Sample records for aberrant dna replication

  1. Loss of maintenance DNA methylation results in abnormal DNA origin firing during DNA replication

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Haruta, Mayumi; Shimada, Midori, E-mail: midorism@med.nagoya-cu.ac.jp; Nishiyama, Atsuya

    The mammalian maintenance methyltransferase DNMT1 [DNA (cytosine-5-)-methyltransferase 1] mediates the inheritance of the DNA methylation pattern during replication. Previous studies have shown that depletion of DNMT1 causes a severe growth defect and apoptosis in differentiated cells. However, the detailed mechanisms behind this phenomenon remain poorly understood. Here we show that conditional ablation of Dnmt1 in murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) resulted in an aberrant DNA replication program showing an accumulation of late-S phase replication and causing severely defective growth. Furthermore, we found that the catalytic activity and replication focus targeting sequence of DNMT1 are required for a proper DNA replication program.more » Taken together, our findings suggest that the maintenance of DNA methylation by DNMT1 plays a critical role in proper regulation of DNA replication in mammalian cells. - Highlights: • DNMT1 depletion results in an abnormal DNA replication program. • Aberrant DNA replication is independent of the DNA damage checkpoint in DNMT1cKO. • DNMT1 catalytic activity and RFT domain are required for proper DNA replication. • DNMT1 catalytic activity and RFT domain are required for cell proliferation.« less

  2. MYC and the Control of DNA Replication

    PubMed Central

    Dominguez-Sola, David; Gautier, Jean

    2014-01-01

    The MYC oncogene is a multifunctional protein that is aberrantly expressed in a significant fraction of tumors from diverse tissue origins. Because of its multifunctional nature, it has been difficult to delineate the exact contributions of MYC’s diverse roles to tumorigenesis. Here, we review the normal role of MYC in regulating DNA replication as well as its ability to generate DNA replication stress when overexpressed. Finally, we discuss the possible mechanisms by which replication stress induced by aberrant MYC expression could contribute to genomic instability and cancer. PMID:24890833

  3. DNA replication and cancer: From dysfunctional replication origin activities to therapeutic opportunities.

    PubMed

    Boyer, Anne-Sophie; Walter, David; Sørensen, Claus Storgaard

    2016-06-01

    A dividing cell has to duplicate its DNA precisely once during the cell cycle to preserve genome integrity avoiding the accumulation of genetic aberrations that promote diseases such as cancer. A large number of endogenous impacts can challenge DNA replication and cells harbor a battery of pathways to promote genome integrity during DNA replication. This includes suppressing new replication origin firing, stabilization of replicating forks, and the safe restart of forks to prevent any loss of genetic information. Here, we describe mechanisms by which oncogenes can interfere with DNA replication thereby causing DNA replication stress and genome instability. Further, we describe cellular and systemic responses to these insults with a focus on DNA replication restart pathways. Finally, we discuss the therapeutic potential of exploiting intrinsic replicative stress in cancer cells for targeted therapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Loss of maintenance DNA methylation results in abnormal DNA origin firing during DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Haruta, Mayumi; Shimada, Midori; Nishiyama, Atsuya; Johmura, Yoshikazu; Le Tallec, Benoît; Debatisse, Michelle; Nakanishi, Makoto

    2016-01-22

    The mammalian maintenance methyltransferase DNMT1 [DNA (cytosine-5-)-methyltransferase 1] mediates the inheritance of the DNA methylation pattern during replication. Previous studies have shown that depletion of DNMT1 causes a severe growth defect and apoptosis in differentiated cells. However, the detailed mechanisms behind this phenomenon remain poorly understood. Here we show that conditional ablation of Dnmt1 in murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) resulted in an aberrant DNA replication program showing an accumulation of late-S phase replication and causing severely defective growth. Furthermore, we found that the catalytic activity and replication focus targeting sequence of DNMT1 are required for a proper DNA replication program. Taken together, our findings suggest that the maintenance of DNA methylation by DNMT1 plays a critical role in proper regulation of DNA replication in mammalian cells. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Mechanisms and regulation of DNA replication initiation in eukaryotes.

    PubMed

    Parker, Matthew W; Botchan, Michael R; Berger, James M

    2017-04-01

    Cellular DNA replication is initiated through the action of multiprotein complexes that recognize replication start sites in the chromosome (termed origins) and facilitate duplex DNA melting within these regions. In a typical cell cycle, initiation occurs only once per origin and each round of replication is tightly coupled to cell division. To avoid aberrant origin firing and re-replication, eukaryotes tightly regulate two events in the initiation process: loading of the replicative helicase, MCM2-7, onto chromatin by the origin recognition complex (ORC), and subsequent activation of the helicase by its incorporation into a complex known as the CMG. Recent work has begun to reveal the details of an orchestrated and sequential exchange of initiation factors on DNA that give rise to a replication-competent complex, the replisome. Here, we review the molecular mechanisms that underpin eukaryotic DNA replication initiation - from selecting replication start sites to replicative helicase loading and activation - and describe how these events are often distinctly regulated across different eukaryotic model organisms.

  6. Distinct functions of human RecQ helicases during DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Urban, Vaclav; Dobrovolna, Jana; Janscak, Pavel

    2017-06-01

    DNA replication is the most vulnerable process of DNA metabolism in proliferating cells and therefore it is tightly controlled and coordinated with processes that maintain genomic stability. Human RecQ helicases are among the most important factors involved in the maintenance of replication fork integrity, especially under conditions of replication stress. RecQ helicases promote recovery of replication forks being stalled due to different replication roadblocks of either exogenous or endogenous source. They prevent generation of aberrant replication fork structures and replication fork collapse, and are involved in proper checkpoint signaling. The essential role of human RecQ helicases in the genome maintenance during DNA replication is underlined by association of defects in their function with cancer predisposition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Mechanisms and regulation of DNA replication initiation in eukaryotes

    PubMed Central

    Parker, Matthew W.; Botchan, Michael R.; Berger, James M.

    2017-01-01

    Cellular DNA replication is initiated through the action of multiprotein complexes that recognize replication start sites in the chromosome (termed origins) and facilitate duplex DNA melting within these regions. In a given cell cycle, initiation occurs only once per origin and each round of replication is tightly coupled to cell division. To avoid aberrant origin firing and re-replication, eukaryotes tightly regulate two events in the initiation process: loading of the replicative helicase, MCM2-7, onto chromatin by the Origin Recognition Complex (ORC), and subsequent activation of the helicase by incorporation into a complex known as the CMG. Recent work has begun to reveal the details of an orchestrated and sequential exchange of initiation factors on DNA that give rise to a replication-competent complex, the replisome. Here we review the molecular mechanisms that underpin eukaryotic DNA replication initiation – from selecting replication start sites to replicative helicase loading and activation – and describe how these events are often distinctly regulated across different eukaryotic model organisms. PMID:28094588

  8. Archaeal DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Kelman, Lori M; Kelman, Zvi

    2014-01-01

    DNA replication is essential for all life forms. Although the process is fundamentally conserved in the three domains of life, bioinformatic, biochemical, structural, and genetic studies have demonstrated that the process and the proteins involved in archaeal DNA replication are more similar to those in eukaryal DNA replication than in bacterial DNA replication, but have some archaeal-specific features. The archaeal replication system, however, is not monolithic, and there are some differences in the replication process between different species. In this review, the current knowledge of the mechanisms governing DNA replication in Archaea is summarized. The general features of the replication process as well as some of the differences are discussed.

  9. Human Parvovirus B19 Utilizes Cellular DNA Replication Machinery for Viral DNA Replication.

    PubMed

    Zou, Wei; Wang, Zekun; Xiong, Min; Chen, Aaron Yun; Xu, Peng; Ganaie, Safder S; Badawi, Yomna; Kleiboeker, Steve; Nishimune, Hiroshi; Ye, Shui Qing; Qiu, Jianming

    2018-03-01

    Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection of human erythroid progenitor cells (EPCs) induces a DNA damage response and cell cycle arrest at late S phase, which facilitates viral DNA replication. However, it is not clear exactly which cellular factors are employed by this single-stranded DNA virus. Here, we used microarrays to systematically analyze the dynamic transcriptome of EPCs infected with B19V. We found that DNA metabolism, DNA replication, DNA repair, DNA damage response, cell cycle, and cell cycle arrest pathways were significantly regulated after B19V infection. Confocal microscopy analyses revealed that most cellular DNA replication proteins were recruited to the centers of viral DNA replication, but not the DNA repair DNA polymerases. Our results suggest that DNA replication polymerase δ and polymerase α are responsible for B19V DNA replication by knocking down its expression in EPCs. We further showed that although RPA32 is essential for B19V DNA replication and the phosphorylated forms of RPA32 colocalized with the replicating viral genomes, RPA32 phosphorylation was not necessary for B19V DNA replication. Thus, this report provides evidence that B19V uses the cellular DNA replication machinery for viral DNA replication. IMPORTANCE Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection can cause transient aplastic crisis, persistent viremia, and pure red cell aplasia. In fetuses, B19V infection can result in nonimmune hydrops fetalis and fetal death. These clinical manifestations of B19V infection are a direct outcome of the death of human erythroid progenitors that host B19V replication. B19V infection induces a DNA damage response that is important for cell cycle arrest at late S phase. Here, we analyzed dynamic changes in cellular gene expression and found that DNA metabolic processes are tightly regulated during B19V infection. Although genes involved in cellular DNA replication were downregulated overall, the cellular DNA replication machinery was tightly

  10. Stable DNA replication: interplay between DNA replication, homologous recombination, and transcription.

    PubMed

    Kogoma, T

    1997-06-01

    Chromosome replication in Escherichia coli is normally initiated at oriC, the origin of chromosome replication. E. coli cells possess at least three additional initiation systems for chromosome replication that are normally repressed but can be activated under certain specific conditions. These are termed the stable DNA replication systems. Inducible stable DNA replication (iSDR), which is activated by SOS induction, is proposed to be initiated from a D-loop, an early intermediate in homologous recombination. Thus, iSDR is a form of recombination-dependent DNA replication (RDR). Analysis of iSDR and RDR has led to the proposal that homologous recombination and double-strand break repair involve extensive semiconservative DNA replication. RDR is proposed to play crucial roles in homologous recombination, double-strand break repair, restoration of collapsed replication forks, and adaptive mutation. Constitutive stable DNA replication (cSDR) is activated in mhA mutants deficient in RNase HI or in recG mutants deficient in RecG helicase. cSDR is proposed to be initiated from an R-loop that can be formed by the invasion of duplex DNA by an RNA transcript, which most probably is catalyzed by RecA protein. The third form of SDR is nSDR, which can be transiently activated in wild-type cells when rapidly growing cells enter the stationary phase. This article describes the characteristics of these alternative DNA replication forms and reviews evidence that has led to the formulation of the proposed models for SDR initiation mechanisms. The possible interplay between DNA replication, homologous recombination, DNA repair, and transcription is explored.

  11. SV40 Utilizes ATM Kinase Activity to Prevent Non-homologous End Joining of Broken Viral DNA Replication Products

    PubMed Central

    Sowd, Gregory A.; Mody, Dviti; Eggold, Joshua; Cortez, David; Friedman, Katherine L.; Fanning, Ellen

    2014-01-01

    Simian virus 40 (SV40) and cellular DNA replication rely on host ATM and ATR DNA damage signaling kinases to facilitate DNA repair and elicit cell cycle arrest following DNA damage. During SV40 DNA replication, ATM kinase activity prevents concatemerization of the viral genome whereas ATR activity prevents accumulation of aberrant genomes resulting from breakage of a moving replication fork as it converges with a stalled fork. However, the repair pathways that ATM and ATR orchestrate to prevent these aberrant SV40 DNA replication products are unclear. Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and Southern blotting, we show that ATR kinase activity, but not DNA-PKcs kinase activity, facilitates some aspects of double strand break (DSB) repair when ATM is inhibited during SV40 infection. To clarify which repair factors associate with viral DNA replication centers, we examined the localization of DSB repair proteins in response to SV40 infection. Under normal conditions, viral replication centers exclusively associate with homology-directed repair (HDR) and do not colocalize with non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) factors. Following ATM inhibition, but not ATR inhibition, activated DNA-PKcs and KU70/80 accumulate at the viral replication centers while CtIP and BLM, proteins that initiate 5′ to 3′ end resection during HDR, become undetectable. Similar to what has been observed during cellular DSB repair in S phase, these data suggest that ATM kinase influences DSB repair pathway choice by preventing the recruitment of NHEJ factors to replicating viral DNA. These data may explain how ATM prevents concatemerization of the viral genome and promotes viral propagation. We suggest that inhibitors of DNA damage signaling and DNA repair could be used during infection to disrupt productive viral DNA replication. PMID:25474690

  12. Escherichia coli DnaE Polymerase Couples Pyrophosphatase Activity to DNA Replication

    PubMed Central

    Lapenta, Fabio; Montón Silva, Alejandro; Brandimarti, Renato; Lanzi, Massimiliano; Gratani, Fabio Lino; Vellosillo Gonzalez, Perceval; Perticarari, Sofia; Hochkoeppler, Alejandro

    2016-01-01

    DNA Polymerases generate pyrophosphate every time they catalyze a step of DNA elongation. This elongation reaction is generally believed as thermodynamically favoured by the hydrolysis of pyrophosphate, catalyzed by inorganic pyrophosphatases. However, the specific action of inorganic pyrophosphatases coupled to DNA replication in vivo was never demonstrated. Here we show that the Polymerase-Histidinol-Phosphatase (PHP) domain of Escherichia coli DNA Polymerase III α subunit features pyrophosphatase activity. We also show that this activity is inhibited by fluoride, as commonly observed for inorganic pyrophosphatases, and we identified 3 amino acids of the PHP active site. Remarkably, E. coli cells expressing variants of these catalytic residues of α subunit feature aberrant phenotypes, poor viability, and are subject to high mutation frequencies. Our findings indicate that DNA Polymerases can couple DNA elongation and pyrophosphate hydrolysis, providing a mechanism for the control of DNA extension rate, and suggest a promising target for novel antibiotics. PMID:27050298

  13. Eukaryotic Replicative Helicase Subunit Interaction with DNA and Its Role in DNA Replication

    PubMed Central

    Martinez, Matthew P.; Wacker, Amanda L.; Bruck, Irina; Kaplan, Daniel L.

    2017-01-01

    The replicative helicase unwinds parental double-stranded DNA at a replication fork to provide single-stranded DNA templates for the replicative polymerases. In eukaryotes, the replicative helicase is composed of the Cdc45 protein, the heterohexameric ring-shaped Mcm2-7 complex, and the tetrameric GINS complex (CMG). The CMG proteins bind directly to DNA, as demonstrated by experiments with purified proteins. The mechanism and function of these DNA-protein interactions are presently being investigated, and a number of important discoveries relating to how the helicase proteins interact with DNA have been reported recently. While some of the protein-DNA interactions directly relate to the unwinding function of the enzyme complex, other protein-DNA interactions may be important for minichromosome maintenance (MCM) loading, origin melting or replication stress. This review describes our current understanding of how the eukaryotic replicative helicase subunits interact with DNA structures in vitro, and proposed models for the in vivo functions of replicative helicase-DNA interactions are also described. PMID:28383499

  14. P-body proteins regulate transcriptional rewiring to promote DNA replication stress resistance.

    PubMed

    Loll-Krippleber, Raphael; Brown, Grant W

    2017-09-15

    mRNA-processing (P-) bodies are cytoplasmic granules that form in eukaryotic cells in response to numerous stresses to serve as sites of degradation and storage of mRNAs. Functional P-bodies are critical for the DNA replication stress response in yeast, yet the repertoire of P-body targets and the mechanisms by which P-bodies promote replication stress resistance are unknown. In this study we identify the complete complement of mRNA targets of P-bodies during replication stress induced by hydroxyurea treatment. The key P-body protein Lsm1 controls the abundance of HHT1, ACF4, ARL3, TMA16, RRS1 and YOX1 mRNAs to prevent their toxic accumulation during replication stress. Accumulation of YOX1 mRNA causes aberrant downregulation of a network of genes critical for DNA replication stress resistance and leads to toxic acetaldehyde accumulation. Our data reveal the scope and the targets of regulation by P-body proteins during the DNA replication stress response.P-bodies form in response to stress and act as sites of mRNA storage and degradation. Here the authors identify the mRNA targets of P-bodies during DNA replication stress, and show that P-body proteins act to prevent toxic accumulation of these target transcripts.

