Molecular cooperation between the Werner syndrome protein and replication protein A in relation to replication fork blockage

Phosphorylation-dependent WRN-RPA interaction promotes recovery of stalled forks at secondary DNA structure

The WRN protein is vital for managing perturbed replication forks. Replication Protein A strongly enhances WRN helicase activity in specific in vitro assays. However, the in vivo significance of RPA binding to WRN has largely remained unexplored. We identify several conserved phosphorylation sites in the acidic domain of WRN targeted by Casein Kinase 2. These phosphorylation sites are crucial for WRN-RPA interaction. Using an unphosphorylable WRN mutant, which lacks the ability to bind RPA, we determine that the WRN-RPA complex plays a critical role in fork recovery after replication stress countering the persistence of G4 structures after fork stalling. However, the interaction between WRN and RPA is not necessary for the processing of replication forks when they collapse. The absence of WRN-RPA binding hampers fork recovery, causing single-strand DNA gaps, enlarged by MRE11, and triggering MUS81-dependent double-strand breaks, which require repair by RAD51 to prevent excessive DNA damage.

Response to Replication Stress and Maintenance of Genome Stability by WRN, the Werner Syndrome Protein

Werner syndrome (WS) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by loss of function of WRN. WS is a segmental progeroid disease and shows early onset or increased frequency of many characteristics of normal aging. WRN possesses helicase, annealing, strand exchange, and exonuclease activities and acts on a variety of DNA substrates, even complex replication and recombination intermediates. Here, we review the genetics, biochemistry, and probably physiological functions of the WRN protein. Although its precise role is unclear, evidence suggests WRN plays a role in pathways that respond to replication stress and maintain genome stability particularly in telomeric regions.

The Intriguing Mystery of RPA Phosphorylation in DNA Double-Strand Break Repair

Human Replication Protein A (RPA) was historically discovered as one of the six components needed to reconstitute simian virus 40 DNA replication from purified components. RPA is now known to be involved in all DNA metabolism pathways that involve single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). Heterotrimeric RPA comprises several domains connected by flexible linkers and is heavily regulated by post-translational modifications (PTMs). The structure of RPA has been challenging to obtain. Various structural methods have been applied, but a complete understanding of RPA's flexible structure, its function, and how it is regulated by PTMs has yet to be obtained. This review will summarize recent literature concerning how RPA is phosphorylated in the cell cycle, the structural analysis of RPA, DNA and protein interactions involving RPA, and how PTMs regulate RPA activity and complex formation in double-strand break repair. There are many holes in our understanding of this research area. We will conclude with perspectives for future research on how RPA PTMs control double-strand break repair in the cell cycle.

PHOSPHORYLATION-DEPENDENT ASSOCIATION OF WRN WITH RPA IS REQUIRED FOR RECOVERY OF REPLICATION FORKS STALLED AT SECONDARY DNA STRUCTURES

The WRN protein mutated in the hereditary premature aging disorder Werner syndrome plays a vital role in handling, processing, and restoring perturbed replication forks. One of its most abundant partners, Replication Protein A (RPA), has been shown to robustly enhance WRN helicase activity in specific cases when tested in vitro. However, the significance of RPA-binding to WRN at replication forks in vivo has remained largely unexplored. In this study, we have identified several conserved phosphorylation sites in the acidic domain of WRN that are targeted by Casein Kinase 2 (CK2). Surprisingly, these phosphorylation sites are essential for the interaction between WRN and RPA, both in vitro and in human cells. By characterizing a CK2-unphosphorylatable WRN mutant that lacks the ability to bind RPA, we have determined that the WRN-RPA complex plays a critical role in fork recovery after replication stress whereas the WRN-RPA interaction is not necessary for the processing of replication forks or preventing DNA damage when forks stall or collapse. When WRN fails to bind RPA, fork recovery is impaired, leading to the accumulation of single-stranded DNA gaps in the parental strands, which are further enlarged by the structure-specific nuclease MRE11. Notably, RPA-binding by WRN and its helicase activity are crucial for countering the persistence of G4 structures after fork stalling. Therefore, our findings reveal for the first time a novel role for the WRN-RPA interaction to facilitate fork restart, thereby minimizing G4 accumulation at single-stranded DNA gaps and suppressing accumulation of unreplicated regions that may lead to MUS81-dependent double-strand breaks requiring efficient repair by RAD51 to prevent excessive DNA damage.

Fork-Remodeling Helicase Rad5 Preferentially Reverses Replication Forks with Gaps in the Leading Strand

DNA damage bypass pathways promote the replication of damaged DNA when replication forks stall at sites of DNA damage. Template switching is a DNA damage bypass pathway in which fork-reversal helicases convert stalled replication forks into four-way DNA junctions called chicken foot intermediates, which are subsequently extended by replicative DNA polymerases. In yeast, fork-reversal is carried out by the Rad5 helicase using an unknown mechanism. To better understand the mechanism of Rad5 and its specificity for different fork DNA substrates, we used a FRET-based assay to observe fork reversal in real time. We examined the ability of Rad5 to bind and catalyze the reversal of various fork DNA substrates in the presence of short gaps in the leading or lagging strand as well as in the presence or absence of RPA and RNA primers in the lagging strand. We found that Rad5 preferentially reverses fork DNA substrates with short gaps (10 to 30 nt.) in the leading strand. Thus, Rad5 preferentially reverses fork DNA substrates that form chicken foot intermediates with 5' overhangs that can be extended by replicative DNA polymerases during the subsequent steps of template switching.

