Isolation and genetic characterization of a thymineless death-resistant mutant of Escherichia coli K12: identification of a new mutation (recQ1) that blocks the RecF recombination pathway

Unravelling How Single-Stranded DNA Binding Protein Coordinates DNA Metabolism Using Single-Molecule Approaches

Single-stranded DNA-binding proteins (SSBs) play vital roles in DNA metabolism. Proteins of the SSB family exclusively and transiently bind to ssDNA, preventing the DNA double helix from re-annealing and maintaining genome integrity. In the meantime, they interact and coordinate with various proteins vital for DNA replication, recombination, and repair. Although SSB is essential for DNA metabolism, proteins of the SSB family have been long described as accessory players, primarily due to their unclear dynamics and mechanistic interaction with DNA and its partners. Recently-developed single-molecule tools, together with biochemical ensemble techniques and structural methods, have enhanced our understanding of the different coordination roles that SSB plays during DNA metabolism. In this review, we discuss how single-molecule assays, such as optical tweezers, magnetic tweezers, Förster resonance energy transfer, and their combinations, have advanced our understanding of the binding dynamics of SSBs to ssDNA and their interaction with other proteins partners. We highlight the central coordination role that the SSB protein plays by directly modulating other proteins' activities, rather than as an accessory player. Many possible modes of SSB interaction with protein partners are discussed, which together provide a bigger picture of the interaction network shaped by SSB.

Insights into the presence of multiple RecQ helicases in the ancient cyanobacterium, Nostoc sp. strain PCC7120: bioinformatics and expression analysis approach

Owing to their crucial role in genome maintenance, RecQ helicases are ubiquitous and present across organisms. Though the multiplicity of RecQ helicases is well known in higher organisms, it is rare among bacteria. The ancient cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. strain PCC7120 was found to have three annotated RecQ helicases. This study aims at understanding its structural differences and evolution through bioinformatics approach and functionality through expression analysis studies. Nostoc RecQ helicases were found to be transcriptionally regulated by LexA and DNA damage inducing stresses. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that all three RecQ helicases of Nostoc possess helicases_C and Zn⁺²-binding domains. Two of the helicases (AnRecQ and AnRecQ2) lacked the complete RQC and HRDC domains, and AnRecQ2 had an additional Phosphoribosyl transferase domain (Pribosyltran), also seen in RecQ-like helicase (RqlH) protein of Mycobacterium smegmatis. AnRecQ1, which was similar to most bacterial RecQ helicases, differed in having a long C-terminal tail. STRING analysis revealed that the proteins also differed in their predicted protein interactome. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the multiple recQ genes may have been acquired through duplication and acquisition of additional domains from the smallest of the RecQ helicases (AnRecQ) to cater multiple functions required to deal with the harsh environmental conditions. In course of evolution, however, the multiplicity was lost with the modern-day bacteria and lower eukaryotes which retained fewer RecQ helicases, while further duplication of the acquired RECQ occurred in higher animals and plants to deal with cellular complexity.

Recombination Mediator Proteins: Misnomers That Are Key to Understanding the Genomic Instabilities in Cancer

Recombination mediator proteins have come into focus as promising targets for cancer therapy, with synthetic lethal approaches now clinically validated by the efficacy of PARP inhibitors in treating BRCA2 cancers and RECQ inhibitors in treating cancers with microsatellite instabilities. Thus, understanding the cellular role of recombination mediators is critically important, both to improve current therapies and develop new ones that target these pathways. Our mechanistic understanding of BRCA2 and RECQ began in Escherichia coli. Here, we review the cellular roles of RecF and RecQ, often considered functional homologs of these proteins in bacteria. Although these proteins were originally isolated as genes that were required during replication in sexual cell cycles that produce recombinant products, we now know that their function is similarly required during replication in asexual or mitotic-like cell cycles, where recombination is detrimental and generally not observed. Cells mutated in these gene products are unable to protect and process replication forks blocked at DNA damage, resulting in high rates of cell lethality and recombination events that compromise genome integrity during replication.

R-loops and regulatory changes in chronologically ageing fission yeast cells drive non-random patterns of genome rearrangements

Aberrant repair of DNA double-strand breaks can recombine distant chromosomal breakpoints. Chromosomal rearrangements compromise genome function and are a hallmark of ageing. Rearrangements are challenging to detect in non-dividing cell populations, because they reflect individually rare, heterogeneous events. The genomic distribution of de novo rearrangements in non-dividing cells, and their dynamics during ageing, remain therefore poorly characterized. Studies of genomic instability during ageing have focussed on mitochondrial DNA, small genetic variants, or proliferating cells. To characterize genome rearrangements during cellular ageing in non-dividing cells, we interrogated a single diagnostic measure, DNA breakpoint junctions, using Schizosaccharomyces pombe as a model system. Aberrant DNA junctions that accumulated with age were associated with microhomology sequences and R-loops. Global hotspots for age-associated breakpoint formation were evident near telomeric genes and linked to remote breakpoints elsewhere in the genome, including the mitochondrial chromosome. Formation of breakpoint junctions at global hotspots was inhibited by the Sir2 histone deacetylase and might be triggered by an age-dependent de-repression of chromatin silencing. An unexpected mechanism of genomic instability may cause more local hotspots: age-associated reduction in an RNA-binding protein triggering R-loops at target loci. This result suggests that biological processes other than transcription or replication can drive genome rearrangements. Notably, we detected similar signatures of genome rearrangements that accumulated in old brain cells of humans. These findings provide insights into the unique patterns and possible mechanisms of genome rearrangements in non-dividing cells, which can be promoted by ageing-related changes in gene-regulatory proteins.

Checkpoint functions of RecQ helicases at perturbed DNA replication fork

DNA replication checkpoint is a cell signaling pathway that is activated in response to perturbed replication. Although it is crucial for maintaining genomic integrity and cell survival, the exact mechanism of the checkpoint signaling remains to be understood. Emerging evidence has shown that RecQ helicases, a large family of helicases that are conserved from bacteria to yeasts and humans, contribute to the replication checkpoint as sensors, adaptors, or regulation targets. Here, we highlight the multiple functions of RecQ helicases in the replication checkpoint in four model organisms and present additional evidence that fission yeast RecQ helicase Rqh1 may participate in the replication checkpoint as a sensor.

