1
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Ramirez-Otero MA, Costanzo V. "Bridging the DNA divide": Understanding the interplay between replication- gaps and homologous recombination proteins RAD51 and BRCA1/2. DNA Repair (Amst) 2024; 141:103738. [PMID: 39084178 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2024.103738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
A key but often neglected component of genomic instability is the emergence of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) gaps during DNA replication in the absence of functional homologous recombination (HR) proteins, such as RAD51 and BRCA1/2. Research in prokaryotes has shed light on the dual role of RAD51's bacterial ortholog, RecA, in HR and the protection of replication forks, emphasizing its essential role in preventing the formation of ssDNA gaps, which is vital for cellular viability. This phenomenon was corroborated in eukaryotic cells deficient in HR, where the formation of ssDNA gaps within newly synthesized DNA and their subsequent processing by the MRE11 nuclease were observed. Without functional HR proteins, cells employ alternative ssDNA gap-filling mechanisms to ensure survival, though this compensatory response can compromise genomic stability. A notable example is the involvement of the translesion synthesis (TLS) polymerase POLζ, along with the repair protein POLθ, in the suppression of replicative ssDNA gaps. Persistent ssDNA gaps may result in replication fork collapse, chromosomal anomalies, and cell death, which contribute to cancer progression and resistance to therapy. Elucidating the processes that avert ssDNA gaps and safeguard replication forks is critical for enhancing cancer treatment approaches by exploiting the vulnerabilities of cancer cells in these pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vincenzo Costanzo
- IFOM ETS - The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hematology-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
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2
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Hao Q, Li J, Yeap LS. Molecular mechanisms of DNA lesion and repair during antibody somatic hypermutation. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2024:10.1007/s11427-024-2615-1. [PMID: 39048716 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-024-2615-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Antibody diversification is essential for an effective immune response, with somatic hypermutation (SHM) serving as a key molecular process in this adaptation. Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) initiates SHM by inducing DNA lesions, which are ultimately resolved into point mutations, as well as small insertions and deletions (indels). These mutational outcomes contribute to antibody affinity maturation. The mechanisms responsible for generating point mutations and indels involve the base excision repair (BER) and mismatch repair (MMR) pathways, which are well coordinated to maintain genomic integrity while allowing for beneficial mutations to occur. In this regard, translesion synthesis (TLS) polymerases contribute to the diversity of mutational outcomes in antibody genes by enabling the bypass of DNA lesions. This review summarizes our current understanding of the distinct molecular mechanisms that generate point mutations and indels during SHM. Understanding these mechanisms is critical for elucidating the development of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) and autoantibodies, and has implications for vaccine design and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Hao
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- Center for Immune-Related Diseases at Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Jinfeng Li
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- Center for Immune-Related Diseases at Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Leng-Siew Yeap
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- Center for Immune-Related Diseases at Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
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3
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Carvajal-Maldonado D, Li Y, Returan M, Averill AM, Doublié S, Wood RD. Dynamic stem-loop extension by Pol θ and templated insertion during DNA repair. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107461. [PMID: 38876299 PMCID: PMC11292364 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107461] [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: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 05/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Theta-mediated end joining (TMEJ) is critical for survival of cancer cells when other DNA double-stranded break repair pathways are impaired. Human DNA polymerase theta (Pol θ) can extend ssDNA oligonucleotides, but little is known about preferred substrates and mechanism. We show that Pol θ can extend both ssDNA and RNA substrates by unimolecular stem-loop synthesis initiated by only two 3' terminal base pairs. Given sufficient time, Pol θ uses alternative pairing configurations that greatly expand the repertoire of sequence outcomes. Further primer-template adjustments yield low-fidelity outcomes when the nucleotide pool is imbalanced. Unimolecular stem-loop synthesis competes with bimolecular end joining, even when a longer terminal microhomology for end joining is available. Both reactions are partially suppressed by the ssDNA-binding protein replication protein A. Protein-primer grasp residues that are specific to Pol θ are needed for rapid stem-loop synthesis. The ability to perform stem-loop synthesis from a minimally paired primer is rare among human DNA polymerases, but we show that human DNA polymerases Pol η and Pol λ can catalyze related reactions. Using purified human Pol θ, we reconstituted in vitro TMEJ incorporating an insertion arising from a stem-loop extension. These activities may help explain TMEJ repair events that include inverted repeat sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denisse Carvajal-Maldonado
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Yuzhen Li
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Mark Returan
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - April M Averill
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA
| | - Sylvie Doublié
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA
| | - Richard D Wood
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
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4
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Thomas C, Avalos-Irving L, Victorino J, Green S, Andrews M, Rodrigues N, Ebirim S, Mudd A, Towle-Weicksel JB. Melanoma-Derived DNA Polymerase Theta Variants Exhibit Altered DNA Polymerase Activity. Biochemistry 2024; 63:1107-1117. [PMID: 38671548 PMCID: PMC11080051 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
DNA polymerase θ (Pol θ or POLQ) is primarily involved in repairing double-stranded breaks in DNA through an alternative pathway known as microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ) or theta-mediated end joining (TMEJ). Unlike other DNA repair polymerases, Pol θ is thought to be highly error-prone yet critical for cell survival. We have identified several POLQ gene variants from human melanoma tumors that experience altered DNA polymerase activity, including a propensity for incorrect nucleotide selection and reduced polymerization rates compared to WT Pol θ. Variants are 30-fold less efficient at incorporating a nucleotide during repair and up to 70-fold less accurate at selecting the correct nucleotide opposite a templating base. This suggests that aberrant Pol θ has reduced DNA repair capabilities and may also contribute to increased mutagenesis. Moreover, the variants were identified in established tumors, suggesting that cancer cells may use mutated polymerases to promote metastasis and drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey Thomas
- Department of Physical Sciences, Rhode Island College, 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island 02908, United States
| | - Lisbeth Avalos-Irving
- Department of Physical Sciences, Rhode Island College, 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island 02908, United States
| | - Jorge Victorino
- Department of Physical Sciences, Rhode Island College, 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island 02908, United States
| | - Sydney Green
- Department of Physical Sciences, Rhode Island College, 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island 02908, United States
| | - Morgan Andrews
- Department of Physical Sciences, Rhode Island College, 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island 02908, United States
| | - Naisha Rodrigues
- Department of Physical Sciences, Rhode Island College, 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island 02908, United States
| | - Sarah Ebirim
- Department of Physical Sciences, Rhode Island College, 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island 02908, United States
| | - Ayden Mudd
- Department of Physical Sciences, Rhode Island College, 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island 02908, United States
| | - Jamie B. Towle-Weicksel
- Department of Physical Sciences, Rhode Island College, 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island 02908, United States
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5
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Merker L, Feller L, Dorn A, Puchta H. Deficiency of both classical and alternative end-joining pathways leads to a synergistic defect in double-strand break repair but not to an increase in homology-dependent gene targeting in Arabidopsis. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 118:242-254. [PMID: 38179887 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
In eukaryotes, double-strand breaks (DSBs) are either repaired by homologous recombination (HR) or non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ). In somatic plant cells, HR is very inefficient. Therefore, the vast majority of DSBs are repaired by two different pathways of NHEJ. The classical (cNHEJ) pathway depends on the heterodimer KU70/KU80, while polymerase theta (POLQ) is central to the alternative (aNHEJ) pathway. Surprisingly, Arabidopsis plants are viable, even when both pathways are impaired. However, they exhibit severe growth retardation and reduced fertility. Analysis of mitotic anaphases indicates that the double mutant is characterized by a dramatic increase in chromosome fragmentation due to defective DSB repair. In contrast to the single mutants, the double mutant was found to be highly sensitive to the DSB-inducing genotoxin bleomycin. Thus, both pathways can complement for each other efficiently in DSB repair. We speculated that in the absence of both NHEJ pathways, HR might be enhanced. This would be especially attractive for gene targeting (GT) in which predefined changes are introduced using a homologous template. Unexpectedly, the polq single mutant as well as the double mutant showed significantly lower GT frequencies in comparison to wildtype plants. Accordingly, we were able to show that elimination of both NHEJ pathways does not pose an attractive approach for Agrobacterium-mediated GT. However, our results clearly indicate that a loss of cNHEJ leads to an increase in GT frequency, which is especially drastic and attractive for practical applications, in which the in planta GT strategy is used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Merker
- Joseph Gottlieb Kölreuter Institute for Plant Sciences, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Fritz-Haber-Weg 4, Karlsruhe, 76131, Germany
| | - Laura Feller
- Joseph Gottlieb Kölreuter Institute for Plant Sciences, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Fritz-Haber-Weg 4, Karlsruhe, 76131, Germany
| | - Annika Dorn
- Joseph Gottlieb Kölreuter Institute for Plant Sciences, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Fritz-Haber-Weg 4, Karlsruhe, 76131, Germany
| | - Holger Puchta
- Joseph Gottlieb Kölreuter Institute for Plant Sciences, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Fritz-Haber-Weg 4, Karlsruhe, 76131, Germany
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6
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Khatib JB, Nicolae CM, Moldovan GL. Role of Translesion DNA Synthesis in the Metabolism of Replication-associated Nascent Strand Gaps. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168275. [PMID: 37714300 PMCID: PMC10842951 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) is a DNA damage tolerance pathway utilized by cells to overcome lesions encountered throughout DNA replication. During replication stress, cancer cells show increased dependency on TLS proteins for cellular survival and chemoresistance. TLS proteins have been described to be involved in various DNA repair pathways. One of the major emerging roles of TLS is single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) gap-filling, primarily after the repriming activity of PrimPol upon encountering a lesion. Conversely, suppression of ssDNA gap accumulation by TLS is considered to represent a mechanism for cancer cells to evade the toxicity of chemotherapeutic agents, specifically in BRCA-deficient cells. Thus, TLS inhibition is emerging as a potential treatment regimen for DNA repair-deficient tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jude B Khatib
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA. https://twitter.com/JudeBKhatib
| | - Claudia M Nicolae
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - George-Lucian Moldovan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
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7
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Ronson GE, Starowicz K, Anthony EJ, Piberger AL, Clarke LC, Garvin AJ, Beggs AD, Whalley CM, Edmonds MJ, Beesley JFJ, Morris JR. Mechanisms of synthetic lethality between BRCA1/2 and 53BP1 deficiencies and DNA polymerase theta targeting. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7834. [PMID: 38030626 PMCID: PMC10687250 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43677-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
A synthetic lethal relationship exists between disruption of polymerase theta (Polθ), and loss of either 53BP1 or homologous recombination (HR) proteins, including BRCA1; however, the mechanistic basis of these observations are unclear. Here we reveal two distinct mechanisms of Polθ synthetic lethality, identifying dual influences of 1) whether Polθ is lost or inhibited, and 2) the underlying susceptible genotype. Firstly, we find that the sensitivity of BRCA1/2- and 53BP1-deficient cells to Polθ loss, and 53BP1-deficient cells to Polθ inhibition (ART558) requires RAD52, and appropriate reduction of RAD52 can ameliorate these phenotypes. We show that in the absence of Polθ, RAD52 accumulations suppress ssDNA gap-filling in G2/M and encourage MRE11 nuclease accumulation. In contrast, the survival of BRCA1-deficient cells treated with Polθ inhibitor are not restored by RAD52 suppression, and ssDNA gap-filling is prevented by the chemically inhibited polymerase itself. These data define an additional role for Polθ, reveal the mechanism underlying synthetic lethality between 53BP1, BRCA1/2 and Polθ loss, and indicate genotype-dependent Polθ inhibitor mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- George E Ronson
- Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology and Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Katarzyna Starowicz
- Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology and Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
- Adthera Bio, Lyndon House, 62 Hagley Road, Birmingham, B16 8PE, UK
| | - Elizabeth J Anthony
- Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology and Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Ann Liza Piberger
- Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology and Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Lucy C Clarke
- Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology and Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
- West Midlands Regional Genetics Laboratory, Birmingham Women's Hospital, Mindelsohn Way, Birmingham, B15 2TG, UK
| | - Alexander J Garvin
- Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology and Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
- University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Andrew D Beggs
- Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology and Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
- Genomics Birmingham, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Celina M Whalley
- Genomics Birmingham, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Matthew J Edmonds
- Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology and Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
- Certara Insight, Danebrook Court, Oxford Office Village, Kidlington, Oxfordshire, OX5 1LQ, UK
| | - James F J Beesley
- Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology and Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Joanna R Morris
- Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology and Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
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8
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Thomas C, Avalos-Irving L, Victorino J, Green S, Andrews M, Rodrigues N, Ebirim S, Mudd A, Towle-Weicksel JB. Melanoma-derived DNA polymerase theta variants exhibit altered DNA polymerase activity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.14.566933. [PMID: 38014040 PMCID: PMC10680777 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.14.566933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
DNA Polymerase θ (Pol θ or POLQ) is primarily involved in repairing double-stranded breaks in DNA through the alternative pathway known as microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ) or theta-mediated end joining (TMEJ). Unlike other DNA repair polymerases, Pol θ is thought to be highly error prone, yet critical for cell survival. We have identified several mutations in the POLQ gene from human melanoma tumors. Through biochemical analysis, we have demonstrated that all three cancer-associated variants experienced altered DNA polymerase activity including a propensity for incorrect nucleotide selection and reduced polymerization rates compared to WT Pol θ. Moreover, the variants are 30 fold less efficient at incorporating a nucleotide during repair and up to 70 fold less accurate at selecting the correct nucleotide opposite a templating base. Taken together, this suggests that aberrant Pol θ has reduced DNA repair capabilities and may also contribute to increased mutagenesis. While this may be beneficial to normal cell survival, the variants were identified in established tumors suggesting that cancer cells may use this promiscuous polymerase to its advantage to promote metastasis and drug resistance.
