A truncated DNA-damage-signaling response is activated after DSB formation in the G1 phase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Multi-step control of homologous recombination via Mec1/ATR suppresses chromosomal rearrangements

The Mec1/ATR kinase is crucial for genome stability, yet the mechanism by which it prevents gross chromosomal rearrangements (GCRs) remains unknown. Here we find that in cells with deficient Mec1 signaling, GCRs accumulate due to the deregulation of multiple steps in homologous recombination (HR). Mec1 primarily suppresses GCRs through its role in activating the canonical checkpoint kinase Rad53, which ensures the proper control of DNA end resection. Upon loss of Rad53 signaling and resection control, Mec1 becomes hyperactivated and triggers a salvage pathway in which the Sgs1 helicase is recruited to sites of DNA lesions via the 911-Dpb11 scaffolds and phosphorylated by Mec1 to favor heteroduplex rejection and limit HR-driven GCR accumulation. Fusing an ssDNA recognition domain to Sgs1 bypasses the requirement of Mec1 signaling for GCR suppression and nearly eliminates D-loop formation, thus preventing non-allelic recombination events. We propose that Mec1 regulates multiple steps of HR to prevent GCRs while ensuring balanced HR usage when needed for promoting tolerance to replication stress.

Multi-Step Control of Homologous Recombination by Mec1/ATR Ensures Robust Suppression of Gross Chromosomal Rearrangements

The Mec1/ATR kinase is crucial for genome stability, yet the mechanism by which it prevents gross chromosomal rearrangements (GCRs) remains unknown. Here we find that in cells with deficient Mec1 signaling, GCRs accumulate due to the deregulation of multiple steps in homologous recombination (HR). Mec1 primarily suppresses GCRs through its role in activating the canonical checkpoint kinase Rad53, which ensures the proper control of DNA end resection. Upon loss of Rad53 signaling and resection control, Mec1 becomes hyperactivated and triggers a salvage pathway in which the Sgs1 helicase is recruited to sites of DNA lesions via the 911-Dpb11 scaffolds to favor heteroduplex rejection and limit HR-driven GCR accumulation. Fusing an ssDNA recognition domain to Sgs1 bypasses the requirement of Mec1 signaling for GCR suppression and nearly eliminates D-loop formation, thus preventing non-allelic recombination events. We propose that Mec1 regulates multiple steps of HR to prevent GCRs while ensuring balanced HR usage when needed for promoting tolerance to replication stress.

A local ATR-dependent checkpoint pathway is activated by a site-specific replication fork block in human cells

When replication forks encounter DNA lesions that cause polymerase stalling, a checkpoint pathway is activated. The ATR-dependent intra-S checkpoint pathway mediates detection and processing of sites of replication fork stalling to maintain genomic integrity. Several factors involved in the global checkpoint pathway have been identified, but the response to a single replication fork barrier (RFB) is poorly understood. We utilized the Escherichia coli-based Tus-Ter system in human MCF7 cells and showed that the Tus protein binding to TerB sequences creates an efficient site-specific RFB. The single fork RFB was sufficient to activate a local, but not global, ATR-dependent checkpoint response that leads to phosphorylation and accumulation of DNA damage sensor protein γH2AX, confined locally to within a kilobase of the site of stalling. These data support a model of local management of fork stalling, which allows global replication at sites other than the RFB to continue to progress without delay.

The Role of the Rad55-Rad57 Complex in DNA Repair

Homologous recombination (HR) is a mechanism conserved from bacteria to humans essential for the accurate repair of DNA double-stranded breaks, and maintenance of genome integrity. In eukaryotes, the key DNA transactions in HR are catalyzed by the Rad51 recombinase, assisted by a host of regulatory factors including mediators such as Rad52 and Rad51 paralogs. Rad51 paralogs play a crucial role in regulating proper levels of HR, and mutations in the human counterparts have been associated with diseases such as cancer and Fanconi Anemia. In this review, we focus on the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rad51 paralog complex Rad55–Rad57, which has served as a model for understanding the conserved role of Rad51 paralogs in higher eukaryotes. Here, we discuss the results from early genetic studies, biochemical assays, and new single-molecule observations that have together contributed to our current understanding of the molecular role of Rad55–Rad57 in HR.