An Epistasis Analysis of recA and recN in Escherichia coli K-12

RecA is essential for double-strand-break repair (DSBR) and the SOS response in Escherichia coli K-12. RecN is an SOS protein and a member of the Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes family of proteins thought to play a role in sister chromatid cohesion/interactions during DSBR. Previous studies have shown that a plasmid-encoded recA4190 (Q300R) mutant had a phenotype similar to ∆recN (mitomycin C sensitive and UV resistant). It was hypothesized that RecN and RecA physically interact, and that recA4190 specifically eliminated this interaction. To test this model, an epistasis analysis between recA4190 and ∆recN was performed in wild-type and recBC sbcBC cells. To do this, recA4190 was first transferred to the chromosome. As single mutants, recA4190 and ∆recN were Rec+ as measured by transductional recombination, but were 3-fold and 10-fold decreased in their ability to do I-SceI-induced DSBR, respectively. In both cases, the double mutant had an additive phenotype relative to either single mutant. In the recBC sbcBC background, recA4190 and ∆recN cells were very UVS (sensitive), Rec-, had high basal levels of SOS expression and an altered distribution of RecA-GFP structures. In all cases, the double mutant had additive phenotypes. These data suggest that recA4190 (Q300R) and ∆recN remove functions in genetically distinct pathways important for DNA repair, and that RecA Q300 was not important for an interaction between RecN and RecA in vivorecA4190 (Q300R) revealed modest phenotypes in a wild-type background and dramatic phenotypes in a recBC sbcBC strain, reflecting greater stringency of RecA's role in that background.

History of DNA Helicases

Since the discovery of the DNA double helix, there has been a fascination in understanding the molecular mechanisms and cellular processes that account for: (i) the transmission of genetic information from one generation to the next and (ii) the remarkable stability of the genome. Nucleic acid biologists have endeavored to unravel the mysteries of DNA not only to understand the processes of DNA replication, repair, recombination, and transcription but to also characterize the underlying basis of genetic diseases characterized by chromosomal instability. Perhaps unexpectedly at first, DNA helicases have arisen as a key class of enzymes to study in this latter capacity. From the first discovery of ATP-dependent DNA unwinding enzymes in the mid 1970's to the burgeoning of helicase-dependent pathways found to be prevalent in all kingdoms of life, the story of scientific discovery in helicase research is rich and informative. Over four decades after their discovery, we take this opportunity to provide a history of DNA helicases. No doubt, many chapters are left to be written. Nonetheless, at this juncture we are privileged to share our perspective on the DNA helicase field - where it has been, its current state, and where it is headed.

Maintenance of Yeast Genome Integrity by RecQ Family DNA Helicases

With roles in DNA repair, recombination, replication and transcription, members of the RecQ DNA helicase family maintain genome integrity from bacteria to mammals. Mutations in human RecQ helicases BLM, WRN and RecQL4 cause incurable disorders characterized by genome instability, increased cancer predisposition and premature adult-onset aging. Yeast cells lacking the RecQ helicase Sgs1 share many of the cellular defects of human cells lacking BLM, including hypersensitivity to DNA damaging agents and replication stress, shortened lifespan, genome instability and mitotic hyper-recombination, making them invaluable model systems for elucidating eukaryotic RecQ helicase function. Yeast and human RecQ helicases have common DNA substrates and domain structures and share similar physical interaction partners. Here, we review the major cellular functions of the yeast RecQ helicases Sgs1 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Rqh1 of Schizosaccharomyces pombe and provide an outlook on some of the outstanding questions in the field.

Homology sensing via non-linear amplification of sequence-dependent pausing by RecQ helicase

RecQ helicases promote genomic stability through their unique ability to suppress illegitimate recombination and resolve recombination intermediates. These DNA structure-specific activities of RecQ helicases are mediated by the helicase-and-RNAseD like C-terminal (HRDC) domain, via unknown mechanisms. Here, employing single-molecule magnetic tweezers and rapid kinetic approaches we establish that the HRDC domain stabilizes intrinsic, sequence-dependent, pauses of the core helicase (lacking the HRDC) in a DNA geometry-dependent manner. We elucidate the core unwinding mechanism in which the unwinding rate depends on the stability of the duplex DNA leading to transient sequence-dependent pauses. We further demonstrate a non-linear amplification of these transient pauses by the controlled binding of the HRDC domain. The resulting DNA sequence- and geometry-dependent pausing may underlie a homology sensing mechanism that allows rapid disruption of unstable (illegitimate) and stabilization of stable (legitimate) DNA strand invasions, which suggests an intrinsic mechanism of recombination quality control by RecQ helicases.

RecBCD- RecFOR-independent pathway of homologous recombination in Escherichia coli

The RecA protein is a key bacterial recombination enzyme that catalyzes pairing and strand exchange between homologous DNA duplexes. In Escherichia coli, RecA protein assembly on DNA is mediated either by the RecBCD or RecFOR protein complexes. Correspondingly, two recombination pathways, RecBCD and RecF (or RecFOR), are distinguished in E. coli. Inactivation of both pathways in recB(CD) recF(OR) mutants results in severe recombination deficiency. Here we describe a novel, RecBCD- RecFOR-independent (RecBFI) recombination pathway that is active in ΔrecBCD sbcB15 sbcC(D) ΔrecF(OR) mutants of E. coli. In transductional crosses, these mutants show only four-fold decrease of recombination frequency relative to the wild-type strain. At the same time they recombine 40- to 90-fold better than their sbcB⁺ sbcC⁺ and ΔsbcB sbcC counterparts. The RecBFI pathway strongly depends on recA, recJ and recQ gene functions, and moderately depends on recG and lexA functions. Inactivation of dinI, helD, recX, recN, radA, ruvABC and uvrD genes has a slight effect on RecBFI recombination. After exposure to UV and gamma irradiation, the ΔrecBCD sbcB15 sbcC ΔrecF mutants show moderately increased DNA repair proficiency relative to their sbcB⁺ sbcC⁺ and ΔsbcB sbcC counterparts. However, introduction of recA730 allele (encoding RecA protein with enhanced DNA binding properties) completely restores repair proficiency to ΔrecBCD sbcB15 sbcC ΔrecF mutants, but not to their sbcB⁺ sbcC⁺ and ΔsbcB sbcC derivatives. Fluorescence microscopy with UV-irradiated recA-gfp fusion mutants suggests that the kinetics of RecA filament formation might be slowed down in the RecBFI pathway. Inactivation of 3'-5' exonucleases ExoVII, ExoIX and ExoX cannot activate the RecBFI pathway in ΔrecBCD ΔsbcB sbcC ΔrecF mutants. Taken together, our results show that the product of the sbcB15 allele is crucial for RecBFI pathway. Besides protecting 3' overhangs, SbcB15 protein might play an additional, more active role in formation of the RecA filament.

