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Gillet N, Dumont E, Bignon E. DNA damage and repair in the nucleosome: insights from computational methods. Biophys Rev 2024; 16:345-356. [PMID: 39099841 PMCID: PMC11297232 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-024-01183-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Cellular DNA is constantly exposed to endogenous or exogenous factors that can induce lesions. Several types of lesions have been described that can result from UV/ionizing irradiations, oxidative stress, or free radicals, among others. In order to overcome the deleterious effects of such damages, i.e., mutagenicity or cytotoxicity, cells possess a highly complex DNA repair machinery, involving repair enzymes targeting specific types of lesions through dedicated cellular pathways. In addition, DNA is highly compacted in the nucleus, the first level of compaction consisting of ~ 147 DNA base pairs wrapped around a core of histones, the so-called nucleosome core particle. In this complex environment, the DNA structure is highly constrained, and fine-tuned mechanisms involving remodeling processes are required to expose the DNA to repair enzymes and to facilitate the damage removal. However, these nucleosome-specific mechanisms remain poorly understood, and computational methods emerged only recently as powerful tools to investigate DNA damages in such complex systems as the nucleosome. In this mini-review, we summarize the latest advances brought out by computational approaches in the field, opening new exciting perspectives for the study of DNA damage and repair in the nucleosome context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natacha Gillet
- ENS de Lyon, CNRS, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Laboratoire de Chimie UMR 5182, 69342 Lyon, France
| | - Elise Dumont
- Institut de Chimie de Nice, UMR 7272, Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, 06108 Nice, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, 5 Rue Descartes, 75005 Paris, France
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Nayis A, Liebl K, Zacharias M. Coupling of conformation and CPD damage in nucleosomal DNA. Biophys Chem 2023; 300:107050. [PMID: 37327725 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2023.107050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
UV-light can cause photodimerization and hence damages in DNA. Most frequent are cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) damages, which predominantly form at TpT (thymine-thymine) steps. It is well known that CPD damage probability is different for single-stranded or double stranded DNA and depends on the sequence context. However, DNA deformation due to packing in nucleosomes can also influence CPD formation. Quantum mechanical calculations and Molecular Dynamics simulations indicate little CPD damage probability for DNA's equilibrium structure. We find that DNA needs to be deformed in a specific way to allow the HOMO → LUMO transition required for CPD damage formation. The simulation studies further show that the periodic CPD damage patterns measured in chromosomes and nucleosomes can be directly explained by the periodic deformation pattern of the DNA in the nucleosome complex. It supports previous findings on characteristic deformation patterns found in experimental nucleosome structures that relate to CPD damage formation. The result may have important implications for our understanding of UV-induced DNA mutations in human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asmar Nayis
- Physics Department and Center of Protein Assemblies, Technical University Munich, Garching 85748, Germany
| | - Korbinian Liebl
- Physics Department and Center of Protein Assemblies, Technical University Munich, Garching 85748, Germany; Department of Chemistry, Chicago Center for Theoretical Chemistry, The University of Chicago, USA
| | - Martin Zacharias
- Physics Department and Center of Protein Assemblies, Technical University Munich, Garching 85748, Germany.
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Bae S, Kim JS. Potential of Mean Force for DNA Wrapping Around a Cationic Nanoparticle. J Chem Theory Comput 2021; 17:7952-7961. [PMID: 34792353 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.1c00797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Sharp bending and wrapping of DNA around proteins and nanoparticles (NPs) has been of extensive research interest. Here, we present the potential of mean force (PMF) for wrapping a DNA double helix around a cationic NP using coarse-grained models of a double-stranded DNA and a cationic NP. Starting from a NP wrapped around by DNA, the PMF was calculated along the distance between the center of the NP and one end of the DNA molecule. A relationship between the distance and the extent of DNA wrapping is used to calculate the PMF as a function of DNA wrapping around a NP. In particular, the PMF was compared for two DNA sequences of (AT)25/(AT)25 and (AC)25/(GT)25, for which the persistence lengths are different by ∼10 nm. The simulation results provide solid evidence of the thermodynamic preference for complex formation of a cationic NP with more flexible DNA over the less flexible DNA. Furthermore, we estimated the elastic energy of DNA bending, which was in good order-of-magnitude agreement with the theoretical prediction of elastic rods. This work suggests that the variation of sequence-dependent DNA flexibility can be utilized in DNA nanotechnologies, in which the position and dynamics of NPs are regulated on large-scale DNA structures, or the structural transformation of DNA is triggered by the sequence-dependent binding of NPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sehui Bae
