Mechanism of somatic hypermutation at the WA motif by human DNA polymerase η

Somatic hypermutation is programmed base substitutions in the variable regions of Ig genes for high-affinity antibody generation. Two motifs, RGYW and WA (R, purine; Y, pyrimidine; W, A or T), have been found to be somatic hypermutation hotspots. Overwhelming evidence suggests that DNA polymerase eta (Pol eta) is responsible for converting the WA motif to WG by misincorporating dGTP opposite the templating T. To elucidate the molecular mechanism, crystal structures and kinetics of human Pol eta substituting dGTP for dATP in four sequence contexts, TA, AA, GA, and CA, have been determined and compared. The T: dGTP wobble base pair is stabilized by Gln-38 and Arg-61, two uniquely conserved residues among Pol eta. Weak base paring of the W (T:A or A:T) at the primer end and their distinct interactions with Pol eta lead to misincorporation of G in the WA motif. Between two WA motifs, our kinetic and structural data indicate that A-to-G mutation occurs more readily in the TA context than AA. Finally, Pol eta can extend the T:G mispair efficiently to complete the mutagenesis.