Enzyme-DNA biocolloids for DNA adduct and reactive metabolite detection by chromatography-mass spectrometry

Silica microbead bioreactors (0.5 microm diameter) coated with DNA and enzymes were fabricated to measure reactive metabolite and DNA-adduct formation rates relevant to genotoxicity screening. Cytochrome (cyt) P450 2E1, cyt P450(cam), and myoglobin (Mb) were incorporated into thin films with DNA using the electrostatic layer-by-layer (LbL) method. The utility of these biocolloids was demonstrated by oxidation of guaiacol, styrene, and (4-methylnitrosoamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK). Enzyme turnover rates for formation of reactive metabolites were monitored using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Capillary LC-MS/MS was employed to determine DNA nucleobase adducts after catalyzing the reactive metabolite formation with DNA-enzyme biocolloids and then using neutral thermal hydrolysis on the biocolloids. Dramatic improvements in surface area to volume ratio over similar films on macroscopic surfaces opens new avenues for genotoxicity screening and enabled the first use of pure cyt P450 enzymes in enzyme-DNA films to produce DNA adducts. The method makes possible identification and formation rate measurements of major and minor DNA adducts as well as the metabolites themselves in <5 min of reaction time using relevant human liver enzymes.