Making the best of the loose ends: Mre11/Rad50 complexes and Sae2 promote DNA double-strand break resection

Increasing DNA damage sensitivity through corylin-mediated inhibition of homologous recombination

BACKGROUND

DNA repair allows the survival of cancer cells. Therefore, the development of DNA repair inhibitors is a critical need for sensitizing cancers to chemoradiation. Sae2CtIP has specific functions in initiating DNA end resection, as well as coordinating cell cycle checkpoints, and it also greatly interacts with the DDR at different levels.

RESULTS

In this study, we demonstrated that corylin, a potential sensitizer, causes deficiencies in DNA repair and DNA damage checkpoints in yeast cells. More specifically, corylin increases DNA damage sensitivity through the Sae2-dependent pathway and impairs the activation of Mec1-Ddc2, Rad53-p and γ-H2A. In breast cancer cells, corylin increases apoptosis and reduces proliferation following Dox treatment by inhibiting CtIP. Xenograft assays showed that treatment with corylin combined with Dox significantly reduced tumor growth in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings herein delineate the mechanisms of action of corylin in regulating DNA repair and indicate that corylin has potential long-term clinical utility as a DDR inhibitor.

Single-molecule fluorescence imaging techniques reveal molecular mechanisms underlying deoxyribonucleic acid damage repair

Advances in single-molecule techniques have uncovered numerous biological secrets that cannot be disclosed by traditional methods. Among a variety of single-molecule methods, single-molecule fluorescence imaging techniques enable real-time visualization of biomolecular interactions and have allowed the accumulation of convincing evidence. These techniques have been broadly utilized for studying DNA metabolic events such as replication, transcription, and DNA repair, which are fundamental biological reactions. In particular, DNA repair has received much attention because it maintains genomic integrity and is associated with diverse human diseases. In this review, we introduce representative single-molecule fluorescence imaging techniques and survey how each technique has been employed for investigating the detailed mechanisms underlying DNA repair pathways. In addition, we briefly show how live-cell imaging at the single-molecule level contributes to understanding DNA repair processes inside cells.

PLK1-mediated phosphorylation of PPIL2 regulates HR via CtIP

Homologous recombination (HR) is an error-free DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair pathway, which safeguards genome integrity and cell viability. Human C-terminal binding protein (CtBP)—interacting protein (CtIP) is a central regulator of the pathway which initiates the DNA end resection in HR. Ubiquitination modification of CtIP is known in some cases to control DNA resection and promote HR. However, it remains unclear how cells restrain CtIP activity in unstressed cells. We show that the ubiquitin E3 ligase PPIL2 is recruited to DNA damage sites through interactions with an HR-related protein ZNF830, implying PPIL2’s involvement in DNA repair. We found that PPIL2 interacts with and ubiquitinates CtIP at the K426 site, representing a hereunto unknown ubiquitination site. Ubiquitination of CtIP by PPIL2 suppresses HR and DNA resection. This inhibition of PPIL2 is also modulated by phosphorylation at multiple sites by PLK1, which reduces PPIL2 ubiquitination of CtIP. Our findings reveal new regulatory complexity in CtIP ubiquitination in DSB repair. We propose that the PPIL2-dependent CtIP ubiquitination prevents CtIP from interacting with DNA, thereby inhibiting HR.

Replication Stress, DNA Damage, Inflammatory Cytokines and Innate Immune Response

Complete and accurate DNA replication is essential to genome stability maintenance during cellular division. However, cells are routinely challenged by endogenous as well as exogenous agents that threaten DNA stability. DNA breaks and the activation of the DNA damage response (DDR) arising from endogenous replication stress have been observed at pre- or early stages of oncogenesis and senescence. Proper detection and signalling of DNA damage are essential for the autonomous cellular response in which the DDR regulates cell cycle progression and controls the repair machinery. In addition to this autonomous cellular response, replicative stress changes the cellular microenvironment, activating the innate immune response that enables the organism to protect itself against the proliferation of damaged cells. Thereby, the recent descriptions of the mechanisms of the pro-inflammatory response activation after replication stress, DNA damage and DDR defects constitute important conceptual novelties. Here, we review the links of replication, DNA damage and DDR defects to innate immunity activation by pro-inflammatory paracrine effects, highlighting the implications for human syndromes and immunotherapies.

Modeling cancer genomic data in yeast reveals selection against ATM function during tumorigenesis

The DNA damage response (DDR) comprises multiple functions that collectively preserve genomic integrity and suppress tumorigenesis. The Mre11 complex and ATM govern a major axis of the DDR and several lines of evidence implicate that axis in tumor suppression. Components of the Mre11 complex are mutated in approximately five percent of human cancers. Inherited mutations of complex members cause severe chromosome instability syndromes, such as Nijmegen Breakage Syndrome, which is associated with strong predisposition to malignancy. And in mice, Mre11 complex mutations are markedly more susceptible to oncogene- induced carcinogenesis. The complex is integral to all modes of DNA double strand break (DSB) repair and is required for the activation of ATM to effect DNA damage signaling. To understand which functions of the Mre11 complex are important for tumor suppression, we undertook mining of cancer genomic data from the clinical sequencing program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, which includes the Mre11 complex among the 468 genes assessed. Twenty five mutations in MRE11 and RAD50 were modeled in S. cerevisiae and in vitro. The mutations were chosen based on recurrence and conservation between human and yeast. We found that a significant fraction of tumor-borne RAD50 and MRE11 mutations exhibited separation of function phenotypes wherein Tel1/ATM activation was severely impaired while DNA repair functions were mildly or not affected. At the molecular level, the gene products of RAD50 mutations exhibited defects in ATP binding and hydrolysis. The data reflect the importance of Rad50 ATPase activity for Tel1/ATM activation and suggest that inactivation of ATM signaling confers an advantage to burgeoning tumor cells.

Physical and functional interplay between PCNA DNA clamp and Mre11-Rad50 complex from the archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus

Several archaeal species prevalent in extreme environments are particularly exposed to factors likely to cause DNA damages. These include hyperthermophilic archaea (HA), living at temperatures >70°C, which arguably have efficient strategies and robust genome guardians to repair DNA damage threatening their genome integrity. In contrast to Eukarya and other archaea, homologous recombination appears to be a vital pathway in HA, and the Mre11–Rad50 complex exerts a broad influence on the initiation of this DNA damage response process. In a previous study, we identified a physical association between the Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) and the Mre11–Rad50 (MR) complex. Here, by performing co-immunoprecipitation and SPR analyses, we identified a short motif in the C- terminal portion of Pyrococcus furiosus Mre11 involved in the interaction with PCNA. Through this work, we revealed a PCNA-interaction motif corresponding to a variation on the PIP motif theme which is conserved among Mre11 sequences of Thermococcale species. Additionally, we demonstrated functional interplay in vitro between P. furiosus PCNA and MR enzymatic functions in the DNA end resection process. At physiological ionic strength, PCNA stimulates MR nuclease activities for DNA end resection and promotes an endonucleolytic incision proximal to the 5′ strand of double strand DNA break.

