1
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Hu J, Crickard JB. All who wander are not lost: the search for homology during homologous recombination. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:367-377. [PMID: 38323621 PMCID: PMC10903458 DOI: 10.1042/bst20230705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Homologous recombination (HR) is a template-based DNA double-strand break repair pathway that functions to maintain genomic integrity. A vital component of the HR reaction is the identification of template DNA to be used during repair. This occurs through a mechanism known as the homology search. The homology search occurs in two steps: a collision step in which two pieces of DNA are forced to collide and a selection step that results in homologous pairing between matching DNA sequences. Selection of a homologous template is facilitated by recombinases of the RecA/Rad51 family of proteins in cooperation with helicases, translocases, and topoisomerases that determine the overall fidelity of the match. This menagerie of molecular machines acts to regulate critical intermediates during the homology search. These intermediates include recombinase filaments that probe for short stretches of homology and early strand invasion intermediates in the form of displacement loops (D-loops) that stabilize paired DNA. Here, we will discuss recent advances in understanding how these specific intermediates are regulated on the molecular level during the HR reaction. We will also discuss how the stability of these intermediates influences the ultimate outcomes of the HR reaction. Finally, we will discuss recent physiological models developed to explain how the homology search protects the genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyi Hu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, U.S.A
| | - J Brooks Crickard
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, U.S.A
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2
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Yu F, Zhang D, Zhao C, Zhao Q, Jiang G, Wang H. Flanking strand separation activity of RecA nucleoprotein filaments in DNA strand exchange reactions. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:2270-2283. [PMID: 36807462 PMCID: PMC10018334 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The recombinase RecA/Rad51 ATPase family proteins catalyze paramount DNA strand exchange reactions that are critically involved in maintaining genome integrity. However, it remains unclear how DNA strand exchange proceeds when encountering RecA-free defects in recombinase nucleoprotein filaments. Herein, by designing a series of unique substrates (e.g. truncated or conjugated incoming single-stranded DNA, and extended donor double-stranded DNA) and developing a two-color alternating excitation-modified single-molecule real-time fluorescence imaging assay, we resolve the two key steps (donor strand separation and new base-pair formation) that are usually inseparable during the reaction, revealing a novel long-range flanking strand separation activity of synaptic RecA nucleoprotein filaments. We further evaluate the kinetics and free energetics of strand exchange reactions mediated by various substrates, and elucidate the mechanism of flanking strand separation. Based on these findings, we propose a potential fundamental molecular model involved in flanking strand separation, which provides new insights into strand exchange mechanism and homologous recombination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangzhi Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Dapeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chubin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Qiang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guibin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
- School of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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3
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Molza AE, Westermaier Y, Moutte M, Ducrot P, Danilowicz C, Godoy-Carter V, Prentiss M, Robert CH, Baaden M, Prévost C. Building Biological Relevance Into Integrative Modelling of Macromolecular Assemblies. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:826136. [PMID: 35480882 PMCID: PMC9035671 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.826136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in structural biophysics and integrative modelling methods now allow us to decipher the structures of large macromolecular assemblies. Understanding the dynamics and mechanisms involved in their biological function requires rigorous integration of all available data. We have developed a complete modelling pipeline that includes analyses to extract biologically significant information by consistently combining automated and interactive human-guided steps. We illustrate this idea with two examples. First, we describe the ryanodine receptor, an ion channel that controls ion flux across the cell membrane through transitions between open and closed states. The conformational changes associated with the transitions are small compared to the considerable system size of the receptor; it is challenging to consistently track these states with the available cryo-EM structures. The second example involves homologous recombination, in which long filaments of a recombinase protein and DNA catalyse the exchange of homologous DNA strands to reliably repair DNA double-strand breaks. The nucleoprotein filament reaction intermediates in this process are short-lived and heterogeneous, making their structures particularly elusive. The pipeline we describe, which incorporates experimental and theoretical knowledge combined with state-of-the-art interactive and immersive modelling tools, can help overcome these challenges. In both examples, we point to new insights into biological processes that arise from such interdisciplinary approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Elisabeth Molza
- CNRS, Université Paris-Cité, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Paris, France
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique-Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Yvonne Westermaier
- Biophysics and Modelling Department/In Vitro Pharmacology Unit–IDRS (Servier Research Institute), Croissy-sur-Seine, France
| | | | - Pierre Ducrot
- Biophysics and Modelling Department/In Vitro Pharmacology Unit–IDRS (Servier Research Institute), Croissy-sur-Seine, France
| | | | | | - Mara Prentiss
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Charles H. Robert
- CNRS, Université Paris-Cité, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Paris, France
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique-Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Marc Baaden
- CNRS, Université Paris-Cité, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Paris, France
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique-Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Chantal Prévost
- CNRS, Université Paris-Cité, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Paris, France
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique-Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, Paris, France
- *Correspondence: Chantal Prévost ,
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4
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Cofsky JC, Soczek KM, Knott GJ, Nogales E, Doudna JA. CRISPR-Cas9 bends and twists DNA to read its sequence. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2022; 29:395-402. [PMID: 35422516 PMCID: PMC9189902 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-022-00756-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
