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L A Loeb

Publications and source records attributed to L A Loeb.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Metal-induced infidelity of DNA synthesis.

A number of metals have been demonstrated to be mutagens in procaryotic and eucaryotic organisms as well as carcinogens in experimental animals. Epidemiologic studies have indicated that Ni, Cr, and As are involved in human carcinogenesis. We have hypothesized that the active molecular species is the cation and that metal induced mutations result from incorrect base-substitutions during DNA replication. This is supported by the observations that metal ions diminish the fidelity of DNA synthesis in vitro using a variety of DNA polymerases. There is a significant correlation between the metals that decrease fidelity and those that have been reported to be mutagenic and carcinogenic. Thus, metal carcinogens are no exception to the general postulate that carcinogens can be identified by their effects on DNA.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Deoxynucleoside [1-thio]triphosphates prevent proofreading during in vitro DNA synthesis.

The contribution of proofreading to the fidelity of catalysis by DNA polymerases has been determined with deoxyribonucleoside [1-thio]triphosphate substrates. These analogues, which contain a sulfur in place of an oxygen on the alpha phosphorus, are incorporated into DNA by DNA polymerases at rates similar to those of the corresponding unmodified deoxynucleoside triphosphates. The fidelity of DNA synthesis was measured with phi X174 am3 DNA; reversion to wild type occurs most frequently by a single base substitution, a C for a T at position 587. By using avian myeloblastosis virus DNA polymerase and DNA polymerase beta (enzymes without a proofreading 3' leads to 5' exonucleolytic activity), substitution of deoxycytidine thiotriphosphate in the reaction mixture did not alter fidelity. In contrast, with DNA polymerases from E. coli (DNA polymerase I) and bacteriophage T4 (enzymes containing a proofreading activity), fidelity was markedly reduced with deoxycytidine [1-thio]triphosphate. DNA containing phosphorothioate nucleotides is insensitive to hydrolysis by the exonuclease associated with these prokaryotic DNA polymerases. These combined results indicate that the deoxynucleoside [1-thio]triphosphates have normal base-pairing properties; however, once misinserted by a polymerase, they are not excised by proofreading. Proofreading of a C:A mismatch at position 587 is thereby found to contribute 20-fold to the fidelity of E. coli DNA polymerase I and a greater amount to the fidelity of bacteriophage T4 DNA polymerase.

Avian Myeloblastosis Virus↗
PubMed1981

Depurination causes mutations in SOS-induced cells.

Introduction of apurinic sites into phi X174 am3 DNA leads to loss of biological activity when measured in a transfection assay. For single-stranded DNA, approximately one apurinic site constitutes a lethal hit; for double-stranded (RFI) DNA, approximately 3.5 hits per strand are lethal. When the reversion frequency of am3 DNA is measured, no increase due to depurination is observed above the background level. However, a large increase in reversion frequency is observed when the same DNA is assayed by using spheroplasts derived from bacteria previously exposed to UV light. The results suggest that apurinic sites are impediments to a replicating DNA polymerase; however, nucleotides can be incorporated opposite these sites under SOS-induced conditions. We estimate the frequency of mutagenesis per apurinic site to be less than 1 in 1400 in normal spheroplasts and 1 in 100 in SOS-induced spheroplasts.

Apurinic Acid↗
PubMed1981

Metal-induced infidelity of DNA synthesis.

In this paper, we consider the effects of metal ions on the accuracy of catalysis by DNA polymerases. Certain activating and nonactivating metal ions have been shown to diminish the fidelity of DNA synthesis in vitro with a variety of DNA polymerases. There is a significant correlation between the metals that decrease fidelity and those that have been reported to be mutagenic and carcinogenic. Thus, metal carcinogens are no exception to the general postulate that carcinogens can be identified by their interactions with DNA.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

DNA replication of X-irradiated human lymphocytes.

