John E. Page

Mutational spectra for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the supF target gene.

An SV40-based shuttle vector system was used to identify the types of mutational changes and the sites of mutation within the supF DNA sequence generated by the four stereoisomers of benzo[c]phenanthrene 3,4-dihydrodiol 1,2-epoxide (B[c]PhDE), by racemic mixtures of bay or fjord region dihydrodiol epoxides (DE) of 5-methylchrysene, of 5, 6-dimethylchrysene, of benzo[g]chrysene and of 7-methylbenz[a]anthracene and by two direct acting polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon carcinogens, 7-bromomethylbenz[a]anthracene (7-BrMeBA) and 7-bromomethyl-12-methylbenz[a]anthracene (7-BrMe-12-MeBA). The results of these studies demonstrated that the predominant type of mutation induced by these compounds is the base substitution. The chemical preference for reaction at deoxyadenosine (dAdo) or deoxyguanosine (dGuo) residues in DNA, which is in general correlated with the spatial structure (planar or non-planar) of the reactive polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, is reflected in the preference for mutation at A&z.ccirf;T or G&z.ccirf;C pairs. In addition, if the ability to react with DNA in vivo is taken into account, the relative mutagenic potencies of the B[c]PhDE stereoisomers are consistent with the higher tumorigenic activity associated with non-planar polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their extensive reaction with dAdo residues in DNA. Comparison of the types of mutations generated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other bulky carcinogens in this shuttle vector system suggests that all bulky lesions may be processed by a similar mechanism related to that involved in replication past apurinic sites. However, inspection of the distribution of mutations over the target gene induced by the different compounds demonstrated that individual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons induce unique patterns of mutational hotspots within the target gene. A polymerase arrest assay was used to determine the sequence specificity of the interaction of reactive polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with the shuttle vector DNA. The results of these assays revealed a divergence between mutational hotspots and polymerase arrest sites for all compounds investigated, i.e., sites of mutational hotspots do not correspond to sites where high levels of adduct formation occur, and suggested that some association between specific adducts and sequence context may be required to constitute a premutagenic lesion. A site-specific mutagenesis system employing a single-stranded vector (M13mp7L2) was used to investigate the mutational events a single benzo[a]pyrene or benzo[c]phenanthrene dihydrodiol epoxide-DNA adduct elicits within specific sequence contexts. These studies showed that sequence context can cause striking differences in mutagenic frequencies for given adducts. In addition, these sequence context effects do not originate only from nucleotides immediately adjacent to the adduct, but are also modulated by more distal nucleotides. The implications of these results for mechanisms of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-induced mutagenesis and carcinogenesis are discussed.

Mutational specificity of the syn 1,2-dihydrodiol 3,4-epoxide of 5-methylchrysene

The mutational specificity of the syn dihydrodiol epoxide of 5-methylchrysene in the supF gene of the pSP189 vector was examined. Transversion mutations at GC pairs predominated with G --> T and G --> C changes accounting for 42 and 21% of total base change mutations. The types of mutations found reflect the previously determined chemical preference of this reactive species for reaction with deoxyguanosine residues in DNA.

Site-Specific Mutagenesis with Benzo[a]Pyrene-Deoxyribonucleoside Adducts

Abstract The various methods that have been used in site-specific mutagenesis studies with DNA adducts from hydrocarbon diol epoxides are briefly reviewed. The single-stranded M13 approach pioneered by Lawrence and his colleagues offers the advantage that DNA repair processes should not reduce mutation frequencies since they should lead to vector destruction. The application of this approach to an evaluation of the mutagenic effects arising from a benzo[a]pyrene-deoxyadenosine adduct is shown. Substantial numbers of A→T and A→G base substitution mutations were obtained along with a few A→C mutations.

Effect of Structure and Sequence on Mutations Induced by Diol Epoxide-DNA Adducts in an E. Coli−M13 Vector System

Abstract The effects of two DNA sequence contexts on the mutagenic response to dG and dA adducts derived from the optically active 7,8-diol 9,10-epoxides of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP DEs) and 3,4-diol 1,2-epoxides of benzo[c]phenanthrene (BcPh DEs) were examined. On replication of the adduct-containing, single-stranded vector M13mp 7L2 in E. coli SMH77, frequencies of substitution mutations ranging from 0.05% to 68% were observed. In general, the highest mutational frequencies were observed for BaP DE-dA adducts at the central position in a ∼TAG∼ sequence. The BaP DE adducts showed no relationship between stereochemistry and mutagenic response. In contrast, mutagenicity of the BcPh DE-dA adducts in the ∼TAG∼ sequence depended strongly on the configuration at C-1, the site of attachment of the hydrocarbon to the purine. In this sequence, BcPh DE-dA adducts with 1R configuration were 16-600 times less mutagenic than those with 1S configuration.

Effects of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Adducts with Deoxyguanosine and Deoxyadenosine in vivo and in vitro

Abstract Reactive metabolites from non-planar polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon carcinogens react extensively with both deoxyadenosine and deoxyguanosine in DNA whereas those from planar molecules react predominantly only with deoxyguanosine. In vitro studies with single adducts in oligonucleotides showed that both types of adduct blocked primer extension and that the limited amount of nucleotide addition opposite the adduct varied with the polymerase, the sequence context of the adduct and the chemical structure of the adduct. When these same single adduct containing-oligonucleotides were introduced into a single-stranded vector that was allowed to replicate in Escherichia coli, the major events observed were blockage of replication, insertion of the correct nucleotide (i.e. T opposite an A adduct and C opposite a G adduct), and insertion of A opposite the adduct. In mouse skin, benzo[c]phenanthrene 4S,3R-dihydrodiol 2S,1R-epoxide initiated substantially more tumors per DNA adduct formed than did the other...