title: Immunochemical detection of sequence-specific modifications to DNA induced by UV light.
abstract: Sequence specificity of antibodies to UV-damaged DNA has not been described previously. The antisera investigated here were specific for UV-modified DNA and were absolutely dependent upon the presence of thymine residues. Using a series of oligonucleotides in competition ELISA, increased inhibition was observed with increasing chain length of UV-polythymidylate. A minimum of three adjacent thymines was required for effective inhibition; alone, dimers of thymine were poor antigens. Although UV-irradiated poly(dC) was not antigenic, cytosines could partially replace thymines within the smallest effective epitope (T-T-T) with a high degree of sequence specificity, not previously described. The main epitope induced by UV was formed from adjacent thymines and either a 3' or a 5' pyrimidine.
authors.affiliation: Division of Chemical Pathology, Centre for Mechanisms of Human Toxicity, University of Leicester, UK.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Herbert
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mistry
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lunec
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004247:DNA / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004249:DNA Damage; D000939:Epitopes; D007120:Immunochemistry; D011071:Poly T / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000528:radiation effects; D011817:Rabbits; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D011071:Poly T; D004247:DNA