Oxidation of phosphorothioate DNA modifications leads to lethal genomic instability

Genomic modification by sulfur in the form of phosphorothioate (PT) is widespread among prokaryotes, including human pathogens. Apart from its physiological functions, PT sulfur has redox and nucleophilic properties that suggest effects on bacterial fitness in stressful environments. Here we show that PTs are dynamic and labile DNA modifications that cause genomic instability during oxidative stress. In experiments involving isotopic labeling coupled with mass spectrometry, we observed sulfur replacement in PTs at a rate of ∼2% h^-1 in unstressed Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica. Whereas PT levels were unaffected by exposure to hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) or hypochlorous acid (HOCl), PT turnover increased to 3.8-10% h^-1 after HOCl treatment and was unchanged by H₂O₂, consistent with the repair of HOCl-induced sulfur damage. PT-dependent sensitivity to HOCl extended to cytotoxicity and DNA strand breaks, which occurred at HOCl doses that were orders of magnitude lower than the corresponding doses of H₂O₂. The genotoxicity of HOCl in PT-containing bacteria suggests reduced fitness in competition with HOCl-producing organisms and during infections in humans.