1
|
Rastokina A, Cebrián J, Mozafari N, Mandel NH, Smith CI, Lopes M, Zain R, Mirkin S. Large-scale expansions of Friedreich's ataxia GAA•TTC repeats in an experimental human system: role of DNA replication and prevention by LNA-DNA oligonucleotides and PNA oligomers. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:8532-8549. [PMID: 37216608 PMCID: PMC10484681 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is caused by expansions of GAA•TTC repeats in the first intron of the human FXN gene that occur during both intergenerational transmissions and in somatic cells. Here we describe an experimental system to analyze large-scale repeat expansions in cultured human cells. It employs a shuttle plasmid that can replicate from the SV40 origin in human cells or be stably maintained in S. cerevisiae utilizing ARS4-CEN6. It also contains a selectable cassette allowing us to detect repeat expansions that accumulated in human cells upon plasmid transformation into yeast. We indeed observed massive expansions of GAA•TTC repeats, making it the first genetically tractable experimental system to study large-scale repeat expansions in human cells. Further, GAA•TTC repeats stall replication fork progression, while the frequency of repeat expansions appears to depend on proteins implicated in replication fork stalling, reversal, and restart. Locked nucleic acid (LNA)-DNA mixmer oligonucleotides and peptide nucleic acid (PNA) oligomers, which interfere with triplex formation at GAA•TTC repeats in vitro, prevented the expansion of these repeats in human cells. We hypothesize, therefore, that triplex formation by GAA•TTC repeats stall replication fork progression, ultimately leading to repeat expansions during replication fork restart.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jorge Cebrián
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Negin Mozafari
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Translational Research Center Karolinska (TRACK), Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - C I Edvard Smith
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Translational Research Center Karolinska (TRACK), Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Massimo Lopes
- Institute of Molecular Cancer Research, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Rula Zain
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Translational Research Center Karolinska (TRACK), Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Rare Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sergei M Mirkin
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Verbiest M, Maksimov M, Jin Y, Anisimova M, Gymrek M, Bilgin Sonay T. Mutation and selection processes regulating short tandem repeats give rise to genetic and phenotypic diversity across species. J Evol Biol 2023; 36:321-336. [PMID: 36289560 PMCID: PMC9990875 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Short tandem repeats (STRs) are units of 1-6 bp that repeat in a tandem fashion in DNA. Along with single nucleotide polymorphisms and large structural variations, they are among the major genomic variants underlying genetic, and likely phenotypic, divergence. STRs experience mutation rates that are orders of magnitude higher than other well-studied genotypic variants. Frequent copy number changes result in a wide range of alleles, and provide unique opportunities for modulating complex phenotypes through variation in repeat length. While classical studies have identified key roles of individual STR loci, the advent of improved sequencing technology, high-quality genome assemblies for diverse species, and bioinformatics methods for genome-wide STR analysis now enable more systematic study of STR variation across wide evolutionary ranges. In this review, we explore mutation and selection processes that affect STR copy number evolution, and how these processes give rise to varying STR patterns both within and across species. Finally, we review recent examples of functional and adaptive changes linked to STRs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Max Verbiest
- Institute of Computational Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Facility ManagementZürich University of Applied SciencesWädenswilSwitzerland
- Department of Molecular Life SciencesUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Swiss Institute of BioinformaticsLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Mikhail Maksimov
- Department of Computer Science & EngineeringUniversity of California San DiegoLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
- Department of MedicineUniversity of California San DiegoLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Ye Jin
- Department of MedicineUniversity of California San DiegoLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
- Department of BioengineeringUniversity of California San DiegoLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Maria Anisimova
- Institute of Computational Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Facility ManagementZürich University of Applied SciencesWädenswilSwitzerland
- Swiss Institute of BioinformaticsLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Melissa Gymrek
- Department of Computer Science & EngineeringUniversity of California San DiegoLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
- Department of MedicineUniversity of California San DiegoLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Tugce Bilgin Sonay
- Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental BiologyColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Masnovo C, Lobo AF, Mirkin SM. Replication dependent and independent mechanisms of GAA repeat instability. DNA Repair (Amst) 2022; 118:103385. [PMID: 35952488 PMCID: PMC9675320 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2022.103385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Trinucleotide repeat instability is a driver of human disease. Large expansions of (GAA)n repeats in the first intron of the FXN gene are the cause Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA), a progressive degenerative disorder which cannot yet be prevented or treated. (GAA)n repeat instability arises during both replication-dependent processes, such as cell division and intergenerational transmission, as well as in terminally differentiated somatic tissues. Here, we provide a brief historical overview on the discovery of (GAA)n repeat expansions and their association to FRDA, followed by recent advances in the identification of triplex H-DNA formation and replication fork stalling. The main body of this review focuses on the last decade of progress in understanding the mechanism of (GAA)n repeat instability during DNA replication and/or DNA repair. We propose that the discovery of additional mechanisms of (GAA)n repeat instability can be achieved via both comparative approaches to other repeat expansion diseases and genome-wide association studies. Finally, we discuss the advances towards FRDA prevention or amelioration that specifically target (GAA)n repeat expansions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Masnovo
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Ayesha F Lobo
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Sergei M Mirkin
