Cohesin: a regulator of genome integrity and gene expression

MiR-320b/RAD21 axis affects hepatocellular carcinoma radiosensitivity to ionizing radiation treatment through DNA damage repair signaling

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies in the world and is associated with high mortality. Ionizing radiation (IR)-based therapy causes DNA damage, exerting a curative effect; however, DNA damage repair signaling pathways lead to HCC resistance to IR-based therapy. RAD21 is a component of the cohesion complex, crucial for chromosome segregation and DNA damage repair, while it is still unclear whether RAD21 is implicated in DNA damage and influences IR sensitivity in HCC. The current research explores the effect and upstream regulatory mechanism of RAD21 on IR sensitivity in HCC. In the present study, RAD21 mRNA and protein expression were increased within HCC tissue samples, particularly within IR-insensitive HCC tissues. The overexpression of RAD21 partially attenuated the roles of IR in HCC by promoting the viability and suppressing the apoptosis of HCC cells. RAD21 overexpression reduced the culture medium 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine concentration and decreased the protein levels of γH2AX and ATM, suggesting that RAD21 overexpression attenuated IR treatment-induced DNA damage to HCC cells. miR-320b targeted RAD21 3'-UTR to inhibit RAD21 expression. In HCC tissues, particularly in IR-insensitive HCC tissues, miR-320b expression was significantly downregulated. miR-320b inhibition also attenuated IR treatment-induced DNA damage to HCC cells; more importantly, RAD21 silencing significantly attenuated the effects of miR-320b inhibition on IR treatment-induced DNA damage, suggesting that miR-320b plays a role through targeting RAD21. In conclusion, an miR-320b/RAD21 axis modulating HCC sensitivity to IR treatment through acting on IR-induced DNA damage was demonstrated. The miR-320b/RAD21 axis could be a novel therapeutic target for further study of HCC sensitivity to IR treatment.

Evolutionary repair: Changes in multiple functional modules allow meiotic cohesin to support mitosis

The role of proteins often changes during evolution, but we do not know how cells adapt when a protein is asked to participate in a different biological function. We forced the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to use the meiosis-specific kleisin, recombination 8 (Rec8), during the mitotic cell cycle, instead of its paralog, Scc1. This perturbation impairs sister chromosome linkage, advances the timing of genome replication, and reduces reproductive fitness by 45%. We evolved 15 parallel populations for 1,750 generations, substantially increasing their fitness, and analyzed the genotypes and phenotypes of the evolved cells. Only one population contained a mutation in Rec8, but many populations had mutations in the transcriptional mediator complex, cohesin-related genes, and cell cycle regulators that induce S phase. These mutations improve sister chromosome cohesion and delay genome replication in Rec8-expressing cells. We conclude that changes in known and novel partners allow cells to use an existing protein to participate in new biological functions.

Cohesin controls intestinal stem cell identity by maintaining association of Escargot with target promoters

Intestinal stem cells (ISCs) maintain regenerative capacity of the intestinal epithelium. Their function and activity are regulated by transcriptional changes, yet how such changes are coordinated at the genomic level remains unclear. The Cohesin complex regulates transcription globally by generating topologically-associated DNA domains (TADs) that link promotor regions with distant enhancers. We show here that the Cohesin complex prevents premature differentiation of Drosophila ISCs into enterocytes (ECs). Depletion of the Cohesin subunit Rad21 and the loading factor Nipped-B triggers an ISC to EC differentiation program that is independent of Notch signaling, but can be rescued by over-expression of the ISC-specific escargot (esg) transcription factor. Using damID and transcriptomic analysis, we find that Cohesin regulates Esg binding to promoters of differentiation genes, including a group of Notch target genes involved in ISC differentiation. We propose that Cohesin ensures efficient Esg-dependent gene repression to maintain stemness and intestinal homeostasis.

