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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

The efficiency and fidelity of translesion synthesis past cisplatin and oxaliplatin GpG adducts by human DNA polymerase beta.

DNA polymerase beta (pol beta) is the only mammalian DNA polymerase identified to date that can catalyze extensive bypass of platinum-DNA adducts in vitro. Previous studies suggest that DNA synthesis by pol beta is distributive on primed single-stranded DNA and processive on gapped DNA. The data presented in this paper provide an analysis of translesion synthesis past cisplatin- and oxaliplatin-DNA adducts by pol beta functioning in both distributive and processive modes using primer extension and steady-state kinetic experiments. Translesion synthesis past Pt-DNA adducts was greater with gapped DNA templates than with single-stranded DNA templates. In the processive mode pol beta did not discriminate between cisplatin and oxaliplatin adducts, while in the distributive mode it displayed about 2-fold increased ability for translesion synthesis past oxaliplatin compared with cisplatin adducts. The differentiation between cisplatin and oxaliplatin adducts resulted from a K(m)-mediated increase in the efficiency of dCTP incorporation across from the 3'-G of oxaliplatin-GG adducts. Rates of misincorporation across platinated guanines determined by the steady-state kinetic assay were higher in reactions with primed single-stranded templates than with gapped DNA and a slight increase in the misincorporation of dTTP across from the 3'-G was found for oxaliplatin compared with cisplatin adducts.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Structural design of a eukaryotic DNA repair polymerase: DNA polymerase beta.

DNA polymerase beta, the smallest eukaryotic DNA polymerase, is designed to synthesize DNA in short DNA gaps during DNA repair. It is composed of two specialized domains that contribute essential enzymatic activities to base excision repair (BER). Its amino-terminal domain possesses a lyase activity necessary to remove the 5'-deoxyribose phosphate (dRP) intermediate generated during BER. Removal of the dRP moiety is often the rate-limiting step during BER. Failure to remove this group may initiate alternate BER pathways. The larger polymerase domain has nucleotidyl transferase activity. This domain has a modular organization with sub-domains that bind duplex DNA, catalytic metals, and the correct nucleoside triphosphate in a template-dependent manner. X-ray crystal structures of DNA polymerase beta, with and without bound substrates, has inferred that domain, sub-domain, and substrate conformational changes occur upon ligand binding. Many of these conformational changes are distinct from those observed in structures of other DNA polymerases. This review will examine the structural aspects of DNA polymerase beta that facilitate its role in BER.

Crystallography, X-Ray↗

Mechanism of nucleotide incorporation in DNA polymerase beta.

DNA polymerases play a central role in the mechanisms of DNA replication and repair. Here, we report mechanisms of the beta-polymerase catalyzed phosphoryl transfer reactions corresponding to correct and incorrect nucleotide incorporations in the DNA. Based on energy minimizations, molecular dynamics simulations, and free energy calculations of solvated ternary complexes of pol beta and by employing a mixed quantum mechanics molecular mechanics Hamiltonian, we have uncovered the identities of transient intermediates in the phosphoryl transfer pathways. Our study has revealed that an intriguing Grotthuss hopping mechanism of proton transfer involving water and three conserved aspartate residues in pol beta's active site mediates the phosphoryl transfer in the correct as well as misincorporation of nucleotides. The significance of this catalytic step in serving as a kinetic check point of polymerase fidelity may be unique to DNA polymerase beta, and is discussed in relation to other known mechanisms of DNA polymerases.

Binding Sites↗

Activities and mechanism of DNA polymerase beta.

DNA polymerase beta plays an essential role in the base excision repair pathway necessary to cleanse the genome of simple base lesions and abasic sites. Abasic sites arise in DNA from spontaneous base loss (depurination) and DNA-damage specific glycosylases that hydrolyze the N-glycosidic bond between the deoxyribose and the damaged base. DNA polymerase beta contributes two enzymatic activities: DNA synthesis and deoxyribose-phosphate removal through nucleotidyl transferase and lyase mechanisms, respectively. The active site for each of these activities resides on a distinct domain of the protein: 31-kDa polymerase domain and amino-terminal 8-kDa lyase domain. The simple organization of each domain and the ability to assay each activity have hastened our understanding of the faithful replication of DNA during repair synthesis and the flux of intermediates through single nucleotide base excision repair and its alternate pathways.

