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The fidelity of DNA replication by Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I (pol I) was assessed in vivo using a reporter plasmid bearing a ColE1-type origin and an ochre codon in the beta-lactamase gene. We screened 53 single mutants within the region Val(700)-Arg(712) in the polymerase active-site motif A. Only replacement of Ile(709) yielded mutator polymerases, with substitution of Met, Asn, Phe, or Ala increasing the beta-lactamase reversion frequency 5-23-fold. Steady-state kinetic analysis of the I709F polymerase revealed reductions in apparent K(m) values for both insertion of non-complementary nucleotides and extension of mispaired primer termini. Abolishment of the 3'-5' exonuclease activity of wild-type pol I increased mutation frequency 4-fold, whereas the combination of I709F and lack of the 3'-5' exonuclease yielded a 400-fold increase. We conclude that accurate discrimination of the incoming nucleotide at the polymerase domain is more critical than exonucleolytic proofreading for the fidelity of pol I in vivo. Surprisingly, the I709F polymerase enhanced mutagenesis in chromosomal DNA, although the increase was 10-fold less than in plasmid DNA. Our findings indicate the feasibility of obtaining desired mutations by replicating a target gene at a specific locus in a plasmid under continuous selection pressure.

Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I participates in DNA replication, DNA repair, and genetic recombination; it is the most extensively studied of all DNA polymerases. Motif A in the polymerase active site has a required role in catalysis and is highly conserved. To assess the tolerance of motif A for amino acid substitutions, we determined the mutability of the 13 constituent amino acids Val(700)-Arg(712) by using random mutagenesis and genetic selection. We observed that every residue except the catalytically essential Asp(705) can be mutated while allowing bacterial growth and preserving wild-type DNA polymerase activity. Hence, the primary structure of motif A is plastic. We present evidence that mutability of motif A has been conserved during evolution, supporting the premise that the tolerance for mutation is adaptive. In addition, our work allows identification of refinements in catalytic function that may contribute to preservation of the wild-type motif A sequence. As an example, we established that the naturally occurring Ile(709) has a previously undocumented role in supporting sugar discrimination.

Accurate transmission of DNA material from one generation to the next is crucial for prolonged cell survival. Following the discovery of DNA polymerse I in Escherichia coli, the DNA polymerase I class of enzymes has served as the prototype for studies on structural and biochemical mechanisms of DNA replication. Recently, a series of genomic, mutagenesis and structural investigations have provided key insights into how Pol I class of enzymes function and evolve. X-ray crystal structures of at least three Pol I class of enzymes have been solved in the presence of DNA and dNTP, thus allowing a detailed description of a productive replication complex. Rapid-quench stop-flow studies have helped define individual steps during nucleotide incorporation and conformational changes that are rate limiting during catalysis. Studies in our laboratory have generated large libraries of active mutant enzymes (8000) containing a variety of substitutions within the active site, some of which exhibit altered biochemical properties. Extensive genomic information of Pol I has recently become available, as over 50 polA genes from different prokaryotic species have been sequenced. In light of these advancements, we review here the structure-function relationships of Pol I, and we highlight those interactions that are responsible for the high fidelity of DNA synthesis. We present a mechanism for "flipping" of the complementary template base to enhance interactions with the incoming nucleotide substrate during DNA synthesis., (Copyright 2001 Academic Press.)

Phe(667) in the conserved O-helix of Thermus aquaticus (Taq) DNA polymerase I (pol I) is known to be important for discrimination against dideoxy-NTPs. We show here that Phe(667) is also important for base selection fidelity. In a forward mutation assay at high polymerase concentration, wild type pol I catalyzed frequent A --> T and G --> T transversions and -1 frameshifts at nonreiterated sites involving loss of a purine immediately downstream of a pyrimidine. The mutants F667L and A661E,I665T,F667L exhibited large decreases in A --> T and G --> T transversions, and the triple mutant displayed reduction in the aforementioned -1 frameshifts as well. Kinetic analysis showed that the F667L and A661E,I665T,F667L polymerases discriminated against synthesis of A:A mispairs more effectively and catalyzed less extension of A:A mispairs than the wild type enzyme. These data indicate that Phe(667) functions in maintaining the error frequency and spectrum, and the catalytic efficiency, of wild type pol I. We also found that the strong general mutator activity conferred by the single A661E substitution was entirely suppressed in the A661E, I665T,F667L polymerase, exemplifying how interactions among O-helix residues can contribute to fidelity. We discuss the mutator and anti-mutator mutations in light of recently obtained three-dimensional structures of T. aquaticus pol I.

DNA polymerases contain active sites that are structurally superimposable and highly conserved in sequence. To assess the significance of this preservation and to determine the mutational burden that active sites can tolerate, we randomly mutated a stretch of 13 amino acids within the polymerase catalytic site (motif A) of Thermus aquaticus DNA polymerase I. After selection, by using genetic complementation, we obtained a library of approximately 8, 000 active mutant DNA polymerases, of which 350 were sequenced and analyzed. This is the largest collection of physiologically active polymerase mutants. We find that all residues of motif A, except one (Asp-610), are mutable while preserving wild-type activity. A wide variety of amino acid substitutions were obtained at sites that are evolutionarily maintained, and conservative substitutions predominate at regions that stabilize tertiary structures. Several mutants exhibit unique properties, including DNA polymerase activity higher than the wild-type enzyme or the ability to incorporate ribonucleotide analogs. Bacteria dependent on these mutated polymerases for survival are fit to replicate repetitively. The high mutability of the polymerase active site in vivo and the ability to evolve altered enzymes may be required for survival in environments that demand increased mutagenesis. The inherent substitutability of the polymerase active site must be addressed relative to the constancy of nucleotide sequence found in nature.

We screened 67 mutants in the O-helix of Thermus aquaticus (Taq) DNA polymerase I (pol I) for altered fidelity of DNA synthesis. These mutants were obtained (Suzuki, M., Baskin, D., Hood, L., and Loeb, L. A. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 93, 9670-9675) by substituting an oligonucleotide containing random sequences for codons 659-671, and selecting for complementation of a growth defect in Escherichia coli caused by temperature-sensitive host pol I. Thirteen mutants decreased fidelity in a screen that employed primer extension reactions lacking one of four complementary deoxynucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs). Three mutants were purified and exhibited 29-68% of wild-type specific activity. Homogeneous polymerases A661E, A661P, and T664R extended primers further than the wild-type, synthesizing past template nucleotides for which the complementary dNTP was absent. The data indicate that both misinsertion of incorrect nucleotides and extension of mispaired primer termini were increased. In a lacZalpha forward mutation assay, A661E and T664R yielded mutation frequencies at least 7- and 25-fold greater, respectively, than that of the wild-type polymerase. These findings emphasize the importance of the O-helix in substrate recognition and are compatible with a role for pyrophosphate release in enhancing fidelity of DNA synthesis.

Expression of Thermus aquaticus (Taq) DNA polymerase I (pol I) in Escherichia, coli complements the growth defect caused by a temperature-sensitive mutation in the host pol I. We replaced the nucleotide sequence encoding amino acids 659-671 of the O-helix of Taq DNA pol I, corresponding to the substrate binding site, with an oligonucleotide containing random nucleotides. Functional Taq pol I mutants were selected based on colony formation at the nonpermissive temperature. By using a library with 9% random substitutions at each of 39 positions, we identified 61 active Taq pol I mutants, each of which contained from one to four amino acid substitutions. Some amino acids, such as alanine-661 and threonine-664, were tolerant of several or even many diverse replacements. In contrast, no replacements or only conservative replacements were identified at arginine-659, lysine-663, and tyrosine-671. By using a library with totally random nucleotides at five different codons (arginine-659, arginine-660, lysine-663, phenylalanine-667, and glycine-668), we confirmed that arginine-659 and lysine-663 were immutable, and observed that only tyrosine substituted for phenylalanine-667. The two immutable residues and the two residues that tolerate only highly conservative replacements lie on the side of O-helix facing the incoming deoxynucleoside triphosphate, as determined by x-ray analysis. Thus, we offer a new approach to assess concordance of the active conformation of an enzyme, as interpreted from the crystal structure, with the active conformation inferred from in vivo function.

We describe catalytically active mutants of HIV RT (human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase) generated by random sequence mutagenesis and selected in Escherichia coli for ability to complement the temperature-sensitive phenotype of a DNA polymerase I (Pol Its) mutant. We targeted amino acids Asp-67 through Arg-78 in HIV RT, which form part of the beta3-beta4 flexible loop and harbor many of the currently known mutations that confer resistance to nucleoside analogs. DNA sequencing of 109 selected mutants that complement the Pol Its phenotype revealed substitutions at all 12 residues targeted, indicating that none of the wild-type amino acids is essential. However, single mutations were not observed at Trp-71, Arg-72, and Arg-78, consistent with evolutionary conservation of these residues among viral RTs and lack of variation at these positions among isolates from patients. The mutations we recovered included most of those associated with drug resistance as well as previously unidentified mutations. Purification and assay of 14 mutant proteins revealed correlation between their DNA-dependent DNA polymerize activity in vitro and ability to complement the Pol Its phenotype. Activity of several mutants was resistant to 3'-azidothymidine triphosphate. We conclude that random sequence mutagenesis coupled with positive genetic selection in E. coli yields large numbers of functional HIV RT mutants. Among these are less active variants which are unlikely to be isolated from HIV-infected individuals and which will be informative of the roles of individual amino acids in the catalytic functions of the enzyme.

