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The lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde and the DNA peroxidation product base-propenal react with dG to generate the exocyclic adduct, M1dG. This mutagenic lesion has been found in human genomic and mitochondrial DNA. M1dG in genomic DNA is enzymatically oxidized to 6-oxo-M1dG, a lesion of currently unknown mutagenic potential. Here, we report the synthesis of an oligonucleotide containing 6-oxo-M1dG and the results of extension experiments aimed at determining the effect of the 6-oxo-M1dG lesion on the activity of human polymerase iota (hPol ι). For this purpose, a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assay was developed to obtain reliable quantitative data on the utilization of poorly incorporated nucleotides. Results demonstrate that hPol ι primarily incorporates deoxycytidine triphosphate (dCTP) and thymidine triphosphate (dTTP) across from 6-oxo-M1dG with approximately equal efficiency, whereas deoxyadenosine triphosphate (dATP) and deoxyguanosine triphosphate (dGTP) are poor substrates. Following the incorporation of a single nucleotide opposite the lesion, 6-oxo-M1dG blocks further replication by the enzyme.

The lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde and the DNA peroxidation product base-propenal react with dG to generate the exocyclic adduct, M

Molecular mechanisms that provide for cGMP activation of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) are unknown. PKGs are dimeric; each monomer contains a regulatory (R) and catalytic (C) domain. In this study, isolated recombinant R domains of PKGIalpha-(Delta349-670) and PKGIbeta-(Delta364-685) containing the dimerization and autoinhibitory subdomains and two allosteric cGMP-binding sites were expressed in Sf9 cells. Both R domains were dimers with elongated conformations (Stokes radii of 44 and 51 A, respectively, and frictional coefficients of 1.6 and 1.8, respectively). Exchange dissociation kinetics and K(D) values for cGMP were similar for each holoenzyme and its isolated R domain, indicating that under these conditions the C domain does not appreciably alter cGMP-binding functions of the R domain. As determined by gel filtration chromatography, cGMP binding caused elongation of the PKGIalpha-isolated R domain and contraction of the PKGIbeta-isolated R domain. Cyclic GMP-bound forms of the isoforms have similar physical dimensions that may reflect a common conformation of active isoforms. Elongation of the PKGIbeta holoenzyme associated with cGMP binding and PKG activation cannot be explained solely by conformational change in its R domain, but elongation of the PKGIalpha R domain may partially account for the elongation of wild type PKGIalpha associated with cGMP binding. The cGMP-induced conformational changes in the respective R domains are likely to be critical for kinase activation.

All mammalian cGMP-dependent protein kinases (PKGs) are dimeric. Dimerization of PKGs involves sequences located near the amino termini, which contain a conserved, extended leucine zipper motif. In PKG Ibeta this includes eight Leu/Ile heptad repeats, and in the present study, deletion and site-directed mutagenesis have been used to systematically delete these repeats or substitute individual Leu/Ile. The enzymatic properties and quaternary structures of these purified PKG mutants have been determined. All had specific enzyme activities comparable to wild type PKG. Simultaneous substitution of alanine at four or more of the Leu/Ile heptad repeats ((L3A/L10A/L17A/I24A), (L31A/I38A/L45A/I52A), (L17A/I24A/L31A/I38A/L45A/I52A), and (L3A/L10A/L45A/I52A)) of the motif produces a monomeric PKG Ibeta. Mutation of two Leu/Ile heptad repeats can produce either a dimeric (L3A/L10A) or monomeric (L17A/I24A and L31A/I38A) PKG. Point mutation of Leu-17 or Ile-24 (L17A or I24A) does not disrupt dimerization. These results suggest that all eight Leu/Ile heptad repeats are involved in dimerization of PKG Ibeta. Six of the eight repeats are sufficient to mediate dimerization, but substitutions at some positions (Leu-17, Ile-24, Leu-31, and Ile-38) appear to have greater impact than others on dimerization. The Ka of cGMP for activation of monomeric mutants (PKG Ibeta (delta1-52) and PKG Ibeta L17A/I24A/L31A/I38A/L45A/I52A) is 2- to 3-fold greater than that for wild type dimeric PKG Ibeta, and there is a corresponding 2- to 3-fold increase in cGMP-dissociation rate of the high affinity cGMP-binding site (site A) of these monomers. These results indicate that dimerization increases sensitivity for cGMP activation of the enzyme.