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Osia B, Twarowski J, Jackson T, Lobachev K, Liu L, Malkova A. Migrating bubble synthesis promotes mutagenesis through lesions in its template. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:6870-6889. [PMID: 35748867 PMCID: PMC9262586 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Break-induced replication (BIR) proceeds via a migrating D-loop for hundreds of kilobases and is highly mutagenic. Previous studies identified long single-stranded (ss) nascent DNA that accumulates during leading strand synthesis to be a target for DNA damage and a primary source of BIR-induced mutagenesis. Here, we describe a new important source of mutagenic ssDNA formed during BIR: the ssDNA template for leading strand BIR synthesis formed during D-loop migration. Specifically, we demonstrate that this D-loop bottom template strand (D-BTS) is susceptible to APOBEC3A (A3A)-induced DNA lesions leading to mutations associated with BIR. Also, we demonstrate that BIR-associated ssDNA promotes an additional type of genetic instability: replication slippage between microhomologies stimulated by inverted DNA repeats. Based on our results we propose that these events are stimulated by both known sources of ssDNA formed during BIR, nascent DNA formed by leading strand synthesis, and the D-BTS that we describe here. Together we report a new source of mutagenesis during BIR that may also be shared by other homologous recombination pathways driven by D-loop repair synthesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tyler Jackson
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52245, USA,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Kirill Lobachev
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GE 30332, USA
| | - Liping Liu
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52245, USA
| | - Anna Malkova
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +1 319 384 1285;
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Radchenko EA, Aksenova AY, Volkov KV, Shishkin AA, Pavlov YI, Mirkin SM. Partners in crime: Tbf1 and Vid22 promote expansions of long human telomeric repeats at an interstitial chromosome position in yeast. PNAS NEXUS 2022; 1:pgac080. [PMID: 35832866 PMCID: PMC9272169 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
In humans, telomeric repeats (TTAGGG)n are known to be present at internal chromosomal sites. These interstitial telomeric sequences (ITSs) are an important source of genomic instability, including repeat length polymorphism, but the molecular mechanisms responsible for this instability remain to be understood. Here, we studied the mechanisms responsible for expansions of human telomeric (Htel) repeats that were artificially inserted inside a yeast chromosome. We found that Htel repeats in an interstitial chromosome position are prone to expansions. The propensity of Htel repeats to expand depends on the presence of a complex of two yeast proteins: Tbf1 and Vid22. These two proteins are physically bound to an interstitial Htel repeat, and together they slow replication fork progression through it. We propose that slow progression of the replication fork through the protein complex formed by the Tbf1 and Vid22 partners at the Htel repeat cause DNA strand slippage, ultimately resulting in repeat expansions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kirill V Volkov
- Laboratory of Amyloid Biology, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russia
| | | | - Youri I Pavlov
- Eppley Institute for Research In Cancer and Allied Diseases, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Gold MA, Whalen JM, Freon K, Hong Z, Iraqui I, Lambert SAE, Freudenreich CH. Restarted replication forks are error-prone and cause CAG repeat expansions and contractions. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009863. [PMID: 34673780 PMCID: PMC8562783 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Disease-associated trinucleotide repeats form secondary DNA structures that interfere with replication and repair. Replication has been implicated as a mechanism that can cause repeat expansions and contractions. However, because structure-forming repeats are also replication barriers, it has been unclear whether the instability occurs due to slippage during normal replication progression through the repeat, slippage or misalignment at a replication stall caused by the repeat, or during subsequent replication of the repeat by a restarted fork that has altered properties. In this study, we have specifically addressed the fidelity of a restarted fork as it replicates through a CAG/CTG repeat tract and its effect on repeat instability. To do this, we used a well-characterized site-specific replication fork barrier (RFB) system in fission yeast that creates an inducible and highly efficient stall that is known to restart by recombination-dependent replication (RDR), in combination with long CAG repeat tracts inserted at various distances and orientations with respect to the RFB. We find that replication by the restarted fork exhibits low fidelity through repeat sequences placed 2–7 kb from the RFB, exhibiting elevated levels of Rad52- and Rad8ScRad5/HsHLTF-dependent instability. CAG expansions and contractions are not elevated to the same degree when the tract is just in front or behind the barrier, suggesting that the long-traveling Polδ-Polδ restarted fork, rather than fork reversal or initial D-loop synthesis through the repeat during stalling and restart, is the greatest source of repeat instability. The switch in replication direction that occurs due to replication from a converging fork while the stalled fork is held at the barrier is also a significant contributor to the repeat instability profile. Our results shed light on a long-standing question of how fork stalling and RDR contribute to expansions and contractions of structure-forming trinucleotide repeats, and reveal that tolerance to replication stress by fork restart comes at the cost of increased instability of repetitive sequences. Trinucleotide repeat expansions are the cause of several muscular- and neuro-degenerative diseases, and further expansions during intergenerational inheritance often leads to an earlier age-of-onset in the offspring. Some intergenerational expansions appear to occur during germ cell replication, but how those replication-associated expansions arise is incompletely understood. Because there are many replication barriers in genomes, including the structure-forming repeats themselves, we investigated whether a repeat placed after such a barrier had altered instability. We discovered that a restarted replication fork traversing a CAG repeat tract is highly error prone and repeat expansions and contractions are more prevalent in this case compared to normal replication. These results reveal a mechanism for replication-associated repeat instability relevant to disease-associated trinucleotide repeat expansions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michaela A. Gold
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jenna M. Whalen
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Karine Freon
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
| | - Zixin Hong
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Ismail Iraqui
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
| | - Sarah A. E. Lambert
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
- Equipes Labélisées Ligue Nationale Contre Le Cancer, Orsay, France
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Brown RE, Freudenreich CH. Structure-forming repeats and their impact on genome stability. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2020; 67:41-51. [PMID: 33279816 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2020.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Repetitive sequences throughout the genome are a major source of endogenous DNA damage, due to the propensity of many of them to form alternative non-B DNA structures that can interfere with replication, transcription, and DNA repair. These repetitive sequences are prone to breakage (fragility) and instability (changes in repeat number). Repeat fragility and expansions are linked to several diseases, including many cancers and neurodegenerative diseases, hence the importance of understanding the mechanisms that cause genome instability and contribute to these diseases. This review focuses on recent findings of mechanisms causing repeat fragility and instability, new associations between repeat expansions and genetic diseases, and potential therapeutic options to target repeat expansions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E Brown