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9
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Syed A, Filandr F, Patterson-Fortin J, Bacolla A, Ravindranathan R, Zhou J, McDonald D, Albuhluli M, Verway-Cohen A, Newman J, Tsai MS, Jones D, Schriemer D, D’Andrea A, Tainer J. Novobiocin blocks nucleic acid binding to Polθ and inhibits stimulation of its ATPase activity. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:9920-9937. [PMID: 37665033 PMCID: PMC10570058 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Polymerase theta (Polθ) acts in DNA replication and repair, and its inhibition is synthetic lethal in BRCA1 and BRCA2-deficient tumor cells. Novobiocin (NVB) is a first-in-class inhibitor of the Polθ ATPase activity, and it is currently being tested in clinical trials as an anti-cancer drug. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanism of NVB-mediated Polθ inhibition. Using hydrogen deuterium exchange-mass spectrometry (HX-MS), biophysical, biochemical, computational and cellular assays, we found NVB is a non-competitive inhibitor of ATP hydrolysis. NVB sugar group deletion resulted in decreased potency and reduced HX-MS interactions, supporting a specific NVB binding orientation. Collective results revealed that NVB binds to an allosteric site to block DNA binding, both in vitro and in cells. Comparisons of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) tumors and matched controls implied that POLQ upregulation in tumors stems from its role in replication stress responses to increased cell proliferation: this can now be tested in fifteen tumor types by NVB blocking ssDNA-stimulation of ATPase activity, required for Polθ function at replication forks and DNA damage sites. Structural and functional insights provided in this study suggest a path for developing NVB derivatives with improved potency for Polθ inhibition by targeting ssDNA binding with entropically constrained small molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleem Syed
- Division of Radiation and Genome Instability, Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Frantisek Filandr
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Jeffrey Patterson-Fortin
- Division of Radiation and Genome Instability, Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Albino Bacolla
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ramya Ravindranathan
- Division of Radiation and Genome Instability, Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jia Zhou
- Division of Radiation and Genome Instability, Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Drew T McDonald
- Biological and System Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Mohammed E Albuhluli
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Amy Verway-Cohen
- Biological and System Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Joseph A Newman
- Center for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Miaw-Sheue Tsai
- Biological and System Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Darin E Jones
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - David C Schriemer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Alan D D’Andrea
- Division of Radiation and Genome Instability, Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Center for DNA Damage and Repair, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - John A Tainer
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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10
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Pismataro MC, Astolfi A, Barreca ML, Pacetti M, Schenone S, Bandiera T, Carbone A, Massari S. Small Molecules Targeting DNA Polymerase Theta (POLθ) as Promising Synthetic Lethal Agents for Precision Cancer Therapy. J Med Chem 2023; 66:6498-6522. [PMID: 37134182 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c02101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic lethality (SL) is an innovative strategy in targeted anticancer therapy that exploits tumor genetic vulnerabilities. This topic has come to the forefront in recent years, as witnessed by the increased number of publications since 2007. The first proof of concept for the effectiveness of SL was provided by the approval of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase inhibitors, which exploit a SL interaction in BRCA-deficient cells, although their use is limited by resistance. Searching for additional SL interactions involving BRCA mutations, the DNA polymerase theta (POLθ) emerged as an exciting target. This review summarizes, for the first time, the POLθ polymerase and helicase inhibitors reported to date. Compounds are described focusing on chemical structure and biological activity. With the aim to enable further drug discovery efforts in interrogating POLθ as a target, we propose a plausible pharmacophore model for POLθ-pol inhibitors and provide a structural analysis of the known POLθ ligand binding sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Chiara Pismataro
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Andrea Astolfi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Maria Letizia Barreca
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Martina Pacetti
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Silvia Schenone
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 3, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Tiziano Bandiera
- D3 PharmaChemistry, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Anna Carbone
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 3, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Serena Massari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
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11
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Yi G, Sung Y, Kim C, Ra JS, Hirakawa H, Kato T, Fujimori A, Kim H, Takata KI. DNA polymerase θ-mediated repair of high LET radiation-induced complex DNA double-strand breaks. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:2257-2269. [PMID: 36805268 PMCID: PMC10018357 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA polymerase θ (POLQ) is a unique DNA polymerase that is able to perform microhomology-mediated end-joining as well as translesion synthesis (TLS) across an abasic (AP) site and thymine glycol (Tg). However, the biological significance of the TLS activity is currently unknown. Herein we provide evidence that the TLS activity of POLQ plays a critical role in repairing complex DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) induced by high linear energy transfer (LET) radiation. Radiotherapy with high LET radiation such as carbon ions leads to more deleterious biological effects than corresponding doses of low LET radiation such as X-rays. High LET-induced DSBs are considered to be complex, carrying additional DNA damage such as AP site and Tg in close proximity to the DSB sites. However, it is not clearly understood how complex DSBs are processed in mammalian cells. We demonstrated that genetic disruption of POLQ results in an increase of chromatid breaks and enhanced cellular sensitivity following treatment with high LET radiation. At the biochemical level, POLQ was able to bypass an AP site and Tg during end-joining and was able to anneal two single-stranded DNA tails when DNA lesions were located outside the microhomology. This study offers evidence that POLQ is directly involved in the repair of complex DSBs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geunil Yi
- Center for Genomic Integrity, Institute for Basic Science, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Yubin Sung
- Center for Genomic Integrity, Institute for Basic Science, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Chanwoo Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Sun Ra
- Center for Genomic Integrity, Institute for Basic Science, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Hirokazu Hirakawa
- Department of Charged Particle Therapy Research, Institute for Quantum Medical Science, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Takamitsu A Kato
- Department of Environmental & Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Colorado 80523, USA
| | - Akira Fujimori
- Department of Charged Particle Therapy Research, Institute for Quantum Medical Science, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Hajin Kim
- Center for Genomic Integrity, Institute for Basic Science, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Kei-ichi Takata
- Center for Genomic Integrity, Institute for Basic Science, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
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12
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Multifaceted Nature of DNA Polymerase θ. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043619. [PMID: 36835031 PMCID: PMC9962433 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA polymerase θ belongs to the A family of DNA polymerases and plays a key role in DNA repair and damage tolerance, including double-strand break repair and DNA translesion synthesis. Pol θ is often overexpressed in cancer cells and promotes their resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. In this review, we discuss unique biochemical properties and structural features of Pol θ, its multiple roles in protection of genome stability and the potential of Pol θ as a target for cancer treatment.
