1
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Orren DK, Machwe A. Response to Replication Stress and Maintenance of Genome Stability by WRN, the Werner Syndrome Protein. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8300. [PMID: 39125869 PMCID: PMC11311767 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25158300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2024] [Revised: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- David K. Orren
- Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA;
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
| | - Amrita Machwe
- Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA;
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
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2
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Kumar N, Taneja A, Ghosh M, Rothweiler U, Sundaresan N, Singh M. Harmonin homology domain-mediated interaction of RTEL1 helicase with RPA and DNA provides insights into its recruitment to DNA repair sites. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:1450-1470. [PMID: 38153196 PMCID: PMC10853778 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The regulator of telomere elongation helicase 1 (RTEL1) plays roles in telomere DNA maintenance, DNA repair, and genome stability by dismantling D-loops and unwinding G-quadruplex structures. RTEL1 comprises a helicase domain, two tandem harmonin homology domains 1&2 (HHD1 and HHD2), and a Zn2+-binding RING domain. In vitro D-loop disassembly by RTEL1 is enhanced in the presence of replication protein A (RPA). However, the mechanism of RTEL1 recruitment at non-telomeric D-loops remains unknown. In this study, we have unravelled a direct physical interaction between RTEL1 and RPA. Under DNA damage conditions, we showed that RTEL1 and RPA colocalise in the cell. Coimmunoprecipitation showed that RTEL1 and RPA interact, and the deletion of HHDs of RTEL1 significantly reduced this interaction. NMR chemical shift perturbations (CSPs) showed that RPA uses its 32C domain to interact with the HHD2 of RTEL1. Interestingly, HHD2 also interacted with DNA in the in vitro experiments. HHD2 structure was determined using X-ray crystallography, and NMR CSPs mapping revealed that both RPA 32C and DNA competitively bind to HHD2 on an overlapping surface. These results establish novel roles of accessory HHDs in RTEL1's functions and provide mechanistic insights into the RPA-mediated recruitment of RTEL1 to DNA repair sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niranjan Kumar
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560012, India
| | - Arushi Taneja
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560012, India
| | - Meenakshi Ghosh
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560012, India
| | - Ulli Rothweiler
- The Norwegian Structural Biology Centre, Department of Chemistry, The Arctic University of Norway, N-9037, Tromsø, Norway
| | | | - Mahavir Singh
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560012, India
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3
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Ito M, Fujita Y, Shinohara A. Positive and negative regulators of RAD51/DMC1 in homologous recombination and DNA replication. DNA Repair (Amst) 2024; 134:103613. [PMID: 38142595 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2023.103613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
RAD51 recombinase plays a central role in homologous recombination (HR) by forming a nucleoprotein filament on single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) to catalyze homology search and strand exchange between the ssDNA and a homologous double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). The catalytic activity of RAD51 assembled on ssDNA is critical for the DNA-homology-mediated repair of DNA double-strand breaks in somatic and meiotic cells and restarting stalled replication forks during DNA replication. The RAD51-ssDNA complex also plays a structural role in protecting the regressed/reversed replication fork. Two types of regulators control RAD51 filament formation, stability, and dynamics, namely positive regulators, including mediators, and negative regulators, so-called remodelers. The appropriate balance of action by the two regulators assures genome stability. This review describes the roles of positive and negative RAD51 regulators in HR and DNA replication and its meiosis-specific homolog DMC1 in meiotic recombination. We also provide future study directions for a comprehensive understanding of RAD51/DMC1-mediated regulation in maintaining and inheriting genome integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaru Ito
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 3-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Yurika Fujita
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 3-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Akira Shinohara
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 3-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
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4
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Harami GM, Pálinkás J, Seol Y, Kovács ZJ, Gyimesi M, Harami-Papp H, Neuman KC, Kovács M. The toposiomerase IIIalpha-RMI1-RMI2 complex orients human Bloom's syndrome helicase for efficient disruption of D-loops. Nat Commun 2022; 13:654. [PMID: 35115525 PMCID: PMC8813930 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28208-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Homologous recombination (HR) is a ubiquitous and efficient process that serves the repair of severe forms of DNA damage and the generation of genetic diversity during meiosis. HR can proceed via multiple pathways with different outcomes that may aid or impair genome stability and faithful inheritance, underscoring the importance of HR quality control. Human Bloom's syndrome (BLM, RecQ family) helicase plays central roles in HR pathway selection and quality control via unexplored molecular mechanisms. Here we show that BLM's multi-domain structural architecture supports a balance between stabilization and disruption of displacement loops (D-loops), early HR intermediates that are key targets for HR regulation. We find that this balance is markedly shifted toward efficient D-loop disruption by the presence of BLM's interaction partners Topoisomerase IIIα-RMI1-RMI2, which have been shown to be involved in multiple steps of HR-based DNA repair. Our results point to a mechanism whereby BLM can differentially process D-loops and support HR control depending on cellular regulatory mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gábor M Harami
- ELTE-MTA "Momentum" Motor Enzymology Research Group, Department of Biochemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. s. 1/c, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary. .,Laboratory of Single Molecule Biophysics, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, USA.
| | - János Pálinkás
- ELTE-MTA "Momentum" Motor Enzymology Research Group, Department of Biochemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. s. 1/c, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Yeonee Seol
- Laboratory of Single Molecule Biophysics, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, USA
| | - Zoltán J Kovács
- ELTE-MTA "Momentum" Motor Enzymology Research Group, Department of Biochemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. s. 1/c, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Máté Gyimesi
- ELTE-MTA "Momentum" Motor Enzymology Research Group, Department of Biochemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. s. 1/c, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary.,MTA-ELTE Motor Pharmacology Research Group, Department of Biochemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. s. 1/c, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Hajnalka Harami-Papp
- ELTE-MTA "Momentum" Motor Enzymology Research Group, Department of Biochemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. s. 1/c, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary.,Laboratory of Single Molecule Biophysics, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, USA
| | - Keir C Neuman
- Laboratory of Single Molecule Biophysics, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, USA
| | - Mihály Kovács
- ELTE-MTA "Momentum" Motor Enzymology Research Group, Department of Biochemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. s. 1/c, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary. .,MTA-ELTE Motor Pharmacology Research Group, Department of Biochemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. s. 1/c, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary.
