Newly discovered human DNA polymerase (pol)
![](/images/gifchars/eta.gif)
and
![](/images/gifchars/kappa.gif)
are highly expressed in thereproductive organs, such as testis, ovary, and uterus, where steroid hormones are produced. Becausetreatment with estrogen increases the risk of developing breast, ovary, and endometrial cancers, miscodingevents occurring at model estrogen-derived DNA adducts were explored using pol
![](/images/gifchars/eta.gif)
and a truncated formof human pol
![](/images/gifchars/kappa.gif)
(pol
![](/images/gifchars/kappa.gif)
![](/images/gifchars/Delta.gif)
C). These enzymes bypassed
N2-[3-methoxyestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-6-yl]-2'-deoxyguanosine (dG-
N2-3MeE) and
N6-[3-methoxyestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-6-yl]-2'-deoxyadenosine (dA-
N6-3MeE), which were embedded in site-specifically modified oligodeoxynucleotide templates. Quantitativeanalysis of base substitutions and deletions occurring at the lesion site showed that pol
![](/images/gifchars/kappa.gif)
![](/images/gifchars/Delta.gif)
C was moreefficient at incorporating dCMP opposite the dG-
N2-3MeE lesion than pol
![](/images/gifchars/eta.gif)
. Surprisingly, the frequencyof translesion synthesis beyond the dC
![](/images/entities/bull.gif)
dG-
N2-3MeE pair was 13% of the normal dC
![](/images/entities/bull.gif)
dG pair and was 4and 6 orders of magnitude higher than that of dC
![](/images/entities/bull.gif)
(+)-
trans-dG-
N2-benzo[
a]pyrene and dC
![](/images/entities/bull.gif)
dG-C8-acetylaminofluorene pairs, respectively, suggesting that dG-
N2-3MeE is a natural substrate for pol
![](/images/gifchars/kappa.gif)
. Incontrast, the bypass frequency beyond the dT
![](/images/entities/bull.gif)
dA-
N6-3MeE pair was 7 orders of magnitude less than thatfor the normal dT
![](/images/entities/bull.gif)
dA pair. dA-
N6-3MeE is a more miscoding lesion than dG-
N2-3MeE. Pol
![](/images/gifchars/eta.gif)
promotedincorporation of dAMP and dCMP at the dA-
N6-3MeE lesion, while with pol
![](/images/gifchars/kappa.gif)
![](/images/gifchars/Delta.gif)
C, deletions were morefrequently observed, along with incorporation of dAMP and dCMP opposite the lesion. These observationswere also supported by steady-state kinetic studies. When taken together, the properties of pol
![](/images/gifchars/eta.gif)
and
![](/images/gifchars/kappa.gif)
are consistent with the mutagenic events attributed to estrogen-derived DNA adducts.