Chromatin dynamics governed by a set of nuclear structural proteins

During the past three decades, the study of nuclear and chromatin organization has become of great interest. The organization and dynamics of chromatin are directly responsible for many functions including gene regulation, genome replication, and maintenance. In order to better understand the details of these mechanisms, we need to understand the role of specific proteins that take part in these processes. The genome in the nucleus is organized in different length scales, ranging from the bead-like nucleosomes through topological associated domains up to chromosome territories. The mechanisms that maintain these structures, however, remain to be fully elucidated. Previous works highlighted the significance of lamin A, an important nucleoplasmic protein; however, there are other nuclear structural proteins that are also important for chromatin organization. Studying the organizational aspects of the nucleus is a complex task, and different methods have been developed and adopted for this purpose, including molecular and imaging methods. Here we describe the use of the live-cell imaging method and demonstrate that the dynamics of the nucleus is strongly related to its organizational mechanisms. We labeled different genomic sites in the nucleus and measured the effect of nuclear structural proteins on their dynamics. We studied lamin A, BAF, Emerin, lamin B, CTCF, and Cohesin and discuss how each of them affect chromatin dynamics. Our findings indicate that lamin A and BAF have a significant effect on chromosomes dynamics, while other proteins mildly affect the type of the diffusion while the volume of motion is not affected.

Human Papillomavirus and the DNA Damage Response: Exploiting Host Repair Pathways for Viral Replication

High-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the causative agents of cervical and other genital cancers. In addition, HPV infections are associated with the development of many oropharyngeal cancers. HPVs activate and repress a number of host cellular pathways to promote their viral life cycles, including those of the DNA damage response. High-risk HPVs activate the ataxia telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) and ATM and Rad3-related (ATR) DNA damage repair pathways, which are essential for viral replication (particularly differentiation-dependent genome amplification). These DNA repair pathways are critical in maintaining host genomic integrity and stability and are often dysregulated or mutated in human cancers. Understanding how these pathways contribute to HPV replication and transformation may lead to the identification of new therapeutic targets for the treatment of existing HPV infections.

Motif oriented high-resolution analysis of ChIP-seq data reveals the topological order of CTCF and cohesin proteins on DNA

BACKGROUND

ChIP-seq provides a wealth of information on the approximate location of DNA-binding proteins genome-wide. It is known that the targeted motifs in most cases can be found at the peak centers. A high resolution mapping of ChIP-seq peaks could in principle allow the fine mapping of the protein constituents within protein complexes, but the current ChIP-seq analysis pipelines do not target the basepair resolution strand specific mapping of peak summits.

RESULTS

The approach proposed here is based on i) locating regions that are bound by a sufficient number of proteins constituting a complex; ii) determining the position of the underlying motif using either a direct or a de novo motif search approach; and iii) determining the exact location of the peak summits with respect to the binding motif in a strand specific manner. We applied this method for analyzing the CTCF/cohesin complex, which holds together DNA loops. The relative positions of the constituents of the complex were determined with one-basepair estimated accuracy. Mapping the positions on a 3D model of DNA made it possible to deduce the approximate local topology of the complex that allowed us to predict how the CTCF/cohesin complex locks the DNA loops. As the positioning of the proteins was not compatible with previous models of loop closure, we proposed a plausible "double embrace" model in which the DNA loop is held together by two adjacent cohesin rings in such a way that the ring anchored by CTCF to one DNA duplex encircles the other DNA double helix and vice versa.

CONCLUSIONS

A motif-centered, strand specific analysis of ChIP-seq data improves the accuracy of determining peak positions. If a genome contains a large number of binding sites for a given protein complex, such as transcription factor heterodimers or transcription factor/cofactor complexes, the relative position of the constituent proteins on the DNA can be established with an accuracy that allow one to deduce the local topology of the protein complex. The proposed high resolution mapping approach of ChIP-seq data is applicable for detecting the contact topology of DNA-binding protein complexes.