- Program in Genetics, Tufts University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Catherine H Freudenreich
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA; Program in Genetics, Tufts University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Gadgil RY, Romer EJ, Goodman CC, Rider SD, Damewood FJ, Barthelemy JR, Shin-Ya K, Hanenberg H, Leffak M. Replication stress at microsatellites causes DNA double-strand breaks and break-induced replication. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:15378-15397. [PMID: 32873711 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.013495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 08/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Short tandemly repeated DNA sequences, termed microsatellites, are abundant in the human genome. These microsatellites exhibit length instability and susceptibility to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) due to their tendency to form stable non-B DNA structures. Replication-dependent microsatellite DSBs are linked to genome instability signatures in human developmental diseases and cancers. To probe the causes and consequences of microsatellite DSBs, we designed a dual-fluorescence reporter system to detect DSBs at expanded (CTG/CAG) n and polypurine/polypyrimidine (Pu/Py) mirror repeat structures alongside the c-myc replication origin integrated at a single ectopic chromosomal site. Restriction cleavage near the (CTG/CAG)100 microsatellite leads to homology-directed single-strand annealing between flanking AluY elements and reporter gene deletion that can be detected by flow cytometry. However, in the absence of restriction cleavage, endogenous and exogenous replication stressors induce DSBs at the (CTG/CAG)100 and Pu/Py microsatellites. DSBs map to a narrow region at the downstream edge of the (CTG)100 lagging-strand template. (CTG/CAG) n chromosome fragility is repeat length-dependent, whereas instability at the (Pu/Py) microsatellites depends on replication polarity. Strikingly, restriction-generated DSBs and replication-dependent DSBs are not repaired by the same mechanism. Knockdown of DNA damage response proteins increases (Rad18, polymerase (Pol) η, Pol κ) or decreases (Mus81) the sensitivity of the (CTG/CAG)100 microsatellites to replication stress. Replication stress and DSBs at the ectopic (CTG/CAG)100 microsatellite lead to break-induced replication and high-frequency mutagenesis at a flanking thymidine kinase gene. Our results show that non-B structure-prone microsatellites are susceptible to replication-dependent DSBs that cause genome instability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rujuta Yashodhan Gadgil
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, USA
| | - Eric J Romer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, USA
| | - Caitlin C Goodman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, USA
| | - S Dean Rider
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, USA
| | - French J Damewood
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, USA
| | - Joanna R Barthelemy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, USA
| | - Kazuo Shin-Ya
- Biomedical Information Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Helmut Hanenberg
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head/Neck Surgery, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Department of Pediatrics III, University Children's Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Michael Leffak
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Structures and stability of simple DNA repeats from bacteria. Biochem J 2020; 477:325-339. [PMID: 31967649 PMCID: PMC7015867 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20190703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
DNA is a fundamentally important molecule for all cellular organisms due to its biological role as the store of hereditary, genetic information. On the one hand, genomic DNA is very stable, both in chemical and biological contexts, and this assists its genetic functions. On the other hand, it is also a dynamic molecule, and constant changes in its structure and sequence drive many biological processes, including adaptation and evolution of organisms. DNA genomes contain significant amounts of repetitive sequences, which have divergent functions in the complex processes that involve DNA, including replication, recombination, repair, and transcription. Through their involvement in these processes, repetitive DNA sequences influence the genetic instability and evolution of DNA molecules and they are located non-randomly in all genomes. Mechanisms that influence such genetic instability have been studied in many organisms, including within human genomes where they are linked to various human diseases. Here, we review our understanding of short, simple DNA repeats across a diverse range of bacteria, comparing the prevalence of repetitive DNA sequences in different genomes. We describe the range of DNA structures that have been observed in such repeats, focusing on their propensity to form local, non-B-DNA structures. Finally, we discuss the biological significance of such unusual DNA structures and relate this to studies where the impacts of DNA metabolism on genetic stability are linked to human diseases. Overall, we show that simple DNA repeats in bacteria serve as excellent and tractable experimental models for biochemical studies of their cellular functions and influences.
Collapse
|
10
|
Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Flower
- University College London (UCL) Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and Dementia Research Centre at UCL, London, UK
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- University College London (UCL) Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and Dementia Research Centre at UCL, London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Khristich AN, Mirkin SM. On the wrong DNA track: Molecular mechanisms of repeat-mediated genome instability. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:4134-4170. [PMID: 32060097 PMCID: PMC7105313 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.rev119.007678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Expansions of simple tandem repeats are responsible for almost 50 human diseases, the majority of which are severe, degenerative, and not currently treatable or preventable. In this review, we first describe the molecular mechanisms of repeat-induced toxicity, which is the connecting link between repeat expansions and pathology. We then survey alternative DNA structures that are formed by expandable repeats and review the evidence that formation of these structures is at the core of repeat instability. Next, we describe the consequences of the presence of long structure-forming repeats at the molecular level: somatic and intergenerational instability, fragility, and repeat-induced mutagenesis. We discuss the reasons for gender bias in intergenerational repeat instability and the tissue specificity of somatic repeat instability. We also review the known pathways in which DNA replication, transcription, DNA repair, and chromatin state interact and thereby promote repeat instability. We then discuss possible reasons for the persistence of disease-causing DNA repeats in the genome. We describe evidence suggesting that these repeats are a payoff for the advantages of having abundant simple-sequence repeats for eukaryotic genome function and evolvability. Finally, we discuss two unresolved fundamental questions: (i) why does repeat behavior differ between model systems and human pedigrees, and (ii) can we use current knowledge on repeat instability mechanisms to cure repeat expansion diseases?