In bacterial defense and genome editing applications, the CRISPR-associated protein Cas9 searches millions of DNA base pairs to locate a 20-nucleotide, guide RNA-complementary target sequence that abuts a protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM). Target capture requires Cas9 to unwind DNA at candidate sequences using an unknown ATP-independent mechanism. Here we show that Cas9 sharply bends and undertwists DNA on PAM binding, thereby flipping DNA nucleotides out of the duplex and toward the guide RNA for sequence interrogation. Cryogenic-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of Cas9-RNA-DNA complexes trapped at different states of the interrogation pathway, together with solution conformational probing, reveal that global protein rearrangement accompanies formation of an unstacked DNA hinge. Bend-induced base flipping explains how Cas9 'reads' snippets of DNA to locate target sites within a vast excess of nontarget DNA, a process crucial to both bacterial antiviral immunity and genome editing. This mechanism establishes a physical solution to the problem of complementarity-guided DNA search and shows how interrogation speed and local DNA geometry may influence genome editing efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua C Cofsky
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Katarzyna M Soczek
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Gavin J Knott
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Eva Nogales
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- MBIB Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer A Doudna
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- MBIB Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Gladstone Institutes, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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5
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Xu J, Zhao L, Peng S, Chu H, Liang R, Tian M, Connell PP, Li G, Chen C, Wang HW. Mechanisms of distinctive mismatch tolerance between Rad51 and Dmc1 in homologous recombination. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:13135-13149. [PMID: 34871438 PMCID: PMC8682777 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab1141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Homologous recombination (HR) is a primary DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) repair mechanism. The recombinases Rad51 and Dmc1 are highly conserved in the RecA family; Rad51 is mainly responsible for DNA repair in somatic cells during mitosis while Dmc1 only works during meiosis in germ cells. This spatiotemporal difference is probably due to their distinctive mismatch tolerance during HR: Rad51 does not permit HR in the presence of mismatches, whereas Dmc1 can tolerate certain mismatches. Here, the cryo-EM structures of Rad51-DNA and Dmc1-DNA complexes revealed that the major conformational differences between these two proteins are located in their Loop2 regions, which contain invading single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) binding residues and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) complementary strand binding residues, stabilizing ssDNA and dsDNA in presynaptic and postsynaptic complexes, respectively. By combining molecular dynamic simulation and single-molecule FRET assays, we identified that V273 and D274 in the Loop2 region of human RAD51 (hRAD51), corresponding to P274 and G275 of human DMC1 (hDMC1), are the key residues regulating mismatch tolerance during strand exchange in HR. This HR accuracy control mechanism provides mechanistic insights into the specific roles of Rad51 and Dmc1 in DNA double-strand break repair and may shed light on the regulatory mechanism of genetic recombination in mitosis and meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingfei Xu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- School of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Lingyun Zhao
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Imaging and Characterization Core Lab, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sijia Peng
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Huiying Chu
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Design, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Rui Liang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Meng Tian
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Philip P Connell
- Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60615, USA
| | - Guohui Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Design, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Chunlai Chen
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Hong-Wei Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
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6
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Del Val E, Nasser W, Abaibou H, Reverchon S. Design and comparative characterization of RecA variants. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21106. [PMID: 34702889 PMCID: PMC8548320 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00589-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
RecA plays a central role in DNA repair and is a main actor involved in recombination and activation of the SOS response. It is also used in the context of biotechnological applications in recombinase polymerase isothermal amplification (RPA). In this work, we studied the biological properties of seven RecA variants, in particular their recombinogenic activity and their ability to induce the SOS response, to better understand the structure-function relationship of RecA and the effect of combined mutations. We also investigated the biochemical properties of RecA variants that may be useful for the development of biotechnological applications. We showed that Dickeya dadantii RecA (DdRecA) had an optimum strand exchange activity at 30 °C and in the presence of a dNTP mixture that inhibited Escherichia coli RecA (EcRecA). The differences between the CTD and C-tail of the EcRecA and DdRecA domains could explain the altered behaviour of DdRecA. D. radiodurans RecA (DrRecA) was unable to perform recombination and activation of the SOS response in an E. coli context, probably due to its inability to interact with E. coli recombination accessory proteins and SOS LexA repressor. DrRecA strand exchange activity was totally inhibited in the presence of chloride ions but worked well in acetate buffer. The overproduction of Pseudomonas aeruginosa RecA (PaRecA) in an E. coli context was responsible for a higher SOS response and defects in cellular growth. PaRecA was less inhibited by the dNTP mixture than EcRecA. Finally, the study of three variants, namely, EcPa, EcRecAV1 and EcRecAV2, that contained a combination of mutations that, taken independently, are described as improving recombination, led us to raise new hypotheses on the structure-function relationship and on the monomer-monomer interactions that perturb the activity of the protein as a whole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsa Del Val
- UMR5240, Microbiologie, Adaptation et Pathogénie, University of Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSA-Lyon, CNRS, 11 Avenue Jean Capelle, 69621, Villeurbanne, France
- Molecular Innovation Unit, Centre Christophe Mérieux, bioMérieux, 5 Rue des Berges, 38024, Grenoble Cedex 01, France
| | - William Nasser
- UMR5240, Microbiologie, Adaptation et Pathogénie, University of Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSA-Lyon, CNRS, 11 Avenue Jean Capelle, 69621, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Hafid Abaibou
- Molecular Innovation Unit, Centre Christophe Mérieux, bioMérieux, 5 Rue des Berges, 38024, Grenoble Cedex 01, France.
| | - Sylvie Reverchon
- UMR5240, Microbiologie, Adaptation et Pathogénie, University of Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSA-Lyon, CNRS, 11 Avenue Jean Capelle, 69621, Villeurbanne, France.