RecQ Helicase Somatic Alterations in Cancer

Named the “caretakers” of the genome, RecQ helicases function in several pathways to maintain genomic stability and repair DNA. This highly conserved family of enzymes consist of five different proteins in humans: RECQL1, BLM, WRN, RECQL4, and RECQL5. Biallelic germline mutations in BLM, WRN, and RECQL4 have been linked to rare cancer-predisposing syndromes. Emerging research has also implicated somatic alterations in RecQ helicases in a variety of cancers, including hematological malignancies, breast cancer, osteosarcoma, amongst others. These alterations in RecQ helicases, particularly overexpression, may lead to increased resistance of cancer cells to conventional chemotherapy. Downregulation of these proteins may allow for increased sensitivity to chemotherapy, and, therefore, may be important therapeutic targets. Here we provide a comprehensive review of our current understanding of the role of RecQ DNA helicases in cancer and discuss the potential therapeutic opportunities in targeting these helicases.

Replication protein A: a multifunctional protein with roles in DNA replication, repair and beyond

Single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) forms continuously during DNA replication and is an important intermediate during recombination-mediated repair of damaged DNA. Replication protein A (RPA) is the major eukaryotic ssDNA-binding protein. As such, RPA protects the transiently formed ssDNA from nucleolytic degradation and serves as a physical platform for the recruitment of DNA damage response factors. Prominent and well-studied RPA-interacting partners are the tumor suppressor protein p53, the RAD51 recombinase and the ATR-interacting proteins ATRIP and ETAA1. RPA interactions are also documented with the helicases BLM, WRN and SMARCAL1/HARP, as well as the nucleotide excision repair proteins XPA, XPG and XPF–ERCC1. Besides its well-studied roles in DNA replication (restart) and repair, accumulating evidence shows that RPA is engaged in DNA activities in a broader biological context, including nucleosome assembly on nascent chromatin, regulation of gene expression, telomere maintenance and numerous other aspects of nucleic acid metabolism. In addition, novel RPA inhibitors show promising effects in cancer treatment, as single agents or in combination with chemotherapeutics. Since the biochemical properties of RPA and its roles in DNA repair have been extensively reviewed, here we focus on recent discoveries describing several non-canonical functions.

RecQ Family Helicases in Replication Fork Remodeling and Repair: Opening New Avenues towards the Identification of Potential Targets for Cancer Chemotherapy

Replication fork reversal and restart has gained immense interest as a central response mechanism to replication stress following DNA damage. Although the exact mechanism of fork reversal has not been elucidated precisely, the involvement of diverse pathways and different factors has been demonstrated, which are central to this phenomenon. RecQ helicases known for their vital role in DNA repair and maintaining genome stability has recently been implicated in the restart of regressed replication forks. Through interaction with vital proteins like Poly (ADP) ribose polymerase 1 (PARP1), these helicases participate in the replication fork reversal and restart phenomenon. Most therapeutic agents used for cancer chemotherapy act by causing DNA damage in replicating cells and subsequent cell death. These DNA damages can be repaired by mechanisms involving fork reversal as the key phenomenon eventually reducing the efficacy of the therapeutic agent. Hence the factors contributing to this repair process can be good selective targets for developing more efficient chemotherapeutic agents. In this review, we have discussed in detail the role of various proteins in replication fork reversal and restart with special emphasis on RecQ helicases. Involvement of other proteins like PARP1, recombinase rad51, SWI/SNF complex has also been discussed. Since RecQ helicases play a central role in the DNA damage response following chemotherapeutic treatment, we propose that targeting these helicases can emerge as an alternative to available intervention strategies. We have also summarized the current research status of available RecQ inhibitors and siRNA based therapeutic approaches that targets RecQ helicases. In summary, our review gives an overview of the DNA damage responses involving replication fork reversal and provides new directions for the development of more efficient and sustainable chemotherapeutic approaches.

Systematic Discovery of Endogenous Human Ribonucleoprotein Complexes

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play essential roles in biology and are frequently associated with human disease. Although recent studies have systematically identified individual RNA-binding proteins, their higher-order assembly into ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes has not been systematically investigated. Here, we describe a proteomics method for systematic identification of RNP complexes in human cells. We identify 1,428 protein complexes that associate with RNA, indicating that more than 20% of known human protein complexes contain RNA. To explore the role of RNA in the assembly of each complex, we identify complexes that dissociate, change composition, or form stable protein-only complexes in the absence of RNA. We use our method to systematically identify cell-type-specific RNA-associated proteins in mouse embryonic stem cells and finally, distribute our resource, rna.MAP, in an easy-to-use online interface (rna.proteincomplexes.org). Our system thus provides a methodology for explorations across human tissues, disease states, and throughout all domains of life.

Single molecule kinetics uncover roles for E. coli RecQ DNA helicase domains and interaction with SSB

Most RecQ DNA helicases share a conserved domain arrangement that mediates their activities in genomic stability. This arrangement comprises a helicase motor domain, a RecQ C-terminal (RecQ-C) region including a winged-helix (WH) domain, and a ‘Helicase and RNase D C-terminal’ (HRDC) domain. Single-molecule real-time translocation and DNA unwinding by full-length Escherichia coli RecQ and variants lacking either the HRDC or both the WH and HRDC domains was analyzed. RecQ operated under two interconvertible kinetic modes, ‘slow’ and ‘normal’, as it unwound duplex DNA and translocated on single-stranded (ss) DNA. Consistent with a crystal structure of bacterial RecQ bound to ssDNA by base stacking, abasic sites blocked RecQ unwinding. Removal of the HRDC domain eliminates the slow mode while preserving the normal mode of activity. Unexpectedly, a RecQ variant lacking both the WH and HRDC domains retains weak helicase activity. The inclusion of E. coli ssDNA-binding protein (SSB) induces a third ‘fast’ unwinding mode four times faster than the normal RecQ mode and enhances the overall helicase activity (affinity, rate, and processivity). SSB stimulation was, furthermore, observed in the RecQ deletion variants, including the variant missing the WH domain. Our results support a model in which RecQ and SSB have multiple interacting modes.

