A rescue act: Translesion DNA synthesis past N²-deoxyguanosine adducts

Genomic DNA is continually subjected to a number of chemical insults that result in the formation of modified nucleotides - termed as DNA lesions. The N²-atom of deoxyguanosine is particularly reactive and a number of chemicals react at this site to form different kinds of DNA adducts. The N²-deoxyguanosine adducts perturb different genomic processes and are particularly deleterious for DNA replication as they have a strong tendency to inhibit replicative DNA polymerases. Many organisms possess specialized dPols - generally classified in the Y-family - that serves to rescue replication stalled at N²-dG and other adducts. A review of minor groove N²-adducts and the known strategies utilized by Y-family dPols to replicate past these lesions will be presented here.