Single molecule kinetics uncover roles for E. coli RecQ DNA helicase domains and interaction with SSB

Most RecQ DNA helicases share a conserved domain arrangement that mediates their activities in genomic stability. This arrangement comprises a helicase motor domain, a RecQ C-terminal (RecQ-C) region including a winged-helix (WH) domain, and a ‘Helicase and RNase D C-terminal’ (HRDC) domain. Single-molecule real-time translocation and DNA unwinding by full-length Escherichia coli RecQ and variants lacking either the HRDC or both the WH and HRDC domains was analyzed. RecQ operated under two interconvertible kinetic modes, ‘slow’ and ‘normal’, as it unwound duplex DNA and translocated on single-stranded (ss) DNA. Consistent with a crystal structure of bacterial RecQ bound to ssDNA by base stacking, abasic sites blocked RecQ unwinding. Removal of the HRDC domain eliminates the slow mode while preserving the normal mode of activity. Unexpectedly, a RecQ variant lacking both the WH and HRDC domains retains weak helicase activity. The inclusion of E. coli ssDNA-binding protein (SSB) induces a third ‘fast’ unwinding mode four times faster than the normal RecQ mode and enhances the overall helicase activity (affinity, rate, and processivity). SSB stimulation was, furthermore, observed in the RecQ deletion variants, including the variant missing the WH domain. Our results support a model in which RecQ and SSB have multiple interacting modes.

Genomic Characteristics of Desulfonema ishimotonii Tokyo 01T Implying Horizontal Gene Transfer Among Phylogenetically Dispersed Filamentous Gliding Bacteria

Desulfonema ishimotonii strain Tokyo 01^T is a filamentous sulfate-reducing bacterium isolated from a marine sediment. In this study, the genome of this strain was sequenced and analyzed with a focus on gene transfer from phylogenetically distant organisms. While the strain belongs to the class Deltaproteobacteria, hundreds of proteins encoded in the genome showed the highest sequence similarities to those of organisms outside of the class Deltaproteobacteria, suggesting that more than 20% of the genome is putatively of foreign origins. Many of these proteins had the highest sequence identities with proteins encoded in the genomes of filamentous bacteria, including giant sulfur oxidizers of the orders Thiotrichales, cyanobacteria of various genera, and uncultured bacteria of the candidate phylum KSB3. As mobile genetic elements transferred from phylogenetically distant organisms, putative inteins were identified in the GyrB and DnaE proteins encoded in the genome of strain Tokyo 01^T. Genes involved in DNA recombination and repair were enriched in comparison to the closest relatives in the same family. Some of these genes were also related to those of organisms outside of the class Deltaproteobacteria, suggesting that they were acquired by horizontal gene transfer from diverse bacteria. The genomic data suggested significant genetic transfer among filamentous gliding bacteria in phylogenetically dispersed lineages including filamentous sulfate reducers. This study provides insights into the genomic evolution of filamentous bacteria belonging to diverse lineages, characterized by various physiological functions and different ecological roles.

Replication fork collapse at a protein-DNA roadblock leads to fork reversal, promoted by the RecQ helicase

Proteins that bind DNA are the cause of the majority of impediments to replication fork progression and can lead to subsequent collapse of the replication fork. Failure to deal with fork collapse efficiently leads to mutation or cell death. Several models have been proposed for how a cell processes a stalled or collapsed replication fork; eukaryotes and bacteria are not dissimilar in terms of the general pathways undertaken to deal with these events. This study shows that replication fork regression, the combination of replication fork reversal leading to formation of a Holliday Junction along with exonuclease digestion, is the preferred pathway for dealing with a collapsed fork in Escherichia coli. Direct endo-nuclease activity at the replication fork was not observed. The protein that had the greatest effect on these fork processing events was the RecQ helicase, while RecG and RuvABC, which have previously been implicated in this process, were found to play a lesser role. Eukaryotic RecQ homologues, BLM and WRN, have also been implicated in processing events following replication fork collapse and may reflect a conserved mechanism. Finally, the SOS response was not induced by the protein-DNA roadblock under these conditions, so did not affect fork processing.

Bloom's syndrome: Why not premature aging?: A comparison of the BLM and WRN helicases

Genomic instability is a hallmark of cancer and aging. Premature aging (progeroid) syndromes are often caused by mutations in genes whose function is to ensure genomic integrity. The RecQ family of DNA helicases is highly conserved and plays crucial roles as genome caretakers. In humans, mutations in three RecQ genes - BLM, WRN, and RECQL4 - give rise to Bloom's syndrome (BS), Werner syndrome (WS), and Rothmund-Thomson syndrome (RTS), respectively. WS is a prototypic premature aging disorder; however, the clinical features present in BS and RTS do not indicate accelerated aging. The BLM helicase has pivotal functions at the crossroads of DNA replication, recombination, and repair. BS cells exhibit a characteristic form of genomic instability that includes excessive homologous recombination. The excessive homologous recombination drives the development in BS of the many types of cancers that affect persons in the normal population. Replication delay and slower cell turnover rates have been proposed to explain many features of BS, such as short stature. More recently, aberrant transcriptional regulation of growth and survival genes has been proposed as a hypothesis to explain features of BS.

Plasmodium falciparum Werner homologue is a nuclear protein and its biochemical activities reside in the N-terminal region

RecQ helicases, also addressed as a gatekeeper of genome, are an inevitable family of genome scrutiny proteins conserved from prokaryotes to eukaryotes and play a vital role in DNA metabolism. The deficiencies of three RecQ proteins out of five are involved in genetic abnormalities like Bloom syndrome (BS), Werner syndrome (WS), and Rothmund-Thomson syndrome (RTS). It is noteworthy that Plasmodium falciparum contains only two members of the RecQ family as opposed to five members present in the host Homo sapiens. In the present study, we report the biochemical characterization of the homologue of Werner (Wrn) helicase from P. falciparum 3D7 strain. Although there are significant sequence conservations between Wrn helicases of both H. sapiens and P. falciparum as well as among all the other Plasmodium species, they contain some peculiar differences also. In silico studies reveal that PfWrn is evolutionarily close to the bacterial RecQ protein. The N-terminal fragment (PfWrnN) contains all the helicase motifs along with all the functional domains and the predicted structure resembles with the human RecQ1 protein, whereas the C-terminal fragment (PfWrnC) contains no significant domain. Biochemical characterization further revealed that purified recombinant PfWrnN shows ATPase and DNA helicase activity in 3' to 5' direction, but PfWrnC lacks the ATPase and helicase activities. Immunofluorescence study shows that PfWrn is expressed in all the stages of intraerythrocytic development of the P. falciparum 3D7 strain and localizes distinctly in the nucleus. This study can be used for further characterization of RecQ helicases that will aid in understanding the physiological significance of these helicases in the malaria parasite.

Single-molecule visualization of RecQ helicase reveals DNA melting, nucleation, and assembly are required for processive DNA unwinding

DNA helicases are motor proteins that unwind double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) to reveal single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) needed for many biological processes. The RecQ helicase is involved in repairing damage caused by DNA breaks and stalled replication forks via homologous recombination. Here, the helicase activity of RecQ was visualized on single molecules of DNA using a fluorescent sensor that directly detects ssDNA. By monitoring the formation and progression of individual unwinding forks, we observed that both the frequency of initiation and the rate of unwinding are highly dependent on RecQ concentration. We establish that unwinding forks can initiate internally by melting dsDNA and can proceed in both directions at up to 40-60 bp/s. The findings suggest that initiation requires a RecQ dimer, and that continued processive unwinding of several kilobases involves multiple monomers at the DNA unwinding fork. We propose a distinctive model wherein RecQ melts dsDNA internally to initiate unwinding and subsequently assembles at the fork into a distribution of multimeric species, each encompassing a broad distribution of rates, to unwind DNA. These studies define the species that promote resection of DNA, proofreading of homologous pairing, and migration of Holliday junctions, and they suggest that various functional forms of RecQ can be assembled that unwind at rates tailored to the diverse biological functions of RecQ helicase.

An Overview of the Molecular Mechanisms of Recombinational DNA Repair

Recombinational DNA repair is a universal aspect of DNA metabolism and is essential for genomic integrity. It is a template-directed process that uses a second chromosomal copy (sister, daughter, or homolog) to ensure proper repair of broken chromosomes. The key steps of recombination are conserved from phage through human, and an overview of those steps is provided in this review. The first step is resection by helicases and nucleases to produce single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) that defines the homologous locus. The ssDNA is a scaffold for assembly of the RecA/RAD51 filament, which promotes the homology search. On finding homology, the nucleoprotein filament catalyzes exchange of DNA strands to form a joint molecule. Recombination is controlled by regulating the fate of both RecA/RAD51 filaments and DNA pairing intermediates. Finally, intermediates that mature into Holliday structures are disjoined by either nucleolytic resolution or topological dissolution.

Thymineless Death Lives On: New Insights into a Classic Phenomenon

The primary mechanisms by which bacteria lose viability when deprived of thymine have been elusive for over half a century. Early research focused on stalled replication forks and the deleterious effects of uracil incorporation into DNA from thymidine-deficient nucleotide pools. The initiation of the replication cycle and origin-proximal DNA degradation during thymine starvation have now been quantified via whole-genome microarrays and other approaches. These advances have fostered innovative models and informative experiments in bacteria since this topic was last reviewed. Given that thymineless death is similar in mammalian cells and that certain antibacterial and chemotherapeutic drugs elicit thymine deficiency, a mechanistic understanding of this phenomenon might have valuable biomedical applications.

A balanced perspective on unbalanced growth and thymineless death

The early history of the esoteric phenomenon of thymineless death (TLD) is recounted, from the pioneering discovery by Seymour Cohen and Hazel Barner, through my graduate studies at Yale and postdoctoral research in Copenhagen. My principal contribution was the discovery that restricted synthesis of protein and RNA permits cultures of Escherichia coli to complete their DNA replication cycles without initiating new ones, and that cells held in this physiological state are immune to the lethality of thymine deprivation; unbalanced growth is not the fundamental cause of TLD. The successful synchronization of the DNA replication cycle contributed to formulation of the replicon concept. Studies at Stanford revealed a specific requirement for transcription and led to the discovery of a TLD-resistant mutant in a new gene, termed recQ, with important homologs in humans and most other organisms. The lessons learned from research on TLD underscore the value of basic research in bacterial systems that can have profound implications for human health.

The level of RECQL1 expression is a prognostic factor for epithelial ovarian cancer

Background

The human RECQ DNA helicase family is involved in genomic stability. Gene mutations of RECQL2, RECQL3, and RECQL4 are associated with genetic disorders and induce early aging and carcinogenesis. Although previous studies have reported that the level of RECQL1 expression is correlated with the prognosis of some of malignancies, the function of RECQL1 is not yet clarified. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between prognosis and the level of RECQL1 expression in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), and to identify the role of RECQL1 in EOC cells.

Methods

The level of RECQL1 expression was determined immunohistochemically in 111 patients with EOC who received initial treatment at Hirosaki University hospital between 2006 and 2011. Effects of RECQL1 on cell growth or apoptosis were examined in vitro using wild-type and OVCAR-3 cells (RECQL1(+) cells) and similar cells transfected with RECQL1 siRNA transfected (RECQL1(−) cells).

Results

The level of RECQL1 expression was not related to histological type, clinical stage, or retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis, but the expression level was significantly higher (P = 0.002) in patients with recurrence than those without recurrence, and progression-free survival and complete response rate to chemotherapy were also improved in patients with RECQL1-low expression (n = 39) stage III/IV EOC (P = 0.02 and P <0.05 vs RECQL1-high expression patients (n = ), respectively). A cell proliferation and colony formation assays revealed significantly less growth of RECQL1(−) cells compared to RECQL1(+) cells. A flow cytometry using annexin V -FITC and propidium iodide (PI) staining revealed a significant increase in apoptotic RECQL1(−) cells. Cell cycle analysis showed a significantly greater distribution in subG1 phase indicating apoptotic cells in RECQL1(−) cells than in RECQL1(+) cells.

Conclusions

These results suggest that RECQL1 is a prognostic factor for EOC and that RECQL1 contributes to potential malignancy by inhibiting apoptosis.

Characterization of biochemical properties of Bacillus subtilis RecQ helicase

RecQ family helicases function as safeguards of the genome. Unlike Escherichia coli, the Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis bacterium possesses two RecQ-like homologues, RecQ[Bs] and RecS, which are required for the repair of DNA double-strand breaks. RecQ[Bs] also binds to the forked DNA to ensure a smooth progression of the cell cycle. Here we present the first biochemical analysis of recombinant RecQ[Bs]. RecQ[Bs] binds weakly to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and blunt-ended double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) but strongly to forked dsDNA. The protein exhibits a DNA-stimulated ATPase activity and ATP- and Mg(2+)-dependent DNA helicase activity with a 3' → 5' polarity. Molecular modeling shows that RecQ[Bs] shares high sequence and structure similarity with E. coli RecQ. Surprisingly, RecQ[Bs] resembles the truncated Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sgs1 and human RecQ helicases more than RecQ[Ec] with regard to its enzymatic activities. Specifically, RecQ[Bs] unwinds forked dsDNA and DNA duplexes with a 3'-overhang but is inactive on blunt-ended dsDNA and 5'-overhung duplexes. Interestingly, RecQ[Bs] unwinds blunt-ended DNA with structural features, including nicks, gaps, 5'-flaps, Kappa joints, synthetic replication forks, and Holliday junctions. We discuss these findings in the context of RecQ[Bs]'s possible functions in preserving genomic stability.

Characterization of the Caenorhabditis elegans HIM-6/BLM helicase: unwinding recombination intermediates

Mutations in three human RecQ genes are implicated in heritable human syndromes. Mutations in BLM, a RecQ gene, cause Bloom syndrome (BS), which is characterized by short stature, cancer predisposition, and sensitivity to sunlight. BLM is a RecQ DNA helicase that, with interacting proteins, is able to dissolve various DNA structures including double Holliday junctions. A BLM ortholog, him-6, has been identified in Caenorhabditis elegans, but little is known about its enzymatic activities or its in vivo roles. By purifying recombinant HIM-6 and performing biochemical assays, we determined that the HIM-6 has DNA-dependent ATPase activity HIM-6 and helicase activity that proceeds in the 3'-5' direction and needs at least five 3' overhanging nucleotides. HIM-6 is also able to unwind DNA structures including D-loops and Holliday junctions. Worms with him-6 mutations were defective in recovering the cell cycle arrest after HU treatment. These activities strongly support in vivo roles for HIM-6 in processing recombination intermediates.

Analysis ofrecQGene Transcript in Fruiting Bodies of Basidiomycetous MushroomLentinula edodes

Quantitative reverse transcription PCR analysis and total RNA staining demonstrated that Lentinula edodes recQ gene (Le.recQ) transcript is present in all the parts of the fruiting body, but in hymenophore at the highest density. Results of in situ RNA-RNA hybridization showed that the Le.recQ transcript level within the hymenophore is higher in the hymenium, subhymenium, and the outer region of the trama. Trama cells themselves contain a lower level of the transcript.

The adnAB locus, encoding a putative helicase-nuclease activity, is essential in Streptomyces

Homologous recombination is a crucial mechanism that repairs a wide range of DNA lesions, including the most deleterious ones, double-strand breaks (DSBs). This multistep process is initiated by the resection of the broken DNA ends by a multisubunit helicase-nuclease complex exemplified by Escherichia coli RecBCD, Bacillus subtilis AddAB, and newly discovered Mycobacterium tuberculosis AdnAB. Here we show that in Streptomyces, neither recBCD nor addAB homologues could be detected. The only putative helicase-nuclease-encoding genes identified were homologous to M. tuberculosis adnAB genes. These genes are conserved as a single copy in all sequenced genomes of Streptomyces. The disruption of adnAB in Streptomyces ambofaciens and Streptomyces coelicolor could not be achieved unless an ectopic copy was provided, indicating that adnAB is essential for growth. Both adnA and adnB genes were shown to be inducible in response to DNA damage (mitomycin C) and to be independently transcribed. Introduction of S. ambofaciens adnAB genes in an E. coli recB mutant restored viability and resistance to UV light, suggesting that Streptomyces AdnAB could be a functional homologue of RecBCD and be involved in DNA damage resistance.

Clinical features of Bloom syndrome and function of the causative gene, BLM helicase

Bloom syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder characterized by growth deficiency, unusual facies, sun-sensitive telangiectatic erythema, immunodeficiency and predisposition to cancer. The causative gene for Bloom syndrome is BLM, which encodes the BLM RecQ helicase homolog protein. The first part of this review describes a long-term follow-up study of two Bloom syndrome siblings. Subsequently, the focus is placed on the functional domains of BLM. Laboratory diagnosis of Bloom syndrome by detecting mutations in BLM is laborious and impractical, unless there are common mutations in a population. Immunoblot and immunohistochemical analyses for the detection of the BLM protein using a polyclonal BLM antibody, which are useful approaches for clinical diagnosis of Bloom syndrome, are also described. In addition, a useful adjunct for the diagnosis of Bloom syndrome in terms of the BLM function is investigated, since disease cells must have the defective BLM helicase function. This review also discusses the nuclear localization signal of BLM, the proteins that interact with BLM and tumors originating from Bloom syndrome.

Defining the roles of the N-terminal region and the helicase activity of RECQ4A in DNA repair and homologous recombination in Arabidopsis

RecQ helicases are critical for the maintenance of genomic stability. The Arabidopsis RecQ helicase RECQ4A is the functional counterpart of human BLM, which is mutated in the genetic disorder Bloom’s syndrome. RECQ4A performs critical roles in regulation of homologous recombination (HR) and DNA repair. Loss of RECQ4A leads to elevated HR frequencies and hypersensitivity to genotoxic agents. Through complementation studies, we were now able to demonstrate that the N-terminal region and the helicase activity of RECQ4A are both essential for the cellular response to replicative stress induced by methyl methanesulfonate and cisplatin. In contrast, loss of helicase activity or deletion of the N-terminus only partially complemented the mutant hyper-recombination phenotype. Furthermore, the helicase-deficient protein lacking its N-terminus did not complement the hyper-recombination phenotype at all. Therefore, RECQ4A seems to possess at least two different and independent sub-functions involved in the suppression of HR. By in vitro analysis, we showed that the helicase core was able to regress an artificial replication fork. Swapping of the terminal regions of RECQ4A with the closely related but functionally distinct helicase RECQ4B indicated that in contrast to the C-terminus, the N-terminus of RECQ4A was required for its specific functions in DNA repair and recombination.

Thymineless death is inhibited by CsrA in Escherichia coli lacking the SOS response

Thymineless death (TLD) is the rapid loss of colony-forming ability in bacterial, yeast and human cells starved for thymine, and is the mechanism of action of common chemotherapeutic drugs. In Escherichia coli, significant loss of viability during TLD requires the SOS replication-stress/DNA-damage response, specifically its role in inducing the inhibitor of cell division, SulA. An independent RecQ- and RecJ-dependent TLD pathway accounts for a similarly large additional component of TLD, and a third SOS- and RecQ/J-independent TLD pathway has also been observed. Although two groups have implicated the SOS-response in TLD, an SOS-deficient mutant strain from an earlier study was found to be sensitive to thymine deprivation. We performed whole-genome resequencing on that SOS-deficient strain and find that, compared with the SOS-proficient control strain, it contains five mutations in addition to the SOS-blocking lexA(Ind(-)) mutation. One of the additional mutations, csrA, confers TLD sensitivity specifically in SOS-defective strains. We find that CsrA, a carbon storage regulator, reduces TLD in SOS- or SulA-defective cells, and that the increased TLD that occurs in csrA(-) SOS-defective cells is dependent on RecQ. We consider a hypothesis in which the modulation of nucleotide pools by CsrA might inhibit TLD specifically in SOS-deficient (SulA-deficient) cells.

The BLM dissolvasome in DNA replication and repair

RecQ DNA helicases are critical for proper maintenance of genomic stability, and mutations in multiple human RecQ genes are linked with genetic disorders characterized by a predisposition to cancer. RecQ proteins are conserved from prokaryotes to humans and in all cases form higher-order complexes with other proteins to efficiently execute their cellular functions. The focus of this review is a conserved complex that is formed between RecQ helicases and type-I topoisomerases. In humans, this complex is referred to as the BLM dissolvasome or BTR complex, and is comprised of the RecQ helicase BLM, topoisomerase IIIα, and the RMI proteins. The BLM dissolvasome functions to resolve linked DNA intermediates without exchange of genetic material, which is critical in somatic cells. We will review the history of this complex and highlight its roles in DNA replication, recombination, and repair. Additionally, we will review recently established interactions between BLM dissolvasome and a second set of genome maintenance factors (the Fanconi anemia proteins) that appear to allow coordinated genome maintenance efforts between the two systems.

Structure and Mechanisms of SF2 DNA Helicases

Effective transcription, replication, and maintenance of the genome require a diverse set of molecular machines to perform the many chemical transactions that constitute these processes. Many of these machines use single-stranded nucleic acids as templates, and their actions are often regulated by the participation of nucleic acids in multimeric structures and macromolecular assemblies that restrict access to chemical information. Superfamily II (SF2) DNA helicases and translocases are a group of molecular machines that remodel nucleic acid lattices and enable essential cellular processes to use the information stored in the duplex DNA of the packaged genome. Characteristic accessory domains associated with the subgroups of the superfamily direct the activity of the common motor core and expand the repertoire of activities and substrates available to SF2 DNA helicases, translocases, and large multiprotein complexes containing SF2 motors. In recent years, single-molecule studies have contributed extensively to the characterization of this ubiquitous and essential class of enzymes.

DNA end resection controls the balance between homologous and illegitimate recombination in Escherichia coli

Even a partial loss of function of human RecQ helicase analogs causes adverse effects such as a cancer-prone Werner, Bloom or Rothmund-Thompson syndrome, whereas a complete RecQ deficiency in Escherichia coli is not deleterious for a cell. We show that this puzzling difference is due to different mechanisms of DNA double strand break (DSB) resection in E. coli and humans. Coupled helicase and RecA loading activities of RecBCD enzyme, which is found exclusively in bacteria, are shown to be responsible for channeling recombinogenic 3' ending tails toward productive, homologous and away from nonproductive, aberrant recombination events. On the other hand, in recB1080/recB1067 mutants, lacking RecBCD's RecA loading activity while preserving its helicase activity, DSB resection is mechanistically more alike that in eukaryotes (by its uncoupling from a recombinase polymerization step), and remarkably, the role of RecQ also becomes akin of its eukaryotic counterparts in a way of promoting homologous and suppressing illegitimate recombination. The sickly phenotype of recB1080 recQ mutant was further exacerbated by inactivation of an exonuclease I, which degrades the unwound 3' tail. The respective recB1080 recQ xonA mutant showed poor viability, DNA repair and homologous recombination deficiency, and very increased illegitimate recombination. These findings demonstrate that the metabolism of the 3' ending overhang is a decisive factor in tuning the balance of homologous and illegitimate recombination in E. coli, thus highlighting the importance of regulating DSB resection for preserving genome integrity. recB mutants used in this study, showing pronounced RecQ helicase and exonuclease I dependence, make up a suitable model system for studying mechanisms of DSB resection in bacteria. Also, these mutants might be useful for investigating functions of the conserved RecQ helicase family members, and congruently serve as a simpler, more defined model system for human oncogenesis.

Translocation of E. coli RecQ helicase on single-stranded DNA

A member of the SF2 family of helicases, Escherichia coli RecQ, is involved in the recombination and repair of double-stranded DNA breaks and single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) gaps. Although the unwinding activity of this helicase has been studied biochemically, the mechanism of translocation remains unclear. To this end, using ssDNA of varying lengths, the steady-state ATP hydrolysis activity of RecQ was analyzed. We find that the rate of ATP hydrolysis increases with DNA length, reaching a maximum specific activity of 38 ± 2 ATP/RecQ/s. Analysis of the rate of ATP hydrolysis as a function of DNA length implies that the helicase has a processivity of 19 ± 6 nucleotides on ssDNA and that RecQ requires a minimal translocation site size of 10 ± 1 nucleotides. Using the T4 phage encoded gene 32 protein (G32P), which binds ssDNA cooperatively, to decrease the lengths of ssDNA gaps available for translocation, we observe a decrease in the rate of ATP hydrolysis activity that is related to lattice occupancy. Analysis of the activity in terms of the average gap sizes available to RecQ on the ssDNA coated with G32P indicates that RecQ translocates on ssDNA on average 46 ± 11 nucleotides before dissociating. Moreover, when bound to ssDNA, RecQ hydrolyzes ATP in a cooperative fashion, with a Hill coefficient of 2.1 ± 0.6, suggesting that at least a dimer is required for translocation on ssDNA. We present a kinetic model for translocation by RecQ on ssDNA based on this characterization.

RecF recombination pathway in Escherichia coli cells lacking RecQ, UvrD and HelD helicases

In recBCD sbcB sbcC(D) mutants of Escherichia coli homologous recombination proceeds via RecF pathway, which is thought to require RecQ, UvrD and HelD helicases at its initial stage. It was previously suggested that depletion of all three helicases totally abolishes the RecF pathway. The present study (re)examines the roles of these helicases in transductional recombination, and in recombinational repair of UV-induced DNA damage in the RecF pathway. The study has employed the ΔrecBCD ΔsbcB sbcC201 and ΔrecBCD sbcB15 sbcC201 strains, carrying combinations of mutations in recQ, uvrD, and helD genes. We show that in ΔrecBCD ΔsbcB sbcC201 strains, recombination requires exclusively the RecQ helicase. In ΔrecBCD sbcB15 sbcC201 strains, RecQ may be partially substituted by UvrD helicase. The HelD helicase is dispensable for recombination in both backgrounds. Our results also suggest that significant portion of recombination events in the RecF pathway is independent of RecQ, UvrD and HelD. These events are initiated either by RecJ nuclease alone or by RecJ nuclease associated with an unknown helicase. Inactivation of exonuclease VII by a xseA mutation further decreases the requirement for helicase activity in the RecF pathway. We suggest that elimination of nucleases acting on 3' single-strand DNA ends reduces the necessity for helicases in initiation of recombination.

Efficient coupling of ATP hydrolysis to translocation by RecQ helicase

Helicases are ubiquitous enzymes that unwind double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) to reveal single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) during essential processes such as replication, transcription, or repair. The Escherichia coli RecQ protein is a 3' to 5' helicase, which functions in the processes of homologous recombination and replication fork restart. Here, we analyzed the relationship between ATP hydrolysis by RecQ and its translocation on ssDNA. We monitored a single round of RecQ translocation on ssDNA by measuring the rates of inorganic phosphate release during translocation, and the dissociation of RecQ from ssDNA. We find that RecQ translocates with a rate of 16( ± 4) nucleotides/s and moves on average only 36( ± 2) nucleotides before dissociating. Fitting to an n-step kinetic model suggests that the helicase displays a nonuniform translocation mechanism in which it moves approximately five nucleotides rapidly before undergoing a rate-limiting kinetic slow step. Unexpectedly, RecQ requires a length of 34( ± 3) nucleotides to bind and translocate on ssDNA. This large site size suggests that several monomers are required to bind DNA prior to translocation. Energetically, the RecQ helicase couples the hydrolysis of one ATP molecule to the translocation of more than one nucleotide (1.6 ± 0.3). Thus, our data show that RecQ translocates on ssDNA by efficiently coupling the hydrolysis of one ATP molecule into structural alterations that result in movement of approximately two nucleotides, presumably by an inchworm mechanism. These attributes are consistent with the function of RecQ in recombination and replication.

Homologous Recombination-Experimental Systems, Analysis, and Significance

Homologous recombination is the most complex of all recombination events that shape genomes and produce material for evolution. Homologous recombination events are exchanges between DNA molecules in the lengthy regions of shared identity, catalyzed by a group of dedicated enzymes. There is a variety of experimental systems in Escherichia coli and Salmonella to detect homologous recombination events of several different kinds. Genetic analysis of homologous recombination reveals three separate phases of this process: pre-synapsis (the early phase), synapsis (homologous strand exchange), and post-synapsis (the late phase). In E. coli, there are at least two independent pathway of the early phase and at least two independent pathways of the late phase. All this complexity is incongruent with the originally ascribed role of homologous recombination as accelerator of genome evolution: there is simply not enough duplication and repetition in enterobacterial genomes for homologous recombination to have a detectable evolutionary role and therefore not enough selection to maintain such a complexity. At the same time, the mechanisms of homologous recombination are uniquely suited for repair of complex DNA lesions called chromosomal lesions. In fact, the two major classes of chromosomal lesions are recognized and processed by the two individual pathways at the early phase of homologous recombination. It follows, therefore, that homologous recombination events are occasional reflections of the continual recombinational repair, made possible in cases of natural or artificial genome redundancy.

Pathways of resistance to thymineless death in Escherichia coli and the function of UvrD

Thymineless death (TLD) is the rapid loss of viability in bacterial, yeast, and human cells starved of thymine. TLD is the mode of action of common anticancer drugs and some antibiotics. TLD in Escherichia coli is accompanied by blocked replication and chromosomal DNA loss and recent work identified activities of recombination protein RecA and the SOS DNA-damage response as causes of TLD. Here, we examine the basis of hypersensitivity to thymine deprivation (hyper-TLD) in mutants that lack the UvrD helicase, which opposes RecA action and participates in some DNA repair mechanisms, RecBCD exonuclease, which degrades double-stranded linear DNA and works with RecA in double-strand-break repair and SOS induction, and RuvABC Holliday-junction resolvase. We report that hyper-TLD in uvrD cells is partly RecA dependent and cannot be attributed to accumulation of intermediates in mismatch repair or nucleotide-excision repair. These data imply that both its known role in opposing RecA and an additional as-yet-unknown function of UvrD promote TLD resistance. The hyper-TLD of ruvABC cells requires RecA but not RecQ or RecJ. The hyper-TLD of recB cells requires neither RecA nor RecQ, implying that neither recombination nor SOS induction causes hyper-TLD in recB cells, and RecQ is not the sole source of double-strand ends (DSEs) during TLD, as previously proposed; models are suggested. These results define pathways by which cells resist TLD and suggest strategies for combating TLD resistance during chemotherapies.

A Blm-Recql5 partnership in replication stress response

Deficiencies in DNA damage response and repair not only can result in genome instability and cancer predisposition, but also can render the cancer cells intrinsically more vulnerable to certain types of DNA damage insults. Particularly, replication stress is both a hallmark of human cancers and a common instigator for genome instability and cell death. Here, we review our work based on the genetic knockout studies on Blm and Recql5, two members of the mammalian RecQ helicase family. These studies have uncovered a unique partnership between these two helicases in the implementation of proper mitigation strategies under different circumstances to promote DNA replication and cell survival and suppress genome instability and cancer. In particular, current studies have revealed the presence of a novel Recql5/RECQL5-dependent mechanism for suppressing replication fork collapse in response to global replication fork stalling following exposure to camptothecin (CPT), a topoisomerase I inhibitor, and a potent inhibitor of DNA replication. The unique partnership between Blm and Recql5 in coping with the challenge imposed by replication stress is discussed. In addition, given that irinotecan and topotecan, two CPT derivatives, are currently used in clinic for treating human cancer patients with very promising results, the potential implication of the new findings from these studies in anticancer treatments is also discussed.

