Yasumitsu Takagi

Mouse MTH2 protein which prevents mutations caused by 8-oxoguanine nucleotides

MutT-related proteins degrade 8-oxo-7,8-dihydrodeoxyguanosine triphosphate (8-oxo-dGTP), a mutagenic substrate for DNA synthesis, in the nucleotide pool, thereby preventing DNA replication errors. During a search of GenBank EST database, we found a new member of MutT-related protein, MTH2, which possesses the 23-amino acid MutT module. The cloned mouse MTH2 (mMTH2) cDNA was expressed in Escherichia coli mutT(-) cells and the protein was purified. mMTH2 protein hydrolyzes 8-oxo-dGTP to 8-oxo-dGMP, with Km of 32 microM. Expression of cDNA for mMTH2 reduced significantly the elevated level of spontaneous mutation frequency of E. coli mutT(-) cells. Thus, MTH2 has a potential to protect the genetic material from the untoward effects of endogenous oxygen radicals. MTH2 could act as an MTH1 redundancy factor.

Human MTH3 (NUDT18) Protein Hydrolyzes Oxidized Forms of Guanosine and Deoxyguanosine Diphosphates: COMPARISON WITH MTH1 AND MTH2*

Background: An oxidized guanine, 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine, induces base mispairing, thereby altering genetic information. Results: Human MTH3 degrades 8-oxoguanine-containing nucleoside diphosphates to prevent misincorporation of 8-oxoguanine into DNA and RNA. Conclusion: MTH3 is closely related to MTH1 and MTH2 but differs in substrate specificity. Significance: MTH3 may be involved in maintaining the high fidelity of DNA replication as well as transcription under oxidative stress. Most of the proteins carrying the 23-residue MutT-related sequence are capable of hydrolyzing compounds with a general structure of nucleoside diphosphate linked to another moiety X and are called the Nudix hydrolases. Among the 22 human Nudix proteins (identified by the sequence signature), some remain uncharacterized as enzymes without a defined substrate. Here, we reveal that the NUDT18 protein, whose substrate was unknown, can degrade 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxo-Gua)-containing nucleoside diphosphates to the monophosphates. Because this enzyme is closely related to MTH1 (NUDT1) and MTH2 (NUDT15), we propose that it should be named MTH3. Although these three human proteins resemble each other in their sequences, their substrate specificities differ considerably. MTH1 cleaves 8-oxo-dGTP but not 8-oxo-dGDP, whereas MTH2 can degrade both 8-oxo-dGTP and 8-oxo-dGDP, although the intrinsic enzyme activity of MTH2 is considerably lower than that of MTH1. On the other hand, MTH3 is specifically active against 8-oxo-dGDP and hardly cleaves 8-oxo-dGTP. Other types of oxidized nucleoside diphosphates, 2-hydroxy-dADP and 8-hydroxy-dADP, were also hydrolyzed by MTH3. Another notable feature of the MTH3 enzyme is its action toward the ribonucleotide counterpart. MTH3 can degrade 8-oxo-GDP as efficiently as 8-oxo-dGDP, which is in contrast to the finding that MTH1 and MTH2 show a limited activity against the ribonucleotide counterpart, 8-oxo-GTP. These three enzymes may function together to help maintain the high fidelity of DNA replication and transcription under oxidative stress.

Roles of MGMT and MLH1 proteins in alkylation-induced apoptosis and mutagenesis.

