Uracil-DNA Glycosylase Assay by Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry Analysis

Uracil-DNA glycosylase (UDG) is a key component in the base excision repair pathway for the correction of uracil formed from hydrolytic deamination of cytosine. Thus, it is crucial for genome integrity maintenance. A highly specific, non-labeled, non-radioisotopic method was developed to measure UDG activity. A synthetic DNA duplex containing a site-specific uracil was cleaved by UDG and then subjected to Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis. A protocol was established to preserve the apurinic/apyrimidinic site (AP) product in DNA without strand break. The change in the m/z value from the substrate to the product was used to evaluate uracil hydrolysis by UDG. A G:U substrate was used for UDG kinetic analysis yielding the K-m = 50 nM, V-max = 0.98 nM/s, and K-cat = 9.31 s(-1). Application of this method to a uracil glycosylase inhibitor (UGI) assay yielded an IC50 value of 7.6 pM. The UDG specificity using uracil at various positions within single-stranded and double-stranded DNA substrates demonstrated different cleavage efficiencies. Thus, this simple, rapid, and versatile MALDI-TOF MS method could be an excellent reference method for various monofunctional DNA glycosylases. It also has the potential as a tool for DNA glycosylase inhibitor screening.