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13
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Li C, Zhu H, Jin S, Maksoud LM, Jain N, Sun J, Gao Y. Structural basis of DNA polymerase θ mediated DNA end joining. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:463-474. [PMID: 36583344 PMCID: PMC9841435 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac1201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA polymerase θ (Pol θ) plays an essential role in the microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ) pathway for repairing DNA double-strand breaks. However, the mechanisms by which Pol θ recognizes microhomologous DNA ends and performs low-fidelity DNA synthesis remain unclear. Here, we present cryo-electron microscope structures of the polymerase domain of Lates calcarifer Pol θ with long and short duplex DNA at up to 2.4 Å resolution. Interestingly, Pol θ binds to long and short DNA substrates similarly, with extensive interactions around the active site. Moreover, Pol θ shares a similar active site as high-fidelity A-family polymerases with its finger domain well-closed but differs in having hydrophilic residues surrounding the nascent base pair. Computational simulations and mutagenesis studies suggest that the unique insertion loops of Pol θ help to stabilize short DNA binding and assemble the active site for MMEJ repair. Taken together, our results illustrate the structural basis of Pol θ-mediated MMEJ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuxuan Li
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Hanwen Zhu
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Shikai Jin
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Leora M Maksoud
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Nikhil Jain
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Ji Sun
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Yang Gao
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
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14
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Abstract
DNA polymerase θ (Pol θ) is a DNA repair enzyme widely conserved in animals and plants. Pol θ uses short DNA sequence homologies to initiate repair of double-strand breaks by theta-mediated end joining. The DNA polymerase domain of Pol θ is at the C terminus and is connected to an N-terminal DNA helicase-like domain by a central linker. Pol θ is crucial for maintenance of damaged genomes during development, protects DNA against extensive deletions, and limits loss of heterozygosity. The cost of using Pol θ for genome protection is that a few nucleotides are usually deleted or added at the repair site. Inactivation of Pol θ often enhances the sensitivity of cells to DNA strand-breaking chemicals and radiation. Since some homologous recombination-defective cancers depend on Pol θ for growth, inhibitors of Pol θ may be useful in treating such tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard D Wood
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Center, Houston, Texas, USA;
| | - Sylvie Doublié
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA;
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15
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Bubenik M, Mader P, Mochirian P, Vallée F, Clark J, Truchon JF, Perryman AL, Pau V, Kurinov I, Zahn KE, Leclaire ME, Papp R, Mathieu MC, Hamel M, Duffy NM, Godbout C, Casas-Selves M, Falgueyret JP, Baruah PS, Nicolas O, Stocco R, Poirier H, Martino G, Fortin AB, Roulston A, Chefson A, Dorich S, St-Onge M, Patel P, Pellerin C, Ciblat S, Pinter T, Barabé F, Bakkouri ME, Parikh P, Gervais C, Sfeir A, Mamane Y, Morris SJ, Black WC, Sicheri F, Gallant M. Identification of RP-6685, an Orally Bioavailable Compound that Inhibits the DNA Polymerase Activity of Polθ. J Med Chem 2022; 65:13198-13215. [PMID: 36126059 PMCID: PMC9942948 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
DNA polymerase theta (Polθ) is an attractive synthetic lethal target for drug discovery, predicted to be efficacious against breast and ovarian cancers harboring BRCA-mutant alleles. Here, we describe our hit-to-lead efforts in search of a selective inhibitor of human Polθ (encoded by POLQ). A high-throughput screening campaign of 350,000 compounds identified an 11 micromolar hit, giving rise to the N2-substituted fused pyrazolo series, which was validated by biophysical methods. Structure-based drug design efforts along with optimization of cellular potency and ADME ultimately led to the identification of RP-6685: a potent, selective, and orally bioavailable Polθ inhibitor that showed in vivo efficacy in an HCT116 BRCA2-/- mouse tumor xenograft model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Bubenik
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Pavel Mader
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Philippe Mochirian
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Fréderic Vallée
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Jillian Clark
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Jean-François Truchon
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Alexander L. Perryman
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Victor Pau
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Igor Kurinov
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, NE-CAT, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
| | - Karl E. Zahn
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Marie-Eve Leclaire
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Robert Papp
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Marie-Claude Mathieu
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Martine Hamel
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Nicole M. Duffy
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Claude Godbout
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Matias Casas-Selves
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Jean-Pierre Falgueyret
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Prasamit S. Baruah
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Olivier Nicolas
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Rino Stocco
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Hugo Poirier
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Giovanni Martino
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Anne Roulston
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Amandine Chefson
- Ventus Therapeutics 7150 Frederick-Banting suite 200, Montréal, Québec, H4S 2A1, Canada
| | - Stéphane Dorich
- Ventus Therapeutics 7150 Frederick-Banting suite 200, Montréal, Québec, H4S 2A1, Canada
| | - Miguel St-Onge
- Ventus Therapeutics 7150 Frederick-Banting suite 200, Montréal, Québec, H4S 2A1, Canada
| | - Purvish Patel
- Ventus Therapeutics 7150 Frederick-Banting suite 200, Montréal, Québec, H4S 2A1, Canada
| | - Charles Pellerin
- Ventus Therapeutics 7150 Frederick-Banting suite 200, Montréal, Québec, H4S 2A1, Canada
| | - Stéphane Ciblat
- Ventus Therapeutics 7150 Frederick-Banting suite 200, Montréal, Québec, H4S 2A1, Canada
- Paraza Pharma Inc., 2525 Ave. Marie Curie, Montréal, Québec, H4S 1Z9, Canada
| | - Thomas Pinter
- Paraza Pharma Inc., 2525 Ave. Marie Curie, Montréal, Québec, H4S 1Z9, Canada
| | - Francis Barabé
- Paraza Pharma Inc., 2525 Ave. Marie Curie, Montréal, Québec, H4S 1Z9, Canada
| | - Majida El Bakkouri
- Paraza Pharma Inc., 2525 Ave. Marie Curie, Montréal, Québec, H4S 1Z9, Canada
- National Research Council of Canada, 6100 Royalmount Ave, Montréal, Québec, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Paranjay Parikh
- Piramal Pharma Ltd., Plot No. 18, Village Matoda, Taluka: Sanand, Ahmedabad-382213, Gujarat, India
| | - Christian Gervais
- National Research Council of Canada, 6100 Royalmount Ave, Montréal, Québec, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Agnel Sfeir
- Molecular Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, MSKCC, 430 E 67th Street, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Yael Mamane
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Stephen J. Morris
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - W. Cameron Black
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Frank Sicheri
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Michel Gallant
- Repare Therapeutics, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Building 2, H4S 1Z9, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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16
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Park SK, Mohr G, Yao J, Russell R, Lambowitz AM. Group II intron-like reverse transcriptases function in double-strand break repair. Cell 2022; 185:3671-3688.e23. [PMID: 36113466 PMCID: PMC9530004 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria encode reverse transcriptases (RTs) of unknown function that are closely related to group II intron-encoded RTs. We found that a Pseudomonas aeruginosa group II intron-like RT (G2L4 RT) with YIDD instead of YADD at its active site functions in DNA repair in its native host and when expressed in Escherichia coli. G2L4 RT has biochemical activities strikingly similar to those of human DNA repair polymerase θ and uses them for translesion DNA synthesis and double-strand break repair (DSBR) via microhomology-mediated end-joining (MMEJ). We also found that a group II intron RT can function similarly in DNA repair, with reciprocal active-site substitutions showing isoleucine favors MMEJ and alanine favors primer extension in both enzymes. These DNA repair functions utilize conserved structural features of non-LTR-retroelement RTs, including human LINE-1 and other eukaryotic non-LTR-retrotransposon RTs, suggesting such enzymes may have inherent ability to function in DSBR in a wide range of organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Kuk Park
- Departments of Molecular Biosciences and Oncology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Georg Mohr
- Departments of Molecular Biosciences and Oncology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Jun Yao
- Departments of Molecular Biosciences and Oncology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Rick Russell
- Departments of Molecular Biosciences and Oncology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Alan M Lambowitz
- Departments of Molecular Biosciences and Oncology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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17
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Liddiard K, Aston-Evans AN, Cleal K, Hendrickson E, Baird D. POLQ suppresses genome instability and alterations in DNA repeat tract lengths. NAR Cancer 2022; 4:zcac020. [PMID: 35774233 PMCID: PMC9241439 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcac020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA polymerase theta (POLQ) is a principal component of the alternative non-homologous end-joining (ANHEJ) DNA repair pathway that ligates DNA double-strand breaks. Utilizing independent models of POLQ insufficiency during telomere-driven crisis, we found that POLQ - /- cells are resistant to crisis-induced growth deceleration despite sustaining inter-chromosomal telomere fusion frequencies equivalent to wild-type (WT) cells. We recorded longer telomeres in POLQ - / - than WT cells pre- and post-crisis, notwithstanding elevated total telomere erosion and fusion rates. POLQ - /- cells emerging from crisis exhibited reduced incidence of clonal gross chromosomal abnormalities in accordance with increased genetic heterogeneity. High-throughput sequencing of telomere fusion amplicons from POLQ-deficient cells revealed significantly raised frequencies of inter-chromosomal fusions with correspondingly depreciated intra-chromosomal recombinations. Long-range interactions culminating in telomere fusions with centromere alpha-satellite repeats, as well as expansions in HSAT2 and HSAT3 satellite and contractions in ribosomal DNA repeats, were detected in POLQ - / - cells. In conjunction with the expanded telomere lengths of POLQ - /- cells, these results indicate a hitherto unrealized capacity of POLQ for regulation of repeat arrays within the genome. Our findings uncover novel considerations for the efficacy of POLQ inhibitors in clinical cancer interventions, where potential genome destabilizing consequences could drive clonal evolution and resistant disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Liddiard
- Division of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK
| | - Alys N Aston-Evans
- Dementia Research Institute, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Kez Cleal
- Division of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK
| | - Eric A Hendrickson
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Duncan M Baird
- Division of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK
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18
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Lv Q, Han S, Wang L, Xia J, Li P, Hu R, Wang J, Gao L, Chen Y, Wang Y, Du J, Bao F, Hu Y, Xu X, Xiao W, He Y. TEB/POLQ plays dual roles in protecting Arabidopsis from NO-induced DNA damage. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:6820-6836. [PMID: 35736216 PMCID: PMC9262624 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) is a key player in numerous physiological processes. Excessive NO induces DNA damage, but how plants respond to this damage remains unclear. We screened and identified an Arabidopsis NO hypersensitive mutant and found it to be allelic to TEBICHI/POLQ, encoding DNA polymerase θ. The teb mutant plants were preferentially sensitive to NO- and its derivative peroxynitrite-induced DNA damage and subsequent double-strand breaks (DSBs). Inactivation of TEB caused the accumulation of spontaneous DSBs largely attributed to endogenous NO and was synergistic to DSB repair pathway mutations with respect to growth. These effects were manifested in the presence of NO-inducing agents and relieved by NO scavengers. NO induced G2/M cell cycle arrest in the teb mutant, indicative of stalled replication forks. Genetic analyses indicate that Polθ is required for translesion DNA synthesis across NO-induced lesions, but not oxidation-induced lesions. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that Polθ bypasses NO-induced base adducts in an error-free manner and generates mutations characteristic of Polθ-mediated end joining. Our experimental data collectively suggests that Polθ plays dual roles in protecting plants from NO-induced DNA damage. Since Polθ is conserved in higher eukaryotes, mammalian Polθ may also be required for balancing NO physiological signaling and genotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Lv
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Shuang Han
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Lei Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
| | - Jinchan Xia
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Peng Li
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Ruoyang Hu
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Jinzheng Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Lei Gao
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Yuli Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Yu Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Jing Du
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Fang Bao
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Yong Hu
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Xingzhi Xu
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Genome Stability & Disease Prevention and Carson International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518060, China
| | - Wei Xiao
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Yikun He
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
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19
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Drzewiecka M, Barszczewska-Pietraszek G, Czarny P, Skorski T, Śliwiński T. Synthetic Lethality Targeting Polθ. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13061101. [PMID: 35741863 PMCID: PMC9223150 DOI: 10.3390/genes13061101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Research studies regarding synthetic lethality (SL) in human cells are primarily motivated by the potential of this phenomenon to be an effective, but at the same time, safe to the patient's anti-cancer chemotherapy. Among the factors that are targets for the induction of the synthetic lethality effect, those involved in DNA repair seem to be the most relevant. Specifically, when mutation in one of the canonical DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair pathways occurs, which is a frequent event in cancer cells, the alternative pathways may be a promising target for the elimination of abnormal cells. Currently, inhibiting RAD52 and/or PARP1 in the tumor cells that are deficient in the canonical repair pathways has been the potential target for inducing the effect of synthetic lethality. Unfortunately, the development of resistance to commonly used PARP1 inhibitors (PARPi) represents the greatest obstacle to working out a successful treatment protocol. DNA polymerase theta (Polθ), encoded by the POLQ gene, plays a key role in an alternative DSB repair pathway-theta-mediated end joining (TMEJ). Thus, it is a promising target in the treatment of tumors harboring deficiencies in homologous recombination repair (HRR), where its inhibition can induce SL. In this review, the authors discuss the current state of knowledge on Polθ as a potential target for synthetic lethality-based anticancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Drzewiecka
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-236 Lodz, Poland; (M.D.); (G.B.-P.)
| | - Gabriela Barszczewska-Pietraszek
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-236 Lodz, Poland; (M.D.); (G.B.-P.)
| | - Piotr Czarny
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical University of Lodz, 92-216 Lodz, Poland;
| | - Tomasz Skorski
- Fels Cancer Institute for Personalized Medicine, Departament of Cancer and Cellular Biology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
- Correspondence: (T.S.); (T.Ś.); Tel.: +1-215-707-9157 (T.S.); +48-42-635-44-86 (T.Ś.)
| | - Tomasz Śliwiński
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-236 Lodz, Poland; (M.D.); (G.B.-P.)
