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Singh RS, Vidhyasagar V, Yang S, Arna AB, Yadav M, Aggarwal A, Aguilera AN, Shinriki S, Bhanumathy KK, Pandey K, Xu A, Rapin N, Bosch M, DeCoteau J, Xiang J, Vizeacoumar FJ, Zhou Y, Misra V, Matsui H, Ross SR, Wu Y. DDX41 is required for cGAS-STING activation against DNA virus infection. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110856. [PMID: 35613581 PMCID: PMC9205463 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Upon binding double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) is activated and initiates the cGAS-stimulator of IFN genes (STING)-type I interferon pathway. DEAD-box helicase 41 (DDX41) is a DEAD-box helicase, and mutations in DDX41 cause myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Here, we show that DDX41-knockout (KO) cells have reduced type I interferon production after DNA virus infection. Unexpectedly, activations of cGAS and STING are affected in DDX41 KO cells, suggesting that DDX41 functions upstream of cGAS. The recombinant DDX41 protein exhibits ATP-dependent DNA-unwinding activity and ATP-independent strand-annealing activity. The MDS/AML-derived mutant R525H has reduced unwinding activity but retains normal strand-annealing activity and stimulates greater cGAS dinucleotide-synthesis activity than wild-type DDX41. Overexpression of R525H in either DDX41-deficient or -proficient cells results in higher type I interferon production. Our results have led to the hypothesis that DDX41 utilizes its unwinding and annealing activities to regulate the homeostasis of dsDNA and single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), which, in turn, regulates cGAS-STING activation. cGAS is activated by dsDNA. Singh et al. find DDX41 regulates cGAS activation through unwinding and annealing activities on dsDNA and ssDNA, respectively, and MDS/AML patient mutant R525H causes overactivation of innate immune response due to its unbalanced activities. This DDX41-cGAS-STING pathway may be related to molecular pathogenesis of MDS/AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravi Shankar Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | | | - Shizhuo Yang
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Ananna Bhadra Arna
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Manisha Yadav
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Aanchal Aggarwal
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Alexya N Aguilera
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Satoru Shinriki
- Department of Molecular Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | | | - Kannupriya Pandey
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Aizhang Xu
- Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Noreen Rapin
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Mark Bosch
- Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - John DeCoteau
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Jim Xiang
- Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Franco J Vizeacoumar
- Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Yan Zhou
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada; Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Vikram Misra
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Hirotaka Matsui
- Department of Molecular Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Susan R Ross
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Yuliang Wu
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK S7N 5E5, Canada.
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Emerging role of ferroptosis in breast cancer: New dawn for overcoming tumor progression. Pharmacol Ther 2021; 232:107992. [PMID: 34606782 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.107992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer has become a serious threat to women's health. Cancer progression is mainly derived from resistance to apoptosis induced by procedures or therapies. Therefore, new drugs or models that can overcome apoptosis resistance should be identified. Ferroptosis is a recently identified mode of cell death characterized by excess reactive oxygen species-induced lipid peroxidation. Since ferroptosis is distinct from apoptosis, necrosis and autophagy, its induction successfully eliminates cancer cells that are resistant to other modes of cell death. Therefore, ferroptosis may become a new direction around which to design breast cancer treatment. Unfortunately, the complete appearance of ferroptosis in breast cancer has not yet been fully elucidated. Furthermore, whether ferroptosis inducers can be used in combination with traditional anti- breast cancer drugs is still unknown. Moreover, a summary of ferroptosis in breast cancer progression and therapy is currently not available. In this review, we discuss the roles of ferroptosis-associated modulators glutathione, glutathione peroxidase 4, iron, nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor-2, superoxide dismutases, lipoxygenase and coenzyme Q in breast cancer. Furthermore, we provide evidence that traditional drugs against breast cancer induce ferroptosis, and that ferroptosis inducers eliminate breast cancer cells. Finally, we put forward prospect of using ferroptosis inducers in breast cancer therapy, and predict possible obstacles and corresponding solutions. This review will deepen our understanding of the relationship between ferroptosis and breast cancer, and provide new insights into breast cancer-related therapeutic strategies.