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5
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RecQ helicases in DNA repair and cancer targets. Essays Biochem 2021; 64:819-830. [PMID: 33095241 PMCID: PMC7588665 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20200012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Helicases are enzymes that use the energy derived from ATP hydrolysis to catalyze the unwinding of DNA or RNA. The RecQ family of helicases is conserved through evolution from prokaryotes to higher eukaryotes and plays important roles in various DNA repair pathways, contributing to the maintenance of genome integrity. Despite their roles as general tumor suppressors, there is now considerable interest in exploiting RecQ helicases as synthetic lethal targets for the development of new cancer therapeutics. In this review, we summarize the latest developments in the structural and mechanistic study of RecQ helicases and discuss their roles in various DNA repair pathways. Finally, we consider the potential to exploit RecQ helicases as therapeutic targets and review the recent progress towards the development of small molecules targeting RecQ helicases as cancer therapeutics.
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6
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Chen X, Ali YI, Fisher CEL, Arribas-Bosacoma R, Rajasekaran MB, Williams G, Walker S, Booth JR, Hudson JJR, Roe SM, Pearl LH, Ward SE, Pearl FMG, Oliver AW. Uncovering an allosteric mode of action for a selective inhibitor of human Bloom syndrome protein. eLife 2021; 10:e65339. [PMID: 33647232 PMCID: PMC7924943 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BLM (Bloom syndrome protein) is a RECQ-family helicase involved in the dissolution of complex DNA structures and repair intermediates. Synthetic lethality analysis implicates BLM as a promising target in a range of cancers with defects in the DNA damage response; however, selective small molecule inhibitors of defined mechanism are currently lacking. Here, we identify and characterise a specific inhibitor of BLM's ATPase-coupled DNA helicase activity, by allosteric trapping of a DNA-bound translocation intermediate. Crystallographic structures of BLM-DNA-ADP-inhibitor complexes identify a hitherto unknown interdomain interface, whose opening and closing are integral to translocation of ssDNA, and which provides a highly selective pocket for drug discovery. Comparison with structures of other RECQ helicases provides a model for branch migration of Holliday junctions by BLM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangrong Chen
- Cancer Research UK DNA Repair Enzymes Group, Genome Damage and Stability Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of SussexFalmerUnited Kingdom
- Bioinformatics Lab, School of Life Sciences, University of SussexFalmerUnited Kingdom
| | - Yusuf I Ali
- Bioinformatics Lab, School of Life Sciences, University of SussexFalmerUnited Kingdom
- Sussex Drug Discovery Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of SussexFalmerUnited Kingdom
| | - Charlotte EL Fisher
- Cancer Research UK DNA Repair Enzymes Group, Genome Damage and Stability Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of SussexFalmerUnited Kingdom
| | - Raquel Arribas-Bosacoma
- Cancer Research UK DNA Repair Enzymes Group, Genome Damage and Stability Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of SussexFalmerUnited Kingdom
| | - Mohan B Rajasekaran
- Sussex Drug Discovery Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of SussexFalmerUnited Kingdom
| | - Gareth Williams
- Sussex Drug Discovery Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of SussexFalmerUnited Kingdom
| | - Sarah Walker
- Sussex Drug Discovery Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of SussexFalmerUnited Kingdom
| | - Jessica R Booth
- Sussex Drug Discovery Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of SussexFalmerUnited Kingdom
| | - Jessica JR Hudson
- Sussex Drug Discovery Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of SussexFalmerUnited Kingdom
| | - S Mark Roe
- School of Life Sciences, University of SussexFalmerUnited Kingdom
| | - Laurence H Pearl
- Cancer Research UK DNA Repair Enzymes Group, Genome Damage and Stability Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of SussexFalmerUnited Kingdom
| | - Simon E Ward
- Sussex Drug Discovery Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of SussexFalmerUnited Kingdom
- Medicines Discovery Institute, Park Place, Cardiff UniversityCardiffUnited Kingdom
| | - Frances MG Pearl
- Bioinformatics Lab, School of Life Sciences, University of SussexFalmerUnited Kingdom
| | - Antony W Oliver
- Cancer Research UK DNA Repair Enzymes Group, Genome Damage and Stability Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of SussexFalmerUnited Kingdom
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7
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Lejault P, Mitteaux J, Sperti FR, Monchaud D. How to untie G-quadruplex knots and why? Cell Chem Biol 2021; 28:436-455. [PMID: 33596431 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2021.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
For over two decades, the prime objective of the chemical biology community studying G-quadruplexes (G4s) has been to use chemicals to interact with and stabilize G4s in cells to obtain mechanistic interpretations. This strategy has been undoubtedly successful, as demonstrated by recent advances. However, these insights have also led to a fundamental rethinking of G4-targeting strategies: due to the prevalence of G4s in the human genome, transcriptome, and ncRNAome (collectively referred to as the G4ome), and their involvement in human diseases, should we continue developing G4-stabilizing ligands or should we invest in designing molecular tools to unfold G4s? Here, we first focus on how, when, and where G4s fold in cells; then, we describe the enzymatic systems that have evolved to counteract G4 folding and how they have been used as tools to manipulate G4s in cells; finally, we present strategies currently being implemented to devise new molecular G4 unwinding agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Lejault
- Institut de Chimie Moléculaire de l'Université de Bourgogne, ICMUB CNRS UMR 6302, UBFC Dijon, France
| | - Jérémie Mitteaux
- Institut de Chimie Moléculaire de l'Université de Bourgogne, ICMUB CNRS UMR 6302, UBFC Dijon, France
| | - Francesco Rota Sperti
- Institut de Chimie Moléculaire de l'Université de Bourgogne, ICMUB CNRS UMR 6302, UBFC Dijon, France
| | - David Monchaud
- Institut de Chimie Moléculaire de l'Université de Bourgogne, ICMUB CNRS UMR 6302, UBFC Dijon, France.