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7
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Sacquin-Mora S, Prévost C. When Order Meets Disorder: Modeling and Function of the Protein Interface in Fuzzy Complexes. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1529. [PMID: 34680162 PMCID: PMC8533853 DOI: 10.3390/biom11101529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The degree of proteins structural organization ranges from highly structured, compact folding to intrinsic disorder, where each degree of self-organization corresponds to specific functions: well-organized structural motifs in enzymes offer a proper environment for precisely positioned functional groups to participate in catalytic reactions; at the other end of the self-organization spectrum, intrinsically disordered proteins act as binding hubs via the formation of multiple, transient and often non-specific interactions. This review focusses on cases where structurally organized proteins or domains associate with highly disordered protein chains, leading to the formation of interfaces with varying degrees of fuzziness. We present a review of the computational methods developed to provide us with information on such fuzzy interfaces, and how they integrate experimental information. The discussion focusses on two specific cases, microtubules and homologous recombination nucleoprotein filaments, where a network of intrinsically disordered tails exerts regulatory function in recruiting partner macromolecules, proteins or DNA and tuning the atomic level association. Notably, we show how computational approaches such as molecular dynamics simulations can bring new knowledge to help bridging the gap between experimental analysis, that mostly concerns ensemble properties, and the behavior of individual disordered protein chains that contribute to regulation functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Sacquin-Mora
- CNRS, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR9080, Université de Paris, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France;
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Chantal Prévost
- CNRS, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR9080, Université de Paris, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France;
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, 75006 Paris, France
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8
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Boyer B, Laurent B, Robert CH, Prévost C. Modeling Perturbations in Protein Filaments at the Micro and Meso Scale Using NAMD and PTools/Heligeom. Bio Protoc 2021; 11:e4097. [PMID: 34395733 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.4097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein filaments are dynamic entities that respond to external stimuli by slightly or substantially modifying the internal binding geometries between successive protomers. This results in overall changes in the filament architecture, which are difficult to model due to the helical character of the system. Here, we describe how distortions in RecA nucleofilaments and their consequences on the filament-DNA and bound DNA-DNA interactions at different stages of the homologous recombination process can be modeled using the PTools/Heligeom software and subsequent molecular dynamics simulation with NAMD. Modeling methods dealing with helical macromolecular objects typically rely on symmetric assemblies and take advantage of known symmetry descriptors. Other methods dealing with single objects, such as MMTK or VMD, do not integrate the specificities of regular assemblies. By basing the model building on binding geometries at the protomer-protomer level, PTools/Heligeom frees the building process from a priori knowledge of the system topology and enables irregular architectures and symmetry disruption to be accounted for. Graphical abstract: Model of ATP hydrolysis-induced distortions in the recombinant nucleoprotein, obtained by combining RecA-DNA and two RecA-RecA binding geometries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Boyer
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, CNRS, UPR 9080, Université de Paris, F-75005, Paris, France.,Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Benoist Laurent
- CNRS, FR 550, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Paris, France
| | - Charles H Robert
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, CNRS, UPR 9080, Université de Paris, F-75005, Paris, France.,Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Chantal Prévost
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, CNRS, UPR 9080, Université de Paris, F-75005, Paris, France.,Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, Paris, France
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9
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Lee AJ, Endo M, Hobbs JK, Davies AG, Wälti C. Micro-homology intermediates: RecA's transient sampling revealed at the single molecule level. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:1426-1435. [PMID: 33476368 PMCID: PMC7897476 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa1258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Recombinase A (RecA) is central to homologous recombination. However, despite significant advances, the mechanism with which RecA is able to orchestrate a search for homology remains elusive. DNA nanostructure-augmented high-speed AFM offers the spatial and temporal resolutions required to study the RecA recombination mechanism directly and at the single molecule level. We present the direct in situ observation of RecA-orchestrated alignment of homologous DNA strands to form a stable recombination product within a supporting DNA nanostructure. We show the existence of subtle and short-lived states in the interaction landscape, which suggests that RecA transiently samples micro-homology at the single RecA monomer-level throughout the search for sequence alignment. These transient interactions form the early steps in the search for sequence homology, prior to the formation of stable pairings at >8 nucleotide seeds. The removal of sequence micro-homology results in the loss of the associated transient sampling at that location.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Lee
- Bioelectronics, The Pollard Institute, School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Woodhouse lane, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Masayuki Endo
- Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, Kyoto University, Yoshida-ushinomiyacho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Jamie K Hobbs
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Houndsfield Road, Sheffield S3 7RH, UK
| | - A Giles Davies
- Bioelectronics, The Pollard Institute, School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Woodhouse lane, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Christoph Wälti
- Bioelectronics, The Pollard Institute, School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Woodhouse lane, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
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10
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Mismatch sensing by nucleofilament deciphers mechanism of RecA-mediated homologous recombination. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:20549-20554. [PMID: 32788357 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1920265117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recombinases polymerize along single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) at the end of a broken DNA to form a helical nucleofilament with a periodicity of ∼18 bases. The filament catalyzes the search and checking for homologous sequences and promotes strand exchange with a donor duplex during homologous recombination (HR), the mechanism of which has remained mysterious since its discovery. Here, by inserting mismatched segments into donor duplexes and using single-molecule techniques to catch transient intermediates in HR, we found that, even though 3 base pairs (bp) is still the basic unit, both the homology checking and the strand exchange may proceed in multiple steps at a time, resulting in ∼9-bp large steps on average. More interestingly, the strand exchange is blocked remotely by the mismatched segment, terminating at positions ∼9 bp before the match-mismatch joint. The homology checking and the strand exchange are thus separated in space, with the strand exchange lagging behind. Our data suggest that the strand exchange progresses like a traveling wave in which the donor DNA is incorporated successively into the ssDNA-RecA filament to check homology in ∼9-bp steps in the frontier, followed by a hypothetical transitional segment and then the post-strand-exchanged duplex.