Animals↗

Antitumor activity of 2',3'-dideoxycytidine nucleotide analog against tumors up-regulating DNA polymerase beta.

DNA polymerase beta (Pol beta), an error-prone DNA-synthesizing enzyme tightly down-regulated in healthy somatic cells, has been shown to be overexpressed in many human tumors. In this study, we show that treatment with the 2',3'-dideoxycytidine (ddC) nucleoside analog inhibited in vitro and in vivo the proliferation of Pol beta-transfected B16 melanoma cells, which up-regulate Pol beta compared with control isogenic cells. The administration of ddC also increased specifically the survival of mice bearing Pol beta-overexpressing B16 melanoma. When the phosphorylated form of ddC was electrotransfered into Pol beta-transfected melanoma, the cell growth inhibition was strengthened, strongly suggesting that the cytotoxic effect results from incorporation of the chain terminator into DNA. Using in vitro single- and double-stranded DNA synthesis assays, we demonstrated that excess Pol beta perturbs the replicative machinery, favors ddC-TP incorporation into DNA, and consequently promotes chain termination. Therefore, the use of chain terminator anticancer agents could be suitable for the treatment of tumors with a high level of Pol beta.

Animals↗

Modulation of cellular response to cisplatin by a novel inhibitor of DNA polymerase beta.

DNA polymerase beta (Pol beta) is an error-prone enzyme whose up-regulation has been shown to be a genetic instability enhancer as well as a contributor to cisplatin resistance in tumor cells. In this work, we describe the isolation of new Pol beta inhibitors after high throughput screening of 8448 semipurified natural extracts. In vitro, the selected molecules affect specifically Pol beta-mediated DNA synthesis compared with replicative extracts from cell nuclei. One of them, masticadienonic acid (MA), is particularly attractive because it perturbs neither the activity of the purified replicative Pol delta nor that of nuclear HeLa cell extracts. With an IC50 value of 8 microM, MA is the most potent of the Pol beta inhibitors found so far. Docking simulation revealed that this molecule could substitute for single-strand DNA in the binding site of Pol beta by binding Lys35, Lys68, and Lys60, which are the main residues involved in the interaction Pol beta/single-strand DNA. Selected inhibitors also affect the Pol beta-mediated translesion synthesis (TLS) across cisplatin adducts; MA was still the most efficient. Therefore, masticadienonic acid sensitized the cisplatin-resistant 2008C13*5.25 human tumor cells. Our data suggest that molecules such as masticadienonic acid could be suitable in conjunction with cisplatin to enhance anticancer treatments.

Animals↗

Neonatal lethality with abnormal neurogenesis in mice deficient in DNA polymerase beta.

DNA polymerase beta (Polbeta) has been implicated in base excision repair in mammalian cells. However, the physiological significance of this enzyme in the body remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that mice carrying a targeted disruption of the Polbeta gene showed growth retardation and died of a respiratory failure immediately after the birth. Histological examination of the embryos revealed defective neurogenesis characterized by apoptotic cell death in the developing central and peripheral nervous systems. Extensive cell death occurred in newly generated post-mitotic neuronal cells and was closely associated with the period between onset and cessation of neurogenesis. These findings indicate that Polbeta plays an essential role in neural development.

Animals↗

Fidelity mechanisms of DNA polymerase beta.

DNA polymerase 3 (Pol beta) is one of the best characterized eukaryotic DNA polymerases. Pol beta is a member of the X family of DNA polymerases. The Pol beta protein has two catalytic activities: DNA polymerase activity and dRP lyase activity. Pol beta has no known proofreading activity, so its accuracy in vitro results exclusively from the nucleotide selectivity of this enzyme. Presteady-state kinetic analysis has shown that Pol beta functions in nucleotide selectivity predominantly during phosphodiester bond formation, although this enzyme also possesses some ability to discriminate the correct from the incorrect deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) substrate during ground state binding. Recent results strongly suggest that Pol beta does not employ an induced fit mechanism of nucleotide discrimination. The fidelity of Pol beta appears to be determined through steric exclusion against the incorrect substrate and by the precise positioning of the catalytic residues, DNA, and substrate within the active site of the enzyme. Imprecise positioning of active site residues or DNA can result in the incorporation of the incorrect substrate into DNA. Amino acid residues both distant and near to the active site of Pol beta influence its geometry, suggesting that the movements and positioning of subdomains of Pol beta have a significant impact upon its fidelity.