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8
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Newman JA, Gavard AE, Lieb S, Ravichandran MC, Hauer K, Werni P, Geist L, Böttcher J, Engen JR, Rumpel K, Samwer M, Petronczki M, Gileadi O. Structure of the helicase core of Werner helicase, a key target in microsatellite instability cancers. Life Sci Alliance 2021; 4:e202000795. [PMID: 33199508 PMCID: PMC7671478 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202000795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Loss of WRN, a DNA repair helicase, was identified as a strong vulnerability of microsatellite instable (MSI) cancers, making WRN a promising drug target. We show that ATP binding and hydrolysis are required for genome integrity and viability of MSI cancer cells. We report a 2.2-Å crystal structure of the WRN helicase core (517-1,093), comprising the two helicase subdomains and winged helix domain but not the HRDC domain or nuclease domains. The structure highlights unusual features. First, an atypical mode of nucleotide binding that results in unusual relative positioning of the two helicase subdomains. Second, an additional β-hairpin in the second helicase subdomain and an unusual helical hairpin in the Zn2+ binding domain. Modelling of the WRN helicase in complex with DNA suggests roles for these features in the binding of alternative DNA structures. NMR analysis shows a weak interaction between the HRDC domain and the helicase core, indicating a possible biological role for this association. Together, this study will facilitate the structure-based development of inhibitors against WRN helicase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Newman
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Simone Lieb
- Boehringer Ingelheim RCV GmbH & Co KG, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Katja Hauer
- Boehringer Ingelheim RCV GmbH & Co KG, Vienna, Austria
| | - Patrick Werni
- Boehringer Ingelheim RCV GmbH & Co KG, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Jark Böttcher
- Boehringer Ingelheim RCV GmbH & Co KG, Vienna, Austria
| | - John R Engen
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Klaus Rumpel
- Boehringer Ingelheim RCV GmbH & Co KG, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Opher Gileadi
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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9
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Bythell-Douglas R, Deans AJ. A Structural Guide to the Bloom Syndrome Complex. Structure 2020; 29:99-113. [PMID: 33357470 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2020.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The Bloom syndrome complex is a DNA damage repair machine. It consists of several protein components which are functional in isolation, but interdependent in cells for the maintenance of accurate homologous recombination. Mutations to any of the genes encoding these proteins cause numerous physical and developmental markers as well as phenotypes of genome instability, infertility, and cancer predisposition. Here we review the published structural and biochemical data on each of the components of the complex: the helicase BLM, the type IA topoisomerase TOP3A, and the OB-fold-containing RMI and RPA subunits. We describe how each component contributes to function, interacts with each other, and the DNA that it manipulates/repairs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohan Bythell-Douglas
- Genome Stability Unit, St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC, 3056, Australia.
| | - Andrew J Deans
- Genome Stability Unit, St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC, 3056, Australia; Department of Medicine (St Vincent's), University of Melbourne, Fitzroy, VIC, 3056, Australia.
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10
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Teng FY, Wang TT, Guo HL, Xin BG, Sun B, Dou SX, Xi XG, Hou XM. The HRDC domain oppositely modulates the unwinding activity of E. coli RecQ helicase on duplex DNA and G-quadruplex. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:17646-17658. [PMID: 33454004 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.015492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
RecQ family helicases are highly conserved from bacteria to humans and have essential roles in maintaining genome stability. Mutations in three human RecQ helicases cause severe diseases with the main features of premature aging and cancer predisposition. Most RecQ helicases shared a conserved domain arrangement which comprises a helicase core, an RecQ C-terminal domain, and an auxiliary element helicase and RNaseD C-terminal (HRDC) domain, the functions of which are poorly understood. In this study, we systematically characterized the roles of the HRDC domain in E. coli RecQ in various DNA transactions by single-molecule FRET. We found that RecQ repetitively unwinds the 3'-partial duplex and fork DNA with a moderate processivity and periodically patrols on the ssDNA in the 5'-partial duplex by translocation. The HRDC domain significantly suppresses RecQ activities in the above transactions. In sharp contrast, the HRDC domain is essential for the deep and long-time unfolding of the G4 DNA structure by RecQ. Based on the observations that the HRDC domain dynamically switches between RecA core- and ssDNA-binding modes after RecQ association with DNA, we proposed a model to explain the modulation mechanism of the HRDC domain. Our findings not only provide new insights into the activities of RecQ on different substrates but also highlight the novel functions of the HRDC domain in DNA metabolisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang-Yuan Teng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Experimental Medicine Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China; Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, and Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Luzhou, and Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Nephropathy, and Academician (Expert) Workstation of Sichuan Province, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Ting-Ting Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Hai-Lei Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ben-Ge Xin
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Bo Sun
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuo-Xing Dou
- Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xu-Guang Xi
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China; LBPA, Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - Xi-Miao Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China.
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11
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Teng FY, Jiang ZZ, Huang LY, Guo M, Chen F, Hou XM, Xi XG, Xu Y. A Toolbox for Site-Specific Labeling of RecQ Helicase With a Single Fluorophore Used in the Single-Molecule Assay. Front Mol Biosci 2020; 7:586450. [PMID: 33102530 PMCID: PMC7545742 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.586450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Fluorescently labeled proteins can improve the detection sensitivity and have been widely used in a variety of biological measurements. In single-molecule assays, site-specific labeling of proteins enables the visualization of molecular interactions, conformational changes in proteins, and enzymatic activity. In this study, based on a flexible linker in the Escherichia coli RecQ helicase, we established a scheme involving a combination of fluorophore labeling and sortase A ligation to allow site-specific labeling of the HRDC domain of RecQ with a single Cy5 fluorophore, without inletting extra fluorescent domain or peptide fragment. Using single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer, we visualized that Cy5-labeled HRDC could directly interact with RecA domains and could bind to both the 3′ and 5′ ends of the overhang DNA dynamically in vitro for the first time. The present work not only reveals the functional mechanism of the HRDC domain, but also provides a feasible method for site-specific labeling of a domain with a single fluorophore used in single-molecule assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang-Yuan Teng
- Experimental Medicine Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.,Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, and Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Luzhou, and Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Nephropathy, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Academician (Expert) Workstation of Sichuan Province, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Zong-Zhe Jiang
- Experimental Medicine Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, and Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Luzhou, and Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Nephropathy, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Ling-Yun Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Man Guo
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, and Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Luzhou, and Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Nephropathy, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Feng Chen
- Experimental Medicine Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Xi-Miao Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Xu-Guang Xi
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.,LBPA, Ecole normale supérieure Paris-Saclay, Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), Université Paris Saclay, Cachan, France
| | - Yong Xu
- Experimental Medicine Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, and Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Luzhou, and Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Nephropathy, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
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12
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Lee S, Kim J, Han S, Park CJ. Recognition and Unfolding of c-MYC and Telomeric G-Quadruplex DNAs by the RecQ C-Terminal Domain of Human Bloom Syndrome Helicase. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:14513-14522. [PMID: 32596589 PMCID: PMC7315595 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c01176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
G-quadruplex (G4) is a noncanonical DNA secondary structure formed by Hoogsteen base pairing. It is recognized by various DNA helicases involved in DNA metabolism processes such as replication and transcription. Human Bloom syndrome protein (BLM), one of five human RecQ helicases, is a G4 helicase. While several studies revealed the mechanism of G4 binding and unfolding by the conserved RecQ C-terminal (RQC) domain of BLM, how RQC recognizes different G4 topologies is still unclear. Here, we investigated the interaction of Myc-22(14/23T) G4 from the c-Myc promoter and hTelo G4 from the telomeric sequence with RQC. Myc-22(14/23T) and hTelo form parallel and (3+1) hybrid topologies, respectively. Our circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy data indicate that RQC can partially unfold the parallel G4, even with a short 3' overhang, while it can only partially unfold the (3+1) hybrid G4 with a 3' overhang of 6 nucleotides or longer. We found that the intrinsic thermal stability of G4 does not determine RQC-induced G4 unfolding by comparing T m of G4s. We also showed that both parallel and (3+1) hybrid G4s bind to the β-wing region of RQC. Thermodynamic analysis using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) showed that all interactions were endothermic and entropically driven. We suggest that RQC partially unfolds the parallel G4 more efficiently than the (3+1) hybrid G4 and binds to various G4 structures using its β-wing region. By this information, our research provides new insights into the influence of G4 structure on DNA metabolic processes involving BLM.