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sergei M Mirkin
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Human MutLγ, the MLH1-MLH3 heterodimer, is an endonuclease that promotes DNA expansion. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:3535-3542. [PMID: 32015124 PMCID: PMC7035508 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1914718117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
MutL proteins are ubiquitous and play important roles in DNA metabolism. MutLγ (MLH1-MLH3 heterodimer) is a poorly understood member of the eukaryotic family of MutL proteins that has been implicated in triplet repeat expansion, but its action in this deleterious process has remained unknown. In humans, triplet repeat expansion is the molecular basis for ∼40 neurological disorders. In addition to MutLγ, triplet repeat expansion involves the mismatch recognition factor MutSβ (MSH2-MSH3 heterodimer). We show here that human MutLγ is an endonuclease that nicks DNA. Strikingly, incision of covalently closed, relaxed loop-containing DNA by human MutLγ is promoted by MutSβ and targeted to the strand opposite the loop. The resulting strand break licenses downstream events that lead to a DNA expansion event in human cell extracts. Our data imply that the mammalian MutLγ is a unique endonuclease that can initiate triplet repeat DNA expansions.
Collapse
|
13
|
Defects in the GINS complex increase the instability of repetitive sequences via a recombination-dependent mechanism. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008494. [PMID: 31815930 PMCID: PMC6922473 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Faithful replication and repair of DNA lesions ensure genome maintenance. During replication in eukaryotic cells, DNA is unwound by the CMG helicase complex, which is composed of three major components: the Cdc45 protein, Mcm2-7, and the GINS complex. The CMG in complex with DNA polymerase epsilon (CMG-E) participates in the establishment and progression of the replisome. Impaired functioning of the CMG-E was shown to induce genomic instability and promote the development of various diseases. Therefore, CMG-E components play important roles as caretakers of the genome. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the GINS complex is composed of the Psf1, Psf2, Psf3, and Sld5 essential subunits. The Psf1-1 mutant form fails to interact with Psf3, resulting in impaired replisome assembly and chromosome replication. Here, we show increased instability of repeat tracts (mononucleotide, dinucleotide, trinucleotide and longer) in yeast psf1-1 mutants. To identify the mechanisms underlying this effect, we analyzed repeated sequence instability using derivatives of psf1-1 strains lacking genes involved in translesion synthesis, recombination, or mismatch repair. Among these derivatives, deletion of RAD52, RAD51, MMS2, POL32, or PIF1 significantly decreased DNA repeat instability. These results, together with the observed increased amounts of single-stranded DNA regions and Rfa1 foci suggest that recombinational mechanisms make important contributions to repeat tract instability in psf1-1 cells. We propose that defective functioning of the CMG-E complex in psf1-1 cells impairs the progression of DNA replication what increases the contribution of repair mechanisms such as template switch and break-induced replication. These processes require sequence homology search which in case of a repeated DNA tract may result in misalignment leading to its expansion or contraction. Processes that ensure genome stability are crucial for all organisms to avoid mutations and decrease the risk of diseases. The coordinated activity of mechanisms underlying the maintenance of high-fidelity DNA duplication and repair is critical to deal with the malfunction of replication forks or DNA damage. Repeated sequences in DNA are particularly prone to instability; these sequences undergo expansions or contractions, leading in humans to various neurological, neurodegenerative, and neuromuscular disorders. A mutant form of one of the noncatalytic subunits of active DNA helicase complex impairs DNA replication. Here, we show that this form also significantly increases the instability of mononucleotide, dinucleotide, trinucleotide and longer repeat tracts. Our results suggest that in cells that harbor a mutated variant of the helicase complex, continuation of DNA replication is facilitated by recombination processes, and this mechanism can be highly mutagenic during repair synthesis through repetitive regions, especially regions that form secondary structures. Our results indicate that proper functioning of the DNA helicase complex is crucial for maintenance of the stability of repeated DNA sequences, especially in the context of recently described disorders in which mutations or deregulation of the human homologs of genes encoding DNA helicase subunits were observed.
Collapse
|
14
|
Nutter CA, Bubenik JL, Oliveira R, Ivankovic F, Sznajder ŁJ, Kidd BM, Pinto BS, Otero BA, Carter HA, Vitriol EA, Wang ET, Swanson MS. Cell-type-specific dysregulation of RNA alternative splicing in short tandem repeat mouse knockin models of myotonic dystrophy. Genes Dev 2019; 33:1635-1640. [PMID: 31624084 PMCID: PMC6942047 DOI: 10.1101/gad.328963.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Short tandem repeats (STRs) are prone to expansion mutations that cause multiple hereditary neurological and neuromuscular diseases. To study pathomechanisms using mouse models that recapitulate the tissue specificity and developmental timing of an STR expansion gene, we used rolling circle amplification and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing to generate Dmpk CTG expansion (CTGexp) knockin models of myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). We demonstrate that skeletal muscle myoblasts and brain choroid plexus epithelial cells are particularly susceptible to Dmpk CTGexp mutations and RNA missplicing. Our results implicate dysregulation of muscle regeneration and cerebrospinal fluid homeostasis as early pathogenic events in DM1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Curtis A Nutter
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics and the Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA
| | - Jodi L Bubenik
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics and the Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA
| | - Ruan Oliveira
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics and the Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA
| | - Franjo Ivankovic
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics and the Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA
| | - Łukasz J Sznajder
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics and the Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA
| | - Benjamin M Kidd
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics and the Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA
| | - Belinda S Pinto
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics and the Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA
| | - Brittney A Otero
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics and the Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA
| | - Helmut A Carter
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics and the Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA
| | - Eric A Vitriol
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA
| | - Eric T Wang
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics and the Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA
| | - Maurice S Swanson