NBS1 promotes the endonuclease activity of the MRE11-RAD50 complex by sensing CtIP phosphorylation

DNA end resection initiates DNA double-strand break repair by homologous recombination. MRE11-RAD50-NBS1 and phosphorylated CtIP perform the first resection step via MRE11-catalyzed endonucleolytic DNA cleavage. Human NBS1, more than its homologue Xrs2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is crucial for this process, highlighting complex mechanisms that regulate the MRE11 nuclease in higher eukaryotes. Using a reconstituted system, we show here that NBS1, through its FHA and BRCT domains, functions as a sensor of CtIP phosphorylation. NBS1 then activates the MRE11-RAD50 nuclease through direct physical interactions with MRE11. In the absence of NBS1, MRE11-RAD50 exhibits a weaker nuclease activity, which requires CtIP but not strictly its phosphorylation. This identifies at least two mechanisms by which CtIP augments MRE11: a phosphorylation-dependent mode through NBS1 and a phosphorylation-independent mode without NBS1. In support, we show that limited DNA end resection occurs in vivo in the absence of the FHA and BRCT domains of NBS1. Collectively, our data suggest that NBS1 restricts the MRE11-RAD50 nuclease to S-G2 phase when CtIP is extensively phosphorylated. This defines mechanisms that regulate the MRE11 nuclease in DNA metabolism.

In Vitro Detection of Long Noncoding RNA Generated from DNA Double-Strand Breaks

DNA damage response (DDR) is essential for the maintenance of genomic integrity. We have recently discovered the generation of noncoding RNA from a DNA double-strand break (DSB) in an MRE11-RAD50-NBS1 complex-dependent manner, which are necessary for full DDR activation. The low abundance of these noncoding RNA makes them difficult to identify and study. In this chapter, we describe an in vitro biochemical assay to study the generation of damage-induced long noncoding RNA (dilncRNA) from a DNA DSB. In this assay, transcriptionally competent cell-free extracts upon incubation with a linear DNA support RNA synthesis from DNA ends, as monitored by incorporation of ³²P[UTP] in discrete products resolved on a denaturing polyacrylamide gel. This approach can be used to identify the role of different DDR proteins in generating dilncRNA.

Purification and Biophysical Characterization of the Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 Complex

The Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 (MRN) complex coordinates the repair of DNA double-strand breaks, replication fork restart, meiosis, class-switch recombination, and telomere maintenance. As such, MRN is an essential molecular machine that has homologs in all organisms of life, from bacteriophage to humans. In human cells, MRN is a >500 kDa multifunctional complex that encodes DNA binding, ATPase, and both endonuclease and exonuclease activities. MRN also forms larger assemblies and interacts with multiple DNA repair and replication factors. The enzymatic properties of MRN have been the subject of intense research for over 20 years, and more recently, single-molecule biophysics studies are beginning to probe its many biochemical activities. Here, we describe the methods used to overexpress, fluorescently label, and visualize MRN and its activities on single molecules of DNA.

Methods to Study DNA End Resection I: Recombinant Protein Purification

Accurate repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) is carried out by homologous recombination. In order to repair DNA breaks by the recombination pathway, the 5'-terminated DNA strand at DSB sites must be first nucleolytically processed to produce 3'-overhang. The process is termed DNA end resection and involves the interplay of several nuclease complexes. DNA end resection commits DSB repair to the recombination pathway including a process termed single-strand annealing, as resected DNA ends are generally nonligatable by the competing nonhomologous end-joining machinery. Biochemical reconstitution experiments provided invaluable mechanistic insights into the DNA end resection pathways. In this chapter, we describe preparation procedures of key proteins involved in DNA end resection in human cells, including the MRE11-RAD50-NBS1 complex, phosphorylated variant of CtIP, the DNA2 nuclease-helicase with its helicase partners Bloom (BLM) or Werner (WRN), as well as the single-stranded DNA-binding protein replication protein A. The availability of recombinant DNA end resection factors will help to further elucidate resection mechanisms and regulatory processes that may involve novel protein partners and posttranslational modifications.

Methods to Study DNA End Resection II: Biochemical Reconstitution Assays

DNA end resection initiates the largely accurate repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) by homologous recombination. Specifically, recombination requires the formation of 3' overhangs at DSB sites, which is carried out by nucleases that specifically degrade 5'-terminated DNA. In most cases, DNA end resection is a two-step process, comprising of initial short-range followed by more processive long-range resection. In this chapter, we describe selected assays that reconstitute both the short- and long-range pathways. First, we define methods to study the exonuclease and endonuclease activities of the MRE11-RAD50-NBS1 (MRN) complex in conjunction with phosphorylated cofactor CtIP. This reaction is particularly important to initiate processing of DNA breaks and to recruit components belonging to the subsequent long-range pathway. Next, we describe assays that reconstitute the concerted reactions of Bloom (BLM) or Werner (WRN) helicases that function together with the DNA2 nuclease-helicase, and which are as a complex capable to resect DNA of kilobases in length. The reconstituted reactions allow us to understand how the resection pathways function at the molecular level. The assays will be invaluable to define regulatory mechanisms and to identify inhibitory compounds, which may be valuable in cancer therapy.

Genetic Separation of Sae2 Nuclease Activity from Mre11 Nuclease Functions in Budding Yeast

Sae2 promotes the repair of DNA double-strand breaks in Saccharomyces cerevisiae The role of Sae2 is linked to the Mre11/Rad50/Xrs2 (MRX) complex, which is important for the processing of DNA ends into single-stranded substrates for homologous recombination. Sae2 has intrinsic endonuclease activity, but the role of this activity has not been assessed independently from its functions in promoting Mre11 nuclease activity. Here we identify and characterize separation-of-function mutants that lack intrinsic nuclease activity or the ability to promote Mre11 endonucleolytic activity. We find that the ability of Sae2 to promote MRX nuclease functions is important for DNA damage survival, particularly in the absence of Dna2 nuclease activity. In contrast, Sae2 nuclease activity is essential for DNA repair when the Mre11 nuclease is compromised. Resection of DNA breaks is impaired when either Sae2 activity is blocked, suggesting roles for both Mre11 and Sae2 nuclease activities in promoting the processing of DNA ends in vivo Finally, both activities of Sae2 are important for sporulation, indicating that the processing of meiotic breaks requires both Mre11 and Sae2 nuclease activities.