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Lee S, Lee AR, Ryu KS, Lee JH, Park CJ. NMR Investigation of the Interaction between the RecQ C-Terminal Domain of Human Bloom Syndrome Protein and G-Quadruplex DNA from the Human c-Myc Promoter. J Mol Biol 2019; 431:794-806. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2019.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Revised: 01/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Abstract
DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are a potentially lethal DNA lesions that disrupt both the physical and genetic continuity of the DNA duplex. Homologous recombination (HR) is a universally conserved genome maintenance pathway that initiates via nucleolytic processing of the broken DNA ends (resection). Eukaryotic DNA resection is catalyzed by the resectosome-a multicomponent molecular machine consisting of the nucleases DNA2 or Exonuclease 1 (EXO1), Bloom's helicase (BLM), the MRE11-RAD50-NBS1 (MRN) complex, and additional regulatory factors. Here, we describe methods for purification and single-molecule imaging and analysis of EXO1, DNA2, and BLM. We also describe how to adapt resection assays to the high-throughput single-molecule DNA curtain assay. By organizing hundreds of individual molecules on the surface of a microfluidic flowcell, DNA curtains visualize protein complexes with the required spatial and temporal resolution to resolve the molecular choreography during critical DNA-processing reactions.
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Hecox-Lea BJ, Mark Welch DB. Evolutionary diversity and novelty of DNA repair genes in asexual Bdelloid rotifers. BMC Evol Biol 2018; 18:177. [PMID: 30486781 PMCID: PMC6264785 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-018-1288-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bdelloid rotifers are the oldest, most diverse and successful animal taxon for which males, hermaphrodites, and traditional meiosis are unknown. Their degenerate tetraploid genome, with 2–4 copies of most loci, includes thousands of genes acquired from all domains of life by horizontal transfer. Many bdelloid species thrive in ephemerally aquatic habitats by surviving desiccation at any life stage with no loss of fecundity or lifespan. Their unique genomic diversity and the intense selective pressure of desiccation provide an exceptional opportunity to study the evolution of diversity and novelty in genes involved in DNA repair. Results We used genomic data and RNA-Seq of the desiccation process in the bdelloid Adineta vaga to characterize DNA damage reversal, translesion synthesis, and the major DNA repair pathways: base, nucleotide, and alternate excision repair, mismatch repair (MMR), and double strand break repair by homologous recombination (HR) and classical non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). We identify multiple horizontally transferred DNA damage response genes otherwise unknown in animals (AlkD, Fpg, LigK UVDE), and the presence of genes often considered vertebrate specific, particularly in the NHEJ complex and X family polymerases. While 75–100% of genes involved in MMR and HR are present in 0–2 copies, genes involved in NHEJ, which are present in only a single copy in nearly all other animals, are retained in 3–8 copies. We present structural predictions and expression evidence of neo- or sub-functionalization of multiple copy genes involved in NHEJ and other repair processes. Conclusion The horizontally-acquired genes and duplicated genes in BER and NHEJ suggest resilience to oxidative damage is conferred in part by increased DNA damage recognition and efficient end repair capabilities. The pattern of gene loss and retention in MMR and HR may facilitate recombination and gene conversion between divergent sequences, thus providing at least some of the benefits of sex. The unique retention and divergence of duplicates genes in NHEJ may be facilitated by the lack of efficient selection in the absence of meiotic recombination and independent assortment, and may contribute to the evolutionary success of bdelloids. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12862-018-1288-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bette J Hecox-Lea
- Josephine Bay Paul Center for Comparative Molecular Biology and Evolution, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA.,Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David B Mark Welch
- Josephine Bay Paul Center for Comparative Molecular Biology and Evolution, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA.
