5-Formylcytosine mediated DNA-peptide cross-link induces predominantly semi-targeted mutations in both Escherichia coli and human cells.

Histone proteins can become trapped on DNA in the presence of 5-formylcytosine (5fC) to form toxic DNA-protein conjugates. Their repair may involve proteolytic digestion resulting in DNA-peptide cross-links (DpCs). Here, we have investigated replication of a model DpC comprised of an 11-mer peptide (NH-GGGKGLGK∗GGA) containing an oxy-lysine residue (K∗) conjugated to 5fC in DNA.