  15. Mutagenic consequences of a single G-quadruplex demonstrate mitotic inheritance of DNA replication fork barriers

    PubMed Central

    Lemmens, Bennie; van Schendel, Robin; Tijsterman, Marcel

    2015-01-01

    Faithful DNA replication is vital to prevent disease-causing mutations, chromosomal aberrations and malignant transformation. However, accuracy conflicts with pace and flexibility and cells rely on specialized polymerases and helicases to ensure effective and timely replication of genomes that contain DNA lesions or secondary structures. If and how cells can tolerate a permanent barrier to replication is, however, unknown. Here we show that a single unresolved G-quadruplexed DNA structure can persist through multiple mitotic divisions without changing conformation. Failed replication across a G-quadruplex causes single-strand DNA gaps that give rise to DNA double-strand breaks in subsequent cell divisions, which are processed by polymerase theta (POLQ)-mediated alternative end joining. Lineage tracing experiments further reveal that persistent G-quadruplexes cause genetic heterogeneity during organ development. Our data demonstrate that a single lesion can cause multiple unique genomic rearrangements, and that alternative end joining enables cells to proliferate in the presence of mitotically inherited replication blocks. PMID:26563448

  16. Mutagenic consequences of a single G-quadruplex demonstrate mitotic inheritance of DNA replication fork barriers.

    PubMed

    Lemmens, Bennie; van Schendel, Robin; Tijsterman, Marcel

    2015-11-13

    Faithful DNA replication is vital to prevent disease-causing mutations, chromosomal aberrations and malignant transformation. However, accuracy conflicts with pace and flexibility and cells rely on specialized polymerases and helicases to ensure effective and timely replication of genomes that contain DNA lesions or secondary structures. If and how cells can tolerate a permanent barrier to replication is, however, unknown. Here we show that a single unresolved G-quadruplexed DNA structure can persist through multiple mitotic divisions without changing conformation. Failed replication across a G-quadruplex causes single-strand DNA gaps that give rise to DNA double-strand breaks in subsequent cell divisions, which are processed by polymerase theta (POLQ)-mediated alternative end joining. Lineage tracing experiments further reveal that persistent G-quadruplexes cause genetic heterogeneity during organ development. Our data demonstrate that a single lesion can cause multiple unique genomic rearrangements, and that alternative end joining enables cells to proliferate in the presence of mitotically inherited replication blocks.

  17. Lamin A/C Depletion Enhances DNA Damage-Induced Stalled Replication Fork Arrest

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Mayank; Hunt, Clayton R.; Pandita, Raj K.; Kumar, Rakesh; Yang, Chin-Rang; Horikoshi, Nobuo; Bachoo, Robert; Serag, Sara; Story, Michael D.; Shay, Jerry W.; Powell, Simon N.; Gupta, Arun; Jeffery, Jessie; Pandita, Shruti; Chen, Benjamin P. C.; Deckbar, Dorothee; Löbrich, Markus; Yang, Qin; Khanna, Kum Kum; Worman, Howard J.

    2013-01-01

    The human LMNA gene encodes the essential nuclear envelope proteins lamin A and C (lamin A/C). Mutations in LMNA result in altered nuclear morphology, but how this impacts the mechanisms that maintain genomic stability is unclear. Here, we report that lamin A/C-deficient cells have a normal response to ionizing radiation but are sensitive to agents that cause interstrand cross-links (ICLs) or replication stress. In response to treatment with ICL agents (cisplatin, camptothecin, and mitomycin), lamin A/C-deficient cells displayed normal γ-H2AX focus formation but a higher frequency of cells with delayed γ-H2AX removal, decreased recruitment of the FANCD2 repair factor, and a higher frequency of chromosome aberrations. Similarly, following hydroxyurea-induced replication stress, lamin A/C-deficient cells had an increased frequency of cells with delayed disappearance of γ-H2AX foci and defective repair factor recruitment (Mre11, CtIP, Rad51, RPA, and FANCD2). Replicative stress also resulted in a higher frequency of chromosomal aberrations as well as defective replication restart. Taken together, the data can be interpreted to suggest that lamin A/C has a role in the restart of stalled replication forks, a prerequisite for initiation of DNA damage repair by the homologous recombination pathway, which is intact in lamin A/C-deficient cells. We propose that lamin A/C is required for maintaining genomic stability following replication fork stalling, induced by either ICL damage or replicative stress, in order to facilitate fork regression prior to DNA damage repair. PMID:23319047

  18. Animal Mitochondrial DNA Replication

    PubMed Central

    Ciesielski, Grzegorz L.; Oliveira, Marcos T.; Kaguni, Laurie S.

    2016-01-01

    Recent advances in the field of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication highlight the diversity of both the mechanisms utilized and the structural and functional organization of the proteins at mtDNA replication fork, despite the simplicity of the animal mtDNA genome. DNA polymerase γ, mtDNA helicase and mitochondrial single-stranded DNA-binding protein- the key replisome proteins, have evolved distinct structural features and biochemical properties. These appear to be correlated with mtDNA genomic features in different metazoan taxa and with their modes of DNA replication, although a substantial integrative research is warranted to establish firmly these links. To date, several modes of mtDNA replication have been described for animals: rolling circle, theta, strand-displacement, and RITOLS/bootlace. Resolution of a continuing controversy relevant to mtDNA replication in mammals/vertebrates will have a direct impact on the mechanistic interpretation of mtDNA-related human diseases. Here we review these subjects, integrating earlier and recent data to provide a perspective on the major challenges for future research. PMID:27241933

  19. DNA replication stress restricts ribosomal DNA copy number

    PubMed Central

    Salim, Devika; Bradford, William D.; Freeland, Amy; Cady, Gillian; Wang, Jianmin

    2017-01-01

    Ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) in budding yeast are encoded by ~100–200 repeats of a 9.1kb sequence arranged in tandem on chromosome XII, the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) locus. Copy number of rDNA repeat units in eukaryotic cells is maintained far in excess of the requirement for ribosome biogenesis. Despite the importance of the repeats for both ribosomal and non-ribosomal functions, it is currently not known how “normal” copy number is determined or maintained. To identify essential genes involved in the maintenance of rDNA copy number, we developed a droplet digital PCR based assay to measure rDNA copy number in yeast and used it to screen a yeast conditional temperature-sensitive mutant collection of essential genes. Our screen revealed that low rDNA copy number is associated with compromised DNA replication. Further, subculturing yeast under two separate conditions of DNA replication stress selected for a contraction of the rDNA array independent of the replication fork blocking protein, Fob1. Interestingly, cells with a contracted array grew better than their counterparts with normal copy number under conditions of DNA replication stress. Our data indicate that DNA replication stresses select for a smaller rDNA array. We speculate that this liberates scarce replication factors for use by the rest of the genome, which in turn helps cells complete DNA replication and continue to propagate. Interestingly, tumors from mini chromosome maintenance 2 (MCM2)-deficient mice also show a loss of rDNA repeats. Our data suggest that a reduction in rDNA copy number may indicate a history of DNA replication stress, and that rDNA array size could serve as a diagnostic marker for replication stress. Taken together, these data begin to suggest the selective pressures that combine to yield a “normal” rDNA copy number. PMID:28915237

  20. DNA replication stress restricts ribosomal DNA copy number.

    PubMed

    Salim, Devika; Bradford, William D; Freeland, Amy; Cady, Gillian; Wang, Jianmin; Pruitt, Steven C; Gerton, Jennifer L

    2017-09-01

    Ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) in budding yeast are encoded by ~100-200 repeats of a 9.1kb sequence arranged in tandem on chromosome XII, the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) locus. Copy number of rDNA repeat units in eukaryotic cells is maintained far in excess of the requirement for ribosome biogenesis. Despite the importance of the repeats for both ribosomal and non-ribosomal functions, it is currently not known how "normal" copy number is determined or maintained. To identify essential genes involved in the maintenance of rDNA copy number, we developed a droplet digital PCR based assay to measure rDNA copy number in yeast and used it to screen a yeast conditional temperature-sensitive mutant collection of essential genes. Our screen revealed that low rDNA copy number is associated with compromised DNA replication. Further, subculturing yeast under two separate conditions of DNA replication stress selected for a contraction of the rDNA array independent of the replication fork blocking protein, Fob1. Interestingly, cells with a contracted array grew better than their counterparts with normal copy number under conditions of DNA replication stress. Our data indicate that DNA replication stresses select for a smaller rDNA array. We speculate that this liberates scarce replication factors for use by the rest of the genome, which in turn helps cells complete DNA replication and continue to propagate. Interestingly, tumors from mini chromosome maintenance 2 (MCM2)-deficient mice also show a loss of rDNA repeats. Our data suggest that a reduction in rDNA copy number may indicate a history of DNA replication stress, and that rDNA array size could serve as a diagnostic marker for replication stress. Taken together, these data begin to suggest the selective pressures that combine to yield a "normal" rDNA copy number.

  1. Eukaryotic DNA Replication Fork.

    PubMed

    Burgers, Peter M J; Kunkel, Thomas A

    2017-06-20

    This review focuses on the biogenesis and composition of the eukaryotic DNA replication fork, with an emphasis on the enzymes that synthesize DNA and repair discontinuities on the lagging strand of the replication fork. Physical and genetic methodologies aimed at understanding these processes are discussed. The preponderance of evidence supports a model in which DNA polymerase ε (Pol ε) carries out the bulk of leading strand DNA synthesis at an undisturbed replication fork. DNA polymerases α and δ carry out the initiation of Okazaki fragment synthesis and its elongation and maturation, respectively. This review also discusses alternative proposals, including cellular processes during which alternative forks may be utilized, and new biochemical studies with purified proteins that are aimed at reconstituting leading and lagging strand DNA synthesis separately and as an integrated replication fork.

  2. Human Mitochondrial DNA Replication

    PubMed Central

    Holt, Ian J.; Reyes, Aurelio

    2012-01-01

    Elucidation of the process of DNA replication in mitochondria is in its infancy. For many years, maintenance of the mitochondrial genome was regarded as greatly simplified compared to the nucleus. Mammalian mitochondria were reported to lack all DNA repair systems, to eschew DNA recombination, and to possess but a single DNA polymerase, polymerase γ. Polγ was said to replicate mitochondrial DNA exclusively via one mechanism, involving only two priming events and a handful of proteins. In this “strand-displacement model,” leading strand DNA synthesis begins at a specific site and advances approximately two-thirds of the way around the molecule before DNA synthesis is initiated on the “lagging” strand. Although the displaced strand was long-held to be coated with protein, RNA has more recently been proposed in its place. Furthermore, mitochondrial DNA molecules with all the features of products of conventional bidirectional replication have been documented, suggesting that the process and regulation of replication in mitochondria is complex, as befits a genome that is a core factor in human health and longevity. PMID:23143808

  3. Mechanisms of bacterial DNA replication restart

    PubMed Central

    Windgassen, Tricia A; Wessel, Sarah R; Bhattacharyya, Basudeb

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Multi-protein DNA replication complexes called replisomes perform the essential process of copying cellular genetic information prior to cell division. Under ideal conditions, replisomes dissociate only after the entire genome has been duplicated. However, DNA replication rarely occurs without interruptions that can dislodge replisomes from DNA. Such events produce incompletely replicated chromosomes that, if left unrepaired, prevent the segregation of full genomes to daughter cells. To mitigate this threat, cells have evolved ‘DNA replication restart’ pathways that have been best defined in bacteria. Replication restart requires recognition and remodeling of abandoned replication forks by DNA replication restart proteins followed by reloading of the replicative DNA helicase, which subsequently directs assembly of the remaining replisome subunits. This review summarizes our current understanding of the mechanisms underlying replication restart and the proteins that drive the process in Escherichia coli (PriA, PriB, PriC and DnaT). PMID:29202195

  4. Regulation of DNA replication during development

    PubMed Central

    Nordman, Jared; Orr-Weaver, Terry L.

    2012-01-01

    As development unfolds, DNA replication is not only coordinated with cell proliferation, but is regulated uniquely in specific cell types and organs. This differential regulation of DNA synthesis requires crosstalk between DNA replication and differentiation. This dynamic aspect of DNA replication is highlighted by the finding that the distribution of replication origins varies between differentiated cell types and changes with differentiation. Moreover, differential DNA replication in some cell types can lead to increases or decreases in gene copy number along chromosomes. This review highlights the recent advances and technologies that have provided us with new insights into the developmental regulation of DNA replication. PMID:22223677

  5. Rescue from replication stress during mitosis.

    PubMed

    Fragkos, Michalis; Naim, Valeria

    2017-04-03

    Genomic instability is a hallmark of cancer and a common feature of human disorders, characterized by growth defects, neurodegeneration, cancer predisposition, and aging. Recent evidence has shown that DNA replication stress is a major driver of genomic instability and tumorigenesis. Cells can undergo mitosis with under-replicated DNA or unresolved DNA structures, and specific pathways are dedicated to resolving these structures during mitosis, suggesting that mitotic rescue from replication stress (MRRS) is a key process influencing genome stability and cellular homeostasis. Deregulation of MRRS following oncogene activation or loss-of-function of caretaker genes may be the cause of chromosomal aberrations that promote cancer initiation and progression. In this review, we discuss the causes and consequences of replication stress, focusing on its persistence in mitosis as well as the mechanisms and factors involved in its resolution, and the potential impact of incomplete replication or aberrant MRRS on tumorigenesis, aging and disease.

  6. DNA Replication Profiling Using Deep Sequencing.

    PubMed

    Saayman, Xanita; Ramos-Pérez, Cristina; Brown, Grant W

    2018-01-01

    Profiling of DNA replication during progression through S phase allows a quantitative snap-shot of replication origin usage and DNA replication fork progression. We present a method for using deep sequencing data to profile DNA replication in S. cerevisiae.

  7. Minireview: DNA Replication in Plant Mitochondria

    PubMed Central

    Cupp, John D.; Nielsen, Brent L.

    2014-01-01

    Higher plant mitochondrial genomes exhibit much greater structural complexity as compared to most other organisms. Unlike well-characterized metazoan mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication, an understanding of the mechanism(s) and proteins involved in plant mtDNA replication remains unclear. Several plant mtDNA replication proteins, including DNA polymerases, DNA primase/helicase, and accessory proteins have been identified. Mitochondrial dynamics, genome structure, and the complexity of dual-targeted and dual-function proteins that provide at least partial redundancy suggest that plants have a unique model for maintaining and replicating mtDNA when compared to the replication mechanism utilized by most metazoan organisms. PMID:24681310

  8. Accessory replicative helicases and the replication of protein-bound DNA.

    PubMed

    Brüning, Jan-Gert; Howard, Jamieson L; McGlynn, Peter

    2014-12-12

    Complete, accurate duplication of the genetic material is a prerequisite for successful cell division. Achieving this accuracy is challenging since there are many barriers to replication forks that may cause failure to complete genome duplication or result in possibly catastrophic corruption of the genetic code. One of the most important types of replicative barriers are proteins bound to the template DNA, especially transcription complexes. Removal of these barriers demands energy input not only to separate the DNA strands but also to disrupt multiple bonds between the protein and DNA. Replicative helicases that unwind the template DNA for polymerases at the fork can displace proteins bound to the template. However, even occasional failures in protein displacement by the replicative helicase could spell disaster. In such circumstances, failure to restart replication could result in incomplete genome duplication. Avoiding incomplete genome duplication via the repair and restart of blocked replication forks also challenges viability since the involvement of recombination enzymes is associated with the risk of genome rearrangements. Organisms have therefore evolved accessory replicative helicases that aid replication fork movement along protein-bound DNA. These helicases reduce the dangers associated with replication blockage by protein-DNA complexes, aiding clearance of blocks and resumption of replication by the same replisome thus circumventing the need for replication repair and restart. This review summarises recent work in bacteria and eukaryotes that has begun to delineate features of accessory replicative helicases and their importance in genome stability. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  9. Rescue from replication stress during mitosis

    PubMed Central

    Naim, Valeria

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Genomic instability is a hallmark of cancer and a common feature of human disorders, characterized by growth defects, neurodegeneration, cancer predisposition, and aging. Recent evidence has shown that DNA replication stress is a major driver of genomic instability and tumorigenesis. Cells can undergo mitosis with under-replicated DNA or unresolved DNA structures, and specific pathways are dedicated to resolving these structures during mitosis, suggesting that mitotic rescue from replication stress (MRRS) is a key process influencing genome stability and cellular homeostasis. Deregulation of MRRS following oncogene activation or loss-of-function of caretaker genes may be the cause of chromosomal aberrations that promote cancer initiation and progression. In this review, we discuss the causes and consequences of replication stress, focusing on its persistence in mitosis as well as the mechanisms and factors involved in its resolution, and the potential impact of incomplete replication or aberrant MRRS on tumorigenesis, aging and disease. PMID:28166452

  10. Uracil DNA glycosylase BKRF3 contributes to Epstein-Barr virus DNA replication through physical interactions with proteins in viral DNA replication complex.

    PubMed

    Su, Mei-Tzu; Liu, I-Hua; Wu, Chia-Wei; Chang, Shu-Ming; Tsai, Ching-Hwa; Yang, Pei-Wen; Chuang, Yu-Chia; Lee, Chung-Pei; Chen, Mei-Ru

    2014-08-01

    Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) BKRF3 shares sequence homology with members of the uracil-N-glycosylase (UNG) protein family and has DNA glycosylase activity. Here, we explored how BKRF3 participates in the DNA replication complex and contributes to viral DNA replication. Exogenously expressed Flag-BKRF3 was distributed mostly in the cytoplasm, whereas BKRF3 was translocated into the nucleus and colocalized with the EBV DNA polymerase BALF5 in the replication compartment during EBV lytic replication. The expression level of BKRF3 increased gradually during viral replication, coupled with a decrease of cellular UNG2, suggesting BKRF3 enzyme activity compensates for UNG2 and ensures the fidelity of viral DNA replication. In immunoprecipitation-Western blotting, BKRF3 was coimmuno-precipitated with BALF5, the polymerase processivity factor BMRF1, and the immediate-early transactivator Rta. Coexpression of BMRF1 appeared to facilitate the nuclear targeting of BKRF3 in immunofluorescence staining. Residues 164 to 255 of BKRF3 were required for interaction with Rta and BALF5, whereas residues 81 to 166 of BKRF3 were critical for BMRF1 interaction in glutathione S-transferase (GST) pulldown experiments. Viral DNA replication was defective in cells harboring BKRF3 knockout EBV bacmids. In complementation assays, the catalytic mutant BKRF3(Q90L,D91N) restored viral DNA replication, whereas the leucine loop mutant BKRF3(H213L) only partially rescued viral DNA replication, coupled with a reduced ability to interact with the viral DNA polymerase and Rta. Our data suggest that BKRF3 plays a critical role in viral DNA synthesis predominantly through its interactions with viral proteins in the DNA replication compartment, while its enzymatic activity may be supplementary for uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) function during virus replication. Catalytic activities of both cellular UDG UNG2 and viral UDGs contribute to herpesviral DNA replication. To ensure that the enzyme activity executes at

  11. The Inherent Asymmetry of DNA Replication.

    PubMed

    Snedeker, Jonathan; Wooten, Matthew; Chen, Xin

    2017-10-06

    Semiconservative DNA replication has provided an elegant solution to the fundamental problem of how life is able to proliferate in a way that allows cells, organisms, and populations to survive and replicate many times over. Somewhat lost, however, in our admiration for this mechanism is an appreciation for the asymmetries that occur in the process of DNA replication. As we discuss in this review, these asymmetries arise as a consequence of the structure of the DNA molecule and the enzymatic mechanism of DNA synthesis. Increasing evidence suggests that asymmetries in DNA replication are able to play a central role in the processes of adaptation and evolution by shaping the mutagenic landscape of cells. Additionally, in eukaryotes, recent work has demonstrated that the inherent asymmetries in DNA replication may play an important role in the process of chromatin replication. As chromatin plays an essential role in defining cell identity, asymmetries generated during the process of DNA replication may play critical roles in cell fate decisions related to patterning and development.

