Intragenomic variability and extended sequence patterns in the mutational signature of ultraviolet light

Mutational signatures can reveal properties of underlying mutational processes and are important when assessing signals of selection in cancer. Here we describe the sequence characteristics of mutations induced by ultraviolet (UV) light, a major mutagen in several human cancers, in terms of extended (longer than trinucleotide) patterns as well as variability of the signature across chromatin states. Promoter regions display a distinct UV signature with reduced TCG>TTG transitions, and genome-wide mapping of UVB-induced DNA photoproducts (pyrimidine dimers) showed that this may be explained by decreased damage formation at hypomethylated promoter CpG sites. Further, an extended signature model encompassing additional information from longer patterns improves modeling of UV mutation rate, which may enhance discrimination between drivers and passenger events. Our study presents a refined picture of the UV signature and underscores that the characteristics of a single mutational process may vary across the genome.