Dna2 initiates resection at clean DNA double-strand breaks

Nucleolytic resection of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) is essential for both checkpoint activation and homology-mediated repair; however, the precise mechanism of resection, especially the initiation step, remains incompletely understood. Resection of blocked ends with protein or chemical adducts is believed to be initiated by the MRN complex in conjunction with CtIP through internal cleavage of the 5' strand DNA. However, it is not clear whether resection of clean DSBs with free ends is also initiated by the same mechanism. Using the Xenopus nuclear extract system, here we show that the Dna2 nuclease directly initiates the resection of clean DSBs by cleaving the 5' strand DNA ∼10-20 nucleotides away from the ends. In the absence of Dna2, MRN together with CtIP mediate an alternative resection initiation pathway where the nuclease activity of MRN apparently directly cleaves the 5' strand DNA at more distal sites. MRN also facilitates resection initiation by promoting the recruitment of Dna2 and CtIP to the DNA substrate. The ssDNA-binding protein RPA promotes both Dna2- and CtIP-MRN-dependent resection initiation, but a RPA mutant can distinguish between these pathways. Our results strongly suggest that resection of blocked and clean DSBs is initiated via distinct mechanisms.

A curious new role for MRN in Schizosaccharomyces pombe non-homologous end-joining

Chromosomal breaks can be healed by several repair processes, including one called non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) where the two broken ends are ligated together with a loss of 0-5 bp of DNA. The protein requirements for NHEJ of cut DNA ends in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae include its version of the Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 (MRN) complex. In contrast, the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe and mammalian cells do not require MRN for this process. Recent work in S. pombe used transposon excision to generate breaks that were capped by DNA hairpins, which must be opened to produce ligatable ends. Repair in S. pombe was through an NHEJ reaction that now requires MRN. Surprisingly, wild type cells and MRN mutants that lack nuclease activity showed the same levels of excision. These genetic results suggest that MRN recruits an unknown hairpin-opening nuclease for this unusual NHEJ reaction.

Microhomology-mediated end joining: Good, bad and ugly

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are induced by a variety of genotoxic agents, including ionizing radiation and chemotherapy drugs for treating cancers. The elimination of DSBs proceeds via distinctive error-free and error-prone pathways. Repair by homologous recombination (HR) is largely error-free and mediated by RAD51/BRCA2 gene products. Classical non-homologous end joining (C-NHEJ) requires the Ku heterodimer and can efficiently rejoin breaks, with occasional loss or gain of DNA information. Recently, evidence has unveiled another DNA end-joining mechanism that is independent of recombination factors and Ku proteins, termed alternative non-homologous end joining (A-NHEJ). While A-NHEJ-mediated repair does not require homology, in a subtype of A-NHEJ, DSB breaks are sealed by microhomology (MH)-mediated base-pairing of DNA single strands, followed by nucleolytic trimming of DNA flaps, DNA gap filling, and DNA ligation, yielding products that are always associated with DNA deletion. This highly error-prone DSB repair pathway is termed microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ). Dissecting the mechanisms of MMEJ is of great interest because of its potential to destabilize the genome through gene deletions and chromosomal rearrangements in cells deficient in canonical repair pathways, including HR and C-NHEJ. In addition, evidence now suggests that MMEJ plays a physiological role in normal cells.

Taming Tricky DSBs: ATM on duty

Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM) has been known for decades as the main kinase mediating the DNA Double-Strand Break Response (DDR). Extensive studies have revealed its dual role in locally promoting detection and repair of DSBs as well as in activating global DNA damage checkpoints. However, recent studies pinpoint additional unanticipated functions for ATM in modifying both the local chromatin landscape and the global chromosome organization, more particularly at persistent breaks. Given the emergence of a novel and unexpected class of DSBs prevalently arising in transcriptionally active genes and intrinsically difficult to repair, a specific role of ATM at refractory DSBs could be an important and so far overlooked feature of Ataxia Telangiectasia (A-T) a severe disorder associated with ATM mutations.

Nonhomologous End-Joining with Minimal Sequence Loss Is Promoted by the Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1-Ctp1 Complex in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

While the Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 (MRN) complex has known roles in repair processes like homologous recombination and microhomology-mediated end-joining, its role in nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) is unclear as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and mammals have different requirements for repairing cut DNA ends. Most double-strand breaks (DSBs) require nucleolytic processing prior to DNA ligation. Therefore, we studied repair using the Hermes transposon, whose excision leaves a DSB capped by hairpin ends similar to structures generated by palindromes and trinucleotide repeats. We generated single Hermes insertions using a novel S. pombe transient transfection system, and used Hermes excision to show a requirement for MRN in the NHEJ of nonligatable ends. NHEJ repair was indicated by the >1000-fold decrease in excision in cells lacking Ku or DNA ligase 4. Most repaired excision sites had <5 bp of sequence loss or mutation, characteristic for NHEJ and similar excision events in metazoans, and in contrast to the more extensive loss seen in S. cerevisiaeS. pombe NHEJ was reduced >1000-fold in cells lacking each MRN subunit, and loss of MRN-associated Ctp1 caused a 30-fold reduction. An Mre11 dimer is thought to hold DNA ends together for repair, and Mre11 dimerization domain mutations reduced repair 300-fold. In contrast, a mre11 mutant defective in endonucleolytic activity, the same mutant lacking Ctp1, or the triple mutant also lacking the putative hairpin nuclease Pso2 showed wild-type levels of repair. Thus, MRN may act to recruit the hairpin opening activity that allows subsequent repair.

Regulation of the DNA Damage Response by DNA-PKcs Inhibitory Phosphorylation of ATM

Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) regulates the DNA damage response as well as DNA double-strand break repair through homologous recombination. Here we show that ATM is hyperactive when the catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs) is chemically inhibited or when the DNA-PKcs gene is deleted in human cells. Pre-incubation of ATM protein with active DNA-PKcs also significantly reduces ATM activity in vitro. We characterize several phosphorylation sites in ATM that are targets of DNA-PKcs and show that phospho-mimetic mutations at these residues significantly inhibit ATM activity and impair ATM signaling upon DNA damage. In contrast, phospho-blocking mutations at one cluster of sites increase the frequency of apoptosis during normal cell growth. DNA-PKcs, which is integral to the non-homologous end joining pathway, thus negatively regulates ATM activity through phosphorylation of ATM. These observations illuminate an important regulatory mechanism for ATM that also controls DNA repair pathway choice.

Phosphorylated CtIP Functions as a Co-factor of the MRE11-RAD50-NBS1 Endonuclease in DNA End Resection

To repair a DNA double-strand break (DSB) by homologous recombination (HR), the 5'-terminated strand of the DSB must be resected. The human MRE11-RAD50-NBS1 (MRN) and CtIP proteins were implicated in the initiation of DNA end resection, but the underlying mechanism remained undefined. Here, we show that CtIP is a co-factor of the MRE11 endonuclease activity within the MRN complex. This function is absolutely dependent on CtIP phosphorylation that includes the key cyclin-dependent kinase target motif at Thr-847. Unlike in yeast, where the Xrs2/NBS1 subunit is dispensable in vitro, NBS1 is absolutely required in the human system. The MRE11 endonuclease in conjunction with RAD50, NBS1, and phosphorylated CtIP preferentially cleaves 5'-terminated DNA strands near DSBs. Our results define the initial step of HR that is particularly relevant for the processing of DSBs bearing protein blocks.