The role of DNA helicases and their interaction partners in genome stability and meiotic recombination in plants

DNA helicases are enzymes that are able to unwind DNA by the use of the energy-equivalent ATP. They play essential roles in DNA replication, DNA repair, and DNA recombination in all organisms. As homologous recombination occurs in somatic and meiotic cells, the same proteins may participate in both processes, albeit not necessarily with identical functions. DNA helicases involved in genome stability and meiotic recombination are the focus of this review. The role of these enzymes and their characterized interaction partners in plants will be summarized. Although most factors are conserved in eukaryotes, plant-specific features are becoming apparent. In the RecQ helicase family, Arabidopsis thaliana RECQ4A has been shown before to be the functional homologue of the well-researched baker's yeast Sgs1 and human BLM proteins. It was surprising to find that its interaction partners AtRMI1 and AtTOP3α are absolutely essential for meiotic recombination in plants, where they are central factors of a formerly underappreciated dissolution step of recombination intermediates. In the expanding group of anti-recombinases, future analysis of plant helicases is especially promising. While no FBH1 homologue is present, the Arabidopsis genome contains homologues of both SRS2 and RTEL1. Yeast and mammals, on the other hand. only possess homologues of either one or the other of these helicases. Plants also contain several other classes of helicases that are known from other organisms to be involved in the preservation of genome stability: FANCM is conserved with parts of the human Fanconi anaemia proteins, as are homologues of the Swi2/Snf2 family and of PIF1.

A prominent β-hairpin structure in the winged-helix domain of RECQ1 is required for DNA unwinding and oligomer formation

RecQ helicases have attracted considerable interest in recent years due to their role in the suppression of genome instability and human diseases. These atypical helicases exert their function by resolving a number of highly specific DNA structures. The crystal structure of a truncated catalytic core of the human RECQ1 helicase (RECQ1^49–616) shows a prominent β-hairpin, with an aromatic residue (Y564) at the tip, located in the C-terminal winged-helix domain. Here, we show that the β-hairpin is required for the DNA unwinding and Holliday junction (HJ) resolution activity of full-length RECQ1, confirming that it represents an important determinant for the distinct substrate specificity of the five human RecQ helicases. In addition, we found that the β-hairpin is required for dimer formation in RECQ1^49–616 and tetramer formation in full-length RECQ1. We confirmed the presence of stable RECQ1^49–616 dimers in solution and demonstrated that dimer formation favours DNA unwinding; even though RECQ1 monomers are still active. Tetramers are instead necessary for more specialized activities such as HJ resolution and strand annealing. Interestingly, two independent protein–protein contacts are required for tetramer formation, one involves the β-hairpin and the other the N-terminus of RECQ1, suggesting a non-hierarchical mechanism of tetramer assembly.

DNA Helicases

DNA and RNA helicases are organized into six superfamilies of enzymes on the basis of sequence alignments, biochemical data, and available crystal structures. DNA helicases, members of which are found in each of the superfamilies, are an essential group of motor proteins that unwind DNA duplexes into their component single strands in a process that is coupled to the hydrolysis of nucleoside 5'-triphosphates. The purpose of this DNA unwinding is to provide nascent, single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) for the processes of DNA repair, replication, and recombination. Not surprisingly, DNA helicases share common biochemical properties that include the binding of single- and double-stranded DNA, nucleoside 5'-triphosphate binding and hydrolysis, and nucleoside 5'-triphosphate hydrolysis-coupled, polar unwinding of duplex DNA. These enzymes participate in every aspect of DNA metabolism due to the requirement for transient separation of small regions of the duplex genome into its component strands so that replication, recombination, and repair can occur. In Escherichia coli, there are currently twelve DNA helicases that perform a variety of tasks ranging from simple strand separation at the replication fork to more sophisticated processes in DNA repair and genetic recombination. In this chapter, the superfamily classification, role(s) in DNA metabolism, effects of mutations, biochemical analysis, oligomeric nature, and interacting partner proteins of each of the twelve DNA helicases are discussed.

Probing the structural basis of RecQ helicase function

RecQ helicases are a ubiquitous family of DNA unwinding enzymes required to preserve genome integrity, thus preventing premature aging and cancer formation. The five human representatives of this family play non-redundant roles in the suppression of genome instability using a combination of enzymatic activities that specifically characterize each member of the family. These enzymes are in fact not only able to catalyze the transient opening of DNA duplexes, as any other conventional helicase, but can also promote annealing of complementary strands, branch migration of Holliday junctions and, in some cases, excision of ssDNA tails. Remarkably, the balance between these different activities seems to be regulated by protein oligomerization. This review illustrates the recent progress made in the definition of the structural determinants that control the different enzymatic activities of RecQ helicases and speculates on the possible mechanisms that RecQ proteins might use to promote their multiple functions.

Role of RecA and the SOS response in thymineless death in Escherichia coli

Thymineless death (TLD) is a classic and enigmatic phenomenon, documented in bacterial, yeast, and human cells, whereby cells lose viability rapidly when deprived of thymine. Despite its being the essential mode of action of important chemotherapeutic agents, and despite having been studied extensively for decades, the basic mechanisms of TLD have remained elusive. In Escherichia coli, several proteins involved in homologous recombination (HR) are required for TLD, however, surprisingly, RecA, the central HR protein and activator of the SOS DNA-damage response was reported not to be. We demonstrate that RecA and the SOS response are required for a substantial fraction of TLD. We show that some of the Rec proteins implicated previously promote TLD via facilitating activation of the SOS response and that, of the roughly 40 proteins upregulated by SOS, SulA, an SOS-inducible inhibitor of cell division, accounts for most or all of how SOS causes TLD. The data imply that much of TLD results from an irreversible cell-cycle checkpoint due to blocked cell division. FISH analyses of the DNA in cells undergoing TLD reveal blocked replication and apparent DNA loss with the region near the replication origin underrepresented initially and the region near the terminus lost later. Models implicating formation of single-strand DNA at blocked replication forks, a SulA-blocked cell cycle, and RecQ/RecJ-catalyzed DNA degradation and HR are discussed. The data predict the importance of DNA damage-response and HR networks to TLD and chemotherapy resistance in humans.

Thymineless death is associated with loss of essential genetic information from the replication origin

Thymine starvation results in a terminal cellular condition known as thymineless death (TLD), which is the basis of action for several common antibiotics and anticancer drugs. We characterized the onset and progression of TLD in Escherichia coli and found that DNA damage is the only salient property that distinguishes cells irreversibly senesced under thymine starvation from cells reversibly arrested by the nucleotide limitation. The damage is manifested as the relative loss of genetic material spreading outward from the replication origin: the extent of TLD correlates with the progression of damage. The reduced lethality in mutants deficient in the RecFOR/JQ repair pathway also correlates with the extent of damage, which explains most of the observed variance in cell killing. We propose that such spatially localized and persistent DNA damage is the consequence of transcription-dependent initiation of replication in the thymine-starved cells and may be the underlying cause of TLD.