Competing interaction partners modulate the activity of Sgs1 helicase during DNA end resection

DNA double-strand break repair by homologous recombination employs long-range resection of the 5' DNA ends at the break points. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, this process can be performed by the RecQ helicase Sgs1 and the helicase-nuclease Dna2. Though functional interplay between them has been shown, it remains unclear whether and how these proteins cooperate on the molecular level. Here, we resolved the dynamics of DNA unwinding by Sgs1 at the single-molecule level and investigated Sgs1 regulation by Dna2, the single-stranded DNA-binding protein RPA, and the Top3-Rmi1 complex. We found that Dna2 modulates the velocity of Sgs1, indicating that during end resection both proteins form a functional complex and couple their activities. Sgs1 drives DNA unwinding and feeds single-stranded DNA to Dna2 for degradation. RPA was found to regulate the processivity and the affinity of Sgs1 to the DNA fork, while Top3-Rmi1 modulated the velocity of Sgs1. We hypothesize that the differential regulation of Sgs1 activity by its protein partners is important to support diverse cellular functions of Sgs1 during the maintenance of genome stability.

Human Exonuclease 1 (EXO1) Regulatory Functions in DNA Replication with Putative Roles in Cancer

Human exonuclease 1 (EXO1), a 5'→3' exonuclease, contributes to the regulation of the cell cycle checkpoints, replication fork maintenance, and post replicative DNA repair pathways. These processes are required for the resolution of stalled or blocked DNA replication that can lead to replication stress and potential collapse of the replication fork. Failure to restart the DNA replication process can result in double-strand breaks, cell-cycle arrest, cell death, or cellular transformation. In this review, we summarize the involvement of EXO1 in the replication, DNA repair pathways, cell cycle checkpoints, and the link between EXO1 and cancer.

Werner Syndrome Protein and DNA Replication

Werner Syndrome (WS) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by the premature development of aging features. Individuals with WS also have a greater predisposition to rare cancers that are mesenchymal in origin. Werner Syndrome Protein (WRN), the protein mutated in WS, is unique among RecQ family proteins in that it possesses exonuclease and 3' to 5' helicase activities. WRN forms dynamic sub-complexes with different factors involved in DNA replication, recombination and repair. WRN binding partners either facilitate its DNA metabolic activities or utilize it to execute their specific functions. Furthermore, WRN is phosphorylated by multiple kinases, including Ataxia telangiectasia mutated, Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3 related, c-Abl, Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 and DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit, in response to genotoxic stress. These post-translational modifications are critical for WRN to function properly in DNA repair, replication and recombination. Accumulating evidence suggests that WRN plays a crucial role in one or more genome stability maintenance pathways, through which it suppresses cancer and premature aging. Among its many functions, WRN helps in replication fork progression, facilitates the repair of stalled replication forks and DNA double-strand breaks associated with replication forks, and blocks nuclease-mediated excessive processing of replication forks. In this review, we specifically focus on human WRN's contribution to replication fork processing for maintaining genome stability and suppressing premature aging. Understanding WRN's molecular role in timely and faithful DNA replication will further advance our understanding of the pathophysiology of WS.

Interactive Roles of DNA Helicases and Translocases with the Single-Stranded DNA Binding Protein RPA in Nucleic Acid Metabolism

Helicases and translocases use the energy of nucleoside triphosphate binding and hydrolysis to unwind/resolve structured nucleic acids or move along a single-stranded or double-stranded polynucleotide chain, respectively. These molecular motors facilitate a variety of transactions including replication, DNA repair, recombination, and transcription. A key partner of eukaryotic DNA helicases/translocases is the single-stranded DNA binding protein Replication Protein A (RPA). Biochemical, genetic, and cell biological assays have demonstrated that RPA interacts with these human molecular motors physically and functionally, and their association is enriched in cells undergoing replication stress. The roles of DNA helicases/translocases are orchestrated with RPA in pathways of nucleic acid metabolism. RPA stimulates helicase-catalyzed DNA unwinding, enlists translocases to sites of action, and modulates their activities in DNA repair, fork remodeling, checkpoint activation, and telomere maintenance. The dynamic interplay between DNA helicases/translocases and RPA is just beginning to be understood at the molecular and cellular levels, and there is still much to be learned, which may inform potential therapeutic strategies.

DNA Replication Origins and Fork Progression at Mammalian Telomeres

Telomeres are essential chromosomal regions that prevent critical shortening of linear chromosomes and genomic instability in eukaryotic cells. The bulk of telomeric DNA is replicated by semi-conservative DNA replication in the same way as the rest of the genome. However, recent findings revealed that replication of telomeric repeats is a potential cause of chromosomal instability, because DNA replication through telomeres is challenged by the repetitive telomeric sequences and specific structures that hamper the replication fork. In this review, we summarize current understanding of the mechanisms by which telomeres are faithfully and safely replicated in mammalian cells. Various telomere-associated proteins ensure efficient telomere replication at different steps, such as licensing of replication origins, passage of replication forks, proper fork restart after replication stress, and dissolution of post-replicative structures. In particular, shelterin proteins have central roles in the control of telomere replication. Through physical interactions, accessory proteins are recruited to maintain telomere integrity during DNA replication. Dormant replication origins and/or homology-directed repair may rescue inappropriate fork stalling or collapse that can cause defects in telomere structure and functions.