- Correspondence: (T.S.); (T.Ś.); Tel.: +1-215-707-9157 (T.S.); +48-42-635-44-86 (T.Ś.)
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20
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Abstract
Significance: The small, multicopy mitochondrial genome (mitochondrial DNA [mtDNA]) is essential for efficient energy production, as alterations in its coding information or a decrease in its copy number disrupt mitochondrial ATP synthesis. However, the mitochondrial replication machinery encounters numerous challenges that may limit its ability to duplicate this important genome and that jeopardize mtDNA stability, including various lesions in the DNA template, topological stress, and an insufficient nucleotide supply. Recent Advances: An ever-growing array of DNA repair or maintenance factors are being reported to localize to the mitochondria. We review current knowledge regarding the mitochondrial factors that may contribute to the tolerance or repair of various types of changes in the mitochondrial genome, such as base damage, incorporated ribonucleotides, and strand breaks. We also discuss the newly discovered link between mtDNA instability and activation of the innate immune response. Critical Issues: By which mechanisms do mitochondria respond to challenges that threaten mtDNA maintenance? What types of mtDNA damage are repaired, and when are the affected molecules degraded instead? And, finally, which forms of mtDNA instability trigger an immune response, and how? Future Directions: Further work is required to understand the contribution of the DNA repair and damage-tolerance factors present in the mitochondrial compartment, as well as the balance between mtDNA repair and degradation. Finally, efforts to understand the events underlying mtDNA release into the cytosol are warranted. Pursuing these and many related avenues can improve our understanding of what goes wrong in mitochondrial disease. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 36, 885-905.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Carvalho
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Bruno Marçal Repolês
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Isabela Mendes
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Paulina H Wanrooij
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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21
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Ler AAL, Carty MP. DNA Damage Tolerance Pathways in Human Cells: A Potential Therapeutic Target. Front Oncol 2022; 11:822500. [PMID: 35198436 PMCID: PMC8859465 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.822500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA lesions arising from both exogenous and endogenous sources occur frequently in DNA. During DNA replication, the presence of unrepaired DNA damage in the template can arrest replication fork progression, leading to fork collapse, double-strand break formation, and to genome instability. To facilitate completion of replication and prevent the generation of strand breaks, DNA damage tolerance (DDT) pathways play a key role in allowing replication to proceed in the presence of lesions in the template. The two main DDT pathways are translesion synthesis (TLS), which involves the recruitment of specialized TLS polymerases to the site of replication arrest to bypass lesions, and homology-directed damage tolerance, which includes the template switching and fork reversal pathways. With some exceptions, lesion bypass by TLS polymerases is a source of mutagenesis, potentially contributing to the development of cancer. The capacity of TLS polymerases to bypass replication-blocking lesions induced by anti-cancer drugs such as cisplatin can also contribute to tumor chemoresistance. On the other hand, during homology-directed DDT the nascent sister strand is transiently utilised as a template for replication, allowing for error-free lesion bypass. Given the role of DNA damage tolerance pathways in replication, mutagenesis and chemoresistance, a more complete understanding of these pathways can provide avenues for therapeutic exploitation. A number of small molecule inhibitors of TLS polymerase activity have been identified that show synergy with conventional chemotherapeutic agents in killing cancer cells. In this review, we will summarize the major DDT pathways, explore the relationship between damage tolerance and carcinogenesis, and discuss the potential of targeting TLS polymerases as a therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashlynn Ai Li Ler
- Biochemistry, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, The National University of Ireland (NUI) Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Michael P. Carty
- Biochemistry, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, The National University of Ireland (NUI) Galway, Galway, Ireland
- DNA Damage Response Laboratory, Centre for Chromosome Biology, NUI Galway, Galway, Ireland
- *Correspondence: Michael P. Carty,
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22
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Kaszubowski JD, Trakselis MA. Beyond the Lesion: Back to High Fidelity DNA Synthesis. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 8:811540. [PMID: 35071328 PMCID: PMC8766770 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.811540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
High fidelity (HiFi) DNA polymerases (Pols) perform the bulk of DNA synthesis required to duplicate genomes in all forms of life. Their structural features, enzymatic mechanisms, and inherent properties are well-described over several decades of research. HiFi Pols are so accurate that they become stalled at sites of DNA damage or lesions that are not one of the four canonical DNA bases. Once stalled, the replisome becomes compromised and vulnerable to further DNA damage. One mechanism to relieve stalling is to recruit a translesion synthesis (TLS) Pol to rapidly synthesize over and past the damage. These TLS Pols have good specificities for the lesion but are less accurate when synthesizing opposite undamaged DNA, and so, mechanisms are needed to limit TLS Pol synthesis and recruit back a HiFi Pol to reestablish the replisome. The overall TLS process can be complicated with several cellular Pols, multifaceted protein contacts, and variable nucleotide incorporation kinetics all contributing to several discrete substitution (or template hand-off) steps. In this review, we highlight the mechanistic differences between distributive equilibrium exchange events and concerted contact-dependent switching by DNA Pols for insertion, extension, and resumption of high-fidelity synthesis beyond the lesion.
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Zahn KE, Jensen RB. Polymerase θ Coordinates Multiple Intrinsic Enzymatic Activities during DNA Repair. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1310. [PMID: 34573292 PMCID: PMC8470613 DOI: 10.3390/genes12091310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The POLQ gene encodes DNA polymerase θ, a 2590 amino acid protein product harboring DNA-dependent ATPase, template-dependent DNA polymerase, dNTP-dependent endonuclease, and 5'-dRP lyase functions. Polymerase θ participates at an essential step of a DNA double-strand break repair pathway able to join 5'-resected substrates by locating and pairing microhomologies present in 3'-overhanging single-stranded tails, cleaving the extraneous 3'-DNA by dNTP-dependent end-processing, before extending the nascent 3' end from the microhomology annealing site. Metazoans require polymerase θ for full resistance to DNA double-strand break inducing agents but can survive knockout of the POLQ gene. Cancer cells with compromised homologous recombination, or other DNA repair defects, over-utilize end-joining by polymerase θ and often over-express the POLQ gene. This dependency points to polymerase θ as an ideal drug target candidate and multiple drug-development programs are now preparing to enter clinical trials with small-molecule inhibitors. Specific inhibitors of polymerase θ would not only be predicted to treat BRCA-mutant cancers, but could thwart accumulated resistance to current standard-of-care cancer therapies and overcome PARP-inhibitor resistance in patients. This article will discuss synthetic lethal strategies targeting polymerase θ in DNA damage-response-deficient cancers and summarize data, describing molecular structures and enzymatic functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl E. Zahn
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Repare Therapeutics, 7210 Rue Frederick Banting, Montreal, QC H4S 2A1, Canada
| | - Ryan B. Jensen
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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'PIPs' in DNA polymerase: PCNA interaction affairs. Biochem Soc Trans 2021; 48:2811-2822. [PMID: 33196097 DOI: 10.1042/bst20200678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Interaction of PCNA with DNA polymerase is vital to efficient and processive DNA synthesis. PCNA being a homotrimeric ring possesses three hydrophobic pockets mostly involved in an interaction with its binding partners. PCNA interacting proteins contain a short sequence of eight amino acids, popularly coined as PIP motif, which snuggly fits into the hydrophobic pocket of PCNA to stabilize the interaction. In the last two decades, several PIP motifs have been mapped or predicted in eukaryotic DNA polymerases. In this review, we summarize our understandings of DNA polymerase-PCNA interaction, the function of such interaction during DNA synthesis, and emphasize the lacunae that persist. Because of the presence of multiple ligands in the replisome complex and due to many interaction sites in DNA polymerases, we also propose two modes of DNA polymerase positioning on PCNA required for DNA synthesis to rationalize the tool-belt model of DNA replication.
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Chen XS, Pomerantz RT. DNA Polymerase θ: A Cancer Drug Target with Reverse Transcriptase Activity. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1146. [PMID: 34440316 PMCID: PMC8391894 DOI: 10.3390/genes12081146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of precision medicine from the development of Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors that preferentially kill cells defective in homologous recombination has sparked wide interest in identifying and characterizing additional DNA repair enzymes that are synthetic lethal with HR factors. DNA polymerase theta (Polθ) is a validated anti-cancer drug target that is synthetic lethal with HR factors and other DNA repair proteins and confers cellular resistance to various genotoxic cancer therapies. Since its initial characterization as a helicase-polymerase fusion protein in 2003, many exciting and unexpected activities of Polθ in microhomology-mediated end-joining (MMEJ) and translesion synthesis (TLS) have been discovered. Here, we provide a short review of Polθ's DNA repair activities and its potential as a drug target and highlight a recent report that reveals Polθ as a naturally occurring reverse transcriptase (RT) in mammalian cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojiang S. Chen
- Molecular and Computational Biology, USC Dornsife Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA;
| | - Richard T. Pomerantz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
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26
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Depletion of DNA Polymerase Theta Inhibits Tumor Growth and Promotes Genome Instability through the cGAS-STING-ISG Pathway in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13133204. [PMID: 34206946 PMCID: PMC8268317 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13133204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary DNA polymerase theta, encoded by the human POLQ gene, is upregulated in several cancers and is associated with poor clinical outcomes. The importance of POLQ, however, has yet to be elucidated in esophageal cancer. In this study, we explored the functional impacts of POLQ and looked into its underlying mechanisms. POLQ was overexpressed in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) tumors associated with unfavorable prognosis and contributed to malignant phenotypes by promoting genome stability, suggesting that targeting polymerase theta may provide a potential therapeutic approach for improving ESCC management. Abstract Overexpression of the specialized DNA polymerase theta (POLQ) is frequent in breast, colon and lung cancers and has been correlated with unfavorable clinical outcomes. Here, we aimed to determine the importance and functional role of POLQ in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Integrated analysis of four RNA-seq datasets showed POLQ was predominantly upregulated in ESCC tumors. High expression of POLQ was also observed in a cohort of 25 Hong Kong ESCC patients and negatively correlated with ESCC patient survival. POLQ knockout (KO) ESCC cells were sensitized to multiple genotoxic agents. Both rH2AX foci staining and the comet assay indicated a higher level of genomic instability in POLQ-depleted cells. Double KO of POLQ and FANCD2, known to promote POLQ recruitment at sites of damage, significantly impaired cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo, as compared to either single POLQ or FANCD2 KOs. A significantly increased number of micronuclei was observed in POLQ and/or FANCD2 KO ESCC cells. Loss of POLQ and/or FANCD2 also resulted in the activation of cGAS and upregulation of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). Our results suggest that high abundance of POLQ in ESCC contributes to the malignant phenotype through genome instability and activation of the cGAS pathway.