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11
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Fan HF, Su S, Kuo YA, Chen CJ. Influence of the C-Terminal Tail of RecA Proteins from Alkaline pH-Resistant Bacterium Deinococcus Ficus. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:19868-19876. [PMID: 32803083 PMCID: PMC7424711 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c02865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Deinococcus ficus CC-FR2-10T, resistant to ultraviolet, ionizing radiation, and chemicals which may cause DNA damage, was identified in Taiwan. The expression level of D. ficus RecA, which has 92% sequence identity with Deinococcus radiodurans (Dr.) RecA, will be upregulated upon UV radiation. Multiple sequence alignment of RecA proteins from bacteria belonging to Escherichia coli and the Deinococcus genus reveals that the C-terminal tail of D. ficus RecA is shorter and contains less acidic residues than E. coli RecA. D. ficus RecA exhibits a higher ATPase activity toward single-stranded (ss) DNA and efficiently promotes DNA strand exchange that a filament is first formed on ssDNA, followed by uptake of the double-stranded (ds) substrate. Moreover, D. ficus RecA exhibits a pH-reaction profile for DNA strand exchange similar to E. coli ΔC17 RecA. Later, a chimera D. ficus C17 E. coli RecA with more acidic residues in the C-terminal tail was constructed and purified. Increased negativity in the C-terminal tail makes the pH reaction profile for Chimera D. ficus C17 E. coli RecA DNA strand exchange exhibit a reaction optimum similar to E. coli RecA. To sum up, D. ficus RecA exhibits reaction properties in substrate-dependent ATPase activity and DNA strand exchange similar to E. coli RecA. Our data indicate that the negativity in the C-terminal tail plays an important role in the regulation of pH-dependent DNA strand exchange activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiu-Fang Fan
- Institute
of Medical Science and Technology, National
Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan
- Department
of Chemistry, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan
- Aerosol
Science Research Center, National Sun Yat-sen
University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan
| | - Shu Su
- Department
of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan
| | - Ying-An Kuo
- Department
of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan
| | - Cyuan-Ji Chen
- Department
of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan
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12
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RecA and DNA recombination: a review of molecular mechanisms. Biochem Soc Trans 2020; 47:1511-1531. [PMID: 31654073 DOI: 10.1042/bst20190558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Recombinases are responsible for homologous recombination and maintenance of genome integrity. In Escherichia coli, the recombinase RecA forms a nucleoprotein filament with the ssDNA present at a DNA break and searches for a homologous dsDNA to use as a template for break repair. During the first step of this process, the ssDNA is bound to RecA and stretched into a Watson-Crick base-paired triplet conformation. The RecA nucleoprotein filament also contains ATP and Mg2+, two cofactors required for RecA activity. Then, the complex starts a homology search by interacting with and stretching dsDNA. Thanks to supercoiling, intersegment sampling and RecA clustering, a genome-wide homology search takes place at a relevant metabolic timescale. When a region of homology 8-20 base pairs in length is found and stabilized, DNA strand exchange proceeds, forming a heteroduplex complex that is resolved through a combination of DNA synthesis, ligation and resolution. RecA activities can take place without ATP hydrolysis, but this latter activity is necessary to improve and accelerate the process. Protein flexibility and monomer-monomer interactions are fundamental for RecA activity, which functions cooperatively. A structure/function relationship analysis suggests that the recombinogenic activity can be improved and that recombinases have an inherently large recombination potential. Understanding this relationship is essential for designing RecA derivatives with enhanced activity for biotechnology applications. For example, this protein is a major actor in the recombinase polymerase isothermal amplification (RPA) used in point-of-care diagnostics.
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13
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Boyer B, Danilowicz C, Prentiss M, Prévost C. Weaving DNA strands: structural insight on ATP hydrolysis in RecA-induced homologous recombination. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:7798-7808. [PMID: 31372639 PMCID: PMC6735932 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2019] [Revised: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Homologous recombination is a fundamental process in all living organisms that allows the faithful repair of DNA double strand breaks, through the exchange of DNA strands between homologous regions of the genome. Results of three decades of investigation and recent fruitful observations have unveiled key elements of the reaction mechanism, which proceeds along nucleofilaments of recombinase proteins of the RecA family. Yet, one essential aspect of homologous recombination has largely been overlooked when deciphering the mechanism: while ATP is hydrolyzed in large quantity during the process, how exactly hydrolysis influences the DNA strand exchange reaction at the structural level remains to be elucidated. In this study, we build on a previous geometrical approach that studied the RecA filament variability without bound DNA to examine the putative implication of ATP hydrolysis on the structure, position, and interactions of up to three DNA strands within the RecA nucleofilament. Simulation results on modeled intermediates in the ATP cycle bring important clues about how local distortions in the DNA strand geometries resulting from ATP hydrolysis can aid sequence recognition by promoting local melting of already formed DNA heteroduplex and transient reverse strand exchange in a weaving type of mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Boyer
- CNRS, Université de Paris, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, F-75005 Paris, France.,Presently in Laboratoire Génomique Bioinformatique et Applications, EA4627, Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers, 292 rue Saint Martin, 75003 Paris, France
| | | | - Mara Prentiss
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Chantal Prévost
- CNRS, Université de Paris, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, F-75005 Paris, France.,Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique-Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, Paris, France
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14
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Lin YH, Chu CC, Fan HF, Wang PY, Cox MM, Li HW. A 5'-to-3' strand exchange polarity is intrinsic to RecA nucleoprotein filaments in the absence of ATP hydrolysis. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:5126-5140. [PMID: 30916331 PMCID: PMC6547424 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
RecA is essential to recombinational DNA repair in which RecA filaments mediate the homologous DNA pairing and strand exchange. Both RecA filament assembly and the subsequent DNA strand exchange are directional. Here, we demonstrate that the polarity of DNA strand exchange is embedded within RecA filaments even in the absence of ATP hydrolysis, at least over short DNA segments. Using single-molecule tethered particle motion, we show that successful strand exchange in the presence of ATP proceeds with a 5′-to-3′ polarity, as demonstrated previously. RecA filaments prepared with ATPγS also exhibit a 5′-to-3′ progress of strand exchange, suggesting that the polarity is not determined by RecA disassembly and/or ATP hydrolysis. RecAΔC17 mutants, lacking a C-terminal autoregulatory flap, also promote strand exchange in a 5′-to-3′ polarity in ATPγS, a polarity that is largely lost with this RecA variant when ATP is hydrolyzed. We propose that there is an inherent strand exchange polarity mediated by the structure of the RecA filament groove, associated by conformation changes propagated in a polar manner as DNA is progressively exchanged. ATP hydrolysis is coupled to polar strand exchange over longer distances, and its contribution to the polarity requires an intact RecA C-terminus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Hsuan Lin
