Cited by 414Cancer Genomics and DiagnosticsDNA Repair MechanismsCarcinogens and Genotoxicity Assessment

An APOBEC3A hypermutation signature is distinguishable from the signature of background mutagenesis by APOBEC3B in human cancers

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Chan, Kin, Roberts, Steven A, Klimczak, Leszek J, Sterling, Joan F, Saini, Natalie, Malc, Ewa P, Kim, Jaegil, Kwiatkowski, David J +4 more·2015·Nature Genetics

Abstract

Elucidation of mutagenic processes shaping cancer genomes is a fundamental problem whose solution promises insights into new treatment, diagnostic and prevention strategies. Single-strand DNA-specific APOBEC cytidine deaminase(s) are major source(s) of mutation in several cancer types. Previous indirect evidence implicated APOBEC3B as the more likely major mutator deaminase, whereas the role of APOBEC3A is not established. Using yeast models enabling the controlled generation of long single-strand genomic DNA substrates, we show that the mutation signatures of APOBEC3A and APOBEC3B are statistically distinguishable. We then apply three complementary approaches to identify cancer samples with mutation signatures resembling either APOBEC. Strikingly, APOBEC3A-like samples have over tenfold more APOBEC-signature mutations than APOBEC3B-like samples. We propose that APOBEC3A-mediated mutagenesis is much more frequent because APOBEC3A itself is highly proficient at generating DNA breaks, whose repair can trigger the formation of single-strand hypermutation substrates.

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  1. [47]Bellí G Garí E Piedrafita L Aldea M Herrero E An activator/repressor dual system allows tight tetracycline-regulated gene expression in budding yeast. Nucleic Acids Res 1998 26 942 947 9461451 PMC147371

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Authors
Chan, K., Roberts, S. A., Klimczak, L. J., Sterling, J. F., Saini, N., Malc, E. P., Kim, J., Kwiatkowski, D. J., Fargo, D. C., Mieczkowski, P. A., Getz, G., & Gordenin, D. A.
Affiliations
  • National Institutes of Health (US)
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
  • Broad Institute (US)
Corresponding author
Gordenin, Dmitry A
Venue
Nature Genetics
Published
2015-08-10
Volume
47
Issue
9
Pages
1067-1072
ISSN
  • 1061-4036 (ISSN-L)
  • 1546-1718
OpenAlex
W2204392137
Cited by
414
References
52
Citations by year
2026: 21 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 31 · 2023: 49 · 2022: 37 · 2021: 46 · 2020: 48 · 2019: 46 · 2018: 30 · 2017: 46 · 2016: 31 · 2015: 5
FWCI
12.35
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Genetics (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH) (Harvard University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (Z99-ES999999)
  • U.S. Public Health Service (Z1AES103266)
  • National Cancer Institute (U24CA143845, P01CA120964)
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (R01GM052319)
  • National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (K99ES024424, R00ES022633, ZIAES103266)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › DNA Repair Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Carcinogens and Genotoxicity Assessment
Keywords
APOBEC3A, APOBEC3B, cytosine deaminase, mutational signatures, hypermutation, single-stranded DNA, DNA strand breaks, DNA repair, cancer genomics, mutagenesis
MeSH terms
Base Sequence, Cytidine Deaminase, DNA Mutational Analysis, Humans, Mutation, Neoplasms, Proteins, Minor Histocompatibility Antigens, Mutagenesis, DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded

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