Rdh54/Tid1 inhibits Rad51-Rad54-mediated D-loop formation and limits D-loop length

Displacement loops (D-loops) are critical intermediates formed during homologous recombination. Rdh54 (a.k.a. Tid1), a Rad54 paralog in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is well-known for its role with Dmc1 recombinase during meiotic recombination. Yet contrary to Dmc1, Rdh54/Tid1 is also present in somatic cells where its function is less understood. While Rdh54/Tid1 enhances the Rad51 DNA strand invasion activity in vitro, it is unclear how it interplays with Rad54. Here, we show that Rdh54/Tid1 inhibits D-loop formation by Rad51 and Rad54 in an ATPase-independent manner. Using a novel D-loop Mapping Assay, we further demonstrate that Rdh54/Tid1 uniquely restricts the length of Rad51-Rad54-mediated D-loops. The alterations in D-loop properties appear to be important for cell survival and mating-type switch in haploid yeast. We propose that Rdh54/Tid1 and Rad54 compete for potential binding sites within the Rad51 filament, where Rdh54/Tid1 acts as a physical roadblock to Rad54 translocation, limiting D-loop formation and D-loop length.

Rad52 phosphorylation by Ipl1 and Mps1 contributes to Mps1 kinetochore localization and spindle assembly checkpoint regulation

Rad52 is well known as a key factor in homologous recombination. Here, we report that Rad52 has functions unrelated to homologous recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae; it plays a role in the recruitment of Mps1 to the kinetochores and the maintenance of spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) activity. Deletion of RAD52 causes various phenotypes related to the dysregulation of chromosome biorientation. Rad52 directly affects efficient operation of the SAC and accurate chromosome segregation. Remarkably, by using an in vitro kinase assay, we found that Rad52 is a substrate of Ipl1/Aurora and Mps1 in yeast and humans. Ipl1-dependent phosphorylation of Rad52 facilitates the kinetochore accumulation of Mps1, and Mps1-dependent phosphorylation of Rad52 is important for the accurate regulation of the SAC under spindle damage conditions. Taken together, our data provide detailed insights into the regulatory mechanism of chromosome biorientation by mitotic kinases.

Targeting of the Fun30 nucleosome remodeller by the Dpb11 scaffold facilitates cell cycle-regulated DNA end resection

DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) can be repaired by either recombination-based or direct ligation-based mechanisms. Pathway choice is made at the level of DNA end resection, a nucleolytic processing step, which primes DSBs for repair by recombination. Resection is thus under cell cycle control, but additionally regulated by chromatin and nucleosome remodellers. Here, we show that both layers of control converge in the regulation of resection by the evolutionarily conserved Fun30/SMARCAD1 remodeller. Budding yeast Fun30 and human SMARCAD1 are cell cycle-regulated by interaction with the DSB-localized scaffold protein Dpb11/TOPBP1, respectively. In yeast, this protein assembly additionally comprises the 9-1-1 damage sensor, is involved in localizing Fun30 to damaged chromatin, and thus is required for efficient long-range resection of DSBs. Notably, artificial targeting of Fun30 to DSBs is sufficient to bypass the cell cycle regulation of long-range resection, indicating that chromatin remodelling during resection is underlying DSB repair pathway choice.

