Processing of clustered DNA damage sites which consist of 8-oxoG and DHT in

Shikazono, Naoya; Pearson, C.*; Thacker, J.*; O'Neill, P.*

Clustered DNA damage induced by a single radiation track is a unique feature of ionizing radiation. Recent in vitro studies have shown that the repair of lesions within clusters may be retarded, but less is known about the processing and the mutagenic effects of such clustered damage in vivo. Using a plasmid-based assay in Escherichia coli, we have investigated the mutagenic potential of bistranded clustered damage sites which consist of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoG) and dihydrothymine (DHT) at defined separations. We found a significantly higher mutation frequency for the clustered DHT + 8-oxoG lesions than that for either a single 8-oxoG or a single DHT in wild-type and in glycosylase-deficient strains of . Similar results were obtained with the 8-oxoG + AP cluster. To gain further insights on the processing of the DHT + 8-oxoG cluster, several potential intermediates were assessed. It was found that AP + AP and Gap + AP clusters strongly retard replication. These results led us to suggest that the base remaining within the cluster after removal of one of the base damage will not be further converted to an AP site or to a single strand break .