Facile enzymatic synthesis of base J-containing oligodeoxyribonucleotides and an analysis of the impact of base J on DNA replication in cells.

We reported here the use of T4 bacteriophage β-glucosyltransferase (T4 β-GT) for the facile synthesis of base J-containing oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ODNs). We found that the enzyme could catalyze the glucosylation of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-deoxyuridine (5hmU) in both single- and double-stranded ODNs, though the latter reaction occurred only when 5hmU was mispaired with a guanine. In addition, base J blocked moderately DNA replication, but it did not induce mutations during replication in human cells.