Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Chemistry Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Biochemistry

PDF

Cleveland State University

Articles 31 - 47 of 47

Full-Text Articles in Chemistry

Dna Polymerases: Perfect Enzymes For An Imperfect World, Anthony J. Berdis May 2010

Dna Polymerases: Perfect Enzymes For An Imperfect World, Anthony J. Berdis

Chemistry Faculty Publications

This Special Thematic Issue explores the molecular properties of DNA polymerases as extraordinary biological catalysts. In this short introductory chapter, I briefly highlight some of the most important concepts from the articles contained within this Special Issue. The contents of this Special Issue are arranged into distinct sub-categories corresponding to mechanistic studies of faithful DNA polymerization, studies of "specialized" DNA polymerases that function on damaged DNA, and DNA polymerases that are of therapeutic importance against various diseases. Emphasis is placed on understanding the dynamic cellular roles and biochemical functions of DNA polymerases, and how their structure and mechanism impact their …


Non-Natural Nucleotides As Probes For The Mechanism And Fidelity Of Dna Polymerases, Irene Lee, Anthony J. Berdis May 2010

Non-Natural Nucleotides As Probes For The Mechanism And Fidelity Of Dna Polymerases, Irene Lee, Anthony J. Berdis

Chemistry Faculty Publications

DNA is a remarkable macromolecule that functions primarily as the carrier of the genetic information of organisms ranging from viruses to bacteria to eukaryotes. The ability of DNA polymerases to efficiently and accurately replicate genetic material represents one of the most fundamental yet complex biological processes found in nature. The central dogma of DNA polymerization is that the efficiency and fidelity of this biological process is dependent upon proper hydrogen-bonding interactions between an incoming nucleotide and its templating partner. However, the foundation of this dogma has been recently challenged by the demonstration that DNA polymerases can effectively and, in some …


Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferase: The Story Of A Misguided Dna Polymerase, Edward A. Motea, Anthony J. Berdis May 2010

Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferase: The Story Of A Misguided Dna Polymerase, Edward A. Motea, Anthony J. Berdis

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Nearly every DNA polymerase characterized to date exclusively catalyzes the incorporation of mononucleotides into a growing primer using a DNA or RNA template as a guide to direct each incorporation event. There is, however, one unique DNA polymerase designated terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase that performs DNA synthesis using only single-stranded DNA as the nucleic acid substrate. In this chapter, we review the biological role of this enigmatic DNA polymerase and the biochemical mechanism for its ability to perform DNA synthesis in the absence of a templating strand. We compare and contrast the molecular events for template-independent DNA synthesis catalyzed by terminal …


4-Hydroxyphenylretinamide (4hpr) Derivatives Regulate Aromatase Activity And Expression In Breast Cancer Cells, Bin Su, Serena M. Mershon, Laura A. Stonerock, Robert W. Curley Jr., Robert W. Brueggemeier Mar 2008

4-Hydroxyphenylretinamide (4hpr) Derivatives Regulate Aromatase Activity And Expression In Breast Cancer Cells, Bin Su, Serena M. Mershon, Laura A. Stonerock, Robert W. Curley Jr., Robert W. Brueggemeier

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Recent studies exhibit that 4-hydroxyphenylretinamide (4HPR) decreases aromatase activity in breast and placental cells. The effect of synthetic 4HPR analogs on aromatase and expression was examined in three breast cancer cell lines. Most derivatives did not decrease cellular aromatase activity. Two of the analogs even stimulated aromatase activity at the transcriptional level. Only one derivative significantly decreased aromatase in all three breast cancer cell lines and also suppressed CYP19 gene expression in one of the cell line. Placental microsomal aromatase assay rule out the possibility that this compound directly inhibits the aromatase enzyme. A non-genomic mechanism in suppression of cellular …


Optimization Of Non-Natural Nucleotides For Selective Incorporation Opposite Damaged Dna, Diana Vineyard, Xuemei Zhang, Alison Donnelley, Irene Lee, Anthony J. Berdis Oct 2007

Optimization Of Non-Natural Nucleotides For Selective Incorporation Opposite Damaged Dna, Diana Vineyard, Xuemei Zhang, Alison Donnelley, Irene Lee, Anthony J. Berdis

