{"id":{"repo_id":"bu","oai_identifier":"oai:open.bu.edu:2144/15225"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/bu/oai:open.bu.edu:2144/15225","repository":{"repo_id":"bu","name":"Boston University","base_url":"https://open.bu.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Y-family DNA polymerase architecture: three structural features control accurate deoxy CTP insertion opposite N2-deoxy-guanine-benzo-a-pyrene","abstract":"Cells have lesion bypass DNA polymerases (DNAPs), often in the Y-Family, which synthesize passed DNA damage. One class of Y-Family DNAPs includes hDNAP k, EcDNAP IV and SsDbh, which insert accurately opposite N2-dG adducts, including BP-N2-dG formed from benzo[a]pyrene (BP). Another class includes hDNAP h, EcDNAP V and SsDpo4, which insert accurately opposite UV-damage. For correct Watson-Crick pairing between BP-N2-dG and dCTP, the BP moiety must be in the minor groove. On the minor groove side of the active site, k/IV/Dbh-class DNAPs have large openings that accommodate the BP moiety. Primer extension assays with purified proteins show that DNAP IV correctly inserts dCTP opposite BP more than 10-fold faster than it mis-inserts dATP, dGTP, or dTTP. In contrast, h/V/Dpo4-class DNAPs have small active site openings, which cannot accommodate BP and lead to a distorted structure and increased mutagenesis; e.g., Dpo4 has dGTP and dATP insertion rates that are 10-fold greater than those of dCTP. The opening in Dpo4 is plugged and bulky, whereas DNAP IV has a relatively spacious cavity. Consistent with this model, mutants of Dpo4 with a larger opening insert up to 10-fold more accurately opposite BP-N2-dG. Near the active site, Dpo4 has a single non-covalent bridge (NCB) between the little finger domain and the thumb-palm-fingers domain. DNAP IV and Dbh have a second, distal NCB that is 8 angstroms away from the active site towards the 3' end of the template DNA. Dpo4 becomes nearly 5-fold more accurate when mutated to carry a distal NCB, suggesting that NCB's also help control mutagenesis. Lastly, the active site of Dpo4 has a cavity in the major groove side, which may allow base flipping and dGTP insertion opposite -BP, while k/IV/Dbh-type polymerases do not. When this cavity is plugged in Dpo4 by mutagenesis or the introduction of an N-clasp motif, dGTP rates increase by nearly 20-fold. In conclusion, this data suggests that three structural regions contribute to accurate dCTP insertion opposite BP-N2-dG by k/IV/Dbh-class DNAPs: a large opening on the minor groove side near the active site, a cavity on the major groove side, and the number of non-covalent bridges between the little finger domain and the thumb-palm-fingers domain.","abstract_html":"Cells have lesion bypass DNA polymerases (DNAPs), often in the Y-Family, which synthesize passed DNA damage. One class of Y-Family DNAPs includes hDNAP k, EcDNAP IV and SsDbh, which insert accurately opposite N2-dG adducts, including BP-N2-dG formed from benzo[a]pyrene (BP). Another class includes hDNAP h, EcDNAP V and SsDpo4, which insert accurately opposite UV-damage. For correct Watson-Crick pairing between BP-N2-dG and dCTP, the BP moiety must be in the minor groove. On the minor groove side of the active site, k/IV/Dbh-class DNAPs have large openings that accommodate the BP moiety. Primer extension assays with purified proteins show that DNAP IV correctly inserts dCTP opposite BP more than 10-fold faster than it mis-inserts dATP, dGTP, or dTTP. In contrast, h/V/Dpo4-class DNAPs have small active site openings, which cannot accommodate BP and lead to a distorted structure and increased mutagenesis; e.g., Dpo4 has dGTP and dATP insertion rates that are 10-fold greater than those of dCTP. The opening in Dpo4 is plugged and bulky, whereas DNAP IV has a relatively spacious cavity. Consistent with this model, mutants of Dpo4 with a larger opening insert up to 10-fold more accurately opposite BP-N2-dG. Near the active site, Dpo4 has a single non-covalent bridge (NCB) between the little finger domain and the thumb-palm-fingers domain. DNAP IV and Dbh have a second, distal NCB that is 8 angstroms away from the active site towards the 3&#x27; end of the template DNA. Dpo4 becomes nearly 5-fold more accurate when mutated to carry a distal NCB, suggesting that NCB&#x27;s also help control mutagenesis. Lastly, the active site of Dpo4 has a cavity in the major groove side, which may allow base flipping and dGTP insertion opposite -BP, while k/IV/Dbh-type polymerases do not. When this cavity is plugged in Dpo4 by mutagenesis or the introduction of an N-clasp motif, dGTP rates increase by nearly 20-fold. In conclusion, this data suggests that three structural regions contribute to accurate dCTP insertion opposite BP-N2-dG by k/IV/Dbh-class DNAPs: a large opening on the minor groove side near the active site, a cavity on the major groove side, and the number of non-covalent bridges between the little finger domain and the thumb-palm-fingers domain.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Sholder, Gabriel D."],"institution":null,"degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2014,"date_issued":"2014","date_published":"2014","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:25:58Z","subjects":["Molecular biology","Benzo[a]pyrene","Mutagenesis","DNA polymerase","Primer extension assay","Y-family polymerase"],"languages":["en_US"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/2144/15225","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Sholder, Gabriel D."