Department of Molecular Biology

Full text. The majority of our studies are centered on (i) mechanisms of mutagenesis and DNA repair (including MFD) in Escherichia coli, M13, and lambda phages; (ii) inhibitory and miscoding properties of modified bases in DNA; (iii) synthesis and properties of pyrimidine nucleosides and nucleotide analogues with potential anti-tumor, anti-virus and anti-parasite activities, including their conformation and substrate/inhibitor properties in some enzyme systems of relevance to chemotherapy; (iv) molecular mechanisms of PUVA (psoralen + UVA) treatment in psoriasis photo-chemotherapy in particular its action on cell membrane; (v) specificity and methods for assays of N-alkyl-purine DNA glycosylase. The spectrum of mutagens tested includes: MMS, DMS, ultraviolet or halogen light and hydroxyl radicals. The enzymes and repair systems investigated include: DNA polymerases and the proofreading activity of DNA pol III, UvrABC-endonuclease, mismatch repair system, and methyl DNA glycosylases. Much attention is focussed on the role of UmuDC proteins in mutagenesis (dependent and independent on DNA replication) and DNA repair, and on the effect of the Tn10 transposon on the survival and mutation frequency of halogen light irradiated bacteria. A new class of nucleosides containing C(2)-hydroxymethyl-ribose (hamamelose) was synthesized, and it was found that uracil and 5-fluorouracil derivatives show a significant antitumor activity. It was found that 2CDA (2-deoxy-2-chloro-adenosine) an anti-lymphoid drug does not induce mutations, when incorporated into DNA, but significantly inhibits DNA replication. In studies with oxidized M13 DNA it was found that Fapy- (formamidopyrimidine)-residues in DNA selectively inhibits DNA synthesis, and the effect depends on the neighboring sequences and the DNA polymerase tested. Highly unstable derivatives of lecithin-psoralen adducts were characterized and their role in PUVA photochemotherapy is being studied. (author)