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The promutagenic process known as translesion DNA synthesis reflects the ability of a DNA polymerase to misinsert a nucleotide opposite a damaged DNA template. To study the underlying mechanism of nucleotide selection during this process, we quantified the incorporation of various non-natural nucleotide analogs opposite an abasic site, a non-templating DNA lesion. Our kinetic studies using the bacteriophage T4 DNA polymerase reveal that the π-electron surface area of the incoming nucleotide substantially contributes to the efficiency of incorporation opposite an abasic site. A remaining question is whether the selective insertion of these non-hydrogen-bonding analogs can be achieved through optimization of …


The Use Of Non-Natural Nucleotides To Probe Template-Independent Dna Synthesis, Anthony J. Berdis, David Mccutcheon Aug 2007

The Use Of Non-Natural Nucleotides To Probe Template-Independent Dna Synthesis, Anthony J. Berdis, David Mccutcheon

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The vast majority of DNA polymerases use the complementary templating strand of DNA to guide each nucleotide incorporation. There are instances, however, in which polymerases can efficiently incorporate nucleotides in the absence of templating information. This process, known as translesion DNA synthesis, can alter the proper genetic code of an organism. To further elucidate the mechanism of template-independent DNA synthesis, we monitored the incorporation of various nucleotides at the “blunt-end” of duplex DNA by the high-fidelity bacteriophage T4 DNA polymerase. Although natural nucleotides are not incorporated at the blunt-end, a limited subset of non-natural indolyl analogues containing extensive π-electron surface …


Fluorescent Analysis Of Translesion Dna Synthesis By Using A Novel, Non-Natural Nucleotide Analogue, Irene Lee, Anthony J. Berdis Jan 2006

Fluorescent Analysis Of Translesion Dna Synthesis By Using A Novel, Non-Natural Nucleotide Analogue, Irene Lee, Anthony J. Berdis

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The replication of damaged DNA is a promutagenic process that can lead to disease development. This report evaluates the dynamics of nucleotide incorporation opposite an abasic site, a commonly formed DNA lesion, by using two fluorescent nucleotide analogues, 2-aminopurine deoxyribose triphosphate (2-APTP) and 5-phenylindole deoxyribose triphosphate (5-PhITP). In both cases, the kinetics of incorporation were compared by using a 32 P-radiolabel extension assay versus a fluorescence-quenching assay. Although 2-APTP is efficiently incorporated opposite a templating nucleobase (thymine), the kinetics for incorporation opposite an abasic site are significantly slower. The lower catalytic efficiency hinders its use as a probe to study …


Recent Developments Inthe Mechanistic Enzymology Of The Atp-Dependent Lon Protease From Escherichia Coli: Highlights From Kinetic Studies, Irene Lee, Anthony J. Berdis, Carolyn K. Suzuki Jan 2006

Recent Developments Inthe Mechanistic Enzymology Of The Atp-Dependent Lon Protease From Escherichia Coli: Highlights From Kinetic Studies, Irene Lee, Anthony J. Berdis, Carolyn K. Suzuki

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Lon protease, also known as protease La, is one of the simplest ATP-dependent proteases that plays vital roles in maintaining cellular functions by selectively eliminating misfolded, damaged and certain short-lived regulatory proteins. Although Lon is a homo-oligomer, each subunit of Lon contains both an ATPase and a protease active site. This relatively simple architecture compared to other hetero-oligomeric ATP-dependent proteases such as the proteasome makes Lon a useful paradigm for studying the mechanism of ATP-dependent proteolysis. In this article, we survey some recent developments in the mechanistic characterization of Lon with an emphasis on the utilization of pre-steady-state enzyme kinetic …


Evaluating The Contributions Of Desolvation And Base-Stacking During Translesion Dna Synthesis, Xuemei Zhang, Irene Lee, Anthony J. Berdis May 2004

Evaluating The Contributions Of Desolvation And Base-Stacking During Translesion Dna Synthesis, Xuemei Zhang, Irene Lee, Anthony J. Berdis

Chemistry Faculty Publications

DNA polymerases catalyze the insertion of a nucleoside triphosphate into the growing polymer chain using the template strand as a guide. Numerous factors such as hydrogen bonding interactions, base-stacking contributions, and desolvation play important roles in controlling the efficiency and fidelity of this process. We previously demonstrated that 5-nitro-indolyl-2′-deoxyriboside triphosphate, a non-natural nucleobase with enhanced base-stacking properties, was more efficiently inserted opposite a non-templating DNA lesion compared to natural templating nucleobases (E. Z. Reineks and A. J. Berdis, Biochemistry, 2004, 43, 393–404). The catalytic enhancement was proposed to reflect increased base-stacking interactions of the non-natural nucleobase with the polymerase and …