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics and the Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Tiwari V, Wilson DM. DNA Damage and Associated DNA Repair Defects in Disease and Premature Aging. Am J Hum Genet 2019; 105:237-257. [PMID: 31374202 PMCID: PMC6693886 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2019.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic information is constantly being attacked by intrinsic and extrinsic damaging agents, such as reactive oxygen species, atmospheric radiation, environmental chemicals, and chemotherapeutics. If DNA modifications persist, they can adversely affect the polymerization of DNA or RNA, leading to replication fork collapse or transcription arrest, or can serve as mutagenic templates during nucleic acid synthesis reactions. To combat the deleterious consequences of DNA damage, organisms have developed complex repair networks that remove chemical modifications or aberrant base arrangements and restore the genome to its original state. Not surprisingly, inherited or sporadic defects in DNA repair mechanisms can give rise to cellular outcomes that underlie disease and aging, such as transformation, apoptosis, and senescence. In the review here, we discuss several genetic disorders linked to DNA repair defects, attempting to draw correlations between the nature of the accumulating DNA damage and the pathological endpoints, namely cancer, neurological disease, and premature aging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vinod Tiwari
- Laboratory of Molecular Gerontology, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 251 Bayview Boulevard, Suite 100, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
| | - David M Wilson
- Laboratory of Molecular Gerontology, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 251 Bayview Boulevard, Suite 100, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Neil AJ, Liang MU, Khristich AN, Shah KA, Mirkin SM. RNA-DNA hybrids promote the expansion of Friedreich's ataxia (GAA)n repeats via break-induced replication. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 46:3487-3497. [PMID: 29447396 PMCID: PMC5909440 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Expansion of simple DNA repeats is responsible for numerous hereditary diseases in humans. The role of DNA replication, repair and transcription in the expansion process has been well documented. Here we analyzed, in a yeast experimental system, the role of RNA–DNA hybrids in genetic instability of long (GAA)n repeats, which cause Friedreich’s ataxia. Knocking out both yeast RNase H enzymes, which counteract the formation of RNA–DNA hybrids, increased (GAA)n repeat expansion and contraction rates when the repetitive sequence was transcribed. Unexpectedly, we observed a similar increase in repeat instability in RNase H-deficient cells when we either changed the direction of transcription-replication collisions, or flipped the repeat sequence such that the (UUC)n run occurred in the transcript. The increase in repeat expansions in RNase H-deficient strains was dependent on Rad52 and Pol32 proteins, suggesting that break-induced replication (BIR) is responsible for this effect. We conclude that expansions of (GAA)n repeats are induced by the formation of RNA–DNA hybrids that trigger BIR. Since this stimulation is independent of which strand of the repeat (homopurine or homopyrimidine) is in the RNA transcript, we hypothesize that triplex H-DNA structures stabilized by an RNA–DNA hybrid (H-loops), rather than conventional R-loops, could be responsible.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J Neil
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA.,Genetics Program, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Miranda U Liang
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | | | - Kartik A Shah
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Sergei M Mirkin
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Flower M, Lomeikaite V, Ciosi M, Cumming S, Morales F, Lo K, Hensman Moss D, Jones L, Holmans P, Monckton DG, Tabrizi SJ. MSH3 modifies somatic instability and disease severity in Huntington's and myotonic dystrophy type 1. Brain 2019; 142:awz115. [PMID: 31216018 PMCID: PMC6598626 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awz115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Revised: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The mismatch repair gene MSH3 has been implicated as a genetic modifier of the CAG·CTG repeat expansion disorders Huntington's disease and myotonic dystrophy type 1. A recent Huntington's disease genome-wide association study found rs557874766, an imputed single nucleotide polymorphism located within a polymorphic 9 bp tandem repeat in MSH3/DHFR, as the variant most significantly associated with progression in Huntington's disease. Using Illumina sequencing in Huntington's disease and myotonic dystrophy type 1 subjects, we show that rs557874766 is an alignment artefact, the minor allele for which corresponds to a three-repeat allele in MSH3 exon 1 that is associated with a reduced rate of somatic CAG·CTG expansion (P = 0.004) and delayed disease onset (P = 0.003) in both Huntington's disease and myotonic dystrophy type 1, and slower progression (P = 3.86 × 10-7) in Huntington's disease. RNA-Seq of whole blood in the Huntington's disease subjects found that repeat variants are associated with MSH3 and DHFR expression. A transcriptome-wide association study in the Huntington's disease cohort found increased MSH3 and DHFR expression are associated with disease progression. These results suggest that variation in the MSH3 exon 1 repeat region influences somatic expansion and disease phenotype in Huntington's disease and myotonic dystrophy type 1, and suggests a common DNA repair mechanism operates in both repeat expansion diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Flower
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and Dementia Research Institute, UCL, UK
| | - Vilija Lomeikaite
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, UK
| | - Marc Ciosi
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, UK
| | - Sarah Cumming
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, UK
| | - Fernando Morales
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, UK
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud (INISA), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Kitty Lo
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Davina Hensman Moss
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and Dementia Research Institute, UCL, UK
| | - Lesley Jones
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, UK
| | - Peter Holmans
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, UK
| | - Darren G Monckton
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, UK
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and Dementia Research Institute, UCL, UK
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Helma R, Bažantová P, Petr M, Adámik M, Renčiuk D, Tichý V, Pastuchová A, Soldánová Z, Pečinka P, Bowater RP, Fojta M, Brázdová M. p53 Binds Preferentially to Non-B DNA Structures Formed by the Pyrimidine-Rich Strands of GAA·TTC Trinucleotide Repeats Associated with Friedreich's Ataxia. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24112078. [PMID: 31159174 PMCID: PMC6600395 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24112078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 05/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Expansions of trinucleotide repeats (TNRs) are associated with genetic disorders such as Friedreich's ataxia. The tumor suppressor p53 is a central regulator of cell fate in response to different types of insults. Sequence and structure-selective modes of DNA recognition are among the main attributes of p53 protein. The focus of this work was analysis of the p53 structure-selective recognition of TNRs associated with human neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we studied binding of full length p53 and several deletion variants to TNRs folded into DNA hairpins or loops. We demonstrate that p53 binds to all studied non-B DNA structures, with a preference for non-B DNA structures formed by pyrimidine (Py) rich strands. Using deletion mutants, we determined the C-terminal DNA binding domain of p53 to be crucial for recognition of such non-B DNA structures. We also observed that p53 in vitro prefers binding to the Py-rich strand over the purine (Pu) rich strand in non-B DNA substrates formed by sequence derived from the first intron of the frataxin gene. The binding of p53 to this region was confirmed using chromatin immunoprecipitation in human Friedreich's ataxia fibroblast and adenocarcinoma cells. Altogether these observations provide further evidence that p53 binds to TNRs' non-B DNA structures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert Helma
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic.