  12. Mechanisms of mutagenesis: DNA replication in the presence of DNA damage

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Binyan; Xue, Qizhen; Tang, Yong; Cao, Jia; Guengerich, F. Peter; Zhang, Huidong

    2017-01-01

    Environmental mutagens cause DNA damage that disturbs replication and produces mutations, leading to cancer and other diseases. We discuss mechanisms of mutagenesis resulting from DNA damage, from the level of DNA replication by a single polymerase to the complex DNA replisome of some typical model organisms (including bacteriophage T7, T4, Sulfolobus solfataricus, E. coli, yeast and human). For a single DNA polymerase, DNA damage can affect replication in three major ways: reducing replication fidelity, causing frameshift mutations, and blocking replication. For the DNA replisome, protein interactions and the functions of accessory proteins can yield rather different results even with a single DNA polymerase. The mechanism of mutation during replication performed by the DNA replisome is a long-standing question. Using new methods and techniques, the replisomes of certain organisms and human cell extracts can now be investigated with regard to the bypass of DNA damage. In this review, we consider the molecular mechanism of mutagenesis resulting from DNA damage in replication at the levels of single DNA polymerases and complex DNA replisomes, including translesion DNA synthesis. PMID:27234563

  13. [Single-molecule detection and characterization of DNA replication based on DNA origami].

    PubMed

    Wang, Qi; Fan, Youjie; Li, Bin

    2014-08-01

    To investigate single-molecule detection and characterization of DNA replication. Single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) as the template of DNA replication was attached to DNA origami by a hybridization reaction based on the complementary base-pairing principle. DNA replication catalyzed by E.coli DNA polymerase I Klenow Fragment (KF) was detected using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The height variations between the ssDNA and the double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), the distribution of KF during DNA replication and biotin-streptavidin (BA) complexes on the DNA strand after replication were detected. Agarose gel electrophoresis was employed to analyze the changes in the DNA after replication. The designed ssDNA could be anchored on the target positions of over 50% of the DNA origami. The KF was capable of binding to the ssDNA fixed on DNA origami and performing its catalytic activities, and was finally dissociated from the DNA after replication. The height of DNA strand increased by about 0.7 nm after replication. The addition of streptavidin also resulted in an DNA height increase to about 4.9 nm due to the formation of BA complexes on the biotinylated dsDNA. The resulting dsDNA and BA complex were subsequently confirmed by agarose gel electrophoresis. The combination of AFM and DNA origami allows detection and characterization of DNA replication at the single molecule level, and this approach provides better insights into the mechanism of DNA polymerase and the factors affecting DNA replication.

  14. Both High-Fidelity Replicative and Low-Fidelity Y-Family Polymerases Are Involved in DNA Rereplication

    PubMed Central

    Sekimoto, Takayuki; Oda, Tsukasa; Kurashima, Kiminori; Hanaoka, Fumio

    2014-01-01

    DNA rereplication is a major form of aberrant replication that causes genomic instabilities, such as gene amplification. However, little is known about which DNA polymerases are involved in the process. Here, we report that low-fidelity Y-family polymerases (Y-Pols), Pol η, Pol ι, Pol κ, and REV1, significantly contribute to DNA synthesis during rereplication, while the replicative polymerases, Pol δ and Pol ε, play an important role in rereplication, as expected. When rereplication was induced by depletion of geminin, these polymerases were recruited to rereplication sites in human cell lines. This finding was supported by RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knockdown of the polymerases, which suppressed rereplication induced by geminin depletion. Interestingly, epistatic analysis indicated that Y-Pols collaborate in a common pathway, independently of replicative polymerases. We also provide evidence for a catalytic role for Pol η and the involvement of Pol η and Pol κ in cyclin E-induced rereplication. Collectively, our findings indicate that, unlike normal S-phase replication, rereplication induced by geminin depletion and oncogene activation requires significant contributions of both Y-Pols and replicative polymerases. These findings offer important mechanistic insights into cancer genomic instability. PMID:25487575

  15. Mechanisms of mutagenesis: DNA replication in the presence of DNA damage.

    PubMed

    Liu, Binyan; Xue, Qizhen; Tang, Yong; Cao, Jia; Guengerich, F Peter; Zhang, Huidong

    2016-01-01

    Environmental mutagens cause DNA damage that disturbs replication and produces mutations, leading to cancer and other diseases. We discuss mechanisms of mutagenesis resulting from DNA damage, from the level of DNA replication by a single polymerase to the complex DNA replisome of some typical model organisms (including bacteriophage T7, T4, Sulfolobus solfataricus, Escherichia coli, yeast and human). For a single DNA polymerase, DNA damage can affect replication in three major ways: reducing replication fidelity, causing frameshift mutations, and blocking replication. For the DNA replisome, protein interactions and the functions of accessory proteins can yield rather different results even with a single DNA polymerase. The mechanism of mutation during replication performed by the DNA replisome is a long-standing question. Using new methods and techniques, the replisomes of certain organisms and human cell extracts can now be investigated with regard to the bypass of DNA damage. In this review, we consider the molecular mechanism of mutagenesis resulting from DNA damage in replication at the levels of single DNA polymerases and complex DNA replisomes, including translesion DNA synthesis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Regulating DNA Replication in Plants

    PubMed Central

    Sanchez, Maria de la Paz; Costas, Celina; Sequeira-Mendes, Joana; Gutierrez, Crisanto

    2012-01-01

    Chromosomal DNA replication in plants has requirements and constraints similar to those in other eukaryotes. However, some aspects are plant-specific. Studies of DNA replication control in plants, which have unique developmental strategies, can offer unparalleled opportunities of comparing regulatory processes with yeast and, particularly, metazoa to identify common trends and basic rules. In addition to the comparative molecular and biochemical studies, genomic studies in plants that started with Arabidopsis thaliana in the year 2000 have now expanded to several dozens of species. This, together with the applicability of genomic approaches and the availability of a large collection of mutants, underscores the enormous potential to study DNA replication control in a whole developing organism. Recent advances in this field with particular focus on the DNA replication proteins, the nature of replication origins and their epigenetic landscape, and the control of endoreplication will be reviewed. PMID:23209151

  17. DNA replication in the archaea.

    PubMed

    Barry, Elizabeth R; Bell, Stephen D

    2006-12-01

    The archaeal DNA replication machinery bears striking similarity to that of eukaryotes and is clearly distinct from the bacterial apparatus. In recent years, considerable advances have been made in understanding the biochemistry of the archaeal replication proteins. Furthermore, a number of structures have now been obtained for individual components and higher-order assemblies of archaeal replication factors, yielding important insights into the mechanisms of DNA replication in both archaea and eukaryotes.

  18. Diversification of DnaA dependency for DNA replication in cyanobacterial evolution.

    PubMed

    Ohbayashi, Ryudo; Watanabe, Satoru; Ehira, Shigeki; Kanesaki, Yu; Chibazakura, Taku; Yoshikawa, Hirofumi

    2016-05-01

    Regulating DNA replication is essential for all living cells. The DNA replication initiation factor DnaA is highly conserved in prokaryotes and is required for accurate initiation of chromosomal replication at oriC. DnaA-independent free-living bacteria have not been identified. The dnaA gene is absent in plastids and some symbiotic bacteria, although it is not known when or how DnaA-independent mechanisms were acquired. Here, we show that the degree of dependency of DNA replication on DnaA varies among cyanobacterial species. Deletion of the dnaA gene in Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 shifted DNA replication from oriC to a different site as a result of the integration of an episomal plasmid. Moreover, viability during the stationary phase was higher in dnaA disruptants than in wild-type cells. Deletion of dnaA did not affect DNA replication or cell growth in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 or Anabaena sp. PCC 7120, indicating that functional dependency on DnaA was already lost in some nonsymbiotic cyanobacterial lineages during diversification. Therefore, we proposed that cyanobacteria acquired DnaA-independent replication mechanisms before symbiosis and such an ancestral cyanobacterium was the sole primary endosymbiont to form a plastid precursor.

  19. Centromeric DNA replication reconstitution reveals DNA loops and ATR checkpoint suppression.

    PubMed

    Aze, Antoine; Sannino, Vincenzo; Soffientini, Paolo; Bachi, Angela; Costanzo, Vincenzo

    2016-06-01

    Half of the human genome is made up of repetitive DNA. However, mechanisms underlying replication of chromosome regions containing repetitive DNA are poorly understood. We reconstituted replication of defined human chromosome segments using bacterial artificial chromosomes in Xenopus laevis egg extract. Using this approach we characterized the chromatin assembly and replication dynamics of centromeric alpha-satellite DNA. Proteomic analysis of centromeric chromatin revealed replication-dependent enrichment of a network of DNA repair factors including the MSH2-6 complex, which was required for efficient centromeric DNA replication. However, contrary to expectations, the ATR-dependent checkpoint monitoring DNA replication fork arrest could not be activated on highly repetitive DNA due to the inability of the single-stranded DNA binding protein RPA to accumulate on chromatin. Electron microscopy of centromeric DNA and supercoil mapping revealed the presence of topoisomerase I-dependent DNA loops embedded in a protein matrix enriched for SMC2-4 proteins. This arrangement suppressed ATR signalling by preventing RPA hyper-loading, facilitating replication of centromeric DNA. These findings have important implications for our understanding of repetitive DNA metabolism and centromere organization under normal and stressful conditions.

  20. Centromeric DNA replication reconstitution reveals DNA loops and ATR checkpoint suppression

    PubMed Central

    Aze, Antoine; Sannino, Vincenzo; Soffientini, Paolo; Bachi, Angela; Costanzo, Vincenzo

    2016-01-01

    Half of human genome is made of repetitive DNA. However, mechanisms underlying replication of chromosome regions containing repetitive DNA are poorly understood. We reconstituted replication of defined human chromosome segments using Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes (BACs) in Xenopus laevis egg extract. Using this approach we characterized chromatin assembly and replication dynamics of centromeric alpha-satellite DNA. Proteomic analysis of centromeric chromatin revealed replication dependent enrichment of a network of DNA repair factors among which the MSH2-6 complex, which was required for efficient centromeric DNA replication. However, contrary to expectations, the ATR dependent checkpoint monitoring DNA replication fork arrest could not be activated on highly repetitive DNA due to inability of single stranded DNA binding protein RPA to accumulate on chromatin. Electron microscopy of centromeric DNA and supercoil mapping revealed the presence of Topoisomerase I dependent DNA loops embedded in a protein matrix enriched for SMC2-4 proteins. This arrangement suppressed ATR signalling by preventing RPA hyper-loading, facilitating replication of centromeric DNA. These findings have important implications on our understanding of repetitive DNA metabolism and centromere organization under normal and stressful conditions. PMID:27111843

  1. Modeling DNA Replication.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bennett, Joan

    1998-01-01

    Recommends the use of a model of DNA made out of Velcro to help students visualize the steps of DNA replication. Includes a materials list, construction directions, and details of the demonstration using the model parts. (DDR)

  2. Functions of Ubiquitin and SUMO in DNA Replication and Replication Stress

    PubMed Central

    García-Rodríguez, Néstor; Wong, Ronald P.; Ulrich, Helle D.

    2016-01-01

    Complete and faithful duplication of its entire genetic material is one of the essential prerequisites for a proliferating cell to maintain genome stability. Yet, during replication DNA is particularly vulnerable to insults. On the one hand, lesions in replicating DNA frequently cause a stalling of the replication machinery, as most DNA polymerases cannot cope with defective templates. This situation is aggravated by the fact that strand separation in preparation for DNA synthesis prevents common repair mechanisms relying on strand complementarity, such as base and nucleotide excision repair, from working properly. On the other hand, the replication process itself subjects the DNA to a series of hazardous transformations, ranging from the exposure of single-stranded DNA to topological contortions and the generation of nicks and fragments, which all bear the risk of inducing genomic instability. Dealing with these problems requires rapid and flexible responses, for which posttranslational protein modifications that act independently of protein synthesis are particularly well suited. Hence, it is not surprising that members of the ubiquitin family, particularly ubiquitin itself and SUMO, feature prominently in controlling many of the defensive and restorative measures involved in the protection of DNA during replication. In this review we will discuss the contributions of ubiquitin and SUMO to genome maintenance specifically as they relate to DNA replication. We will consider cases where the modifiers act during regular, i.e., unperturbed stages of replication, such as initiation, fork progression, and termination, but also give an account of their functions in dealing with lesions, replication stalling and fork collapse. PMID:27242895

  3. Human mitochondrial DNA replication machinery and disease

    PubMed Central

    Young, Matthew J.; Copeland, William C.

    2016-01-01

    The human mitochondrial genome is replicated by DNA polymerase γ in concert with key components of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication machinery. Defects in mtDNA replication or nucleotide metabolism cause deletions, point mutations, or depletion of mtDNA. The resulting loss of cellular respiration ultimately induces mitochondrial genetic diseases, including mtDNA depletion syndromes such as Alpers or early infantile hepatocerebral syndromes, and mtDNA deletion disorders such as progressive external ophthalmoplegia, ataxia-neuropathy, or mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy. Here we review the current literature regarding human mtDNA replication and heritable disorders caused by genetic changes of the POLG, POLG2, Twinkle, RNASEH1, DNA2 and MGME1 genes. PMID:27065468

  4. Causes and Consequences of Replication Stress

    PubMed Central

    Zeman, Michelle K.; Cimprich, Karlene A.

    2015-01-01

    Replication stress is a complex phenomenon which has serious implications for genome stability, cell survival, and human disease. Generation of aberrant replication fork structures containing single-stranded DNA activates the replication stress response, primarily mediated by the kinase ATM- and Rad3-related (ATR). ATR and its downstream effectors stabilize and help to restart stalled replication forks, avoiding the generation of DNA damage and genome instability. Understanding these pathways may be key to diagnosis and treatment of human diseases caused by defective responses to replication stress. PMID:24366029

  5. DNA Replication Arrest and DNA Damage Responses Induced by Alkylating Minor Groove Binders

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2001-05-01

    We are interested in the molecular mechanisms involved in DNA replication arrest by the S phase DNA damage checkpoints. Using in vitro simian virus...40 DNA replication assays, we have found three factors that directly contribute to DNA damage-induced DNA replication arrest: Replication Protein A...trans-acting inhibitors. RPA is the major eukaryotic single-stranded DNA binding protein required for DNA replication , repair and recombination. Upon DNA

  6. Human cytomegalovirus UL76 induces chromosome aberrations

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    Background Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is known to induce chromosome aberrations in infected cells, which can lead to congenital abnormalities in infected fetuses. HCMV UL76 belongs to a conserved protein family from herpesviruses. Some reported roles among UL76 family members include involvement in virulence determination, lytic replication, reactivation of latent virus, modulation of gene expression, induction of apoptosis, and perturbation of cell cycle progression, as well as potential nuclease activity. Previously, we have shown that stable expression of UL76 inhibits HCMV replication in glioblastoma cells. Methods To examine chromosomal integrity and the DNA damage signal γ-H2AX in cells constitutively expressing UL76, immunofluorescent cell staining and Western blotting were performed. The comet assay was employed to assess DNA breaks in cells transiently expressing UL76. Results We report that stably transfected cells expressing UL76 developed chromosome aberrations including micronuclei and misaligned chromosomes, lagging and bridging. In mitotic cells expressing UL76, aberrant spindles were increased compared to control cells. However, cells with supernumerary centrosomes were marginally increased in UL76-expressing cells relative to control cells. We further demonstrated that UL76-expressing cells activated the DNA damage signal γ-H2AX and caused foci formation in nuclei. In addition, the number of cells with DNA breaks increased in proportion to UL76 protein levels. Conclusion Our findings suggest that the virus-associated protein UL76 induces DNA damage and the accumulation of chromosome aberrations. PMID:19930723

  7. RAD51 interconnects between DNA replication, DNA repair and immunity.

    PubMed

    Bhattacharya, Souparno; Srinivasan, Kalayarasan; Abdisalaam, Salim; Su, Fengtao; Raj, Prithvi; Dozmorov, Igor; Mishra, Ritu; Wakeland, Edward K; Ghose, Subroto; Mukherjee, Shibani; Asaithamby, Aroumougame

    2017-05-05

    RAD51, a multifunctional protein, plays a central role in DNA replication and homologous recombination repair, and is known to be involved in cancer development. We identified a novel role for RAD51 in innate immune response signaling. Defects in RAD51 lead to the accumulation of self-DNA in the cytoplasm, triggering a STING-mediated innate immune response after replication stress and DNA damage. In the absence of RAD51, the unprotected newly replicated genome is degraded by the exonuclease activity of MRE11, and the fragmented nascent DNA accumulates in the cytosol, initiating an innate immune response. Our data suggest that in addition to playing roles in homologous recombination-mediated DNA double-strand break repair and replication fork processing, RAD51 is also implicated in the suppression of innate immunity. Thus, our study reveals a previously uncharacterized role of RAD51 in initiating immune signaling, placing it at the hub of new interconnections between DNA replication, DNA repair, and immunity. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  8. Mechanisms of DNA replication termination.

