Structural basis for the selective incorporation of an artificial nucleotide opposite a DNA adduct by a DNA polymerase

The possibility to sequence cytotoxic O 6 -alkylG DNA adducts would greatly benefit research. Recently we reported a benzimidazole-derived nucleotide that is selectively incorporated opposite the damaged site by a mutated DNA polymerase. Here we provide the structural basis for this reaction which may spur future developments in DNA damage sequencing. The structural basis for selective incorporation of BenziMP opposite O 6 -MeG by KlenTaq DNA polymerase is elucidated by X-ray crystallography.