Nonsense-mediated decay regulates key components of homologous recombination

Cells frequently experience DNA damage that requires repair by homologous recombination (HR). Proteins involved in HR are carefully coordinated to ensure proper and efficient repair without interfering with normal cellular processes. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Rad55 functions in the early steps of HR and is regulated in response to DNA damage through phosphorylation by the Mec1 and Rad53 kinases of the DNA damage response. To further identify regulatory processes that target HR, we performed a high-throughput genetic interaction screen with RAD55 phosphorylation site mutants. Genes involved in the mRNA quality control process, nonsense-mediated decay (NMD), were found to genetically interact with rad55 phospho-site mutants. Further characterization revealed that RAD55 transcript and protein levels are regulated by NMD. Regulation of HR by NMD extends to multiple targets beyond RAD55, including RAD51, RAD54 and RAD57 Finally, we demonstrate that loss of NMD results in an increase in recombination rates and resistance to the DNA damaging agent methyl methanesulfonate, suggesting this pathway negatively regulates HR under normal growth conditions.

Enrichment of Cdk1-cyclins at DNA double-strand breaks stimulates Fun30 phosphorylation and DNA end resection

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are one of the most cytotoxic types of DNA lesion challenging genome integrity. The activity of cyclin-dependent kinase Cdk1 is essential for DSB repair by homologous recombination and for DNA damage signaling. Here we identify the Fun30 chromatin remodeler as a new target of Cdk1. Fun30 is phosphorylated by Cdk1 on Serine 28 to stimulate its functions in DNA damage response including resection of DSB ends. Importantly, Cdk1-dependent phosphorylation of Fun30-S28 increases upon DNA damage and requires the recruitment of Fun30 to DSBs, suggesting that phosphorylation increases in situ at the DNA damage. Consistently, we find that Cdk1 and multiple cyclins become highly enriched at DSBs and that the recruitment of Cdk1 and cyclins Clb2 and Clb5 ensures optimal Fun30 phosphorylation and checkpoint activation. We propose that the enrichment of Cdk1-cyclin complexes at DSBs serves as a mechanism for enhanced targeting and modulating of the activity of DNA damage response proteins.

Pif1 helicase and Polδ promote recombination-coupled DNA synthesis via bubble migration

During DNA repair by homologous recombination (HR), DNA synthesis copies information from a template DNA molecule. Multiple DNA polymerases have been implicated in repair-specific DNA synthesis¹–³, but it has remained unclear whether a DNA helicase is involved in this reaction. A good candidate is Pif1, an evolutionarily conserved helicase in S. cerevisiae important for break-induced replication (BIR)⁴ as well as HR-dependent telomere maintenance in the absence of telomerase⁵ found in 10–15% of all cancers⁶. Pif1 plays a role in DNA synthesis across hard-to-replicate sites⁷, ⁸ and in lagging strand synthesis with Polδ⁹–¹¹. Here we provide evidence that Pif1 stimulates DNA synthesis during BIR and crossover recombination. The initial steps of BIR occur normally in Pif1-deficient cells, but Polδ recruitment and DNA synthesis are decreased, resulting in premature resolution of DNA intermediates into half crossovers. Purified Pif1 protein strongly stimulates Polδ-mediated DNA synthesis from a D-loop made by the Rad51 recombinase. Importantly, Pif1 liberates the newly synthesized strand to prevent the accumulation of topological constraint and to facilitate extensive DNA synthesis via the establishment of a migrating D-loop structure. Our results uncover a novel function of Pif1 and provide insights into the mechanism of HR.

Regulation of the DNA damage response by cyclin-dependent kinases

The eukaryotic cell cycle comprises a series of events, whose ordering and correct progression depends on the oscillating activity of cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks), which safeguard timely duplication and segregation of the genome. Cell division is intimately connected to an evolutionarily conserved DNA damage response (DDR), which involves DNA repair pathways that reverse DNA lesions, as well as checkpoint pathways that inhibit cell cycle progression while repair occurs. There is increasing evidence that Cdks are involved in the DDR, in particular in DNA repair by homologous recombination and in activation of the checkpoint response. However, Cdks have to be carefully regulated, because even an excess of their activity can affect genome stability. In this review, we consider the physiological role of Cdks in the DDR.

