Probing the sequence effects on NarI-induced -2 frameshift mutagenesis by dynamic \u3csup\u3e19\u3c/sup\u3eF NMR, UV, and CD spectroscopy

The NarI recognition sequence (5′-G1G2CG 3CN-3′) is the most vulnerable hot spot for frameshift mutagenesis induced by the carcinogen 2-aminofluorene and its analogues in Escherichia coli. Lesioning of the guanine in the G3 position induces an especially high frequency of -2 deletion mutations; vulnerability to these mutations is modulated by the nature of the nucleotide in the N position (C ≈ A \u3e G ≫ T). The objective of the present study was to probe the structural basis of this N-mediated influence on the propensity of the G 3 lesion to form a slipped mutagenic intermediate (SMI) during translesion synthesis. We studied NarI-based fully paired [(5′-CTCG 1G2CG3*CNATC-3′)(5′- GATNCGGCCGAG-3′), N = dC or dT] and -2 deletion [(5′-CTCG 1G2CG3*CNATC-3′)(5′- GATNGCCGAG-3′), N = dC or dT] duplexes, in which G* was either AF [N-(2′-deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-aminofluorene] or the 19F probe FAF [N-(2′-deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-7-fluoro-2-aminofluorene]. The latter sequences mimic the bulged SMI for -2 deletion mutations. Dynamic 19F NMR, circular dichroism, and UV melting results indicated that the NarI-dC/-2 deletion duplex adopts exclusively an intercalated conformer, whereas the NarI-dT/-2 deletion duplex exists as multiple conformers. The data support the presence of a putative equilibrium between a carcinogen-intercalated and a carcinogen-exposed SMI for the dT/-2 duplex. A similar dT-induced conformational heterogeneity was observed for the fully paired duplexes in which all three guanines were individually modified by AF or FAF. The frequency of the carcinogen stacked S-conformation was found to be highest (69-75%) at the G 3 hot spot in NarI-dC duplexes. Taken together, our results support the hypothesis that the conformational stability of the SMI is a critical determinant for the efficacy of -2 frameshift mutagenesis in the NarI sequence. We also provide evidence for AF/FAF conformational compatibility in the NarI sequences. © 2007 American Chemical Society