    PubMed

    Dewar, James M; Walter, Johannes C

    2017-08-01

    Genome duplication is carried out by pairs of replication forks that assemble at origins of replication and then move in opposite directions. DNA replication ends when converging replication forks meet. During this process, which is known as replication termination, DNA synthesis is completed, the replication machinery is disassembled and daughter molecules are resolved. In this Review, we outline the steps that are likely to be common to replication termination in most organisms, namely, fork convergence, synthesis completion, replisome disassembly and decatenation. We briefly review the mechanism of termination in the bacterium Escherichia coli and in simian virus 40 (SV40) and also focus on recent advances in eukaryotic replication termination. In particular, we discuss the recently discovered E3 ubiquitin ligases that control replisome disassembly in yeast and higher eukaryotes, and how their activity is regulated to avoid genome instability.

  9. Synchronization of DNA array replication kinetics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Manturov, Alexey O.; Grigoryev, Anton V.

    2016-04-01

    In the present work we discuss the features of the DNA replication kinetics at the case of multiplicity of simultaneously elongated DNA fragments. The interaction between replicated DNA fragments is carried out by free protons that appears at the every nucleotide attachment at the free end of elongated DNA fragment. So there is feedback between free protons concentration and DNA-polymerase activity that appears as elongation rate dependence. We develop the numerical model based on a cellular automaton, which can simulate the elongation stage (growth of DNA strands) for DNA elongation process with conditions pointed above and we study the possibility of the DNA polymerases movement synchronization. The results obtained numerically can be useful for DNA polymerase movement detection and visualization of the elongation process in the case of massive DNA replication, eg, under PCR condition or for DNA "sequencing by synthesis" sequencing devices evaluation.

  10. DNA Repair Defects and Chromosomal Aberrations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hada, Megumi; George, K. A.; Huff, J. L.; Pluth, J. M.; Cucinotta, F. A.

    2009-01-01

    Yields of chromosome aberrations were assessed in cells deficient in DNA doublestrand break (DSB) repair, after exposure to acute or to low-dose-rate (0.018 Gy/hr) gamma rays or acute high LET iron nuclei. We studied several cell lines including fibroblasts deficient in ATM (ataxia telangiectasia mutated; product of the gene that is mutated in ataxia telangiectasia patients) or NBS (nibrin; product of the gene mutated in the Nijmegen breakage syndrome), and gliomablastoma cells that are proficient or lacking in DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) activity. Chromosomes were analyzed using the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) chromosome painting method in cells at the first division post irradiation, and chromosome aberrations were identified as either simple exchanges (translocations and dicentrics) or complex exchanges (involving >2 breaks in 2 or more chromosomes). Gamma irradiation induced greater yields of both simple and complex exchanges in the DSB repair-defective cells than in the normal cells. The quadratic dose-response terms for both simple and complex chromosome exchanges were significantly higher for the ATM- and NBS-deficient lines than for normal fibroblasts. However, in the NBS cells the linear dose-response term was significantly higher only for simple exchanges. The large increases in the quadratic dose-response terms in these repair-defective cell lines points the importance of the functions of ATM and NBS in chromatin modifications to facilitate correct DSB repair and minimize the formation of aberrations. The differences found between ATM- and NBS-deficient cells at low doses suggest that important questions should with regard to applying observations of radiation sensitivity at high dose to low-dose exposures. For aberrations induced by iron nuclei, regression models preferred purely linear dose responses for simple exchanges and quadratic dose responses for complex exchanges. Relative biological effectiveness (RBE) factors of all of

  11. Measuring DNA Replication in Hypoxic Conditions.

    PubMed

    Foskolou, Iosifina P; Biasoli, Deborah; Olcina, Monica M; Hammond, Ester M

    2016-01-01

    It is imperative that dividing cells maintain replication fork integrity in order to prevent DNA damage and cell death. The investigation of DNA replication is of high importance as alterations in this process can lead to genomic instability, a known causative factor of tumor development. A simple, sensitive, and informative technique which enables the study of DNA replication, is the DNA fiber assay, an adaptation of which is described in this chapter. The DNA fiber method is a powerful tool, which allows the quantitative and qualitative analysis of DNA replication at the single molecule level. The sequential pulse labeling of live cells with two thymidine analogues and the subsequent detection with specific antibodies and fluorescence imaging allows direct examination of sites of DNA synthesis. In this chapter, we describe how this assay can be performed in conditions of low oxygen levels (hypoxia)-a physiologically relevant stress that occurs in most solid tumors. Moreover, we suggest ways on how to overcome the technical problems that arise while using the hypoxic chambers.

  12. Mcm10 regulates DNA replication elongation by stimulating the CMG replicative helicase.

    PubMed

    Lõoke, Marko; Maloney, Michael F; Bell, Stephen P

    2017-02-01

    Activation of the Mcm2-7 replicative DNA helicase is the committed step in eukaryotic DNA replication initiation. Although Mcm2-7 activation requires binding of the helicase-activating proteins Cdc45 and GINS (forming the CMG complex), an additional protein, Mcm10, drives initial origin DNA unwinding by an unknown mechanism. We show that Mcm10 binds a conserved motif located between the oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide fold (OB-fold) and A subdomain of Mcm2. Although buried in the interface between these domains in Mcm2-7 structures, mutations predicted to separate the domains and expose this motif restore growth to conditional-lethal MCM10 mutant cells. We found that, in addition to stimulating initial DNA unwinding, Mcm10 stabilizes Cdc45 and GINS association with Mcm2-7 and stimulates replication elongation in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, we identified a lethal allele of MCM10 that stimulates initial DNA unwinding but is defective in replication elongation and CMG binding. Our findings expand the roles of Mcm10 during DNA replication and suggest a new model for Mcm10 function as an activator of the CMG complex throughout DNA replication. © 2017 Lõoke et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

  13. Recovery from the DNA Replication Checkpoint

    PubMed Central

    Chaudhury, Indrajit; Koepp, Deanna M.

    2016-01-01

    Checkpoint recovery is integral to a successful checkpoint response. Checkpoint pathways monitor progress during cell division so that in the event of an error, the checkpoint is activated to block the cell cycle and activate repair pathways. Intrinsic to this process is that once repair has been achieved, the checkpoint signaling pathway is inactivated and cell cycle progression resumes. We use the term “checkpoint recovery” to describe the pathways responsible for the inactivation of checkpoint signaling and cell cycle re-entry after the initial stress has been alleviated. The DNA replication or S-phase checkpoint monitors the integrity of DNA synthesis. When replication stress is encountered, replication forks are stalled, and the checkpoint signaling pathway is activated. Central to recovery from the S-phase checkpoint is the restart of stalled replication forks. If checkpoint recovery fails, stalled forks may become unstable and lead to DNA breaks or unusual DNA structures that are difficult to resolve, causing genomic instability. Alternatively, if cell cycle resumption mechanisms become uncoupled from checkpoint inactivation, cells with under-replicated DNA might proceed through the cell cycle, also diminishing genomic stability. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms that contribute to inactivation of the S-phase checkpoint signaling pathway and the restart of replication forks during recovery from replication stress. PMID:27801838

  14. Direct Visualization of DNA Replication Dynamics in Zebrafish Cells.

    PubMed

    Kuriya, Kenji; Higashiyama, Eriko; Avşar-Ban, Eriko; Tamaru, Yutaka; Ogata, Shin; Takebayashi, Shin-ichiro; Ogata, Masato; Okumura, Katsuzumi

    2015-12-01

    Spatiotemporal regulation of DNA replication in the S-phase nucleus has been extensively studied in mammalian cells because it is tightly coupled with the regulation of other nuclear processes such as transcription. However, little is known about the replication dynamics in nonmammalian cells. Here, we analyzed the DNA replication processes of zebrafish (Danio rerio) cells through the direct visualization of replicating DNA in the nucleus and on DNA fiber molecules isolated from the nucleus. We found that zebrafish chromosomal DNA at the nuclear interior was replicated first, followed by replication of DNA at the nuclear periphery, which is reminiscent of the spatiotemporal regulation of mammalian DNA replication. However, the relative duration of interior DNA replication in zebrafish cells was longer compared to mammalian cells, possibly reflecting zebrafish-specific genomic organization. The rate of replication fork progression and ori-to-ori distance measured by the DNA combing technique were ∼ 1.4 kb/min and 100 kb, respectively, which are comparable to those in mammalian cells. To our knowledge, this is a first report that measures replication dynamics in zebrafish cells.

  15. Replication licensing and the DNA damage checkpoint

    PubMed Central

    Cook, Jeanette Gowen

    2011-01-01

    Accurate and timely duplication of chromosomal DNA requires that replication be coordinated with processes that ensure genome integrity. Significant advances in determining how the earliest steps in DNA replication are affected by DNA damage have highlighted some of the mechanisms to establish that coordination. Recent insights have expanded the relationship between the ATM and ATR-dependent checkpoint pathways and the proteins that bind and function at replication origins. These findings suggest that checkpoints and replication are more intimately associated than previously appreciated, even in the absence of exogenous DNA damage. This review summarizes some of these developments. PMID:19482602

  16. ATR-like kinase Mec1 facilitates both chromatin accessibility at DNA replication forks and replication fork progression during replication stress

    PubMed Central

    Rodriguez, Jairo; Tsukiyama, Toshio

    2013-01-01

    Faithful DNA replication is essential for normal cell division and differentiation. In eukaryotic cells, DNA replication takes place on chromatin. This poses the critical question as to how DNA replication can progress through chromatin, which is inhibitory to all DNA-dependent processes. Here, we developed a novel genome-wide method to measure chromatin accessibility to micrococcal nuclease (MNase) that is normalized for nucleosome density, the NCAM (normalized chromatin accessibility to MNase) assay. This method enabled us to discover that chromatin accessibility increases specifically at and ahead of DNA replication forks in normal S phase and during replication stress. We further found that Mec1, a key regulatory ATR-like kinase in the S-phase checkpoint, is required for both normal chromatin accessibility around replication forks and replication fork rate during replication stress, revealing novel functions for the kinase in replication stress response. These results suggest a possibility that Mec1 may facilitate DNA replication fork progression during replication stress by increasing chromatin accessibility around replication forks. PMID:23307868

  17. Replication Stress: A Lifetime of Epigenetic Change

    PubMed Central

    Khurana, Simran; Oberdoerffer, Philipp

    2015-01-01

    DNA replication is essential for cell division. Challenges to the progression of DNA polymerase can result in replication stress, promoting the stalling and ultimately collapse of replication forks. The latter involves the formation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and has been linked to both genome instability and irreversible cell cycle arrest (senescence). Recent technological advances have elucidated many of the factors that contribute to the sensing and repair of stalled or broken replication forks. In addition to bona fide repair factors, these efforts highlight a range of chromatin-associated changes at and near sites of replication stress, suggesting defects in epigenome maintenance as a potential outcome of aberrant DNA replication. Here, we will summarize recent insight into replication stress-induced chromatin-reorganization and will speculate on possible adverse effects for gene expression, nuclear integrity and, ultimately, cell function. PMID:26378584

  18. Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) origin of DNA replication oriS influences origin-dependent DNA replication and flanking gene transcription.

    PubMed

    Khalil, Mohamed I; Sommer, Marvin H; Hay, John; Ruyechan, William T; Arvin, Ann M

    2015-07-01

    The VZV genome has two origins of DNA replication (oriS), each of which consists of an AT-rich sequence and three origin binding protein (OBP) sites called Box A, C and B. In these experiments, the mutation in the core sequence CGC of the Box A and C not only inhibited DNA replication but also inhibited both ORF62 and ORF63 expression in reporter gene assays. In contrast the Box B mutation did not influence DNA replication or flanking gene transcription. These results suggest that efficient DNA replication enhances ORF62 and ORF63 transcription. Recombinant viruses carrying these mutations in both sites and one with a deletion of the whole oriS were constructed. Surprisingly, the recombinant virus lacking both copies of oriS retained the capacity to replicate in melanoma and HELF cells suggesting that VZV has another origin of DNA replication. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. DNA replication depends on photosynthetic electron transport in cyanobacteria.

    PubMed

    Ohbayashi, Ryudo; Watanabe, Satoru; Kanesaki, Yu; Narikawa, Rei; Chibazakura, Taku; Ikeuchi, Masahiko; Yoshikawa, Hirofumi

    2013-07-01

    The freshwater cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 exhibits light-dependent growth. Although it has been reported that DNA replication also depends on light irradiation in S. elongatus 7942, the involvement of the light in the regulation of DNA replication remains unclear. To elucidate the regulatory pathway of DNA replication by light, we studied the effect of several inhibitors, including two electron transport inhibitors, 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) and 2,5-dibromo-3-methyl-6-isopropyl-p-benzoquinone (DBMIB), on DNA replication in S. elongatus 7942. DCMU inhibited only DNA replication initiation, whereas DBMIB blocked both the initiation and progression of DNA replication. These results suggest that DNA replication depends on the photosynthetic electron transport activity and initiation and progression of DNA replication are regulated in different ways. © 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Chromatin Controls DNA Replication Origin Selection, Lagging-Strand Synthesis, and Replication Fork Rates.

    PubMed

    Kurat, Christoph F; Yeeles, Joseph T P; Patel, Harshil; Early, Anne; Diffley, John F X

    2017-01-05

    The integrity of eukaryotic genomes requires rapid and regulated chromatin replication. How this is accomplished is still poorly understood. Using purified yeast replication proteins and fully chromatinized templates, we have reconstituted this process in vitro. We show that chromatin enforces DNA replication origin specificity by preventing non-specific MCM helicase loading. Helicase activation occurs efficiently in the context of chromatin, but subsequent replisome progression requires the histone chaperone FACT (facilitates chromatin transcription). The FACT-associated Nhp6 protein, the nucleosome remodelers INO80 or ISW1A, and the lysine acetyltransferases Gcn5 and Esa1 each contribute separately to maximum DNA synthesis rates. Chromatin promotes the regular priming of lagging-strand DNA synthesis by facilitating DNA polymerase α function at replication forks. Finally, nucleosomes disrupted during replication are efficiently re-assembled into regular arrays on nascent DNA. Our work defines the minimum requirements for chromatin replication in vitro and shows how multiple chromatin factors might modulate replication fork rates in vivo. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. The Role of the Transcriptional Response to DNA Replication Stress

    PubMed Central

    Herlihy, Anna E.; de Bruin, Robertus A.M.

    2017-01-01

    During DNA replication many factors can result in DNA replication stress. The DNA replication stress checkpoint prevents the accumulation of replication stress-induced DNA damage and the potential ensuing genome instability. A critical role for post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation, in the replication stress checkpoint response has been well established. However, recent work has revealed an important role for transcription in the cellular response to DNA replication stress. In this review, we will provide an overview of current knowledge of the cellular response to DNA replication stress with a specific focus on the DNA replication stress checkpoint transcriptional response and its role in the prevention of replication stress-induced DNA damage. PMID:28257104

  2. The Role of the Transcriptional Response to DNA Replication Stress.

    PubMed

    Herlihy, Anna E; de Bruin, Robertus A M

    2017-03-02

    During DNA replication many factors can result in DNA replication stress. The DNA replication stress checkpoint prevents the accumulation of replication stress-induced DNA damage and the potential ensuing genome instability. A critical role for post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation, in the replication stress checkpoint response has been well established. However, recent work has revealed an important role for transcription in the cellular response to DNA replication stress. In this review, we will provide an overview of current knowledge of the cellular response to DNA replication stress with a specific focus on the DNA replication stress checkpoint transcriptional response and its role in the prevention of replication stress-induced DNA damage.

