dUTPase activity is critical to maintain genetic stability in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
We identified a viable allele (dut1-1) of the DUT1 gene that encodes the dUTPase activity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The Dut1-1 protein possesses a single amino acid substitution (Gly82Ser) in a conserved motif nearby the active site and exhibits a greatly reduced dUTPase activity. The dut1-1 single mutant exhibits growth delay and cell cycle abnormalities and shows a strong spontaneous mutator phenotype. All phenotypes of the dut1-1 mutant are suppressed by the simultaneous inactivation of the uracil DNA N-glycosylase, Ung1. However, the ung1 dut1-1 double mutant accumulates uracil in its genomic DNA. The viability of the dut1-1 mutant is greatly impaired by the simultaneous inactivation of AP endonucleases. These data strongly suggest that the phenotypes of the dut1-1 mutant result from the incorporation of dUMPs into DNA subsequently converted into AP sites. The analysis of the dut1-1 strain mutation spectrum showed that cytosines are preferentially incorporated in front of AP sites in a Rev3-dependent manner during translesion synthesis. These results point to a critical role of the Dut1 protein in the maintenance of the genetic stability. Therefore, the normal cellular metabolism, and not only its byproducts, is an important source of endogenous DNA damage and genetic instability in eukaryotic cells.
Guillet
Marie
M
CEA, DSV Département de Radiobiologie et Radiopathologie, UMR 217 CNRS Radiobiologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, BP 6, 92265 Fontenay aux Roses, France. marie_guillet@dfci.harvard.edu
Van Der Kemp
Patricia Auffret
PA
Boiteux
Serge
S
D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D004249:DNA Damage; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D017353:Gene Deletion; D042822:Genomic Instability; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D011755:Pyrophosphatases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014498:Uracil / Q000378:metabolism
D004271:DNA, Fungal; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D014498:Uracil; D011755:Pyrophosphatases; C020020:dUTP pyrophosphatase