Active-site alkylation destabilizes human O6-alkylguanine DNA alkyltransferase

Joseph J. Rasimas, Paula A. Dalessio, Ira J. Ropson, Anthony E. Pegg, Michael G. Fried

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT) repairs pro-mutagenic O6-alkylguanine and O4-alkylthymine lesions in DNA. The alkylated form of the protein is not reactivated; instead, it is rapidly ubiquitinated and degraded. Here, we show that alkylation destabilizes the native fold of the protein by 0.5-1.2 kcal/mole and the DNA-binding function by 0.8-1.4 kcal/mole. On this basis, we propose that destabilization of the native conformational ensemble acts as a signal for ubiquitination.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)301-305
Number of pages5
JournalProtein Science
Volume13
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2004

Funding

FundersFunder number
National Childhood Cancer Registry – National Cancer InstituteR37CA018137
National Childhood Cancer Registry – National Cancer Institute

    Keywords

    • DNA binding
    • Denaturation
    • O -methylguanine-methyltransferase
    • O-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase
    • Protein-alkylation

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Biochemistry
    • Molecular Biology

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