We previously demonstrated that mammalian DNA polymerase beta can substitute for DNA polymerase I of Escherichia coli in DNA replication and in base excision repair. We have now obtained genetic evidence suggesting that DNA polymerase beta can substitute for E. coli DNA polymerase I in the initiation of replication of a plasmid containing a pMB1 origin of DNA replication. Specifically, we demonstrate that a plasmid with a pMB1 origin of replication can be maintained in an E. coli polA mutant in the presence of mammalian DNA polymerase beta. Our results suggest that mammalian DNA polymerase beta can substitute for E. coli DNA polymerase I by initiating DNA replication of this plasmid from the 3' OH terminus of the RNA-DNA hybrid at the origin of replication.

We present evidence that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reverse transcriptase (RT) can substitute for DNA polymerase I in bacteria. Expression of HIV RT enables an Escherichia coli mutant, polA12 recA718, containing a temperature-sensitive mutation in DNA polymerase I, to grow at a nonpermissive temperature. The plasmid pBR322 contains a DNA polymerase I-dependent origin of replication. Expression of HIV RT enables the same E. coli mutant to maintain this plasmid at a nonpermissive temperature. Furthermore, expression of HIV RT in this mutant renders it sensitive to 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine, a commonly used anti-AIDS drug that targets HIV RT. These combined findings on the genetic complementation of DNA polymerase I by HIV RT provide a bacterial assay to screen for drugs directed against HIV RT. Genetic complementation provides a method for positive selection of large numbers of functional HIV RT mutants for studies on structure-function relationships.

Werner syndrome (WS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of humans characterized by the premature onset and accelerated rate of development of several major age-related disorders. An aberration in DNA replication or repair is suggested by the evidence of genome instability. Since the structural gene for DNA polymerase beta maps within the region of the WS mutation on the short arm of chromosome 8 and is involved in both DNA repair and DNA replication, we evaluated its candidacy as the WS gene. Several independent lines of evidence did not support that hypothesis: (1) activity gels showed normal enzyme activity and electrophoretic mobility; (2) nucleotide sequence analysis of the entire coding region failed to reveal mutations (although indicated mistakes in the published sequence); (3) single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and heteroduplex analyses failed to reveal evidence of mutations in the promoter region; (4) a newly discerned polymorphism failed to reveal evidence of homozygosity by descent in a consanguineous patient; and 5) fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis placed the DNA polymerase beta gene centromeric to D8S135 at 8p11.2 and thus beyond the region of peak LOD scores for WS.

Oxygen free radicals are produced in large amounts by normal cellular processes. Damage to DNA by these reactive species has been implicated in mutagenesis and may be important in the etiology of a variety of human diseases. In this study we investigate the types of mutations produced in vitro as a result of DNA damage by oxygen free radicals. We used a lacZ alpha forward mutation assay in which M13 viral DNA is damaged in vitro, replicated with purified DNA polymerase alpha or beta, transfected into E. coli, and screened for mutations by reduced alpha-complementation of beta-galactosidase activity. By determining the effects of damaged templates on the fidelity of individual DNA polymerases involved in replication and repair, we address the role of specific DNA polymerases in mutagenesis induced by reactive oxygen species. Aerobic incubation of DNA with 100 microM CuCl, 10 microM H2O2 and 100 microM ascorbic acid results in a 3.3-fold and a 3.6-fold elevation in mutation frequency for polymerases alpha and beta, respectively. The specificity and location of the induced mutations, however, are entirely different. For polymerase alpha, A to C, and C to A transversions and deletions of C are each elevated more than 10-fold over their frequencies on undamaged template. For polymerase beta, A to T, C to T, C to A, G to C, and G to T substitutions, and deletions of G are elevated by damage. The frequency of mutants containing two or more closely spaced substitutions is also markedly increased by template damage although the types of mutations and their positions are again specific to each DNA polymerase. We conclude that, for oxidative lesions, the frequency and the types of mutations are determined in part by the DNA polymerase that encounters the site of damage.

