Quantitation of deoxynucleoside triphosphates by click reactions

Sci Rep. 2020 Jan 17;10(1):611. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-57463-3.

Abstract

The levels of the four deoxynucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) are under strict control in the cell, as improper or imbalanced dNTP pools may lead to growth defects and oncogenesis. Upon treatment of cancer cells with therapeutic agents, changes in the canonical dNTPs levels may provide critical information for evaluating drug response and mode of action. The radioisotope-labeling enzymatic assay has been commonly used for quantitation of cellular dNTP levels. However, the disadvantage of this method is the handling of biohazard materials. Here, we described the use of click chemistry to replace radioisotope-labeling in template-dependent DNA polymerization for quantitation of the four canonical dNTPs. Specific oligomers were designed for dCTP, dTTP, dATP and dGTP measurement, and the incorporation of 5-ethynyl-dUTP or C8-alkyne-dCTP during the polymerization reaction allowed for fluorophore conjugation on immobilized oligonucleotides. The four reactions gave a linear correlation coefficient >0.99 in the range of the concentration of dNTPs present in 106 cells, with little interference of cellular rNTPs. We present evidence indicating that data generated by this methodology is comparable to radioisotope-labeling data. Furthermore, the design and utilization of a robust microplate assay based on this technology evidenced the modulation of dNTPs in response to different chemotherapeutic agents in cancer cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Click Chemistry / methods*
  • Copper / chemistry*
  • Cycloaddition Reaction
  • Deoxyadenine Nucleotides / analysis
  • Deoxyadenine Nucleotides / chemistry
  • Deoxycytosine Nucleotides / analysis
  • Deoxycytosine Nucleotides / chemistry
  • Deoxyguanine Nucleotides / analysis
  • Deoxyguanine Nucleotides / chemistry
  • Deoxyribonucleotides / analysis*
  • Deoxyribonucleotides / chemistry
  • Deoxyuracil Nucleotides / chemistry*
  • HCT116 Cells
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • K562 Cells
  • Rhodamines / chemistry
  • Staining and Labeling
  • Thymine Nucleotides / analysis
  • Thymine Nucleotides / chemistry

Substances

  • 5-carboxytetramethylrhodamine succinimidyl ester
  • Deoxyadenine Nucleotides
  • Deoxycytosine Nucleotides
  • Deoxyguanine Nucleotides
  • Deoxyribonucleotides
  • Deoxyuracil Nucleotides
  • Rhodamines
  • Thymine Nucleotides
  • 2'-deoxycytidine 5'-triphosphate
  • Copper
  • 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridylic acid
  • deoxyguanosine triphosphate
  • 2'-deoxyadenosine triphosphate
  • thymidine 5'-triphosphate