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Flaum N, van Veen EM, Smith O, Amico S, Newman WG, Crosbie EJ, Edmondson R, Smith MJ, Evans DG. Dominant-negative pathogenic variant BRIP1 c.1045G>C is a high-risk allele for non-mucinous epithelial ovarian cancer: A case-control study. Clin Genet 2021; 101:48-54. [PMID: 34585738 DOI: 10.1111/cge.14068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BRIP1 is a moderate susceptibility epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) gene. Having identified the BRIP1 c.1045G>C missense variant in a number of families with EOC, we aimed to investigate the frequency of this and BRIP1.2392C>T pathogenic variant in patients with breast cancer (BC) and/or EOC. A case-control study of 3767 cases and 2043 controls was undertaken investigating the presence of these variants using Sanger sequencing and gene panel data. Individuals with BC and/or EOC were grouped by family history. BRIP1 c.1045G>C was associated with increased risk of BC/EOC (OR = 37.7; 95% CI 5.3-444.2; P = 0.0001). The risk was highest for women with EOC (OR = 140.8; 95% CI 23.5-1723.0; P < 0.0001) and lower for BC (OR = 11.1; 95% CI 1.2-106.5; P = 0.1588). BRIP1 c.2392C>T was associated with smaller risks for BC/EOC (OR = 5.4; 95%CI 2.4-12.7; P = 0.0003), EOC (OR = 5.9; 95% CI 1.3-23.0; p = 0.0550) and BC (OR = 5.3; 95%CI 2.3-12.9; P = 0.0009). Our study highlights the importance of BRIP1 as an EOC susceptibility gene, especially in familial EOC. The variant BRIP1 c.1045G>C, rs149364097, is of particular interest as its dominant-negative effect may confer a higher risk of EOC than that of the previously reported BRIP1 c.2392C>T nonsense variant. Dominant-negative missense variants may confer higher risks than their loss-of-function counterparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Flaum
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Elke M van Veen
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Olivia Smith
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Stephanie Amico
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - William G Newman
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Emma J Crosbie
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,St Mary's Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Richard Edmondson
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,St Mary's Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Miriam J Smith
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - D Gareth Evans
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.,Prevention Breast Cancer Centre and Nightingale Breast Screening Centre, University Hospital of South Manchester, Manchester, UK.,The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.,Manchester Breast Centre, Manchester Cancer Research Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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Calvo JA, Fritchman B, Hernandez D, Persky NS, Johannessen CM, Piccioni F, Kelch BA, Cantor SB. Comprehensive Mutational Analysis of the BRCA1-Associated DNA Helicase and Tumor-Suppressor FANCJ/BACH1/BRIP1. Mol Cancer Res 2021; 19:1015-1025. [PMID: 33619228 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-20-0828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
FANCJ (BRIP1/BACH1) is a hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) gene encoding a DNA helicase. Similar to HBOC genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, FANCJ is critical for processing DNA inter-strand crosslinks (ICL) induced by chemotherapeutics, such as cisplatin. Consequently, cells deficient in FANCJ or its catalytic activity are sensitive to ICL-inducing agents. Unfortunately, the majority of FANCJ clinical mutations remain uncharacterized, limiting therapeutic opportunities to effectively use cisplatin to treat tumors with mutated FANCJ. Here, we sought to perform a comprehensive screen to identify FANCJ loss-of-function (LOF) mutations. We developed a FANCJ lentivirus mutation library representing approximately 450 patient-derived FANCJ nonsense and missense mutations to introduce FANCJ mutants into FANCJ knockout (K/O) HeLa cells. We performed a high-throughput screen to identify FANCJ LOF mutants that, as compared with wild-type FANCJ, fail to robustly restore resistance to ICL-inducing agents, cisplatin or mitomycin C (MMC). On the basis of the failure to confer resistance to either cisplatin or MMC, we identified 26 missense and 25 nonsense LOF mutations. Nonsense mutations elucidated a relationship between location of truncation and ICL sensitivity, as the majority of nonsense mutations before amino acid 860 confer ICL sensitivity. Further validation of a subset of LOF mutations confirmed the ability of the screen to identify FANCJ mutations unable to confer ICL resistance. Finally, mapping the location of LOF mutations to a new homology model provides additional functional information. IMPLICATIONS: We identify 51 FANCJ LOF mutations, providing important classification of FANCJ mutations that will afford additional therapeutic strategies for affected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Calvo
- Department of Molecular Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Briana Fritchman
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | | | - Nicole S Persky
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | | | | | - Brian A Kelch
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Sharon B Cantor
- Department of Molecular Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.