We have designed and utilized a bacterial complementation system to identify and characterize mammalian DNA polymerase beta mutants. In this complementation system, wild-type rat DNA polymerase beta replaces both the replicative and repair functions of DNA polymerase I in the Escherichia coli recA718 polA12 double mutant; our 263 DNA polymerase beta mutants replace E. coli polymerase I less efficiently or not at all. Of the 10 mutants that have been shown to contain DNA sequence alterations, 2 exhibit a split phenotype with respect to complementation of the growth defect and methylmethanesulfonate sensitivity of the double mutant; one is a null mutant. The mutants possessing a split phenotype contain amino acid residue alterations within a putative nucleotide binding site of DNA polymerase beta. This approach for the isolation and evaluation of mutants of a mammalian DNA polymerase in E. coli may ultimately lead to a better understanding of the mechanism of action of this enzyme and to precisely defining its role in vertebrate cells.

Reactive oxygen species, produced in cells by a variety of mechanisms, damage DNA and cause mutations. To characterize the types of mutations produced in mammalian cells, we copied DNA damaged by reactive oxygen species with mammalian DNA polymerase beta. Double-stranded circular M13mp2 DNA containing a 361-nucleotide single-stranded gap within the lacZ gene was damaged by aerobic incubation with Fe2+ and H2O2. The gap then was filled by purified recombinant rat DNA polymerase beta, and the DNA was transfected into Escherichia coli. Mutations within the nonessential lacZ gene for beta-galactosidase were identified by reduced alpha-complementation. In this system, oxidative damage increased the mutation frequency within the target region by an average of 4.3-fold. At certain sites, the base substitution rate is nearly 300 times greater than would be expected to result from a random distribution of damage. The oxidatively induced mutations fall into two categories: those apparently caused by direct miscoding of modified DNA and those associated with enhanced misincorporation at prexisting polymerase-specific hot spots. The latter group may be due to a conformational change in the DNA caused by oxidative modification and could be indicative of a novel mutagenic mechanism.

Mammalian DNA polymerase beta is the smallest known eukaryotic polymerase and is expressed as an active protein in Escherichia coli harboring a plasmid containing its cDNA. Since some catalytic functions of DNA polymerase beta and E. coli DNA polymerase I are similar, we wished to determine if DNA polymerase beta could substitute for DNA polymerase I in bacteria. We found that the expression of mammalian DNA polymerase beta in E. coli restored growth in a DNA polymerase I-defective bacterial mutant. Sucrose density gradient analysis revealed that DNA polymerase beta complements the replication defect in the mutant by increasing the rate of joining of Okazaki fragments. These findings demonstrate that DNA polymerase beta, believed to function in DNA repair in mammalian cells, can also function in DNA replication. Moreover, this complementation system will permit study of the in vivo function of altered species of DNA polymerase beta, an analysis currently precluded by the difficulty in isolating mutants in mammalian cells.

