Gap-directed translesion DNA synthesis of an abasic site on circular DNA templates by a human replication complex

PLoS One. 2014 Apr 7;9(4):e93908. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0093908. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

DNA polymerase ε (pol ε) is believed to be the leading strand replicase in eukaryotes whereas pols λ and β are thought to be mainly involved in re-synthesis steps of DNA repair. DNA elongation by the human pol ε is halted by an abasic site (apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) site). We have previously reported that human pols λ, β and η can perform translesion synthesis (TLS) of an AP site in the presence of pol ε. In the case of pol λ and β, this TLS requires the presence of a gap downstream from the product synthetized by the ε replicase. However, since these studies were conducted exclusively with a linear DNA template, we decided to test whether the structure of the template could influence the capacity of the pols ε, λ, β and η to perform TLS of an AP site. Therefore, we have investigated the replication of damaged "minicircle" DNA templates. In addition, replication of circular DNA requires, beyond DNA pols, the processivity clamp PCNA, the clamp loader replication factor C (RFC), and the accessory proteins replication protein A (RPA). Finally we have compared the capacity of unmodified versus monoubiquitinated PCNA in sustaining TLS by pols λ and η on a circular template. Our results indicate that in vitro gap-directed TLS synthesis by pols λ and β in the presence of pol ε, RPA and PCNA is unaffected by the structure of the DNA template. Moreover, monoubiquitination of PCNA does not affect TLS by pol λ while it appears to slightly stimulate TLS by pol η.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • DNA Polymerase II / genetics
  • DNA Polymerase II / metabolism*
  • DNA Polymerase beta / genetics
  • DNA Polymerase beta / metabolism
  • DNA Repair
  • DNA Replication*
  • DNA, Circular*
  • Humans

Substances

  • DNA, Circular
  • DNA Polymerase II
  • DNA Polymerase beta

Grants and funding

EM and UH are supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (http://www.snf.ch). GV was supported by the Grant Electricité de France NRB62013-07 (http://france.edf.com). JES was supported by grant 251576 from the Academy of Finland (http://www.aka.fi). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.