Sequence specificity of DNA cleavage by Micrococcus luteus gamma endonuclease

DNA fragments of defined sequence have been used to determine the sites of cleavage by gamma-endonuclease activity in extracts prepared from Micrococcus luteus. End-labeled DNA restriction fragments of pBR322 DNA that had been irradiated under nitrogen in the presence of potassium iodide or t-butanol were treated with M. luteus gamma endonuclease and analyzed on high resolution, denaturing, polyacrylamide gels. Gamma endonuclease was found to cleave irradiated DNA preferentially at the positions of cytosines and thymines. DNA cleavage occurred immediately to the 3' side of pyrimidines in irradiated DNA and resulted in fragments that terminate in a 5'-phosphoryl group. These studies indicate that both altered cytosines and thymines may be important DNA lesions requiring repair after exposure to gamma radiation.