The Shu complex is a conserved regulator of homologous recombination

Homologous recombination (HR) is an error-free DNA repair mechanism that maintains genome integrity by repairing double-strand breaks (DSBs). Defects in HR lead to genomic instability and are associated with cancer predisposition. A key step in HR is the formation of Rad51 nucleoprotein filaments which are responsible for the homology search and strand invasion steps that define HR. Recently, the budding yeast Shu complex has emerged as an important regulator of Rad51 along with the other Rad51 mediators including Rad52 and the Rad51 paralogs, Rad55-Rad57. The Shu complex is a heterotetramer consisting of two novel Rad51 paralogs, Psy3 and Csm2, along with Shu1 and a SWIM domain-containing protein, Shu2. Studies done primarily in yeast have provided evidence that the Shu complex regulates HR at several types of DNA DSBs (i.e. replication-associated and meiotic DSBs) and that its role in HR is highly conserved across eukaryotic lineages. This review highlights the main findings of these studies and discusses the proposed specific roles of the Shu complex in many aspects of recombination-mediated DNA repair.

Novel insights into RAD51 activity and regulation during homologous recombination and DNA replication

In this review we focus on new insights that challenge our understanding of homologous recombination (HR) and Rad51 regulation. Recent advances using high-resolution microscopy and single molecule techniques have broadened our knowledge of Rad51 filament formation and strand invasion at double-strand break (DSB) sites and at replication forks, which are one of most physiologically relevant forms of HR from yeast to humans. Rad51 filament formation and strand invasion is regulated by many mediator proteins such as the Rad51 paralogues and the Shu complex, consisting of a Shu2/SWS1 family member and additional Rad51 paralogues. Importantly, a novel RAD51 paralogue was discovered in Caenorhabditis elegans, and its in vitro characterization has demonstrated a new function for the worm RAD51 paralogues during HR. Conservation of the human RAD51 paralogues function during HR and repair of replicative damage demonstrate how the RAD51 mediators play a critical role in human health and genomic integrity. Together, these new findings provide a framework for understanding RAD51 and its mediators in DNA repair during multiple cellular contexts.

EXD2 promotes homologous recombination by facilitating DNA end resection

Repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) by homologous recombination (HR) is critical for survival and genome stability of individual cells and organisms, but also contributes to the genetic diversity of species. A vital step in HR is MRN-CtIP-dependent end resection, which generates the 3' single-stranded DNA overhangs required for the subsequent strand exchange reaction. Here, we identify EXD2 (also known as EXDL2) as an exonuclease essential for DSB resection and efficient HR. EXD2 is recruited to chromatin in a damage-dependent manner and confers resistance to DSB-inducing agents. EXD2 functionally interacts with the MRN complex to accelerate resection through its 3'-5' exonuclease activity, which efficiently processes double-stranded DNA substrates containing nicks. Finally, we establish that EXD2 stimulates both short- and long-range DSB resection, and thus, together with MRE11, is required for efficient HR. This establishes a key role for EXD2 in controlling the initial steps of chromosomal break repair.

DNA Damage Signalling and Repair Inhibitors: The Long-Sought-After Achilles' Heel of Cancer

For decades, radiotherapy and chemotherapy were the two only approaches exploiting DNA repair processes to fight against cancer. Nowadays, cancer therapeutics can be a major challenge when it comes to seeking personalized targeted medicine that is both effective and selective to the malignancy. Over the last decade, the discovery of new targeted therapies against DNA damage signalling and repair has offered the possibility of therapeutic improvements in oncology. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of DNA damage signalling and repair inhibitors, their molecular and cellular effects, and future therapeutic use.

A novel mode of nuclease action is revealed by the bacterial Mre11/Rad50 complex

The Mre11/Rad50 complex is a central player in various genome maintenance pathways. Here, we report a novel mode of nuclease action found for the Escherichia coli Mre11/Rad50 complex, SbcC₂/D₂ complex (SbcCD). SbcCD cuts off the top of a cruciform DNA by making incisions on both strands and continues cleaving the dsDNA stem at ∼10-bp intervals. Using linear-shaped DNA substrates, we observed that SbcCD cleaved dsDNA using this activity when the substrate was 110 bp long, but that on shorter substrates the cutting pattern was changed to that predicted for the activity of a 3′-5′ exonuclease. Our results suggest that SbcCD processes hairpin and linear dsDNA ends with this novel DNA end-dependent binary endonuclease activity in response to substrate length rather than using previously reported activities. We propose a model for this mode of nuclease action, which provides new insight into SbcCD activity at a dsDNA end.

Requirement of POL3 and POL4 on non-homologous and microhomology-mediated end joining in rad50/xrs2 mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) directly joins two broken DNA ends without sequence homology. A distinct pathway called microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ) relies on a few base pairs of homology between the recombined DNA. The majority of DNA double-strand breaks caused by endogenous oxygen species or ionizing radiation contain damaged bases that hinder direct religation. End processing is required to remove mismatched nucleotides and fill in gaps during end joining of incompatible ends. POL3 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes polymerase δ that is required for DNA replication and other DNA repair processes. Our previous results have shown that POL3 is involved in gap filling at 3' overhangs in POL4-independent NHEJ. Here, we studied the epistatic interaction between POL3, RAD50, XRS2 and POL4 in NHEJ using a plasmid-based endjoining assay in yeast. We demonstrated that either rad50 or xrs2 mutation is epistatic for end joining of compatible ends in the rad50 pol3-t or xrs2 pol3-t double mutants. However, the pol3-t and rad50 or pol3-t and xrs2 mutants caused an additive decrease in the end-joining efficiency of incompatible ends, suggesting that POL3 and RAD50 or POL3 and XRS2 exhibit independent functions in NHEJ. In the rad50 pol4 mutant, end joining of incompatible ends was not detected. In the rad50 or xrs2 mutants, NHEJ events did not contain any microhomology at the rejoined junctions. The pol3-t mutation restored MMEJ in the rad50 or xrs2 mutant backgrounds. Moreover, we demonstrated that NHEJ of incompatible ends required RAD50 and POL4 more than POL3. In conclusion, POL3 and POL4 have differential functions in NHEJ, independent of the RAD50-mediated repair pathway.

Replication fork integrity and intra-S phase checkpoint suppress gene amplification

Gene amplification is a phenotype-causing form of chromosome instability and is initiated by DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Cells with mutant p53 lose G1/S checkpoint and are permissive to gene amplification. In this study we show that mammalian cells become proficient for spontaneous gene amplification when the function of the DSB repair protein complex MRN (Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1) is impaired. Cells with impaired MRN complex experienced severe replication stress and gained substrates for gene amplification during replication, as evidenced by the increase of replication-associated single-stranded breaks that were converted to DSBs most likely through replication fork reversal. Impaired MRN complex directly compromised ATM/ATR-mediated checkpoints and allowed cells to progress through cell cycle in the presence of DSBs. Such compromised intra-S phase checkpoints promoted gene amplification independently from mutant p53. Finally, cells adapted to endogenous replication stress by globally suppressing genes for DNA replication and cell cycle progression. Our results indicate that the MRN complex suppresses gene amplification by stabilizing replication forks and by securing DNA damage response to replication-associated DSBs.