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Soo Kim
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
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Allahkaram L, Monari A, Dumont E. The Behavior of Triplet Thymine in a Model B-DNA Strand. Energetics and Spin Density Localization Revealed by ab initio Molecular Dynamics Simulations †. Photochem Photobiol 2021; 98:633-639. [PMID: 34699615 DOI: 10.1111/php.13549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Among the naturally occurring nucleobases, thymine presents the lowest triplet state, hence it represents a hotspot for energy transfer and photosensitization. In turn, the population of the triplet state may lead to thymine dimerization and hence to the production of toxic DNA lesions and has been the subject of intensive theoretical and experimental investigations. Relying on QM/MM molecular dynamics simulations, we have sought to situate the energy of the lowest triplet state of thymine embedded in a B-DNA environment. The energy gap varies between 305 and 329 kJ mol-1 when a single thymine is treated at the quantum chemistry level, depending on its position in the model double-stranded 16-bp oligonucleotide. The energy of triplet state decreases up to 300 kJ mol-1 , due to polarization effects, when we consider coupled stacked nucleobases up to the inclusion of four nucleobases. Our value lies in good agreement with the energy inferred experimentally by Miranda and coworkers (270 kJ mol-1 ), and our theoretical exploration opens the door to investigations toward other more complex and biologically relevant environments, such as thymines embedded in nucleosome core particles. Our investigations also provide a reference for further studies using semi-empirical approaches such as density functional-based tight-binding, allowing to further rationalize sequence effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laleh Allahkaram
- Laboratoire de Chimie, CNRS UMR 5182, ENS de Lyon, Univ Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Antonio Monari
- Université de Lorraine and CNRS, LPCT UMR 7019, Nancy, France.,Université de Paris and CNRS, Itodys, Paris, France
| | - Elise Dumont
- Laboratoire de Chimie, CNRS UMR 5182, ENS de Lyon, Univ Lyon, Lyon, France.,Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
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Dohnalová H, Lankaš F. Deciphering the mechanical properties of
B‐DNA
duplex. WIRES COMPUTATIONAL MOLECULAR SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/wcms.1575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hana Dohnalová
- Department of Informatics and Chemistry University of Chemistry and Technology Prague Praha 6 Czech Republic
| | - Filip Lankaš
- Department of Informatics and Chemistry University of Chemistry and Technology Prague Praha 6 Czech Republic
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Hognon C, Bignon E, Harle G, Touche N, Grandemange S, Monari A. The Iron Maiden. Cytosolic Aconitase/IRP1 Conformational Transition in the Regulation of Ferritin Translation and Iron Hemostasis. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11091329. [PMID: 34572542 PMCID: PMC8469783 DOI: 10.3390/biom11091329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Maintaining iron homeostasis is fundamental for almost all living beings, and its deregulation correlates with severe and debilitating pathologies. The process is made more complicated by the omnipresence of iron and by its role as a fundamental component of a number of crucial metallo proteins. The response to modifications in the amount of the free-iron pool is performed via the inhibition of ferritin translation by sequestering consensus messenger RNA (mRNA) sequences. In turn, this is regulated by the iron-sensitive conformational equilibrium between cytosolic aconitase and IRP1, mediated by the presence of an iron-sulfur cluster. In this contribution, we analyze by full-atom molecular dynamics simulation, the factors leading to both the interaction with mRNA and the conformational transition. Furthermore, the role of the iron-sulfur cluster in driving the conformational transition is assessed by obtaining the related free energy profile via enhanced sampling molecular dynamics simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cécilia Hognon
- Université de Lorraine and CNRS, UMR 7019 LPCT, F-54000 Nancy, France; (C.H.); (E.B.)
| | - Emmanuelle Bignon
- Université de Lorraine and CNRS, UMR 7019 LPCT, F-54000 Nancy, France; (C.H.); (E.B.)
| | - Guillaume Harle
- Université de Lorraine and CNRS, UMR 7039 CRAN, F-54000 Nancy, France; (G.H.); (N.T.)
| | - Nadège Touche
- Université de Lorraine and CNRS, UMR 7039 CRAN, F-54000 Nancy, France; (G.H.); (N.T.)
| | - Stéphanie Grandemange
- Université de Lorraine and CNRS, UMR 7039 CRAN, F-54000 Nancy, France; (G.H.); (N.T.)
- Correspondence: (S.G.); (A.M.)
| | - Antonio Monari
- Université de Lorraine and CNRS, UMR 7019 LPCT, F-54000 Nancy, France; (C.H.); (E.B.)
- Université de Paris and CNRS, ITODYS, F-75006 Paris, France
- Correspondence: (S.G.); (A.M.)
