scholarly journals Mutagenic mechanisms of cancer-associated DNA polymerase ε alleles

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mareike Herzog ◽  
Elisa Alonso-Perez ◽  
Israel Salguero ◽  
Jonas Warringer ◽  
David J. Adams ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTA single amino acid residue change in the exonuclease domain of human DNA polymerase ε, P286R, is associated with the development of colorectal cancers, and has been shown to impart a mutagenic phenotype. Perhaps unexpectedly, the corresponding Pol ε allele in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (pol2-P301R), was found to drive greater mutagenesis than exonuclease-deficient Pol ε (pol2-4), a phenotype sometimes termed ultra-mutagenesis. By studying the impact on mutation frequency, type, replication-strand bias, and sequence context, we show that ultra-mutagenesis is commonly observed in cells carrying a range of cancer-associated Pol ε exonuclease domain alleles. Similarities between mutations generated by these alleles and those generated in pol2-4 cells indicate a shared mechanism of mutagenesis that yields a mutation pattern similar to cancer Signature 14. Comparison of POL2 ultra-mutator with pol2-M644G, a mutant in the polymerase domain decreasing Pol ε fidelity, revealed unexpected analogies in the sequence context and strand bias of mutations. Analysis of mutational patterns unique to exonuclease domain mutant cells suggests that backtracking of the polymerase, when the mismatched primer end cannot be accommodated in the proofreading domain, results in the observed increase in insertions and T>A mutations in specific sequence contexts.

2019 ◽  
Vol 124 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rakesh David ◽  
Caitlin S Byrt ◽  
Stephen D Tyerman ◽  
Matthew Gilliham ◽  
Stefanie Wege

Abstract Background Plant membrane transporters are involved in diverse cellular processes underpinning plant physiology, such as nutrient acquisition, hormone movement, resource allocation, exclusion or sequestration of various solutes from cells and tissues, and environmental and developmental signalling. A comprehensive characterization of transporter function is therefore key to understanding and improving plant performance. Scope and Conclusions In this review, we focus on the complexities involved in characterizing transporter function and the impact that this has on current genomic annotations. Specific examples are provided that demonstrate why sequence homology alone cannot be relied upon to annotate and classify transporter function, and to show how even single amino acid residue variations can influence transporter activity and specificity. Misleading nomenclature of transporters is often a source of confusion in transporter characterization, especially for people new to or outside the field. Here, to aid researchers dealing with interpretation of large data sets that include transporter proteins, we provide examples of transporters that have been assigned names that misrepresent their cellular functions. Finally, we discuss the challenges in connecting transporter function at the molecular level with physiological data, and propose a solution through the creation of new databases. Further fundamental in-depth research on specific transport (and other) proteins is still required; without it, significant deficiencies in large-scale data sets and systems biology approaches will persist. Reliable characterization of transporter function requires integration of data at multiple levels, from amino acid residue sequence annotation to more in-depth biochemical, structural and physiological studies.


2012 ◽  
Vol 86 (18) ◽  
pp. 9817-9827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Nitzsche ◽  
Charlotte Steinhäußer ◽  
Katrin Mücke ◽  
Christina Paulus ◽  
Michael Nevels

In the nuclei of permissive cells, human cytomegalovirus genomes form nucleosomal structures initially resembling heterochromatin but gradually switching to a euchromatin-like state. This switch is characterized by a decrease in histone H3 K9 methylation and a marked increase in H3 tail acetylation and H3 K4 methylation across the viral genome. We used ganciclovir and a mutant virus encoding a reversibly destabilized DNA polymerase to examine the impact of DNA replication on histone modification dynamics at the viral chromatin. The changes in H3 tail acetylation and H3 K9 methylation proceeded in a DNA replication-independent fashion. In contrast, the increase in H3 K4 methylation proved to depend widely on viral DNA synthesis. Consistently, labeling of nascent DNA using “click chemistry” revealed preferential incorporation of methylated H3 K4 into viral (but not cellular) chromatin during or following DNA replication. This study demonstrates largely selective epigenetic tagging of postreplicative human cytomegalovirus chromatin.