Animals↗

Steady-state kinetics of mouse DNA polymerase beta.

DNA polymerase beta from mouse myeloma has been purified to near homogeneity, and its properties have been examined. The enzyme did not catalyze a detectable level of dNTP turnover, pyrophosphate exchange, pyrophosphorolysis, 3'-exonuclease degradation, or 5'-exonuclease degradation. Steady-state kinetic studies point to an ordered bibi mechanism for the polymerization reaction. Metal activation, which is required for polymerization, did not alter the Km for either the dNTP or the template--primer.

Animals↗

Rapid segmental and subdomain motions of DNA polymerase beta.

DNA polymerase (pol) beta is a two-domain DNA repair enzyme that undergoes structural transitions upon binding substrates. Crystallographic structures indicate that these transitions include movement of the amino-terminal 8-kDa lyase domain relative to the 31-kDa polymerase domain. Additionally, a polymerase subdomain moves toward the nucleotide-binding pocket after nucleotide binding, resulting in critical contacts between alpha-helix N and the nascent base pair. Kinetic and structural characterization of pol beta has suggested that these conformational changes participate in stabilizing the ternary enzyme-substrate complex facilitating chemistry. To probe the microenvironment and dynamics of both the lyase domain and alpha-helix N in the polymerase domain, the single native tryptophan (Trp-325) of wild-type enzyme was replaced with alanine, and tryptophan was strategically substituted for residues in the lyase domain (F25W/W325A) or near the end of alpha-helix N (L287W/W325A). Influences of substrate on the fluorescence anisotropy decay of these single tryptophan forms of pol beta were determined. The results revealed that the segmental motion of alpha-helix N was rapid ( approximately 1 ns) and far more rapid than the step that limits chemistry. Binding of Mg(2+) and/or gapped DNA did not cause a noticeable change in the rotational correlation time or angular amplitude of tryptophan in alpha-helix N. More important, binding of a correct nucleotide significantly limited the angular range of the nanosecond motion within alpha-helix N. In contrast, the segmental motion of the 8-kDa domain was "frozen" upon DNA binding alone, and this restriction did not increase further upon nucleotide binding. The dynamics of alpha-helix N are discussed from the perspective of the "open" to "closed" conformational change of pol beta deduced from crystallography, and the results are more generally discussed in the context of reaction cycle-regulated flexibility for proteins acting as molecular motors.

Circular Dichroism↗

Radiosensitization by a dominant negative to DNA polymerase beta is DNA polymerase beta-independent and XRCC1-dependent.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: DNA base damages and single strand breaks after ionizing radiation are repaired by base excision repair (BER) and single strand break repair (SSBR), with both DNA polymerase beta (polbeta) and XRCC1 playing key roles. We previously showed that a dominant negative to polbeta (polbetaDN) sensitized human tumor cells to ionizing radiation. However, polbeta-deficient cells, in contrast to XRCC1-deficient cells, are not more radiosensitive. The purpose of the present study was to further elucidate the mechanism of action of the polbetaDN to better understand the roles of BER and SSBR in determining radiosensitivity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mouse embryonic fibroblasts, both polbeta wildtype and knockout, and hamster XRCC1-deficient EM9 cells together with its parental line, were transfected with the polbetaDN. Clones with equal polbetaDN expression levels were selected and used in clonogenic assays to determine radiosensitivity. RESULTS: Radiosensitization of polbeta deficient cells by the polbetaDN is shown here, demonstrating inhibition of a polbeta-independent pathway. In addition, we observed radiosensitization of wildtype hamster cells but no radiosensitization of the XRCC1-deficient EM9 cells. CONCLUSIONS: The polbetaDN acts independently of polbeta status and inhibits a pathway, which is dependent on XRCC1, consistent with inhibition of BER and/or SSBR. The data further indicate involvement of other polymerases, which are inhibited by polbetaDN. Finally, they demonstrate that inhibition of BER and SSBR can increase radiosensitivity, with potential clinical relevance.