- Department of Molecular Biology and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackého 1/3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Pavla Bažantová
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic.
- Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, 701 03 Ostrava, Czech Republic.
| | - Marek Petr
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic.
- Department of Molecular Biology and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackého 1/3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Matej Adámik
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Daniel Renčiuk
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Vlastimil Tichý
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Alena Pastuchová
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Zuzana Soldánová
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic.
- Department of Molecular Biology and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackého 1/3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Petr Pečinka
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic.
- Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, 701 03 Ostrava, Czech Republic.
| | - Richard P Bowater
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
| | - Miroslav Fojta
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic.
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, CZ-62500 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Marie Brázdová
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic.
- Department of Molecular Biology and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackého 1/3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Aksenova AY, Mirkin SM. At the Beginning of the End and in the Middle of the Beginning: Structure and Maintenance of Telomeric DNA Repeats and Interstitial Telomeric Sequences. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10020118. [PMID: 30764567 PMCID: PMC6410037 DOI: 10.3390/genes10020118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Tandem DNA repeats derived from the ancestral (TTAGGG)n run were first detected at chromosome ends of the majority of living organisms, hence the name telomeric DNA repeats. Subsequently, it has become clear that telomeric motifs are also present within chromosomes, and they were suitably called interstitial telomeric sequences (ITSs). It is well known that telomeric DNA repeats play a key role in chromosome stability, preventing end-to-end fusions and precluding the recurrent DNA loss during replication. Recent data suggest that ITSs are also important genomic elements as they confer its karyotype plasticity. In fact, ITSs appeared to be among the most unstable microsatellite sequences as they are highly length polymorphic and can trigger chromosomal fragility and gross chromosomal rearrangements. Importantly, mechanisms responsible for their instability appear to be similar to the mechanisms that maintain the length of genuine telomeres. This review compares the mechanisms of maintenance and dynamic properties of telomeric repeats and ITSs and discusses the implications of these dynamics on genome stability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Y Aksenova
- Laboratory of Amyloid Biology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia.
| | - Sergei M Mirkin
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02421, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Klein HL, Bačinskaja G, Che J, Cheblal A, Elango R, Epshtein A, Fitzgerald DM, Gómez-González B, Khan SR, Kumar S, Leland BA, Marie L, Mei Q, Miné-Hattab J, Piotrowska A, Polleys EJ, Putnam CD, Radchenko EA, Saada AA, Sakofsky CJ, Shim EY, Stracy M, Xia J, Yan Z, Yin Y, Aguilera A, Argueso JL, Freudenreich CH, Gasser SM, Gordenin DA, Haber JE, Ira G, Jinks-Robertson S, King MC, Kolodner RD, Kuzminov A, Lambert SAE, Lee SE, Miller KM, Mirkin SM, Petes TD, Rosenberg SM, Rothstein R, Symington LS, Zawadzki P, Kim N, Lisby M, Malkova A. Guidelines for DNA recombination and repair studies: Cellular assays of DNA repair pathways. MICROBIAL CELL (GRAZ, AUSTRIA) 2019; 6:1-64. [PMID: 30652105 PMCID: PMC6334234 DOI: 10.15698/mic2019.01.664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the plasticity of genomes has been greatly aided by assays for recombination, repair and mutagenesis. These assays have been developed in microbial systems that provide the advantages of genetic and molecular reporters that can readily be manipulated. Cellular assays comprise genetic, molecular, and cytological reporters. The assays are powerful tools but each comes with its particular advantages and limitations. Here the most commonly used assays are reviewed, discussed, and presented as the guidelines for future studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah L. Klein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Giedrė Bačinskaja
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Jun Che
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Anais Cheblal
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI), 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rajula Elango
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Anastasiya Epshtein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Devon M. Fitzgerald
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Belén Gómez-González
- Centro Andaluz de BIología Molecular y Medicina Regenerativa-CABIMER, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | - Sharik R. Khan
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Sandeep Kumar
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Léa Marie
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Qian Mei
- Systems, Synthetic and Physical Biology Graduate Program, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Judith Miné-Hattab
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR3664, F-75005 Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, Institut Curie, CNRS, UMR3664, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Alicja Piotrowska
- NanoBioMedical Centre, Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 85, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
| | | | - Christopher D. Putnam
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California School of Medicine, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California School of Medicine, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Anissia Ait Saada
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR3348 F-91405, Orsay, France
- University Paris Sud, Paris-Saclay University, CNRS, UMR3348, F-91405, Orsay, France
| | - Cynthia J. Sakofsky
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Eun Yong Shim
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Mathew Stracy
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Jun Xia
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Zhenxin Yan
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yi Yin
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and University Program in Genetics and Genomics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC USA
| | - Andrés Aguilera
- Centro Andaluz de BIología Molecular y Medicina Regenerativa-CABIMER, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | - Juan Lucas Argueso
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Catherine H. Freudenreich
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA USA
- Program in Genetics, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Susan M. Gasser
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI), 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dmitry A. Gordenin
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | - James E. Haber
- Department of Biology and Rosenstiel Basic Medical Sciences Research Center Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA
| | - Grzegorz Ira
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sue Jinks-Robertson
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC USA
| | | | - Richard D. Kolodner
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California School of Medicine, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California School of Medicine, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Moores-UCSD Cancer Center, University of California School of Medicine, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, University of California School of Medicine, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Andrei Kuzminov
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Sarah AE Lambert
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR3348 F-91405, Orsay, France
- University Paris Sud, Paris-Saclay University, CNRS, UMR3348, F-91405, Orsay, France
| | - Sang Eun Lee
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Kyle M. Miller
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | | | - Thomas D. Petes
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and University Program in Genetics and Genomics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC USA
| | - Susan M. Rosenberg