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27
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Zatreanu D, Robinson HMR, Alkhatib O, Boursier M, Finch H, Geo L, Grande D, Grinkevich V, Heald RA, Langdon S, Majithiya J, McWhirter C, Martin NMB, Moore S, Neves J, Rajendra E, Ranzani M, Schaedler T, Stockley M, Wiggins K, Brough R, Sridhar S, Gulati A, Shao N, Badder LM, Novo D, Knight EG, Marlow R, Haider S, Callen E, Hewitt G, Schimmel J, Prevo R, Alli C, Ferdinand A, Bell C, Blencowe P, Bot C, Calder M, Charles M, Curry J, Ekwuru T, Ewings K, Krajewski W, MacDonald E, McCarron H, Pang L, Pedder C, Rigoreau L, Swarbrick M, Wheatley E, Willis S, Wong AC, Nussenzweig A, Tijsterman M, Tutt A, Boulton SJ, Higgins GS, Pettitt SJ, Smith GCM, Lord CJ. Polθ inhibitors elicit BRCA-gene synthetic lethality and target PARP inhibitor resistance. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3636. [PMID: 34140467 PMCID: PMC8211653 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23463-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
To identify approaches to target DNA repair vulnerabilities in cancer, we discovered nanomolar potent, selective, low molecular weight (MW), allosteric inhibitors of the polymerase function of DNA polymerase Polθ, including ART558. ART558 inhibits the major Polθ-mediated DNA repair process, Theta-Mediated End Joining, without targeting Non-Homologous End Joining. In addition, ART558 elicits DNA damage and synthetic lethality in BRCA1- or BRCA2-mutant tumour cells and enhances the effects of a PARP inhibitor. Genetic perturbation screening revealed that defects in the 53BP1/Shieldin complex, which cause PARP inhibitor resistance, result in in vitro and in vivo sensitivity to small molecule Polθ polymerase inhibitors. Mechanistically, ART558 increases biomarkers of single-stranded DNA and synthetic lethality in 53BP1-defective cells whilst the inhibition of DNA nucleases that promote end-resection reversed these effects, implicating these in the synthetic lethal mechanism-of-action. Taken together, these observations describe a drug class that elicits BRCA-gene synthetic lethality and PARP inhibitor synergy, as well as targeting a biomarker-defined mechanism of PARPi-resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Zatreanu
- CRUK Gene Function Laboratory, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Helen M R Robinson
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Omar Alkhatib
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Marie Boursier
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Harry Finch
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Lerin Geo
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Diego Grande
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Vera Grinkevich
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Robert A Heald
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sophie Langdon
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jayesh Majithiya
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Claire McWhirter
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Niall M B Martin
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Shaun Moore
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Joana Neves
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Eeson Rajendra
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Marco Ranzani
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Theresia Schaedler
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Martin Stockley
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kimberley Wiggins
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Rachel Brough
- CRUK Gene Function Laboratory, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Sandhya Sridhar
- CRUK Gene Function Laboratory, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Aditi Gulati
- CRUK Gene Function Laboratory, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Nan Shao
- CRUK Gene Function Laboratory, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Luned M Badder
- The Breast Cancer Now Research Unit, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Daniela Novo
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Eleanor G Knight
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Rebecca Marlow
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
- The Breast Cancer Now Research Unit, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Syed Haider
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Elsa Callen
- Laboratory of Genome Integrity, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Joost Schimmel
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Remko Prevo
- Medical Research Council Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, UK
| | - Christina Alli
- Cancer Research UK, Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories, Jonas Webb Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Amanda Ferdinand
- Cancer Research UK, Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories, Jonas Webb Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Cameron Bell
- Cancer Research UK, Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories, Jonas Webb Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Peter Blencowe
- Cancer Research UK, Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories, Jonas Webb Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Chris Bot
- Cancer Research UK, Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories, Jonas Webb Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Mathew Calder
- Cancer Research UK, Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories, Jonas Webb Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Mark Charles
- Cancer Research UK, Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories, Jonas Webb Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jayne Curry
- Cancer Research UK, Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories, Jonas Webb Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Tennyson Ekwuru
- Cancer Research UK, Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories, Jonas Webb Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Katherine Ewings
- Cancer Research UK, Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories, Jonas Webb Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Wojciech Krajewski
- Cancer Research UK, Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories, Jonas Webb Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ellen MacDonald
- Cancer Research UK, Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories, Jonas Webb Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Hollie McCarron
- Cancer Research UK, Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories, Jonas Webb Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Leon Pang
- Cancer Research UK, Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories, Jonas Webb Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Chris Pedder
- Cancer Research UK, Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories, Jonas Webb Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Laurent Rigoreau
- Cancer Research UK, Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories, Jonas Webb Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Martin Swarbrick
- Cancer Research UK, Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories, Jonas Webb Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ed Wheatley
- Cancer Research UK, Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories, Jonas Webb Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Simon Willis
- Cancer Research UK, Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories, Jonas Webb Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ai Ching Wong
- Cancer Research UK, Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories, Jonas Webb Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Andre Nussenzweig
- Laboratory of Genome Integrity, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Marcel Tijsterman
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Andrew Tutt
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
- The Breast Cancer Now Research Unit, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Simon J Boulton
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Geoff S Higgins
- Medical Research Council Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, UK
| | - Stephen J Pettitt
- CRUK Gene Function Laboratory, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
| | - Graeme C M Smith
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Christopher J Lord
- CRUK Gene Function Laboratory, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
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Zhou J, Gelot C, Pantelidou C, Li A, Yücel H, Davis RE, Farkkila A, Kochupurakkal B, Syed A, Shapiro GI, Tainer JA, Blagg BSJ, Ceccaldi R, D’Andrea AD. A first-in-class Polymerase Theta Inhibitor selectively targets Homologous-Recombination-Deficient Tumors. NATURE CANCER 2021; 2:598-610. [PMID: 34179826 PMCID: PMC8224818 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-021-00203-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 155] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
DNA polymerase theta (POLθ) is synthetic lethal with Homologous Recombination (HR) deficiency and thus a candidate target for HR-deficient cancers. Through high-throughput small molecule screens we identified the antibiotic Novobiocin (NVB) as a specific POLθ inhibitor that selectively kills HR-deficient tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. NVB directly binds to the POLθ ATPase domain, inhibits its ATPase activity, and phenocopies POLθ depletion. NVB kills HR-deficient breast and ovarian tumors in GEMM, xenograft and PDX models. Increased POLθ levels predict NVB sensitivity, and BRCA-deficient tumor cells with acquired resistance to PARP inhibitors (PARPi) are sensitive to NVB in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, NVB-mediated cell death in PARPi-resistant cells arises from increased double-strand break end resection, leading to accumulation of single-strand DNA intermediates and non-functional RAD51 foci. Our results demonstrate that NVB may be useful alone or in combination with PARPi in treating HR-deficient tumors, including those with acquired PARPi resistance. (151/150).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Zhou
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Camille Gelot
- Inserm U830, PSL Research University, Institut Curie, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Constantia Pantelidou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Adam Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Hatice Yücel
- Inserm U830, PSL Research University, Institut Curie, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Rachel E. Davis
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Anniina Farkkila
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Bose Kochupurakkal
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Aleem Syed
- Departments of Cancer Biology and of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Geoffrey I. Shapiro
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Center for DNA Damage and Repair, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John A. Tainer
- Departments of Cancer Biology and of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Brian S. J. Blagg
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Raphael Ceccaldi
- Inserm U830, PSL Research University, Institut Curie, 75005, Paris, France.,Corresponding authors: Alan D. D’Andrea, M.D., Director, Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers (SFSCWC), Director, Center for DNA Damage and Repair, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, The Fuller-American Cancer Society Professor, Harvard Medical School, Phone: 617-632-2080, , Raphael Ceccaldi, Institut Curie, 75005, Paris, France, Phone: +33 (0)1 56 24 69 49,
| | - Alan D. D’Andrea
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.,Center for DNA Damage and Repair, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.,Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.,Corresponding authors: Alan D. D’Andrea, M.D., Director, Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers (SFSCWC), Director, Center for DNA Damage and Repair, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, The Fuller-American Cancer Society Professor, Harvard Medical School, Phone: 617-632-2080, , Raphael Ceccaldi, Institut Curie, 75005, Paris, France, Phone: +33 (0)1 56 24 69 49,
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29
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Stok C, Kok Y, van den Tempel N, van Vugt MATM. Shaping the BRCAness mutational landscape by alternative double-strand break repair, replication stress and mitotic aberrancies. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:4239-4257. [PMID: 33744950 PMCID: PMC8096281 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumours with mutations in the BRCA1/BRCA2 genes have impaired double-stranded DNA break repair, compromised replication fork protection and increased sensitivity to replication blocking agents, a phenotype collectively known as 'BRCAness'. Tumours with a BRCAness phenotype become dependent on alternative repair pathways that are error-prone and introduce specific patterns of somatic mutations across the genome. The increasing availability of next-generation sequencing data of tumour samples has enabled identification of distinct mutational signatures associated with BRCAness. These signatures reveal that alternative repair pathways, including Polymerase θ-mediated alternative end-joining and RAD52-mediated single strand annealing are active in BRCA1/2-deficient tumours, pointing towards potential therapeutic targets in these tumours. Additionally, insight into the mutations and consequences of unrepaired DNA lesions may also aid in the identification of BRCA-like tumours lacking BRCA1/BRCA2 gene inactivation. This is clinically relevant, as these tumours respond favourably to treatment with DNA-damaging agents, including PARP inhibitors or cisplatin, which have been successfully used to treat patients with BRCA1/2-defective tumours. In this review, we aim to provide insight in the origins of the mutational landscape associated with BRCAness by exploring the molecular biology of alternative DNA repair pathways, which may represent actionable therapeutic targets in in these cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Stok
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Yannick P Kok
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Nathalie van den Tempel
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel A T M van Vugt
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands
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30
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DNA-damage tolerance through PCNA ubiquitination and sumoylation. Biochem J 2021; 477:2655-2677. [PMID: 32726436 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20190579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
DNA-damage tolerance (DDT) is employed by eukaryotic cells to bypass replication-blocking lesions induced by DNA-damaging agents. In budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, DDT is mediated by RAD6 epistatic group genes and the central event for DDT is sequential ubiquitination of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), a DNA clamp required for replication and DNA repair. DDT consists of two parallel pathways: error-prone DDT is mediated by PCNA monoubiquitination, which recruits translesion synthesis DNA polymerases to bypass lesions with decreased fidelity; and error-free DDT is mediated by K63-linked polyubiquitination of PCNA at the same residue of monoubiquitination, which facilitates homologous recombination-mediated template switch. Interestingly, the same PCNA residue is also subjected to sumoylation, which leads to inhibition of unwanted recombination at replication forks. All three types of PCNA posttranslational modifications require dedicated conjugating and ligation enzymes, and these enzymes are highly conserved in eukaryotes, from yeast to human.