Reduced gene expression levels after chronic exposure to high concentrations of air pollutants

We analyzed the ability of particulate matter (PM) and chemicals adsorbed onto it to induce diverse gene expression profiles in subjects living in two regions of the Czech Republic differing in levels and sources of the air pollution. A total of 312 samples from polluted Ostrava region and 154 control samples from Prague were collected in winter 2009, summer 2009 and winter 2010. The highest concentrations of air pollutants were detected in winter 2010 when the subjects were exposed to: PM of aerodynamic diameter <2.5μm (PM2.5) (70 vs. 44.9μg/m(3)); benzo[a]pyrene (9.02 vs. 2.56ng/m(3)) and benzene (10.2 vs. 5.5μg/m(3)) in Ostrava and Prague, respectively. Global gene expression analysis of total RNA extracted from leukocytes was performed using Illumina Expression BeadChips microarrays. The expression of selected genes was verified by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Gene expression profiles differed by locations and seasons. Despite lower concentrations of air pollutants a higher number of differentially expressed genes and affected KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathways was found in subjects from Prague. In both locations immune response pathways were affected, in Prague also neurodegenerative diseases-related pathways. Over-representation of the latter pathways was associated with the exposure to PM2.5. The qRT-PCR analysis showed a significant decrease in expression of APEX, ATM, FAS, GSTM1, IL1B and RAD21 in subjects from Ostrava, in a comparison of winter 2010 and summer 2009. In Prague, an increase in gene expression was observed for GADD45A and PTGS2. In conclusion, high concentrations of pollutants in Ostrava were not associated with higher number of differentially expressed genes, affected KEGG pathways and expression levels of selected genes. This observation suggests that chronic exposure to air pollution may result in reduced gene expression response with possible negative health consequences.

Targeting CTCF to Control Virus Gene Expression: A Common Theme amongst Diverse DNA Viruses

All viruses target host cell factors for successful life cycle completion. Transcriptional control of DNA viruses by host cell factors is important in the temporal and spatial regulation of virus gene expression. Many of these factors are recruited to enhance virus gene expression and thereby increase virus production, but host cell factors can also restrict virus gene expression and productivity of infection. CCCTC binding factor (CTCF) is a host cell DNA binding protein important for the regulation of genomic chromatin boundaries, transcriptional control and enhancer element usage. CTCF also functions in RNA polymerase II regulation and in doing so can influence co-transcriptional splicing events. Several DNA viruses, including Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) utilize CTCF to control virus gene expression and many studies have highlighted a role for CTCF in the persistence of these diverse oncogenic viruses. CTCF can both enhance and repress virus gene expression and in some cases CTCF increases the complexity of alternatively spliced transcripts. This review article will discuss the function of CTCF in the life cycle of DNA viruses in the context of known host cell CTCF functions.

Human papillomaviruses activate and recruit SMC1 cohesin proteins for the differentiation-dependent life cycle through association with CTCF insulators

Human papillomaviruses infect stratified epithelia and link their productive life cycle to the differentiation state of the host cell. Productive viral replication or amplification is restricted to highly differentiated suprabasal cells and is dependent on the activation of the ATM DNA damage pathway. The ATM pathway has three arms that can act independently of one another. One arm is centered on p53, another on CHK2 and a third on SMC1/NBS1 proteins. A role for CHK2 in HPV genome amplification has been demonstrated but it was unclear what other factors provided important activities. The cohesin protein, SMC1, is necessary for sister chromatid association prior to mitosis. In addition the phosphorylated form of SMC1 plays a critical role together with NBS1 in the ATM DNA damage response. In normal cells, SMC1 becomes phosphorylated in response to radiation, however, in HPV positive cells our studies demonstrate that it is constitutively activated. Furthermore, pSMC1 is found localized in distinct nuclear foci in complexes with γ-H2AX, and CHK2 and bound to HPV DNA. Importantly, knockdown of SMC1 blocks differentiation-dependent genome amplification. pSMC1 forms complexes with the insulator transcription factor CTCF and our studies show that these factors bind to conserved sequence motifs in the L2 late region of HPV 31. Similar motifs are found in most HPV types. Knockdown of CTCF with shRNAs blocks genome amplification and mutation of the CTCF binding motifs in the L2 open reading frame inhibits stable maintenance of viral episomes in undifferentiated cells as well as amplification of genomes upon differentiation. These findings suggest a model in which SMC1 factors are constitutively activated in HPV positive cells and recruited to viral genomes through complex formation with CTCF to facilitate genome amplification. Our findings identify both SMC1 and CTCF as critical regulators of the differentiation-dependent life cycle of high-risk human papillomaviruses.