  3. DNA replication after mutagenic treatment in Hordeum vulgare.

    PubMed

    Kwasniewska, Jolanta; Kus, Arita; Swoboda, Monika; Braszewska-Zalewska, Agnieszka

    2016-12-01

    The temporal and spatial properties of DNA replication in plants related to DNA damage and mutagenesis is poorly understood. Experiments were carried out to explore the relationships between DNA replication, chromatin structure and DNA damage in nuclei from barley root tips. We quantitavely analysed the topological organisation of replication foci using pulse EdU labelling during the S phase and its relationship with the DNA damage induced by mutagenic treatment with maleic hydrazide (MH), nitroso-N-methyl-urea (MNU) and gamma ray. Treatment with mutagens did not change the characteristic S-phase patterns in the nuclei; however, the frequencies of the S-phase-labelled cells after treatment differed from those observed in the control cells. The analyses of DNA replication in barley nuclei were extended to the micronuclei induced by mutagens. Replication in the chromatin of the micronuclei was rare. The results of simultanous TUNEL reaction to identify cells with DNA strand breaks and the labelling of the S-phase cells with EdU revealed the possibility of DNA replication occurring in damaged nuclei. For the first time, the intensity of EdU fluorescence to study the rate of DNA replication was analysed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. DNA damage response curtails detrimental replication stress and chromosomal instability induced by the dietary carcinogen PhIP

    PubMed Central

    Mimmler, Maximilian; Peter, Simon; Kraus, Alexander; Stroh, Svenja; Nikolova, Teodora; Seiwert, Nina; Hasselwander, Solveig; Neitzel, Carina; Haub, Jessica; Monien, Bernhard H.; Nicken, Petra; Steinberg, Pablo; Shay, Jerry W.; Kaina, Bernd; Fahrer, Jörg

    2016-01-01

    PhIP is an abundant heterocyclic aromatic amine (HCA) and important dietary carcinogen. Following metabolic activation, PhIP causes bulky DNA lesions at the C8-position of guanine. Although C8-PhIP-dG adducts are mutagenic, their interference with the DNA replication machinery and the elicited DNA damage response (DDR) have not yet been studied. Here, we analyzed PhIP-triggered replicative stress and elucidated the role of the apical DDR kinases ATR, ATM and DNA-PKcs in the cellular defense response. First, we demonstrate that PhIP induced C8-PhIP-dG adducts and DNA strand breaks. This stimulated ATR-CHK1 signaling, phosphorylation of histone 2AX and the formation of RPA foci. In proliferating cells, PhIP treatment increased the frequency of stalled replication forks and reduced fork speed. Inhibition of ATR in the presence of PhIP-induced DNA damage strongly promoted the formation of DNA double-strand breaks, activation of the ATM-CHK2 pathway and hyperphosphorylation of RPA. The abrogation of ATR signaling potentiated the cell death response and enhanced chromosomal aberrations after PhIP treatment, while ATM and DNA-PK inhibition had only marginal effects. These results strongly support the notion that ATR plays a key role in the defense against cancer formation induced by PhIP and related HCAs. PMID:27599846

  5. Archaeal replicative primases can perform translesion DNA synthesis.

    PubMed

    Jozwiakowski, Stanislaw K; Borazjani Gholami, Farimah; Doherty, Aidan J

    2015-02-17

    DNA replicases routinely stall at lesions encountered on the template strand, and translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) is used to rescue progression of stalled replisomes. This process requires specialized polymerases that perform translesion DNA synthesis. Although prokaryotes and eukaryotes possess canonical TLS polymerases (Y-family Pols) capable of traversing blocking DNA lesions, most archaea lack these enzymes. Here, we report that archaeal replicative primases (Pri S, primase small subunit) can also perform TLS. Archaeal Pri S can bypass common oxidative DNA lesions, such as 8-Oxo-2'-deoxyguanosines and UV light-induced DNA damage, faithfully bypassing cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers. Although it is well documented that archaeal replicases specifically arrest at deoxyuracils (dUs) due to recognition and binding to the lesions, a replication restart mechanism has not been identified. Here, we report that Pri S efficiently replicates past dUs, even in the presence of stalled replicase complexes, thus providing a mechanism for maintaining replication bypass of these DNA lesions. Together, these findings establish that some replicative primases, previously considered to be solely involved in priming replication, are also TLS proficient and therefore may play important roles in damage tolerance at replication forks.

  6. From structure to mechanism—understanding initiation of DNA replication

    PubMed Central

    Riera, Alberto; Barbon, Marta; Noguchi, Yasunori; Reuter, L. Maximilian; Schneider, Sarah; Speck, Christian

    2017-01-01

    DNA replication results in the doubling of the genome prior to cell division. This process requires the assembly of 50 or more protein factors into a replication fork. Here, we review recent structural and biochemical insights that start to explain how specific proteins recognize DNA replication origins, load the replicative helicase on DNA, unwind DNA, synthesize new DNA strands, and reassemble chromatin. We focus on the minichromosome maintenance (MCM2–7) proteins, which form the core of the eukaryotic replication fork, as this complex undergoes major structural rearrangements in order to engage with DNA, regulate its DNA-unwinding activity, and maintain genome stability. PMID:28717046

  7. Defects in Mitochondrial DNA Replication and Human Disease

    PubMed Central

    Copeland, William C.

    2011-01-01

    Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is replicated by the DNA polymerase γ in concert with accessory proteins such as the mitochondrial DNA helicase, single stranded DNA binding protein, topoisomerase, and initiating factors. Nucleotide precursors for mtDNA replication arise from the mitochondrial salvage pathway originating from transport of nucleosides, or alternatively from cytoplasmic reduction of ribonucleotides. Defects in mtDNA replication or nucleotide metabolism can cause mitochondrial genetic diseases due to mtDNA deletions, point mutations, or depletion which ultimately cause loss of oxidative phosphorylation. These genetic diseases include mtDNA depletion syndromes (MDS) such as Alpers or early infantile hepatocerebral syndromes, and mtDNA deletion disorders, such as progressive external ophthalmoplegia (PEO), ataxia-neuropathy, or mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy (MNGIE). This review focuses on our current knowledge of genetic defects of mtDNA replication (POLG, POLG2, C10orf2) and nucleotide metabolism (TYMP, TK2, DGOUK, and RRM2B) that cause instability of mtDNA and mitochondrial disease. PMID:22176657

  8. From structure to mechanism-understanding initiation of DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Riera, Alberto; Barbon, Marta; Noguchi, Yasunori; Reuter, L Maximilian; Schneider, Sarah; Speck, Christian

    2017-06-01

    DNA replication results in the doubling of the genome prior to cell division. This process requires the assembly of 50 or more protein factors into a replication fork. Here, we review recent structural and biochemical insights that start to explain how specific proteins recognize DNA replication origins, load the replicative helicase on DNA, unwind DNA, synthesize new DNA strands, and reassemble chromatin. We focus on the minichromosome maintenance (MCM2-7) proteins, which form the core of the eukaryotic replication fork, as this complex undergoes major structural rearrangements in order to engage with DNA, regulate its DNA-unwinding activity, and maintain genome stability. © 2017 Riera et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

  9. Influence of DNA Lesions on Polymerase-Mediated DNA Replication at Single-Molecule Resolution.

    PubMed

    Gahlon, Hailey L; Romano, Louis J; Rueda, David

    2017-11-20

    Faithful replication of DNA is a critical aspect in maintaining genome integrity. DNA polymerases are responsible for replicating DNA, and high-fidelity polymerases do this rapidly and at low error rates. Upon exposure to exogenous or endogenous substances, DNA can become damaged and this can alter the speed and fidelity of a DNA polymerase. In this instance, DNA polymerases are confronted with an obstacle that can result in genomic instability during replication, for example, by nucleotide misinsertion or replication fork collapse. It is important to know how DNA polymerases respond to damaged DNA substrates to understand the mechanism of mutagenesis and chemical carcinogenesis. Single-molecule techniques have helped to improve our current understanding of DNA polymerase-mediated DNA replication, as they enable the dissection of mechanistic details that can otherwise be lost in ensemble-averaged experiments. These techniques have also been used to gain a deeper understanding of how single DNA polymerases behave at the site of the damage in a DNA substrate. In this review, we evaluate single-molecule studies that have examined the interaction between DNA polymerases and damaged sites on a DNA template.

  10. Enzymes involved in organellar DNA replication in photosynthetic eukaryotes.

    PubMed

    Moriyama, Takashi; Sato, Naoki

    2014-01-01

    Plastids and mitochondria possess their own genomes. Although the replication mechanisms of these organellar genomes remain unclear in photosynthetic eukaryotes, several organelle-localized enzymes related to genome replication, including DNA polymerase, DNA primase, DNA helicase, DNA topoisomerase, single-stranded DNA maintenance protein, DNA ligase, primer removal enzyme, and several DNA recombination-related enzymes, have been identified. In the reference Eudicot plant Arabidopsis thaliana, the replication-related enzymes of plastids and mitochondria are similar because many of them are dual targeted to both organelles, whereas in the red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae, plastids and mitochondria contain different replication machinery components. The enzymes involved in organellar genome replication in green plants and red algae were derived from different origins, including proteobacterial, cyanobacterial, and eukaryotic lineages. In the present review, we summarize the available data for enzymes related to organellar genome replication in green plants and red algae. In addition, based on the type and distribution of replication enzymes in photosynthetic eukaryotes, we discuss the transitional history of replication enzymes in the organelles of plants.

  11. Conserved Sequences at the Origin of Adenovirus DNA Replication

    PubMed Central

    Stillman, Bruce W.; Topp, William C.; Engler, Jeffrey A.

    1982-01-01

    The origin of adenovirus DNA replication lies within an inverted sequence repetition at either end of the linear, double-stranded viral DNA. Initiation of DNA replication is primed by a deoxynucleoside that is covalently linked to a protein, which remains bound to the newly synthesized DNA. We demonstrate that virion-derived DNA-protein complexes from five human adenovirus serological subgroups (A to E) can act as a template for both the initiation and the elongation of DNA replication in vitro, using nuclear extracts from adenovirus type 2 (Ad2)-infected HeLa cells. The heterologous template DNA-protein complexes were not as active as the homologous Ad2 DNA, most probably due to inefficient initiation by Ad2 replication factors. In an attempt to identify common features which may permit this replication, we have also sequenced the inverted terminal repeated DNA from human adenovirus serotypes Ad4 (group E), Ad9 and Ad10 (group D), and Ad31 (group A), and we have compared these to previously determined sequences from Ad2 and Ad5 (group C), Ad7 (group B), and Ad12 and Ad18 (group A) DNA. In all cases, the sequence around the origin of DNA replication can be divided into two structural domains: a proximal A · T-rich region which is partially conserved among these serotypes, and a distal G · C-rich region which is less well conserved. The G · C-rich region contains sequences similar to sequences present in papovavirus replication origins. The two domains may reflect a dual mechanism for initiation of DNA replication: adenovirus-specific protein priming of replication, and subsequent utilization of this primer by host replication factors for completion of DNA synthesis. Images PMID:7143575

  12. DNA Replication Arrest and DNA Damage Responses Induced by Alkylating Minor Groove Binders

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2003-05-01

    Alkylating minor groove DNA binder adozelesin is capable of inhibiting DNA replication in treated cells through a trans-acting mechanism. The trans... replication in vitro. Using purified proteins in DNA replication initiation assays, we found that RPA purified from cells treated with adozelesin in not...adozelesin has the same single-stranded DNA binding activity and support nucleotide excision repair as normal RPA, but is not able to support SV40 DNA

  13. DNA replication origins—where do we begin?

    PubMed Central

    Prioleau, Marie-Noëlle; MacAlpine, David M.

    2016-01-01

    For more than three decades, investigators have sought to identify the precise locations where DNA replication initiates in mammalian genomes. The development of molecular and biochemical approaches to identify start sites of DNA replication (origins) based on the presence of defining and characteristic replication intermediates at specific loci led to the identification of only a handful of mammalian replication origins. The limited number of identified origins prevented a comprehensive and exhaustive search for conserved genomic features that were capable of specifying origins of DNA replication. More recently, the adaptation of origin-mapping assays to genome-wide approaches has led to the identification of tens of thousands of replication origins throughout mammalian genomes, providing an unprecedented opportunity to identify both genetic and epigenetic features that define and regulate their distribution and utilization. Here we summarize recent advances in our understanding of how primary sequence, chromatin environment, and nuclear architecture contribute to the dynamic selection and activation of replication origins across diverse cell types and developmental stages. PMID:27542827

  14. Proteasome-dependent degradation of replisome components regulates faithful DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Roseaulin, Laura C; Noguchi, Chiaki; Noguchi, Eishi

    2013-08-15

    The replication machinery, or the replisome, collides with a variety of obstacles during the normal process of DNA replication. In addition to damaged template DNA, numerous chromosome regions are considered to be difficult to replicate owing to the presence of DNA secondary structures and DNA-binding proteins. Under these conditions, the replication fork stalls, generating replication stress. Stalled forks are prone to collapse, posing serious threats to genomic integrity. It is generally thought that the replication checkpoint functions to stabilize the replisome and replication fork structure upon replication stress. This is important in order to allow DNA replication to resume once the problem is solved. However, our recent studies demonstrated that some replisome components undergo proteasome-dependent degradation during DNA replication in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Our investigation has revealed the involvement of the SCF(Pof3) (Skp1-Cullin/Cdc53-F-box) ubiquitin ligase in replisome regulation. We also demonstrated that forced accumulation of the replisome components leads to abnormal DNA replication upon replication stress. Here we review these findings and present additional data indicating the importance of replisome degradation for DNA replication. Our studies suggest that cells activate an alternative pathway to degrade replisome components in order to preserve genomic integrity.

  15. Function of BRCA1 at a DNA Replication Origin

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2004-07-01

    origin of Epstein-Barr Virus DNA replication (Ori P). OriP replicates once and only once per cell cycle in synchrony with the cellular genome, and is...modifications, and to investigate its function at OriP in DNA replication and plasmid maintenance. We propose that these studies will provide valuable...information concerning the function of OriP at replication origins and in the control of DNA replication initiation and genome stability.

  16. Structure-Function Aspects of Membrane Associated Prokaryotic DNA replication

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1994-09-01

    Membrane associated DNA replication in prokaryotes has been studied intensively using two model systems, Bacillus subtilis and plasmid RK2 cultured...in its Escherichia coli host. In the former a new membrane protein that had previously been found to act as an inhibitor of DNA replication was...prior to a round of DNA replication . In the latter, plasmid DNA replication has been found to be associated with the inner but not outer membrane of

  17. DNA Replication Origins and Fork Progression at Mammalian Telomeres

    PubMed Central

    Higa, Mitsunori; Fujita, Masatoshi; Yoshida, Kazumasa

    2017-01-01

    Telomeres are essential chromosomal regions that prevent critical shortening of linear chromosomes and genomic instability in eukaryotic cells. The bulk of telomeric DNA is replicated by semi-conservative DNA replication in the same way as the rest of the genome. However, recent findings revealed that replication of telomeric repeats is a potential cause of chromosomal instability, because DNA replication through telomeres is challenged by the repetitive telomeric sequences and specific structures that hamper the replication fork. In this review, we summarize current understanding of the mechanisms by which telomeres are faithfully and safely replicated in mammalian cells. Various telomere-associated proteins ensure efficient telomere replication at different steps, such as licensing of replication origins, passage of replication forks, proper fork restart after replication stress, and dissolution of post-replicative structures. In particular, shelterin proteins have central roles in the control of telomere replication. Through physical interactions, accessory proteins are recruited to maintain telomere integrity during DNA replication. Dormant replication origins and/or homology-directed repair may rescue inappropriate fork stalling or collapse that can cause defects in telomere structure and functions. PMID:28350373

  18. DNA replication origins-where do we begin?

    PubMed

    Prioleau, Marie-Noëlle; MacAlpine, David M

    2016-08-01

    For more than three decades, investigators have sought to identify the precise locations where DNA replication initiates in mammalian genomes. The development of molecular and biochemical approaches to identify start sites of DNA replication (origins) based on the presence of defining and characteristic replication intermediates at specific loci led to the identification of only a handful of mammalian replication origins. The limited number of identified origins prevented a comprehensive and exhaustive search for conserved genomic features that were capable of specifying origins of DNA replication. More recently, the adaptation of origin-mapping assays to genome-wide approaches has led to the identification of tens of thousands of replication origins throughout mammalian genomes, providing an unprecedented opportunity to identify both genetic and epigenetic features that define and regulate their distribution and utilization. Here we summarize recent advances in our understanding of how primary sequence, chromatin environment, and nuclear architecture contribute to the dynamic selection and activation of replication origins across diverse cell types and developmental stages. © 2016 Prioleau and MacAlpine; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

  19. DNA-PKcs phosphorylates hnRNP-A1 to facilitate the RPA-to-POT1 switch and telomere capping after replication.

    PubMed

    Sui, Jiangdong; Lin, Yu-Fen; Xu, Kangling; Lee, Kyung-Jong; Wang, Dong; Chen, Benjamin P C

    2015-07-13

    The heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNP-A1) has been implicated in telomere protection and telomerase activation. Recent evidence has further demonstrated that hnRNP-A1 plays a crucial role in maintaining newly replicated telomeric 3' overhangs and facilitating the switch from replication protein A (RPA) to protection of telomeres 1 (POT1). The role of hnRNP-A1 in telomere protection also involves DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs), although the detailed regulation mechanism has not been clear. Here we report that hnRNP-A1 is phosphorylated by DNA-PKcs during the G2 and M phases and that DNA-PK-dependent hnRNP-A1 phosphorylation promotes the RPA-to-POT1 switch on telomeric single-stranded 3' overhangs. Consequently, in cells lacking hnRNP-A1 or DNA-PKcs-dependent hnRNP-A1 phosphorylation, impairment of the RPA-to-POT1 switch results in DNA damage response at telomeres during mitosis as well as induction of fragile telomeres. Taken together, our results indicate that DNA-PKcs-dependent hnRNP-A1 phosphorylation is critical for capping of the newly replicated telomeres and prevention of telomeric aberrations. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  20. DNA replication stress and cancer chemotherapy.