Ser-64, an autophosphorylation site in the autoinhibitory subdomain of cGMP-dependent protein kinase type I-alpha (PKGI-alpha), lowers affinity for cGMP and suppresses catalytic activity (1). Using the structure of homologous cAMP-dependent protein kinase as a model, three conserved residues (Gln-401, His-404, Cys-518) in the PKGI-alpha catalytic site are predicted to be juxtaposed to Ser-64 (2). Individual point mutants (Q401A, H404A and C518A) and a double mutant (S64A/H404A) have been generated. cGMP or cAMP affinities (K(a)) of each mutant protein for phosphotransferase activation and allosteric (3H)cGMP-binding affinity (K(D)) of each mutant protein are significantly improved over those of wild-type (WT) PKGI-alpha. However, affinities (K(m)) of the mutant PKGs for peptide substrates or ATP are unaltered. Kinase activity ratio (-GMP/+cGMP) of H404A is greater than that for WT, Q401A, or C518A, and similar to that for S64A and S64A/H404A. These results reveal a unique mechanism whereby catalytic domain residues predicted to be spatially close to Ser-64 of the regulatory domain weaken the intrinsically high affinity of PKGI-alpha for cGMP and provide for autoinhibition of catalytic activity.

2-Arachidonoylglycerol is oxygenated by cyclooxygenase-2 to form prostaglandin glyceryl esters. Previous work in this laboratory has suggested that PGE(2)-G activates a novel G protein-coupled receptor in a murine macrophage-like cell line, RAW 264.7. To probe the structural determinants for the putative receptor in RAW 264.7 cells, a panel of 10 analogs was tested for their ability to increase intracellular calcium. These analogs included PGE(2)- and PGF(2alpha)-ethanolamide, 4 PGE(2) glyceryl ester analogs, and 4 PGF(2alpha) glyceryl ester analogs. The glyceryl ester analogs differed in the positioning of the hydroxyl groups in the glycerol moiety and the type of linker (ester, amide, or thioester) of the prostaglandin to the glycerol moiety. Compounds were also evaluated in a human non-small cell lung cancer cell line (H1819). The glycerol moiety was required for the calcium response. All glyceryl ester analogs but not ethanolamides caused a concentration-dependent increase in calcium levels in both RAW 264.7 and H1819 cells. An amide or ester linkage was preferable to a thioester linkage. The EC(50) values did not significantly change when the positioning of the hydroxyls was varied. This calcium response induced by the glyceryl ester analogs appears to be independent of the putative hydrolysis products, PGE(2) and PGF(2alpha), and appears to represent a novel signaling pathway.

Using small-angle x-ray scattering, we have observed the cGMP-induced elongation of an active, cGMP-dependent, monomeric deletion mutant of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (Δ 1–52 PKG-Iβ). On saturation with cGMP, the radius of gyration of Δ 1–52 PKG-Iβ increases from 29.4 ± 0.1 Å to 40.1 ± 0.7 Å, and the maximum linear dimension increases from 90 Å ± 10% to 130 Å ± 10%. The elongation is due to a change in the interaction between structured regulatory (R) and catalytic (C) domains. A model of cGMP binding to Δ 1–52 PKG-Iβ indicates that elongation of Δ 1–52 PKG-Iβ requires binding of cGMP to the low-affinity binding site of the R domain. A comparison with cAMP-dependent protein kinase suggests that both elongation and activation require cGMP binding to both sites; cGMP binding to the low-affinity site therefore seems to be a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for both elongation and activation of Δ 1–52 PKG-Iβ. We also predict that there is little or no cooperativity in cGMP binding to the two sites of Δ 1–52 PKG-Iβ under the conditions used here. Results obtained by using the Δ 1–52 PKG-Iβ monomer indicate that a previously observed elongation of PKG-Iα is consistent with a pure change in the interaction between the R domain and the C domain, without alteration of the dimerization interaction. This study has revealed important features of molecular mechanisms in the biochemical network describing PKG-Iβ activation by cGMP, yielding new insight into ligand activation of cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinases, a class of regulatory proteins that is key to many cellular processes.

Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) are autoinhibited through multiple interactions between their respective regulatory and catalytic domains. A large portion of this autoinhibition occurs through interactions between residues within the catalytic domain and those within either a substrate-like sequence (-RRXSX-) or pseudosubstrate sequence (-RRXAX-) in the regulatory domains. These contacts effectively inhibit catalysis by blocking substrate binding. Particularly important contacts involve the P-2, P-3, and P+1 residues where either serine, which is potentially autophosphorylated, or alanine occupies the P0 position. The primary sequence is apparently less important for autoinhibition in PKGs than in PKAs, and a conserved serine at P+2 in PKGs is important for autoinhibitory contacts. Elements outside the substrate-related sequences also contribute to autoinhibition in both PKA and PKG. For example, synthetic peptides with relatively short pseudosubstrate sequences are weak inhibitors; while heat-denatured RII subunit does not inhibit catalytic subunit, it is still rapidly autophosphorylated; and truncated PKGs lacking the substrate-like sequence are still partially autoinhibited. Thus, capacity for autoinhibition of PKA or PKG is provided by contacts involving direct interactions with the catalytic site and by contacts that stabilize an inactive conformation.