Long patch base excision repair compensates for DNA polymerase ß inactivation by the C4'-oxidized abasic site.

The C4'-oxidized abasic site (C4-AP), which is produced by a variety of damaging agents, has significant consequences for DNA. The lesion is highly mutagenic and reactive, resulting in interstrand cross-links. The base excision repair of DNA containing independently generated C4-AP was examined. C4-AP is incised by Ape1 ~12-fold less efficiently than an apurinic/apyrimidinic lesion. DNA polymerase ß induces the ß-elimination of incised C4-AP in ternary complexes, duplexes, and single-stranded substrate. However, excision from a ternary complex is most rapid. In addition, the lesion inactivates the enzyme after approximately seven turnovers on average by reacting with one or more lysine residues in the lyase active site. Unlike 5'-(2-phosphoryl-1,4-dioxobutane), which very efficiently irreversibly inhibits DNA polymerase ß, the lesion is readily removed by strand displacement synthesis conducted by the polymerase in conjunction with flap endonuclease 1. DNA repair inhibition by C4-AP may be a partial cause of the cytotoxicity of drugs that produce this lesion.

Reactivity of the C2'-oxidized abasic lesion and its relevance to interactions with type I base excision repair enzymes.

The C2'-oxidized abasic lesion (C2-AP) is produced in DNA that is subjected to oxidative stress. C2-AP is incised by phosphodiesterases, but is not a substrate for endonuclease III even though a Schiff base is formed (Greenberg, M. M., et al. (2004) Biochemistry 43, 15217). A chemically synthesized oligonucleotide was used to study C2-AP reactivity under alkaline conditions and with nitrogen nucleophiles chosen to mimic the lysine or N-terminal proline side chains present in the active site of Type I base excision repair enzymes. Alkaline cleavage of the C2-AP lesion produces 3'-phosphoglycoaldehyde and 3'-phosphate termini. The former is degraded further to 3'-hydroxyl groups. Cleavage at the C2-AP lesion is enhanced by small peptides, which form Schiff base intermediates with the lesion. C2-AP cleavage by Lys.Trp.Lys and Lys.Trp.Gly.Lys suggests that the inability of endonuclease III to cleave the lesion is due to the absence of appropriately positioned functional groups to take advantage of formation of the covalent intermediate. These observations leave open the possibility that the C2-AP lesion may be a substrate for other Type I repair enzymes.

Preparation and analysis of oligonucleotides containing the c4'-oxidized abasic site and related mechanistic probes.

The C4'-oxidized abasic site (C4-AP) is produced by a variety of DNA damaging agents. This alkali labile lesion can exist in up to four diastereomeric cyclic forms, in addition to the acyclic keto-aldehyde. Synthetic oligonucleotides containing the lesion were prepared from a stable photochemical precursor. Chemical integrity of the lesion containing oligonucleotides was probed using phosphodiesterase lability. Analysis of the 3',5'-phosphate diester of the monomeric lesion released from single diastereomers of photolabile precursors by 1H NMR indicates that isomerization of the hemiacetal and/or hemiketal is rapid. The syntheses and characterization of oligonucleotides containing configurationally stable analogues of C4-AP, which serve as mechanistic probes for deciphering the structural basis of the biochemical and biological effects of the C4'-oxidized abasic lesion, are also described.