To examine involvement of mismatch repair system in alkylation-induced apoptosis and mutagenesis, cell lines defective in the Mgmt gene encoding a DNA repair enzyme, O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase, and/or the Mlh1 gene encoding a protein involved in mismatch repair were established from gene-targeted mice. Mgmt(-/-) cells are hypersensitive to the killing effect of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) and this effect of MNU was overcome by introducing an additional mutation in the Mlh1 gene. Mgmt(-/-)Mlh1(-/-) cells are more resistant to MNU than are wild-type cells. When the human Mgmt cDNA sequence with a strong promoter was introduced, the wild-type cells acquired the same high level of resistance to MNU as that of Mgmt(-/-)Mlh1(-/-) cells. Although no apparent increase in MNU-induced mutant frequency was observed in such methyltransferase-overproducing wild-type cells, mutant frequency of Mgmt(-/-)Mlh1(-/-) cells became 10-fold higher after being treated with MNU. Mgmt(-/-)Mlh1(+/-) cells carrying approximately half the normal level of MLH1 protein showed a normal level of spontaneous mutant frequency, yet were still highly responsive to the mutagenic effect of the alkylating carcinogen. This haploinsufficient character of Mlh1 mutation was also observed in cell survival assays; Mgmt(-/-)Mlh1(+/-) cells were as resistant to MNU as were Mgmt(-/-)Mlh1(-/-) cells. While caspase-3 was induced in Mgmt(-/-)Mlh1(+/+) cells after treatment with MNU, no induction occurred in Mgmt(-/-)Mlh1(+/-) cells or in Mgmt(-/-)Mlh1(-/-) cells. The cellular content of MLH1 protein seems to be critical for determining if damaged cells enter into either a death or mutation-inducing pathway. The haploinsufficient phenotype of Mlh1-heterozygous cells may be explained by competition in heterodimer formation between MLH1 homologues.

PCNA–MutSα-mediated binding of MutLα to replicative DNA with mismatched bases to induce apoptosis in human cells

Modified bases, such as O6-methylguanines, are produced in cells exposed to alkylating agents and cause apoptosis. In human cells treated with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea, we detected a protein complex composed of MutSα, MutLα and PCNA on damaged DNA by immunoprecipitation method using chromatin extracts, in which protein–protein interactions were stabilized by chemical crosslinking. Time course experiments revealed that MutSα, consisting of MSH2 and MSH6 proteins, and PCNA bind to DNA to form an initial complex, and MutLα, composed of MLH1 and PMS2, binds to the complex when the DNA is damaged. This sequential mode of binding was further confirmed by the findings that the association of PCNA–MutSα complex on chromatin was observed even in the cells that lack MLH1, whereas in the absence of MSH2 no association of MutLα with the chromatin was achieved. Moreover, reduction in the PCNA content by small-interfering RNA or inhibition of DNA replication by aphidicolin, an inhibitor of DNA polymerase, significantly reduced the levels of the PCNA–MutSα–MutLα complex and also suppressed an increase in the caspase-3 activity, a hallmark for the induction of apoptosis. These observations imply that the induction of apoptosis is coupled with the progression of DNA replication through the action of PCNA.

Cloning and characterization of Dfak56, a homolog of focal adhesion kinase, in Drosophila melanogaster

The focal adhesion kinase (FAK) protein-tyrosine kinase plays important roles in cell adhesion in vertebrates. Using polymerase chain reaction-based cloning strategy, we cloned aDrosophila gene that is homologous to the vertebrate FAK family of protein-tyrosine kinases. We designated this geneDfak56 and characterized its gene product. The overall protein structure and deduced amino acid sequence of Dfak56 show significant similarity to those of FAK and PYK2. Dfak56 has in vitro autophosphorylation activity at tyrosine residues. Expression of the Dfak56 mRNA and the protein was observed in the central nervous system and the muscle-epidermis attachment site in the embryo, where Drosophilaposition-specific integrins are localized. The results suggest that like FAK in vertebrates, Dfak56 functions downstream of integrins. Dfak56 was tyrosine-phosphorylated upon integrin-dependent attachment of the cell to the extracellular matrix. We conclude that the Dfak56 tyrosine kinase is involved in integrin-mediated cell adhesion signaling and thus is a functional homolog of vertebrate FAK.

Polymerase chain reaction detection of bacterial 16S rRNA gene in human blood

Bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA genes (rDNA) were detected in blood samples from two healthy individuals by PCR under conditions involving 30 cycles that did not produce any visible products from negative control saline. Even from control samples, PCR involving 35–40 cycles yielded visible bands. Major clones detected in the blood samples, but not in control, were the Aquabacterium subgroup, Stenotrophomonas subgroup, Budvicia subgroup, Serratia subgroup, Bacillus subgroup and Flavobacteria subgroup. No clone was located within the bacteroides‐clostridium‐lactobacillus cluster, which is indigenous to gastrointestinal flora.