    PubMed

    Kitao, Hiroyuki; Iimori, Makoto; Kataoka, Yuki; Wakasa, Takeshi; Tokunaga, Eriko; Saeki, Hiroshi; Oki, Eiji; Maehara, Yoshihiko

    2018-02-01

    DNA replication is one of the fundamental biological processes in which dysregulation can cause genome instability. This instability is one of the hallmarks of cancer and confers genetic diversity during tumorigenesis. Numerous experimental and clinical studies have indicated that most tumors have experienced and overcome the stresses caused by the perturbation of DNA replication, which is also referred to as DNA replication stress (DRS). When we consider therapeutic approaches for tumors, it is important to exploit the differences in DRS between tumor and normal cells. In this review, we introduce the current understanding of DRS in tumors and discuss the underlying mechanism of cancer therapy from the aspect of DRS. © 2017 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

  1. Insights into the Initiation of Eukaryotic DNA Replication.

    PubMed

    Bruck, Irina; Perez-Arnaiz, Patricia; Colbert, Max K; Kaplan, Daniel L

    2015-01-01

    The initiation of DNA replication is a highly regulated event in eukaryotic cells to ensure that the entire genome is copied once and only once during S phase. The primary target of cellular regulation of eukaryotic DNA replication initiation is the assembly and activation of the replication fork helicase, the 11-subunit assembly that unwinds DNA at a replication fork. The replication fork helicase, called CMG for Cdc45-Mcm2-7, and GINS, assembles in S phase from the constituent Cdc45, Mcm2-7, and GINS proteins. The assembly and activation of the CMG replication fork helicase during S phase is governed by 2 S-phase specific kinases, CDK and DDK. CDK stimulates the interaction between Sld2, Sld3, and Dpb11, 3 initiation factors that are each required for the initiation of DNA replication. DDK, on the other hand, phosphorylates the Mcm2, Mcm4, and Mcm6 subunits of the Mcm2-7 complex. Sld3 recruits Cdc45 to Mcm2-7 in a manner that depends on DDK, and recent work suggests that Sld3 binds directly to Mcm2-7 and also to single-stranded DNA. Furthermore, recent work demonstrates that Sld3 and its human homolog Treslin substantially stimulate DDK phosphorylation of Mcm2. These data suggest that the initiation factor Sld3/Treslin coordinates the assembly and activation of the eukaryotic replication fork helicase by recruiting Cdc45 to Mcm2-7, stimulating DDK phosphorylation of Mcm2, and binding directly to single-stranded DNA as the origin is melted.

  2. DNA motifs associated with aberrant CpG island methylation.

    PubMed

    Feltus, F Alex; Lee, Eva K; Costello, Joseph F; Plass, Christoph; Vertino, Paula M

    2006-05-01

    Epigenetic silencing involving the aberrant methylation of promoter region CpG islands is widely recognized as a tumor suppressor silencing mechanism in cancer. However, the molecular pathways underlying aberrant DNA methylation remain elusive. Recently we showed that, on a genome-wide level, CpG island loci differ in their intrinsic susceptibility to aberrant methylation and that this susceptibility can be predicted based on underlying sequence context. These data suggest that there are sequence/structural features that contribute to the protection from or susceptibility to aberrant methylation. Here we use motif elicitation coupled with classification techniques to identify DNA sequence motifs that selectively define methylation-prone or methylation-resistant CpG islands. Motifs common to 28 methylation-prone or 47 methylation-resistant CpG island-containing genomic fragments were determined using the MEME and MAST algorithms (). The five most discriminatory motifs derived from methylation-prone sequences were found to be associated with CpG islands in general and were nonrandomly distributed throughout the genome. In contrast, the eight most discriminatory motifs derived from the methylation-resistant CpG islands were randomly distributed throughout the genome. Interestingly, this latter group tended to associate with Alu and other repetitive sequences. Used together, the frequency of occurrence of these motifs successfully discriminated methylation-prone and methylation-resistant CpG island groups with an accuracy of 87% after 10-fold cross-validation. The motifs identified here are candidate methylation-targeting or methylation-protection DNA sequences.

  3. Human Pif1 helicase unwinds synthetic DNA structures resembling stalled DNA replication forks

    PubMed Central

    George, Tresa; Wen, Qin; Griffiths, Richard; Ganesh, Anil; Meuth, Mark; Sanders, Cyril M.

    2009-01-01

    Pif-1 proteins are 5′→3′ superfamily 1 (SF1) helicases that in yeast have roles in the maintenance of mitochondrial and nuclear genome stability. The functions and activities of the human enzyme (hPif1) are unclear, but here we describe its DNA binding and DNA remodeling activities. We demonstrate that hPif1 specifically recognizes and unwinds DNA structures resembling putative stalled replication forks. Notably, the enzyme requires both arms of the replication fork-like structure to initiate efficient unwinding of the putative leading replication strand of such substrates. This DNA structure-specific mode of initiation of unwinding is intrinsic to the conserved core helicase domain (hPifHD) that also possesses a strand annealing activity as has been demonstrated for the RecQ family of helicases. The result of hPif1 helicase action at stalled DNA replication forks would generate free 3′ ends and ssDNA that could potentially be used to assist replication restart in conjunction with its strand annealing activity. PMID:19700773

  4. A quantitative and high-throughput assay of human papillomavirus DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Gagnon, David; Fradet-Turcotte, Amélie; Archambault, Jacques

    2015-01-01

    Replication of the human papillomavirus (HPV) double-stranded DNA genome is accomplished by the two viral proteins E1 and E2 in concert with host DNA replication factors. HPV DNA replication is an established model of eukaryotic DNA replication and a potential target for antiviral therapy. Assays to measure the transient replication of HPV DNA in transfected cells have been developed, which rely on a plasmid carrying the viral origin of DNA replication (ori) together with expression vectors for E1 and E2. Replication of the ori-plasmid is typically measured by Southern blotting or PCR analysis of newly replicated DNA (i.e., DpnI digested DNA) several days post-transfection. Although extremely valuable, these assays have been difficult to perform in a high-throughput and quantitative manner. Here, we describe a modified version of the transient DNA replication assay that circumvents these limitations by incorporating a firefly luciferase expression cassette in cis of the ori. Replication of this ori-plasmid by E1 and E2 results in increased levels of firefly luciferase activity that can be accurately quantified and normalized to those of Renilla luciferase expressed from a control plasmid, thus obviating the need for DNA extraction, digestion, and analysis. We provide a detailed protocol for performing the HPV type 31 DNA replication assay in a 96-well plate format suitable for small-molecule screening and EC50 determinations. The quantitative and high-throughput nature of the assay should greatly facilitate the study of HPV DNA replication and the identification of inhibitors thereof.

  5. Role of the Adenovirus DNA-Binding Protein in In Vitro Adeno-Associated Virus DNA Replication

    PubMed Central

    Ward, Peter; Dean, Frank B.; O’Donnell, Michael E.; Berns, Kenneth I.

    1998-01-01

    A basic question in adeno-associated virus (AAV) biology has been whether adenovirus (Ad) infection provided any function which directly promoted replication of AAV DNA. Previously in vitro assays for AAV DNA replication, using linear duplex AAV DNA as the template, uninfected or Ad-infected HeLa cell extracts, and exogenous AAV Rep protein, demonstrated that Ad infection provides a direct helper effect for AAV DNA replication. It was shown that the nature of this helper effect was to increase the processivity of AAV DNA replication. Left unanswered was the question of whether this effect was the result of cellular factors whose activity was enhanced by Ad infection or was the result of direct participation of Ad proteins in AAV DNA replication. In this report, we show that in the in vitro assay, enhancement of processivity occurs with the addition of either the Ad DNA-binding protein (Ad-DBP) or the human single-stranded DNA-binding protein (replication protein A [RPA]). Clearly Ad-DBP is present after Ad infection but not before, whereas the cellular level of RPA is not apparently affected by Ad infection. However, we have not measured possible modifications of RPA which might occur after Ad infection and affect AAV DNA replication. When the substrate for replication was an AAV genome inserted into a plasmid vector, RPA was not an effective substitute for Ad-DBP. Extracts supplemented with Ad-DBP preferentially replicated AAV sequences rather than adjacent vector sequences; in contrast, extracts supplemented with RPA preferentially replicated vector sequences. PMID:9420241

  6. SMC1-Mediated Intra-S-Phase Arrest Facilitates Bocavirus DNA Replication

    PubMed Central

    Luo, Yong; Deng, Xuefeng; Cheng, Fang; Li, Yi

    2013-01-01

    Activation of a host DNA damage response (DDR) is essential for DNA replication of minute virus of canines (MVC), a member of the genus Bocavirus of the Parvoviridae family; however, the mechanism by which DDR contributes to viral DNA replication is unknown. In the current study, we demonstrate that MVC infection triggers the intra-S-phase arrest to slow down host cellular DNA replication and to recruit cellular DNA replication factors for viral DNA replication. The intra-S-phase arrest is regulated by ATM (ataxia telangiectasia-mutated kinase) signaling in a p53-independent manner. Moreover, we demonstrate that SMC1 (structural maintenance of chromosomes 1) is the key regulator of the intra-S-phase arrest induced during infection. Either knockdown of SMC1 or complementation with a dominant negative SMC1 mutant blocks both the intra-S-phase arrest and viral DNA replication. Finally, we show that the intra-S-phase arrest induced during MVC infection was caused neither by damaged host cellular DNA nor by viral proteins but by replicating viral genomes physically associated with the DNA damage sensor, the Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 (MRN) complex. In conclusion, the feedback loop between MVC DNA replication and the intra-S-phase arrest is mediated by ATM-SMC1 signaling and plays a critical role in MVC DNA replication. Thus, our findings unravel the mechanism underlying DDR signaling-facilitated MVC DNA replication and demonstrate a novel strategy of DNA virus-host interaction. PMID:23365434

  7. The logic of DNA replication in double-stranded DNA viruses: insights from global analysis of viral genomes

    PubMed Central

    Kazlauskas, Darius; Krupovic, Mart; Venclovas, Česlovas

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Genomic DNA replication is a complex process that involves multiple proteins. Cellular DNA replication systems are broadly classified into only two types, bacterial and archaeo-eukaryotic. In contrast, double-stranded (ds) DNA viruses feature a much broader diversity of DNA replication machineries. Viruses differ greatly in both completeness and composition of their sets of DNA replication proteins. In this study, we explored whether there are common patterns underlying this extreme diversity. We identified and analyzed all major functional groups of DNA replication proteins in all available proteomes of dsDNA viruses. Our results show that some proteins are common to viruses infecting all domains of life and likely represent components of the ancestral core set. These include B-family polymerases, SF3 helicases, archaeo-eukaryotic primases, clamps and clamp loaders of the archaeo-eukaryotic type, RNase H and ATP-dependent DNA ligases. We also discovered a clear correlation between genome size and self-sufficiency of viral DNA replication, the unanticipated dominance of replicative helicases and pervasive functional associations among certain groups of DNA replication proteins. Altogether, our results provide a comprehensive view on the diversity and evolution of replication systems in the DNA virome and uncover fundamental principles underlying the orchestration of viral DNA replication. PMID:27112572

  8. Transposition-mediated DNA re-replication in maize

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Jianbo; Zuo, Tao; Wang, Dafang; Peterson, Thomas

    2014-01-01

    Every DNA segment in a eukaryotic genome normally replicates once and only once per cell cycle to maintain genome stability. We show here that this restriction can be bypassed through alternative transposition, a transposition reaction that utilizes the termini of two separate, nearby transposable elements (TEs). Our results suggest that alternative transposition during S phase can induce re-replication of the TEs and their flanking sequences. The DNA re-replication can spontaneously abort to generate double-strand breaks, which can be repaired to generate Composite Insertions composed of transposon termini flanking segmental duplications of various lengths. These results show how alternative transposition coupled with DNA replication and repair can significantly alter genome structure and may have contributed to rapid genome evolution in maize and possibly other eukaryotes. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.03724.001 PMID:25406063

  9. Replication stress-induced chromosome breakage is correlated with replication fork progression and is preceded by single-stranded DNA formation.

    PubMed

    Feng, Wenyi; Di Rienzi, Sara C; Raghuraman, M K; Brewer, Bonita J

    2011-10-01

    Chromosome breakage as a result of replication stress has been hypothesized to be the direct consequence of defective replication fork progression, or "collapsed" replication forks. However, direct and genome-wide evidence that collapsed replication forks give rise to chromosome breakage is still lacking. Previously we showed that a yeast replication checkpoint mutant mec1-1, after transient exposure to replication impediment imposed by hydroxyurea (HU), failed to complete DNA replication, accumulated single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) at the replication forks, and fragmented its chromosomes. In this study, by following replication fork progression genome-wide via ssDNA detection and by direct mapping of chromosome breakage after HU exposure, we have tested the hypothesis that the chromosome breakage in mec1 cells occurs at collapsed replication forks. We demonstrate that sites of chromosome breakage indeed correlate with replication fork locations. Moreover, ssDNA can be detected prior to chromosome breakage, suggesting that ssDNA accumulation is the common precursor to double strand breaks at collapsed replication forks.

  10. Inherited Mitochondrial Diseases of DNA Replication

    PubMed Central

    Copeland, William C.

    2007-01-01

    Mitochondrial genetic diseases can result from defects in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in the form of deletions, point mutations, or depletion, which ultimately cause loss of oxidative phosphorylation. These mutations may be spontaneous, maternally inherited, or a result of inherited nuclear defects in genes that maintain mtDNA. This review focuses on our current understanding of nuclear gene mutations that produce mtDNA alterations and cause mitochondrial depletion syndrome (MDS), progressive external ophthalmoplegia (PEO), ataxia-neuropathy, or mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy (MNGIE). To date, all of these etiologic nuclear genes fall into one of two categories: genes whose products function directly at the mtDNA replication fork, such as POLG, POLG2, and TWINKLE, or genes whose products supply the mitochondria with deoxynucleotide triphosphate pools needed for DNA replication, such as TK2, DGUOK, TP, SUCLA2, ANT1, and possibly the newly identified MPV17. PMID:17892433

  11. Chromatin Constrains the Initiation and Elongation of DNA Replication.

    PubMed

    Devbhandari, Sujan; Jiang, Jieqing; Kumar, Charanya; Whitehouse, Iestyn; Remus, Dirk

    2017-01-05

    Eukaryotic chromosomal DNA is faithfully replicated in a complex series of cell-cycle-regulated events that are incompletely understood. Here we report the reconstitution of DNA replication free in solution with purified proteins from the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The system recapitulates regulated bidirectional origin activation; synthesis of leading and lagging strands by the three replicative DNA polymerases Pol α, Pol δ, and Pol ε; and canonical maturation of Okazaki fragments into continuous daughter strands. We uncover a dual regulatory role for chromatin during DNA replication: promoting origin dependence and determining Okazaki fragment length by restricting Pol δ progression. This system thus provides a functional platform for the detailed mechanistic analysis of eukaryotic chromosome replication. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. DNA replication through a chromatin environment.

    PubMed

    Bellush, James M; Whitehouse, Iestyn

    2017-10-05

    Compaction of the genome into the nuclear space is achieved by wrapping DNA around octameric assemblies of histone proteins to form nucleosomes, the fundamental repeating unit of chromatin. Aside from providing a means by which to fit larger genomes into the cell, chromatinization of DNA is a crucial means by which the cell regulates access to the genome. While the complex role that chromatin plays in gene transcription has been appreciated for a long time, it is now also apparent that crucial aspects of DNA replication are linked to the biology of chromatin. This review will focus on recent advances in our understanding of how the chromatin environment influences key aspects of DNA replication.This article is part of the themed issue 'Chromatin modifiers and remodellers in DNA repair and signalling'. © 2017 The Author(s).

  13. The logic of DNA replication in double-stranded DNA viruses: insights from global analysis of viral genomes.

    PubMed

    Kazlauskas, Darius; Krupovic, Mart; Venclovas, Česlovas

    2016-06-02

    Genomic DNA replication is a complex process that involves multiple proteins. Cellular DNA replication systems are broadly classified into only two types, bacterial and archaeo-eukaryotic. In contrast, double-stranded (ds) DNA viruses feature a much broader diversity of DNA replication machineries. Viruses differ greatly in both completeness and composition of their sets of DNA replication proteins. In this study, we explored whether there are common patterns underlying this extreme diversity. We identified and analyzed all major functional groups of DNA replication proteins in all available proteomes of dsDNA viruses. Our results show that some proteins are common to viruses infecting all domains of life and likely represent components of the ancestral core set. These include B-family polymerases, SF3 helicases, archaeo-eukaryotic primases, clamps and clamp loaders of the archaeo-eukaryotic type, RNase H and ATP-dependent DNA ligases. We also discovered a clear correlation between genome size and self-sufficiency of viral DNA replication, the unanticipated dominance of replicative helicases and pervasive functional associations among certain groups of DNA replication proteins. Altogether, our results provide a comprehensive view on the diversity and evolution of replication systems in the DNA virome and uncover fundamental principles underlying the orchestration of viral DNA replication. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  14. A Molecular Toolbox to Engineer Site-Specific DNA Replication Perturbation.

    PubMed

    Larsen, Nicolai B; Hickson, Ian D; Mankouri, Hocine W

    2018-01-01

    Site-specific arrest of DNA replication is a useful tool for analyzing cellular responses to DNA replication perturbation. The E. coli Tus-Ter replication barrier can be reconstituted in eukaryotic cells as a system to engineer an unscheduled collision between a replication fork and an "alien" impediment to DNA replication. To further develop this system as a versatile tool, we describe a set of reagents and a detailed protocol that can be used to engineer Tus-Ter barriers into any locus in the budding yeast genome. Because the Tus-Ter complex is a bipartite system with intrinsic DNA replication-blocking activity, the reagents and protocols developed and validated in yeast could also be optimized to engineer site-specific replication fork barriers into other eukaryotic cell types.