DNA polymerase I (Pol I) is an enzyme of DNA replication and repair containing three active sites, each requiring divalent metal ions such as Mg2+ or Mn2+ for activity. As determined by EPR and by 1/T1 measurements of water protons, whole Pol I binds Mn2+ at one tight site (KD = 2.5 microM) and approximately 20 weak sites (KD = 600 microM). All bound metal ions retain one or more water ligands as reflected in enhanced paramagnetic effects of Mn2+ on 1/T1 of water protons. The cloned large fragment of Pol I, which lacks the 5',3'-exonuclease domain, retains the tight metal binding site with little or no change in its affinity for Mn2+, but has lost approximately 12 weak sites (n = 8, KD = 1000 microM). The presence of stoichiometric TMP creates a second tight Mn2+ binding site or tightens a weak site 100-fold. dGTP together with TMP creates a third tight Mn2+ binding site or tightens a weak site 166-fold. The D424A (the Asp424 to Ala) 3',5'-exonuclease deficient mutant of the large fragment retains a weakened tight site (KD = 68 microM) and has lost one weak site (n = 7, KD = 3500 microM) in comparison with the wild-type large fragment, and no effect of TMP on metal binding is detected. The D355A, E357A (the Asp355 to Ala, Glu357 to Ala double mutant of the large fragment of Pol I) 3',5'-exonuclease-deficient double mutant has lost the tight metal binding site and four weak metal binding sites. The binding of dGTP to the polymerase active site of the D355A,E357A double mutant creates one tight Mn2+ binding site with a dissociation constant (KD = 3.6 microM), comparable with that found on the wild-type enzyme, which retains one fast exchanging water ligand. Mg2+ competes at this site with a KD of 100 microM. It is concluded that the single tightly bound Mn2+ on Pol I and a weakly bound Mn2+ which is tightened 100-fold by TMP are at the 3',5'-exonuclease active site and are essential for 3',5'-exonuclease activity, but not for polymerase activity. Additional weak Mn2+ binding sites are detected on the 3',5'-exonuclease domain, which may be activating, and on the polymerase domain, which may be inhibitory. The essential divalent metal activator of the polymerase reaction requires the presence of the dNTP substrate for tight metal binding indicating that the bound substrate coordinates the metal.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Activity and accuracy of chromatin-directed DNA replication have been compared in young and aged Mus musculus and Peromyscus leucopus, two murine species with contrasting maximum lifespans. Chromatin isolated from livers of mature adults of both species copied efficiently exogenous DNA templates using predominantly DNA polymerase-beta. The DNA synthetic activity of liver chromatin remained constant in both species throughout their lifetimes. The fidelity of chromatin-directed poly [d(A-T)] synthesis was similar for the comparatively short-lived M. musculus and the relatively long-lived P. leucopus and remained unaltered in old animals. The fidelity of poly [d(A-T)] copying catalyzed by DNA polymerase-beta-dissociated from liver chromatin was comparable to that of the chromatin-directed synthesis. The dissociation enzymes did not exhibit diminished fidelity of poly [d(A-T)] synthesis with age. In all ages of both species examined, the murine liver DNA polymerase-beta, both chromatin-associated and solubilized, exhibited high error frequencies; approximately one dGMP was incorporated for every 500-1,000 complementary nucleotides polymerized. The relationship of these results to the accuracy of DNA replication and repair as a determinant of aging is considered.

DNA polymerase-alpha and -beta were fractionated from the chromatin of regenerating liver of young and old mice. The DNA polymerases were resolved from each other and partially purified by DEAE-cellulose, phosphocellulose, and DNA-cellulose column chromatography. No significant age-related difference in the kinetics of heat inactivation was observed for either DNA polymerase. No age-dependent difference was found in the fidelity with which these enzymes copied phi X174 DNA. These results suggest that the functional properties of these DNA polymerases do not change with age as is postulated in some theories of aging.

Neurons do not divide during adult life and thus they provide a unique system to study the effects of age-accumulated damage to DNA in the absence of DNA replication. We have analyzed DNA polymerase activity in neurons isolated from young adult and very aged mice. The predominant catalytic activity is DNA polymerase-beta and it is present in similar amounts in neurons from young and old mice. This polymerase is highly error-prone in copying phi X174 DNA, the error frequency being about 1/7,000 and not significantly different when obtained from young and old animals. This high infidelity is considered with respect to DNA repair and the protein synthesis error catastrophe theory of aging.

The O2- and O4-methyldeoxythymidine triphosphates (O-alkyl dTTP) can be used to substitute for dTTP in Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I (Pol I)-catalysed synthesis of poly[deoxyadenosine-deoxythymidine] (dA-dT). When incorporated into the polynucleotide, no detectable perturbation of structure occurred with even 20% O-methyldeoxythymidine in place of dT. However, on replication of such polymers with Pol I, significant amounts of deoxyguanosine triphosphate (dGTP) were incorporated, as well as high levels of deoxyadenosine triphosphate (dATP), indicating tautomer-like behaviour. Higher homologues, such as O4-ethyl (e4) dTTP or O4-isopropyl (ip4) dTTP, could also replace dTTP, but with lower efficiency. Nevertheless, their presence, like O4-methyl (m4) dT substitutions, caused transitions as well as inhibiting enzyme digestion with a variety of 3' nucleases, particularly to the 3'----5' exonuclease activity (proofreading) of polymerases. Further proof of mutagenicity comes from site-directed experiments placing m4dT or e4dT in place of dT at position 587 in am3 of phi X174, in which all revertants sequenced had A----G transitions. This implies that, since m4dT and e4dT are poorly repaired in eukaryotes, it is likely that they will remain in the DNA and lead to effects on enzyme activity, as well as mutations which contribute to the carcinogenicity of N-nitroso compounds.