TLK1B mediated phosphorylation of Rad9 regulates its nuclear/cytoplasmic localization and cell cycle checkpoint

Background

The Tousled like kinase 1B (TLK1B) is critical for DNA repair and survival of cells. Upon DNA damage, Chk1 phosphorylates TLK1B at S457 leading to its transient inhibition. Once TLK1B regains its kinase activity it phosphorylates Rad9 at S328. In this work we investigated the significance of this mechanism by overexpressing mutant TLK1B in which the inhibitory phosphorylation site was eliminated.

Results and discussion

These cells expressing TLK1B resistant to DNA damage showed constitutive phosphorylation of Rad9 S328 that occurred even in the presence of hydroxyurea (HU), and this resulted in a delayed checkpoint recovery. One possible explanation was that premature phosphorylation of Rad9 caused its dissociation from 9-1-1 at stalled replication forks, resulting in their collapse and prolonged activation of the S-phase checkpoint. We found that phosphorylation of Rad9 at S328 results in its dissociation from chromatin and redistribution to the cytoplasm. This results in double stranded breaks formation with concomitant activation of ATM and phosphorylation of H2AX. Furthermore, a Rad9 (S328D) phosphomimic mutant was exclusively localized to the cytoplasm and not the chromatin. Another Rad9 phosphomimic mutant (T355D), which is also a site phosphorylated by TLK1, localized normally. In cells expressing the mutant TLK1B treated with HU, Rad9 association with Hus1 and WRN was greatly reduced, suggesting again that its phosphorylation causes its premature release from stalled forks.

Conclusions

We propose that normally, the inactivation of TLK1B following replication arrest and genotoxic stress functions to allow the retention of 9-1-1 at the sites of damage or stalled forks. Following reactivation of TLK1B, whose synthesis is concomitantly induced by genotoxins, Rad9 is hyperphosphorylated at S328, resulting in its dissociation and inactivation of the checkpoint that occurs once repair is complete.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12867-016-0056-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Replication fork reversal in eukaryotes: from dead end to dynamic response

The remodelling of replication forks into four-way junctions following replication perturbation, known as fork reversal, was hypothesized to promote DNA damage tolerance and repair during replication. Albeit conceptually attractive, for a long time fork reversal in vivo was found only in prokaryotes and specific yeast mutants, calling its evolutionary conservation and physiological relevance into question. Based on the recent visualization of replication forks in metazoans, fork reversal has emerged as a global, reversible and regulated process, with intriguing implications for replication completion, chromosome integrity and the DNA damage response. The study of the putative in vivo roles of recently identified eukaryotic factors in fork remodelling promises to shed new light on mechanisms of genome maintenance and to provide novel attractive targets for cancer therapy.

High-affinity DNA-binding domains of replication protein A (RPA) direct SMARCAL1-dependent replication fork remodeling

SMARCAL1 catalyzes replication fork remodeling to maintain genome stability. It is recruited to replication forks via an interaction with replication protein A (RPA), the major ssDNA-binding protein in eukaryotic cells. In addition to directing its localization, RPA also activates SMARCAL1 on some fork substrates but inhibits it on others, thereby conferring substrate specificity to SMARCAL1 fork-remodeling reactions. We investigated the mechanism by which RPA regulates SMARCAL1. Our results indicate that although an interaction between SMARCAL1 and RPA is essential for SMARCAL1 activation, the location of the interacting surface on RPA is not. Counterintuitively, high-affinity DNA binding of RPA DNA-binding domain (DBD) A and DBD-B near the fork junction makes it easier for SMARCAL1 to remodel the fork, which requires removing RPA. We also found that RPA DBD-C and DBD-D are not required for SMARCAL1 regulation. Thus, the orientation of the high-affinity RPA DBDs at forks dictates SMARCAL1 substrate specificity.

RPA-coated single-stranded DNA as a platform for post-translational modifications in the DNA damage response

The Replication Protein A (RPA) complex is an essential regulator of eukaryotic DNA metabolism. RPA avidly binds to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) through multiple oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide-binding folds and coordinates the recruitment and exchange of genome maintenance factors to regulate DNA replication, recombination and repair. The RPA-ssDNA platform also constitutes a key physiological signal which activates the master ATR kinase to protect and repair stalled or collapsed replication forks during replication stress. In recent years, the RPA complex has emerged as a key target and an important regulator of post-translational modifications in response to DNA damage, which is critical for its genome guardian functions. Phosphorylation and SUMOylation of the RPA complex, and more recently RPA-regulated ubiquitination, have all been shown to control specific aspects of DNA damage signaling and repair by modulating the interactions between RPA and its partners. Here, we review our current understanding of the critical functions of the RPA-ssDNA platform in the maintenance of genome stability and its regulation through an elaborate network of covalent modifications.

