DNA is constantly exposed to endogenous and exogenous agents that produce lesions by modifying its nucleobases. The presence of these lesions in DNA in vivo is associated with aging, diseases such as cancer, and other genetically based diseases. However, DNA damage can also be beneficial. For instance, ionizing radiation is the most common nonsurgical method used to treat cancer. Radiation kills tumor cells by damaging DNA. The goals of this research are to understand how lesions produced in DNA as a result of oxidative stress are repaired, replicated, and react to form other lesions. Our effort is focused on oxidized abasic lesions, which are incapable of forming Watson- Crick hydrogen bonds. Contrary to what was previously believed, oxidized abasic lesions interact with polymerases in distinct ways from each other and from an abasic site (AP) resulting from formal hydrolysis of a nucleotide's glycosidic bond. Hence, the inability to form Watson- Crick hydrogen bonds does not mean that a lesion is noninstructive. We will use synthetic chemistry to synthesize lesions, rapid-quench kinetics to determine polymerase mechanisms, mechanistic studies to determine irreversible inhibition of repair, macromolecular NMR to determine structure, and carry out mutagenesis experiments in yeast to determine the properties of the individual lesions. In addition, we will investigate how oxidized abasic lesions react in nucleosomes. Do nucleosomes affect the reactivity of the lesions? Do they form DNA-protein cross-links? Studies in nucleosomes bring us one step closer to studying DNA damage in cells. We will also design methods for studying DNA repair of abasic sites in cells by using photoacids in conjunction with laser photolysis to produce the lesions. We are also developing modified nucleotides that will be irreversible inhibitors of DNA polymerase b, and important enzyme in base excision repair that is over expressed in tumor cells. In summary, the project combines organic chemistry, biochemistry, and biology with the goal of improving fundamentally important chemical processes that occur in living organisms.

Public Health Relevance

DNA damage and repair are important chemical processes that significantly impact human health. These chemical processes are associated with aging and a variety of diseases, such as cancer. Understanding the chemistry, biochemistry, and biological effects of damaged DNA enhances our molecular level understanding of the etiology of diseases, such as cancer, as well as the various treatments for which nucleic acids are the target.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01GM063028-13
Application #
8666762
Study Section
Synthetic and Biological Chemistry A Study Section (SBCA)
Program Officer
Fabian, Miles
Project Start
2001-04-01
Project End
2015-05-31
Budget Start
2014-06-01
Budget End
2015-05-31
Support Year
13
Fiscal Year
2014
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Johns Hopkins University
Department
Chemistry
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
City
Baltimore
State
MD
Country
United States
Zip Code
21218
Rana, Anup; Yang, Kun; Greenberg, Marc M (2018) Reactivity of the Major Product of C5'-Oxidative DNA Damage in Nucleosome Core Particles. Chembiochem :
Bai, Jing; Zhang, Yingqian; Xi, Zhen et al. (2018) Oxidation of 8-Oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine Leads to Substantial DNA-Histone Cross-Links within Nucleosome Core Particles. Chem Res Toxicol :
Laverty, Daniel J; Greenberg, Marc M (2018) Expanded Substrate Scope of DNA Polymerase ? and DNA Polymerase ?: Lyase Activity on 5'-Overhangs and Clustered Lesions. Biochemistry 57:6119-6127
Yang, Kun; Park, Daeyoon; Tretyakova, Natalia Y et al. (2018) Histone tails decrease N7-methyl-2'-deoxyguanosine depurination and yield DNA-protein cross-links in nucleosome core particles and cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 115:E11212-E11220
Yang, Kun; Greenberg, Marc M (2018) Enhanced Cleavage at Abasic Sites within Clustered Lesions in Nucleosome Core Particles. Chembiochem 19:2061-2065
Beaver, Jill M; Lai, Yanhao; Rolle, Shantell J et al. (2018) An oxidized abasic lesion inhibits base excision repair leading to DNA strand breaks in a trinucleotide repeat tract. PLoS One 13:e0192148
Laverty, Daniel J; Mortimer, Ifor P; Greenberg, Marc M (2018) Mechanistic Insight through Irreversible Inhibition: DNA Polymerase ? Uses a Common Active Site for Polymerase and Lyase Activities. J Am Chem Soc 140:9034-9037
Jacinto, Marco Paolo; Pichling, Patricio; Greenberg, Marc M (2018) Synthesis of 5-Methylene-2-pyrrolones. Org Lett 20:4885-4887
Wang, Ruixiang; Yang, Kun; Banerjee, Samya et al. (2018) Rotational Effects within Nucleosome Core Particles on Abasic Site Reactivity. Biochemistry 57:3945-3952
Zhang, Yingqian; Zhou, Xiaoping; Xie, Yonghui et al. (2017) Thiol Specific and Tracelessly Removable Bioconjugation via Michael Addition to 5-Methylene Pyrrolones. J Am Chem Soc 139:6146-6151

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