Cys-11) failed to bind DNA. The synthetic peptide (Ala-1 to Cys-11) was also shown to have an affinity for DNA binding. Site-directed mutagenesis of the VP1 gene showed that the point mutations at Pro-2, Lys-3, and Arg-4 on the VP1 molecule did not affect DNA binding properties but that the point mutation at Lys-5 drastically reduced DNA binding affinity. The N-terminal (Ala-1 to Lys-5) region of VP1 was found to be essential and specific for DNA binding, while the DNA appears to be non-sequence specific. The DNA binding domain and the nuclear localization signal are located in the same N-terminal region.

  5. Electrochemical DNA probe for Hg(2+) detection based on a triple-helix DNA and Multistage Signal Amplification Strategy.

    PubMed

    Wang, Huan; Zhang, Yihe; Ma, Hongmin; Ren, Xiang; Wang, Yaoguang; Zhang, Yong; Wei, Qin

    2016-12-15

    In this work, an ultrasensitive electrochemical sensor was developed for detection of Hg(2+). Gold nanoparticles decorated bovine serum albumin reduction of graphene oxide (AuNP-BSA-rGO) were used as subsurface material for the immobilization of triple-helix DNA. The triple-helix DNA containing a thiol labelled single-stranded DNA (sDNA) and a thymine-rich DNA (T-rich DNA), which could be unwinded in the present of Hg(2+) to form more stable thymine-Hg(2+)-thymine (T-Hg(2+)-T) complex. T-Hg(2+)-T complex was then removed and the sDNA was left on the electrode. At this time, gold nanoparticle carrying thiol labelled cytosine-rich complementary DNA (cDNA-AuNP) could bind with the free sDNA. Meanwhile, the other free cDNA on AuNP could bind with each other in the present of Ag(+) to form the stable cytosine-Ag(+)-cytosine (C-Ag(+)-C) complex and circle amplification. Plenty of C-Ag(+)-C could form silver nanoclusters by electrochemical reduction and the striping signal of Ag could be measured for purpose of the final electrochemical detection of Hg(2+). This sensor could detect Hg(2+) over a wide concentration range from 0.1 to 130nM with a detection limit of 0.03nM. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Nuclear and chloroplast DNA differentiation in Andean potatoes.

    PubMed

    Sukhotu, Thitaporn; Kamijima, Osamu; Hosaka, Kazuyoshi

    2004-02-01

    Over 3500 accessions of Andean landraces have been known in potato, classified into 7 cultivated species ranging from 2x to 5x (Hawkes 1990). Chloroplast DNA (ctDNA), distinguished into T, W, C, S, and A types, showed extensive overlaps in their frequencies among cultivated species and between cultivated and putative ancestral wild species. In this study, 76 accessions of cultivated and 19 accessions of wild species were evaluated for ctDNA types and examined by ctDNA high-resolution markers (ctDNA microsatellites and H3 marker) and nuclear DNA restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs). ctDNA high-resolution markers identified 25 different ctDNA haplotypes. The S- and A-type ctDNAs were discriminated as unique haplotypes from 12 haplotypes having C-type ctDNA and T-type ctDNA from 10 haplotypes having W-type ctDNA. Differences among ctDNA types were strongly correlated with those of ctDNA high-resolution markers (r = 0.822). Differentiation between W-type ctDNA and C-, S-, and A-type ctDNAs was supported by nDNA RFLPs in most species except for those of recent or immediate hybrid origin. However, differentiation among C-, S-, and A-type ctDNAs was not clearly supported by nDNA RFLPs, suggesting that frequent genetic exchange occurred among them and (or) they shared the same gene pool owing to common ancestry.