Over 120 types of human papillomavirus (HPV) have been identified, and approximately one-third of these infect epithelial cells of the genital mucosa. Infection by a subset of HPV types is responsible for the development of cervical and other anogenital cancers. The infectious life cycle of HPV is dependent on differentiation of the host epithelial cell, with viral genome amplification and virion production restricted to differentiated suprabasal cells. While normal keratinocytes exit the cell cycle upon differentiation, HPV positive suprabasal cells are able to re-enter S-phase to mediate productive replication. HPV induces an ATM-dependent DNA damage response that is essential for viral genome amplification in differentiating cells. In this study we demonstrate that a protein that mediates sister chromatid association prior to mitosis, SMC1, plays a critical role in the differentiation-dependent replication of HPV through the recruitment of DNA damage proteins to viral genomes. SMC1 binds specifically to CTCF binding sites in the late region of HPV through association with the DNA insulator protein CTCF. Knockdown of either SMC1 or CTCF abrogates viral genome amplification. Further, mutation of CTCF sites in the late region of the HPV genome results in loss of both episomal maintenance and the ability for SMC-1 and CTCF to interact with the genome. Our findings identify an important regulatory mechanism by which HPV controls replication during the productive phase of the life cycle, and this can lead to new targets for the development of therapeutics to treat HPV induced infections.

Stage-specific binding profiles of cohesin in resting and activated B lymphocytes suggest a role for cohesin in immunoglobulin class switching and maturation

The immunoglobulin heavy chain locus (Igh) features higher-order chromosomal interactions to facilitate stage-specific assembly of the Ig molecule. Cohesin, a ring-like protein complex required for sister chromatid cohesion, shapes chromosome architecture and chromatin interactions important for transcriptional regulation and often acts together with CTCF. Cohesin is likely involved in B cell activation and Ig class switch recombination. Hence, binding profiles of cohesin in resting mature murine splenic B lymphocytes and at two stages after cell activation were elucidated by chromatin immunoprecipitation and deep sequencing. Comparative genomic analysis revealed cohesin extensively changes its binding to transcriptional control elements after 48 h of stimulation with LPS/IL-4. Cohesin was clearly underrepresented at switch regions regardless of their activation status, suggesting that switch regions need to be cohesin-poor. Specific binding changes of cohesin at B-cell specific gene loci Pax5 and Blimp-1 indicate new cohesin-dependent regulatory pathways. Together with conserved cohesin/CTCF sites at the Igh 3'RR, a prominent cohesin/CTCF binding site was revealed near the 3' end of Cα where PolII localizes to 3' enhancers. Our study shows that cohesin likely regulates B cell activation and maturation, including Ig class switching.

Analyzing sister chromatid cohesion in mammalian cells

The metaphase chromosome spread technique and subsequent analysis of sister chromatid cohesion is used for (clinical) diagnosis of genetic abnormalities that can cause aberrant sister chromatid cohesion. In addition, the technique can be used to assess the contribution of novel genes to the cohesion establishment and maintenance pathways. Cells are swelled in a hypotonic solution and fixed in Carnoy's solution. Samples are then dropped onto glass slides, and the spread chromosomes are stained and visualized by microscopy. Defects in sister chromatid cohesion can be easily assessed using this method, examples of which are given.

Meiotic cohesin SMC1β provides prophase I centromeric cohesion and is required for multiple synapsis-associated functions

Cohesin subunit SMC1β is specific and essential for meiosis. Previous studies showed functions of SMC1β in determining the axis-loop structure of synaptonemal complexes (SCs), in providing sister chromatid cohesion (SCC) in metaphase I and thereafter, in protecting telomere structure, and in synapsis. However, several central questions remained unanswered and concern roles of SMC1β in SCC and synapsis and processes related to these two processes. Here we show that SMC1β substantially supports prophase I SCC at centromeres but not along chromosome arms. Arm cohesion and some of centromeric cohesion in prophase I are provided by non-phosphorylated SMC1α. Besides supporting synapsis of autosomes, SMC1β is also required for synapsis and silencing of sex chromosomes. In absence of SMC1β, the silencing factor γH2AX remains associated with asynapsed autosomes and fails to localize to sex chromosomes. Microarray expression studies revealed up-regulated sex chromosome genes and many down-regulated autosomal genes. SMC1β is further required for non-homologous chromosome associations observed in absence of SPO11 and thus of programmed double-strand breaks. These breaks are properly generated in Smc1β^−/− spermatocytes, but their repair is delayed on asynapsed chromosomes. SMC1α alone cannot support non-homologous associations. Together with previous knowledge, three main functions of SMC1β have emerged, which have multiple consequences for spermatocyte biology: generation of the loop-axis architecture of SCs, homologous and non-homologous synapsis, and SCC starting in early prophase I.