Mechanisms of ATM Activation

The ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) protein kinase is a master regulator of the DNA damage response, and it coordinates checkpoint activation, DNA repair, and metabolic changes in eukaryotic cells in response to DNA double-strand breaks and oxidative stress. Loss of ATM activity in humans results in the pleiotropic neurodegeneration disorder ataxia-telangiectasia. ATM exists in an inactive state in resting cells but can be activated by the Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 (MRN) complex and other factors at sites of DNA breaks. In addition, oxidation of ATM activates the kinase independently of the MRN complex. This review discusses these mechanisms of activation, as well as the posttranslational modifications that affect this process and the cellular factors that affect the efficiency and specificity of ATM activation and substrate phosphorylation. I highlight functional similarities between the activation mechanisms of ATM, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3Ks), and the other PI3K-like kinases, as well as recent structural insights into their regulation.

Sumoylation influences DNA break repair partly by increasing the solubility of a conserved end resection protein

Protein modifications regulate both DNA repair levels and pathway choice. How each modification achieves regulatory effects and how different modifications collaborate with each other are important questions to be answered. Here, we show that sumoylation regulates double-strand break repair partly by modifying the end resection factor Sae2. This modification is conserved from yeast to humans, and is induced by DNA damage. We mapped the sumoylation site of Sae2 to a single lysine in its self-association domain. Abolishing Sae2 sumoylation by mutating this lysine to arginine impaired Sae2 function in the processing and repair of multiple types of DNA breaks. We found that Sae2 sumoylation occurs independently of its phosphorylation, and the two modifications act in synergy to increase soluble forms of Sae2. We also provide evidence that sumoylation of the Sae2-binding nuclease, the Mre11-Rad50-Xrs2 complex, further increases end resection. These findings reveal a novel role for sumoylation in DNA repair by regulating the solubility of an end resection factor. They also show that collaboration between different modifications and among multiple substrates leads to a stronger biological effect.

Proper repair of DNA lesions is crucial for cell growth and organism development. Both the choice and capacity of DNA repair pathways are tightly regulated in response to environmental cues and cell cycle phase. Recent work has uncovered the importance of protein modifications, such as phosphorylation and sumoylation, in this regulation. Sumoylation is known to be critical for the efficient repair of highly toxic DNA double-strand breaks in both yeast and humans, and this is partly mediated by influencing DNA end resection. However, it has been unclear for which resection factor sumoylation is important, how sumoylation influences specific attributes of the relevant targets, and how this modification is coordinated with phosphorylation-based regulation. Here, we provide exciting new insights into these issues by revealing that 1) a conserved end resection factor is a SUMO target relevant to this process, 2) this regulation favors a specific repair pathway, 3) sumoylation collaborates with phosphorylation to promote protein solubility, and 4) sumoylation influences DNA repair via an “ensemble effect” that entails simultaneous small alterations of multiple substrates. Our work reveals both a novel mechanism and a general principle for SUMO-mediated regulation of DNA repair.

Bcl2 inhibits recruitment of Mre11 complex to DNA double-strand breaks in response to high-linear energy transfer radiation

High-linear energy transfer ionizing radiation, derived from high charge (Z) and energy (E) (HZE) particles, induces clustered/complex DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) that include small DNA fragments, which are not repaired by the non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) pathway. The homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair pathway plays a major role in repairing DSBs induced by HZE particles. The Mre11 complex (Mre11/Rad50/NBS1)-mediated resection of DSB ends is a required step in preparing for DSB repair via the HR DNA repair pathway. Here we found that expression of Bcl2 results in decreased HR activity and retards the repair of DSBs induced by HZE particles (i.e. ⁵⁶iron and ²⁸silicon) by inhibiting Mre11 complex activity. Exposure of cells to ⁵⁶iron or ²⁸silicon promotes Bcl2 to interact with Mre11 via the BH1 and BH4 domains. Purified Bcl2 protein directly suppresses Mre11 complex-mediated DNA resection in vitro. Expression of Bcl2 reduces the ability of Mre11 to bind DNA following exposure of cells to HZE particles. Our findings suggest that, after cellular exposure to HZE particles, Bcl2 may inhibit Mre11 complex-mediated DNA resection leading to suppression of the HR-mediated DSB repair in surviving cells, which may potentially contribute to tumor development.

DNA end recognition by the Mre11 nuclease dimer: insights into resection and repair of damaged DNA

The Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 (MRN) complex plays important roles in sensing DNA damage, as well as in resecting and tethering DNA ends, and thus participates in double-strand break repair. An earlier structure of Mre11 bound to a short duplex DNA molecule suggested that each Mre11 in a dimer recognizes one DNA duplex to bridge two DNA ends at a short distance. Here, we provide an alternative DNA recognition model based on the structures of Methanococcus jannaschii Mre11 (MjMre11) bound to longer DNA molecules, which may more accurately reflect a broken chromosome. An extended stretch of B-form DNA asymmetrically runs across the whole dimer, with each end of this DNA molecule being recognized by an individual Mre11 monomer. DNA binding induces rigid-body rotation of the Mre11 dimer, which could facilitate melting of the DNA end and its juxtaposition to an active site of Mre11. The identified Mre11 interface binding DNA duplex ends is structurally conserved and shown to functionally contribute to efficient resection, non-homologous end joining, and tolerance to DNA-damaging agents when other resection enzymes are absent. Together, the structural, biochemical, and genetic findings presented here offer new insights into how Mre11 recognizes damaged DNA and facilitates DNA repair.

Catalytic and noncatalytic roles of the CtIP endonuclease in double-strand break end resection

The carboxy-terminal binding protein (CtBP)-interacting protein (CtIP) is known to function in 5' strand resection during homologous recombination, similar to the budding yeast Sae2 protein, but its role in this process is unclear. Here, we characterize recombinant human CtIP and find that it exhibits 5' flap endonuclease activity on branched DNA structures, independent of the MRN complex. Phosphorylation of CtIP at known damage-dependent sites and other sites is essential for its catalytic activity, although the S327 and T847 phosphorylation sites are dispensable. A catalytic mutant of CtIP that is deficient in endonuclease activity exhibits wild-type levels of homologous recombination at restriction enzyme-generated breaks but is deficient in processing topoisomerase adducts and radiation-induced breaks in human cells, suggesting that the nuclease activity of CtIP is specifically required for the removal of DNA adducts at sites of DNA breaks.