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5
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K JCB, Kapoor BS, Mandal K, Ghosh S, Mokhamatam RB, Manna SK, Mukhopadhyay SS. Loss of Mitochondrial Localization of Human FANCG Causes Defective FANCJ Helicase. Mol Cell Biol 2020; 40:e00306-20. [PMID: 32989015 PMCID: PMC7652403 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.00306-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Fanconi anemia (FA) is a unique DNA damage repair pathway. To date, 22 genes have been identified that are associated with the FA pathway. A defect in any of those genes causes genomic instability, and the patients bearing the mutation become susceptible to cancer. In our earlier work, we identified that Fanconi anemia protein G (FANCG) protects the mitochondria from oxidative stress. In this report, we have identified eight patients having a mutation (C.65G>C), which converts arginine at position 22 to proline (p.Arg22Pro) in the N terminus of FANCG. The mutant protein, hFANCGR22P, is able to repair the DNA and able to retain the monoubiquitination of FANCD2 in the FANCGR22P/FGR22P cell. However, it lost mitochondrial localization and failed to protect mitochondria from oxidative stress. Mitochondrial instability in the FANCGR22P cell causes the transcriptional downregulation of mitochondrial iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis protein frataxin (FXN) and the resulting iron deficiency of FA protein FANCJ, an iron-sulfur-containing helicase involved in DNA repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jagadeesh Chandra Bose K
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Durgapur, Durgapur, West Bengal, India
| | - Bishwajit Singh Kapoor
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Durgapur, Durgapur, West Bengal, India
| | - Kamal Mandal
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Durgapur, Durgapur, West Bengal, India
| | - Shubhrima Ghosh
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Durgapur, Durgapur, West Bengal, India
| | | | - Sunil K Manna
- Center for DNA Finger Printing and Diagnostics, Hyderabad, India
| | - Sudit S Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Durgapur, Durgapur, West Bengal, India
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Griffin WC, Trakselis MA. The MCM8/9 complex: A recent recruit to the roster of helicases involved in genome maintenance. DNA Repair (Amst) 2019; 76:1-10. [PMID: 30743181 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 02/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
There are several DNA helicases involved in seemingly overlapping aspects of homologous and homoeologous recombination. Mutations of many of these helicases are directly implicated in genetic diseases including cancer, rapid aging, and infertility. MCM8/9 are recent additions to the catalog of helicases involved in recombination, and so far, the evidence is sparse, making assignment of function difficult. Mutations in MCM8/9 correlate principally with primary ovarian failure/insufficiency (POF/POI) and infertility indicating a meiotic defect. However, they also act when replication forks collapse/break shuttling products into mitotic recombination and several mutations are found in various somatic cancers. This review puts MCM8/9 in context with other replication and recombination helicases to narrow down its genomic maintenance role. We discuss the known structure/function relationship, the mutational spectrum, and dissect the available cellular and organismal data to better define its role in recombination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wezley C Griffin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, 76798, USA
| | - Michael A Trakselis
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, 76798, USA.