We have constructed recombinant M13 DNA templates containing stretches of oligo (purines) and oligo (pyrimidines). Each of these inserts hinders the advancement of the large fragment of E. coli Pol I during DNA synthesis. The pattern of blockage is independent of changes in KCl or Mg2+ concentrations and pausing is moderately alleviated at lower pH. Blockage is not affected by either the concentration of template or by the position of the DNA primer. The pattern of pause sites is similar for calf thymus DNA polymerase-alpha, implying that replicative barriers are determined by the structure of the DNA at its growing point. There is a lack of correlation between the position of pause sites with different inserts and known alternate DNA structures. Thus, the homo-oligomeric inserts may possess a different structure when complexed with DNA polymerase. This concept accounts for the appearance of unique new upstream and downstream pause sites that result from the insertion of each oligonucleotide.

DNA polymerase I purified from both E. coli strain B, and from an overproducing E. coli stain lysogenized with a lambda pol A phage were analyzed for metal content. After gel filtration to remove loosely bound metals, DNA polymerase I from both strains contained less than or equal to 0.2 gm atoms Zn2+/mole enzyme and 0.09 to 0.7 Mg2+/mole enzyme. Substoichiometric amounts of Fe, Co, Ni (less than or equal to 0.2 gm atoms), and Mn (less than or equal to 0.1 gm atoms) were detected. Since the metal content does not correlate with enzymatic activity, we conclude that DNA polymerase I is not a metalloenzyme.

The accuracy with which Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I (Pol I) copies natural DNA in vitro has been determined. When phi X174 viral DNA containing an amber mutation (am3) is primed with a single restriction endonuclease fragment, copied in vitro with Pol I and then expressed in E. coli spheroplasts (Weymout, L. A., and Loeb, L. A. (1978) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 75, 1924), the reversion frequency of this DNA is greater than that of uncopied DNA. This change in reversion frequency can be increased by selectively increasing the concentration of either dATP or dCTP relative to the other deoxyribonucleotide substrates. DNA sequence analyses of revertants obtained from substrate pool bias experiments demonstrates that the revertants contain the selectively biased nucleotide as an incorrect substitution at position 587 of the am3 codon. We have analyzed the product of the in vitro Pol I reaction using neutral and alkaline sucrose gradients. Fifty per cent of the input phi X174 DNA template molecules are copied past the am3 site. The phenotypic expression of the product (revertant) strand in the spheroplast assay was estimated using a model heteroduplex molecule similar in structure to the product of the reaction and containing a single base mismatch (A:A or A:C) at position 587. Using these data, and by extrapolation from pool bias experiments, we estimate the error rate of Pol I in Mg2+-activated reactions using equimolar concentrations of the four deoxynucleotide substrates is 1/680,000 for an A:C mispair and < 1/6,300,000 for an A:A mispair at position 587 of the am3 codon in phi X174 DNA.

The fidelity with which wild type T4 DNA polymerase copies phi X174 amber 3 plus strand DNA at position 587 in vitro has been measured. Synthesis is initiated by hybridizing to the template a HaeIII restriction fragment whose 3'-OH terminus is 83 nucleotides from the amber 3 site. Based on gel electrophoresis of product DNA molecules and genetic marker rescue data, T4 DNA polymerase copies significantly beyond the mutant site. Transfection analysis shows that the A X T leads to G X C mutation at position 587 occurs 10- to 100-fold less frequently with T4 DNA polymerase than with E. coli DNA polymerase I. The aberrant incorporation of cytosine opposite adenine at position 587 by the T4 polymerase alone is occurring at a frequency not greater than about 10(-7) which, for this particular locus, may be similar to the fidelity exhibited by the T4 accessory proteins plus the polymerase comprising the replication complex. A comparison of the accuracy of mutator L56 and antimutator L141 T4 DNA polymerases relative to wild type shows at most a 2- to 4-fold decrease and increase, respectively, in fidelity. When compared to 10- to 1000-fold effects on mutation frequencies that these same mutant alleles have in vivo, these results suggest that the wide range in expression of mutator and antimutator phenotypes in vivo may be dependent on an abnormal interaction of the aberrant DNA polymerases with other protein components of the replication complex.

The error frequency of in vitro DNA synthesis using a natural DNA template has been measured with a biological assay for nucleotide substitutions. phiX174 DNA containing an amber mutation was copied in vitro by Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I, and the reversion frequency of the progeny DNA was determined by transfection of E. coli spheroplasts. E. coli polymerase I makes less than 1 mistake at the am3 locus for every 7700 nucleotides incorporated under standard reaction conditions. Substitution of Mn2+ for Mg2+ and unequal concentrations of deoxynucleoside triphosphate substrates raises this mutation frequency to greater than 1 in 1000. Thus, E. coli DNA polymerase I can copy natural DNA templates with high fidelity and its accuracy can be affected by alterations in reaction conditions.