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31
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Schrempf A, Slyskova J, Loizou JI. Targeting the DNA Repair Enzyme Polymerase θ in Cancer Therapy. Trends Cancer 2021; 7:98-111. [PMID: 33109489 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2020.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Targeted cancer therapies represent a milestone towards personalized treatment as they function via inhibition of cancer-specific alterations. Polymerase θ (POLQ), an error-prone translesion polymerase, also involved in DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair, is often upregulated in cancer. POLQ is synthetic lethal with various DNA repair genes, including known cancer drivers such as BRCA1/2, making it essential in homologous recombination-deficient cancers. Thus, POLQ represents a promising target in cancer therapy and efforts for the development of POLQ inhibitors are actively underway with first clinical trials due to start in 2021. This review summarizes the journey of POLQ from a backup DNA repair enzyme to a promising therapeutic target for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Schrempf
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090 Vienna, Austria; Institute of Cancer Research, Department of Medicine I, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jana Slyskova
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090 Vienna, Austria; Institute of Cancer Research, Department of Medicine I, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Joanna I Loizou
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, 1090 Vienna, Austria; Institute of Cancer Research, Department of Medicine I, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
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Kuei CH, Lin HY, Lin MH, Lee HH, Lin CH, Lee WJ, Chen YL, Lu LS, Zheng JQ, Hung RC, Chiu HW, Chen KC, Lin YF. DNA polymerase theta repression enhances the docetaxel responsiveness in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2020; 1866:165954. [PMID: 32877750 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2020.165954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Docetaxel remains a main treatment for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC); however, the development of docetaxel resistance has been found in some mCRPC patients. The aim of this work is to identify an effective biomarker for predicting therapeutic effectiveness of docetaxel in mCRPC patients. METHODS We examined DNA polymerase theta (POLQ) expression in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and Tissue microarray. Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed to estimate the prognostic significance of POLQ. A series of functional analyses were conducted in cell lines and xenograft models. Regulated pathways were predicted by Geneset Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) software and further investigated by luciferase reporter and RT-PCR assays. RESULTS We found that POLQ mRNA levels in CRPC tissues was significantly higher than that of other DNA polymerases in non-CRPC prostate tissues. POLQ upregulation was extensively detected in mCRPC and strongly predicted a poor prognosis. POLQ knockdown enhanced docetaxel sensitivity in a cell-based cytotoxicity assay and promoted the therapeutic effect on the tumor growth of metastatic PC-3M cells in xenograft models. The computational simulation by GSEA software significantly predicted the association between POLQ upregulation and the activation of E2F/G2M checkpoint-related pathways. Moreover, luciferase reporter and RT-PCR assays demonstrated that POLQ knockdown downregulated the transcriptional regulatory activity of E2F and repressed E2F/G2M checkpoint-regulated CDK1 in mCRPC cells. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that POLQ serves as a predictive factor for poor docetaxel response and provide a novel strategy to enhance the anticancer effects of docetaxel therapy by targeting POLQ in mCRPC patients.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology
- DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase/genetics
- DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase/metabolism
- Docetaxel/pharmacology
- Humans
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred NOD
- Mice, SCID
- Neoplasms, Experimental/drug therapy
- Neoplasms, Experimental/metabolism
- Neoplasms, Experimental/pathology
- PC-3 Cells
- Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant/drug therapy
- Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant/metabolism
- Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant/pathology
- RNA, Messenger/drug effects
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- Tumor Cells, Cultured
- DNA Polymerase theta
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Hao Kuei
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; Department of Urology, Division of Surgery, Cardinal Tien Hospital, Xindian District, New Taipei City 23148, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Yu Lin
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; Department of Breast Surgery and General Surgery, Division of Surgery, Cardinal Tien Hospital, Xindian district, New Taipei City 23148, Taiwan
| | - Min-Hsuan Lin
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Hsun-Hua Lee
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; Department of Neurology, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 23148, Taiwan; Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 23561, Taiwan; Department of Neurology, Vertigo and Balance Impairment Center, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 23561, Taiwan; Taipei Neuroscience Institute, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 23561, Taiwan
| | - Che-Hsuan Lin
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; Department of Otolaryngology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Jiunn Lee
- Department of Urology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; Department of Medical Education and Research, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11696, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Lin Chen
- Department of Pathology, Cardinal Tien Hospital, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 23148, Taiwan
| | - Long-Sheng Lu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Jing-Quan Zheng
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; Department of Chest Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 23561, Taiwan
| | - Ruei-Chen Hung
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Wen Chiu
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 23561, Taiwan; TMU Research Center of Urology and Kidney, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Kuan-Chou Chen
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; Department of Urology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; Department of Urology, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 23561, Taiwan
| | - Yuan-Feng Lin
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; Cell Physiology and Molecular Image Research Center, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11696, Taiwan.
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Peralta-Castro A, García-Medel PL, Baruch-Torres N, Trasviña-Arenas CH, Juarez-Quintero V, Morales-Vazquez CM, Brieba LG. Plant Organellar DNA Polymerases Evolved Multifunctionality through the Acquisition of Novel Amino Acid Insertions. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11111370. [PMID: 33228188 PMCID: PMC7699545 DOI: 10.3390/genes11111370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The majority of DNA polymerases (DNAPs) are specialized enzymes with specific roles in DNA replication, translesion DNA synthesis (TLS), or DNA repair. The enzymatic characteristics to perform accurate DNA replication are in apparent contradiction with TLS or DNA repair abilities. For instance, replicative DNAPs incorporate nucleotides with high fidelity and processivity, whereas TLS DNAPs are low-fidelity polymerases with distributive nucleotide incorporation. Plant organelles (mitochondria and chloroplast) are replicated by family-A DNA polymerases that are both replicative and TLS DNAPs. Furthermore, plant organellar DNA polymerases from the plant model Arabidopsis thaliana (AtPOLIs) execute repair of double-stranded breaks by microhomology-mediated end-joining and perform Base Excision Repair (BER) using lyase and strand-displacement activities. AtPOLIs harbor three unique insertions in their polymerization domain that are associated with TLS, microhomology-mediated end-joining (MMEJ), strand-displacement, and lyase activities. We postulate that AtPOLIs are able to execute those different functions through the acquisition of these novel amino acid insertions, making them multifunctional enzymes able to participate in DNA replication and DNA repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antolín Peralta-Castro
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genomica para la Biodiversidad, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Apartado Postal 629, Irapuato CP 36821, Mexico; (A.P.-C.); (P.L.G.-M.); (N.B.-T.); (C.H.T.-A.); (V.J.-Q.); (C.M.M.-V.)
| | - Paola L. García-Medel
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genomica para la Biodiversidad, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Apartado Postal 629, Irapuato CP 36821, Mexico; (A.P.-C.); (P.L.G.-M.); (N.B.-T.); (C.H.T.-A.); (V.J.-Q.); (C.M.M.-V.)
| | - Noe Baruch-Torres
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genomica para la Biodiversidad, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Apartado Postal 629, Irapuato CP 36821, Mexico; (A.P.-C.); (P.L.G.-M.); (N.B.-T.); (C.H.T.-A.); (V.J.-Q.); (C.M.M.-V.)
| | - Carlos H. Trasviña-Arenas
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genomica para la Biodiversidad, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Apartado Postal 629, Irapuato CP 36821, Mexico; (A.P.-C.); (P.L.G.-M.); (N.B.-T.); (C.H.T.-A.); (V.J.-Q.); (C.M.M.-V.)
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Víctor Juarez-Quintero
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genomica para la Biodiversidad, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Apartado Postal 629, Irapuato CP 36821, Mexico; (A.P.-C.); (P.L.G.-M.); (N.B.-T.); (C.H.T.-A.); (V.J.-Q.); (C.M.M.-V.)
| | - Carlos M. Morales-Vazquez
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genomica para la Biodiversidad, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Apartado Postal 629, Irapuato CP 36821, Mexico; (A.P.-C.); (P.L.G.-M.); (N.B.-T.); (C.H.T.-A.); (V.J.-Q.); (C.M.M.-V.)
| | - Luis G. Brieba
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genomica para la Biodiversidad, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Apartado Postal 629, Irapuato CP 36821, Mexico; (A.P.-C.); (P.L.G.-M.); (N.B.-T.); (C.H.T.-A.); (V.J.-Q.); (C.M.M.-V.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +52-462-1663007
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Plant organellar DNA polymerases bypass thymine glycol using two conserved lysine residues. Biochem J 2020; 477:1049-1059. [PMID: 32108856 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20200043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Plant organelles cope with endogenous DNA damaging agents, byproducts of respiration and photosynthesis, and exogenous agents like ultraviolet light. Plant organellar DNA polymerases (DNAPs) are not phylogenetically related to yeast and metazoan DNAPs and they harbor three insertions not present in any other DNAPs. Plant organellar DNAPs from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtPolIA and AtPolIB) are translesion synthesis (TLS) DNAPs able to bypass abasic sites, a lesion that poses a strong block to replicative polymerases. Besides abasic sites, reactive oxidative species and ionizing radiation react with thymine resulting in thymine glycol (Tg), a DNA adduct that is also a strong block to replication. Here, we report that AtPolIA and AtPolIB bypass Tg by inserting an adenine opposite the lesion and efficiently extend from a Tg-A base pair. The TLS ability of AtPolIB is mapped to two conserved lysine residues: K593 and K866. Residue K593 is situated in insertion 1 and K866 is in insertion 3. With basis on the location of both insertions on a structural model of AtPolIIB, we hypothesize that the two positively charged residues interact to form a clamp around the primer-template. In contrast with nuclear and bacterial replication, where lesion bypass involves an interplay between TLS and replicative DNA polymerases, we postulate that plant organellar DNAPs evolved to exert replicative and TLS activities.