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, 10617, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Chieh Chu
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, 10617, Taiwan
| | - Hsiu-Fang Fan
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, 11221 Taiwan
| | - Pang-Yen Wang
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, 10617, Taiwan
| | - Michael M Cox
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 53706, USA
| | - Hung-Wen Li
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, 10617, Taiwan
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15
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Li C, Danilowicz C, Tashjian TF, Godoy VG, Prévost C, Prentiss M. The positioning of Chi sites allows the RecBCD pathway to suppress some genomic rearrangements. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:1836-1846. [PMID: 30544167 PMCID: PMC6393298 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky1252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Revised: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial recombinational repair of double-strand breaks often begins with creation of initiating 3′ single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) tails on each side of a double-strand break (DSB). Importantly, if the RecBCD pathway is followed, RecBCD creates a gap between the sequences at 3′ ends of the initiating strands. The gap flanks the DSB and extends at least to the nearest Chi site on each strand. Once the initiating strands form ssDNA–RecA filaments, each ssDNA–RecA filament searches for homologous double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) to use as a template for the DNA synthesis needed to fill the gap created by RecBCD. Our experimental results show that the DNA synthesis requires formation of a heteroduplex dsDNA that pairs >20 contiguous bases in the initiating strand with sequence matched bases in a strand from the original dsDNA. To trigger synthesis, the heteroduplex must be near the 3′ end of the initiating strand. Those experimentally determined requirements for synthesis combined with the Chi site dependence of the function of RecBCD and the distribution of Chi sites in bacterial genomes could allow the RecBCD pathway to avoid some genomic rearrangements arising from directly induced DSBs; however, the same three factors could promote other rearrangements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chastity Li
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | | | - Tommy F Tashjian
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Veronica G Godoy
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Chantal Prévost
- Laboratoire de BioChimie Théorique, CNRS UMR 9080, IBPC, Paris, France
| | - Mara Prentiss
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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16
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Kim R, Kanamaru S, Mikawa T, Prévost C, Ishii K, Ito K, Uchiyama S, Oda M, Iwasaki H, Kim SK, Takahashi M. RecA requires two molecules of Mg2+ ions for its optimal strand exchange activity in vitro. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 46:2548-2559. [PMID: 29390145 PMCID: PMC5861410 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Mg2+ ion stimulates the DNA strand exchange reaction catalyzed by RecA, a key step in homologous recombination. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of Mg2+ and the strand exchange reaction itself, we investigated the interaction of RecA with Mg2+ and sought to determine which step of the reaction is affected. Thermal stability, intrinsic fluorescence, and native mass spectrometric analyses of RecA revealed that RecA binds at least two Mg2+ ions with KD ≈ 2 mM and 5 mM. Deletion of the C-terminal acidic tail of RecA made its thermal stability and fluorescence characteristics insensitive to Mg2+ and similar to those of full-length RecA in the presence of saturating Mg2+. These observations, together with the results of a molecular dynamics simulation, support the idea that the acidic tail hampers the strand exchange reaction by interacting with other parts of RecA, and that binding of Mg2+ to the tail prevents these interactions and releases RecA from inhibition. We observed that binding of the first Mg2+ stimulated joint molecule formation, whereas binding of the second stimulated progression of the reaction. Thus, RecA is actively involved in the strand exchange step as well as bringing the two DNAs close to each other.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raeyeong Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Yeungnam University, Gyeonsan-city 38541, Republic of Korea
| | - Shuji Kanamaru
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan.,Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Mikawa
- RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan
| | - Chantal Prévost
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR9080 CNRS Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Kentaro Ishii
- Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji, Okazaki 444-8787, Japan
| | - Kentaro Ito
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan.,Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Susumu Uchiyama
- Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji, Okazaki 444-8787, Japan.,Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Japan
| | - Masayuki Oda
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University, 1-5 Hangi-cho, Shimogamo, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8522, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Iwasaki
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan.,Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Seog K Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Yeungnam University, Gyeonsan-city 38541, Republic of Korea
| | - Masayuki Takahashi
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
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17
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Lu D, Danilowicz C, Tashjian TF, Prévost C, Godoy VG, Prentiss M. Slow extension of the invading DNA strand in a D-loop formed by RecA-mediated homologous recombination may enhance recognition of DNA homology. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:8606-8616. [PMID: 30975899 PMCID: PMC6544866 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.007554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Revised: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA recombination resulting from RecA-mediated strand exchange aided by RecBCD proteins often enables accurate repair of DNA double-strand breaks. However, the process of recombinational repair between short DNA regions of accidental similarity can lead to fatal genomic rearrangements. Previous studies have probed how effectively RecA discriminates against interactions involving a short similar sequence that is embedded in otherwise dissimilar sequences but have not yielded fully conclusive results. Here, we present results of in vitro experiments with fluorescent probes strategically located on the interacting DNA fragments used for recombination. Our findings suggest that DNA synthesis increases the stability of the recombination products. Fluorescence measurements can also probe the homology dependence of the extension of invading DNA strands in D-loops formed by RecA-mediated strand exchange. We examined the slow extension of the invading strand in a D-loop by DNA polymerase (Pol) IV and the more rapid extension by DNA polymerase LF-Bsu. We found that when DNA Pol IV extends the invading strand in a D-loop formed by RecA-mediated strand exchange, the extension afforded by 82 bp of homology is significantly longer than the extension on 50 bp of homology. In contrast, the extension of the invading strand in D-loops by DNA LF-Bsu Pol is similar for intermediates with ≥50 bp of homology. These results suggest that fatal genomic rearrangements due to the recombination of small regions of accidental homology may be reduced if RecA-mediated strand exchange is immediately followed by DNA synthesis by a slow polymerase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Lu
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
| | - Claudia Danilowicz
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
| | - Tommy F Tashjian
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Chantal Prévost
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, CNRS UMR 9080, Institut de Biologie Physico-chimique (IBPC), Paris 75005, France
| | - Veronica G Godoy
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Mara Prentiss
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138.