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van Wietmarschen N, Merzouk S, Halsema N, Spierings DCJ, Guryev V, Lansdorp PM. BLM helicase suppresses recombination at G-quadruplex motifs in transcribed genes. Nat Commun 2018; 9:271. [PMID: 29348659 PMCID: PMC5773480 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02760-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bloom syndrome is a cancer predisposition disorder caused by mutations in the BLM helicase gene. Cells from persons with Bloom syndrome exhibit striking genomic instability characterized by excessive sister chromatid exchange events (SCEs). We applied single-cell DNA template strand sequencing (Strand-seq) to map the genomic locations of SCEs. Our results show that in the absence of BLM, SCEs in human and murine cells do not occur randomly throughout the genome but are strikingly enriched at coding regions, specifically at sites of guanine quadruplex (G4) motifs in transcribed genes. We propose that BLM protects against genome instability by suppressing recombination at sites of G4 structures, particularly in transcribed regions of the genome. Bloom syndrome is characterized by high levels of sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs). Here, the authors use single-cell DNA template strand-sequencing to map SCEs in patient cells, and propose that the BLM helicase protects the genome against unwanted recombination at sites of G-quadruplex structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niek van Wietmarschen
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sarra Merzouk
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Nancy Halsema
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Diana C J Spierings
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Victor Guryev
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Peter M Lansdorp
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV, Groningen, The Netherlands. .,Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1L3, Canada. .,Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
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17
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Shastri VM, Schmidt KH. Cellular defects caused by hypomorphic variants of the Bloom syndrome helicase gene BLM. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2016; 4:106-19. [PMID: 26788541 PMCID: PMC4707026 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2015] [Revised: 10/28/2015] [Accepted: 10/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bloom syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by extraordinary cancer incidence early in life and an average life expectancy of ~27 years. Premature stop codons in BLM, which encodes a DNA helicase that functions in DNA double-strand-break repair, make up the vast majority of Bloom syndrome mutations, with only 13 single amino acid changes identified in the syndrome. Sequencing projects have identified nearly one hundred single nucleotide variants in BLM that cause amino acid changes of uncertain significance. METHODS AND RESULTS Here, in addition to identifying five BLM variants incapable of complementing certain defects of Bloom syndrome cells, making them candidates for new Bloom syndrome causing mutations, we characterize a new class of BLM variants that cause some, but not all, cellular defects of Bloom syndrome. We find elevated sister-chromatid exchanges, a delayed DNA damage response and inefficient DNA repair. Conversely, hydroxyurea sensitivity and quadriradial chromosome accumulation, both characteristic of Bloom syndrome cells, are absent. These intermediate variants affect sites in BLM that function in ATP hydrolysis and in contacting double-stranded DNA. CONCLUSION Allele frequency and cellular defects suggest candidates for new Bloom syndrome causing mutations, and intermediate BLM variants that are hypomorphic which, instead of causing Bloom syndrome, may increase a person's risk for cancer or possibly other Bloom-syndrome-associated disorders, such as type-2 diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek M Shastri
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular BiologyUniversity of South FloridaTampaFlorida33620; Graduate Program in Cell and Molecular BiologyUniversity of South FloridaTampaFlorida33620
| | - Kristina H Schmidt
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular BiologyUniversity of South FloridaTampaFlorida33620; Cancer Biology and Evolution ProgramH. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research InstituteTampaFlorida33612
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18
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Harami GM, Nagy NT, Martina M, Neuman KC, Kovács M. The HRDC domain of E. coli RecQ helicase controls single-stranded DNA translocation and double-stranded DNA unwinding rates without affecting mechanoenzymatic coupling. Sci Rep 2015; 5:11091. [PMID: 26067769 PMCID: PMC4464074 DOI: 10.1038/srep11091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2015] [Accepted: 05/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA-restructuring activities of RecQ-family helicases play key roles in genome maintenance. These activities, driven by two tandem RecA-like core domains, are thought to be controlled by accessory DNA-binding elements including the helicase-and-RnaseD-C-terminal (HRDC) domain. The HRDC domain of human Bloom’s syndrome (BLM) helicase was shown to interact with the RecA core, raising the possibility that it may affect the coupling between ATP hydrolysis, translocation along single-stranded (ss)DNA and/or unwinding of double-stranded (ds)DNA. Here, we determined how these activities are affected by the abolition of the ssDNA interaction of the HRDC domain or the deletion of the entire domain in E. coli RecQ helicase. Our data show that the HRDC domain suppresses the rate of DNA-activated ATPase activity in parallel with those of ssDNA translocation and dsDNA unwinding, regardless of the ssDNA binding capability of this domain. The HRDC domain does not affect either the processivity of ssDNA translocation or the tight coupling between the ATPase, translocation, and unwinding activities. Thus, the mechanochemical coupling of E. coli RecQ appears to be independent of HRDC-ssDNA and HRDC-RecA core interactions, which may play roles in more specialized functions of the enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gábor M Harami
- Department of Biochemistry, ELTE-MTA "Momentum" Motor Enzymology Research Group, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. s. 1/c, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Nikolett T Nagy
- Department of Biochemistry, ELTE-MTA "Momentum" Motor Enzymology Research Group, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. s. 1/c, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Máté Martina
- Department of Biochemistry, ELTE-MTA "Momentum" Motor Enzymology Research Group, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. s. 1/c, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Keir C Neuman
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of
| | - Mihály Kovács
- Department of Biochemistry, ELTE-MTA "Momentum" Motor Enzymology Research Group, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. s. 1/c, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
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19
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Newman JA, Savitsky P, Allerston CK, Bizard AH, Özer Ö, Sarlós K, Liu Y, Pardon E, Steyaert J, Hickson ID, Gileadi O. Crystal structure of the Bloom's syndrome helicase indicates a role for the HRDC domain in conformational changes. Nucleic Acids Res 2015; 43:5221-35. [PMID: 25901030 PMCID: PMC4446433 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2015] [Accepted: 04/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Bloom's syndrome helicase (BLM) is a member of the RecQ family of DNA helicases, which play key roles in the maintenance of genome integrity in all organism groups. We describe crystal structures of the BLM helicase domain in complex with DNA and with an antibody fragment, as well as SAXS and domain association studies in solution. We show an unexpected nucleotide-dependent interaction of the core helicase domain with the conserved, poorly characterized HRDC domain. The BLM–DNA complex shows an unusual base-flipping mechanism with unique positioning of the DNA duplex relative to the helicase core domains. Comparison with other crystal structures of RecQ helicases permits the definition of structural transitions underlying ATP-driven helicase action, and the identification of a nucleotide-regulated tunnel that may play a role in interactions with complex DNA substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Newman
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, ORCRB, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Pavel Savitsky
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, ORCRB, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Charles K Allerston
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, ORCRB, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Anna H Bizard
- Center for Chromosome Stability and Center for Healthy Aging, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Panum Institute, Building 18.1, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Özgün Özer