A saccharomyces cerevisiae RNase H2 interaction network functions to suppress genome instability

Errors during DNA replication are one likely cause of gross chromosomal rearrangements (GCRs). Here, we analyze the role of RNase H2, which functions to process Okazaki fragments, degrade transcription intermediates, and repair misincorporated ribonucleotides, in preventing genome instability. The results demonstrate that rnh203 mutations result in a weak mutator phenotype and cause growth defects and synergistic increases in GCR rates when combined with mutations affecting other DNA metabolism pathways, including homologous recombination (HR), sister chromatid HR, resolution of branched HR intermediates, postreplication repair, sumoylation in response to DNA damage, and chromatin assembly. In some cases, a mutation in RAD51 or TOP1 suppressed the increased GCR rates and/or the growth defects of rnh203Δ double mutants. This analysis suggests that cells with RNase H2 defects have increased levels of DNA damage and depend on other pathways of DNA metabolism to overcome the deleterious effects of this DNA damage.

The Ctf18RFC clamp loader is essential for telomere stability in telomerase-negative and mre11 mutant alleles

The function of the replication clamp loaders in the semi-conservative telomere replication and their relationship to telomerase- and recombination mechanisms of telomere addition remains ambiguous. We have investigated the variant clamp loader Ctf18 RFC (Replication Factor C). To understand the role of Ctf18 at the telomere, we first investigated genetic interactions after loss of Ctf18 and TLC1 (the yeast telomerase RNA). We find that the tlc1Δ ctf18Δ double mutant confers a rapid >1000-fold decrease in viability. The rate of loss was similar to the kinetics of cell death in rad52Δ tlc1Δ cells. However, the Ctf18 pathway is distinct from Rad52, required for the repair of DSBs, as demonstrated by the synthetic lethality of rad52▵ tlc1Δ ctf18Δ triple mutants. These data suggest that each mutant elicits non-redundant defects acting on the same substrate. Second, interactions of the yeast hyper-recombinational mutant, mre11A470T, with ctf18▵ confer a synergistic cold sensitivity. The phenotype of these double mutants ultimately results in telomere loss and the generation of recombinational survivors. We observed a similar synergism between single mutants that led to hypersensitivity to the DNA alkylating agent, methane methyl sulphonate (MMS), the replication fork inhibitor hydroxyurea (HU), and to a failure to separate telomeres of sister chromatids. Hence, ctf18Δ and mre11A470T act in different pathways on telomere substrates for multiple phenotypes. The mre11A470T cells also displayed a DNA damage response (DDR) at 15°C but not at 30°C while ctf18Δ mutants conferred a constitutive DDR activity. Both the 15°C DDR pattern and growth rate were reversible at 30°C and displayed telomerase activity in vivo. We hypothesize that Ctf18 confers protection against stalling and/or breaks at the replication fork in cells that either lack, or are compromised for, telomerase activity. This Ctf18-based function is likely to contribute another level to telomere size homeostasis.

Targeting homologous recombination-mediated DNA repair in cancer

INTRODUCTION

DNA is the target of many traditional non-specific chemotherapeutic drugs. New drugs or therapeutic approaches with a more rational and targeted component are mandatory to improve the success of cancer therapy. The homologous recombination (HR) pathway is an attractive target for the development of inhibitors because cancer cells rely heavily on HR for repair of DNA double-strand breaks resulting from chemotherapeutic treatments. Additionally, the discovery that poly(ADP)ribose polymerase-1 inhibitors selectively kill cells with genetic defects in HR has spurned an even greater interest in inhibitors of HR.

AREAS COVERED

HR drives the repair of broken DNA via numerous protein-mediated sequential DNA manipulations. Due to extensive number of steps and proteins involved, the HR pathway provides a rich pool of potential drug targets. This review discusses the latest developments concerning the strategies being explored to inhibit HR. Particular attention is given to the identification of small molecule inhibitors of key HR proteins, including the BRCA proteins and RAD51.

EXPERT OPINION

Current HR inhibitors are providing the basis for pharmaceutical development of more potent and specific inhibitors to be applied in mono- or combinatorial therapy regimes, while novel targets will be uncovered by experiments aimed to gain a deeper mechanistic understanding of HR and its subpathways.

DNA-dependent protein kinase regulates DNA end resection in concert with Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 (MRN) and ataxia telangiectasia-mutated (ATM)

The resection of DNA double strand breaks initiates homologous recombination (HR) and is critical for genomic stability. Using direct measurement of resection in human cells and reconstituted assays of resection with purified proteins in vitro, we show that DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs), a classic nonhomologous end joining factor, antagonizes double strand break resection by blocking the recruitment of resection enzymes such as exonuclease 1 (Exo1). Autophosphorylation of DNA-PKcs promotes DNA-PKcs dissociation and consequently Exo1 binding. Ataxia telangiectasia-mutated kinase activity can compensate for DNA-PKcs autophosphorylation and promote resection under conditions where DNA-PKcs catalytic activity is inhibited. The Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 (MRN) complex further stimulates resection in the presence of Ku and DNA-PKcs by recruiting Exo1 and enhancing DNA-PKcs autophosphorylation, and it also inhibits DNA ligase IV/XRCC4-mediated end rejoining. This work suggests that, in addition to its key role in nonhomologous end joining, DNA-PKcs also acts in concert with MRN and ataxia telangiectasia-mutated to regulate resection and thus DNA repair pathway choice.

Phosphorylation-regulated transitions in an oligomeric state control the activity of the Sae2 DNA repair enzyme

In the DNA damage response, many repair and signaling molecules mobilize rapidly at the sites of DNA double-strand breaks. This network of immediate responses is regulated at the level of posttranslational modifications that control the activation of DNA processing enzymes, protein kinases, and scaffold proteins to coordinate DNA repair and checkpoint signaling. Here we investigated the DNA damage-induced oligomeric transitions of the Sae2 protein, an important enzyme in the initiation of DNA double-strand break repair. Sae2 is a target of multiple phosphorylation events, which we identified and characterized in vivo in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Both cell cycle-dependent and DNA damage-dependent phosphorylation sites in Sae2 are important for the survival of DNA damage, and the cell cycle-regulated modifications are required to prime the damage-dependent events. We found that Sae2 exists in the form of inactive oligomers that are transiently released into smaller active units by this series of phosphorylations. DNA damage also triggers removal of Sae2 through autophagy and proteasomal degradation, ensuring that active Sae2 is present only transiently in cells. Overall, this analysis provides evidence for a novel type of protein regulation where the activity of an enzyme is controlled dynamically by posttranslational modifications that regulate its solubility and oligomeric state.

Visualization of local DNA unwinding by Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 using single-molecule FRET

The Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 (MRN) complex initiates and coordinates DNA repair and signaling events at double-strand breaks. The interaction between MRN and DNA ends is critical for the recruitment of DNA-processing enzymes, end tethering, and activation of the ATM protein kinase. Here we visualized MRN binding to duplex DNA molecules using single-molecule FRET, and found that MRN unwinds 15-20 base pairs at the end of the duplex, holding the branched structure open for minutes at a time in an ATP-dependent reaction. A Rad50 catalytic domain mutant that is specifically deficient in this ATP-dependent opening is impaired in DNA end resection in vitro and in resection-dependent repair of breaks in human cells, demonstrating the importance of MRN-generated single strands in the repair of DNA breaks.