  15. Cohesin organizes chromatin loops at DNA replication factories

    PubMed Central

    Guillou, Emmanuelle; Ibarra, Arkaitz; Coulon, Vincent; Casado-Vela, Juan; Rico, Daniel; Casal, Ignacio; Schwob, Etienne; Losada, Ana; Méndez, Juan

    2010-01-01

    Genomic DNA is packed in chromatin fibers organized in higher-order structures within the interphase nucleus. One level of organization involves the formation of chromatin loops that may provide a favorable environment to processes such as DNA replication, transcription, and repair. However, little is known about the mechanistic basis of this structuration. Here we demonstrate that cohesin participates in the spatial organization of DNA replication factories in human cells. Cohesin is enriched at replication origins and interacts with prereplication complex proteins. Down-regulation of cohesin slows down S-phase progression by limiting the number of active origins and increasing the length of chromatin loops that correspond with replicon units. These results give a new dimension to the role of cohesin in the architectural organization of interphase chromatin, by showing its participation in DNA replication. PMID:21159821

  16. Strand-Specific Analysis of DNA Synthesis and Proteins Association with DNA Replication Forks in Budding Yeast.

    PubMed

    Yu, Chuanhe; Gan, Haiyun; Zhang, Zhiguo

    2018-01-01

    DNA replication initiates at DNA replication origins after unwinding of double-strand DNA(dsDNA) by replicative helicase to generate single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) templates for the continuous synthesis of leading-strand and the discontinuous synthesis of lagging-strand. Therefore, methods capable of detecting strand-specific information will likely yield insight into the association of proteins at leading and lagging strand of DNA replication forks and the regulation of leading and lagging strand synthesis during DNA replication. The enrichment and Sequencing of Protein-Associated Nascent DNA (eSPAN), which measure the relative amounts of proteins at nascent leading and lagging strands of DNA replication forks, is a step-wise procedure involving the chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) of a protein of interest followed by the enrichment of protein-associated nascent DNA through BrdU immunoprecipitation. The isolated ssDNA is then subjected to strand-specific sequencing. This method can detect whether a protein is enriched at leading or lagging strand of DNA replication forks. In addition to eSPAN, two other strand-specific methods, (ChIP-ssSeq), which detects potential protein-ssDNA binding and BrdU-IP-ssSeq, which can measure synthesis of both leading and lagging strand, were developed along the way. These methods can provide strand-specific and complementary information about the association of the target protein with DNA replication forks as well as synthesis of leading and lagging strands genome wide. Below, we describe the detailed eSPAN, ChIP-ssSeq, and BrdU-IP-ssSeq protocols.

  17. Iterated function systems for DNA replication

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gaspard, Pierre

    2017-10-01

    The kinetic equations of DNA replication are shown to be exactly solved in terms of iterated function systems, running along the template sequence and giving the statistical properties of the copy sequences, as well as the kinetic and thermodynamic properties of the replication process. With this method, different effects due to sequence heterogeneity can be studied, in particular, a transition between linear and sublinear growths in time of the copies, and a transition between continuous and fractal distributions of the local velocities of the DNA polymerase along the template. The method is applied to the human mitochondrial DNA polymerase γ without and with exonuclease proofreading.

  18. PriC-mediated DNA replication restart requires PriC complex formation with the single-stranded DNA-binding protein.

    PubMed

    Wessel, Sarah R; Marceau, Aimee H; Massoni, Shawn C; Zhou, Ruobo; Ha, Taekjip; Sandler, Steven J; Keck, James L

    2013-06-14

    Frequent collisions between cellular DNA replication complexes (replisomes) and obstacles such as damaged DNA or frozen protein complexes make DNA replication fork progression surprisingly sporadic. These collisions can lead to the ejection of replisomes prior to completion of replication, which, if left unrepaired, results in bacterial cell death. As such, bacteria have evolved DNA replication restart mechanisms that function to reload replisomes onto abandoned DNA replication forks. Here, we define a direct interaction between PriC, a key Escherichia coli DNA replication restart protein, and the single-stranded DNA-binding protein (SSB), a protein that is ubiquitously associated with DNA replication forks. PriC/SSB complex formation requires evolutionarily conserved residues from both proteins, including a pair of Arg residues from PriC and the C terminus of SSB. In vitro, disruption of the PriC/SSB interface by sequence changes in either protein blocks the first step of DNA replication restart, reloading of the replicative DnaB helicase onto an abandoned replication fork. Consistent with the critical role of PriC/SSB complex formation in DNA replication restart, PriC variants that cannot bind SSB are non-functional in vivo. Single-molecule experiments demonstrate that PriC binding to SSB alters SSB/DNA complexes, exposing single-stranded DNA and creating a platform for other proteins to bind. These data lead to a model in which PriC interaction with SSB remodels SSB/DNA structures at abandoned DNA replication forks to create a DNA structure that is competent for DnaB loading.

  19. Assembly of Slx4 signaling complexes behind DNA replication forks.

    PubMed

    Balint, Attila; Kim, TaeHyung; Gallo, David; Cussiol, Jose Renato; Bastos de Oliveira, Francisco M; Yimit, Askar; Ou, Jiongwen; Nakato, Ryuichiro; Gurevich, Alexey; Shirahige, Katsuhiko; Smolka, Marcus B; Zhang, Zhaolei; Brown, Grant W

    2015-08-13

    Obstructions to replication fork progression, referred to collectively as DNA replication stress, challenge genome stability. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, cells lacking RTT107 or SLX4 show genome instability and sensitivity to DNA replication stress and are defective in the completion of DNA replication during recovery from replication stress. We demonstrate that Slx4 is recruited to chromatin behind stressed replication forks, in a region that is spatially distinct from that occupied by the replication machinery. Slx4 complex formation is nucleated by Mec1 phosphorylation of histone H2A, which is recognized by the constitutive Slx4 binding partner Rtt107. Slx4 is essential for recruiting the Mec1 activator Dpb11 behind stressed replication forks, and Slx4 complexes are important for full activity of Mec1. We propose that Slx4 complexes promote robust checkpoint signaling by Mec1 by stably recruiting Dpb11 within a discrete domain behind the replication fork, during DNA replication stress. © 2015 The Authors.

  20. Aberrantly methylated DNA as a biomarker in breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Kristiansen, Søren; Jørgensen, Lars M; Guldberg, Per; Sölétormos, György

    2013-01-01

    Aberrant DNA hypermethylation at gene promoters is a frequent event in human breast cancer. Recent genome-wide studies have identified hundreds of genes that exhibit differential methylation between breast cancer cells and normal breast tissue. Due to the tumor-specific nature of DNA hypermethylation events, their use as tumor biomarkers is usually not hampered by analytical signals from normal cells, which is a general problem for existing protein tumor markers used for clinical assessment of breast cancer. There is accumulating evidence that DNA-methylation changes in breast cancer patients occur early during tumorigenesis. This may open up for effective screening, and analysis of blood or nipple aspirate may later help in diagnosing breast cancer. As a more detailed molecular characterization of different types of breast cancer becomes available, the ability to divide patients into subgroups based on DNA biomarkers may improve prognosis. Serial monitoring of DNA-methylation markers in blood during treatment may be useful, particularly when the cancer burden is below the detection level for standard imaging techniques. Overall, aberrant DNA methylation has a great potential as a versatile biomarker tool for screening, diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring of breast cancer. Standardization of methods and biomarker panels will be required to fully exploit this clinical potential.

  1. Epigenetic Instability due to Defective Replication of Structured DNA

    PubMed Central

    Sarkies, Peter; Reams, Charlie; Simpson, Laura J.; Sale, Julian E.

    2010-01-01

    Summary The accurate propagation of histone marks during chromosomal replication is proposed to rely on the tight coupling of replication with the recycling of parental histones to the daughter strands. Here, we show in the avian cell line DT40 that REV1, a key regulator of DNA translesion synthesis at the replication fork, is required for the maintenance of repressive chromatin marks and gene silencing in the vicinity of DNA capable of forming G-quadruplex (G4) structures. We demonstrate a previously unappreciated requirement for REV1 in replication of G4 forming sequences and show that transplanting a G4 forming sequence into a silent locus leads to its derepression in REV1-deficient cells. Together, our observations support a model in which failure to maintain processive DNA replication at G4 DNA in REV1-deficient cells leads to uncoupling of DNA synthesis from histone recycling, resulting in localized loss of repressive chromatin through biased incorporation of newly synthesized histones. PMID:21145480

  2. Rescue of replication failure by Fanconi anaemia proteins.

    PubMed

    Constantinou, Angelos

    2012-02-01

    Chromosomal aberrations are often associated with incomplete genome duplication, for instance at common fragile sites, or as a consequence of chemical alterations in the DNA template that block replication forks. Studies of the cancer-prone disease Fanconi anaemia (FA) have provided important insights into the resolution of replication problems. The repair of interstrand DNA crosslinks induced by chemotherapy drugs is coupled with DNA replication and controlled by FA proteins. We discuss here the recent discovery of new FA-associated proteins and the development of new tractable repair systems that have dramatically improved our understanding of crosslink repair. We focus also on how FA proteins protect against replication failure in the context of fragile sites and on the identification of reactive metabolites that account for the development of Fanconi anaemia symptoms.

  3. Replication, checkpoint suppression and structure of centromeric DNA

    PubMed Central

    Romeo, Francesco; Costanzo, Vincenzo

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Human centromeres contain large amounts of repetitive DNA sequences known as α satellite DNA, which can be difficult to replicate and whose functional role is unclear. Recently, we have characterized protein composition, structural organization and checkpoint response to stalled replication forks of centromeric chromatin reconstituted in Xenopus laevis egg extract. We showed that centromeric DNA has high affinity for SMC2-4 subunits of condensins and for CENP-A, it is enriched for DNA repair factors and suppresses the ATR checkpoint to ensure its efficient replication. We also showed that centromeric chromatin forms condensins enriched and topologically constrained DNA loops, which likely contribute to the overall structure of the centromere. These findings have important implications on how chromosomes are organized and genome stability is maintained in mammalian cells. PMID:27893298

  4. Agrobacterium tumefaciens supports DNA replication of diverse geminivirus types.

    PubMed

    Selth, Luke A; Randles, John W; Rezaian, M Ali

    2002-04-10

    We have previously shown that the soil-borne plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens supports the replication of tomato leaf curl geminivirus (Australian isolate) (TLCV) DNA. However, the reproducibility of this observation with other geminiviruses has been questioned. Here, we show that replicative DNA forms of three other geminiviruses also accumulate at varying levels in Agrobacterium. Geminiviral DNA constructs that lacked the ability to replicate in Agrobacterium were rendered replication-competent by changing their configuration so that two copies of the viral ori were present. Furthermore, we report that low-level replication of TLCV DNA can occur in Escherichia coli containing a dimeric TLCV construct in a high copy number plasmid. These findings were reinforced by expression studies using beta-glucuronidase which revealed that all six TLCV promoters are active in Agrobacterium, and two are functional in E. coli.

  5. Role of DNA Replication Defects in Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-10-01

    Several recent studies have indicated that decreased levels of the MCM2-7 DNA replication proteins can lead to genomic instability (GIN) and cancer...exceeding that required for DNA replication under normal circumstances, we found that heterozygosity for 2 or more different MCMs caused genomic

  6. Endonuclease G promotes mitochondrial genome cleavage and replication

    PubMed Central

    Wiehe, Rahel Stefanie; Gole, Boris; Chatre, Laurent; Walther, Paul; Calzia, Enrico; Ricchetti, Miria; Wiesmüller, Lisa

    2018-01-01

    Endonuclease G (EndoG) is a nuclear-encoded endonuclease, mostly localised in mitochondria. In the nucleus EndoG participates in site-specific cleavage during replication stress and genome-wide DNA degradation during apoptosis. However, the impact of EndoG on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) metabolism is poorly understood. Here, we investigated whether EndoG is involved in the regulation of mtDNA replication and removal of aberrant copies. We applied the single-cell mitochondrial Transcription and Replication Imaging Protocol (mTRIP) and PCR-based strategies on human cells after knockdown/knockout and re-expression of EndoG. Our analysis revealed that EndoG stimulates both mtDNA replication initiation and mtDNA depletion, the two events being interlinked and dependent on EndoG's nuclease activity. Stimulation of mtDNA replication by EndoG was independent of 7S DNA processing at the replication origin. Importantly, both mtDNA-directed activities of EndoG were promoted by oxidative stress. Inhibition of base excision repair (BER) that repairs oxidative stress-induced DNA damage unveiled a pronounced effect of EndoG on mtDNA removal, reminiscent of recently discovered links between EndoG and BER in the nucleus. Altogether with the downstream effects on mitochondrial transcription, protein expression, redox status and morphology, this study demonstrates that removal of damaged mtDNA by EndoG and compensatory replication play a critical role in mitochondria homeostasis. PMID:29719607

  7. Multiple conformational states of DnaA protein regulate its interaction with DnaA boxes in the initiation of DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Patel, Meera J; Bhatia, Lavesh; Yilmaz, Gulden; Biswas-Fiss, Esther E; Biswas, Subhasis B

    2017-09-01

    DnaA protein is the initiator of genomic DNA replication in prokaryotes. It binds to specific DNA sequences in the origin of DNA replication and unwinds small AT-rich sequences downstream for the assembly of the replisome. The mechanism of activation of DnaA that enables it to bind and organize the origin DNA and leads to replication initiation remains unclear. In this study, we have developed double-labeled fluorescent DnaA probes to analyze conformational states of DnaA protein upon binding DNA, nucleotide, and Soj sporulation protein using Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET). Our studies demonstrate that DnaA protein undergoes large conformational changes upon binding to substrates and there are multiple distinct conformational states that enable it to initiate DNA replication. DnaA protein adopted a relaxed conformation by expanding ~15Å upon binding ATP and DNA to form the ATP·DnaA·DNA complex. Hydrolysis of bound ATP to ADP led to a contraction of DnaA within the complex. The relaxed conformation of DnaA is likely required for the formation of the multi-protein ATP·DnaA·DNA complex. In the initiation of sporulation, Soj binding to DnaA prevented relaxation of its conformation. Soj·ADP appeared to block the activation of DnaA, suggesting a mechanism for Soj·ADP in switching initiation of DNA replication to sporulation. Our studies demonstrate that multiple conformational states of DnaA protein regulate its binding to DNA in the initiation of DNA replication. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Unveiling the mystery of mitochondrial DNA replication in yeasts.

    PubMed

    Chen, Xin Jie; Clark-Walker, George Desmond

    2018-01-01

    Conventional DNA replication is initiated from specific origins and requires the synthesis of RNA primers for both the leading and lagging strands. In contrast, the replication of yeast mitochondrial DNA is origin-independent. The replication of the leading strand is likely primed by recombinational structures and proceeded by a rolling circle mechanism. The coexistent linear and circular DNA conformers facilitate the recombination-based initiation. The replication of the lagging strand is poorly understood. Re-evaluation of published data suggests that the rolling circle may also provide structures for the synthesis of the lagging-strand by mechanisms such as template switching. Thus, the coupling of recombination with rolling circle replication and possibly, template switching, may have been selected as an economic replication mode to accommodate the reductive evolution of mitochondria. Such a replication mode spares the need for conventional replicative components, including those required for origin recognition/remodelling, RNA primer synthesis and lagging-strand processing. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and Mitochondria Research Society. All rights reserved.

  9. Single molecule analysis of Trypanosoma brucei DNA replication dynamics

    PubMed Central

    Calderano, Simone Guedes; Drosopoulos, William C.; Quaresma, Marina Mônaco; Marques, Catarina A.; Kosiyatrakul, Settapong; McCulloch, Richard; Schildkraut, Carl L.; Elias, Maria Carolina

    2015-01-01

    Eukaryotic genome duplication relies on origins of replication, distributed over multiple chromosomes, to initiate DNA replication. A recent genome-wide analysis of Trypanosoma brucei, the etiological agent of sleeping sickness, localized its replication origins to the boundaries of multigenic transcription units. To better understand genomic replication in this organism, we examined replication by single molecule analysis of replicated DNA. We determined the average speed of replication forks of procyclic and bloodstream form cells and we found that T. brucei DNA replication rate is similar to rates seen in other eukaryotes. We also analyzed the replication dynamics of a central region of chromosome 1 in procyclic forms. We present evidence for replication terminating within the central part of the chromosome and thus emanating from both sides, suggesting a previously unmapped origin toward the 5′ extremity of chromosome 1. Also, termination is not at a fixed location in chromosome 1, but is rather variable. Importantly, we found a replication origin located near an ORC1/CDC6 binding site that is detected after replicative stress induced by hydroxyurea treatment, suggesting it may be a dormant origin activated in response to replicative stress. Collectively, our findings support the existence of more replication origins in T. brucei than previously appreciated. PMID:25690894

  10. The DNA repair endonuclease Mus81 facilitates fast DNA replication in the absence of exogenous damage

    PubMed Central

    Fu, Haiqing; Martin, Melvenia M.; Regairaz, Marie; Huang, Liang; You, Yang; Lin, Chi-Mei; Ryan, Michael; Kim, RyangGuk; Shimura, Tsutomu; Pommier, Yves; Aladjem, Mirit I.