  7. Sensitive detection of mercury and copper ions by fluorescent DNA/Ag nanoclusters in guanine-rich DNA hybridization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peng, Jun; Ling, Jian; Zhang, Xiu-Qing; Bai, Hui-Ping; Zheng, Liyan; Cao, Qiu-E.; Ding, Zhong-Tao

    2015-02-01

    In this work, we designed a new fluorescent oligonucleotides-stabilized silver nanoclusters (DNA/AgNCs) probe for sensitive detection of mercury and copper ions. This probe contains two tailored DNA sequence. One is a signal probe contains a cytosine-rich sequence template for AgNCs synthesis and link sequence at both ends. The other is a guanine-rich sequence for signal enhancement and link sequence complementary to the link sequence of the signal probe. After hybridization, the fluorescence of hybridized double-strand DNA/AgNCs is 200-fold enhanced based on the fluorescence enhancement effect of DNA/AgNCs in proximity of guanine-rich DNA sequence. The double-strand DNA/AgNCs probe is brighter and stable than that of single-strand DNA/AgNCs, and more importantly, can be used as novel fluorescent probes for detecting mercury and copper ions. Mercury and copper ions in the range of 6.0-160.0 and 6-240 nM, can be linearly detected with the detection limits of 2.1 and 3.4 nM, respectively. Our results indicated that the analytical parameters of the method for mercury and copper ions detection are much better than which using a single-strand DNA/AgNCs.

  8. Raman studies on anticancer inorganic ring-dna interactions. Part 1. HexaziridmocyclotriphosphazeneN 3P 3(NC 2H 4) 6

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Manfait, Michel; Alix, Alain J. P.; Butour, Jean-Luc; Labarre, Jean-François; Sournies, François

    1981-02-01

    A Raman investigation of hexaziridinocyclotriphosphazene3D¯NA interactions in vitro suggests that the alkylating sites on DNA for this powerful antitumour agent are the N(7) and NH 2 positions of adenine.

  9. Mechanistic investigation of the bypass of a bulky aromatic DNA adduct catalyzed by a Y-family DNA polymerase.

    PubMed

    Gadkari, Varun V; Tokarsky, E John; Malik, Chanchal K; Basu, Ashis K; Suo, Zucai

    2014-09-01

    3-Nitrobenzanthrone (3-NBA), a nitropolyaromatic hydrocarbon (NitroPAH) pollutant in diesel exhaust, is a potent mutagen and carcinogen. After metabolic activation, the primary metabolites of 3-NBA react with DNA to form dG and dA adducts. One of the three major adducts identified is N-(2'-deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-3-aminobenzanthrone (dG(C8-N-ABA)). This bulky adduct likely stalls replicative DNA polymerases but can be traversed by lesion bypass polymerases in vivo. Here, we employed running start assays to show that a site-specifically placed dG(C8-N-ABA) is bypassed in vitro by Sulfolobus solfataricus DNA polymerase IV (Dpo4), a model Y-family DNA polymerase. However, the nucleotide incorporation rate of Dpo4 was significantly reduced opposite both the lesion and the template position immediately downstream from the lesion site, leading to two strong pause sites. To investigate the kinetic effect of dG(C8-N-ABA) on polymerization, we utilized pre-steady-state kinetic methods to determine the kinetic parameters for individual nucleotide incorporations upstream, opposite, and downstream from the dG(C8-N-ABA) lesion. Relative to the replication of the corresponding undamaged DNA template, both nucleotide incorporation efficiency and fidelity of Dpo4 were considerably decreased during dG(C8-N-ABA) lesion bypass and the subsequent extension step. The lower nucleotide incorporation efficiency caused by the lesion is a result of a significantly reduced dNTP incorporation rate constant and modestly weaker dNTP binding affinity. At both pause sites, nucleotide incorporation followed biphasic kinetics with a fast and a slow phase and their rates varied with nucleotide concentration. In contrast, only the fast phase was observed with undamaged DNA. A kinetic mechanism was proposed for the bypass of dG(C8-N-ABA) bypass catalyzed by Dpo4. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Mutagenic effect of freezing on nuclear DNA of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    PubMed