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Systems, Synthetic and Physical Biology Graduate Program, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Rodney Rothstein
- Department of Genetics & Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lorraine S. Symington
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Pawel Zawadzki
- NanoBioMedical Centre, Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 85, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
| | - Nayun Kim
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Michael Lisby
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Anna Malkova
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Zheng DQ, Petes TD. Genome Instability Induced by Low Levels of Replicative DNA Polymerases in Yeast. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9110539. [PMID: 30405078 PMCID: PMC6267110 DOI: 10.3390/genes9110539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Revised: 11/04/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Most cells of solid tumors have very high levels of genome instability of several different types, including deletions, duplications, translocations, and aneuploidy. Much of this instability appears induced by DNA replication stress. As a model for understanding this type of instability, we have examined genome instability in yeast strains that have low levels of two of the replicative DNA polymerases: DNA polymerase α and DNA polymerase δ (Polα and Polδ). We show that low levels of either of these DNA polymerases results in greatly elevated levels of mitotic recombination, chromosome rearrangements, and deletions/duplications. The spectrum of events in the two types of strains, however, differs in a variety of ways. For example, a reduced level of Polδ elevates single-base alterations and small deletions considerably more than a reduced level of Polα. In this review, we will summarize the methods used to monitor genome instability in yeast, and how this analysis contributes to understanding the linkage between genome instability and DNA replication stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dao-Qiong Zheng
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316021, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Thomas D Petes
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Abstract
DNA replication forks collapse at numerous sites throughout the genome under replication stress. Studies by Shastri et al. (2018) and Tubbs et al. (2018) used different genomics approaches to map the sites of replication fork collapse, revealing the contribution of specific DNA sequences to replication stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lee Zou
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115.
| | - Hai Dang Nguyen
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Genome-wide Identification of Structure-Forming Repeats as Principal Sites of Fork Collapse upon ATR Inhibition. Mol Cell 2018; 72:222-238.e11. [PMID: 30293786 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2018.08.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Revised: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
DNA polymerase stalling activates the ATR checkpoint kinase, which in turn suppresses fork collapse and breakage. Herein, we describe use of ATR inhibition (ATRi) as a means to identify genomic sites of problematic DNA replication in murine and human cells. Over 500 high-resolution ATR-dependent sites were ascertained using two distinct methods: replication protein A (RPA)-chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and breaks identified by TdT labeling (BrITL). The genomic feature most strongly associated with ATR dependence was repetitive DNA that exhibited high structure-forming potential. Repeats most reliant on ATR for stability included structure-forming microsatellites, inverted retroelement repeats, and quasi-palindromic AT-rich repeats. Notably, these distinct categories of repeats differed in the structures they formed and their ability to stimulate RPA accumulation and breakage, implying that the causes and character of replication fork collapse under ATR inhibition can vary in a DNA-structure-specific manner. Collectively, these studies identify key sources of endogenous replication stress that rely on ATR for stability.
Collapse
|
24
|
Yau WY, O'Connor E, Sullivan R, Akijian L, Wood NW. DNA repair in trinucleotide repeat ataxias. FEBS J 2018; 285:3669-3682. [PMID: 30152109 DOI: 10.1111/febs.14644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Revised: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The inherited cerebellar ataxias comprise of a genetic heterogeneous group of disorders. Pathogenic expansions of cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) encoding polyglutamine tracts account for the largest proportion of autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxias, while GAA expansion in the first introns of frataxin gene is the commonest cause of autosomal recessive cerebellar ataxias. Currently, there is no available treatment to alter the disease trajectory, with devastating consequences for affected individuals. Inter- and Intrafamily phenotypic variability suggest the existence of genetic modifiers, which may become targets amendable to treatment. Recent studies have demonstrated the importance of DNA repair pathways in modifying spinocerebellar ataxia with CAG repeat expansions. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms in which DNA repair pathways, epigenetics and other genetic factors may act as modifiers in cerebellar ataxias due to trinucleotide repeat expansions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wai Yan Yau
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University College London, UK
| | - Emer O'Connor
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University College London, UK
| | - Roisin Sullivan
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University College London, UK
| | - Layan Akijian
- Department of Neurology, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Nicholas W Wood
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University College London, UK.,Neurogenetics laboratory, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Schmid JA, Berti M, Walser F, Raso MC, Schmid F, Krietsch J, Stoy H, Zwicky K, Ursich S, Freire R, Lopes M, Penengo L. Histone Ubiquitination by the DNA Damage Response Is Required for Efficient DNA Replication in Unperturbed S Phase. Mol Cell 2018; 71:897-910.e8. [PMID: 30122534 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2018.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Revised: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Chromatin ubiquitination by the ubiquitin ligase RNF168 is critical to regulate the DNA damage response (DDR). DDR deficiencies lead to cancer-prone syndromes, but whether this reflects DNA repair defects is still elusive. We identified key factors of the RNF168 pathway as essential mediators of efficient DNA replication in unperturbed S phase. We found that loss of RNF168 leads to reduced replication fork progression and to reversed fork accumulation, particularly evident at repetitive sequences stalling replication. Slow fork progression depends on MRE11-dependent degradation of reversed forks, implicating RNF168 in reversed fork protection and restart. Consistent with regular nucleosomal organization of reversed forks, the replication function of RNF168 requires H2A ubiquitination. As this novel function is shared with the key DDR players ATM, γH2A.X, RNF8, and 53BP1, we propose that double-stranded ends at reversed forks engage classical DDR factors, suggesting an alternative function of this pathway in preventing genome instability and human disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Andreas Schmid
- Institute of Molecular Cancer Research, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Matteo Berti
- Institute of Molecular Cancer Research, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Franziska Walser
- Institute of Molecular Cancer Research, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Maria Chiara Raso
- Institute of Molecular Cancer Research, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Fabian Schmid
- Institute of Molecular Cancer Research, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Jana Krietsch
- Institute of Molecular Cancer Research, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Henriette Stoy
- Institute of Molecular Cancer Research, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Katharina Zwicky
- Institute of Molecular Cancer Research, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Ursich
- Institute of Molecular Cancer Research, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Raimundo Freire
- Unidad de Investigación, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Instituto de Tecnologías Biomédicas, Ofra s/n, La Cuesta, La Laguna, Tenerife 38320, Spain
| | - Massimo Lopes
- Institute of Molecular Cancer Research, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland.