Laminin-dependent integrin clustering with tyrosine-phosphorylated molecules in a Drosophila neuronal cell line

To gain more insight into the molecular and cellular aspects of basement membranes during Drosophila morphogenesis, especially in neural development, we carried out cell biological screening to establish a cell culture system in which Drosophila cell-matrix interaction could be reconstituted. The screening showed that a Drosophila neuronal cell line, BG2-c6, established from the third-instar larval central nervous system, had a strong adhesion activity when purified Drosophila laminin was used as a substrate. Outgrowth of axon-like structures was stimulated on laminin. Histochemical analysis revealed clusters of integrin together with phosphotyrosine and alpha-actinin. These data indicate that the Drosophila integrin cascade triggered by the interaction between BG2-c6 and laminin was initiated at the integrin cluster with tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins, similar to the observations in vertebrate cells.

Molecular actions of Escherichia coli MutT for control of spontaneous mutagenesis

MutT protein of Escherichia coli hydrolyzes oxidized guanine nucleotides, 8-oxo-dGTP and 8-oxoGTP, to the corresponding monophosphates, thereby preventing misincorporation of 8-oxoguanine into DNA and RNA, respectively. Although the biological significance of the MutT has been established, how MutT protein actually works in vivo remains to be elucidated. The current study shows the molecular behavior of the MutT protein in vivo and in vitro with special reference to control of spontaneous mutagenesis. A single E. coli cell carries about 70-75 molecules of the MutT protein and that this number does not change even when the cells were cultured in anaerobic and hyper-oxidative conditions. Conditional gene silencing analyses revealed that about a half number of MutT molecules are needed for keeping the spontaneous mutation frequency at the normal level. The MutT functions are not needed under anaerobic condition, yet the level of the MutT protein in cell is kept constant, probably for preparing for sudden changes of oxygen pressure. There is a possibility that MutT functions in close association with other proteins, and evidence is presented that MutT protein can interact with some proteins in vivo.

Oxidative damage of DNA, RNA and their metabolites in leukocytes, plasma and urine of Macaca mulatta: 8-oxoguanosine in urine is a useful marker for aging

Abstract The levels of the oxidised forms of guanosine in leukocytes, plasma and urine of Macaca mulatta were determined using a sensitive method based on high-performance liquid chromatography–triple quadruple mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). The amounts of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydrodeoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dGsn) and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosin (8-oxoGsn), derived from DNA and RNA, respectively, increased with age in leukocytes. The measurement of the free forms of oxidised guanosine revealed similar age-dependent increases of 8-oxo-dGsn and 8-oxoGsn in both plasma and urine, which showed considerably larger amounts of 8-oxoGsn than 8-oxo-dGsn. The 8-oxoGsn content of urine could be a useful biomarker for evaluating aging, as age-dependent increases of 8-oxoGsn are more evident in urine compared to plasma and because urine samples are readily available.

Diverse substrate recognition and hydrolysis mechanisms of human NUDT5

Human NUDT5 (hNUDT5) hydrolyzes various modified nucleoside diphosphates including 8-oxo-dGDP, 8-oxo-dADP and ADP-ribose (ADPR). However, the structural basis of the broad substrate specificity remains unknown. Here, we report the crystal structures of hNUDT5 complexed with 8-oxo-dGDP and 8-oxo-dADP. These structures reveal an unusually different substrate-binding mode. In particular, the positions of two phosphates (α and β phosphates) of substrate in the 8-oxo-dGDP and 8-oxo-dADP complexes are completely inverted compared with those in the previously reported hNUDT5–ADPR complex structure. This result suggests that the nucleophilic substitution sites of the substrates involved in hydrolysis reactions differ despite the similarities in the chemical structures of the substrates and products. To clarify this hypothesis, we employed the isotope-labeling method and revealed that 8-oxo-dGDP is attacked by nucleophilic water at Pβ, whereas ADPR is attacked at Pα. This observation reveals that the broad substrate specificity of hNUDT5 is achieved by a diversity of not only substrate recognition, but also hydrolysis mechanisms and leads to a novel aspect that enzymes do not always catalyze the reaction of substrates with similar chemical structures by using the chemically equivalent reaction site.