    Todorova, T; Pesheva, M; Stamenova, R; Dimitrov, M; Venkov, P

    2012-05-01

    Although fragmentation of DNA has been observed in cells undergoing freezing procedures, a mutagenic effect of sub-zero temperature treatment has not been proved by induction and isolation of mutants in nuclear DNA (nDNA). In this communication we supply evidence for mutagenicity of freezing on nDNA of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. In the absence of cryoprotectors, cooling for 2 h at +4°C and freezing for 1 h at -10°C and 16 h at -20°C, with a cooling rate of 3°C/min, resulted in induction of frame-shift and reverse mutations in microsatellite and coding regions of nDNA. The sub-zero temperature exposure also has a strong recombinogenic effect, evidenced by induction of gene-conversion and crossing-over events. Freezing induces mutations and enhances recombination with a frequency equal to or higher than that of methylmethanesulphonate at comparable survival rates. The signals for the appearance of nDNA lesions induced by freezing are detected and transduced by the DNA damage pathway. Extracellular cryoprotectors did not prevent the mutagenic effect of freezing, while accumulation of trehalose inside cells reduced nDNA cryodamage. Freezing of cells is accompanied by generation of high ROS levels, and the oxidative stress raised during the freeze-thaw process is the most likely reason for the DNA damaging effect. Experiments with mitochondrial rho⁻ mutants or scavengers of ROS indicated that mutagenic and recombinogenic effects of sub-zero temperatures can be decreased but not eliminated by reduction of ROS level. The complete protection against cryodamage in nDNA required simultaneous usage of intracellular cryoprotector and ROS scavenger during the freeze-thaw process. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. Noninvasive measurement of smoking-associated N(3)-ethyladenine and N(7)-ethylguanine in human salivary DNA by stable isotope dilution nanoflow liquid chromatography-nanospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Chen, Hauh-Jyun Candy; Lin, Chao-Ray

    2014-02-10

    Evidence showed that ethylating agents are contained in cigarette smoke, which damage DNA producing ethylated DNA adducts, including N(3)-ethyladenine (3-EtAde) and N(7)-ethylguanine (7-EtGua). These two ethylpurines can be depurinated spontaneously and be repaired by enzymes and they have been detected in human urine. In this study, a highly specific and sensitive assay based on stable isotope dilution nanoflow liquid chromatography nanospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (nanoLC-NSI/MS/MS) was used to measure 3-EtAde and 7-EtGua in human salivary DNA. These ethylpurines were released from DNA by neutral thermal hydrolysis and then enriched by a solid-phase extraction column before nanoLC-NSI/MS/MS analysis. The detection limits (S/N≥3) of 3-EtA and 7-EtG were 15 fg (92 amol) and 10 fg (56 amol), respectively, injected on-column. The lower quantification limits of 3-EtAde and 7-EtGua were both 100 fg, i.e. 620 and 560 amol, respectively, corresponding to 9.4 and 8.6 adducts in 10(9) normal nucleotides, respectively, starting with as little as 20 μg of DNA isolated from an average of 3 mL of saliva. The mean (±SD) levels of 3-EtAde in 15 smokers and 15 nonsmokers were 12.6±7.0 and 9.7±5.3 in 10(8) normal nucleotides, respectively, while those of 7-EtGua were 14.1±8.2 and 3.8±2.8 in 10(8) normal nucleotides in smokers and nonsmokers, respectively. Levels of 7-EtGua, but not 3-EtAde, were statistically significantly higher in smokers than in nonsmokers (p<0.0001). Furthermore, salivary 7-EtGua levels are significantly correlated with the number of cigarettes smoked per day as well as with the smoking index. This highly specific and sensitive stable isotope dilution nanoLC-NSI/MS/MS assay might be feasible in measuring 7-EtGua in human salivary DNA as a noninvasive biomarker for DNA damage induced by cigarette smoking. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Immunoglobulin class-switch recombination deficiencies

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Immunoglobulin class-switch recombination deficiencies (Ig-CSR-Ds) are rare primary immunodeficiencies characterized by defective switched isotype (IgG/IgA/IgE) production. Depending on the molecular defect in question, the Ig-CSR-D may be combined with an impairment in somatic hypermutation (SHM). Some of the mechanisms underlying Ig-CSR and SHM have been described by studying natural mutants in humans. This approach has revealed that T cell-B cell interaction (resulting in CD40-mediated signaling), intrinsic B-cell mechanisms (activation-induced cytidine deaminase-induced DNA damage), and complex DNA repair machineries (including uracil-N-glycosylase and mismatch repair pathways) are all involved in class-switch recombination and SHM. However, several of the mechanisms required for full antibody maturation have yet to be defined. Elucidation of the molecular defects underlying the diverse set of Ig-CSR-Ds is essential for understanding Ig diversification and has prompted better definition of the clinical spectrum of diseases and the development of increasingly accurate diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. PMID:22894609

  13. Synthesis of bifunctional molecules containing [12]aneN3 and coumarin moieties as effective DNA condensation agents and new non-viral gene vectors.