The contribution of proofreading to the fidelity by which Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I copies natural DNA has been analyzed by two independent criteria. With phi X174 am 3 DNA as a template, there is approximately a 25-fold increase in noncomplementary base substitutions at position 587 when the concentration of the next correct nucleotide, dATP, is increased. Sequence analysis indicates that the mistakes represent misincorporation of C in place of T at position 587. This mutagenic response is presumed to result from a decrease in the probability of excision by the 3' leads to 5' exonuclease of Pol I and is considered within the context of current theories on proofreading. No enhanced mutagenicity is observed with avian myeloblastosis virus DNA polymerase, which lacks a 3' leads to 5' exonuclease. Using a second approach, an enhancement in mutagenesis as large as 30-fold is observed to result from the addition of deoxynucleoside monophosphates to the Pol I reaction. This mutagenicity occurs with any of the four deoxynucleoside monophosphates and is independent of a significant inhibition of DNA synthesis, thus supporting proofreading models in which sites of excision and incorporation are independent. The results of both approaches suggest that the exonucleolytic activity of Pol I can increase fidelity by approximately 30-fold on natural DNA, a value much higher than previous estimates with polynucleotide templates. The effect of the next correct nucleotide in decreasing accuracy provides an in vitro probe for screening eukaryotic cells for putative proofreading functions.

Two distinct mechanisms of action for intercalating agents have been delineated: one leading to the production of frameshift misincorporations and the other leading to the production of single-base substitutions. Addition misincorporations are competitive with respect to DNA template (a measure of classical intercalation) but are not competitive with respect to deoxynucleotide substrates. Single-base substitutions are not competitive with template, polymerase, or deoxynucleotide as tested individually, but are proportional to the absolute drug concentration, indicating a ternary complex involving intercalator, polymerase, and template. Increased frequencies of single-base substitutions have not been considered as a general property of intercalators. Using a mutant phi X174 DNA, we demonstrate that intercalators also induce single-base substitutions with natural DNA templates. Reversion of am3 phi X174 DNA occurs only by single-base substitutions at position 587; this is increased 8-fold when the DNA is copied in vitro in the presence of intercalators.

Accuracy of poly[d(A-T)] synthesis catalyzed by chromatin-bound deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) polymerase beta was measured with several types. A new procedure was developed for the isolation of copied poly[d(A-T)] from chromatin DNA. This method involved in vitro copying of poly[d(A-T)] by native chromatin and subsequent selective fragmentation of chromatin by restriction nucleases, proteinase K, and heat denaturation. The fragmented natural DNA is then separated from the high molecular weight poly[d(A-T)] by gel filtration. The efficacy of DNA removal by this procedure was validated by cesium chloride gradient and nearest-neighbor analysis of the product of the reaction and by measurement of the fidelity of poly[d(A-T)] synthesis by Escherichia coli DNA Pol I contaminated with increasing amounts of DNA. Also, DNA polymerases dissociated from chromatin retain the same accuracy as that of native chromatin. Synthesis of poly[d(A-T)] by chromatin is catalyzed mainly by DNA polymerase-beta. By use of the described technique, we find that the fidelity of this reaction is exceptionally low; approximately one dGTP was incorporated for every thousand complementary nucleotides polymerized.

Manganese is mutagenic in vivo and in vitro in studies with a variety of enzymes and templates. Using Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I with poly[d(A-T)] and phi X174 DNA templates, we analyzed the mechanism of manganese mutagenesis by determining the dependence of error rate on free Mn2+ concentration and comparing this to measured dissociation constants of Mn2+ from enzyme, template, and deoxynucleoside triphosphate substrates. This comparison suggests several conclusions: (1) At very low Mn2+ concentrations, the enzyme is activated at high fidelity. Thus, it is unlikely that activation with manganese per se significantly alters the conformation of the enzyme so as to affect nucleotide selection. (2) At low free Mn2+ concentrations (less than 100 microM), manganese causes errors in incorporation via its interaction with the DNA template. The concentration dependence of mutagenesis is determined by the strength of binding Mn2+ to the particular DNA template used. The data do not allow one to rule out the possibility that Mn2+-deoxynucleoside triphosphate interactions contribute to mutagenesis in selected situations. This range of free Mn2+ concentrations is the one of greatest relevance for in vivo mutagenesis. (3) At higher concentrations (between 500 microM and 1.5 mM), further mutagenesis by Mn2+ occurs. This mutagenesis probably is due either to binding of manganese to single-stranded regions within the DNA or to weak accessory sites on the enzyme.