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2016-03-17T17:22:13Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2016-03-17T17:22:13Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2014"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis/Dissertation"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Molecular biology","Benzo[a]pyrene","Mutagenesis","DNA polymerase","Primer extension assay","Y-family polymerase"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en_US"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/2144/15225"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Cells have lesion bypass DNA polymerases (DNAPs), often in the Y-Family, which synthesize passed DNA damage. One class of Y-Family DNAPs includes hDNAP k, EcDNAP IV and SsDbh, which insert accurately opposite N2-dG adducts, including BP-N2-dG formed from benzo[a]pyrene (BP). Another class includes hDNAP h, EcDNAP V and SsDpo4, which insert accurately opposite UV-damage. For correct Watson-Crick pairing between BP-N2-dG and dCTP, the BP moiety must be in the minor groove. On the minor groove side of the active site, k/IV/Dbh-class DNAPs have large openings that accommodate the BP moiety. Primer extension assays with purified proteins show that DNAP IV correctly inserts dCTP opposite BP more than 10-fold faster than it mis-inserts dATP, dGTP, or dTTP. In contrast, h/V/Dpo4-class DNAPs have small active site openings, which cannot accommodate BP and lead to a distorted structure and increased mutagenesis; e.g., Dpo4 has dGTP and dATP insertion rates that are 10-fold greater than those of dCTP. The opening in Dpo4 is plugged and bulky, whereas DNAP IV has a relatively spacious cavity. Consistent with this model, mutants of Dpo4 with a larger opening insert up to 10-fold more accurately opposite BP-N2-dG. Near the active site, Dpo4 has a single non-covalent bridge (NCB) between the little finger domain and the thumb-palm-fingers domain. DNAP IV and Dbh have a second, distal NCB that is 8 angstroms away from the active site towards the 3' end of the template DNA. Dpo4 becomes nearly 5-fold more accurate when mutated to carry a distal NCB, suggesting that NCB's also help control mutagenesis. Lastly, the active site of Dpo4 has a cavity in the major groove side, which may allow base flipping and dGTP insertion opposite -BP, while k/IV/Dbh-type polymerases do not. When this cavity is plugged in Dpo4 by mutagenesis or the introduction of an N-clasp motif, dGTP rates increase by nearly 20-fold. In conclusion, this data suggests that three structural regions contribute to accurate dCTP insertion opposite BP-N2-dG by k/IV/Dbh-class DNAPs: a large opening on the minor groove side near the active site, a cavity on the major groove side, and the number of non-covalent bridges between the little finger domain and the thumb-palm-fingers domain."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Y-family DNA polymerase architecture: three structural features control accurate deoxy CTP insertion opposite N2-deoxy-guanine-benzo-a-pyrene"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Sholder, Gabriel D."],"dc:date.accessioned":["2016-03-17T17:22:13Z"],"dc:date.available":["2016-03-17T17:22:13Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2014"],"dc:description.abstract":["Cells have lesion bypass DNA polymerases (DNAPs), often in the Y-Family, which synthesize passed DNA damage. One class of Y-Family DNAPs includes hDNAP k, EcDNAP IV and SsDbh, which insert accurately opposite N2-dG adducts, including BP-N2-dG formed from benzo[a]pyrene (BP). Another class includes hDNAP h, EcDNAP V and SsDpo4, which insert accurately opposite UV-damage. For correct Watson-Crick pairing between BP-N2-dG and dCTP, the BP moiety must be in the minor groove. On the minor groove side of the active site, k/IV/Dbh-class DNAPs have large openings that accommodate the BP moiety. Primer extension assays with purified proteins show that DNAP IV correctly inserts dCTP opposite BP more than 10-fold faster than it mis-inserts dATP, dGTP, or dTTP. In contrast, h/V/Dpo4-class DNAPs have small active site openings, which cannot accommodate BP and lead to a distorted structure and increased mutagenesis; e.g., Dpo4 has dGTP and dATP insertion rates that are 10-fold greater than those of dCTP. The opening in Dpo4 is plugged and bulky, whereas DNAP IV has a relatively spacious cavity. Consistent with this model, mutants of Dpo4 with a larger opening insert up to 10-fold more accurately opposite BP-N2-dG. Near the active site, Dpo4 has a single non-covalent bridge (NCB) between the little finger domain and the thumb-palm-fingers domain. DNAP IV and Dbh have a second, distal NCB that is 8 angstroms away from the active site towards the 3' end of the template DNA. Dpo4 becomes nearly 5-fold more accurate when mutated to carry a distal NCB, suggesting that NCB's also help control mutagenesis. Lastly, the active site of Dpo4 has a cavity in the major groove side, which may allow base flipping and dGTP insertion opposite -BP, while k/IV/Dbh-type polymerases do not. When this cavity is plugged in Dpo4 by mutagenesis or the introduction of an N-clasp motif, dGTP rates increase by nearly 20-fold. In conclusion, this data suggests that three structural regions contribute to accurate dCTP insertion opposite BP-N2-dG by k/IV/Dbh-class DNAPs: a large opening on the minor groove side near the active site, a cavity on the major groove side, and the number of non-covalent bridges between the little finger domain and the thumb-palm-fingers domain."],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/2144/15225"],"dc:language.iso":["en_US"],"dc:subject":["Molecular biology","Benzo[a]pyrene","Mutagenesis","DNA polymerase","Primer extension assay","Y-family polymerase"],"dc:title":["Y-family DNA polymerase architecture: three structural features control accurate deoxy CTP insertion opposite N2-deoxy-guanine-benzo-a-pyrene"],"dc:type":["Thesis/Dissertation"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:25:58Z"}