Tid1/Rdh54 translocase is phosphorylated through a Mec1- and Rad53-dependent manner in the presence of DSB lesions in budding yeast

Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells with a single double-strand break (DSB) activate the ATR/Mec1-dependent checkpoint response as a consequence of extensive ssDNA accumulation. The recombination factor Tid1/Rdh54, a member of the Swi2-like family proteins, has an ATPase activity and may contribute to the remodelling of nucleosomes on DNA. Tid1 dislocates Rad51 recombinase from dsDNA, can unwind and supercoil DNA filaments, and has been implicated in checkpoint adaptation from a G2/M arrest induced by an unrepaired DSB. Here we show that both ATR/Mec1 and Chk2/Rad53 kinases are implicated in the phosphorylation of Tid1 in the presence of DNA damage, indicating that the protein is regulated during the DNA damage response. We show that Tid1 ATPase activity is dispensable for its phosphorylation and for its recruitment near a DSB, but it is required to switch off Rad53 activation and for checkpoint adaptation. Mec1 and Rad53 kinases, together with Rad51 recombinase, are also implicated in the hyper-phosphorylation of the ATPase defective Tid1-K318R variant and in the efficient binding of the protein to the DSB site. In summary, Tid1 is a novel target of the DNA damage checkpoint pathway that is also involved in checkpoint adaptation.

Structure of Mre11-Nbs1 complex yields insights into ataxia-telangiectasia-like disease mutations and DNA damage signaling

The Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 (MRN) complex tethers, processes and signals DNA double-strand breaks, promoting genomic stability. To understand the functional architecture of MRN, we determined the crystal structures of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe Mre11 dimeric catalytic domain alone and in complex with a fragment of Nbs1. Two Nbs1 subunits stretch around the outside of the nuclease domains of Mre11, with one subunit additionally bridging and locking the Mre11 dimer via a highly conserved asymmetrical binding motif. Our results show that Mre11 forms a flexible dimer and suggest that Nbs1 not only is a checkpoint adaptor but also functionally influences Mre11-Rad50. Clinical mutations in Mre11 are located along the Nbs1-interaction sites and weaken the Mre11-Nbs1 interaction. However, they differentially affect DNA repair and telomere maintenance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, potentially providing insight into their different human disease pathologies.

Cell cycle regulation of DNA double-strand break end resection by Cdk1-dependent Dna2 phosphorylation

DNA recombination pathways are regulated by the cell cycle to coordinate with replication. Cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk1) promotes efficient 5' strand resection at DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), the initial step of homologous recombination and damage checkpoint activation. The Mre11-Rad50-Xrs2 complex with Sae2 initiates resection, whereas two nucleases, Exo1 and Dna2, and the DNA helicase-topoisomerase complex Sgs1-Top3-Rmi1 generate longer ssDNA at DSBs. Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we provide evidence for Cdk1-dependent phosphorylation of the resection nuclease Dna2 at Thr4, Ser17 and Ser237 that stimulates its recruitment to DSBs, resection and subsequent Mec1-dependent phosphorylation. Poorly recruited dna2T4A S17A S237A and dna2ΔN248 mutant proteins promote resection only in the presence of Exo1, suggesting cross-talk between Dna2- and Exo1-dependent resection pathways.

DNA damage during G2 phase does not affect cell cycle progression of the green alga Scenedesmus quadricauda

DNA damage is a threat to genomic integrity in all living organisms. Plants and green algae are particularly susceptible to DNA damage especially that caused by UV light, due to their light dependency for photosynthesis. For survival of a plant, and other eukaryotic cells, it is essential for an organism to continuously check the integrity of its genetic material and, when damaged, to repair it immediately. Cells therefore utilize a DNA damage response pathway that is responsible for sensing, reacting to and repairing damaged DNA. We have studied the effect of 5-fluorodeoxyuridine, zeocin, caffeine and combinations of these on the cell cycle of the green alga Scenedesmus quadricauda. The cells delayed S phase and underwent a permanent G2 phase block if DNA metabolism was affected prior to S phase; the G2 phase block imposed by zeocin was partially abolished by caffeine. No cell cycle block was observed if the treatment with zeocin occurred in G2 phase and the cells divided normally. CDKA and CDKB kinases regulate mitosis in S. quadricauda; their kinase activities were inhibited by Wee1. CDKA, CDKB protein levels were stabilized in the presence of zeocin. In contrast, the protein level of Wee1 was unaffected by DNA perturbing treatments. Wee1 therefore does not appear to be involved in the DNA damage response in S. quadricauda. Our results imply a specific reaction to DNA damage in S. quadricauda, with no cell cycle arrest, after experiencing DNA damage during G2 phase.