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35
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Leal AZ, Schwebs M, Briggs E, Weisert N, Reis H, Lemgruber L, Luko K, Wilkes J, Butter F, McCulloch R, Janzen CJ. Genome maintenance functions of a putative Trypanosoma brucei translesion DNA polymerase include telomere association and a role in antigenic variation. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:9660-9680. [PMID: 32890403 PMCID: PMC7515707 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Maintenance of genome integrity is critical to guarantee transfer of an intact genome from parent to offspring during cell division. DNA polymerases (Pols) provide roles in both replication of the genome and the repair of a wide range of lesions. Amongst replicative DNA Pols, translesion DNA Pols play a particular role: replication to bypass DNA damage. All cells express a range of translesion Pols, but little work has examined their function in parasites, including whether the enzymes might contribute to host-parasite interactions. Here, we describe a dual function of one putative translesion Pol in African trypanosomes, which we now name TbPolIE. Previously, we demonstrated that TbPolIE is associated with telomeric sequences and here we show that RNAi-mediated depletion of TbPolIE transcripts results in slowed growth, altered DNA content, changes in cell morphology, and increased sensitivity to DNA damaging agents. We also show that TbPolIE displays pronounced localization at the nuclear periphery, and that its depletion leads to chromosome segregation defects and increased levels of endogenous DNA damage. Finally, we demonstrate that TbPolIE depletion leads to deregulation of telomeric variant surface glycoprotein genes, linking the function of this putative translesion DNA polymerase to host immune evasion by antigenic variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Zurita Leal
- The Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Marie Schwebs
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Emma Briggs
- The Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Nadine Weisert
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Helena Reis
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Leandro Lemgruber
- The Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Katarina Luko
- Quantitative Proteomics, Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany
| | - Jonathan Wilkes
- The Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Falk Butter
- Quantitative Proteomics, Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany
| | - Richard McCulloch
- The Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Christian J Janzen
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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36
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Hwang T, Reh S, Dunbayev Y, Zhong Y, Takata Y, Shen J, McBride KM, Murnane JP, Bhak J, Lee S, Wood RD, Takata KI. Defining the mutation signatures of DNA polymerase θ in cancer genomes. NAR Cancer 2020; 2:zcaa017. [PMID: 32885167 PMCID: PMC7454005 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcaa017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA polymerase theta (POLQ)-mediated end joining (TMEJ) is a distinct pathway for mediating DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair. TMEJ is required for the viability of BRCA-mutated cancer cells. It is crucial to identify tumors that rely on POLQ activity for DSB repair, because such tumors are defective in other DSB repair pathways and have predicted sensitivity to POLQ inhibition and to cancer therapies that produce DSBs. We define here the POLQ-associated mutation signatures in human cancers, characterized by short insertions and deletions in a specific range of microhomologies. By analyzing 82 COSMIC (Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer) signatures, we found that BRCA-mutated cancers with a higher level of POLQ expression have a greatly enhanced representation of the small insertion and deletion signature 6, as well as single base substitution signature 3. Using human cancer cells with disruptions of POLQ, we further show that TMEJ dominates end joining of two separated DSBs (distal EJ). Templated insertions with microhomology are enriched in POLQ-dependent distal EJ. The use of this signature analysis will aid in identifying tumors relying on POLQ activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taejoo Hwang
- School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Shelley Reh
- Department of Epigenetics & Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Smithville, TX 78957, USA
| | - Yerkin Dunbayev
- School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Yi Zhong
- Department of Epigenetics & Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Smithville, TX 78957, USA
| | - Yoko Takata
- Department of Epigenetics & Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Smithville, TX 78957, USA
| | - Jianjun Shen
- Department of Epigenetics & Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Smithville, TX 78957, USA
| | - Kevin M McBride
- Department of Epigenetics & Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Smithville, TX 78957, USA
| | - John P Murnane
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Jong Bhak
- School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Semin Lee
- School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Richard D Wood
- Department of Epigenetics & Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Smithville, TX 78957, USA
| | - Kei-Ichi Takata
- School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
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Silvestri R, Landi S. DNA polymerases in the risk and prognosis of colorectal and pancreatic cancers. Mutagenesis 2020; 34:363-374. [PMID: 31647559 DOI: 10.1093/mutage/gez031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cancers arise from the alteration of genes involved in important pathways that mainly affect cell growth and proliferation. DNA replication and DNA damages recognition and repair are among these pathways and DNA polymerases that take part in these processes are frequently involved in cancer onset and progression. For example, damaging alterations within the proofreading domain of replicative polymerases, often reported in patients affected by colorectal cancer (CRC), are considered risk factors and drivers of carcinogenesis as they can lead to the accumulation of several mutations throughout the genome. Thus, replicative polymerases can be involved in cancer when losses of their physiological functions occur. On the contrary, reparative polymerases are often involved in cancer precisely because of their physiological role. In fact, their ability to repair and bypass DNA damages, which confers genome stability, can also counteract the effect of most anticancer drugs. In addition, the altered expression can characterise some type of cancers, which exacerbates this aspect. For example, all of the DNA polymerases involved a damage bypass mechanism, known as translesion synthesis, with the only exception of polymerase theta, are downregulated in CRC. Conversely, in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), most of these polymerase result upregulated. This suggests that different types of cancer can rely on different reparative polymerases to acquire drug resistance. Here we will examine all of the aspects that link DNA polymerases with CRC and PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stefano Landi
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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38
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Thompson PS, Cortez D. New insights into abasic site repair and tolerance. DNA Repair (Amst) 2020; 90:102866. [PMID: 32417669 PMCID: PMC7299775 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2020.102866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Thousands of apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP or abasic) sites form in each cell, each day. This simple DNA lesion can have profound consequences to cellular function, genome stability, and disease. As potent blocks to polymerases, they interfere with the reading and copying of the genome. Since they provide no coding information, they are potent sources of mutation. Due to their reactive chemistry, they are intermediates in the formation of lesions that are more challenging to repair including double-strand breaks, interstrand crosslinks, and DNA protein crosslinks. Given their prevalence and deleterious consequences, cells have multiple mechanisms of repairing and tolerating these lesions. While base excision repair of abasic sites in double-strand DNA has been studied for decades, new interest in abasic site processing has come from more recent insights into how they are processed in single-strand DNA. In this review, we discuss the source of abasic sites, their biological consequences, tolerance mechanisms, and how they are repaired in double and single-stranded DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petria S Thompson
- Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - David Cortez
- Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
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Zhang H. Mechanisms of mutagenesis induced by DNA lesions: multiple factors affect mutations in translesion DNA synthesis. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2020; 55:219-251. [PMID: 32448001 DOI: 10.1080/10409238.2020.1768205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Environmental mutagens lead to mutagenesis. However, the mechanisms are very complicated and not fully understood. Environmental mutagens produce various DNA lesions, including base-damaged or sugar-modified DNA lesions, as well as epigenetically modified DNA. DNA polymerases produce mutation spectra in translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) through misincorporation of incorrect nucleotides, frameshift deletions, blockage of DNA replication, imbalance of leading- and lagging-strand DNA synthesis, and genome instability. Motif or subunit in DNA polymerases further affects the mutations in TLS. Moreover, protein interactions and accessory proteins in DNA replisome also alter mutations in TLS, demonstrated by several representative DNA replisomes. Finally, in cells, multiple DNA polymerases or cellular proteins collaborate in TLS and reduce in vivo mutagenesis. Summaries and perspectives were listed. This review shows mechanisms of mutagenesis induced by DNA lesions and the effects of multiple factors on mutations in TLS in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huidong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Female Reproductive Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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40
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Du H, Wang P, Wu J, He X, Wang Y. The roles of polymerases ν and θ in replicative bypass of O6- and N2-alkyl-2'-deoxyguanosine lesions in human cells. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:4556-4562. [PMID: 32098870 PMCID: PMC7135994 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.012830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Exogenous and endogenous chemicals can react with DNA to produce DNA lesions that may block DNA replication. Not much is known about the roles of polymerase (Pol) ν and Pol θ in translesion synthesis (TLS) in cells. Here we examined the functions of these two polymerases in bypassing major-groove O6-alkyl-2'-deoxyguanosine (O6-alkyl-dG) and minor-groove N2-alkyl-dG lesions in human cells, where the alkyl groups are ethyl, n-butyl (nBu), and, for O6-alkyl-dG, pyridyloxobutyl. We found that Pol ν and Pol θ promote TLS across major-groove O6-alkyl-dG lesions. O6-alkyl-dG lesions mainly induced G→A mutations that were modulated by the two TLS polymerases and the structures of the alkyl groups. Simultaneous ablation of Pol ν and Pol θ resulted in diminished mutation frequencies for all three O6-alkyl-dG lesions. Depletion of Pol ν alone reduced mutations only for O6-nBu-dG, and sole loss of Pol θ attenuated the mutation rates for O6-nBu-dG and O6-pyridyloxobutyl-dG. Replication across the two N2-alkyl-dG lesions was error-free, and Pol ν and Pol θ were dispensable for their replicative bypass. Together, our results provide critical knowledge about the involvement of Pol ν and Pol θ in bypassing alkylated guanine lesions in human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Du
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521-0403
| | - Pengcheng Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521-0403
| | - Jun Wu
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521-0403
| | - Xiaomei He
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521-0403
| | - Yinsheng Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521-0403
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Brambati A, Barry RM, Sfeir A. DNA polymerase theta (Polθ) - an error-prone polymerase necessary for genome stability. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2020; 60:119-126. [PMID: 32302896 PMCID: PMC7230004 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2020.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian cells have evolved multiple pathways to repair DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) and ensure genome stability. In addition to non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR), cells evolved an error-prone repair pathway termed microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ). The mutagenic outcome of MMEJ derives from the activity of DNA polymerase theta (Polθ) - a multidomain enzyme that is minimally expressed in normal tissue but overexpressed in tumors. Polθ expression is particularly crucial for the proliferation of HR deficient cancer cells. As a result, this mutagenic repair emerged as an attractive target for cancer therapy, and inhibitors are currently in pre-clinical development. Here, we review the multifunctionality of this enigmatic polymerase, focusing on its role during DSB repair in mammalian cells and its impact on cancer genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Brambati
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Raymond Mario Barry
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Agnel Sfeir
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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Hoitsma NM, Whitaker AM, Schaich MA, Smith MR, Fairlamb MS, Freudenthal BD. Structure and function relationships in mammalian DNA polymerases. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 77:35-59. [PMID: 31722068 PMCID: PMC7050493 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03368-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
DNA polymerases are vital for the synthesis of new DNA strands. Since the discovery of DNA polymerase I in Escherichia coli, a diverse library of mammalian DNA polymerases involved in DNA replication, DNA repair, antibody generation, and cell checkpoint signaling has emerged. While the unique functions of these DNA polymerases are differentiated by their association with accessory factors and/or the presence of distinctive catalytic domains, atomic resolution structures of DNA polymerases in complex with their DNA substrates have revealed mechanistic subtleties that contribute to their specialization. In this review, the structure and function of all 15 mammalian DNA polymerases from families B, Y, X, and A will be reviewed and discussed with special emphasis on the insights gleaned from recently published atomic resolution structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M Hoitsma
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Amy M Whitaker
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Matthew A Schaich
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Mallory R Smith
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Max S Fairlamb
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Bret D Freudenthal
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA.