A DNA break inducer activates the anticodon nuclease RloC and the adaptive immunity in Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1

Double-stranded DNA breaks (DSB) cause bacteria to augment expression of DNA repair and various stress response proteins. A puzzling exception educes the anticodon nuclease (ACNase) RloC, which resembles the DSB responder Rad50 and the antiviral, translation-disabling ACNase PrrC. While PrrC's ACNase is regulated by a DNA restriction-modification (R-M) protein and a phage anti-DNA restriction peptide, RloC has an internal ACNase switch comprising a putative DSB sensor and coupled ATPase. Further exploration of RloC's controls revealed, first, that its ACNase is stabilized by the activating DNA and hydrolysed nucleotide. Second, DSB inducers activated RloC's ACNase in heterologous contexts as well as in a natural host, even when R-M deficient. Third, the DSB-induced activation of the indigenous RloC led to partial and temporary disruption of tRNA(Glu) and tRNA(Gln). Lastly, accumulation of CRISPR-derived RNA that occurred in parallel raises the possibility that the adaptive immunity and RloC provide the genotoxicated host with complementary protection from impending infections.

ATR phosphorylates SMARCAL1 to prevent replication fork collapse

The DNA damage response kinase ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) coordinates much of the cellular response to replication stress. The exact mechanisms by which ATR regulates DNA synthesis in conditions of replication stress are largely unknown, but this activity is critical for the viability and proliferation of cancer cells, making ATR a potential therapeutic target. Here we use selective ATR inhibitors to demonstrate that acute inhibition of ATR kinase activity yields rapid cell lethality, disrupts the timing of replication initiation, slows replication elongation, and induces fork collapse. We define the mechanism of this fork collapse, which includes SLX4-dependent cleavage yielding double-strand breaks and CtIP-dependent resection generating excess single-stranded template and nascent DNA strands. Our data suggest that the DNA substrates of these nucleases are generated at least in part by the SMARCAL1 DNA translocase. Properly regulated SMARCAL1 promotes stalled fork repair and restart; however, unregulated SMARCAL1 contributes to fork collapse when ATR is inactivated in both mammalian and Xenopus systems. ATR phosphorylates SMARCAL1 on S652, thereby limiting its fork regression activities and preventing aberrant fork processing. Thus, phosphorylation of SMARCAL1 is one mechanism by which ATR prevents fork collapse, promotes the completion of DNA replication, and maintains genome integrity.

The Elephant and the Blind Men: Making Sense of PARP Inhibitors in Homologous Recombination Deficient Tumor Cells

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) is an important component of the base excision repair (BER) pathway as well as a regulator of homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ). Previous studies have demonstrated that treatment of HR-deficient cells with PARP inhibitors results in stalled and collapsed replication forks. Consequently, HR-deficient cells are extremely sensitive to PARP inhibitors. Several explanations have been advanced to explain this so-called synthetic lethality between HR deficiency and PARP inhibition: (i) reduction of BER activity leading to enhanced DNA double-strand breaks, which accumulate in the absence of HR; (ii) trapping of inhibited PARP1 at sites of DNA damage, which prevents access of other repair proteins; (iii) failure to initiate HR by poly(ADP-ribose) polymer-dependent BRCA1 recruitment; and (iv) activation of the NHEJ pathway, which selectively induces error-prone repair in HR-deficient cells. Here we review evidence regarding these various explanations for the ability of PARP inhibitors to selectively kill HR-deficient cancer cells and discuss their potential implications.

Coordination and processing of DNA ends during double-strand break repair: the role of the bacteriophage T4 Mre11/Rad50 (MR) complex

The in vivo functions of the bacteriophage T4 Mre11/Rad50 (MR) complex (gp46/47) in double-strand-end processing, double-strand break repair, and recombination-dependent replication were investigated. The complex is essential for T4 growth, but we wanted to investigate the in vivo function during productive infections. We therefore generated a suppressed triple amber mutant in the Rad50 subunit to substantially reduce the level of complex and thereby reduce phage growth. Growth-limiting amounts of the complex caused a concordant decrease in phage genomic recombination-dependent replication. However, the efficiencies of double-strand break repair and of plasmid-based recombination-dependent replication remained relatively normal. Genetic analyses of linked markers indicated that double-strand ends were less protected from nuclease erosion in the depleted infection and also that end coordination during repair was compromised. We discuss models for why phage genomic recombination-dependent replication is more dependent on Mre11/Rad50 levels when compared to plasmid recombination-dependent replication. We also tested the importance of the conserved histidine residue in nuclease motif I of the T4 Mre11 protein. Substitution with multiple different amino acids (including serine) failed to support phage growth, completely blocked plasmid recombination-dependent replication, and led to the stabilization of double-strand ends. We also constructed and expressed an Mre11 mutant protein with the conserved histidine changed to serine. The mutant protein was found to be completely defective for nuclease activities, but retained the ability to bind the Rad50 subunit and double-stranded DNA. These results indicate that the nuclease activity of Mre11 is critical for phage growth and recombination-dependent replication during T4 infections.

Multiple genetic pathways regulate replicative senescence in telomerase-deficient yeast

Most human tissues express low levels of telomerase and undergo telomere shortening and eventual senescence; the resulting limitation on tissue renewal can lead to a wide range of age-dependent pathophysiologies. Increasing evidence indicates that the decline in cell division capacity in cells that lack telomerase can be influenced by numerous genetic factors. Here, we use telomerase-defective strains of budding yeast to probe whether replicative senescence can be attenuated or accelerated by defects in factors previously implicated in handling of DNA termini. We show that the MRX (Mre11-Rad50-Xrs2) complex, as well as negative (Rif2) and positive (Tel1) regulators of this complex, comprise a single pathway that promotes replicative senescence, in a manner that recapitulates how these proteins modulate resection of DNA ends. In contrast, the Rad51 recombinase, which acts downstream of the MRX complex in double-strand break (DSB) repair, regulates replicative senescence through a separate pathway operating in opposition to the MRX-Tel1-Rif2 pathway. Moreover, defects in several additional proteins implicated in DSB repair (Rif1 and Sae2) confer only transient effects during early or late stages of replicative senescence, respectively, further suggesting that a simple analogy between DSBs and eroding telomeres is incomplete. These results indicate that the replicative capacity of telomerase-defective yeast is controlled by a network comprised of multiple pathways. It is likely that telomere shortening in telomerase-depleted human cells is similarly under a complex pattern of genetic control; mechanistic understanding of this process should provide crucial information regarding how human tissues age in response to telomere erosion.

A role for the MRN complex in ATR activation via TOPBP1 recruitment

The MRN (MRE11-RAD50-NBS1) complex has been implicated in many aspects of the DNA damage response. It has key roles in sensing and processing DNA double-strand breaks, as well as in activation of ATM (ataxia telangiectasia mutated). We reveal a function for MRN in ATR (ATM- and RAD3-related) activation by using defined ATR-activating DNA structures in Xenopus egg extracts. Strikingly, we demonstrate that MRN is required for recruitment of TOPBP1 to an ATR-activating structure that contains a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) junction and that this recruitment is necessary for phosphorylation of CHK1. We also show that the 911 (RAD9-RAD1-HUS1) complex is not required for TOPBP1 recruitment but is essential for TOPBP1 function. Thus, whereas MRN is required for TOPBP1 recruitment at an ssDNA-to-dsDNA junction, 911 is required for TOPBP1 "activation." These findings provide molecular insights into how ATR is activated.