Break-induced replication is highly inaccurate

DNA replication initiated by one-ended homologous recombination at a double-strand break is highly inaccurate, as it greatly stimulates frameshift mutations over the entire path of the replication fork.

DNA must be synthesized for purposes of genome duplication and DNA repair. While the former is a highly accurate process, short-patch synthesis associated with repair of DNA damage is often error-prone. Break-induced replication (BIR) is a unique cellular process that mimics normal DNA replication in its processivity, rate, and capacity to duplicate hundreds of kilobases, but is initiated at double-strand breaks (DSBs) rather than at replication origins. Here we employed a series of frameshift reporters to measure mutagenesis associated with BIR in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We demonstrate that BIR DNA synthesis is intrinsically inaccurate over the entire path of the replication fork, as the rate of frameshift mutagenesis during BIR is up to 2,800-fold higher than during normal replication. Importantly, this high rate of mutagenesis was observed not only close to the DSB where BIR is less stable, but also far from the DSB where the BIR replication fork is fast and stabilized. We established that polymerase proofreading and mismatch repair correct BIR errors. Also, dNTP levels were elevated during BIR, and this contributed to BIR-related mutagenesis. We propose that a high level of DNA polymerase errors that is not fully compensated by error-correction mechanisms is largely responsible for mutagenesis during BIR, with Pol δ generating many of the mutagenic errors. We further postulate that activation of BIR in eukaryotic cells may significantly contribute to accumulation of mutations that fuel cancer and evolution.

Accurate transmission of genetic information requires the precise replication of parental DNA. Mutations (which can be beneficial or deleterious) arise from errors that remain uncorrected. DNA replication occurs during S-phase of the cell cycle and is extremely accurate due to highly selective DNA polymerases coupled with effective error-correction mechanisms. In contrast, DNA synthesis associated with short-patch DNA repair is often error-prone. Break-induced replication (BIR) presents an interesting case of large-scale DNA duplication that occurs in the context of DNA repair. In this study we employed a yeast-based system to investigate the level of mutagenesis associated with BIR compared to mutagenesis during normal DNA replication. We report that frameshifts, which are the most deleterious kind of point mutation, are much more frequent during BIR than during normal DNA replication. Surprisingly, we observed that the majority of mutations associated with BIR were created by polymerases responsible for normal DNA replication, which are assumed to be highly precise. Overall, we propose that BIR is a novel source of mutagenesis that may contribute to disease genesis and evolution.

Regulation of homologous recombination in eukaryotes

Homologous recombination (HR) is required for accurate chromosome segregation during the first meiotic division and constitutes a key repair and tolerance pathway for complex DNA damage, including DNA double-strand breaks, interstrand crosslinks, and DNA gaps. In addition, recombination and replication are inextricably linked, as recombination recovers stalled and broken replication forks, enabling the evolution of larger genomes/replicons. Defects in recombination lead to genomic instability and elevated cancer predisposition, demonstrating a clear cellular need for recombination. However, recombination can also lead to genome rearrangements. Unrestrained recombination causes undesired endpoints (translocation, deletion, inversion) and the accumulation of toxic recombination intermediates. Evidently, HR must be carefully regulated to match specific cellular needs. Here, we review the factors and mechanistic stages of recombination that are subject to regulation and suggest that recombination achieves flexibility and robustness by proceeding through metastable, reversible intermediates.