Mechanisms for the fidelity of DNA replication in eucaryotes are not adequately understood. Certain hypotheses can be tested by examining whether the first nucleotide inserted is incorporated with a significantly higher error rate than subsequent nucleotides. Using synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides, we have measured the effect of primer position on single-base misinsertion frequencies at an amber site in phi X174 DNA. Our results show a lack of position effect, indicating that processivity and the most direct "energy relay" proofreading mechanisms are not important determinants in eucaryotic replication fidelity.

During catalysis by homogeneous procaryotic DNA polymerases, nucleoside monophosphates are generated by a 3' leads to 5'-exonucleolytic activity. Using Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I and poly[d(A-T)] as a template, the contribution of this activity to the fidelity of DNA synthesis has been evaluated by three different criteria. 1) The ratio between the rates of monophosphate generation and incorporation of the noncomplementary nucleotide with Mg2+ as an activating cation was 0.6 +/- 0.6, which is insufficient to account for the high fidelity of polymerization. 2) Inhibition of polymerization by pyrophosphate fails to diminish fidelity, although some kinetic models suggest that optimal error correction via monophosphate release requires the polymerization reaction to be strongly driven by pyrophosphate release. 3) The addition of deoxynucleoside monophosphates in concentrations as great as 10 mM to the reaction mixture does not alter the fidelity of DNA synthesis. These observations argue against the kinetic proofreading mode to account for the fidelity of E. coli DNA polymerase I when copying poly[d(A-T)] in a Mg2+-activated reaction. Furthermore, they suggest that the polymerase may enhance specificity at the base-selection step. However, the 3' leads to 5' exonuclease plays a larger role when the polymerase is activated with Mn2+ and may also be important in copying natural DNA where lower error rates are observed in vitro.

Adenosine 2',3'-riboepoxide 5'-triphosphate (epoxyATP) has been found to be a suicidal inactivator of DNA polymerase I from Escherichia coli by the following criteria. Inactivation is complete, is first order in enzyme activity, and shows saturation kinetics with an apparent KD of 30 +/- 10 micron for epoxy ATP. This KD is comparable to the KM of the substrate dATP. The t1/2 for inactivation is 1.3 min. Inactivation requires Mg2+ and the complementary template. The enzyme is protected by dATP but not by an excess of template. Gel filtration of the reaction mixture after inactivation with [3H]epoxy ATP results in the comigration of E. coli DNA polymerase I, the tritium-labeled inactivator, and the DNA template. The stoichiometry of binding approaches 1 mol of [3H]epoxy nucleotide per mol of inactivated enzyme. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that epoxy ATP initially serves as a substrate for the polymerase reaction, elongating the DNA chain by a nucleotidyl unit, and subsequently alkylates an essential base at the primer terminus binding site of the enzyme. Epoxy ATP also inactivates human and viral DNA polymerases but not E. coli RNA polymerase or rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase. Hence epoxy ATP may be a specific suicide reagent for DNA polymerases.

The effects of intercalating agents on the fidelity of DNA synthesis in vitro have been investigated. The accuracy of DNA synthesis with Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I with both the poly[d(A-T)] and poly[d(G-C)] templates is decreased in the presence of the intercalating agents proflavin, ethidium bromide, acridine orange, ICR-170, and ICR-191. Nearest neighbor analyses of the product of the reaction indicate that two different types of misincorporations occur in the presence of intercalating agents, frameshifts, and single-base substitutions. With alternating polynucleotide templates, frameshifts involving pyrimidines are the most frequent change in sequence observed. Overall, frameshift misincorporations occur with frequencies of one complementary pyrimidine for each intercalated site and one noncomplementary pyrimidine for each 150 sites. From analysis of nearest neighbor frequencies in the product, it is inferred that the intercalating agents interact specifically with pyrimidine (3' leads to 5') purine sequences. An analysis of ratios of correct nucleotide incorporations as a function of intercalator concentration indicates that frameshifts are predominantly additions; however, one cannot rule out infrequent deletions. Base substitutions in the presence of intercalators occur less frequently than frameshifts. From the results of reaction kinetics and nearest neighbor frequencies, it is concluded that the noncomplementary nucleotides are incorporated in phosphodiester linkage and are present as single-base substitutions. Taken together, the results of these studies suggest at least two different modes of action for intercalating agents on the accuracy of DNA synthesis: one leading to frameshift misincorporations and the other leading to single-base substitutions.