Human peripheral blood lymphocytes are well-differentiated cells. Ordinarily, they do not divide and are considered to be in the G0 stage of the cell cycle. These cells can be stimulated to undergo DNA replication in culture by mitogens such as phytohemagglutinin. In the present study, we have examined cellular and biochemical events that occur after exposure of lymphocytes to X-irradiation. Irradiation with up to 100 rads, prior to stimulation with phytohemagglutinin, did not interfere with DNA replication. At later periods, DNA replication was inhibited proportionally to the amount of radiation. In comparison to DNA synthesis, the effect of X-irradiation on RNA and protein synthesis in phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes was less marked. Furthermore, X-rays did not inhibit either the induction or the continual synthesis of DNA polymerase-alpha or -beta in response to phytohemagglutinin. Kinetic studies with different nucleotide substrates suggest that cellular pools of nucleotides are not significantly altered by X-irradiation. Thus, the inhibition of DNA synthesis in irradiated cells is likely to be due to damage to the cellular DNA template. The inhibition of DNA synthesis was accompanied by accumulation of cells in the G2 and M stages of the cell cycle, suggesting that inhibition of DNA replication by X-irradiation is a postmitotic event.

Cell Cycle↗
PubMed1980

On the fidelity of deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis directed by chromatin-associated deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase beta.

Accuracy of poly[d(A-T)] synthesis catalyzed by chromatin-bound deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) polymerase beta was measured with several types. A new procedure was developed for the isolation of copied poly[d(A-T)] from chromatin DNA. This method involved in vitro copying of poly[d(A-T)] by native chromatin and subsequent selective fragmentation of chromatin by restriction nucleases, proteinase K, and heat denaturation. The fragmented natural DNA is then separated from the high molecular weight poly[d(A-T)] by gel filtration. The efficacy of DNA removal by this procedure was validated by cesium chloride gradient and nearest-neighbor analysis of the product of the reaction and by measurement of the fidelity of poly[d(A-T)] synthesis by Escherichia coli DNA Pol I contaminated with increasing amounts of DNA. Also, DNA polymerases dissociated from chromatin retain the same accuracy as that of native chromatin. Synthesis of poly[d(A-T)] by chromatin is catalyzed mainly by DNA polymerase-beta. By use of the described technique, we find that the fidelity of this reaction is exceptionally low; approximately one dGTP was incorporated for every thousand complementary nucleotides polymerized.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

On the fidelity of DNA replication. The accuracy of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I in copying natural DNA in vitro.

The accuracy with which Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I (Pol I) copies natural DNA in vitro has been determined. When phi X174 viral DNA containing an amber mutation (am3) is primed with a single restriction endonuclease fragment, copied in vitro with Pol I and then expressed in E. coli spheroplasts (Weymout, L. A., and Loeb, L. A. (1978) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 75, 1924), the reversion frequency of this DNA is greater than that of uncopied DNA. This change in reversion frequency can be increased by selectively increasing the concentration of either dATP or dCTP relative to the other deoxyribonucleotide substrates. DNA sequence analyses of revertants obtained from substrate pool bias experiments demonstrates that the revertants contain the selectively biased nucleotide as an incorrect substitution at position 587 of the am3 codon. We have analyzed the product of the in vitro Pol I reaction using neutral and alkaline sucrose gradients. Fifty per cent of the input phi X174 DNA template molecules are copied past the am3 site. The phenotypic expression of the product (revertant) strand in the spheroplast assay was estimated using a model heteroduplex molecule similar in structure to the product of the reaction and containing a single base mismatch (A:A or A:C) at position 587. Using these data, and by extrapolation from pool bias experiments, we estimate the error rate of Pol I in Mg2+-activated reactions using equimolar concentrations of the four deoxynucleotide substrates is 1/680,000 for an A:C mispair and < 1/6,300,000 for an A:A mispair at position 587 of the am3 codon in phi X174 DNA.

Bacteriophage phi X 174↗
PubMed1980

On the fidelity of DNA synthesis:effects of steroids and intercalating agents.

Studies on the fidelity of DNA synthesis in vitro were extended to pharmacological agents that interact non-covalently to DNA. Several steroids, intercalators and cancer chemotherapeutic agents increased the relative frequency of incorrect deoxynucleotide incorporation in the fidelity assay. The relationship between non-covalent interactions with DNA and the decreased fidelity of DNA synthesis in vitro is considered.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1980

Effects of arsenic, selenium, and chromium on the fidelity of DNA synthesis.

