Catalytic DNAs That Harness
Violet Light To Repair
Thymine Dimers in a DNA Substrate
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Abstract
UV1C is an <i>in vitro</i> selected catalytic
DNA that
shows efficient photolyase activity, using light of <310 nm wavelength
to photo-reactivate CPD thymine dimers within a substrate DNA. We
show here that a minimal mutational strategy of substituting a guanine
analogue, 6MI, for single guanine residues within UV1C extends the
DNAzyme’s activity into the violet region of the spectrum.
These 6MI point mutant DNAzymes fall into three distinct functional
classes, which photo-reactivate the thymine dimer along different
pathways. Cumulatively, they reveal the <i>modus operandi</i> of the original UV1C DNAzyme to be a surprisingly versatile one.
The interchangeable properties of no less than six of the G→6MI
point mutants highlight UV1C’s built-in functional flexibility,
which may serve as a starting point for the creation of efficient,
visible light-harnessing, photolyase DNAzymes for either the prophylaxis
or therapy of UV damage to human skin