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POLQ Overexpression Is Associated with an Increased Somatic Mutation Load and PLK4 Overexpression in Lung Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11050722. [PMID: 31137743 PMCID: PMC6562496 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11050722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA Polymerase Theta (POLQ) is a DNA polymerase involved in error-prone translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) and error-prone repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). In the present study, we examined whether abnormal POLQ expression may be involved in the pathogenesis of lung adenocarcinoma (LAC). First, we found overexpression of POLQ at both the mRNA and protein levels in LAC, using data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and by immunohistochemical analysis of our LAC series. POLQ overexpression was associated with an advanced pathologic stage and an increased total number of somatic mutations in LAC. When H1299 human lung cancer cell clones overexpressing POLQ were established and examined, the clones showed resistance to a DSB-inducing chemical in the clonogenic assay and an increased frequency of mutations in the supF forward mutation assay. Further analysis revealed that POLQ overexpression was also positively correlated with Polo Like Kinase 4 (PLK4) overexpression in LAC, and that PLK4 overexpression in the POLQ-overexpressing H1299 cells induced centrosome amplification. Finally, analysis of the TCGA data revealed that POLQ overexpression was associated with an increased somatic mutation load and PLK4 overexpression in diverse human cancers; on the other hand, overexpressions of nine TLS polymerases other than POLQ were associated with an increased somatic mutation load at a much lower frequency. Thus, POLQ overexpression is associated with advanced pathologic stage, increased somatic mutation load, and PLK4 overexpression, the last inducing centrosome amplification, in LAC, suggesting that POLQ overexpression is involved in the pathogenesis of LAC.
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Mara K, Charlot F, Guyon-Debast A, Schaefer DG, Collonnier C, Grelon M, Nogué F. POLQ plays a key role in the repair of CRISPR/Cas9-induced double-stranded breaks in the moss Physcomitrella patens. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 222:1380-1391. [PMID: 30636294 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/05/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Double-stranded breaks can be repaired by different mechanisms such as homologous recombination (HR), classical nonhomologous end joining (C-NHEJ) and alternative end joining (Alt-EJ). Polymerase Q (POLQ) has been proposed to be the main factor involved in Alt-EJ-mediated DNA repair. Here we describe the role of POLQ in DNA repair and gene targeting in Physcomitrella patens. The disruption of the POLQ gene does not influence the genetic stability of P. patens nor its development. The polq mutant shows the same sensitivity as wild-type towards most of the genotoxic agents tested (ultraviolet (UV), methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and cisplatin) with the notable exception of bleomycin for which it shows less sensitivity than the wild-type. Furthermore, we show that POLQ is involved in the repair of CRISPR-Cas9-induced double-stranded breaks in P. patens. We also demonstrate that POLQ is a potential competitor and/or inhibitor of the HR repair pathway. This finding has a consequence in terms of genetic engineering, as in the absence of POLQ the frequency of gene targeting is significantly increased and the number of clean two-sided HR-mediated insertions is enhanced. Therefore, the control of POLQ activity in plants could be a useful strategy to optimize the tools of genome engineering for plant breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kostlend Mara
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Versailles, 78000, France
| | - Florence Charlot
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Versailles, 78000, France
| | - Anouchka Guyon-Debast
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Versailles, 78000, France
| | - Didier G Schaefer
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, CH-2009 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Cécile Collonnier
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Versailles, 78000, France
| | - Mathilde Grelon
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Versailles, 78000, France
| | - Fabien Nogué
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Versailles, 78000, France
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Yoon JH, McArthur MJ, Park J, Basu D, Wakamiya M, Prakash L, Prakash S. Error-Prone Replication through UV Lesions by DNA Polymerase θ Protects against Skin Cancers. Cell 2019; 176:1295-1309.e15. [PMID: 30773314 PMCID: PMC6453116 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Revised: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Cancers from sun-exposed skin accumulate "driver" mutations, causally implicated in oncogenesis. Because errors incorporated during translesion synthesis (TLS) opposite UV lesions would generate these mutations, TLS mechanisms are presumed to underlie cancer development. To address the role of TLS in skin cancer formation, we determined which DNA polymerase is responsible for generating UV mutations, analyzed the relative contributions of error-free TLS by Polη and error-prone TLS by Polθ to the replication of UV-damaged DNA and to genome stability, and examined the incidence of UV-induced skin cancers in Polθ-/-, Polη-/-, and Polθ-/- Polη-/- mice. Our findings that the incidence of skin cancers rises in Polθ-/- mice and is further exacerbated in Polθ-/- Polη-/- mice compared with Polη-/- mice support the conclusion that error-prone TLS by Polθ provides a safeguard against tumorigenesis and suggest that cancer formation can ensue in the absence of somatic point mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Hoon Yoon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Mark J McArthur
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jeseong Park
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Debashree Basu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Maki Wakamiya
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Louise Prakash
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Satya Prakash
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
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Yoon JH, Johnson RE, Prakash L, Prakash S. DNA polymerase θ accomplishes translesion synthesis opposite 1,N 6-ethenodeoxyadenosine with a remarkably high fidelity in human cells. Genes Dev 2019; 33:282-287. [PMID: 30808656 PMCID: PMC6411006 DOI: 10.1101/gad.320531.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Here we show that translesion synthesis (TLS) opposite 1,N6-ethenodeoxyadenosine (εdA), which disrupts Watson-Crick base pairing, occurs via Polι/Polζ-, Rev1-, and Polθ-dependent pathways. The requirement of Polι/Polζ is consistent with the ability of Polι to incorporate nucleotide opposite εdA by Hoogsteen base pairing and of Polζ to extend synthesis. Rev1 polymerase and Polθ conduct TLS opposite εdA via alternative error-prone pathways. Strikingly, in contrast to extremely error-prone TLS opposite εdA by purified Polθ, it performs predominantly error-free TLS in human cells. Reconfiguration of the active site opposite εdA would provide Polθ the proficiency for error-free TLS in human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Hoon Yoon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas 77555, USA
| | - Robert E Johnson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas 77555, USA
| | - Louise Prakash
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas 77555, USA
| | - Satya Prakash
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas 77555, USA
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The therapeutic significance of mutational signatures from DNA repair deficiency in cancer. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3292. [PMID: 30120226 PMCID: PMC6098043 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05228-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2017] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is fundamentally a disease of the genome and inherited deficiencies in DNA repair pathways are well established to increase lifetime cancer risk. Computational analysis of pan-cancer data has identified signatures of mutational processes thought to be responsible for the pattern of mutations in any given cancer. These analyses identified altered DNA repair pathways in a much broader spectrum of cancers than previously appreciated with significant therapeutic implications. The development of DNA repair deficiency biomarkers is critical to the implementation of therapeutic targeting of repair-deficient tumors, using either DNA damaging agents or immunotherapy for the personalization of cancer therapy. Targeting DNA repair-deficient tumors is one of the most promising therapeutic strategies in cancer research; however, accurately predicting which tumors will respond can be a challenge. Here the authors present a review of the current state of knowledge in DNA repair deficiency across human cancers.
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Quinet A, Lerner LK, Martins DJ, Menck CFM. Filling gaps in translesion DNA synthesis in human cells. MUTATION RESEARCH-GENETIC TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS 2018; 836:127-142. [PMID: 30442338 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2018.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
During DNA replication, forks may encounter unrepaired lesions that hamper DNA synthesis. Cells have universal strategies to promote damage bypass allowing cells to survive. DNA damage tolerance can be performed upon template switch or by specialized DNA polymerases, known as translesion (TLS) polymerases. Human cells count on more than eleven TLS polymerases and this work reviews the functions of some of these enzymes: Rev1, Pol η, Pol ι, Pol κ, Pol θ and Pol ζ. The mechanisms of damage bypass vary according to the lesion, as well as to the TLS polymerases available, and may occur directly at the fork during replication. Alternatively, the lesion may be skipped, leaving a single-stranded DNA gap that will be replicated later. Details of the participation of these enzymes are revised for the replication of damaged template. TLS polymerases also have functions in other cellular processes. These include involvement in somatic hypermutation in immunoglobulin genes, direct participation in recombination and repair processes, and contributing to replicating noncanonical DNA structures. The importance of DNA damage replication to cell survival is supported by recent discoveries that certain genes encoding TLS polymerases are induced in response to DNA damaging agents, protecting cells from a subsequent challenge to DNA replication. We retrace the findings on these genotoxic (adaptive) responses of human cells and show the common aspects with the SOS responses in bacteria. Paradoxically, although TLS of DNA damage is normally an error prone mechanism, in general it protects from carcinogenesis, as evidenced by increased tumorigenesis in xeroderma pigmentosum variant patients, who are deficient in Pol η. As these TLS polymerases also promote cell survival, they constitute an important mechanism by which cancer cells acquire resistance to genotoxic chemotherapy. Therefore, the TLS polymerases are new potential targets for improving therapy against tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annabel Quinet
- Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.
| | - Leticia K Lerner
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology,Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK.
| | - Davi J Martins
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carlos F M Menck
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Family A and B DNA Polymerases in Cancer: Opportunities for Therapeutic Interventions. BIOLOGY 2018; 7:biology7010005. [PMID: 29301327 PMCID: PMC5872031 DOI: 10.3390/biology7010005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Revised: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 12/29/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
DNA polymerases are essential for genome replication, DNA repair and translesion DNA synthesis (TLS). Broadly, these enzymes belong to two groups: replicative and non-replicative DNA polymerases. A considerable body of data suggests that both groups of DNA polymerases are associated with cancer. Many mutations in cancer cells are either the result of error-prone DNA synthesis by non-replicative polymerases, or the inability of replicative DNA polymerases to proofread mismatched nucleotides due to mutations in 3'-5' exonuclease activity. Moreover, non-replicative, TLS-capable DNA polymerases can negatively impact cancer treatment by synthesizing DNA past lesions generated from treatments such as cisplatin, oxaliplatin, etoposide, bleomycin, and radiotherapy. Hence, the inhibition of DNA polymerases in tumor cells has the potential to enhance treatment outcomes. Here, we review the association of DNA polymerases in cancer from the A and B families, which participate in lesion bypass, and conduct gene replication. We also discuss possible therapeutic interventions that could be used to maneuver the role of these enzymes in tumorigenesis.
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50
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Laverty DJ, Greenberg MM. In Vitro Bypass of Thymidine Glycol by DNA Polymerase θ Forms Sequence-Dependent Frameshift Mutations. Biochemistry 2017; 56:6726-6733. [PMID: 29243925 PMCID: PMC5743609 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.7b01093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Unrepaired DNA lesions block replication and threaten genomic stability. Several specialized translesion polymerases, including polymerase θ (Pol θ), contribute to replicative bypass of these lesions. The role of Pol θ in double-strand break repair is well-understood, but its contribution to translesion synthesis is much less so. We describe the action of Pol θ on templates containing thymidine glycol (Tg), a major cytotoxic, oxidative DNA lesion that blocks DNA replication. Unrepaired Tg lesions are bypassed in human cells by specialized translesion polymerases by one of two distinct pathways: high-fidelity bypass by the combined action of Pol κ and Pol ζ or weakly mutagenic bypass by Pol θ. Here we report that in vitro bypass of Tg by Pol θ results in frameshift mutations (deletions) in a sequence-dependent fashion. Steady-state kinetic analysis indicated that one- and two-nucleotide deletions are formed 9- and 6-fold more efficiently, respectively, than correct, full-length bypass products. Sequencing of in vitro bypass products revealed that bypass preference decreased in the following order on a template where all three outcomes were possible: two-nucleotide deletion > correct bypass > one-nucleotide deletion. These results suggest that bypass of Tg by Pol θ results in mutations opposite the lesion, as well as frameshift mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J. Laverty
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
| | - Marc M. Greenberg
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
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