- Center for Chromosome Stability and Center for Healthy Aging, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Panum Institute, Building 18.1, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Kata Sarlós
- Center for Chromosome Stability and Center for Healthy Aging, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Panum Institute, Building 18.1, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Ying Liu
- Center for Chromosome Stability and Center for Healthy Aging, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Panum Institute, Building 18.1, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Els Pardon
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2 , 1050 Brussels, Belgium Structural Biology Research Center, VIB, Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jan Steyaert
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2 , 1050 Brussels, Belgium Structural Biology Research Center, VIB, Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ian D Hickson
- Center for Chromosome Stability and Center for Healthy Aging, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Panum Institute, Building 18.1, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Opher Gileadi
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, ORCRB, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
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20
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Wang S, Qin W, Li JH, Lu Y, Lu KY, Nong DG, Dou SX, Xu CH, Xi XG, Li M. Unwinding forward and sliding back: an intermittent unwinding mode of the BLM helicase. Nucleic Acids Res 2015; 43:3736-46. [PMID: 25765643 PMCID: PMC4402530 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2014] [Accepted: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
There are lines of evidence that the Bloom syndrome helicase, BLM, catalyzes regression of stalled replication forks and disrupts displacement loops (D-loops) formed during homologous recombination (HR). Here we constructed a forked DNA with a 3′ single-stranded gap and a 5′ double-stranded handle to partly mimic a stalled DNA fork and used magnetic tweezers to study BLM-catalyzed unwinding of the forked DNA. We have directly observed that the BLM helicase may slide on the opposite strand for some distance after duplex unwinding at different forces. For DNA construct with a long hairpin, progressive unwinding of the hairpin is frequently interrupted by strand switching and backward sliding of the enzyme. Quantitative study of the uninterrupted unwinding length (time) has revealed a two-state-transition mechanism for strand-switching during the unwinding process. Mutational studies revealed that the RQC domain plays an important role in stabilizing the helicase/DNA interaction during both DNA unwinding and backward sliding of BLM. Especially, Lys1125 in the RQC domain, a highly conserved amino acid among RecQ helicases, may be involved in the backward sliding activity. We have also directly observed the in vitro pathway that BLM disrupts the mimic stalled replication fork. These results may shed new light on the mechanisms for BLM in DNA repair and homologous recombination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Wang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Wei Qin
- College of Life Science and Technology, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Jing-Hua Li
- Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Ying Lu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Ke-Yu Lu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Da-Guan Nong
- Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Shuo-Xing Dou
- Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Chun-Hua Xu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Xu-Guang Xi
- College of Life Science and Technology, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China Laboratoire de Biologie et PharmacologieAppliquée, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 61 Avenue du Président Wilson, 94235 Cachan, France
| | - Ming Li
- Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
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21
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Chatterjee S, Zagelbaum J, Savitsky P, Sturzenegger A, Huttner D, Janscak P, Hickson ID, Gileadi O, Rothenberg E. Mechanistic insight into the interaction of BLM helicase with intra-strand G-quadruplex structures. Nat Commun 2014; 5:5556. [PMID: 25418155 PMCID: PMC4243535 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2014] [Accepted: 10/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Bloom syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the RecQ family helicase BLM that is associated with growth retardation and predisposition to cancer. BLM helicase has a high specificity for non-canonical G-quadruplex (G4) DNA structures, which are formed by G-rich DNA strands and play an important role in the maintenance of genomic integrity. Here, we used single-molecule FRET to define the mechanism of interaction of BLM helicase with intra-stranded G4 structures. We show that the activity of BLM is substrate dependent, and highly regulated by a short ssDNA segment that separates the G4 motif from dsDNA. We demonstrate cooperativity between the RQC and HRDC domains of BLM during binding and unfolding of the G4 structure, where the RQC domain interaction with G4 is stabilized by HRDC binding to ssDNA. We present a model that proposes a unique role for G4 structures in modulating the activity of DNA processing enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujoy Chatterjee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, MSB 394, 550 First Avenue, New York, New York 10016, USA
| | - Jennifer Zagelbaum
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, MSB 394, 550 First Avenue, New York, New York 10016, USA
| | - Pavel Savitsky
- Genome Integrity group, Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Andreas Sturzenegger
- Institute of Molecular Cancer Research, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Diana Huttner
- 1] NovoNordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark [2] Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Pavel Janscak
- Institute of Molecular Cancer Research, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ian D Hickson
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Opher Gileadi
- Genome Integrity group, Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Eli Rothenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, MSB 394, 550 First Avenue, New York, New York 10016, USA
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Kitano K. Structural mechanisms of human RecQ helicases WRN and BLM. Front Genet 2014; 5:366. [PMID: 25400656 PMCID: PMC4212688 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2014.00366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2014] [Accepted: 09/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The RecQ family DNA helicases Werner syndrome protein (WRN) and Bloom syndrome protein (BLM) play a key role in protecting the genome against deleterious changes. In humans, mutations in these proteins lead to rare genetic diseases associated with cancer predisposition and accelerated aging. WRN and BLM are distinguished from other helicases by possessing signature tandem domains toward the C terminus, referred to as the RecQ C-terminal (RQC) and helicase-and-ribonuclease D-C-terminal (HRDC) domains. Although the precise function of the HRDC domain remains unclear, the previous crystal structure of a WRN RQC-DNA complex visualized a central role for the RQC domain in recognizing, binding and unwinding DNA at branch points. In particular, a prominent hairpin structure (the β-wing) within the RQC winged-helix motif acts as a scalpel to induce the unpairing of a Watson-Crick base pair at the DNA duplex terminus. A similar RQC-DNA interaction was also observed in the recent crystal structure of a BLM-DNA complex. I review the latest structures of WRN and BLM, and then provide a docking simulation of BLM with a Holliday junction. The model offers an explanation for the efficient branch migration activity of the RecQ family toward recombination and repair intermediates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken Kitano
- Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology Ikoma, Japan
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23
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Structural studies of DNA end detection and resection in homologous recombination. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2014; 6:a017962. [PMID: 25081516 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a017962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
DNA double-strand breaks are repaired by two major pathways, homologous recombination or nonhomologous end joining. The commitment to one or the other pathway proceeds via different steps of resection of the DNA ends, which is controlled and executed by a set of DNA double-strand break sensors, endo- and exonucleases, helicases, and DNA damage response factors. The molecular choreography of the underlying protein machinery is beginning to emerge. In this review, we discuss the early steps of genetic recombination and double-strand break sensing with an emphasis on structural and molecular studies.