Evaluating The Effects Of Enhanced Processivity And Metal Ions On Translesion Dna Replication Catalyzed By The Bacteriophage T4 Dna Polymerase, Edmunds Z. Reineks, Anthony J. Berdis May 2003

Evaluating The Effects Of Enhanced Processivity And Metal Ions On Translesion Dna Replication Catalyzed By The Bacteriophage T4 Dna Polymerase, Edmunds Z. Reineks, Anthony J. Berdis

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The fidelity of DNA replication is achieved in a multiplicative process encompassing nucleobase selection and insertion, removal of misinserted nucleotides by exonuclease activity, and enzyme dissociation from primer/templates that are misaligned due to mispairing. In this study, we have evaluated the effect of altering these kinetic processes on the dynamics of translesion DNA replication using the bacteriophage T4 replication apparatus as a model system. The effect of enhancing the processivity of the T4 DNA polymerase, gp43, on translesion DNA replication was evaluated using a defined in vitro assay system. While the T4 replicase (gp43 in complex with gp45) can perform …


Examination Of The Role Of The Clamp-Loader And Atp Hydrolysis In The Formation Of The Bacteriophage T4 Polymerase Holoenzyme, Michael A. Trakselis, Anthony J. Berdis, Stephen J. Benkovic Feb 2003

Examination Of The Role Of The Clamp-Loader And Atp Hydrolysis In The Formation Of The Bacteriophage T4 Polymerase Holoenzyme, Michael A. Trakselis, Anthony J. Berdis, Stephen J. Benkovic

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Transient kinetic analyses further support the role of the clamp-loader in bacteriophage T4 as a catalyst which loads the clamp onto DNA through the sequential hydrolysis of two molecules of ATP before and after addition of DNA. Additional rapid-quench and pulse-chase experiments have documented this stoichiometry. The events of ATP hydrolysis have been related to the opening/closing of the clamp protein through fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). In the absence of a hydrolysable form of ATP, the distance across the subunit interface of the clamp does not increase as measured by intramolecular FRET, suggesting gp45 cannot be loaded onto DNA. …


Phorbol 12-Myristate 13-Acetate Stimulates Lysophosphatidic Acid Secretion From Ovarian And Cervical Cancer Cells But Not From Breast Or Leukemia Cells, Zhongzhou Shen, Jerome Belinson, Richard E. Morton, Yan Xu Dec 1998

Phorbol 12-Myristate 13-Acetate Stimulates Lysophosphatidic Acid Secretion From Ovarian And Cervical Cancer Cells But Not From Breast Or Leukemia Cells, Zhongzhou Shen, Jerome Belinson, Richard E. Morton, Yan Xu

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is present in ascites from patients with ovarian cancer. It stimulates calcium release and growth of ovarian cancer cells bothin vitroandin vivo.Recently, we found that LPA levels were significantly elevated in plasma from patients with ovarian cancer and other gynecological cancers. In contrast, LPA levels were not elevated in patients with breast cancer and leukemias. In view of this, we investigated whether gynecological cancer cells could produce LPA. LPA was extracted from the supernatant of cells culturedin vitroand purified by thin layer chromatography. After hydrolysis and transmethylation, the fatty acid derivatives were analyzed by gas chromatography. We …


Simultaneous Formation Of Functional Leading And Lagging Strand Holoenzyme Complexes On A Small, Defined Dna Substrate, Anthony J. Berdis, Stephen J. Benkovic Sep 1998

Simultaneous Formation Of Functional Leading And Lagging Strand Holoenzyme Complexes On A Small, Defined Dna Substrate, Anthony J. Berdis, Stephen J. Benkovic

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The biochemical characterization of leading and lagging strand DNA synthesis by bacteriophage T4 replication proteins has been addressed utilizing a small, defined primer/template. The ATP hydrolysis activity of 44/62, the clamp loading complex responsible for holoenzyme assembly, was monitored during assembly of both the leading and lagging strand holoenzyme complex. The ATPase activity of 44/62 diminishes once a functional holoenzyme is assembled on both the leading and lagging strand. The assembly of the lagging strand holoenzyme is facilitated by several factors including biotinylated streptavidin blocks at the end of the fork strands, preassembly of the leading strand holoenzyme, and by …