The Werner syndrome protein limits the error-prone 8-oxo-dG lesion bypass activity of human DNA polymerase kappa

Human DNA polymerase kappa (hpol κ) is the only Y-family member to preferentially insert dAMP opposite 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG) during translesion DNA synthesis. We have studied the mechanism of action by which hpol κ activity is modulated by the Werner syndrome protein (WRN), a RecQ helicase known to influence repair of 8-oxo-dG. Here we show that WRN stimulates the 8-oxo-dG bypass activity of hpol κ in vitro by enhancing the correct base insertion opposite the lesion, as well as extension from dC:8-oxo-dG base pairs. Steady-state kinetic analysis reveals that WRN improves hpol κ-catalyzed dCMP insertion opposite 8-oxo-dG ∼10-fold and extension from dC:8-oxo-dG by 2.4-fold. Stimulation is primarily due to an increase in the rate constant for polymerization (k_pol), as assessed by pre-steady-state kinetics, and it requires the RecQ C-terminal (RQC) domain. In support of the functional data, recombinant WRN and hpol κ were found to physically interact through the exo and RQC domains of WRN, and co-localization of WRN and hpol κ was observed in human cells treated with hydrogen peroxide. Thus, WRN limits the error-prone bypass of 8-oxo-dG by hpol κ, which could influence the sensitivity to oxidative damage that has previously been observed for Werner's syndrome cells.

Acetylation of Werner syndrome protein (WRN): relationships with DNA damage, DNA replication and DNA metabolic activities

Loss of Werner syndrome protein function causes Werner syndrome, characterized by increased genomic instability, elevated cancer susceptibility and premature aging. Although WRN is subject to acetylation, phosphorylation and sumoylation, the impact of these modifications on WRN's DNA metabolic function remains unclear. Here, we examined in further depth the relationship between WRN acetylation and its role in DNA metabolism, particularly in response to induced DNA damage. Our results demonstrate that endogenous WRN is acetylated somewhat under unperturbed conditions. However, levels of acetylated WRN significantly increase after treatment with certain DNA damaging agents or the replication inhibitor HU. Use of DNA repair-deficient cells or repair pathway inhibitors further increase levels of acetylated WRN, indicating that induced DNA lesions and their persistence are at least partly responsible for increased acetylation. Notably, acetylation of WRN correlates with inhibition of DNA synthesis, suggesting that replication blockage might underlie this effect. Moreover, WRN acetylation modulates its affinity for and activity on certain DNA structures, in a manner that may enhance its relative specificity for physiological substrates. Our results also show that acetylation and deacetylation of endogenous WRN is a dynamic process, with sirtuins and other histone deacetylases contributing to WRN deacetylation. These findings advance our understanding of the dynamics of WRN acetylation under unperturbed conditions and following DNA damage induction, linking this modification not only to DNA damage persistence but also potentially to replication stalling caused by specific DNA lesions. Our results are consistent with proposed metabolic roles for WRN and genomic instability phenotypes associated with WRN deficiency.

Binding polarity of RPA to telomeric sequences and influence of G-quadruplex stability

Replication protein A (RPA) is a single-stranded DNA binding protein that plays an essential role in telomere maintenance. RPA binds to and unfolds G-quadruplex (G4) structures formed in telomeric DNA, thus facilitating lagging strand DNA replication and telomerase activity. To investigate the effect of G4 stability on the interactions with human RPA (hRPA), we used a combination of biochemical and biophysical approaches. Our data revealed an inverse relationship between G4 stability and ability of hRPA to bind to telomeric DNA; notably small G4 ligands that enhance G4 stability strongly impaired G4 unfolding by hRPA. To gain more insight into the mechanism of binding and unfolding of telomeric G4 structures by RPA, we carried out photo-crosslinking experiments to elucidate the spatial arrangement of the RPA subunits along the DNA strands. Our results showed that RPA1 and RPA2 are arranged from 5' to 3' along the unfolded telomeric G4, as already described for unstructured single-stranded DNA, while no contact is possible with RPA3 on this short oligonucleotide. In addition, these data are compatible with a 5' to 3' directionality in G4 unfolding by hRPA.

Prereplicative repair of oxidized bases in the human genome is mediated by NEIL1 DNA glycosylase together with replication proteins

Base oxidation by endogenous and environmentally induced reactive oxygen species preferentially occurs in replicating single-stranded templates in mammalian genomes, warranting prereplicative repair of the mutagenic base lesions. It is not clear how such lesions (which, unlike bulky adducts, do not block replication) are recognized for repair. Furthermore, strand breaks caused by base excision from ssDNA by DNA glycosylases, including Nei-like (NEIL) 1, would generate double-strand breaks during replication, which are not experimentally observed. NEIL1, whose deficiency causes a mutator phenotype and is activated during the S phase, is present in the DNA replication complex isolated from human cells, with enhanced association with DNA in S-phase cells and colocalization with replication foci containing DNA replication proteins. Furthermore, NEIL1 binds to 5-hydroxyuracil, the oxidative deamination product of C, in replication protein A-coated ssDNA template and inhibits DNA synthesis by DNA polymerase δ. We postulate that, upon encountering an oxidized base during replication, NEIL1 initiates prereplicative repair by acting as a "cowcatcher" and preventing nascent chain growth. Regression of the stalled replication fork, possibly mediated by annealing helicases, then allows lesion repair in the reannealed duplex. This model is supported by our observations that NEIL1, whose deficiency slows nascent chain growth in oxidatively stressed cells, is stimulated by replication proteins in vitro. Furthermore, deficiency of the closely related NEIL2 alone does not affect chain elongation, but combined NEIL1/2 deficiency further inhibits DNA replication. These results support a mechanism of NEIL1-mediated prereplicative repair of oxidized bases in the replicating strand, with NEIL2 providing a backup function.