Author(s):  
Shereen A. Murugayah ◽  
Gary B. Evans ◽  
Joel D. A. Tyndall ◽  
Monica L. Gerth

Abstract Objective To change the specificity of a glutaryl-7-aminocephalosporanic acid acylase (GCA) towards N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs; quorum sensing signalling molecules) by site-directed mutagenesis. Results Seven residues were identified by analysis of existing crystal structures as potential determinants of substrate specificity. Site-saturation mutagenesis libraries were created for each of the seven selected positions. High-throughput activity screening of each library identified two variants—Arg255Ala, Arg255Gly—with new activities towards N-acyl homoserine lactone substrates. Structural modelling of the Arg255Gly mutation suggests that the smaller side-chain of glycine (as compared to arginine in the wild-type enzyme) avoids a key clash with the acyl group of the N-acyl homoserine lactone substrate. Conclusions Mutation of a single amino acid residue successfully converted a GCA (with no detectable activity against AHLs) into an AHL acylase. This approach may be useful for further engineering of ‘quorum quenching’ enzymes.


2014 ◽  
Vol 197 (2) ◽  
pp. 354-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerry A. Sokol ◽  
Neil E. Olszewski

The posttranslational addition of a single O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) to serine or threonine residues regulates numerous metazoan cellular processes. The enzyme responsible for this modification,O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), is conserved among a wide variety of organisms and is critical for the viability of many eukaryotes. Although OGTs with domain structures similar to those of eukaryotic OGTs are predicted for many bacterial species, the cellular roles of these OGTs are unknown. We have identified a putative OGT in the cyanobacteriumSynechococcus elongatusPCC 7942 that shows active-site homology and similar domain structure to eukaryotic OGTs. An OGT deletion mutant was created and found to exhibit several phenotypes. Without agitation, mutant cells aggregate and settle out of the medium. The mutant cells have higher free inorganic phosphate levels, wider thylakoid lumen, and differential accumulation of electron-dense inclusion bodies. These phenotypes are rescued by reintroduction of the wild-type OGT but are not fully rescued by OGTs with single amino acid substitutions corresponding to mutations that reduce eukaryotic OGT activity.S. elongatusOGT purified fromEscherichia colihydrolyzed the sugar donor, UDP-GlcNAc, while the mutant OGTs that did not fully rescue the deletion mutant phenotypes had reduced or no activity. These results suggest that bacterial eukaryote-like OGTs, like their eukaryotic counterparts, influence multiple processes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanglong Yuan ◽  
Nana Yan ◽  
Tianyi Fei ◽  
Jitan Zheng ◽  
Juan Meng ◽  
...  

AbstractEfficient and precise base editors (BEs) for C-to-G transversion are highly desirable. However, the sequence context affecting editing outcome largely remains unclear. Here we report engineered C-to-G BEs of high efficiency and fidelity, with the sequence context predictable via machine-learning methods. By changing the species origin and relative position of uracil-DNA glycosylase and deaminase, together with codon optimization, we obtain optimized C-to-G BEs (OPTI-CGBEs) for efficient C-to-G transversion. The motif preference of OPTI-CGBEs for editing 100 endogenous sites is determined in HEK293T cells. Using a sgRNA library comprising 41,388 sequences, we develop a deep-learning model that accurately predicts the OPTI-CGBE editing outcome for targeted sites with specific sequence context. These OPTI-CGBEs are further shown to be capable of efficient base editing in mouse embryos for generating Tyr-edited offspring. Thus, these engineered CGBEs are useful for efficient and precise base editing, with outcome predictable based on sequence context of targeted sites.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. 3325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucille Stuani ◽  
Fabien Riols ◽  
Pierre Millard ◽  
Marie Sabatier ◽  
Aurélie Batut ◽  
...  