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24
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Swuec P, Costa A. Molecular mechanism of double Holliday junction dissolution. Cell Biosci 2014; 4:36. [PMID: 25061510 PMCID: PMC4109787 DOI: 10.1186/2045-3701-4-36] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2014] [Accepted: 06/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Processing of homologous recombination intermediates is tightly coordinated to ensure that chromosomal integrity is maintained and tumorigenesis avoided. Decatenation of double Holliday junctions, for example, is catalysed by two enzymes that work in tight coordination and belong to the same 'dissolvasome' complex. Within the dissolvasome, the RecQ-like BLM helicase provides the translocase function for Holliday junction migration, while the topoisomerase III alpha-RMI1 subcomplex works as a proficient DNA decatenase, together resulting in double-Holliday-junction unlinking. Here, we review the available architectural and biochemical knowledge on the dissolvasome machinery, with a focus on the structural interplay between its components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Swuec
- Clare Hall laboratories, Cancer Research U.K. London Research Institute, London EN6 3LD, UK
| | - Alessandro Costa
- Clare Hall laboratories, Cancer Research U.K. London Research Institute, London EN6 3LD, UK
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25
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Swan MK, Legris V, Tanner A, Reaper PM, Vial S, Bordas R, Pollard JR, Charlton PA, Golec JMC, Bertrand JA. Structure of human Bloom's syndrome helicase in complex with ADP and duplex DNA. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 70:1465-75. [PMID: 24816114 DOI: 10.1107/s139900471400501x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2013] [Accepted: 03/05/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Bloom's syndrome is an autosomal recessive genome-instability disorder associated with a predisposition to cancer, premature aging and developmental abnormalities. It is caused by mutations that inactivate the DNA helicase activity of the BLM protein or nullify protein expression. The BLM helicase has been implicated in the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) pathway, which is essential for the limitless replication of some cancer cells. This pathway is used by 10-15% of cancers, where inhibitors of BLM are expected to facilitate telomere shortening, leading to apoptosis or senescence. Here, the crystal structure of the human BLM helicase in complex with ADP and a 3'-overhang DNA duplex is reported. In addition to the helicase core, the BLM construct used for crystallization (residues 640-1298) includes the RecQ C-terminal (RQC) and the helicase and ribonuclease D C-terminal (HRDC) domains. Analysis of the structure provides detailed information on the interactions of the protein with DNA and helps to explain the mechanism coupling ATP hydrolysis and DNA unwinding. In addition, mapping of the missense mutations onto the structure provides insights into the molecular basis of Bloom's syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael K Swan
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Europe), Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England
| | - Valerie Legris
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Europe), Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England
| | - Adam Tanner
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Europe), Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England
| | - Philip M Reaper
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Europe), Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England
| | - Sarah Vial
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Europe), Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England
| | - Rebecca Bordas
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Europe), Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England
| | - John R Pollard
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Europe), Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England
| | | | | | - Jay A Bertrand
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Europe), Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England
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Park CJ, Ko J, Ryu KS, Choi BS. Solution structure of the RecQ C-terminal domain of human Bloom syndrome protein. JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR NMR 2014; 58:141-147. [PMID: 24435566 DOI: 10.1007/s10858-014-9812-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2013] [Accepted: 01/09/2014] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
RecQ C-terminal (RQC) domain is known as the main DNA binding module of RecQ helicases such as Bloom syndrome protein (BLM) and Werner syndrome protein (WRN) that recognizes various DNA structures. Even though BLM is able to resolve various DNA structures similarly to WRN, BLM has different binding preferences for DNA substrates from WRN. In this study, we determined the solution structure of the RQC domain of human BLM. The structure shares the common winged-helix motif with other RQC domains. However, half of the N-terminal has unstructured regions (α1-α2 loop and α3 region), and the aromatic side chain on the top of the β-hairpin, which is important for DNA duplex strand separation in other RQC domains, is substituted with a negatively charged residue (D1165) followed by the polar residue (Q1166). The structurally distinctive features of the RQC domain of human BLM suggest that the DNA binding modes of the BLM RQC domain may be different from those of other RQC domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chin-Ju Park
- Division of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Oryong-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 500-712, Republic of Korea,
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Klaue D, Kobbe D, Kemmerich F, Kozikowska A, Puchta H, Seidel R. Fork sensing and strand switching control antagonistic activities of RecQ helicases. Nat Commun 2013; 4:2024. [PMID: 23771268 PMCID: PMC3709500 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2012] [Accepted: 05/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
RecQ helicases have essential roles in maintaining genome stability during replication and in controlling double-strand break repair by homologous recombination. Little is known about how the different RecQ helicases found in higher eukaryotes achieve their specialized and partially opposing functions. Here, we investigate the DNA unwinding of RecQ helicases from Arabidopsis thaliana, AtRECQ2 and AtRECQ3 at the single-molecule level using magnetic tweezers. Although AtRECQ2 predominantly unwinds forked DNA substrates in a highly repetitive fashion, AtRECQ3 prefers to rewind, that is, to close preopened DNA forks. For both enzymes, this process is controlled by frequent strand switches and active sensing of the unwinding fork. The relative extent of the strand switches towards unwinding or towards rewinding determines the predominant direction of the enzyme. Our results provide a simple explanation for how different biological activities can be achieved by rather similar members of the RecQ family. RecQ helicases are enzymes that play a central role in maintaining genome stability in the DNA repair cascade. Klaue et al. show that RecQ2 and RecQ3 from Arabidopsis thaliana process DNA by, respectively, unwinding and rewinding forked DNA substrates, using a frequent strand switching mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Klaue
- Biotechnology Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden 01062, Germany
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28
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Structure of the RecQ C-terminal domain of human Bloom syndrome protein. Sci Rep 2013; 3:3294. [PMID: 24257077 PMCID: PMC6505963 DOI: 10.1038/srep03294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2013] [Accepted: 11/06/2013] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Bloom syndrome is a rare genetic disorder characterized by genomic instability and cancer predisposition. The disease is caused by mutations of the Bloom syndrome protein (BLM). Here we report the crystal structure of a RecQ C-terminal (RQC) domain from human BLM. The structure reveals three novel features of BLM RQC which distinguish it from the previous structures of the Werner syndrome protein (WRN) and RECQ1. First, BLM RQC lacks an aromatic residue at the tip of the β-wing, a key element of the RecQ-family helicases used for DNA-strand separation. Second, a BLM-specific insertion between the N-terminal helices exhibits a looping-out structure that extends at right angles to the β-wing. Deletion mutagenesis of this insertion interfered with binding to Holliday junction. Third, the C-terminal region of BLM RQC adopts an extended structure running along the domain surface, which may facilitate the spatial positioning of an HRDC domain in the full-length protein.