The BLM dissolvasome in DNA replication and repair

RecQ DNA helicases are critical for proper maintenance of genomic stability, and mutations in multiple human RecQ genes are linked with genetic disorders characterized by a predisposition to cancer. RecQ proteins are conserved from prokaryotes to humans and in all cases form higher-order complexes with other proteins to efficiently execute their cellular functions. The focus of this review is a conserved complex that is formed between RecQ helicases and type-I topoisomerases. In humans, this complex is referred to as the BLM dissolvasome or BTR complex, and is comprised of the RecQ helicase BLM, topoisomerase IIIα, and the RMI proteins. The BLM dissolvasome functions to resolve linked DNA intermediates without exchange of genetic material, which is critical in somatic cells. We will review the history of this complex and highlight its roles in DNA replication, recombination, and repair. Additionally, we will review recently established interactions between BLM dissolvasome and a second set of genome maintenance factors (the Fanconi anemia proteins) that appear to allow coordinated genome maintenance efforts between the two systems.

Human RECQ1 promotes restart of replication forks reversed by DNA topoisomerase I inhibition

Topoisomerase I (TOP1) inhibitors are an important class of anticancer drugs. The cytotoxicity of TOP1 inhibitors can be modulated by replication fork reversal, in a process that requires PARP activity. Whether regressed forks can efficiently restart and the factors required to restart fork progression after fork reversal are still unknown. Here we combined biochemical and electron microscopy approaches with single-molecule DNA fiber analysis, to identify a key role for human RECQ1 helicase in replication fork restart after TOP1 inhibition, not shared by other human RecQ proteins. We show that the poly(ADPribosyl)ation activity of PARP1 stabilizes forks in their regressed state by limiting their restart by RECQ1. These studies provide new mechanistic insights into the roles of RECQ1 and PARP in DNA replication and offer molecular perspectives to potentiate chemotherapeutic regimens based on TOP1 inhibition.

Distinct functions of human RECQ helicases WRN and BLM in replication fork recovery and progression after hydroxyurea-induced stalling

Human WRN and BLM genes are members of the conserved RECQ helicase family. Mutations in these genes are associated with Werner and Bloom syndromes. WRN and BLM proteins are implicated in DNA replication, recombination, repair, telomere maintenance, and transcription. Using microfluidics-assisted display of DNA for replication track analysis (ma-RTA), we show that WRN and BLM contribute additively to normal replication fork progression, and non-additively, in a RAD51-dependent pathway, to resumption of replication after arrest by hydroxyurea (HU), a replication-stalling drug. WRN but not BLM is required to support fork progression after HU. Resumption of replication by forks may be necessary but is not sufficient for timely completion of the cell cycle after HU arrest, as depletion of WRN or BLM compromises fork recovery to a similar degree, but only BLM depletion leads to extensive delay of cell division after HU, as well as more pronounced chromatin bridging. Finally, we show that recovery from HU includes apparent removal of some of the DNA that was synthesized immediately after release from HU, a novel phenomenon that we refer to as nascent strand processing, NSP.

Physical and functional interaction between yeast Pif1 helicase and Rim1 single-stranded DNA binding protein

Pif1 helicase plays various roles in the maintenance of nuclear and mitochondrial genome integrity in most eukaryotes. Here, we used a proteomics approach called isotopic differentiation of interactions as random or targeted to identify specific protein complexes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Pif1. We identified a stable association between Pif1 and a mitochondrial SSB, Rim1. In vitro co-precipitation experiments using recombinant proteins indicated a direct interaction between Pif1 and Rim1. Fluorescently labeled Rim1 was titrated with Pif1 resulting in an increase in anisotropy and a K_d value of 0.69 µM. Deletion mutagenesis revealed that the OB-fold domain and the C-terminal tail of Rim1 are both involved in interaction with Pif1. However, a Rim1 C-terminal truncation (Rim1ΔC18) exhibited a nearly 4-fold higher K_d value. Rim1 stimulated Pif1 DNA helicase activity by 4- to 5-fold, whereas Rim1ΔC18 stimulated Pif1 by 2-fold. Hence, two regions of Rim1, the OB-fold domain and the C-terminal domain, interact with Pif1. One of these interactions occurs through the N-terminal domain of Pif1 because a deletion mutant of Pif1 (Pif1ΔN) retained interaction with Rim1 but did not exhibit stimulation of helicase activity. In light of our in vivo and in vitro data, and previous work, it is likely that the Rim1–Pif1 interaction plays a role in coordination of their functions in mtDNA metabolism.

Oligodeoxynucleotide binding to (CTG) · (CAG) microsatellite repeats inhibits replication fork stalling, hairpin formation, and genome instability

(CTG)(n) · (CAG)(n) trinucleotide repeat (TNR) expansion in the 3' untranslated region of the dystrophia myotonica protein kinase (DMPK) gene causes myotonic dystrophy type 1. However, a direct link between TNR instability, the formation of noncanonical (CTG)(n) · (CAG)(n) structures, and replication stress has not been demonstrated. In a human cell model, we found that (CTG)(45) · (CAG)(45) causes local replication fork stalling, DNA hairpin formation, and TNR instability. Oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) complementary to the (CTG)(45) · (CAG)(45) lagging-strand template eliminated DNA hairpin formation on leading- and lagging-strand templates and relieved fork stalling. Prolonged cell culture, emetine inhibition of lagging-strand synthesis, or slowing of DNA synthesis by low-dose aphidicolin induced (CTG)(45) · (CAG)(45) expansions and contractions. ODNs targeting the lagging-strand template blocked the time-dependent or emetine-induced instability but did not eliminate aphidicolin-induced instability. These results show directly that TNR replication stalling, replication stress, hairpin formation, and instability are mechanistically linked in vivo.