    PubMed

    Yue, Pan; Zhang, Ying; Guo, Zhi-Fo; Cao, Ao-Cheng; Lu, Zhong-Lin; Zhai, Yong-Gong

    2015-04-21

    A series of bifunctional molecules with different combinations of macrocyclic polyamine [12]aneN3 and coumarin moieties, 4a/b and 5a/b, were synthesized by a two-step copper(I)-mediated alkyne–azide click reactions between 1,3,5-tris(azidomethyl)benzene and Boc-protected N-propynyl-[12]aneN3/7-propynyloxycoumarins. Agarose gel electrophoresis experiments indicated that bifunctional molecules 4b and 5b effectively induced complete plasmid DNA condensation at concentrations up to 40 μM. It was found that the structural variation had a major impact on the condensation behavior of these compounds. The electrostatic interaction involving the [12]aneN3 moiety can be compensated by the binding contribution of the coumarin units during the DNA condensation process. These two types of interaction showed different effects on the reversibility of DNA condensation. Results from studies using dynamic laser scattering, atomic force microscopy, and EB replacement assay further supported the above conclusion. Cytotoxicity assays on bifunctional compounds 4a/b and 5a/b indicated their low cytotoxicity. Results from cellular uptake and cell transfection experiments proved that bifunctional compounds 4b and 5b successfully served as non-viral gene vectors. Furthermore, methyl substituents attached to the coumarin unit (4b and 5b) greatly enhanced their DNA condensation capability and gene transfection. These bifunctional molecules, with the advantages of lower cytotoxicity, good water solubility, and potential structural modification, will have great potential for the development of new non-viral gene delivery agents.

  14. Tamoxifen-DNA adduct formation in monkey and human reproductive organs.

    PubMed

    Hernandez-Ramon, Elena E; Sandoval, Nicole A; John, Kaarthik; Cline, J Mark; Wood, Charles E; Woodward, Ruth A; Poirier, Miriam C

    2014-05-01

    The estrogen analog tamoxifen (TAM), used for adjuvant therapy of breast cancer, induces endometrial and uterine tumors in breast cancer patients. Proliferation stimulus of the uterine endometrium is likely involved in tumor induction, but genotoxicity may also play a role. Formation of TAM-DNA adducts in human tissues has been reported but remains controversial. To address this issue, we examined TAM-DNA adducts in uteri from two species of monkeys, Erythrocebus patas (patas) and Macaca fascicularis (macaque), and in human endometrium and myometrium. Monkeys were given 3-4 months of chronic TAM dosing scaled to be equivalent to the daily human dose. In the uteri, livers and brains from the patas (n = 3), and endometrium from the macaques (n = 4), TAM-DNA adducts were measurable by TAM-DNA chemiluminescence immunoassay. Average TAM-DNA adduct values for the patas uteri (23 adducts/10(8) nucleotides) were similar to those found in endometrium of the macaques (19 adducts/10(8) nucleotides). Endometrium of macaques exposed to both TAM and low-dose estradiol (n = 5) averaged 34 adducts/10(8) nucleotides. To examine TAM-DNA persistence in the patas, females (n = 3) were exposed to TAM for 3 months and to no drug for an additional month, resulting in low or non-detectable TAM-DNA in livers and uteri. Human endometrial and myometrial samples from women receiving (n = 8) and not receiving (n = 8) TAM therapy were also evaluated. Women receiving TAM therapy averaged 10.3 TAM-DNA adducts/10(8) nucleotides, whereas unexposed women showed no detectable TAM-DNA. The data indicate that genotoxicity, in addition to estrogen agonist effects, may contribute to TAM-induced human endometrial cancer.