The effect of three environmentally important metals, arsenic, selenium, and chromium, on the accuracy of DNA synthesis in vitro has been analyzed. The addition of arsenic to fidelity assays did not significantly alter accuracy. Selenium did not alter fidelity under normal conditions of magnesium activation, nor did it affect the mutagenicity of manganese. Chromium in the form of Cr(III) as well as Cr(VI) diminished the fidelity by which Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I copies polynucleotide templates. Nearest-neighbor analysis of the product synthesized in the presence of chromium indicates that the misincorporated in the presence of chromium indicates that the misincorporated bases are present as single-base substitutions. Chromium was also mutagenic using the recently developed phi chi 174 assay, which measures the fidelity of DNA synthesis with a natural DNA template.

Arsenic↗
PubMed1979

On the fidelity of DNA replication. Studies with human placenta DNA polymerases.

The fidelity of DNA synthesis with purified DNA polymerase alpha and beta from human placenta has been studied. With poly[d(A-T)] as the template-primer and Mg2+ as the metal activator, DNA polymerase alpha incorporates 1 mol of dGMP for every 6,000 to 12,000 mol of complementary nucleotides polymerized. Under the same conditions, DNA polymerase beta is more accurate, the error rate being 1/20,000 to 1/60,000. This greater accuracy of DNA polymerase beta is observed with a variety of homopolymer templates. With both enzymes, substitution of Mg2+ with activating concentrations of Mn2+ or Co2+ enhances the frequency of misincorporation. At greater than activating concentrations of Mn2+ and Co2+, there is an inhibition of complementary nucleotide incorporation, further increasing the frequency of misincorporation. Nearest neighbor analysis of the products synthesized with both enzymes indicates that the noncomplementary nucleotides are incorporated predominantly as single base substitutions. The greater accuracy of DNA polymerase beta over DNA polymerase alpha should be considered in relationship to their possible roles in DNA replication and repair.

Cations, Divalent↗
PubMed1979

Distinctive properties of mammalian DNA polymerases.

DNA polymerase-alpha and -beta can be distinguished from one another by the differential effects of N-ethylmaleimide, KCl, ara-CTP and temperature, as well as on the basis of sedimentation. The sensitivity of DNA polymerase-beta to elevated temperatures as compared to DNA polymerase-alpha provides a new means of distinguishing between these two enzymes even in crude extracts and a possible probe for determining their function. DNA polymerase-alpha and -beta share several properties in common, including the ability to readily incorporate dUTP in place of dTTP. The Km for dUTP varies from 10 to 30 micron with different preparations of DNA polymerase-alpha and -beta. Thus, in mammalian cells, dUMP could be incorporated into DNA, and if excised by an endonuclease, would lead to discontinuities. Initial analyses of fidelity in direct comparative studies indicate that beta-class DNA polymerases are highly accurate in base selection when copying poly[d(A-T)]. Less than one molecule of dGMP is incorporated for every 12 000-45 000 molecules of dAMP and dTMP polymerized. DNA polymerase-alpha is somewhat less accurate, making one mistake for every 4000-10 000 correct nucleotides incorporated. Since both polymerases lack an exonucleolytic activity, this accuracy must be the result of selectivity for the complementary nucleotide by the polymerase.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Single-strand binding protein enhances fidelity of DNA synthesis in vitro.

The effect of Escherichia coli single-strand binding protein on the accuracy of in vitro DNA synthesis has been determined by using two independent methods. By using the synthetic polynucleotide poly[d(A-T)] and measuring dGTP misincorporation or by using phi X174 DNA and measuring nucleotide substitutions, we found that binding protein increases the fidelity of DNA synthesis by as much as 10-fold. This increase is observed with DNA polymerases of divergent sources and is progressive with increasing concentration of binding protein. The increased accuracy observed with DNA polymerases lacking a 3' leads to 5' exonuclease points to a mechanism other than augmented proofreading. In accord with the properties of single-strand binding proteins, it is suggested that increased fidelity is a result of enhanced base selection by the DNA polymerase, resulting from increased rigidity of the template due to its interaction with binding protein.

Base Sequence↗