Pol μ dGTP mismatch insertion opposite T coupled with ligation reveals promutagenic DNA repair intermediate

Incorporation of mismatched nucleotides during DNA replication or repair leads to transition or transversion mutations and is considered as a predominant source of base substitution mutagenesis in cancer cells. Watson-Crick like dG:dT base pairing is considered to be an important source of genome instability. Here we show that DNA polymerase (pol) μ insertion of 7,8-dihydro-8′-oxo-dGTP (8-oxodGTP) or deoxyguanosine triphosphate (dGTP) into a model double-strand break DNA repair substrate with template base T results in efficient ligation by DNA ligase. These results indicate that pol μ-mediated dGTP mismatch insertion opposite template base T coupled with ligation could be a feature of mutation prone nonhomologous end joining during double-strand break repair. Incorporation of mismatched nucleotides during DNA replication or repair can lead to mutagenesis. Here the authors reveal that DNA ligase can ligate NHEJ intermediates following incorporation of 8-oxodGTP or dGTP opposite T by DNA Polymerase mu (Pol mu) in vitro, which suggests that Pol mu could cause promutagenic mismatches during DSB repair.