  15. Structures of minute virus of mice replication initiator protein N-terminal domain: Insights into DNA nicking and origin binding

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tewary, Sunil K.; Liang, Lingfei; Lin, Zihan

    Members of the Parvoviridae family all encode a non-structural protein 1 (NS1) that directs replication of single-stranded viral DNA, packages viral DNA into capsid, and serves as a potent transcriptional activator. Here we report the X-ray structure of the minute virus of mice (MVM) NS1 N-terminal domain at 1.45 Å resolution, showing that sites for dsDNA binding, ssDNA binding and cleavage, nuclear localization, and other functions are integrated on a canonical fold of the histidine-hydrophobic-histidine superfamily of nucleases, including elements specific for this Protoparvovirus but distinct from its Bocaparvovirus or Dependoparvovirus orthologs. High resolution structural analysis reveals a nickase activemore » site with an architecture that allows highly versatile metal ligand binding. The structures support a unified mechanism of replication origin recognition for homotelomeric and heterotelomeric parvoviruses, mediated by a basic-residue-rich hairpin and an adjacent helix in the initiator proteins and by tandem tetranucleotide motifs in the replication origins. - Highlights: • The structure of a parvovirus replication initiator protein has been determined; • The structure sheds light on mechanisms of ssDNA binding and cleavage; • The nickase active site is preconfigured for versatile metal ligand binding; • The binding site for the double-stranded replication origin DNA is identified; • A single domain integrates multiple functions in virus replication.« less

  16. Novel protective mechanism of reducing renal cell damage in diabetes: Activation AMPK by AICAR increased NRF2/OGG1 proteins and reduced oxidative DNA damage

    PubMed Central

    Habib, Samy L.; Yadav, Anamika; Kidane, Dawit; Weiss, Robert H.; Liang, Sitai

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Exposure of renal cells to high glucose (HG) during diabetes has been recently proposed to be involved in renal injury. In the present study, we investigated a potential mechanism by which AICAR treatment regulates the DNA repair enzyme, 8-oxoG-DNA glycosylase (OGG1) in renal proximal tubular mouse cells exposed to HG and in kidney of db/db mice. Cells treated with HG for 2 days show inhibition in OGG1 promoter activity as well as OGG1 and Nrf2 protein expression. In addition, activation of AMPK by AICAR resulted in an increase raptor phosphorylation at Ser792 and leads to increase the promoter activity of OGG1 through upregulation of Nrf2. Downregulation of AMPK by DN-AMPK and raptor and Nrf2 by siRNA resulted in significant decease in promoter activity and protein expression of OGG1. On the other hand, downregulation of Akt by DN-Akt and rictor by siRNA resulted in significant increase in promoter activity and protein expression of Nrf2 and OGG1. Moreover, gel shift analysis shows reduction of Nrf2 binding to OGG1 promoter in cells treated with HG while cells treated with AICAR reversed the effect of HG. Furthermore, db/db mice treated with AICAR show significant increased in AMPK and raptor phosphroylation as well as OGG1 and Nrf2 protein expression that associated with significant decrease in oxidative DNA damage (8-oxodG) compared to non-treated mice. In summary, our data provide a novel protective mechanism by which AICAR prevents renal cell damage in diabetes and the consequence complications of hyperglycemia with a specific focus on nephropathy. PMID:27611085

  17. Optical Materials with a Genome: Nanophotonics with DNA-Stabilized Silver Clusters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Copp, Stacy M.

    Fluorescent silver clusters with unique rod-like geometries are stabilized by DNA. The sizes and colors of these clusters, or AgN-DNA, are selected by DNA base sequence, which can tune peak emission from blue-green into the near-infrared. Combined with DNA nanostructures, AgN-DNA promise exciting applications in nanophotonics and sensing. Until recently, however, a lack of understanding of the mechanisms controlling AgN-DNA fluorescence has challenged such applications. This dissertation discusses progress toward understanding the role of DNA as a "genome" for silver clusters and toward using DNA to achieve atomic-scale precision of silver cluster size and nanometer-scale precision of silver cluster position on a DNA breadboard. We also investigate sensitivity of AgN-DNA to local solvent environment, with an eye toward applications in chemical and biochemical sensing. Using robotic techniques to generate large data sets, we show that fluorescent silver clusters are templated by certain DNA base motifs that select "magic-sized" cluster cores of enhanced stabilities. The linear arrangement of bases on the phosphate backbone imposes a unique rod-like geometry on the clusters. Harnessing machine learning and bioinformatics techniques, we also demonstrate that sequences of DNA templates can be selected to stabilize silver clusters with desired optical properties, including high fluorescence intensity and specific fluorescence wavelengths, with much higher rates of success as compared to current strategies. The discovered base motifs can be also used to design modular DNA host strands that enable individual silver clusters with atomically precise sizes to bind at specific programmed locations on a DNA nanostructure. We show that DNA-mediated nanoscale arrangement enables near-field coupling of distinct clusters, demonstrated by dual-color cluster assemblies exhibiting resonant energy transfer. These results demonstrate a new degree of control over the optical properties