Background: In Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), a complete response to chemotherapy is usually obtained after conventional chemotherapy but overall patient survival is poor due to highly frequent relapses. As opposed to chronic myeloid leukemia, B lymphoma or multiple myeloma, AML is one of the rare malignant hemopathies the therapy of which has not significantly improved during the past 30 years despite intense research efforts. One promising approach is to determine metabolic dependencies in AML cells. Moreover, two key metabolic enzymes, isocitrate dehydrogenases (IDH1/2), are mutated in more than 15% of AML patient, reinforcing the interest in studying metabolic reprogramming, in particular in this subgroup of patients. Methods: Using a multi-omics approach combining proteomics, lipidomics, and isotopic profiling of [U-13C] glucose and [U-13C] glutamine cultures with more classical biochemical analyses, we studied the impact of the IDH1 R132H mutation in AML cells on lipid biosynthesis. Results: Global proteomic and lipidomic approaches showed a dysregulation of lipid metabolism, especially an increase of phosphatidylinositol, sphingolipids (especially few species of ceramide, sphingosine, and sphinganine), free cholesterol and monounsaturated fatty acids in IDH1 mutant cells. Isotopic profiling of fatty acids revealed that higher lipid anabolism in IDH1 mutant cells corroborated with an increase in lipogenesis fluxes. Conclusions: This integrative approach was efficient to gain insight into metabolism and dynamics of lipid species in leukemic cells. Therefore, we have determined that lipid anabolism is strongly reprogrammed in IDH1 mutant AML cells with a crucial dysregulation of fatty acid metabolism and fluxes, both being mediated by 2-HG (2-Hydroxyglutarate) production.


1998 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 1383-1393 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Frank Cook ◽  
Caroline Leroux ◽  
Sheila J. Cook ◽  
Sandra L. Berger ◽  
Drew L. Lichtenstein ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT An infectious nonpathogenic molecular clone (19-2-6A) of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) was modified by substitution of a 3.3-kbp fragment amplified by PCR techniques from a pathogenic variant (EIAVPV) of the cell culture-adapted strain of EIAV (EIAVPR). This substitution consisted of coding sequences for 77 amino acids at the carboxyl terminus of the integrase, the S1 (encoding the second exon of tat), S2, and S3 (encoding the second exon of rev) open reading frames, the complete env gene (including the first exon ofrev), and the 3′ long terminal repeat (LTR). Modified 19-2-6A molecular clones were designated EIAVPV3.3, and infection of a single pony (678) with viruses derived from a mixture of five of these molecular clones induced clinical signs of acute equine infectious anemia (EIA) at 23 days postinfection (dpi). As a consequence of this initial study, a single molecular clone, EIAVPV3.3#3 (redesignated EIAVUK), was selected for further study and inoculated into two ponies (613 and 614) and two horses (700 and 764). Pony 614 and the two horses developed febrile responses by 12 dpi, which was accompanied by a 48 to 64% reduction in platelet number, whereas pony 613 did not develop fever (40.6°C) until 76 dpi. EIAV could be isolated from the plasma of these animals by 5 to 7 dpi, and all became seropositive for antibodies to this virus by 21 dpi. Analysis of the complete nucleotide sequence demonstrated that the 3.3-kbp 3′ fragment of EIAVUKdiffered from the consensus sequence of EIAVPV by just a single amino acid residue in the second exon of the rev gene. Complete homology with the EIAVPV consensus sequence was observed in the hypervariable region of the LTR. However, EIAVUK was found to contain an unusual 68-bp nucleotide insertion/duplication in a normally conserved region of the LTR sequence. These results demonstrate that substitution of a 3.3-kbp fragment from the EIAVPV strain into the infectious nonpathogenic molecular clone 19-2-6A leads to the production of progeny virus particles with the ability to induce clinical signs of EIA. Therefore, EIAVUK, which is the first pathogenic, cell culture-adapted molecular clone of EIAV to be described, should be of value in identifying viral determinants of pathogenicity.


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