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Cheng K, Wigley DB. DNA translocation mechanism of an XPD family helicase. eLife 2018; 7:42400. [PMID: 30520735 PMCID: PMC6300356 DOI: 10.7554/elife.42400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The XPD family of helicases, that includes human disease-related FANCJ, DDX11 and RTEL1, are Superfamily two helicases that contain an iron-sulphur cluster domain, translocate on ssDNA in a 5’−3’ direction and play important roles in genome stability. Consequently, mutations in several of these family members in eukaryotes cause human diseases. Family members in bacteria, such as the DinG helicase from Escherichia coli, are also involved in DNA repair. Here we present crystal structures of complexes of DinG bound to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) in the presence and absence of an ATP analogue (ADP•BeF3), that suggest a mechanism for 5’−3’ translocation along the ssDNA substrate. This proposed mechanism has implications for how those enzymes of the XPD family that recognise bulky DNA lesions might stall at these as the first step in initiating DNA repair. Biochemical data reveal roles for conserved residues that are mutated in human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiying Cheng
- Section of Structural Biology, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dale B Wigley
- Section of Structural Biology, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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Talwar T, Vidhyasagar V, Qing J, Guo M, Kariem A, Lu Y, Singh RS, Lukong KE, Wu Y. The DEAD-box protein DDX43 (HAGE) is a dual RNA-DNA helicase and has a K-homology domain required for full nucleic acid unwinding activity. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:10429-10443. [PMID: 28468824 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.774950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2017] [Revised: 04/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The K-homology (KH) domain is a nucleic acid-binding domain present in many proteins but has not been reported in helicases. DDX43, also known as HAGE (helicase antigen gene), is a member of the DEAD-box protein family. It contains a helicase core domain in its C terminus and a potential KH domain in its N terminus. DDX43 is highly expressed in many tumors and is, therefore, considered a potential target for immunotherapy. Despite its potential as a therapeutic target, little is known about its activities. Here, we purified recombinant DDX43 protein to near homogeneity and found that it exists as a monomer in solution. Biochemical assays demonstrated that it is an ATP-dependent RNA and DNA helicase. Although DDX43 was active on duplex RNA regardless of the orientation of the single-stranded RNA tail, it preferred a 5' to 3' polarity on RNA and a 3' to 5' direction on DNA. Truncation mutations and site-directed mutagenesis confirmed that the KH domain in DDX43 is responsible for nucleic acid binding. Compared with the activity of the full-length protein, the C-terminal helicase domain had no unwinding activity on RNA substrates and had significantly reduced unwinding activity on DNA. Moreover, the full-length DDX43 protein, with single amino acid change in the KH domain, had reduced unwinding and binding activates on RNA and DNA substrates. Our results demonstrate that DDX43 is a dual helicase and the KH domain is required for its full unwinding activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanu Talwar
- From the Department of Biochemistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | | | - Jennifer Qing
- From the Department of Biochemistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Manhong Guo
- From the Department of Biochemistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Ahmad Kariem
- From the Department of Biochemistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Yi Lu
- From the Department of Biochemistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Ravi Shankar Singh
- From the Department of Biochemistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Kiven Erique Lukong
- From the Department of Biochemistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Yuliang Wu
- From the Department of Biochemistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
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9
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Abstract
In this special Methods collection on DNA helicases, I have solicited articles from leading experts in the field with a priority to gather a defined series of papers on highly relevant topics that encompass biological, biochemical, and biophysical aspects of helicase function. The experimental approaches described provide an opportunity for both new and more experienced scientists to use the information for the design of their own investigations. The reader will find detailed methods for single-molecule studies, novel biochemical experiments, genetic analyses, and cell biological assays in a variety of systems with an emphasis placed on state-of-the-art techniques to measure helicase function. Contributing authors were strongly encouraged to provide a carefully constructed description of the methods employed so that others might use this information in a manner that will be useful for their own particular application and helicase of interest. This special issue of Methods dedicated to DNA helicases offers readers a treasure chest of unique experimental approaches and protocols focused on rapidly developing techniques that are useful for studying both in vivo and in vitro aspects of helicase function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Brosh
- Laboratory of Molecular Gerontology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, NIH Biomedical Research Center, 251 Bayview Blvd, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
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