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Bae S, Oh I, Yoo J, Kim JS. Effect of DNA Flexibility on Complex Formation of a Cationic Nanoparticle with Double-Stranded DNA. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:18728-18736. [PMID: 34337212 PMCID: PMC8319935 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c01709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We present extensive molecular dynamics simulations of a cationic nanoparticle and a double-stranded DNA molecule to discuss the effect of DNA flexibility on the complex formation of a cationic nanoparticle with double-stranded DNA. Martini coarse-grained models were employed to describe double-stranded DNA molecules with two different flexibilities and cationic nanoparticles with three different electric charges. As the electric charge of a cationic nanoparticle increases, the degree of DNA bending increases, eventually leading to the wrapping of DNA around the nanoparticle at high electric charges. However, a small increase in the persistence length of DNA by 10 nm requires a cationic nanoparticle with a markedly increased electric charge to bend and wrap DNA around. Thus, a more flexible DNA molecule bends and wraps around a cationic nanoparticle with an intermediate electric charge, whereas a less flexible DNA molecule binds to a nanoparticle with the same electric charge without notable bending. This work provides solid evidence that a small difference in DNA flexibility (as small as 10 nm in persistence length) has a substantial influence on the complex formation of DNA with proteins from a biological perspective and suggests that the variation of sequence-dependent DNA flexibility can be utilized in DNA nanotechnology as a new tool to manipulate the structure of DNA molecules mediated by nanoparticle binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sehui Bae
- Department
of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans
University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Inrok Oh
- LG
Chem Ltd., LG Science Park, Seoul 07796, Republic of Korea
| | - Jejoong Yoo
- Department
of Physics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Soo Kim
- Department
of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans
University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
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Gillet N, Bartocci A, Dumont E. Assessing the sequence dependence of pyrimidine-pyrimidone (6-4) photoproduct in a duplex double-stranded DNA: A pitfall for microsecond range simulation. J Chem Phys 2021; 154:135103. [PMID: 33832258 DOI: 10.1063/5.0041332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Sequence dependence of the (6-4) photoproduct conformational landscape when embedded in six 25-bp duplexes is evaluated along extensive unbiased and enhanced (replica exchange with solute tempering, REST2) molecular dynamics simulations. The structural reorganization as the central pyrimidines become covalently tethered is traced back in terms of non-covalent interactions, DNA bending, and extrusion of adenines of the opposite strands. The close sequence pattern impacts the conformational landscape around the lesion, inducing different upstream and downstream flexibilities. Moreover, REST2 simulations allow us to probe structures possibly important for damaged DNA recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natacha Gillet
- Université de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5182, Laboratoire de Chimie, 46 allée d'Italie, F69364 Lyon, France
| | - Alessio Bartocci
- Université de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5182, Laboratoire de Chimie, 46 allée d'Italie, F69364 Lyon, France
| | - Elise Dumont
- Université de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5182, Laboratoire de Chimie, 46 allée d'Italie, F69364 Lyon, France
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Huertas J, Cojocaru V. Breaths, Twists, and Turns of Atomistic Nucleosomes. J Mol Biol 2020; 433:166744. [PMID: 33309853 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2020.166744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Gene regulation programs establish cellular identity and rely on dynamic changes in the structural packaging of genomic DNA. The DNA is packaged in chromatin, which is formed from arrays of nucleosomes displaying different degree of compaction and different lengths of inter-nucleosomal linker DNA. The nucleosome represents the repetitive unit of chromatin and is formed by wrapping 145-147 basepairs of DNA around an octamer of histone proteins. Each of the four histones is present twice and has a structured core and intrinsically disordered terminal tails. Chromatin dynamics are triggered by inter- and intra-nucleosome motions that are controlled by the DNA sequence, the interactions between the histone core and the DNA, and the conformations, positions, and DNA interactions of the histone tails. Understanding chromatin dynamics requires studying all these features at the highest possible resolution. For this, molecular dynamics simulations can be used as a powerful complement or alternative to experimental approaches, from which it is often very challenging to characterize the structural features and atomic interactions controlling nucleosome motions. Molecular dynamics simulations can be performed at different resolutions, by coarse graining the molecular system with varying levels of details. Here we review the successes and the remaining challenges of the application of atomic resolution simulations to study the structure and dynamics of nucleosomes and their complexes with interacting partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Huertas
- In Silico Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics Group, Hubrecht Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany; Center for Multiscale Theory and Computation, Westfälische Wilhelms University, Münster, Germany
| | - Vlad Cojocaru
- In Silico Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics Group, Hubrecht Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany; Center for Multiscale Theory and Computation, Westfälische Wilhelms University, Münster, Germany.
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