The Werner syndrome protein promotes CAG/CTG repeat stability by resolving large (CAG)(n)/(CTG)(n) hairpins

Expansion of CAG/CTG repeats causes certain neurological and neurodegenerative disorders, and the formation and subsequent persistence of stable DNA hairpins within these repeats are believed to contribute to CAG/CTG repeat instability. Human cells possess a DNA hairpin repair (HPR) pathway, which removes various (CAG)(n) and (CTG)(n) hairpins in a nick-directed and strand-specific manner. Interestingly, this HPR system processes a (CTG)(n) hairpin on the template DNA strand much less efficiently than a (CAG)(n) hairpin on the same strand (Hou, C., Chan, N. L., Gu, L., and Li, G. M. (2009) Incision-dependent and error-free repair of (CAG)(n)/(CTG)(n) hairpins in human cell extracts. Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol. 16, 869-875), suggesting the involvement of an additional component for (CTG)(n) HPR. To identify this activity, a functional in vitro HPR assay was used to screen partially purified HeLa nuclear fractions for their ability to stimulate (CTG)(n) HPR. We demonstrate here that the stimulating activity is the Werner syndrome protein (WRN). Although WRN contains both a 3'→5' helicase activity and a 3'→5' exonuclease activity, the stimulating activity was found to be the helicase activity, as a WRN helicase mutant failed to enhance (CTG)(n) HPR. Consistently, WRN efficiently unwound large (CTG)(n) hairpins and promoted DNA polymerase δ-catalyzed DNA synthesis using a (CTG)(n) hairpin as a template. We, therefore, conclude that WRN stimulates (CTG)(n) HPR on the template DNA strand by resolving the hairpin so that it can be efficiently used as a template for repair or replicative synthesis.

Perturbed replication induced genome wide or at common fragile sites is differently managed in the absence of WRN

The Werner syndrome protein (WRN) is a member of the RecQ helicase family. Loss of WRN results in a human disease, the Werner syndrome (WS), characterized by high genomic instability, elevated cancer risk and premature aging. WRN is crucial for the recovery of stalled replication forks and possesses both helicase and exonuclease enzymatic activities of uncertain biological significance. Previous work revealed that WRN promotes formation of MUS81-dependent double strand breaks (DSBs) at HU-induced stalled forks, allowing replication restart at the expense of chromosome stability. Here, using cells expressing the helicase- or exonuclease-dead WRN mutant, we show that both activities of WRN are required to prevent MUS81-dependent breakage after HU-induced replication arrest. Moreover, we provide evidence that, in WS cells, DSBs generated by MUS81 do not require RAD51 activity for their formation. Surprisingly, when replication is specifically perturbed at common fragile sites (CFS) by aphidicolin, WRN limits accumulation of ssDNA gaps and no MUS81-dependent DSBs are detected. However, in both cases, RAD51 is essential to ensure viability of WS cells, although by different mechanisms. Thus, the role of WRN in response to perturbation of replication along CFS is functionally distinct from that carried out at stalled forks genome wide. Our results contribute to unveil two different mechanisms used by the cell to overcome the absence of WRN.

Functional analysis of DNA replication fork reversal catalyzed by Mycobacterium tuberculosis RuvAB proteins

Initially discovered in Escherichia coli, RuvAB proteins are ubiquitous in bacteria and play a dual role as molecular motor proteins responsible for branch migration of the Holliday junction(s) and reversal of stalled replication forks. Despite mounting genetic evidence for a crucial role of RuvA and RuvB proteins in reversal of stalled replication forks, the mechanistic aspects of this process are still not fully understood. Here, we elucidate the ability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis RuvAB (MtRuvAB) complex to catalyze the reversal of replication forks using a range of DNA replication fork substrates. Our studies show that MtRuvAB, unlike E. coli RuvAB, is able to drive replication fork reversal via the formation of Holliday junction intermediates, suggesting that RuvAB-catalyzed fork reversal involves concerted unwinding and annealing of nascent leading and lagging strands. We also demonstrate the reversal of replication forks carrying hemi-replicated DNA, indicating that MtRuvAB complex-catalyzed fork reversal is independent of symmetry at the fork junction. The fork reversal reaction catalyzed by MtRuvAB is coupled to ATP hydrolysis, is processive, and culminates in the formation of an extended reverse DNA arm. Notably, we found that sequence heterology failed to impede the fork reversal activity of MtRuvAB. We discuss the implications of these results in the context of recognition and processing of varied types of replication fork structures by RuvAB proteins.

The structure and function of replication protein A in DNA replication

In all organisms from bacteria and archaea to eukarya, single-stranded DNA binding proteins play an essential role in most, if not all, nuclear metabolism involving single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). Replication protein A (RPA), the major eukaryotic ssDNA binding protein, has two important roles in DNA metabolism: (1) in binding ssDNA to protect it and to keep it unfolded, and (2) in coordinating the assembly and disassembly of numerous proteins and protein complexes during processes such as DNA replication. Since its discovery as a vital player in the process of replication, RPAs roles in recombination and DNA repair quickly became evident. This chapter summarizes the current understanding of RPA's roles in replication by reviewing the available structural data, DNA-binding properties, interactions with various replication proteins, and interactions with DNA repair proteins when DNA replication is stalled.