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18
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Tashjian TF, Danilowicz C, Molza AE, Nguyen BH, Prévost C, Prentiss M, Godoy VG. Residues in the fingers domain of the translesion DNA polymerase DinB enable its unique participation in error-prone double-strand break repair. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:7588-7600. [PMID: 30872406 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.006233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolutionarily conserved Escherichia coli translesion DNA polymerase IV (DinB) is one of three enzymes that can bypass potentially deadly DNA lesions on the template strand during DNA replication. Remarkably, however, DinB is the only known translesion DNA polymerase active in RecA-mediated strand exchange during error-prone double-strand break repair. In this process, a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA)-RecA nucleoprotein filament invades homologous dsDNA, pairing the ssDNA with the complementary strand in the dsDNA. When exchange reaches the 3' end of the ssDNA, a DNA polymerase can add nucleotides onto the end, using one strand of dsDNA as a template and displacing the other. It is unknown what makes DinB uniquely capable of participating in this reaction. To explore this topic, we performed molecular modeling of DinB's interactions with the RecA filament during strand exchange, identifying key contacts made with residues in the DinB fingers domain. These residues are highly conserved in DinB, but not in other translesion DNA polymerases. Using a novel FRET-based assay, we found that DinB variants with mutations in these conserved residues are less effective at stabilizing RecA-mediated strand exchange than native DinB. Furthermore, these variants are specifically deficient in strand displacement in the absence of RecA filament. We propose that the amino acid patch of highly conserved residues in DinB-like proteins provides a mechanistic explanation for DinB's function in strand exchange and improves our understanding of recombination by providing evidence that RecA plays a role in facilitating DinB's activity during strand exchange.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommy F Tashjian
- From the Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Claudia Danilowicz
- the Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, and
| | - Anne-Elizabeth Molza
- the Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, CNRS UPR9080 and Université Paris Diderot, IBPC, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Brian H Nguyen
- From the Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Chantal Prévost
- the Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, CNRS UPR9080 and Université Paris Diderot, IBPC, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Mara Prentiss
- the Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, and
| | - Veronica G Godoy
- From the Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115,
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19
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Carrasco B, Serrano E, Martín-González A, Moreno-Herrero F, Alonso JC. Bacillus subtilis MutS Modulates RecA-Mediated DNA Strand Exchange Between Divergent DNA Sequences. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:237. [PMID: 30814990 PMCID: PMC6382021 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The efficiency of horizontal gene transfer, which contributes to acquisition and spread of antibiotic resistance and pathogenicity traits, depends on nucleotide sequence and different mismatch-repair (MMR) proteins participate in this process. To study how MutL and MutS MMR proteins regulate recombination across species boundaries, we have studied natural chromosomal transformation with DNA up to ∼23% sequence divergence. We show that Bacillus subtilis natural chromosomal transformation decreased logarithmically with increased sequence divergence up to 15% in wild type (wt) cells or in cells lacking MutS2 or mismatch repair proteins (MutL, MutS or both). Beyond 15% sequence divergence, the chromosomal transformation efficiency is ∼100-fold higher in ΔmutS and ΔmutSL than in ΔmutS2 or wt cells. In the first phase of the biphasic curve (up to 15% sequence divergence), RecA-catalyzed DNA strand exchange contributes to the delineation of species, and in the second phase, homology-facilitated illegitimate recombination might aid in the restoration of inactivated genes. To understand how MutS modulates the integration process, we monitored DNA strand exchange reactions using a circular single-stranded DNA and a linear double-stranded DNA substrate with an internal 77-bp region with ∼16% or ∼54% sequence divergence in an otherwise homologous substrate. The former substrate delayed, whereas the latter halted RecA-mediated strand exchange. Interestingly, MutS addition overcame the heterologous barrier. We propose that MutS assists DNA strand exchange by facilitating RecA disassembly, and indirectly re-engagement with the homologous 5′-end of the linear duplex. Our data supports the idea that MutS modulates bidirectional RecA-mediated integration of divergent sequences and this is important for speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Begoña Carrasco
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ester Serrano
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandro Martín-González
- Department of Macromolecular Structures, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando Moreno-Herrero
- Department of Macromolecular Structures, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan C Alonso
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
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20
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Hutinet G, Besle A, Son O, McGovern S, Guerois R, Petit MA, Ochsenbein F, Lecointe F. Sak4 of Phage HK620 Is a RecA Remote Homolog With Single-Strand Annealing Activity Stimulated by Its Cognate SSB Protein. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:743. [PMID: 29740405 PMCID: PMC5928155 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages are remarkable for the wide diversity of proteins they encode to perform DNA replication and homologous recombination. Looking back at these ancestral forms of life may help understanding how similar proteins work in more sophisticated organisms. For instance, the Sak4 family is composed of proteins similar to the archaeal RadB protein, a Rad51 paralog. We have previously shown that Sak4 allowed single-strand annealing in vivo, but only weakly compared to the phage λ Redβ protein, highlighting putatively that Sak4 requires partners to be efficient. Here, we report that the purified Sak4 of phage HK620 infecting Escherichia coli is a poorly efficient annealase on its own. A distant homolog of SSB, which gene is usually next to the sak4 gene in various species of phages, highly stimulates its recombineering activity in vivo. In vitro, Sak4 binds single-stranded DNA and performs single-strand annealing in an ATP-dependent way. Remarkably, the single-strand annealing activity of Sak4 is stimulated by its cognate SSB. The last six C-terminal amino acids of this SSB are essential for the binding of Sak4 to SSB-covered single-stranded DNA, as well as for the stimulation of its annealase activity. Finally, expression of sak4 and ssb from HK620 can promote low-level of recombination in vivo, though Sak4 and its SSB are unable to promote strand exchange in vitro. Regarding its homology with RecA, Sak4 could represent a link between two previously distinct types of recombinases, i.e., annealases that help strand exchange proteins and strand exchange proteins themselves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey Hutinet
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Arthur Besle
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), IBITECS, CEA, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Olivier Son
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Stephen McGovern
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Raphaël Guerois
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), IBITECS, CEA, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Marie-Agnès Petit
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Françoise Ochsenbein
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), IBITECS, CEA, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - François Lecointe
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
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21
