DNA binding activity of the mammalian translation elongation complex: recognition of chromium- and transplatin-damaged DNA

Abstract

The elongation factor complex, EF-1H, serves an essential function in protein biosynthesis in eukaryotic cells, although the role of EF-1H in other physiological processes is unknown. In this report, we demonstrate that three components of EF-1H (EF-1β, EF-1δ, and EF-1γ) bind to DNA modified with chromium (Cr), a potent DNA-damaging agent and an established human carcinogen. The EF-1H complex also binds to transplatin modified DNA but not to cisplatin-modified DNA. These results demonstrate that the EF-1H complex has functional DNA binding activity and is capable of recognizing the distortions in DNA structure resulting from the covalent binding of Cr and transplatin to DNA.