The generation of mammalian gametes through meiosis comprises two subsequent cell divisions. The first division, meiosis I, features highly specific chromosome structures, and behavior, and requires distinct sets of chromosome-associated proteins. Cohesin proteins, of which some are meiosis-specific, are essential for meiosis, but their particular roles in meiosis are incompletely understood. We show here that SMC1β, a meiosis-specific cohesin, serves key functions already in prophase of meiosis I: SMC1β contributes to keeping sister chromatids in cohesion at their centromeres and supports synapsis of the four sister chromatids present in these cells. SMC1β is required for the synapsis of the X and Y sex chromosomes. The failure of autosomes to properly synapse in absence of SMC1β causes extensive alterations in gene expression. This leads to expression of sex chromosome-linked genes, which are lethal at this stage, explaining the death of spermatocytes in mid-prophase I. Together with the analyses of other cohesin proteins and of phosphorylated forms of SMC3 and SMC1α, this paper describes hitherto undescribed properties and functions of meiotic cohesin in sister chromatid cohesion and synapsis.

Spectrum of NIPBL gene mutations in Polish patients with Cornelia de Lange syndrome

Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is a rare multi-system genetic disorder characterised by growth and developmental delay, distinctive facial dysmorphism, limb malformations and multiple organ defects. The disease is caused by mutations in genes responsible for the formation and regulation of cohesin complex. About half of the cases result from mutations in the NIPBL gene coding delangin, a protein regulating the initialisation of cohesion. To date, approximately 250 point mutations have been identified in more than 300 CdLS patients worldwide. In the present study, conducted on a group of 64 unrelated Polish CdLS patients, 25 various NIPBL sequence variants, including 22 novel point mutations, were detected. Additionally, large genomic deletions on chromosome 5p13 encompassing the NIPBL gene locus were detected in two patients with the most severe CdLS phenotype. Taken together, 42 % of patients were found to have a deleterious alteration affecting the NIPBL gene, by and large private ones (89 %). The review of the types of mutations found so far in Polish patients, their frequency and correlation with the severity of the observed phenotype shows that Polish CdLS cases do not significantly differ from other populations.

DNA repair dysregulation from cancer driver to therapeutic target

Dysregulation of DNA damage repair and signalling to cell cycle checkpoints, known as the DNA damage response (DDR), is associated with a predisposition to cancer and affects responses to DNA-damaging anticancer therapy. Dysfunction of one DNA repair pathway may be compensated for by the function of another compensatory DDR pathway, which may be increased and contribute to resistance to DNA-damaging chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Therefore, DDR pathways make an ideal target for therapeutic intervention; first, to prevent or reverse therapy resistance; and second, using a synthetic lethal approach to specifically kill cancer cells that are dependent on a compensatory DNA repair pathway for survival in the context of cancer-associated oxidative and replicative stress. These hypotheses are currently being tested in the laboratory and are being translated into clinical studies.

Pathways for genome integrity in G2 phase of the cell cycle

The maintenance of genome integrity is important for normal cellular functions, organism development and the prevention of diseases, such as cancer. Cellular pathways respond immediately to DNA breaks leading to the initiation of a multi-facetted DNA damage response, which leads to DNA repair and cell cycle arrest. Cell cycle checkpoints provide the cell time to complete replication and repair the DNA damage before it can continue to the next cell cycle phase. The G2/M checkpoint plays an especially important role in ensuring the propagation of error-free copies of the genome to each daughter cell. Here, we review recent progress in our understanding of DNA repair and checkpoint pathways in late S and G2 phases. This review will first describe the current understanding of normal cell cycle progression through G2 phase to mitosis. It will also discuss the DNA damage response including cell cycle checkpoint control and DNA double-strand break repair. Finally, we discuss the emerging concept that DNA repair pathways play a major role in the G2/M checkpoint pathway thereby blocking cell division as long as DNA lesions are present.

Cohesin: a guardian of genome integrity

Ability to reproduce is one of the hallmark features of all life forms by which new organisms are produced from their progenitors. During this process each cell duplicates its genome and passes a copy of its genome to the daughter cells along with the cellular matrix. Unlike bacteria, in eukaryotes there is a definite time gap between when the genome is duplicated and when it is physically separated. Therefore, for precise halving of the duplicated genome into two, it is required that each pair of duplicated chromosomes, termed sister chromatids, should be paired together in a binary fashion from the moment they are generated. This pairing function between the duplicated genome is primarily provided by a multimeric protein complex, called cohesin. Thus, genome integrity largely depends on cohesin as it ensures faithful chromosome segregation by holding the sister chromatids glued together from S phase to anaphase. In this review, we have discussed the life cycle of cohesin during both mitotic and meiotic cell divisions including the structure and architecture of cohesin complex, relevance of cohesin associated proteins, mechanism of cohesin loading onto the chromatin, cohesion establishment and the mechanism of cohesin disassembly during anaphase to separate the sister chromatids. We have also focused on the role of posttranslational modifications in cohesin biology. For better understanding of the complexity of the cohesin regulatory network to the readers, we have presented an interactome profiling of cohesin core subunits in budding yeast during mitosis and meiosis.

Cohesin protects genes against γH2AX Induced by DNA double-strand breaks

Chromatin undergoes major remodeling around DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) to promote repair and DNA damage response (DDR) activation. We recently reported a high-resolution map of γH2AX around multiple breaks on the human genome, using a new cell-based DSB inducible system. In an attempt to further characterize the chromatin landscape induced around DSBs, we now report the profile of SMC3, a subunit of the cohesin complex, previously characterized as required for repair by homologous recombination. We found that recruitment of cohesin is moderate and restricted to the immediate vicinity of DSBs in human cells. In addition, we show that cohesin controls γH2AX distribution within domains. Indeed, as we reported previously for transcription, cohesin binding antagonizes γH2AX spreading. Remarkably, depletion of cohesin leads to an increase of γH2AX at cohesin-bound genes, associated with a decrease in their expression level after DSB induction. We propose that, in agreement with their function in chromosome architecture, cohesin could also help to isolate active genes from some chromatin remodelling and modifications such as the ones that occur when a DSB is detected on the genome.

Cohesin regulates MHC class II genes through interactions with MHC class II insulators

Cohesin is a multiprotein, ringed complex that is most well-known for its role in stabilizing the association of sister chromatids between S phase and M. More recently, cohesin was found to be associated with transcriptional insulators, elements that are associated with the organization of chromatin into regulatory domains. The human MHC class II (MHC-II) locus contains 10 intergenic elements, termed MHC-II insulators, which bind the transcriptional insulator protein CCCTC-binding factor. MHC-II insulators interact with each other, forming a base architecture of discrete loops and potential regulatory domains. When MHC-II genes are expressed, their proximal promoter regulatory regions reorganize to the foci established by the interacting MHC-II insulators. MHC-II insulators also bind cohesin, but the functional role of cohesin in regulating this system is not known. In this article, we show that the binding of cohesin to MHC-II insulators occurred irrespective of MHC-II expression but was required for optimal expression of the HLA-DR and HLA-DQ genes. In a DNA-dependent manner, cohesin subunits interacted with CCCTC-binding factor and the MHC-II-specific transcription factors regulatory factor X and CIITA. Intriguingly, cohesin subunits were important for DNA looping interactions between the HLA-DRA promoter region and a 5' MHC-II insulator but were not required for interactions between the MHC-II insulators themselves. This latter observation introduces cohesin as a regulator of MHC-II expression by initiating or stabilizing MHC-II promoter regulatory element interactions with the MHC-II insulator elements, events that are required for maximal MHC-II transcription.

Multifactorial origins of heart and gut defects in nipbl-deficient zebrafish, a model of Cornelia de Lange Syndrome

Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS) is the founding member of a class of multi-organ system birth defect syndromes termed cohesinopathies, named for the chromatin-associated protein complex cohesin, which mediates sister chromatid cohesion. Most cases of CdLS are caused by haploinsufficiency for Nipped-B-like (Nipbl), a highly conserved protein that facilitates cohesin loading. Consistent with recent evidence implicating cohesin and Nipbl in transcriptional regulation, both CdLS cell lines and tissues of Nipbl-deficient mice show changes in the expression of hundreds of genes. Nearly all such changes are modest, however--usually less than 1.5-fold--raising the intriguing possibility that, in CdLS, severe developmental defects result from the collective action of many otherwise innocuous perturbations. As a step toward testing this hypothesis, we developed a model of nipbl-deficiency in zebrafish, an organism in which we can quantitatively investigate the combinatorial effects of gene expression changes. After characterizing the structure and embryonic expression of the two zebrafish nipbl genes, we showed that morpholino knockdown of these genes produces a spectrum of specific heart and gut/visceral organ defects with similarities to those in CdLS. Analysis of nipbl morphants further revealed that, as early as gastrulation, expression of genes involved in endodermal differentiation (sox32, sox17, foxa2, and gata5) and left-right patterning (spaw, lefty2, and dnah9) is altered. Experimental manipulation of the levels of several such genes--using RNA injection or morpholino knockdown--implicated both additive and synergistic interactions in causing observed developmental defects. These findings support the view that birth defects in CdLS arise from collective effects of quantitative changes in gene expression. Interestingly, both the phenotypes and gene expression changes in nipbl morphants differed from those in mutants or morphants for genes encoding cohesin subunits, suggesting that the transcriptional functions of Nipbl cannot be ascribed simply to its role in cohesin loading.

Regulation of DNA strand exchange in homologous recombination

Homologous recombination, the exchange of DNA strands between homologous DNA molecules, is involved in repair of many structural diverse DNA lesions. This versatility stems from multiple ways in which homologous DNA strands can be rearranged. At the core of homologous recombination are recombinase proteins such as RecA and RAD51 that mediate homology recognition and DNA strand exchange through formation of a dynamic nucleoprotein filament. Four stages in the life cycle of nucleoprotein filaments are filament nucleation, filament growth, homologous DNA pairing and strand exchange, and filament dissociation. Progression through this cycle requires a sequence of recombinase-DNA and recombinase protein-protein interactions coupled to ATP binding and hydrolysis. The function of recombinases is controlled by accessory proteins that allow coordination of strand exchange with other steps of homologous recombination and that tailor to the needs of specific aberrant DNA structures undergoing recombination. Accessory proteins are also able to reverse filament formation thereby guarding against inappropriate DNA rearrangements. The dynamic instability of the recombinase-DNA interactions allows both positive and negative action of accessory proteins thereby ensuring that genome maintenance by homologous recombination is not only flexible and versatile, but also accurate.

Psm3 acetylation on conserved lysine residues is dispensable for viability in fission yeast but contributes to Eso1-mediated sister chromatid cohesion by antagonizing Wpl1

In budding yeast and humans, cohesion establishment during S phase requires the acetyltransferase Eco1/Esco1-2, which acetylates the cohesin subunit Smc3 on two conserved lysine residues. Whether Smc3 is the sole Eco1/Esco1-2 effector and how Smc3 acetylation promotes cohesion are unknown. In fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe), as in humans, cohesin binding to G(1) chromosomes is dynamic and the unloading reaction is stimulated by Wpl1 (human ortholog, Wapl). During S phase, a subpopulation of cohesin becomes stably bound to chromatin in an Eso1 (fission yeast Eco1/Esco1-2)-dependent manner. Cohesin stabilization occurs unevenly along chromosomes. Cohesin remains largely labile at the rDNA repeats but binds mostly in the stable mode to pericentromere regions. This pattern is largely unchanged in eso1Δ wpl1Δ cells, and cohesion is unaffected, indicating that the main Eso1 role is counteracting Wpl1. A mutant of Psm3 (fission yeast Smc3) that mimics its acetylated state renders cohesin less sensitive to Wpl1-dependent unloading and partially bypasses the Eso1 requirement but cannot generate the stable mode of cohesin binding in the absence of Eso1. Conversely, nonacetylatable Psm3 reduces the stable cohesin fraction and affects cohesion in a Wpl1-dependent manner, but cells are viable. We propose that Psm3 acetylation contributes to Eso1 counteracting of Wpl1 to secure stable cohesin interaction with postreplicative chromosomes but that it is not the sole molecular event by which this occurs.

The IgH locus 3' regulatory region: pulling the strings from behind

Antigen receptor gene loci are among the most complex in mammals. The IgH locus, encoding the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) in B-lineage cells, undergoes major transcription-dependent DNA remodeling events, namely V(D)J recombination, Ig class-switch recombination (CSR), and somatic hypermutation (SHM). Various cis-regulatory elements (encompassing promoters, enhancers, and chromatin insulators) recruit multiple nuclear factors in order to ensure IgH locus regulation by tightly orchestrated physical and/or functional interactions. Among major IgH cis-acting regions, the large 3' regulatory region (3'RR) located at the 3' boundary of the locus includes several enhancers and harbors an intriguing quasi-palindromic structure. In this review, we report progress insights made over the past decade in order to describe in more details the structure and functions of IgH 3'RRs in mouse and human. Generation of multiple cellular, transgenic and knock-out models helped out to decipher the function of the IgH 3' regulatory elements in the context of normal and pathologic B cells. Beside its interest in physiology, the challenge of elucidating the locus-wide cross talk between distant cis-regulatory elements might provide useful insights into the mechanisms that mediate oncogene deregulation after chromosomal translocations onto the IgH locus.

Chromosomal and cytoplasmic context determines predisposition to maternal age-related aneuploidy: brief overview and update on MCAK in mammalian oocytes

It has been known for more than half a century that the risk of conceiving a child with trisomy increases with advanced maternal age. However, the origin of the high susceptibility to nondisjunction of whole chromosomes and precocious separation of sister chromatids, leading to aneuploidy in aged oocytes and embryos derived from them, cannot be traced back to a single disturbance and mechanism. Instead, analysis of recombination patterns of meiotic chromosomes of spread oocytes from embryonal ovary, and of origins and exchange patterns of extra chromosomes in trisomies, as well as morphological and molecular studies of oocytes and somatic cells from young and aged females, show chromosome-specific risk patterns and cellular aberrations related to the chronological age of the female. In addition, analysis of the function of meiotic- and cell-cycle-regulating genes in oogenesis, and the study of the spindle and chromosomal status of maturing oocytes, suggest that several events contribute synergistically to errors in chromosome segregation in aged oocytes in a chromosome-specific fashion. For instance, loss of cohesion may differentially predispose chromosomes with distal or pericentromeric chiasmata to nondisjunction. Studies on expression in young and aged oocytes from human or model organisms, like the mouse, indicate that the presence and functionality/activity of gene products involved in cell-cycle regulation, spindle formation and organelle integrity may be altered in aged oocytes, thus contributing to a high risk of error in chromosome segregation in meiosis I and II. Genes that are often altered in aged mouse oocytes include MCAK (mitotic-centromere-associated protein), a microtubule depolymerase, and AURKB (Aurora kinase B), a protein of the chromosomal passenger complex that has many targets and can also phosphorylate and regulate MCAK localization and activity. Therefore we explored the role of MCAK in maturing mouse oocytes by immunofluorescence, overexpression of a MCAK–EGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein) fusion protein, knockdown of MCAK by RNAi (RNA interference) and inhibition of AURKB. The observations suggest that MCAK is involved in spindle regulation, chromosome congression and cell-cycle control, and that reductions in mRNA and protein in a context of permissive SAC (spindle assembly checkpoint) predispose to aneuploidy. Failure to recruit MCAK to centromeres and low expression patterns, as well as disturbances in regulation of enzyme localization and activity, e.g. due to alterations in activity of AURKB, may therefore contribute to maternal age-related rises in aneuploidy in mammalian oocytes.