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Lee AJ, Endo M, Hobbs JK, Wälti C. Direct Single-Molecule Observation of Mode and Geometry of RecA-Mediated Homology Search. ACS NANO 2018; 12:272-278. [PMID: 29202219 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.7b06208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Genomic integrity, when compromised by accrued DNA lesions, is maintained through efficient repair via homologous recombination. For this process the ubiquitous recombinase A (RecA), and its homologues such as the human Rad51, are of central importance, able to align and exchange homologous sequences within single-stranded and double-stranded DNA in order to swap out defective regions. Here, we directly observe the widely debated mechanism of RecA homology searching at a single-molecule level using high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) in combination with tailored DNA origami frames to present the reaction targets in a way suitable for AFM-imaging. We show that RecA nucleoprotein filaments move along DNA substrates via short-distance facilitated diffusions, or slides, interspersed with longer-distance random moves, or hops. Importantly, from the specific interaction geometry, we find that the double-stranded substrate DNA resides in the secondary DNA binding-site within the RecA nucleoprotein filament helical groove during the homology search. This work demonstrates that tailored DNA origami, in conjunction with HS-AFM, can be employed to reveal directly conformational and geometrical information on dynamic protein-DNA interactions which was previously inaccessible at an individual single-molecule level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Lee
- Bioelectronics, The Pollard Institute, School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds , Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Masayuki Endo
- Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, Kyoto University , Yoshida-ushinomiyacho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Jamie K Hobbs
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield , Houndsfield Road, Sheffield S3 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - Christoph Wälti
- Bioelectronics, The Pollard Institute, School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds , Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
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22
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Lee AJ, Sharma R, Hobbs JK, Wälti C. Cooperative RecA clustering: the key to efficient homology searching. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:11743-11751. [PMID: 28977583 PMCID: PMC5714135 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanism by which pre-synaptic RecA nucleoprotein filaments efficiently locate sequence homology across genomic DNA remains unclear. Here, using atomic force microscopy, we directly investigate the intermediates of the RecA-mediated homologous recombination process and find it to be highly cooperative, involving multiple phases. Initially, the process is dominated by a rapid ‘association’ phase, where multiple filaments interact on the same dsDNA simultaneously. This cooperative nature is reconciled by the observation of localized dense clusters of pre-synaptic filaments interacting with the observed dsDNA molecules. This confinement of reactive species within the vicinity of the dsDNA, is likely to play an important role in ensuring that a high interaction rate between the nucleoprotein filaments and the dsDNA can be achieved. This is followed by a slower ‘resolution’ phase, where the synaptic joints either locate sequence homology and progress to a post-synaptic joint, or dissociate from the dsDNA. Surprisingly, the number of simultaneous synaptic joints decreases rapidly after saturation of the dsDNA population, suggesting a reduction in interaction activity of the RecA filaments. We find that the time-scale of this decay is in line with the time-scale of the dispersion of the RecA filament clusters, further emphasising the important role this cooperative phenomena may play in the RecA-facilitated homology search.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Lee
- Bioelectronics Group, School of Electronic & Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Hounsfield Road, Sheffield, S3 7RH, UK
| | - Rajan Sharma
- Bioelectronics Group, School of Electronic & Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Jamie K Hobbs
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Hounsfield Road, Sheffield, S3 7RH, UK.,The Krebs Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Christoph Wälti
- Bioelectronics Group, School of Electronic & Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
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Danilowicz C, Hermans L, Coljee V, Prévost C, Prentiss M. ATP hydrolysis provides functions that promote rejection of pairings between different copies of long repeated sequences. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:8448-8462. [PMID: 28854739 PMCID: PMC5737215 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
During DNA recombination and repair, RecA family proteins must promote rapid joining of homologous DNA. Repeated sequences with >100 base pair lengths occupy more than 1% of bacterial genomes; however, commitment to strand exchange was believed to occur after testing ∼20-30 bp. If that were true, pairings between different copies of long repeated sequences would usually become irreversible. Our experiments reveal that in the presence of ATP hydrolysis even 75 bp sequence-matched strand exchange products remain quite reversible. Experiments also indicate that when ATP hydrolysis is present, flanking heterologous dsDNA regions increase the reversibility of sequence matched strand exchange products with lengths up to ∼75 bp. Results of molecular dynamics simulations provide insight into how ATP hydrolysis destabilizes strand exchange products. These results inspired a model that shows how pairings between long repeated sequences could be efficiently rejected even though most homologous pairings form irreversible products.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Hermans
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Vincent Coljee
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Chantal Prévost
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, CNRS UMR 9080, IBPC, Paris, France
| | - Mara Prentiss
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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Bitran A, Chiang WY, Levine E, Prentiss M. Mechanisms of fast and stringent search in homologous pairing of double-stranded DNA. PLoS Comput Biol 2017; 13:e1005421. [PMID: 28257444 PMCID: PMC5360337 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2016] [Revised: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-organization in the cell relies on the rapid and specific binding of molecules to their cognate targets. Correct bindings must be stable enough to promote the desired function even in the crowded and fluctuating cellular environment. In systems with many nearly matched targets, rapid and stringent formation of stable products is challenging. Mechanisms that overcome this challenge have been previously proposed, including separating the process into multiple stages; however, how particular in vivo systems overcome the challenge remains unclear. Here we consider a kinetic system, inspired by homology dependent pairing between double stranded DNA in bacteria. By considering a simplified tractable model, we identify different homology testing stages that naturally occur in the system. In particular, we first model dsDNA molecules as short rigid rods containing periodically spaced binding sites. The interaction begins when the centers of two rods collide at a random angle. For most collision angles, the interaction energy is weak because only a few binding sites near the collision point contribute significantly to the binding energy. We show that most incorrect pairings are rapidly rejected at this stage. In rare cases, the two rods enter a second stage by rotating into parallel alignment. While rotation increases the stability of matched and nearly matched pairings, subsequent rotational fluctuations reduce kinetic trapping. Finally, in vivo chromosome are much longer than the persistence length of dsDNA, so we extended the model to include multiple parallel collisions between long dsDNA molecules, and find that those additional interactions can greatly accelerate the searching. Protein folding and the binding of sequence dependent proteins to DNA are examples of self-assembling systems in which the binding energy varies continuously throughout the interaction. Previous theoretical work has highlighted the importance of dividing the interaction into separate stages characterized by interaction times and binding energies that vary by orders of magnitude. Insight into how such a division might naturally arise and promote accurate and efficient self-assembly is provided by our study of a simple tractable model inspired by the homology dependent pairing of double stranded DNA molecules in vivo. In the model, the binding energy is controlled by one single continuously tunable variable whose natural evolution creates stages that efficiently and accurately form stable products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Bitran
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Wei-Yin Chiang
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- FAS Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Erel Levine
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- FAS Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Mara Prentiss
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