Animals↗

Identification and characterization of human DNA polymerase beta 2, a DNA polymerase beta -related enzyme.

The BRCA1 COOH terminus (BRCT) motif is present in many nuclear proteins that contribute to cell cycle regulation or DNA repair. Polymerase chain reaction-based screening with degenerate primers targeted to the BRCT motif resulted in the isolation of a human cDNA for a previously unidentified DNA polymerase (designated DNA polymerase beta2) that is closely related to DNA polymerase beta (Pol beta). The predicted Pol beta2 protein contains a BRCT motif in its NH(2)-terminal region; its COOH-terminal region exhibits 33% sequence identity to a corresponding region of human Pol beta. The Pol beta2 gene is expressed in a tissue-specific manner, with transcripts being most abundant in testis. A fusion construct comprising Pol beta2 and green fluorescent protein exhibited a predominantly nuclear localization in transfected HeLa cells. Recombinant human Pol beta2 from insect cells exhibited substantial DNA polymerase activity, but it did not possess terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase activity. A truncated Pol beta2 mutant lacking the BRCT motif retained substantial DNA polymerase activity, whereas a mutant Pol beta2 with two alanine point mutations within the DNA polymerase active site did not. These results indicate that Pol beta2 is a Pol beta-related DNA polymerase with a BRCT motif that is dispensable for its polymerase activity.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

RNA aptamers selected against DNA polymerase beta inhibit the polymerase activities of DNA polymerases beta and kappa.

DNA polymerase beta (polbeta), a member of the X family of DNA polymerases, is the major polymerase in the base excision repair pathway. Using in vitro selection, we obtained RNA aptamers for polbeta from a variable pool of 8 x 10(12) individual RNA sequences containing 30 random nucleotides. A total of 60 individual clones selected after seven rounds were screened for the ability to inhibit polbeta activity. All of the inhibitory aptamers analyzed have a predicted tri-lobed structure. Gel mobility shift assays demonstrate that the aptamers can displace the DNA substrate from the polbeta active site. Inhibition by the aptamers is not polymerase specific; inhibitors of polbeta also inhibited DNA polymerase kappa, a Y-family DNA polymerase. However, the RNA aptamers did not inhibit the Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase I and only had a minor effect on RB69 DNA polymerase activity. Polbeta and kappa, despite sharing little sequence similarity and belonging to different DNA polymerase families, have similarly open active sites and relatively few interactions with their DNA substrates. This may allow the aptamers to bind and inhibit polymerase activity. RNA aptamers with inhibitory properties may be useful in modulating DNA polymerase activity in cells.

Aptamers, Nucleotide↗

Modifying the beta,gamma leaving-group bridging oxygen alters nucleotide incorporation efficiency, fidelity, and the catalytic mechanism of DNA polymerase beta.

DNA polymerase catalysis and fidelity studies typically compare incorporation of "right" versus "wrong" nucleotide bases where the leaving group is pyrophosphate. Here we use dGTP analogues replacing the beta,gamma-bridging O with CH2, CHF, CF2, or CCl2 to explore leaving-group effects on the nucleotidyl transfer mechanism and fidelity of DNA polymerase (pol) beta. T.G mismatches occur with fidelities similar to dGTP with the exception of the CH2 analogue, which is incorporated with 5-fold higher fidelity. All analogues are observed to bind opposite template C with Kds between 1 and 4 microM, and structural evidence suggests that the analogues bind in essentially the native conformation, making them suitable substrates for probing linear free energy relationships (LFERs) in transient-kinetics experiments. Importantly, Brnsted correlations of log(kpol) versus leaving-group pKa for both right and wrong base incorporation reveal similar sensitivities (betalg approximately -0.8) followed by departures from linearity, suggesting that a chemical step rather than enzyme conformational change is rate-limiting for either process. The location of the breaks relative to pKas of CF2, O, and the sterically bulky CCl2-bridging compounds suggests a modification-induced change in the mechanism by stabilization of leaving-group elimination. The results are addressed theoretically in terms of the energetics of successive primer 3'-O addition (bond forming) and pyrophosphate analogue elimination (bond breaking) reaction energy barriers.