  18. Methods of DNA methylation analysis.

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The purpose of this review was to provide guidance for investigators who are new to the field of DNA methylation analysis. Epigenetics is the study of mitotically heritable alterations in gene expression potential that are not mediated by changes in DNA sequence. Recently, it has become clear that n...

  19. Curcumin protects against cytotoxic and inflammatory effects of quartz particles but causes oxidative DNA damage in a rat lung epithelial cell line

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Li Hui; Berlo, Damien van; Shi Tingming

    2008-02-15

    Chronic inhalation of high concentrations of respirable quartz particles has been implicated in various lung diseases including lung fibrosis and cancer. Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress is considered a major mechanism of quartz toxicity. Curcumin, a yellow pigment from Curcuma longa, has been considered as nutraceutical because of its strong anti-inflammatory, antitumour and antioxidant properties. The aim of our present study was to investigate whether curcumin can protect lung epithelial cells from the cytotoxic, genotoxic and inflammatory effects associated with quartz (DQ12) exposure. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements using the spin-trap DMPO demonstrated that curcumin reducesmore » hydrogen peroxide-dependent hydroxyl-radical formation by quartz. Curcumin was also found to reduce quartz-induced cytotoxicity and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) mRNA expression in RLE-6TN rat lung epithelial cells (RLE). Curcumin also inhibited the release of macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) from RLE cells as observed upon treatment with interleukin-1 beta (IL-1{beta}) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF{alpha}). However, curcumin failed to protect the RLE cells from oxidative DNA damage induced by quartz, as shown by formamidopyrimidine glycosylase (FPG)-modified comet assay and by immunocytochemistry for 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine. In contrast, curcumin was found to be a strong inducer of oxidative DNA damage itself at non-cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory concentrations. In line with this, curcumin also enhanced the mRNA expression of the oxidative stress response gene heme oxygenase-1 (ho-1). Curcumin also caused oxidative DNA damage in NR8383 rat alveolar macrophages and A549 human lung epithelial cells. Taken together, these observations indicate that one should be cautious in considering the potential use of curcumin in the prevention or treatment of lung diseases associated with quartz exposure.« less

  20. In depth analysis of the quenching of three fluorene-phenylene-based cationic conjugated polyelectrolytes by DNA and DNA bases.

    PubMed

    Davies, Matthew L; Douglas, Peter; Burrows, Hugh D; Martincigh, Bice; Miguel, Maria da Graça; Scherf, Ullrich; Mallavia, Ricardo; Douglas, Alastair

    2014-01-16

    The interaction of three cationic poly {9,9-bis[N,N-(trimethylammonium)hexyl]fluorene-co-1,4-phenylene} polymers with average chain lengths of ∼6, 12, and 100 repeat units (PFP-NR36(I),12(Br),100(Br)) with both double and single stranded, short and long, DNA and DNA bases have been studied by steady state and time-resolved fluorescence techniques. Fluorescence of PFP-NR3 polymers is quenched with high efficiency by DNA (both double and single stranded) and DNA bases. The resulting quenching plots are sigmoidal and are not accurately described by using a Stern-Volmer quenching mechanism. Here, the quenching mechanism is well modeled in terms of an equilibrium in which a PFP-NR3/DNA aggregate complex is formed which brings polymer chains into close enough proximity to allow interchain excitation energy migration and quenching at aggregate or DNA base traps. Such an analysis gives equilibrium constants of 8.4 × 10(6) (±1.2 × 10(6)) M(-1) for short-dsDNA and 8.6 × 10(6) (±1.7 × 10(6)) M(-1) for short-ssDNA with PFP-NR36(I).