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25
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Bell JC, Kowalczykowski SC. RecA: Regulation and Mechanism of a Molecular Search Engine. Trends Biochem Sci 2016; 41:491-507. [PMID: 27156117 PMCID: PMC4892382 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2016.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Revised: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 04/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Homologous recombination maintains genomic integrity by repairing broken chromosomes. The broken chromosome is partially resected to produce single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) that is used to search for homologous double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). This homology driven 'search and rescue' is catalyzed by a class of DNA strand exchange proteins that are defined in relation to Escherichia coli RecA, which forms a filament on ssDNA. Here, we review the regulation of RecA filament assembly and the mechanism by which RecA quickly and efficiently searches for and identifies a unique homologous sequence among a vast excess of heterologous DNA. Given that RecA is the prototypic DNA strand exchange protein, its behavior affords insight into the actions of eukaryotic RAD51 orthologs and their regulators, BRCA2 and other tumor suppressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason C Bell
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Stephen C Kowalczykowski
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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26
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León SC, Prentiss M, Fyta M. Binding energies of nucleobase complexes: Relevance to homology recognition of DNA. Phys Rev E 2016; 93:062410. [PMID: 27415301 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.93.062410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The binding energies of complexes of DNA nucleobase pairs are evaluated using quantum mechanical calculations at the level of dispersion corrected density functional theory. We begin with Watson-Crick base pairs of singlets, duplets, and triplets and calculate their binding energies. At a second step, mismatches are incorporated into the Watson-Crick complexes in order to evaluate the variation in the binding energy with respect to the canonical Watson-Crick pairs. A linear variation of this binding energy with the degree of mismatching is observed. The binding energies for the duplets and triplets containing mismatches are further compared to the energies of the respective singlets in order to assess the degree of collectivity in these complexes. This study also suggests that mismatches do not considerably affect the energetics of canonical base pairs. Our work is highly relevant to the recognition process in DNA promoted through the RecA protein and suggests a clear distinction between recognition in singlets, and recognition in duplets or triplets. Our work assesses the importance of collectivity in the homology recognition of DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Cruz León
- Institute for Computational Physics, Universität Stuttgart, Allmandring 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
- Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Escuela Colombiana de Ingeniería Julio Garavito, AK 45 205-59, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Mara Prentiss
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, 17 Oxford Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - Maria Fyta
- Institute for Computational Physics, Universität Stuttgart, Allmandring 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
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Zhang L, Rajendram M, Weibel DB, Yethiraj A, Cui Q. Ionic Hydrogen Bonds and Lipid Packing Defects Determine the Binding Orientation and Insertion Depth of RecA on Multicomponent Lipid Bilayers. J Phys Chem B 2016; 120:8424-37. [PMID: 27095675 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b02164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
We describe a computational and experimental approach for probing the binding properties of the RecA protein at the surface of anionic membranes. Fluorescence measurements indicate that RecA behaves differently when bound to phosphatidylglycerol (PG)- and cardiolipin (CL)-containing liposomes. We use a multistage computational protocol that integrates an implicit membrane/solvent model, the highly mobile mimetic membrane model, and the full atomistic membrane model to study how different anionic lipids perturb RecA binding to the membrane. With anionic lipids studied here, the binding interface involves three key regions: the N-terminal helix, the DNA binding loop L2, and the M-M7 region. The nature of binding involves both electrostatic interactions between cationic protein residues and lipid polar/charged groups and insertion of hydrophobic residues. The L2 loop contributes more to membrane insertion than the N-terminal helix. More subtle aspects of RecA-membrane interaction are influenced by specific properties of anionic lipids. Ionic hydrogen bonds between the carboxylate group in phosphatidylserine and several lysine residues in the C-terminal region of RecA stabilize the parallel (∥) binding orientation, which is not locally stable on PG- and CL-containing membranes despite similarity in the overall charge density. Lipid packing defects, which are more prevalent in the presence of conical lipids, are observed to enhance the insertion depth of hydrophobic motifs. The computational finding that RecA binds in a similar orientation to PG- and CL-containing membranes is consistent with the fact that PG alone is sufficient to induce RecA polar localization, although CL might be more effective because of its tighter binding to RecA. The different fluorescence behaviors of RecA upon binding to PG- and CL-containing liposomes is likely due to the different structures and flexibility of the C-terminal region of RecA when it binds to different anionic phospholipids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leili Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Theoretical Chemistry Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison , 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Manohary Rajendram
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison , 433 Babcock Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Douglas B Weibel
- Department of Chemistry and Theoretical Chemistry Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison , 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison , 433 Babcock Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison , 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Arun Yethiraj
- Department of Chemistry and Theoretical Chemistry Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison , 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Qiang Cui
- Department of Chemistry and Theoretical Chemistry Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison , 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
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28
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Affiliation(s)
- James E Haber
- Department of Biology and Rosenstiel Basic Medical Sciences Research Center, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454-9110, USA
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Abstract
Homologous recombination allows for the regulated exchange of genetic information between two different DNA molecules of identical or nearly identical sequence composition, and is a major pathway for the repair of double-stranded DNA breaks. A key facet of homologous recombination is the ability of recombination proteins to perfectly align the damaged DNA with homologous sequence located elsewhere in the genome. This reaction is referred to as the homology search and is akin to the target searches conducted by many different DNA-binding proteins. Here I briefly highlight early investigations into the homology search mechanism, and then describe more recent research. Based on these studies, I summarize a model that includes a combination of intersegmental transfer, short-distance one-dimensional sliding, and length-specific microhomology recognition to efficiently align DNA sequences during the homology search. I also suggest some future directions to help further our understanding of the homology search. Where appropriate, I direct the reader to other recent reviews describing various issues related to homologous recombination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric C Greene
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032
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30
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Prentiss M, Prévost C, Danilowicz C. Structure/function relationships in RecA protein-mediated homology recognition and strand exchange. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2015; 50:453-76. [DOI: 10.3109/10409238.2015.1092943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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