Protein-Protein And Protein-Dna Interactions At The Bacteriophage T4 Dna Replication Fork. Characterization Of A Fluorescently Labeled Dna Polymerase Sliding Clamp, Daniel J. Sexton, Theodore E. Carver, Anthony J. Berdis, Stephen J. Benkovic Nov 1996

Protein-Protein And Protein-Dna Interactions At The Bacteriophage T4 Dna Replication Fork. Characterization Of A Fluorescently Labeled Dna Polymerase Sliding Clamp, Daniel J. Sexton, Theodore E. Carver, Anthony J. Berdis, Stephen J. Benkovic

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The T4 DNA polymerase holoenzyme is composed of the polymerase enzyme complexed to the sliding clamp (the 45 protein), which is loaded onto DNA by an ATP-dependent clamp loader (the 44/62 complex). This paper describes a new method to directly investigate the mechanism of holoenzyme assembly using a fluorescently labeled cysteine mutant of the 45 protein. This protein possessed unaltered function yet produced substantial changes in probe fluorescence intensity upon interacting with other components of the holoenzyme. These fluorescence changes provide insight into the role of ATP hydrolysis in holoenzyme assembly. Using either ATP or the non-hydrolyzable ATP analog, adenosine …


The Carboxyl Terminus Of The Bacteriophage T4 Dna Polymerase Is Required For Holoenzyme Complex Formation, Anthony J. Berdis, Patrice Soumillion, Stephen J. Benkovic Nov 1996

The Carboxyl Terminus Of The Bacteriophage T4 Dna Polymerase Is Required For Holoenzyme Complex Formation, Anthony J. Berdis, Patrice Soumillion, Stephen J. Benkovic

Chemistry Faculty Publications

To further elucidate the mechanism and dynamics of bacteriophage T4 holoenzyme formation, a mutant polymerase in which the last six carboxyl-terminal amino acids are deleted, was constructed, overexpressed, and purified to homogeneity. The mutant polymerase, designated ΔC6 exo−, is identical to wild-type exo− polymerase with respect to kcat, kpol, and dissociation constants for nucleotide and DNA substrate. However, unlike wild-type exo− polymerase, the ΔC6 exo− polymerase is unable to interact with the 45 protein to form the stable holoenzyme. A synthetic polypeptide corresponding to the carboxyl terminus of the wild-type exo− polymerase was tested as an in vitro inhibitor of …


Dissection Of An Antibody-Catalyzed Reaction, Jon D. Stewart, Joseph F. Krebs, Gary Siuzdak, Anthony J. Berdis, David B. Smithrud, Stephen J. Benkovic Aug 1994

Dissection Of An Antibody-Catalyzed Reaction, Jon D. Stewart, Joseph F. Krebs, Gary Siuzdak, Anthony J. Berdis, David B. Smithrud, Stephen J. Benkovic

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Antibody 43C9 accelerates the hydrolysis of a p-nitroanilide by a factor of 2.5 x 10(5) over the background rate in addition to catalyzing the hydrolysis of a series of aromatic esters. Since this represents one of the largest rate accelerations achieved with an antibody, we have undertaken a series of studies aimed at uncovering the catalytic mechanism of 43C9. The immunogen, a phosphonamidate, was designed to mimic the geometric and electronic characteristics of the tetrahedral intermediate that forms upon nucleophilic attack by hydroxide on the amide substrate. Further studies, however, revealed that the catalytic mechanism is more complex and involves …


The 2′-Phosphate Of Nadp Is Critical For Optimum Productive Binding To 6-Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase From Candida Utilis, Anthony J. Berdis, Paul F. Cook Sep 1993

The 2′-Phosphate Of Nadp Is Critical For Optimum Productive Binding To 6-Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase From Candida Utilis, Anthony J. Berdis, Paul F. Cook

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Initial velocity studies obtained with alternative dinucleotide substrates for the 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase reaction suggest that the 2′-phosphate is critical for the optimum productive binding of the dinucleotide substrate. Initial velocity patterns obtained by varying 6-phosphogluconate at different fixed levels of NAD are nearly parallel with apparent competitive substrate inhibition by 6-phosphogluconate at pH 7 and below but intersect to the left of the ordinate at pH 8 and above. Dead-end inhibition studies indicate that the mechanism is random at all pH values. Data are interpreted in terms of a random mechanism with marked antagonism in the binding of NAD and …