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29
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Gyimesi M, Pires RH, Billington N, Sarlós K, Kocsis ZS, Módos K, Kellermayer MSZ, Kovács M. Visualization of human Bloom's syndrome helicase molecules bound to homologous recombination intermediates. FASEB J 2013; 27:4954-64. [PMID: 24005907 DOI: 10.1096/fj.13-234088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Homologous recombination (HR) is a key process in the repair of double-stranded DNA breaks (DSBs) that can initiate cancer or cell death. Human Bloom's syndrome RecQ-family DNA helicase (BLM) exerts complex activities to promote DSB repair while avoiding illegitimate HR. The oligomeric assembly state of BLM has been a key unresolved aspect of its activities. In this study we assessed the structure and oligomeric state of BLM, in the absence and presence of key HR-intermediate DNA structures, by using single-molecule visualization (electron microscopic and atomic force microscopic single-particle analysis) and solution biophysical (dynamic light scattering, kinetic and equilibrium binding) techniques. Besides full-length BLM, we used a previously characterized truncated construct (BLM(642-1290)) as a monomeric control. Contrary to previous models proposing a ring-forming oligomer, we found the majority of BLM molecules to be monomeric in all examined conditions. However, BLM showed a tendency to form dimers when bound to branched HR intermediates. Our results suggest that HR activities requiring single-stranded DNA translocation are performed by monomeric BLM, while complex DNA structures encountered and dissolved by BLM in later stages of HR induce partial oligomerization of the helicase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Máté Gyimesi
- 3Department of Biochemistry, Eötvös University, Pázmány P. s. 1/c, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary.
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30
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Liu S, Zhang W, Gao Z, Ming Q, Hou H, Lan W, Wu H, Cao C, Dong Y. NMR structure of the N-terminal-most HRDC1 domain of RecQ helicase from Deinococcus radiodurans. FEBS Lett 2013; 587:2635-42. [PMID: 23831579 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2013.06.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2013] [Revised: 06/18/2013] [Accepted: 06/21/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The RecQ helicase from Deinococcus radiodurans (DrRecQ) distinguishes from other helicases in that it utilizes its three 'helicase and RNaseD C-terminal' domains (HRDC1, HRDC2 and HRDC3) to regulate its activity. These HRDC domains have different influence on the biochemical functions of DrRecQ. Currently, only the structure of HRDC3 was reported. Here, we determined the NMR structure of the N-terminal-most HRDC1, revealing a potential DNA binding domain. Fluorescence anisotropy assay indicates that HRDC1 has binding affinity weaker than 70 μM to all DNA substrates without any specificity. Biochemical assays suggested that HRDC1 cooperates with other domains to enhance full-length DrRecQ interactions with DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-organic and Natural Product Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai 200032, China
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31
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Harami GM, Gyimesi M, Kovács M. From keys to bulldozers: expanding roles for winged helix domains in nucleic-acid-binding proteins. Trends Biochem Sci 2013; 38:364-71. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2013.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2013] [Revised: 04/16/2013] [Accepted: 04/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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32
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Larsen NB, Hickson ID. RecQ Helicases: Conserved Guardians of Genomic Integrity. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2013; 767:161-84. [PMID: 23161011 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-5037-5_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
The RecQ family of DNA helicases is highly conserved throughout -evolution, and is important for the maintenance of genome stability. In humans, five RecQ family members have been identified: BLM, WRN, RECQ4, RECQ1 and RECQ5. Defects in three of these give rise to Bloom's syndrome (BLM), Werner's syndrome (WRN) and Rothmund-Thomson/RAPADILINO/Baller-Gerold (RECQ4) syndromes. These syndromes are characterised by cancer predisposition and/or premature ageing. In this review, we focus on the roles of BLM and its S. cerevisiae homologue, Sgs1, in genome maintenance. BLM/Sgs1 has been shown to play a critical role in homologous recombination at multiple steps, including end-resection, displacement loop formation, branch migration and double Holliday junction dissolution. In addition, recent evidence has revealed a role for BLM/Sgs1 in the stabilisation and repair of replication forks damaged during a perturbed S-phase. Finally BLM also plays a role in the suppression and/or resolution of ultra-fine anaphase DNA bridges that form between sister-chromatids during mitosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolai Balle Larsen
- Nordea Center for Healthy Ageing, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, 2200N, Copenhagen, Denmark
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33
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Lucic B, Zhang Y, King O, Mendoza-Maldonado R, Berti M, Niesen FH, Burgess-Brown NA, Pike ACW, Cooper CDO, Gileadi O, Vindigni A. A prominent β-hairpin structure in the winged-helix domain of RECQ1 is required for DNA unwinding and oligomer formation. Nucleic Acids Res 2010; 39:1703-17. [PMID: 21059676 PMCID: PMC3061051 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkq1031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
RecQ helicases have attracted considerable interest in recent years due to their role in the suppression of genome instability and human diseases. These atypical helicases exert their function by resolving a number of highly specific DNA structures. The crystal structure of a truncated catalytic core of the human RECQ1 helicase (RECQ149–616) shows a prominent β-hairpin, with an aromatic residue (Y564) at the tip, located in the C-terminal winged-helix domain. Here, we show that the β-hairpin is required for the DNA unwinding and Holliday junction (HJ) resolution activity of full-length RECQ1, confirming that it represents an important determinant for the distinct substrate specificity of the five human RecQ helicases. In addition, we found that the β-hairpin is required for dimer formation in RECQ149–616 and tetramer formation in full-length RECQ1. We confirmed the presence of stable RECQ149–616 dimers in solution and demonstrated that dimer formation favours DNA unwinding; even though RECQ1 monomers are still active. Tetramers are instead necessary for more specialized activities such as HJ resolution and strand annealing. Interestingly, two independent protein–protein contacts are required for tetramer formation, one involves the β-hairpin and the other the N-terminus of RECQ1, suggesting a non-hierarchical mechanism of tetramer assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bojana Lucic
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Padriciano 99, 34149 Trieste, Italy
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