Human DNA helicase B (HDHB) binds to replication protein A and facilitates cellular recovery from replication stress

Maintenance of genomic stability in proliferating cells depends on a network of proteins that coordinate chromosomal replication with DNA damage responses. Human DNA helicase B (HELB or HDHB) has been implicated in chromosomal replication, but its role in this coordinated network remains undefined. Here we report that cellular exposure to UV irradiation, camptothecin, or hydroxyurea induces accumulation of HDHB on chromatin in a dose- and time-dependent manner, preferentially in S phase cells. Replication stress-induced recruitment of HDHB to chromatin is independent of checkpoint signaling but correlates with the level of replication protein A (RPA) recruited to chromatin. We show using purified proteins that HDHB physically interacts with the N-terminal domain of the RPA 70-kDa subunit (RPA70N). NMR spectroscopy and site-directed mutagenesis reveal that HDHB docks on the same RPA70N surface that recruits S phase checkpoint signaling proteins to chromatin. Consistent with this pattern of recruitment, cells depleted of HDHB display reduced recovery from replication stress.

RecQ helicases; at the crossroad of genome replication, repair, and recombination

DNA helicases are ubiquitous enzymes that unwind double-stranded DNA in an ATP-dependent and directionally specific manner. Such an action is essential for the processes of DNA repair, recombination, transcription, and DNA replication. Here, I focus on a subgroup of DNA helicases, the RecQ family, which is highly conserved in evolution. Members of this conserved family of proteins have a key role in protecting and stabilizing the genome against deleterious changes. Deficiencies in RecQ helicases can lead to high levels of genomic instability and, in humans, to premature aging and increased susceptibility to cancer. Their diverse roles in DNA metabolism, which include a role in telomere maintenance, reflect interactions with multiple cellular proteins, some of which are multifunctional and also have very diverse functions. In this review, protein structural motifs and the roles of different domains will be discussed first. The Review moves on to speculate about the different models to explain why RecQ helicases are required to protect against genome instability.

The Werner syndrome protein: linking the replication checkpoint response to genome stability

The Werner syndrome protein (WRN) is a member of the human RecQ family DNA helicases implicated in the maintenance of genome stability. Loss of WRN gives rise to the Werner syndrome, a genetic disease characterised by premature aging and cancer predisposition. WRN plays a crucial role in the response to replication stress and significantly contributes to the recovery of stalled replication forks, although how this function is regulated is not fully appreciated. There is a growing body of evidence that WRN accomplishes its task in close connection with the replication checkpoint. In eukaryotic cells, the replication checkpoint response, which involves both the ATR and ATM kinase activities, is deputed to the maintenance of fork integrity and re-establishment of fork progression. Our recent findings indicate that ATR and ATM modulate WRN function at defined steps of the response to replication fork arrest. This review focuses on the novel evidence of a functional relationship between WRN and the replication checkpoint and how this cross-talk might contribute to prevent genome instability, a common feature of senescent and cancer cells.

The Werner and Bloom syndrome proteins help resolve replication blockage by converting (regressed) holliday junctions to functional replication forks

Cells cope with blockage of replication fork progression in a manner that allows DNA synthesis to be completed and genomic instability minimized. Models for resolution of blocked replication involve fork regression to form Holliday junction structures. The human RecQ helicases WRN and BLM (deficient in Werner and Bloom syndromes, respectively) are critical for maintaining genomic stability and thought to function in accurate resolution of replication blockage. Consistent with this notion, WRN and BLM localize to sites of blocked replication after certain DNA-damaging treatments and exhibit enhanced activity on replication and recombination intermediates. Here we examine the actions of WRN and BLM on a special Holliday junction substrate reflective of a regressed replication fork. Our results demonstrate that, in reactions requiring ATP hydrolysis, both WRN and BLM convert this Holliday junction substrate primarily to a four-stranded replication fork structure, suggesting they target the Holliday junction to initiate branch migration. In agreement, the Holliday junction binding protein RuvA inhibits the WRN- and BLM-mediated conversion reactions. Importantly, this conversion product is suitable for replication with its leading daughter strand readily extended by DNA polymerases. Furthermore, binding to and conversion of this Holliday junction are optimal at low MgCl(2) concentrations, suggesting that WRN and BLM preferentially act on the square planar (open) conformation of Holliday junctions. Our findings suggest that, subsequent to fork regression events, WRN and/or BLM could re-establish functional replication forks to help overcome fork blockage. Such a function is highly consistent with phenotypes associated with WRN- and BLM-deficient cells.

The DNA repair endonuclease XPG interacts directly and functionally with the WRN helicase defective in Werner syndrome

XPG is a structure-specific endonuclease required for nucleotide excision repair (NER). XPG incision defects result in the cancer-prone syndrome xeroderma pigmentosum, whereas truncating mutations of XPG cause the severe postnatal progeroid developmental disorder Cockayne syndrome. We show that XPG interacts directly with WRN protein, which is defective in the premature aging disorder Werner syndrome, and that the two proteins undergo similar subnuclear redistribution in S phase and colocalize in nuclear foci. The co-localization was observed in mid- to late S phase, when WRN moves from nucleoli to nuclear foci that have been shown to contain both protein markers of stalled replication forks and telomeric proteins. We mapped the interaction between XPG and WRN to the C-terminal domains of each, and show that interaction with the C-terminal domain of XPG strongly stimulates WRN helicase activity. WRN also possesses a competing DNA single-strand annealing activity that, combined with unwinding, has been shown to coordinate regression of model replication forks to form Holliday junction/chicken foot intermediate structures. We tested whether XPG stimulated WRN annealing activity, and found that XPG itself has intrinsic strand annealing activity that requires the unstructured R- and C-terminal domains but not the conserved catalytic core or endonuclease activity. Annealing by XPG is cooperative, rather than additive, with WRN annealing. Taken together, our results suggest a novel function for XPG in S phase that is, at least in part, performed coordinately with WRN, and which may contribute to the severity of the phenotypes that occur upon loss of XPG.