Variants of mouse DNA polymerase ? reveal a mechanism of efficient and accurate translesion synthesis past a benzo[a]pyrene dG adduct.
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ABSTRACT: DNA polymerase ? (Pol?) is the only known Y-family DNA polymerase that bypasses the 10S (+)-trans-anti-benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide (BPDE)-N(2)-deoxyguanine adducts efficiently and accurately. The unique features of Pol?, a large structure gap between the catalytic core and little finger domain and a 90-residue addition at the N terminus known as the N-clasp, may give rise to its special translesion capability. We designed and constructed two mouse Pol? variants, which have reduced gap size on both sides [Pol? Gap Mutant (PGM) 1] or one side flanking the template base (PGM2). These Pol? variants are nearly as efficient as WT in normal DNA synthesis, albeit with reduced accuracy. However, PGM1 is strongly blocked by the 10S (+)-trans-anti-BPDE-N(2)-dG lesion. Steady-state kinetic measurements reveal a significant reduction in efficiency of dCTP incorporation opposite the lesion by PGM1 and a moderate reduction by PGM2. Consistently, Pol?-deficient cells stably complemented with PGM1 GFP-Pol? remained hypersensitive to BPDE treatment, and complementation with WT or PGM2 GFP-Pol? restored BPDE resistance. Furthermore, deletion of the first 51 residues of the N-clasp in mouse Pol? (mPol?(52-516)) leads to reduced polymerization activity, and the mutant PGM2(52-516) but not PGM1(52-516) can partially compensate the N-terminal deletion and restore the catalytic activity on normal DNA. However, neither WT nor PGM2 mPol?(52-516) retains BPDE bypass activity. We conclude that the structural gap physically accommodates the bulky aromatic adduct and the N-clasp is essential for the structural integrity and flexibility of Pol? during translesion synthesis.
SUBMITTER: Liu Y
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3918839 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Feb
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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