Controlling DNA-end resection: a new task for CDKs

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are repaired by two major pathways: homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ). The choice between HR and NHEJ is highly regulated during the cell cycle. DNA-end resection, an evolutionarily conserved process that generates long stretches of single-stranded DNA, plays a critical role in pathway choice, as it commits cells to HR, while, at the same time, suppressing NHEJ. As erroneous DSB repair is a major source of genomic instability-driven tumorigenesis, DNA-end resection factors, and in particular their regulation by post-translational modifications, have become the subject of extensive research over the past few years. Recent work has implicated phosphorylation at S/T-P motifs by cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) as a major regulatory mechanism of DSB repair. Intriguingly, CDK activity was found to be critically important for the coordinated and timely execution of DNA-end resection, and key players in this process were subsequently identified as CDK substrates. In this mini review, we provide an overview of the current understanding of how the DNA-end resection machinery in yeast and human cells is controlled by CDK-mediated phosphorylation.

To trim or not to trim: progression and control of DSB end resection

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are the most cytotoxic form of DNA damage, since they can lead to genome instability and chromosome rearrangements, which are hallmarks of cancer cells. To face this kind of lesion, eukaryotic cells developed two alternative repair pathways, homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). Repair pathway choice is influenced by the cell cycle phase and depends upon the 5'-3' nucleolytic processing of the break ends, since the generation of ssDNA tails strongly stimulates HR and inhibits NHEJ. A large amount of work has elucidated the key components of the DSBs repair machinery and how this crucial process is finely regulated. The emerging view suggests that besides endo/exonucleases and helicases activities required for end resection, molecular barrier factors are specifically loaded in the proximity of the break, where they physically or functionally limit DNA degradation, preventing excessive accumulation of ssDNA, which could be threatening for cell survival.

DNA deaminases induce break-associated mutation showers with implication of APOBEC3B and 3A in breast cancer kataegis

Breast cancer genomes have revealed a novel form of mutation showers (kataegis) in which multiple same-strand substitutions at C:G pairs spaced one to several hundred nucleotides apart are clustered over kilobase-sized regions, often associated with sites of DNA rearrangement. We show kataegis can result from AID/APOBEC-catalysed cytidine deamination in the vicinity of DNA breaks, likely through action on single-stranded DNA exposed during resection. Cancer-like kataegis can be recapitulated by expression of AID/APOBEC family deaminases in yeast where it largely depends on uracil excision, which generates an abasic site for strand breakage. Localized kataegis can also be nucleated by an I-SceI-induced break. Genome-wide patterns of APOBEC3-catalyzed deamination in yeast reveal APOBEC3B and 3A as the deaminases whose mutational signatures are most similar to those of breast cancer kataegic mutations. Together with expression and functional assays, the results implicate APOBEC3B/A in breast cancer hypermutation and give insight into the mechanism of kataegis. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00534.001.

Relationship of DNA degradation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae exonuclease 1 and its stimulation by RPA and Mre11-Rad50-Xrs2 to DNA end resection

Homologous recombination is a major pathway for repair of DNA double-strand breaks. This repair process is initiated by resection of the 5′-terminated strand at the break site. In yeast, resection is carried out by three nucleolytic complexes: Mre11-Rad50-Xrs2, which functions at the initial step and also stimulates the two processive pathways, Sgs1-Dna2 and Exonuclease 1 (Exo1). Here we investigated the relationship between the three resection pathways with a focus on Exo1. Exo1 preferentially degrades the 5′-terminal stand of duplex DNA that is single stranded at the 3′ end, in agreement with its role downstream of the Mre11-Rad50-Xrs2 complex. Replication protein A (RPA) stimulates DNA end resection by Exo1 by both preventing nonspecific binding of Exo1 to and preventing degradation of single-stranded DNA. Nucleolytic degradation of DNA by Exo1 is inhibited by the helicase-deficient Sgs1 K706A mutant protein and, reciprocally, the nuclease-deficient Exo1 D173A mutant protein inhibits DNA unwinding by Sgs1. Thus, the activities of Sgs1 and Exo1 at DNA ends are mutually exclusive, establishing biochemically that both machineries function independently in DNA end processing. We also reconstituted Sgs1-Top3-Rmi1-RPA-Dna2 and Exo1 resection reactions both individually and combined, either with or without the Mre11-Rad50-Xrs2 complex. We show that the yeast Sgs1-Dna2 and Exo1 pathways do not stimulate one another and function as independent and separate DNA end-processing machineries, even in the presence of the stimulatory Mre11-Rad50-Xrs2 complex.

Coincident resection at both ends of random, γ-induced double-strand breaks requires MRX (MRN), Sae2 (Ctp1), and Mre11-nuclease

Resection is an early step in homology-directed recombinational repair (HDRR) of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Resection enables strand invasion as well as reannealing following DNA synthesis across a DSB to assure efficient HDRR. While resection of only one end could result in genome instability, it has not been feasible to address events at both ends of a DSB, or to distinguish 1- versus 2-end resections at random, radiation-induced "dirty" DSBs or even enzyme-induced "clean" DSBs. Previously, we quantitatively addressed resection and the role of Mre11/Rad50/Xrs2 complex (MRX) at random DSBs in circular chromosomes within budding yeast based on reduced pulsed-field gel electrophoretic mobility ("PFGE-shift"). Here, we extend PFGE analysis to a second dimension and demonstrate unique patterns associated with 0-, 1-, and 2-end resections at DSBs, providing opportunities to examine coincidence of resection. In G2-arrested WT, Δrad51 and Δrad52 cells deficient in late stages of HDRR, resection occurs at both ends of γ-DSBs. However, for radiation-induced and I-SceI-induced DSBs, 1-end resections predominate in MRX (MRN) null mutants with or without Ku70. Surprisingly, Sae2 (Ctp1/CtIP) and Mre11 nuclease-deficient mutants have similar responses, although there is less impact on repair. Thus, we provide direct molecular characterization of coincident resection at random, radiation-induced DSBs and show that rapid and coincident initiation of resection at γ-DSBs requires MRX, Sae2 protein, and Mre11 nuclease. Structural features of MRX complex are consistent with coincident resection being due to an ability to interact with both DSB ends to directly coordinate resection. Interestingly, coincident resection at clean I-SceI-induced breaks is much less dependent on Mre11 nuclease or Sae2, contrary to a strong dependence on MRX complex, suggesting different roles for these functions at "dirty" and clean DSB ends. These approaches apply to resection at other DSBs. Given evolutionary conservation, the observations are relevant to DNA repair in human cells.