| | - Lorenza Penengo
- Institute of Molecular Cancer Research, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Trinucleotide repeat instability during double-strand break repair: from mechanisms to gene therapy. Curr Genet 2018; 65:17-28. [DOI: 10.1007/s00294-018-0865-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
|
27
|
McGinty RJ, Mirkin SM. Cis- and Trans-Modifiers of Repeat Expansions: Blending Model Systems with Human Genetics. Trends Genet 2018; 34:448-465. [PMID: 29567336 PMCID: PMC5959756 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2018.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Over 30 hereditary diseases are caused by the expansion of microsatellite repeats. The length of the expandable repeat is the main hereditary determinant of these disorders. They are also affected by numerous genomic variants that are either nearby (cis) or physically separated from (trans) the repetitive locus, which we review here. These genetic variants have largely been elucidated in model systems using gene knockouts, while a few have been directly observed as single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in patients. There is a notable disconnect between these two bodies of knowledge: knockouts poorly approximate the SNP-level variation in human populations that gives rise to medically relevant cis- and trans-modifiers, while the rarity of these diseases limits the statistical power of SNP-based analysis in humans. We propose that high-throughput SNP-based screening in model systems could become a useful approach to quickly identify and characterize modifiers of clinical relevance for patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J McGinty
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Sergei M Mirkin
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Abstract
Diseases such as Huntington's disease and certain spinocerebellar ataxias are caused by the expansion of genomic cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) trinucleotide repeats beyond a specific threshold. These diseases are all characterised by neurological symptoms and central neurodegeneration, but our understanding of how expanded repeats drive neuronal loss is incomplete. Recent human genetic evidence implicates DNA repair pathways, especially mismatch repair, in modifying the onset and progression of CAG repeat diseases. Repair pathways might operate directly on repeat sequences by licensing or inhibiting repeat expansion in neurons. Alternatively, or in addition, because many of the genes containing pathogenic CAG repeats encode proteins that themselves have roles in the DNA damage response, it is possible that repeat expansions impair specific DNA repair pathways. DNA damage could then accrue in neurons, leading to further expansion at repeat loci, thus setting up a vicious cycle of pathology. In this review, we consider DNA damage and repair pathways in postmitotic neurons in the context of disease-causing CAG repeats. Investigating and understanding these pathways, which are clearly relevant in promoting and ameliorating disease in humans, is a research priority, as they are known to modify disease and therefore constitute prevalidated drug targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas H Massey
- Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Hadyn Ellis Building, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Lesley Jones
- Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Hadyn Ellis Building, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
McGinty RJ, Rubinstein RG, Neil AJ, Dominska M, Kiktev D, Petes TD, Mirkin SM. Nanopore sequencing of complex genomic rearrangements in yeast reveals mechanisms of repeat-mediated double-strand break repair. Genome Res 2017; 27:2072-2082. [PMID: 29113982 PMCID: PMC5741057 DOI: 10.1101/gr.228148.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Improper DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair results in complex genomic rearrangements (CGRs) in many cancers and various congenital disorders in humans. Trinucleotide repeat sequences, such as (GAA)n repeats in Friedreich's ataxia, (CTG)n repeats in myotonic dystrophy, and (CGG)n repeats in fragile X syndrome, are also subject to double-strand breaks within the repetitive tract followed by DNA repair. Mapping the outcomes of CGRs is important for understanding their causes and potential phenotypic effects. However, high-resolution mapping of CGRs has traditionally been a laborious and highly skilled process. Recent advances in long-read DNA sequencing technologies, specifically Nanopore sequencing, have made possible the rapid identification of CGRs with single base pair resolution. Here, we have used whole-genome Nanopore sequencing to characterize several CGRs that originated from naturally occurring DSBs at (GAA)n microsatellites in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These data gave us important insights into the mechanisms of DSB repair leading to CGRs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J McGinty
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
| | | | - Alexander J Neil
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
| | - Margaret Dominska
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Denis Kiktev
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Thomas D Petes
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Sergei M Mirkin
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Lakhotia SC. Non-coding RNAs demystify constitutive heterochromatin as essential modulator of epigenotype. THE NUCLEUS 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s13237-017-0221-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
|
31
|
Rohilla KJ, Gagnon KT. RNA biology of disease-associated microsatellite repeat expansions. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2017; 5:63. [PMID: 28851463 PMCID: PMC5574247 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-017-0468-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Microsatellites, or simple tandem repeat sequences, occur naturally in the human genome and have important roles in genome evolution and function. However, the expansion of microsatellites is associated with over two dozen neurological diseases. A common denominator among the majority of these disorders is the expression of expanded tandem repeat-containing RNA, referred to as xtrRNA in this review, which can mediate molecular disease pathology in multiple ways. This review focuses on the potential impact that simple tandem repeat expansions can have on the biology and metabolism of RNA that contain them and underscores important gaps in understanding. Merging the molecular biology of repeat expansion disorders with the current understanding of RNA biology, including splicing, transcription, transport, turnover and translation, will help clarify mechanisms of disease and improve therapeutic development.
Collapse
|