Trans-lesion synthesis and RNaseH activity by reverse transcriptases on a true abasic RNA template.

ABSTRACT: While much is known about abasic DNA, the biological impact of abasic RNA is largely unexplored. To test the mutagenic potential of this RNA lesion in the context of retroviruses, we synthesized a 31-mer oligoribonucleotide containing an abasic (rAS) site and used it as a template for studying DNA primer extension by HIV-1, avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) and moloney murine leukemia virus (MMLV) reversed transcriptases (RT). We found that trans-lesion synthesis readily takes place with HIV-1 RT and to a lesser extent with AMV RT while MMLV RT aborts DNA synthesis. The preference of dNTP incorporation follows the order A approximately G > C approximately T and thus obeys to the 'A-rule'. In the case of HIV-1 RT, we measured the kinetic data of dNTP incorporation and compared it to abasic D

SUBMITTER: Kupfer PA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2175328 | biostudies-literature | 2007

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature