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Fulneček J, Klimentová E, Cairo A, Bukovcakova SV, Alexiou P, Prokop Z, Riha K. The SAP domain of Ku facilitates its efficient loading onto DNA ends. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:11706-11716. [PMID: 37850645 PMCID: PMC10681742 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad850] [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: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolutionarily conserved DNA repair complex Ku serves as the primary sensor of free DNA ends in eukaryotic cells. Its rapid association with DNA ends is crucial for several cellular processes, including non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) DNA repair and telomere protection. In this study, we conducted a transient kinetic analysis to investigate the impact of the SAP domain on individual phases of the Ku-DNA interaction. Specifically, we examined the initial binding, the subsequent docking of Ku onto DNA, and sliding of Ku along DNA. Our findings revealed that the C-terminal SAP domain of Ku70 facilitates the initial phases of the Ku-DNA interaction but does not affect the sliding process. This suggests that the SAP domain may either establish the first interactions with DNA, or stabilize these initial interactions during loading. To assess the biological role of the SAP domain, we generated Arabidopsis plants expressing Ku lacking the SAP domain. Intriguingly, despite the decreased efficiency of the ΔSAP Ku complex in loading onto DNA, the mutant plants exhibited full proficiency in classical NHEJ and telomere maintenance. This indicates that the speed with which Ku loads onto telomeres or DNA double-strand breaks is not the decisive factor in stabilizing these DNA structures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Zbynek Prokop
- Loschmidt Laboratories, Department of Experimental Biology and RECETOX, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- International Clinical Research Center, St Anne's University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Riha
- CEITEC Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
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Konečná KP, Kilar A, Kováčiková P, Fajkus J, Sýkorová E, Fojtová M. Compromised function of ARM, the interactor of Arabidopsis telomerase, suggests its role in stress responses. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 325:111453. [PMID: 36087885 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2022.111453] [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: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
ARM was identified previously as an interaction partner of the telomerase protein subunit (TERT) in Arabidopsis thaliana. To investigate the interconnection between ARM and telomerase and to identify ARM cellular functions, we analyzed a set of arm mutant lines and arm/tert double mutants. Telomere length was not affected in arm single mutant plants, in contrast to double mutants. In the second generation of homozygous arm-1/tert double mutants following the heterozygous state during the double mutant construction, telomeres shortened dramatically, even below levels in tert plants displaying severe morphological defects. Intriguingly, homozygous arm-1/tert double mutants with short telomeres grew without obvious phenotypic changes for next two generations. Then, in agreement with the onset of phenotypic changes in tert, morphological defects were timed to the 5th arm-1/tert homozygous generation. RNAseq analyses of arm-1/tert and respective single mutants displayed markedly overlapping sets of differentially expressed genes in arm-1/tert double mutant and arm-1 single mutant lines, indicating a dominant effect of the ARM mutation. RNAseq data further implied ARM involvement in circadian rhythms, responses to drugs and to biotic and abiotic stimuli. In agreement with it, we observed sensitivity of arm-1 single mutant to the heat stress during germination. Altogether, our results suggest ARM involvement in crucial cellular processes without evidencing its role in the telomerase canonical function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klára Přikrylová Konečná
- Institute of Biophysics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic; Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Agata Kilar
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Kováčiková
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Institute of Biophysics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic; Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Sýkorová
- Institute of Biophysics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Miloslava Fojtová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
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Deleting ku80 improves the efficiency of targeted gene editing in Neospora caninum. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2022; 251:111508. [PMID: 35963548 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2022.111508] [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: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas9 technology has been widely used for gene editing in organisms. Gene deletion of the ku80/ku70 complex can improve the efficiency of gene replacement in Arabidopsis thaliana, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Toxoplasma gondii, which remained elusive in Neospora caninum. Here, we knock out the ku80 gene in Nc1 strain by using CRISPR/Cas9, detect the growth rate and virulence of NcΔku80. Then we compare the efficiency of gene replacements between NcΔku80 and Nc1 strains by transfected with the same HA-tagged plasmids, and the percentage of HA-tagged parasites was investigated by IFA. The results showed that gene targeting efficiency was increased in the NcΔku80 strain via double crossover at several genetic loci, but its growth rate and virulence were unaffected. In conclusion, the NcΔku80 strain can be used as an effective strain for rapid gene editing of N. caninum.
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Campitelli BE, Razzaque S, Barbero B, Abdulkina LR, Hall MH, Shippen DE, Juenger TE, Shakirov EV. Plasticity, pleiotropy and fitness trade-offs in Arabidopsis genotypes with different telomere lengths. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 233:1939-1952. [PMID: 34826163 PMCID: PMC9218941 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Telomere length has been implicated in the organismal response to stress, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Here we examine the impact of telomere length changes on the responses to three contrasting abiotic environments in Arabidopsis, and measure 32 fitness, developmental, physiological and leaf-level anatomical traits. We report that telomere length in wild-type and short-telomere mutants is resistant to abiotic stress, while the elongated telomeres in ku70 mutants are more plastic. We detected significant pleiotropic effects of telomere length on flowering time and key leaf physiological and anatomical traits. Furthermore, our data reveal a significant genotype by environment (G × E) interaction for reproductive fitness, with the benefits and costs to performance depending on the growth conditions. These results imply that life-history trade-offs between flowering time and reproductive fitness are impacted by telomere length variation. We postulate that telomere length in plants is subject to natural selection imposed by different environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon E. Campitelli
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Texas Institute for Discovery Education in Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Samsad Razzaque
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Borja Barbero
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-2128, USA
| | - Liliia R. Abdulkina
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan 420008, Russia
| | - Mitchell H. Hall
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25701, USA
| | - Dorothy E. Shippen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-2128, USA
| | - Thomas E. Juenger
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Eugene V. Shakirov
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan 420008, Russia
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25701, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25755, USA
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Poláková E, Albanaz ATS, Zakharova A, Novozhilova TS, Gerasimov ES, Yurchenko V. Ku80 is involved in telomere maintenance but dispensable for genomic stability in Leishmania mexicana. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0010041. [PMID: 34965251 PMCID: PMC8716037 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomeres are indispensable for genome stability maintenance. They are maintained by the telomere-associated protein complex, which include Ku proteins and a telomerase among others. Here, we investigated a role of Ku80 in Leishmania mexicana. Leishmania is a genus of parasitic protists of the family Trypanosomatidae causing a vector-born disease called leishmaniasis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We used the previously established CRISPR/Cas9 system to mediate ablation of Ku80- and Ku70-encoding genes in L. mexicana. Complete knock-outs of both genes were confirmed by Southern blotting, whole-genome Illumina sequencing, and RT-qPCR. Resulting telomeric phenotypes were subsequently investigated using Southern blotting detection of terminal restriction fragments. The genome integrity in the Ku80- deficient cells was further investigated by whole-genome sequencing. Our work revealed that telomeres in the ΔKu80 L. mexicana are elongated compared to those of the wild type. This is a surprising finding considering that in another model trypanosomatid, Trypanosoma brucei, they are shortened upon ablation of the same gene. A telomere elongation phenotype has been documented in other species and associated with a presence of telomerase-independent alternative telomere lengthening pathway. Our results also showed that Ku80 appears to be not involved in genome stability maintenance in L. mexicana. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE Ablation of the Ku proteins in L. mexicana triggers telomere elongation, but does not have an adverse impact on genome integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Poláková
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Amanda T. S. Albanaz
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Alexandra Zakharova
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | | | - Evgeny S. Gerasimov
- Faculty of Biology, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia
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Watson JM, Trieb J, Troestl M, Renfrew K, Mandakova T, Fulnecek J, Shippen DE, Riha K. A hypomorphic allele of telomerase uncovers the minimal functional length of telomeres in Arabidopsis. Genetics 2021; 219:6339584. [PMID: 34849882 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the essential requirement of telomeric DNA for genome stability, the length of telomere tracts between species substantially differs, raising the question of the minimal length of telomeric DNA necessary for proper function. Here, we address this question using a hypomorphic allele of the telomerase catalytic subunit, TERT. We show that although this construct partially restored telomerase activity to a tert mutant, telomeres continued to shorten over several generations, ultimately stabilizing at a bimodal size distribution. Telomeres on two chromosome arms were maintained at a length of 1 kb, while the remaining telomeres were maintained at 400 bp. The longest telomeres identified in this background were also significantly longer in wild-type populations, suggesting cis-acting elements on these arms either promote telomerase processivity or recruitment. Genetically disrupting telomerase processivity in this background resulted in immediate lethality. Thus, telomeres of 400 bp are both necessary and sufficient for Arabidopsis viability. As this length is the estimated minimal length for t-loop formation, our data suggest that telomeres long enough to form a t-loop constitute the minimal functional length.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Matthew Watson
- Gregor Mendel Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Johanna Trieb
- Gregor Mendel Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Martina Troestl
- Gregor Mendel Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Kyle Renfrew
- Department of Biochemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77840, USA
| | - Terezie Mandakova
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslav Fulnecek
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Dorothy E Shippen
- Department of Biochemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77840, USA
| | - Karel Riha
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
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Abstract
Telomeres are the ends of linear eukaryotic chromosomes facilitating the resolution of the ‘end replication and protection’ problems, associated with linearity. At the nucleotide level, telomeres typically represent stretches of tandemly arranged telomeric repeats, which vary in length and sequence among different groups of organisms. Recently, a composition of the telomere-associated protein complex has been scrutinized in Trypanosoma brucei. In this work, we subjected proteins from that list to a more detailed bioinformatic analysis and delineated a core set of 20 conserved proteins putatively associated with telomeres in trypanosomatids. Out of these, two proteins (Ku70 and Ku80) are conspicuously missing in representatives of the genus Blastocrithidia, yet telomeres in these species do not appear to be affected. In this work, based on the analysis of a large set of trypanosomatids widely different in their phylogenetic position and life strategies, we demonstrated that telomeres of trypanosomatids are diverse in length, even within groups of closely related species. Our analysis showed that the expression of two proteins predicted to be associated with telomeres (those encoding telomerase and telomere-associated hypothetical protein orthologous to Tb927.6.4330) may directly affect and account for the differences in telomere length within the species of the Leishmania mexicana complex.
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Aguilar M, Prieto P. Telomeres and Subtelomeres Dynamics in the Context of Early Chromosome Interactions During Meiosis and Their Implications in Plant Breeding. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:672489. [PMID: 34149773 PMCID: PMC8212018 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.672489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Genomic architecture facilitates chromosome recognition, pairing, and recombination. Telomeres and subtelomeres play an important role at the beginning of meiosis in specific chromosome recognition and pairing, which are critical processes that allow chromosome recombination between homologs (equivalent chromosomes in the same genome) in later stages. In plant polyploids, these terminal regions are even more important in terms of homologous chromosome recognition, due to the presence of homoeologs (equivalent chromosomes from related genomes). Although telomeres interaction seems to assist homologous pairing and consequently, the progression of meiosis, other chromosome regions, such as subtelomeres, need to be considered, because the DNA sequence of telomeres is not chromosome-specific. In addition, recombination operates at subtelomeres and, as it happens in rye and wheat, homologous recognition and pairing is more often correlated with recombining regions than with crossover-poor regions. In a plant breeding context, the knowledge of how homologous chromosomes initiate pairing at the beginning of meiosis can contribute to chromosome manipulation in hybrids or interspecific genetic crosses. Thus, recombination in interspecific chromosome associations could be promoted with the aim of transferring desirable agronomic traits from related genetic donor species into crops. In this review, we summarize the importance of telomeres and subtelomeres on chromatin dynamics during early meiosis stages and their implications in recombination in a plant breeding framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Aguilar
- Área de Fisiología Vegetal, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Pilar Prieto
- Plant Breeding Department, Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Córdoba, Spain
- *Correspondence: Pilar Prieto, ; orcid.org/0000-0002-8160-808X
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Telomeres in Plants and Humans: Not So Different, Not So Similar. Cells 2019; 8:cells8010058. [PMID: 30654521 PMCID: PMC6356271 DOI: 10.3390/cells8010058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Parallel research on multiple model organisms shows that while some principles of telomere biology are conserved among all eukaryotic kingdoms, we also find some deviations that reflect different evolutionary paths and life strategies, which may have diversified after the establishment of telomerase as a primary mechanism for telomere maintenance. Much more than animals, plants have to cope with environmental stressors, including genotoxic factors, due to their sessile lifestyle. This is, in principle, made possible by an increased capacity and efficiency of the molecular systems ensuring maintenance of genome stability, as well as a higher tolerance to genome instability. Furthermore, plant ontogenesis differs from that of animals in which tissue differentiation and telomerase silencing occur during early embryonic development, and the “telomere clock” in somatic cells may act as a preventive measure against carcinogenesis. This does not happen in plants, where growth and ontogenesis occur through the serial division of apical meristems consisting of a small group of stem cells that generate a linear series of cells, which differentiate into an array of cell types that make a shoot and root. Flowers, as generative plant organs, initiate from the shoot apical meristem in mature plants which is incompatible with the human-like developmental telomere shortening. In this review, we discuss differences between human and plant telomere biology and the implications for aging, genome stability, and cell and organism survival. In particular, we provide a comprehensive comparative overview of telomere proteins acting in humans and in Arabidopsis thaliana model plant, and discuss distinct epigenetic features of telomeric chromatin in these species.
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Birchler JA, Han F. Barbara McClintock's Unsolved Chromosomal Mysteries: Parallels to Common Rearrangements and Karyotype Evolution. THE PLANT CELL 2018; 30:771-779. [PMID: 29545470 PMCID: PMC5969279 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.17.00989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Revised: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Two obscure studies on chromosomal behavior by Barbara McClintock are revisited in light of subsequent studies and evolutionary genomics of chromosome number reduction. The phenomenon of deficiency recovery in which adjacent genetic markers lost in the zygote reappear in later developmental sectors is discussed in light of de novo centromere formation on chromosomal fragments. Second, McClintock described a small chromosome, which she postulated carried an "X component," that fostered specific types of chromosomal rearrangements mainly involving centromere changes and attachments to the termini of chromosomes. These findings are cast in the context of subsequent studies on centromere misdivision, the tendency of broken fragments to join chromosome ends, and the realization from genomic sequences that nested chromosomal insertion and end-to-end chromosomal fusions are common features of karyotype evolution. Together, these results suggest a synthesis that centromere breaks, inactivation, and de novo formation together with telomeres-acting under some circumstances as double-strand DNA breaks that join with others-is the underlying basis of these chromosomal phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A Birchler
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211
| | - Fangpu Han
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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11
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Xie X, Shippen DE. DDM1 guards against telomere truncation in Arabidopsis. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2018; 37:501-513. [PMID: 29392401 PMCID: PMC5880217 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-017-2245-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 12/26/2017] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Prolonged hypomethylation of DNA leads to telomere truncation correlated with increased telomere recombination, transposon mobilization and stem cell death. Epigenetic pathways, including DNA methylation, are crucial for telomere maintenance. Deficient in DNA Methylation 1 (DDM1) encodes a nucleosome remodeling protein, required to maintain DNA methylation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plants lacking DDM1 can be self-propagated, but in the sixth generation (G6) hypomethylation leads to rampant transposon activation and infertility. Here we examine the role of DDM1 in telomere length homeostasis through a longitudinal study of successive generations of ddm1-2 mutants. We report that bulk telomere length remains within the wild-type range for the first five generations (G1-G5), and then precipitously drops in G6. While telomerase activity becomes more variable in later generation ddm1-2 mutants, there is no correlation between enzyme activity and telomere length. Plants lacking DDM1 also exhibit no dysregulation of several known telomere-associated transcripts, including TERRA. Instead, telomere shortening coincides with increased G-overhangs and extra-chromosomal circles, consistent with deletional recombination. Telomere shortening also correlates with transcriptional activation of retrotransposons, and a hypersensitive DNA damage response in root apical meristems. Since abiotic stresses, including DNA damage, stimulate homologous recombination, we hypothesize that telomere deletion in G6 ddm1-2 mutants is a by-product of elevated genome-wide recombination in response to transposon mobilization. Further, we speculate that telomere truncation may be beneficial in adverse environmental conditions by accelerating the elimination of stem cells with aberrant genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyuan Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843-2128, USA
| | - Dorothy E Shippen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843-2128, USA.
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Valuchova S, Fulnecek J, Prokop Z, Stolt-Bergner P, Janouskova E, Hofr C, Riha K. Protection of Arabidopsis Blunt-Ended Telomeres Is Mediated by a Physical Association with the Ku Heterodimer. THE PLANT CELL 2017; 29:1533-1545. [PMID: 28584163 PMCID: PMC5502450 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.17.00064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Revised: 05/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres form specialized chromatin that protects natural chromosome termini from being recognized as DNA double-strand breaks. Plants possess unusual blunt-ended telomeres that are unable to form t-loops or complex with single-strand DNA binding proteins, raising the question of the mechanism behind their protection. We have previously suggested that blunt-ended telomeres in Arabidopsis thaliana are protected by Ku, a DNA repair factor with a high affinity for DNA ends. In nonhomologous end joining, Ku loads onto broken DNA via a channel consisting of positively charged amino acids. Here, we demonstrate that while association of Ku with plant telomeres also depends on this channel, Ku's requirements for DNA binding differ between DNA repair and telomere protection. We show that a Ku complex proficient in DNA loading but impaired in translocation along DNA is able to protect blunt-ended telomeres but is deficient in DNA repair. This suggests that Ku physically sequesters blunt-ended telomeres within its DNA binding channel, shielding them from other DNA repair machineries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sona Valuchova
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna Biocenter, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jaroslav Fulnecek
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Zbynek Prokop
- Loschmidt Laboratories, Department of Experimental Biology and Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | | | - Eliska Janouskova
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ctirad Hofr
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Riha
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
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Zhou Y, Hartwig B, James GV, Schneeberger K, Turck F. Complementary Activities of TELOMERE REPEAT BINDING Proteins and Polycomb Group Complexes in Transcriptional Regulation of Target Genes. THE PLANT CELL 2016; 28:87-101. [PMID: 26721861 PMCID: PMC4746681 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.15.00787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2015] [Revised: 11/11/2015] [Accepted: 12/25/2015] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
In multicellular organisms, Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1) and PRC2 repress target genes through histone modification and chromatin compaction. Arabidopsis thaliana mutants strongly compromised in the pathway cannot develop differentiated organs. LIKE HETEROCHROMATIN PROTEIN1 (LHP1) is so far the only known plant PRC1 component that directly binds to H3K27me3, the histone modification set by PRC2, and also associates genome-wide with trimethylation of lysine 27 of histone H3 (H3K27me3). Surprisingly, lhp1 mutants show relatively mild phenotypic alterations. To explain this paradox, we screened for genetic enhancers of lhp1 mutants to identify novel components repressing target genes together with, or in parallel to, LHP1. Two enhancing mutations were mapped to TELOMERE REPEAT BINDING PROTEIN1 (TRB1) and its paralog TRB3. We show that TRB1 binds to thousands of genomic sites containing telobox or related cis-elements with a significant increase of sites and strength of binding in the lhp1 background. Furthermore, in combination with lhp1, but not alone, trb1 mutants show increased transcription of LHP1 targets, such as floral meristem identity genes, which are more likely to be bound by TRB1 in the lhp1 background. By contrast, expression of a subset of LHP1-independent TRB1 target genes, many involved in primary metabolism, is decreased in the absence of TRB1 alone. Thus, TRB1 is a bivalent transcriptional modulator that maintains downregulation of Polycomb Group (PcG) target genes in lhp1 mutants, while it sustains high expression of targets that are regulated independently of PcG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhou
- Department Plant Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, 50829 Köln, Germany
| | - Benjamin Hartwig
- Department Plant Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, 50829 Köln, Germany
| | - Geo Velikkakam James
- Department Plant Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, 50829 Köln, Germany
| | - Korbinian Schneeberger
- Department Plant Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, 50829 Köln, Germany
| | - Franziska Turck
- Department Plant Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, 50829 Köln, Germany
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14
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Dvořáčková M, Fojtová M, Fajkus J. Chromatin dynamics of plant telomeres and ribosomal genes. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2015; 83:18-37. [PMID: 25752316 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.12822] [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: 01/28/2015] [Revised: 03/03/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres and genes encoding 45S ribosomal RNA (rDNA) are frequently located adjacent to each other on eukaryotic chromosomes. Although their primary roles are different, they show striking similarities with respect to their features and additional functions. Both genome domains have remarkably dynamic chromatin structures. Both are hypersensitive to dysfunctional histone chaperones, responding at the genomic and epigenomic levels. Both generate non-coding transcripts that, in addition to their epigenetic roles, may induce gross chromosomal rearrangements. Both give rise to chromosomal fragile sites, as their replication is intrinsically problematic. However, at the same time, both are essential for maintenance of genomic stability and integrity. Here we discuss the structural and functional inter-connectivity of telomeres and rDNA, with a focus on recent results obtained in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Dvořáčková
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Královopolská 135, 61265, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Miloslava Fojtová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Královopolská 135, 61265, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Královopolská 135, 61265, Brno, Czech Republic
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15
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González-García MP, Pavelescu I, Canela A, Sevillano X, Leehy KA, Nelson ADL, Ibañes M, Shippen DE, Blasco MA, Caño-Delgado AI. Single-cell telomere-length quantification couples telomere length to meristem activity and stem cell development in Arabidopsis. Cell Rep 2015; 11:977-989. [PMID: 25937286 PMCID: PMC4827700 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2014] [Revised: 02/19/2015] [Accepted: 04/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are specialized nucleoprotein caps that protect chromosome ends assuring cell division. Single-cell telomere quantification in animals established a critical role for telomerase in stem cells, yet, in plants, telomere-length quantification has been reported only at the organ level. Here, a quantitative analysis of telomere length of single cells in Arabidopsis root apex uncovered a heterogeneous telomere-length distribution of different cell lineages showing the longest telomeres at the stem cells. The defects in meristem and stem cell renewal observed in tert mutants demonstrate that telomere lengthening by TERT sets a replicative limit in the root meristem. Conversely, the long telomeres of the columella cells and the premature stem cell differentiation plt1,2 mutants suggest that differentiation can prevent telomere erosion. Overall, our results indicate that telomere dynamics are coupled to meristem activity and continuous growth, disclosing a critical association between telomere length, stem cell function, and the extended lifespan of plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary-Paz González-García
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Barcelona 08193, Spain; Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CSIC), Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Irina Pavelescu
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Barcelona 08193, Spain; Department of Structure and Constituents of Matter, Faculty of Physics, University of Barcelona, Barcelona 08024, Spain
| | - Andrés Canela
- Telomeres and Telomerase Group, Molecular Oncology Program, Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO), Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Xavier Sevillano
- Grup de Recerca en Tecnologies Mèdia, La Salle - Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona 08022, Spain
| | - Katherine A Leehy
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Andrew D L Nelson
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Marta Ibañes
- Department of Structure and Constituents of Matter, Faculty of Physics, University of Barcelona, Barcelona 08024, Spain
| | - Dorothy E Shippen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Maria A Blasco
- Telomeres and Telomerase Group, Molecular Oncology Program, Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO), Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Ana I Caño-Delgado
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Barcelona 08193, Spain.
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16
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Stolarek M, Gruszka D, Braszewska-Zalewska A, Maluszynski M. Alleles of newly identified barley gene HvPARP3 exhibit changes in efficiency of DNA repair. DNA Repair (Amst) 2015; 28:116-30. [PMID: 25753810 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2015.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2014] [Revised: 02/05/2015] [Accepted: 02/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Genome integrity is constantly challenged by endo- and exogenous DNA-damaging factors. The influence of genotoxic agents causes an accumulation of DNA lesions, which if not repaired, become mutations that can cause various abnormalities in a cell metabolism. The main pathway of DSB repair, which is based on non-homologous recombination, is canonical non-homologous end joining (C-NHEJ). It has been shown that this mechanism is highly conserved in both Pro- and Eukaryotes. The mechanisms that underlie DSB repair through C-NHEJ have mainly been investigated in mammalian systems, and therefore our knowledge about this process is much more limited as far as plants, and crop plants in particular, are concerned. Recent studies have demonstrated that PARP3 is an important response factor to the presence of DSB in a genome. The aims of this study were to identify the sequence of the barley PARP3 gene, to perform a mutational analysis of the sequence that was identified using the TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesions IN Genomes) method and to phenotype the mutants that were identified through their exposure to mutagenic treatment with the DSB-inducing chemical--bleomycin. A functional analysis led to the identification of a series of parp3 alleles. The mutants were characterized using several different approaches, including quantifying the DSB and γH2AX foci, which validated the function of the HvPARP3 gene in DSB repair in barley. The potential involvement of the HvPARP3 gene in the regulation of telomere length in barley was also analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Stolarek
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biology and Environment Protection, University of Silesia, Jagiellonska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland.
| | - Damian Gruszka
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biology and Environment Protection, University of Silesia, Jagiellonska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Braszewska-Zalewska
- Department of Plant Anatomy and Cytology, Faculty of Biology and Environment Protection, University of Silesia, Jagiellonska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland
| | - Miroslaw Maluszynski
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biology and Environment Protection, University of Silesia, Jagiellonska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland
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17
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de Sena-Tomás C, Yu EY, Calzada A, Holloman WK, Lue NF, Pérez-Martín J. Fungal Ku prevents permanent cell cycle arrest by suppressing DNA damage signaling at telomeres. Nucleic Acids Res 2015; 43:2138-51. [PMID: 25653166 PMCID: PMC4344518 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The Ku heterodimer serves in the initial step in repairing DNA double-strand breaks by the non-homologous end-joining pathway. Besides this key function, Ku also plays a role in other cellular processes including telomere maintenance. Inactivation of Ku can lead to DNA repair defects and telomere aberrations. In model organisms where Ku has been studied, inactivation can lead to DNA repair defects and telomere aberrations. In general Ku deficient mutants are viable, but a notable exception to this is human where Ku has been found to be essential. Here we report that similar to the situation in human Ku is required for cell proliferation in the fungus Ustilago maydis. Using conditional strains for Ku expression, we found that cells arrest permanently in G2 phase when Ku expression is turned off. Arrest results from cell cycle checkpoint activation due to persistent signaling via the DNA damage response (DDR). Our results point to the telomeres as the most likely source of the DNA damage signal. Inactivation of the DDR makes the Ku complex dispensable for proliferation in this organism. Our findings suggest that in U. maydis, unprotected telomeres arising from Ku depletion are the source of the signal that activates the DDR leading to cell cycle arrest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen de Sena-Tomás
- Instituto de Biología Funcional y Genómica (CSIC), Zacarías González 2, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Eun Young Yu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Cancer Center, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, 10021 NY, USA
| | - Arturo Calzada
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CSIC), 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - William K Holloman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Cancer Center, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, 10021 NY, USA
| | - Neal F Lue
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Cancer Center, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, 10021 NY, USA
| | - José Pérez-Martín
- Instituto de Biología Funcional y Genómica (CSIC), Zacarías González 2, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
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18
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Fulcher N, Teubenbacher A, Kerdaffrec E, Farlow A, Nordborg M, Riha K. Genetic architecture of natural variation of telomere length in Arabidopsis thaliana. Genetics 2015; 199:625-35. [PMID: 25488978 PMCID: PMC4317667 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.114.172163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2014] [Accepted: 11/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomeres represent the repetitive sequences that cap chromosome ends and are essential for their protection. Telomere length is known to be highly heritable and is derived from a homeostatic balance between telomeric lengthening and shortening activities. Specific loci that form the genetic framework underlying telomere length homeostasis, however, are not well understood. To investigate the extent of natural variation of telomere length in Arabidopsis thaliana, we examined 229 worldwide accessions by terminal restriction fragment analysis. The results showed a wide range of telomere lengths that are specific to individual accessions. To identify loci that are responsible for this variation, we adopted a quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping approach with multiple recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations. A doubled haploid RIL population was first produced using centromere-mediated genome elimination between accessions with long (Pro-0) and intermediate (Col-0) telomere lengths. Composite interval mapping analysis of this population along with two established RIL populations (Ler-2/Cvi-0 and Est-1/Col-0) revealed a number of shared and unique QTL. QTL detected in the Ler-2/Cvi-0 population were examined using near isogenic lines that confirmed causative regions on chromosomes 1 and 2. In conclusion, this work describes the extent of natural variation of telomere length in A. thaliana, identifies a network of QTL that influence telomere length homeostasis, examines telomere length dynamics in plants with hybrid backgrounds, and shows the effects of two identified regions on telomere length regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick Fulcher
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Astrid Teubenbacher
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Envel Kerdaffrec
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Ashley Farlow
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Magnus Nordborg
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Karel Riha
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna 1030, Austria Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, Brno, Czech Republic
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19
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Frit P, Barboule N, Yuan Y, Gomez D, Calsou P. Alternative end-joining pathway(s): bricolage at DNA breaks. DNA Repair (Amst) 2014; 17:81-97. [PMID: 24613763 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2014.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2013] [Revised: 02/01/2014] [Accepted: 02/10/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
To cope with DNA double strand break (DSB) genotoxicity, cells have evolved two main repair pathways: homologous recombination which uses homologous DNA sequences as repair templates, and non-homologous Ku-dependent end-joining involving direct sealing of DSB ends by DNA ligase IV (Lig4). During the last two decades a third player most commonly named alternative end-joining (A-EJ) has emerged, which is defined as any Ku- or Lig4-independent end-joining process. A-EJ increasingly appears as a highly error-prone bricolage on DSBs and despite expanding exploration, it still escapes full characterization. In the present review, we discuss the mechanism and regulation of A-EJ as well as its biological relevance under physiological and pathological situations, with a particular emphasis on chromosomal instability and cancer. Whether or not it is a genuine DSB repair pathway, A-EJ is emerging as an important cellular process and understanding A-EJ will certainly be a major challenge for the coming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Frit
- CNRS, IPBS (Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale), BP 64182, 205 route de Narbonne, 31077 Toulouse, Cedex4, France; Université de Toulouse, UPS, IPBS, F-31077 Toulouse, France; Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, France
| | - Nadia Barboule
- CNRS, IPBS (Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale), BP 64182, 205 route de Narbonne, 31077 Toulouse, Cedex4, France; Université de Toulouse, UPS, IPBS, F-31077 Toulouse, France; Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, France
| | - Ying Yuan
- CNRS, IPBS (Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale), BP 64182, 205 route de Narbonne, 31077 Toulouse, Cedex4, France; Université de Toulouse, UPS, IPBS, F-31077 Toulouse, France; Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, France
| | - Dennis Gomez
- CNRS, IPBS (Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale), BP 64182, 205 route de Narbonne, 31077 Toulouse, Cedex4, France; Université de Toulouse, UPS, IPBS, F-31077 Toulouse, France; Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, France
| | - Patrick Calsou
- CNRS, IPBS (Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale), BP 64182, 205 route de Narbonne, 31077 Toulouse, Cedex4, France; Université de Toulouse, UPS, IPBS, F-31077 Toulouse, France; Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, France.
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20
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Boltz KA, Jasti M, Townley JM, Shippen DE. Analysis of poly(ADP-Ribose) polymerases in Arabidopsis telomere biology. PLoS One 2014; 9:e88872. [PMID: 24551184 PMCID: PMC3923816 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2013] [Accepted: 01/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Maintaining the length of the telomere tract at chromosome ends is a complex process vital to normal cell division. Telomere length is controlled through the action of telomerase as well as a cadre of telomere-associated proteins that facilitate replication of the chromosome end and protect it from eliciting a DNA damage response. In vertebrates, multiple poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) have been implicated in the regulation of telomere length, telomerase activity and chromosome end protection. Here we investigate the role of PARPs in plant telomere biology. We analyzed Arabidopsis thaliana mutants null for PARP1 and PARP2 as well as plants treated with the PARP competitive inhibitor 3-AB. Plants deficient in PARP were hypersensitive to genotoxic stress, and expression of PARP1 and PARP2 mRNA was elevated in response to MMS or zeocin treatment or by the loss of telomerase. Additionally, PARP1 mRNA was induced in parp2 mutants, and conversely, PARP2 mRNA was induced in parp1 mutants. PARP3 mRNA, by contrast, was elevated in both parp1 and parp2 mutants, but not in seedlings treated with 3-AB or zeocin. PARP mutants and 3-AB treated plants displayed robust telomerase activity, no significant changes in telomere length, and no end-to-end chromosome fusions. Although there remains a possibility that PARPs play a role in Arabidopsis telomere biology, these findings argue that the contribution is a minor one.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara A. Boltz
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Madhu Jasti
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Jennifer M. Townley
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Dorothy E. Shippen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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21
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Göhring J, Fulcher N, Jacak J, Riha K. TeloTool: a new tool for telomere length measurement from terminal restriction fragment analysis with improved probe intensity correction. Nucleic Acids Res 2013; 42:e21. [PMID: 24366880 PMCID: PMC3919618 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkt1315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomeres comprise the protective caps of natural chromosome ends and function in the suppression of DNA damage signaling and cellular senescence. Therefore, techniques used to determine telomere length are important in a number of studies, ranging from those investigating telomeric structure to effects on human disease. Terminal restriction fragment (TRF) analysis has for a long time shown to be one of the most accurate methods for quantification of absolute telomere length and range from a number of species. As this technique centers on standard Southern blotting, telomeric DNA is observed on resulting autoradiograms as a heterogeneous smear. Methods to accurately determine telomere length from telomeric smears have proven problematic, and no reliable technique has been suggested to obtain mean telomere length values. Here, we present TeloTool, a new program allowing thorough statistical analysis of TRF data. Using this new method, a number of methodical biases are removed from previously stated techniques, including assumptions based on probe intensity corrections. This program provides a standardized mean for quick and reliable extraction of quantitative data from TRF autoradiograms; its wide application will allow accurate comparison between datasets generated in different laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janett Göhring
- Max F. Perutz Laboratories, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna 1030, Austria, Gregor Mendel Institute, Vienna 1030, Austria, Institute for Applied Physics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz 4040, Austria and Upper Austria University of Applied Sciences, Campus Linz, Linz 4020, Austria
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22
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Tak H, Mhatre M. Molecular characterization of DNA repair protein Ku70 from Vitis vinifera and its purification from transgenic tobacco. Transgenic Res 2013; 22:839-48. [PMID: 23361869 DOI: 10.1007/s11248-013-9690-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2012] [Accepted: 01/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The DNA double strand break repair in plants is preferentially by non homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway. A key protein of NHEJ pathway is Ku70. We have identified Ku70 homolog (VvKu70) from grapevine genome database. In this report we characterize a Ku70 homologue from Vitis vinifera cv. Mango. The VvKu70 expression was found to increase strongly in response to gamma radiation. The transcript level of VvKu70 was found to increase up to 36 h in gamma irradiated shoots of grapevine. The expression of VvKu70 was found in many organs like stem, leaves and roots. A GFP fused VvKu70 protein was found to be nuclear localized which indicates that the VvKu70 is a nuclear localized protein. The VvKu70 identified by in silico approaches is present as a single copy number in V. vinifera cv. Mango genome. The VvKu70-GFP fused protein possesses ATPase activity and fails to bind dsDNA but binds ssDNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himanshu Tak
- Plant Cell Culture Technology Section, Nuclear Agriculture and Biotechnology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085, India.
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23
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Donà M, Macovei A, Faè M, Carbonera D, Balestrazzi A. Plant hormone signaling and modulation of DNA repair under stressful conditions. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2013; 32:1043-52. [PMID: 23508254 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-013-1410-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2012] [Revised: 02/27/2013] [Accepted: 03/01/2013] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The role played by phytohormone signaling in the modulation of DNA repair gene and the resulting effects on plant adaptation to genotoxic stress are poorly investigated. Information has been gathered using the Arabidopsis ABA (abscisic acid) overly sensitive mutant abo4-1, defective in the DNA polymerase ε function that is required for DNA repair and recombination. Similarly, phytohormone-mediated regulation of the Ku genes, encoding the Ku heterodimer protein involved in DNA repair, cell cycle control and telomere homeostasis has been demonstrated, highlighting a scenario in which hormones might affect genome stability by modulating the frequency of homologous recombination, favoring plant adaptation to genotoxic stress. Within this context, the characterisation of Arabidopsis AtKu mutants allowed disclosing novel connections between DNA repair and phytohormone networks. Another intriguing aspect deals with the emerging correlation between plant defense response and the mechanisms responsible for genome stability. There is increasing evidence that systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and homologous recombination share common elements represented by proteins involved in DNA repair and chromatin remodeling. This hypothesis is supported by the finding that volatile compounds, such as methyl salicylate (MeSA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA), participating in the plant-to-plant communication can trigger genome instability in response to genotoxic stress agents. Phytohormone-mediated control of genome stability involves also chromatin remodeling, thus expanding the range of molecular targets. The present review describes the most significant advances in this specific research field, in the attempt to provide a better comprehension of how plant hormones modulate DNA repair proteins as a function of stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Donà
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology 'L. Spallanzani', University of Pavia, via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia, Italy
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24
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Decottignies A. Alternative end-joining mechanisms: a historical perspective. Front Genet 2013; 4:48. [PMID: 23565119 PMCID: PMC3613618 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2013.00048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2013] [Accepted: 03/15/2013] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In the presence of functional DNA repair pathways, DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are mainly repaired by non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) or homologous recombination (HR), two conserved pathways that protect cells from aberrant chromosomal rearrangements. During the past two decades however, unusual and presumably distinct DNA end-joining repair activities have been unraveled in NHEJ-deficient cells and these are likely to operate in various chromosomal contexts and species. Most alternative DNA end-joining events reported so far appear to involve microhomologous sequences and are likely to rely on a subset of HR enzymes, namely those responsible for the single-strand annealing mechanism of HR, and on DNA Ligase III. Usually, microhomologies are not initially present at DSB ends and thus need to be unmasked through DNA end resection, a process that can lead to extensive nucleotide loss and is therefore highly mutagenic. In addition to microhomology-mediated end-joining events, recent studies in mammalian cells point toward the existence of a distinct and still ill defined alternative end-joining pathway that does not appear to rely on pre-existing microhomologies and may possibly involve DNA Ligase I. Whether dependent on microhomologies or not, alternative DNA end-joining mechanisms are likely to be highly mutagenic in vivo, being able to drive telomere fusion events and cancer-associated chromosomal translocations in mouse models. In the future, it will be important to better characterize the genetic requirements of these mutagenic alternative mechanisms of DNA end-joining.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anabelle Decottignies
- Genetic and Epigenetic Alterations of Genomes, de Duve Institute, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Catholic University of Louvain Brussels, Belgium
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25
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Lee WK, Yun JH, Lee W, Cho MH. DNA-binding domain of AtTRB2 reveals unique features of a single Myb histone protein family that binds to both Arabidopsis- and human-type telomeric DNA sequences. MOLECULAR PLANT 2012; 5:1406-1408. [PMID: 22859734 DOI: 10.1093/mp/sss063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
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26
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Nelson ADL, Shippen DE. Blunt-ended telomeres: an alternative ending to the replication and end protection stories. Genes Dev 2012; 26:1648-52. [PMID: 22855827 DOI: 10.1101/gad.199059.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Telomeres ensure the complete replication of genetic material while simultaneously distinguishing the chromosome terminus from a double-strand break. A prevailing theme in telomere biology is that the two chromosome ends are symmetrical. Both terminate in a single-strand 3' extension, and the 3' extension is crucial for telomere end protection. In this issue of Genes & Development, Kazda and colleagues (pp. 1703-1713) challenge this paradigm using a series of elegant biochemical and genetic assays to demonstrate that half of the chromosomes in flowering plants are blunt-ended. This discovery reveals unanticipated complexity in telomeric DNA processing and a novel mode of chromosome end protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D L Nelson
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, 77843, USA
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27
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Kazda A, Zellinger B, Rössler M, Derboven E, Kusenda B, Riha K. Chromosome end protection by blunt-ended telomeres. Genes Dev 2012; 26:1703-13. [PMID: 22810623 DOI: 10.1101/gad.194944.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Single-stranded telomeric DNA protrusions are considered to be evolutionarily conserved structural elements essential for chromosome end protection. Their formation at telomeres replicated by the leading strand mechanism is thought to involve poorly understood post-replicative processing of blunt ends. Unexpectedly, we found that angiosperm plants contain blunt-ended and short (1- to 3-nucleotide) G-overhang-containing telomeres that are stably retained in post-mitotic tissues, revealing a novel mechanism of chromosome end protection. The integrity of blunt-ended telomeres depends on the Ku70/80 heterodimer but not on another telomere capping protein, STN1. Curiously, Ku-depleted telomeres are fully functional. They are resected by exonuclease 1, promoting intrachromatid recombination, which may facilitate formation of an alternative capping structure. These data challenge the view that telomeres require ssDNA protrusions for forming a functional capping structure and demonstrate flexibility in solutions to the chromosome end protection problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Kazda
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
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28
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Abstract
The telomere end-protection problem is defined by the aggregate of DNA damage signaling and repair pathways that require repression at telomeres. To define the end-protection problem, we removed the whole shelterin complex from mouse telomeres through conditional deletion of TRF1 and TRF2 in nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) deficient cells. The data reveal two DNA damage response pathways not previously observed upon deletion of individual shelterin proteins. The shelterin-free telomeres are processed by microhomology-mediated alternative-NHEJ when Ku70/80 is absent and are attacked by nucleolytic degradation in the absence of 53BP1. The data establish that the end-protection problem is specified by six pathways [ATM (ataxia telangiectasia mutated) and ATR (ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3 related) signaling, classical-NHEJ, alt-NHEJ, homologous recombination, and resection] and show how shelterin acts with general DNA damage response factors to solve this problem.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Titia de Lange
- Laboratory for Cell Biology and Genetics, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
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Sfeir A, de Lange T. Removal of shelterin reveals the telomere end-protection problem. SCIENCE (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2012. [PMID: 22556254 DOI: 10.1126/science.1218498;] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The telomere end-protection problem is defined by the aggregate of DNA damage signaling and repair pathways that require repression at telomeres. To define the end-protection problem, we removed the whole shelterin complex from mouse telomeres through conditional deletion of TRF1 and TRF2 in nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) deficient cells. The data reveal two DNA damage response pathways not previously observed upon deletion of individual shelterin proteins. The shelterin-free telomeres are processed by microhomology-mediated alternative-NHEJ when Ku70/80 is absent and are attacked by nucleolytic degradation in the absence of 53BP1. The data establish that the end-protection problem is specified by six pathways [ATM (ataxia telangiectasia mutated) and ATR (ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3 related) signaling, classical-NHEJ, alt-NHEJ, homologous recombination, and resection] and show how shelterin acts with general DNA damage response factors to solve this problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnel Sfeir
- Laboratory for Cell Biology and Genetics, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
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30
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The Candida albicans Ku70 modulates telomere length and structure by regulating both telomerase and recombination. PLoS One 2011; 6:e23732. [PMID: 21886818 PMCID: PMC3160324 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0023732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2011] [Accepted: 07/25/2011] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The heterodimeric Ku complex has been shown to participate in DNA repair and telomere regulation in a variety of organisms. Here we report a detailed characterization of the function of Ku70 in the diploid fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Both ku70 heterozygous and homozygous deletion mutants have a wild-type colony and cellular morphology, and are not sensitive to MMS or UV light. Interestingly, we observed complex effects of KU70 gene dosage on telomere lengths, with the KU70/ku70 heterozygotes exhibiting slightly shorter telomeres, and the ku70 null strain exhibiting long and heterogeneous telomeres. Analysis of combination mutants suggests that the telomere elongation in the ku70 null mutant is due mostly to unregulated telomerase action. In addition, elevated levels of extrachromosomal telomeric circles were detected in the null mutant, consistent with activation of aberrant telomeric recombination. Altogether, our observations point to multiple mechanisms of the Ku complex in telomerase regulation and telomere protection in C. albicans, and reveal interesting similarities and differences in the mechanisms of the Ku complex in disparate systems.
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31
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Wang YK, Chang WC, Liu PF, Hsiao MK, Lin CT, Lin SM, Pan RL. Ovate family protein 1 as a plant Ku70 interacting protein involving in DNA double-strand break repair. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2010; 74:453-66. [PMID: 20844935 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-010-9685-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2010] [Accepted: 08/26/2010] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The Ku heterodimer, a DNA repair protein complex consisting of 70- and 80-kDa subunits, is involved in the non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) pathway. Plants are thought to use the NHEJ pathway primarily for the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). The Ku70/80 protein has been identified in many plants and been shown to possess several similar functions to its counter protein complex in mammals. In the present study, ovate family protein 1 (AtOFP1) was demonstrated to be a plant Ku-interacting protein by yeast two-hybrid screening and the GST pull-down assay. Truncation analysis revealed that the C-terminal domain of AtKu70 contains interacting sites for AtOFP1. The electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) indicated that AtOFP1 is also a DNA binding protein with its binding domain at the N-terminus. In 3-week-old seedlings, expression of the AtOFP1 gene increased after exposure to DNA-damaging agents (such as methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and menadione) in a time dependent manner. Seedlings lacking the AtOFP1 protein were more sensitive to MMS and menadione as compared with wild-type. Furthermore, similar to AtKu70(-/-) and AtKu80(-/-), the AtOFP1(-/-) mutant showed relatively lower NHEJ activity in vivo. Taken together, these results suggest that AtOFP1 may play a role in DNA repair through the NHEJ pathway accompanying with the AtKu protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yung-Kai Wang
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, College of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsin-Chu, 30013, Taiwan, ROC
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32
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Abstract
Telomeres are essential structures at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. Work on their structure and function began almost 70 years ago in plants and flies, continued through the Nobel Prize winning work on yeast and ciliates, and goes on today in many model and non-model organisms. The basic molecular mechanisms of telomeres are highly conserved throughout evolution, and our current understanding of how telomeres function is a conglomeration of insights gained from many different species. This review will compare the current knowledge of telomeres in plants with other organisms, with special focus on the functional length of telomeric DNA, the search for TRF homologs, the family of POT1 proteins, and the recent discovery of members of the CST complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Matthew Watson
- Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
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Watson JM, Riha K. Comparative biology of telomeres: where plants stand. FEBS Lett 2010; 584:3752-9. [PMID: 20580356 PMCID: PMC3767043 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2010.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2010] [Revised: 06/11/2010] [Accepted: 06/14/2010] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres are essential structures at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. Work on their structure and function began almost 70 years ago in plants and flies, continued through the Nobel Prize winning work on yeast and ciliates, and goes on today in many model and non-model organisms. The basic molecular mechanisms of telomeres are highly conserved throughout evolution, and our current understanding of how telomeres function is a conglomeration of insights gained from many different species. This review will compare the current knowledge of telomeres in plants with other organisms, with special focus on the functional length of telomeric DNA, the search for TRF homologs, the family of POT1 proteins, and the recent discovery of members of the CST complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Matthew Watson
- Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
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34
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Hong JP, Byun MY, An K, Yang SJ, An G, Kim WT. OsKu70 is associated with developmental growth and genome stability in rice. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2010; 152:374-87. [PMID: 19923234 PMCID: PMC2799371 DOI: 10.1104/pp.109.150391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The cellular functions of Ku70 in repair of DNA double-stranded breaks and telomere regulation have been described in a wide range of organisms. In this study, we identified the rice (Oryza sativa) Ku70 homolog (OsKu70) from the rice genome database. OsKu70 transcript was detected constitutively in every tissue and developmental stage examined and also in undifferentiated callus cells in rice. Yeast two-hybrid and in vitro pull-down experiments revealed that OsKu70 physically interacts with OsKu80. We obtained loss-of-function osku70 T-DNA knockout mutant lines and constructed transgenic rice plants that overexpress the OsKu70 gene in the sense (35S:OsKu70) or antisense (35S:anti-OsKu70) orientation. The homozygous G2 osku70 mutant lines were more sensitive than wild-type plants to a DNA-damaging agent (0.01%-0.05% methyl-methane sulfonate), consistent with the notion that OsKu70 participates in the DNA repair mechanism. Terminal restriction fragment analysis revealed that telomeres in homozygous G2 osku70 mutants were markedly longer (10-20 kb) than those in wild-type plants (5-10 kb), whereas telomere length in heterozygous G2 osku70 mutant and T2 OsKu70-overexpressing transgenic (35S:OsKu70) rice resembled that of the wild-type plant. In contrast to what was observed in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) atku70 mutants, homozygous G2 osku70 rice plants displayed severe developmental defects in both vegetative and reproductive organs under normal growth conditions, resulting in sterile flowers. Analysis of meiotic progression in pollen mother cells demonstrated that up to 11.1% (seven of 63) of G2 mutant anaphase cells displayed one or more chromosomal fusions. These results suggest that OsKu70 is required for the maintenance of chromosome stability and normal developmental growth in rice plants.
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Taming the tiger by the tail: modulation of DNA damage responses by telomeres. EMBO J 2009; 28:2174-87. [PMID: 19629039 PMCID: PMC2722249 DOI: 10.1038/emboj.2009.176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2009] [Accepted: 06/03/2009] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are by definition stable and inert chromosome ends, whereas internal chromosome breaks are potent stimulators of the DNA damage response (DDR). Telomeres do not, as might be expected, exclude DDR proteins from chromosome ends but instead engage with many DDR proteins. However, the most powerful DDRs, those that might induce chromosome fusion or cell-cycle arrest, are inhibited at telomeres. In budding yeast, many DDR proteins that accumulate most rapidly at double strand breaks (DSBs), have important functions in physiological telomere maintenance, whereas DDR proteins that arrive later tend to have less important functions. Considerable diversity in telomere structure has evolved in different organisms and, perhaps reflecting this diversity, different DDR proteins seem to have distinct roles in telomere physiology in different organisms. Drawing principally on studies in simple model organisms such as budding yeast, in which many fundamental aspects of the DDR and telomere biology have been established; current views on how telomeres harness aspects of DDR pathways to maintain telomere stability and permit cell-cycle division are discussed.
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36
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Ku86 represses lethal telomere deletion events in human somatic cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2009; 106:12430-5. [PMID: 19581589 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0903362106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ), a form of DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair, is conserved from bacteria to humans. One essential NHEJ factor is Ku, which consists of a heterodimer of Ku70 and Ku86. In a plethora of model systems, null mutations for Ku70 or Ku86 present with defects in DNA DSB repair, variable(diversity)joining [V(D)J] recombination, and/or telomere maintenance. The complete loss of Ku from bacteria to mice is, however, compatible with viability. In striking contrast, human patients with mutations of either Ku subunit have never been described. Here, we have used recombinant adeno-associated virus-mediated gene targeting to produce a human somatic cell line that expresses a conditionally null allele of Ku86. The induced loss of Ku86 results in cell death accompanied by massive telomere loss in the form of t-circles. Thus, Ku86 is an essential gene in human somatic cells because of its requirement, not in NHEJ or V(D)J recombination, but in telomere maintenance.
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37
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Abstract
Critically shortened telomeres can be subjected to DNA repair events that generate end-to-end chromosome fusions. The resulting dicentric chromosomes can enter breakage-fusion-bridge cycles, thereby impeding elucidation of the structures of the initial fusion events and a mechanistic understanding of their genesis. Current models for the molecular basis of fusion of critically shortened, uncapped telomeres rely on PCR assays that typically capture fusion breakpoints created by direct ligation of chromosome ends. Here we use independent approaches that rely on distinctive features of Caenorhabditis elegans to study the frequency of direct end-to-end chromosome fusion in telomerase mutants: (1) holocentric chromosomes that allow for genetic isolation of stable end-to-end fusions and (2) unique subtelomeric sequences that allow for thorough PCR analysis of samples of genomic DNA harboring multiple end-to-end fusions. Surprisingly, only a minority of end-to-end fusion events resulted from direct end joining with no additional genome rearrangements. We also demonstrate that deficiency for the C. elegans Ku DNA repair heterodimer does not affect telomere length or cause synthetic effects in the absence of telomerase.
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38
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The catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase regulates proliferation, telomere length, and genomic stability in human somatic cells. Mol Cell Biol 2008; 28:6182-95. [PMID: 18710952 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.00355-08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) complex is a serine/threonine protein kinase comprised of a 469-kDa catalytic subunit (DNA-PK(cs)) and the DNA binding regulatory heterodimeric (Ku70/Ku86) complex Ku. DNA-PK functions in the nonhomologous end-joining pathway for the repair of DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs) introduced by either exogenous DNA damage or endogenous processes, such as lymphoid V(D)J recombination. Not surprisingly, mutations in Ku70, Ku86, or DNA-PK(cs) result in animals that are sensitive to agents that cause DSBs and that are also immune deficient. While these phenotypes have been validated in several model systems, an extension of them to humans has been missing due to the lack of patients with mutations in any one of the three DNA-PK subunits. The worldwide lack of patients suggests that during mammalian evolution this complex has become uniquely essential in primates. This hypothesis was substantiated by the demonstration that functional inactivation of either Ku70 or Ku86 in human somatic cell lines is lethal. Here we report on the functional inactivation of DNA-PK(cs) in human somatic cells. Surprisingly, DNA-PK(cs) does not appear to be essential, although the cell line lacking this gene has profound proliferation and genomic stability deficits not observed for other mammalian systems.
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39
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Chromosome Fusions following Telomere Loss Are Mediated by Single-Strand Annealing. Mol Cell 2008; 31:463-473. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2008.05.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2007] [Revised: 04/16/2008] [Accepted: 05/29/2008] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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40
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Natarajan M, Mohan S, Konopinski R, Otto RA, Herman TS. Induced telomerase activity in primary aortic endothelial cells by low-LET gamma-radiation is mediated through NF-kappaB activation. Br J Radiol 2008; 81:711-20. [PMID: 18541630 DOI: 10.1259/bjr/57867919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Our objective was to understand the mechanism through which cells that initially survive irradiation could acquire survival advantage. In this study, we show evidence that low-linear energy transfer gamma-radiation can induce telomerase enzyme activity in primary aortic endothelial cells, and that an upstream regulator, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB), controls this activation. Telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay showed that cells exposed to a dose of 2 Gy induce telomerase activity. Subsequent analysis revealed that radiation-induced telomeric activity is regulated at the transcriptional level by triggering activation of the promoter of the telomerase catalytic subunit, telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT). A mechanistic study revealed that NF-kappaB becomes functionally activated upon radiation exposure and mediates the upregulation of telomerase activity by binding to the kappaB-binding region in the promoter region of the TERT gene. More significantly, elimination of the NF-small ka, CyrillicB recognition site on the telomerase promoter or inhibition of NF-small ka, CyrillicB by ectopically expressing the inhibitor protein IkappaBalpha mutant (Ismall ka, CyrillicBalpha(S32A/S36A))) compromises radiation-induced telomerase promoter activation. Consistent with the notion that NF-kappaB mediates gamma-ray-induced telomerase responses, TRAP assay revealed that ectopically expressed IkappaBalpha(S32A/S36A)) also attenuated telomerase enzyme activity. These findings indicate that NF-kappaB activation following ionizing radiation exposure may elicit a survival advantage by upregulating and maintaining telomerase activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Natarajan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
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41
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Chang WC, Wang YK, Liu PF, Tsai YF, Kong LR, Lin CK, Yang CH, Pan RL. Regulation of Ku gene promoters in Arabidopsis by hormones and stress. FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY : FPB 2008; 35:265-280. [PMID: 32688782 DOI: 10.1071/fp07249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2007] [Accepted: 04/29/2008] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The Ku70/Ku80 heterodimer plays a crucial role in non-homologous end-joining during DNA repair, and is also involved in multiple cellular processes such as telomere maintenance, transcription, and apoptosis. In this study, we investigate the regulation of AtKu genes in higher plants. Promoters of the AtKu70 and AtKu80 were isolated from Arabidopsis and their activities characterised using GUS reporter constructs. AtKu promoter activities were relatively higher in hypocotyls and cotyledons upon germination and in stigma and siliques as well at their early developing stages. Furthermore, AtKu promoter activities could be enhanced by gibberellic acid, auxins, and jasmonic acid, but repressed by abscisic acid, salicylic acid, heat, drought and cold, respectively. Deletion analysis demonstrates minimal lengths of ~400 bp and 600 bp upstream of transcription start site for functional promoters of AtKu70 and AtKu80, respectively. Taken together, expressions of Ku genes are regulated both by developmental programs as well as by plant hormones and environmental stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Chi Chang
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, College of Life Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsin-Chu 30013, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Kai Wang
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, College of Life Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsin-Chu 30013, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Feng Liu
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, College of Life Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsin-Chu 30013, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Fang Tsai
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, College of Life Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsin-Chu 30013, Taiwan
| | - Lih-Ren Kong
- Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Kai Lin
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, College of Life Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsin-Chu 30013, Taiwan
| | - Chang-Hsien Yang
- Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan
| | - Rong-Long Pan
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, College of Life Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsin-Chu 30013, Taiwan
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42
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Liu PF, Wang YK, Chang WC, Chang HY, Pan RL. Regulation of Arabidopsis thaliana Ku genes at different developmental stages under heat stress. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2008; 1779:402-7. [PMID: 18515112 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2008.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2007] [Revised: 05/05/2008] [Accepted: 05/05/2008] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Ku, a heterodimeric protein consisting of 70- and 80-kDa subunits, is involved in many cellular processes, such as DNA replication, cell cycle regulation and heat shock response. Moreover, the expression of Arabidopsis thaliana Ku genes (AtKu) is modulated by certain plant hormones through several signal transduction pathways. This study investigated how AtKu are regulated by heat stress. AtKu expression in 3-week-old young seedlings was down-regulated by heat stress in a time-dependent manner, as examined using real-time quantitative PCR, GUS reporter systems, and western blotting analysis. Additionally, the heat-induced repression of AtKu was mediated through the abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthetic pathway, as shown by the reversal of AtKu suppression in the ABA biosynthesis mutant, aba3, and by an increase in the ABA level as analyzed by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography. Heat stress-induced regulation of AtKu repression also involved ethylene signaling, DNA repair pathways, and fatty acid synthesis. Furthermore, AtKu expression was repressed in stems, rosette leaves, and cauline leaves in 4-5-week-old plants under heat stress, whereas it remained unchanged in roots and primary inflorescence, indicating that heat differentially modulated AtKu expression in distinct tissues of Arabidopsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Feng Liu
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsin Chu, Taiwan 30013, ROC
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43
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Heacock ML, Idol RA, Friesner JD, Britt AB, Shippen DE. Telomere dynamics and fusion of critically shortened telomeres in plants lacking DNA ligase IV. Nucleic Acids Res 2007; 35:6490-500. [PMID: 17897968 PMCID: PMC2095805 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkm472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In the absence of the telomerase, telomeres undergo progressive shortening and are ultimately recruited into end-to-end chromosome fusions via the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) double-strand break repair pathway. Previously, we showed that fusion of critically shortened telomeres in Arabidopsis proceeds with approximately the same efficiency in the presence or absence of KU70, a key component of NHEJ. Here we report that DNA ligase IV (LIG4) is also not essential for telomere joining. We observed only a modest decrease (3-fold) in the frequency of chromosome fusions in triple tert ku70 lig4 mutants versus tert ku70 or tert. Sequence analysis revealed that, relative to tert ku70, chromosome fusion junctions in tert ku70 lig4 mutants contained less microhomology and less telomeric DNA. These findings argue that the KU-LIG4 independent end-joining pathway is less efficient and mechanistically distinct from KU-independent NHEJ. Strikingly, in all the genetic backgrounds we tested, chromosome fusions are initiated when the shortest telomere in the population reaches approximately 1 kb, implying that this size represents a critical threshold that heralds a detrimental structural transition. These data reveal the transitory nature of telomere stability, and the robust and flexible nature of DNA repair mechanisms elicited by telomere dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle L. Heacock
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-2128, Section of Molecular and Cellular Biology, UC Davis, Davis, CA, 95616 and Section of Plant Biology, UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Rachel A. Idol
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-2128, Section of Molecular and Cellular Biology, UC Davis, Davis, CA, 95616 and Section of Plant Biology, UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Joanna D. Friesner
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-2128, Section of Molecular and Cellular Biology, UC Davis, Davis, CA, 95616 and Section of Plant Biology, UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Anne B. Britt
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-2128, Section of Molecular and Cellular Biology, UC Davis, Davis, CA, 95616 and Section of Plant Biology, UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Dorothy E. Shippen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-2128, Section of Molecular and Cellular Biology, UC Davis, Davis, CA, 95616 and Section of Plant Biology, UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- *To whom correspondence should be addressed. (979) 862 2342(979) 845 9274
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44
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Zellinger B, Akimcheva S, Puizina J, Schirato M, Riha K. Ku suppresses formation of telomeric circles and alternative telomere lengthening in Arabidopsis. Mol Cell 2007; 27:163-9. [PMID: 17612498 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2007.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2006] [Revised: 03/29/2007] [Accepted: 05/25/2007] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Telomeres in mammals and plants are protected by the terminal t loop structure, the formation of which parallels the first steps of intrachromatid homologous recombination (HR). Under some circumstances, cells can also utilize an HR-based mechanism (alternative lengthening of telomeres [ALT]) as a back-up pathway for telomere maintenance. We have found that the Ku70/80 heterodimer, a central nonhomologous end-joining DNA repair factor, inhibits engagement of ALT in Arabidopsis telomerase-negative cells. To further assess HR activities at telomeres, we have developed a sensitive assay for detecting extrachromosomal telomeric circles (t circles) that may arise from t loop resolution and aberrant HR. We show that Ku70/80 specifically inhibits circle formation at telomeres, but not at centromeric and rDNA repeats. Ku inactivation results in increased formation of t circles that represent approximately 4% of total telomeric DNA. However, telomeres in ku mutants are fully functional, indicating that telomerase efficiently heals ongoing terminal deletions arising from excision of the t circles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Zellinger
- Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1030 Vienna, Austria
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45
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Surovtseva YV, Shakirov EV, Vespa L, Osbun N, Song X, Shippen DE. Arabidopsis POT1 associates with the telomerase RNP and is required for telomere maintenance. EMBO J 2007; 26:3653-61. [PMID: 17627276 PMCID: PMC1949013 DOI: 10.1038/sj.emboj.7601792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2006] [Accepted: 06/04/2007] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
POT1 is a single-copy gene in yeast and humans that encodes a single-strand telomere binding protein required for chromosome end protection and telomere length regulation. In contrast, Arabidopsis harbors multiple, divergent POT-like genes that bear signature N-terminal OB-fold motifs, but otherwise share limited sequence similarity. Here, we report that plants null for AtPOT1 show no telomere deprotection phenotype, but rather exhibit progressive loss of telomeric DNA. Genetic analysis indicates that AtPOT1 acts in the same pathway as telomerase. In vitro levels of telomerase activity in pot1 mutants are significantly reduced and are more variable than wild-type. Consistent with this observation, AtPOT1 physically associates with active telomerase particles. Although low levels of AtPOT1 can be detected at telomeres in unsynchronized cells and in cells arrested in G2, AtPOT1 binding is significantly enhanced during S-phase, when telomerase is thought to act at telomeres. Our findings indicate that AtPOT1 is a novel accessory factor for telomerase required for positive telomere length regulation, and they underscore the coordinate and extraordinarily rapid evolution of telomere proteins and the telomerase enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulia V Surovtseva
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Eugene V Shakirov
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Laurent Vespa
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Nathan Osbun
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Xiangyu Song
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Dorothy E Shippen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-2128, USA. Tel.: +1 979 862 2342; Fax: +1 979 845 9274; E-mail:
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Hong JP, Byun MY, Koo DH, An K, Bang JW, Chung IK, An G, Kim WT. Suppression of RICE TELOMERE BINDING PROTEIN 1 results in severe and gradual developmental defects accompanied by genome instability in rice. THE PLANT CELL 2007; 19:1770-81. [PMID: 17586654 PMCID: PMC1955717 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.107.051953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Although several potential telomere binding proteins have been identified in higher plants, their in vivo functions are still unknown at the plant level. Both knockout and antisense mutants of RICE TELOMERE BINDING PROTEIN1 (RTBP1) exhibited markedly longer telomeres relative to those of the wild type, indicating that the amount of functional RTBP1 is inversely correlated with telomere length. rtbp1 plants displayed progressive and severe developmental abnormalities in both germination and postgermination growth of vegetative organs over four generations (G1 to G4). Reproductive organ formation, including panicles, stamens, and spikelets, was also gradually and severely impaired in G1 to G4 mutants. Up to 11.4, 17.2, and 26.7% of anaphases in G2, G3, and G4 mutant pollen mother cells, respectively, exhibited one or more chromosomal fusions, and this progressively increasing aberrant morphology was correlated with an increased frequency of anaphase bridges containing telomeric repeat DNA. Furthermore, 35S:anti-RTBP1 plants expressing lower levels of RTBP1 mRNA exhibited developmental phenotypes intermediate between the wild type and mutants in all aspects examined, including telomere length, vegetative and reproductive growth, and degree of genomic anomaly. These results suggest that RTBP1 plays dual roles in rice (Oryza sativa), as both a negative regulator of telomere length and one of positive and functional components for proper architecture of telomeres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jong-Pil Hong
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
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Zellinger B, Riha K. Composition of plant telomeres. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007; 1769:399-409. [PMID: 17383025 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbaexp.2007.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2006] [Revised: 02/01/2007] [Accepted: 02/09/2007] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Telomeres are essential elements of eukaryotic chromosomes that differentiate native chromosome ends from deleterious DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). This is achieved by assembling chromosome termini in elaborate high-order nucleoprotein structures that in most organisms encompass telomeric DNA, specific telomere-associated proteins as well as general chromatin and DNA repair factors. Although the individual components of telomeric chromatin are evolutionary highly conserved, cross species comparisons have revealed a remarkable flexibility in their utilization at telomeres. This review outlines the strategies used for chromosome end protection and maintenance in mammals, yeast and flies and discusses current progress in deciphering telomere structure in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Zellinger
- Gregor Mendel Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Dr. Bohrgasse 3, A-1030 Vienna, Austria
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48
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Riha K, Heacock ML, Shippen DE. The role of the nonhomologous end-joining DNA double-strand break repair pathway in telomere biology. Annu Rev Genet 2007; 40:237-77. [PMID: 16822175 DOI: 10.1146/annurev.genet.39.110304.095755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Double-strand breaks are a cataclysmic threat to genome integrity. In higher eukaryotes the predominant recourse is the nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) double-strand break repair pathway. NHEJ is a versatile mechanism employing the Ku heterodimer, ligase IV/XRCC4 and a host of other proteins that juxtapose two free DNA ends for ligation. A critical function of telomeres is their ability to distinguish the ends of linear chromosomes from double-strand breaks, and avoid NHEJ. Telomeres accomplish this feat by forming a unique higher order nucleoprotein structure. Paradoxically, key components of NHEJ associate with normal telomeres and are required for proper length regulation and end protection. Here we review the biochemical mechanism of NHEJ in double-strand break repair, and in the response to dysfunctional telomeres. We discuss the ways in which NHEJ proteins contribute to telomere biology, and highlight how the NHEJ machinery and the telomere complex are evolving to maintain genome stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karel Riha
- Gregor Mendel Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, A-1030 Vienna, Austria.
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49
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Carter SD, Iyer S, Xu J, McEachern MJ, Aström SU. The role of nonhomologous end-joining components in telomere metabolism in Kluyveromyces lactis. Genetics 2007; 175:1035-45. [PMID: 17237517 PMCID: PMC1840097 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.106.067447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2006] [Accepted: 12/27/2006] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The relationship between telomeres and nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) is paradoxical, as NHEJ proteins are part of the telomere cap, which serves to differentiate telomeres from DNA double-strand breaks. We explored these contradictory functions for NHEJ proteins by investigating their role in Kluyveromyces lactis telomere metabolism. The ter1-4LBsr allele of the TER1 gene resulted in the introduction of sequence altered telomeric repeats and subsequent telomere-telomere fusions (T-TFs). In this background, Lig4 and Ku80 were necessary for T-TFs to form. Nej1, essential for NHEJ at internal positions, was not. Hence, T-TF formation was mediated by an unusual NHEJ mechanism. Rad50 and mre11 strains exhibited stable short telomeres, suggesting that Rad50 and Mre11 were required for telomerase recruitment. Introduction of the ter1-4LBsr allele into these strains failed to result in telomere elongation as normally observed with the ter1-4LBsr allele. Thus, the role of Rad50 and Mre11 in the formation of T-TFs was unclear. Furthermore, rad50 and mre11 mutants had highly increased subtelomeric recombination rates, while ku80 and lig4 mutants displayed moderate increases. Ku80 mutant strains also contained extended single-stranded 3' telomeric overhangs. We concluded that NHEJ proteins have multiple roles at telomeres, mediating fusions of mutant telomeres and ensuring end protection of normal telomeres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sidney D Carter
- Department of Developmental Biology/Wenner-gren Institute, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
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50
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Watson JM, Shippen DE. Telomere rapid deletion regulates telomere length in Arabidopsis thaliana. Mol Cell Biol 2006; 27:1706-15. [PMID: 17189431 PMCID: PMC1820464 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.02059-06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomere length is maintained in species-specific equilibrium primarily through a competition between telomerase-mediated elongation and the loss of terminal DNA through the end-replication problem. Recombinational activities are also capable of both lengthening and shortening telomeres. Here we demonstrate that elongated telomeres in Arabidopsis Ku70 mutants reach a new length set point after three generations. Restoration of wild-type Ku70 in these mutants leads to discrete telomere-shortening events consistent with telomere rapid deletion (TRD). These findings imply that the longer telomere length set point is achieved through competition between overactive telomerase and TRD. Surprisingly, in the absence of telomerase, a subset of elongated telomeres was further lengthened, suggesting that in this background a mechanism of telomerase-independent lengthening of telomeres operates. Unexpectedly, we also found that plants possessing wild-type-length telomeres exhibit TRD when telomerase is inactivated. TRD is stochastic, and all chromosome ends appear to be equally susceptible. The frequency of TRD decreases as telomeres shorten; telomeres less than 2 kb in length are rarely subject to TRD. We conclude that TRD functions as a potent force to regulate telomere length in Arabidopsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Matthew Watson
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-2128, USA
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