Base Sequence↗

Structures of ternary complexes of rat DNA polymerase beta, a DNA template-primer, and ddCTP.

Two ternary complexes of rat DNA polymerase beta (pol beta), a DNA template-primer, and dideoxycytidine triphosphate (ddCTP) have been determined at 2.9 A and 3.6 A resolution, respectively. ddCTP is the triphosphate of dideoxycytidine (ddC), a nucleoside analog that targets the reverse transcriptase of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and is at present used to treat AIDS. Although crystals of the two complexes belong to different space groups, the structures are similar, suggesting that the polymerase-DNA-ddCTP interactions are not affected by crystal packing forces. In the pol beta active site, the attacking 3'-OH of the elongating primer, the ddCTP phosphates, and two Mg2+ ions are all clustered around Asp190, Asp192, and Asp256. Two of these residues, Asp190 and Asp256, are present in the amino acid sequences of all polymerases so far studied and are also spatially similar in the four polymerases--the Klenow fragment of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I, HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, T7 RNA polymerase, and rat DNA pol beta--whose crystal structures are now known. A two-metal ion mechanism is described for the nucleotidyl transfer reaction and may apply to all polymerases. In the ternary complex structures analyzed, pol beta binds to the DNA template-primer in a different manner from that recently proposed for other polymerase-DNA models.

Animals↗

Excision of deoxyribose phosphate residues by DNA polymerase beta during DNA repair.

Eukaryotic DNA polymerase beta (pol beta) can catalyze DNA synthesis during base excision DNA repair. It is shown here that pol beta also catalyzes release of 5'-terminal deoxyribose phosphate (dRP) residues from incised apurinic-apyrimidinic sites, which are common intermediate products in base excision repair. The catalytic domain for this activity resides within an amino-terminal 8-kilodalton fragment of pol beta, which comprises a distinct structural domain of the enzyme. Magnesium is required for the release of dRP from double-stranded DNA but not from a single-stranded oligonucleotide. Analysis of the released products indicates that the excision reaction occurs by beta-elimination rather than hydrolysis.

Animals↗

Mammalian DNA polymerase beta can substitute for DNA polymerase I during DNA replication in Escherichia coli.

Mammalian DNA polymerase beta is the smallest known eukaryotic polymerase and is expressed as an active protein in Escherichia coli harboring a plasmid containing its cDNA. Since some catalytic functions of DNA polymerase beta and E. coli DNA polymerase I are similar, we wished to determine if DNA polymerase beta could substitute for DNA polymerase I in bacteria. We found that the expression of mammalian DNA polymerase beta in E. coli restored growth in a DNA polymerase I-defective bacterial mutant. Sucrose density gradient analysis revealed that DNA polymerase beta complements the replication defect in the mutant by increasing the rate of joining of Okazaki fragments. These findings demonstrate that DNA polymerase beta, believed to function in DNA repair in mammalian cells, can also function in DNA replication. Moreover, this complementation system will permit study of the in vivo function of altered species of DNA polymerase beta, an analysis currently precluded by the difficulty in isolating mutants in mammalian cells.

Animals↗

Involvement of DNA polymerase beta in DNA replication and mutagenic consequences.

Overexpression in mammalian cells of the error-prone DNA polymerase beta (Pol beta) has been found to increase the spontaneous mutagenesis. Here, we investigated a possible mechanism used by Pol beta to be a genetic instability enhancer: its interference in replicative DNA synthesis, which is normally catalysed by the DNA polymerases alpha, delta and epsilon. By taking advantage of the ability to incorporate efficiently into DNA the chain terminator ddCTP as well as the oxidised nucleotide 8-oxo-dGTP, we show here that purified Pol beta can compete with the replicative DNA polymerases during replication in vitro of duplex DNA when added to human cell extracts. We found that involvement of Pol beta lowers replication fidelity and results in a modified error-specificity. Furthermore, we demonstrated that involvement of Pol beta occurred during synthesis of the lagging strand. These in vitro data provide one possible explanation of how overexpression of the enzyme could perturb the genetic instability in mammalian cells. We discuss these findings within the scope of the up-regulation of Pol beta in many cancer cells.

Animals↗