    2015-01-01

    The Mus81 endonuclease resolves recombination intermediates and mediates cellular responses to exogenous replicative stress. Here, we show that Mus81 also regulates the rate of DNA replication during normal growth by promoting replication fork progression while reducing the frequency of replication initiation events. In the absence of Mus81 endonuclease activity, DNA synthesis is slowed and replication initiation events are more frequent. In addition, Mus81 deficient cells fail to recover from exposure to low doses of replication inhibitors and cell viability is dependent on the XPF endonuclease. Despite an increase in replication initiation frequency, cells lacking Mus81 use the same pool of replication origins as Mus81-expressing cells. Therefore, decelerated DNA replication in Mus81 deficient cells does not initiate from cryptic or latent origins not used during normal growth. These results indicate that Mus81 plays a key role in determining the rate of DNA replication without activating a novel group of replication origins. PMID:25879486

  11. Admixture Aberration Analysis: Application to Mapping in Admixed Population Using Pooled DNA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bercovici, Sivan; Geiger, Dan

    Admixture mapping is a gene mapping approach used for the identification of genomic regions harboring disease susceptibility genes in the case of recently admixed populations such as African Americans. We present a novel method for admixture mapping, called admixture aberration analysis (AAA), that uses a DNA pool of affected admixed individuals. We demonstrate through simulations that AAA is a powerful and economical mapping method under a range of scenarios, capturing complex human diseases such as hypertension and end stage kidney disease. The method has a low false-positive rate and is robust to deviation from model assumptions. Finally, we apply AAA on 600 prostate cancer-affected African Americans, replicating a known risk locus. Simulation results indicate that the method can yield over 96% reduction in genotyping. Our method is implemented as a Java program called AAAmap and is freely available.

  12. Intrinsically bent DNA in replication origins and gene promoters.

    PubMed

    Gimenes, F; Takeda, K I; Fiorini, A; Gouveia, F S; Fernandez, M A

    2008-06-24

    Intrinsically bent DNA is an alternative conformation of the DNA molecule caused by the presence of dA/dT tracts, 2 to 6 bp long, in a helical turn phase DNA or with multiple intervals of 10 to 11 bp. Other than flexibility, intrinsic bending sites induce DNA curvature in particular chromosome regions such as replication origins and promoters. Intrinsically bent DNA sites are important in initiating DNA replication, and are sometimes found near to regions associated with the nuclear matrix. Many methods have been developed to localize bent sites, for example, circular permutation, computational analysis, and atomic force microscopy. This review discusses intrinsically bent DNA sites associated with replication origins and gene promoter regions in prokaryote and eukaryote cells. We also describe methods for identifying bent DNA sites for circular permutation and computational analysis.

  13. Fidelity of DNA Replication in Normal and Malignant Human Breast Cells

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1998-07-01

    synthesome has been extensively demonstrated to carry out full length DNA replication in vitro, and to accurately depict the DNA replication process as it...occurs in the intact cell. By examining the fidelity of the DNA replication process carried out by the DNA synthesome from a number of breast cell types...we have demonstrated for the first time, that the cellular DNA replication machinery of malignant human breast cells is significantly more error-prone than that of non- malignant human breast cells.

  14. Mechanism of Error-Free DNA Replication Past Lucidin-Derived DNA Damage by Human DNA Polymerase κ.

    PubMed

    Yockey, Oliver P; Jha, Vikash; Ghodke, Pratibha P; Xu, Tianzuo; Xu, Wenyan; Ling, Hong; Pradeepkumar, P I; Zhao, Linlin

    2017-11-20

    DNA damage impinges on genetic information flow and has significant implications in human disease and aging. Lucidin-3-O-primeveroside (LuP) is an anthraquinone derivative present in madder root, which has been used as a coloring agent and food additive. LuP can be metabolically converted to genotoxic compound lucidin, which subsequently forms lucidin-specific N 2 -2'-deoxyguanosine (N 2 -dG) and N 6 -2'-deoxyadenosine (N 6 -dA) DNA adducts. Lucidin is mutagenic and carcinogenic in rodents but has low carcinogenic risks in humans. To understand the molecular mechanism of low carcinogenicity of lucidin in humans, we performed DNA replication assays using site-specifically modified oligodeoxynucleotides containing a structural analogue (LdG) of lucidin-N 2 -dG DNA adduct and determined the crystal structures of DNA polymerase (pol) κ in complex with LdG-bearing DNA and an incoming nucleotide. We examined four human pols (pol η, pol ι, pol κ, and Rev1) in their efficiency and accuracy during DNA replication with LdG; these pols are key players in translesion DNA synthesis. Our results demonstrate that pol κ efficiently and accurately replicates past the LdG adduct, whereas DNA replication by pol η, pol ι is compromised to different extents. Rev1 retains its ability to incorporate dCTP opposite the lesion albeit with decreased efficiency. Two ternary crystal structures of pol κ illustrate that the LdG adduct is accommodated by pol κ at the enzyme active site during insertion and postlesion-extension steps. The unique open active site of pol κ allows the adducted DNA to adopt a standard B-form for accurate DNA replication. Collectively, these biochemical and structural data provide mechanistic insights into the low carcinogenic risk of lucidin in humans.

  15. Evidence for double-strand break mediated mitochondrial DNA replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

    PubMed Central

    Prasai, Kanchanjunga; Robinson, Lucy C.; Scott, Rona S.; Tatchell, Kelly

    2017-01-01

    Abstract The mechanism of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is controversial. Evidence exists for double-strand break (DSB) mediated recombination-dependent replication at mitochondrial replication origin ori5 in hypersuppressive ρ− cells. However, it is not clear if this replication mode operates in ρ+ cells. To understand this, we targeted bacterial Ku (bKu), a DSB binding protein, to the mitochondria of ρ+ cells with the hypothesis that bKu would bind persistently to mtDNA DSBs, thereby preventing mtDNA replication or repair. Here, we show that mitochondrial-targeted bKu binds to ori5 and that inducible expression of bKu triggers petite formation preferentially in daughter cells. bKu expression also induces mtDNA depletion that eventually results in the formation of ρ0 cells. This data supports the idea that yeast mtDNA replication is initiated by a DSB and bKu inhibits mtDNA replication by binding to a DSB at ori5, preventing mtDNA segregation to daughter cells. Interestingly, we find that mitochondrial-targeted bKu does not decrease mtDNA content in human MCF7 cells. This finding is in agreement with the fact that human mtDNA replication, typically, is not initiated by a DSB. Therefore, this study provides evidence that DSB-mediated replication is the predominant form of mtDNA replication in ρ+ yeast cells. PMID:28549155

  16. Fidelity of DNA Replication in Normal and Malignant Human Brest Cells.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1995-08-31

    cellular DNA replication machinery, we have initiated experiments that utilize a multiprotein DNA replication complex (MRC) isolated from breast cancer...gene in an in vitro DNA replication assay. By utilizing the target gene in a bacterial mutant selection assay we have begun to determine the...frequency with which mutational sequence errors occur as a result of the in vitro DNA replication mediated by the breast cancer cell MRC and the normal breast

  17. Analyzing the dynamics of DNA replication in Mammalian cells using DNA combing.

    PubMed

    Bialic, Marta; Coulon, Vincent; Drac, Marjorie; Gostan, Thierry; Schwob, Etienne

    2015-01-01

    How cells duplicate their chromosomes is a key determinant of cell identity and genome stability. DNA replication can initiate from more than 100,000 sites distributed along mammalian chromosomes, yet a given cell uses only a subset of these origins due to inefficient origin activation and regulation by developmental or environmental cues. An impractical consequence of cell-to-cell variations in origin firing is that population-based techniques do not accurately describe how chromosomes are replicated in single cells. DNA combing is a biophysical DNA fiber stretching method which permits visualization of ongoing DNA synthesis along Mb-sized single-DNA molecules purified from cells that were previously pulse-labeled with thymidine analogues. This allows quantitative measurements of several salient features of chromosome replication dynamics, such as fork velocity, fork asymmetry, inter-origin distances, and global instant fork density. In this chapter we describe how to obtain this information from asynchronous cultures of mammalian cells.

  18. The cellular Mre11 protein interferes with adenovirus E4 mutant DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Mathew, Shomita S; Bridge, Eileen

    2007-09-01

    Adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) relocalizes and degrades the host DNA repair protein Mre11, and efficiently initiates viral DNA replication. Mre11 associates with Ad E4 mutant DNA replication centers and is important for concatenating viral genomes. We have investigated the role of Mre11 in the E4 mutant DNA replication defect. RNAi-mediated knockdown of Mre11 dramatically rescues E4 mutant DNA replication in cells that do or do not concatenate viral genomes, suggesting that Mre11 inhibits DNA replication independent of genome concatenation. The mediator of DNA damage checkpoint 1 (Mdc1) protein is involved in recruiting and sustaining Mre11 at sites of DNA damage following ionizing radiation. We observe foci formation by Mdc1 in response to viral infection, indicating that this damage response protein is activated. However, knockdown of Mdc1 does not prevent Mre11 from localizing at viral DNA replication foci or rescue E4 mutant DNA replication. Our results are consistent with a model in which Mre11 interferes with DNA replication when it is localized at viral DNA replication foci.

  19. DNA Replication Control During Drosophila Development: Insights into the Onset of S Phase, Replication Initiation, and Fork Progression

    PubMed Central

    Hua, Brian L.; Orr-Weaver, Terry L.

    2017-01-01

    Proper control of DNA replication is critical to ensure genomic integrity during cell proliferation. In addition, differential regulation of the DNA replication program during development can change gene copy number to influence cell size and gene expression. Drosophila melanogaster serves as a powerful organism to study the developmental control of DNA replication in various cell cycle contexts in a variety of differentiated cell and tissue types. Additionally, Drosophila has provided several developmentally regulated replication models to dissect the molecular mechanisms that underlie replication-based copy number changes in the genome, which include differential underreplication and gene amplification. Here, we review key findings and our current understanding of the developmental control of DNA replication in the contexts of the archetypal replication program as well as of underreplication and differential gene amplification. We focus on the use of these latter two replication systems to delineate many of the molecular mechanisms that underlie the developmental control of replication initiation and fork elongation. PMID:28874453

  20. From DNA Copy Number to Gene Expression: Local aberrations, Trisomies and Monosomies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shay, Tal

    The goal of my PhD research was to study the effect of DNA copy number changes on gene expression. DNA copy number aberrations may be local, encompassing several genes, or on the level of an entire chromosome, such as trisomy and monosomy. The main dataset I studied was of Glioblastoma, obtained in the framework of a collaboration, but I worked also with public datasets of cancer and Down's Syndrome. The molecular basis of expression changes in Glioblastoma. Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive type of primary brain tumors in adults. In collaboration with Prof. Hegi (CHUV, Switzerland), we analyzed a rich Glioblastoma dataset including clinical information, DNA copy number (array CGH) and expression profiles. We explored the correlation between DNA copy number and gene expression at the level of chromosomal arms and local genomic aberrations. We detected known amplification and over expression of oncogenes, as well as deletion and down-regulation of tumor suppressor genes. We exploited that information to map alterations of pathways that are known to be disrupted in Glioblastoma, and tried to characterize samples that have no known alteration in any of the studied pathways. Identifying local DNA aberrations of biological significance. Many types of tumors exhibit chromosomal losses or gains and local amplifications and deletions. A region that is aberrant in many tumors, or whose copy number change is stronger, is more likely to be clinically relevant, and not just a by-product of genetic instability. We developed a novel method that defines and prioritizes aberrations by formalizing these intuitions. The method scores each aberration by the fraction of patients harboring it, its length and its amplitude, and assesses the significance of the score by comparing it to a null distribution obtained by permutations. This approach detects genetic locations that are significantly aberrant, generating a 'genomic aberration profile' for each sample. The 'genomic

  1. Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I can disrupt G-quadruplex structures during DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Teng, Fang-Yuan; Hou, Xi-Miao; Fan, San-Hong; Rety, Stephane; Dou, Shuo-Xing; Xi, Xu-Guang

    2017-12-01

    Non-canonical four-stranded G-quadruplex (G4) DNA structures can form in G-rich sequences that are widely distributed throughout the genome. The presence of G4 structures can impair DNA replication by hindering the progress of replicative polymerases (Pols), and failure to resolve these structures can lead to genetic instability. In the present study, we combined different approaches to address the question of whether and how Escherichia coli Pol I resolves G4 obstacles during DNA replication and/or repair. We found that E. coli Pol I-catalyzed DNA synthesis could be arrested by G4 structures at low protein concentrations and the degree of inhibition was strongly dependent on the stability of the G4 structures. Interestingly, at high protein concentrations, E. coli Pol I was able to overcome some kinds of G4 obstacles without the involvement of other molecules and could achieve complete replication of G4 DNA. Mechanistic studies suggested that multiple Pol I proteins might be implicated in G4 unfolding, and the disruption of G4 structures requires energy derived from dNTP hydrolysis. The present work not only reveals an unrealized function of E. coli Pol I, but also presents a possible mechanism by which G4 structures can be resolved during DNA replication and/or repair in E. coli. © 2017 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

  2. Single molecule analysis of Trypanosoma brucei DNA replication dynamics.

    PubMed

    Calderano, Simone Guedes; Drosopoulos, William C; Quaresma, Marina Mônaco; Marques, Catarina A; Kosiyatrakul, Settapong; McCulloch, Richard; Schildkraut, Carl L; Elias, Maria Carolina

    2015-03-11

    Eukaryotic genome duplication relies on origins of replication, distributed over multiple chromosomes, to initiate DNA replication. A recent genome-wide analysis of Trypanosoma brucei, the etiological agent of sleeping sickness, localized its replication origins to the boundaries of multigenic transcription units. To better understand genomic replication in this organism, we examined replication by single molecule analysis of replicated DNA. We determined the average speed of replication forks of procyclic and bloodstream form cells and we found that T. brucei DNA replication rate is similar to rates seen in other eukaryotes. We also analyzed the replication dynamics of a central region of chromosome 1 in procyclic forms. We present evidence for replication terminating within the central part of the chromosome and thus emanating from both sides, suggesting a previously unmapped origin toward the 5' extremity of chromosome 1. Also, termination is not at a fixed location in chromosome 1, but is rather variable. Importantly, we found a replication origin located near an ORC1/CDC6 binding site that is detected after replicative stress induced by hydroxyurea treatment, suggesting it may be a dormant origin activated in response to replicative stress. Collectively, our findings support the existence of more replication origins in T. brucei than previously appreciated. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  3. Evidence for double-strand break mediated mitochondrial DNA replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    PubMed

    Prasai, Kanchanjunga; Robinson, Lucy C; Scott, Rona S; Tatchell, Kelly; Harrison, Lynn

    2017-07-27

    The mechanism of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is controversial. Evidence exists for double-strand break (DSB) mediated recombination-dependent replication at mitochondrial replication origin ori5 in hypersuppressive ρ- cells. However, it is not clear if this replication mode operates in ρ+ cells. To understand this, we targeted bacterial Ku (bKu), a DSB binding protein, to the mitochondria of ρ+ cells with the hypothesis that bKu would bind persistently to mtDNA DSBs, thereby preventing mtDNA replication or repair. Here, we show that mitochondrial-targeted bKu binds to ori5 and that inducible expression of bKu triggers petite formation preferentially in daughter cells. bKu expression also induces mtDNA depletion that eventually results in the formation of ρ0 cells. This data supports the idea that yeast mtDNA replication is initiated by a DSB and bKu inhibits mtDNA replication by binding to a DSB at ori5, preventing mtDNA segregation to daughter cells. Interestingly, we find that mitochondrial-targeted bKu does not decrease mtDNA content in human MCF7 cells. This finding is in agreement with the fact that human mtDNA replication, typically, is not initiated by a DSB. Therefore, this study provides evidence that DSB-mediated replication is the predominant form of mtDNA replication in ρ+ yeast cells. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  4. Tumor Suppression by BRCA-1: A Critical Role at DNA Replication Forks

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-10-01

    replication defect. We wished to test the hypothesis that BRCA1/BARD1 function during DNA replication supporting DNA transactions at replication forks. We...are using cell-free extracts derived from Xenopus laevis eggs that support: 1. Semi-conservative, cell-cycle regulated DNA replication ; 2. Many facets...complex assembles to chromatin in a DNA replication -dependent manner. Finally, we show that BRCA1/BARD1 loading to chromatin does not dramatically

  5. Mammalian RAD52 Functions in Break-Induced Replication Repair of Collapsed DNA Replication Forks.

    PubMed

    Sotiriou, Sotirios K; Kamileri, Irene; Lugli, Natalia; Evangelou, Konstantinos; Da-Ré, Caterina; Huber, Florian; Padayachy, Laura; Tardy, Sebastien; Nicati, Noemie L; Barriot, Samia; Ochs, Fena; Lukas, Claudia; Lukas, Jiri; Gorgoulis, Vassilis G; Scapozza, Leonardo; Halazonetis, Thanos D

    2016-12-15

    Human cancers are characterized by the presence of oncogene-induced DNA replication stress (DRS), making them dependent on repair pathways such as break-induced replication (BIR) for damaged DNA replication forks. To better understand BIR, we performed a targeted siRNA screen for genes whose depletion inhibited G1 to S phase progression when oncogenic cyclin E was overexpressed. RAD52, a gene dispensable for normal development in mice, was among the top hits. In cells in which fork collapse was induced by oncogenes or chemicals, the Rad52 protein localized to DRS foci. Depletion of Rad52 by siRNA or knockout of the gene by CRISPR/Cas9 compromised restart of collapsed forks and led to DNA damage in cells experiencing DRS. Furthermore, in cancer-prone, heterozygous APC mutant mice, homozygous deletion of the Rad52 gene suppressed tumor growth and prolonged lifespan. We therefore propose that mammalian RAD52 facilitates repair of collapsed DNA replication forks in cancer cells. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Plasma DNA aberrations in systemic lupus erythematosus revealed by genomic and methylomic sequencing

    PubMed Central

    Chan, Rebecca W. Y.; Jiang, Peiyong; Peng, Xianlu; Tam, Lai-Shan; Liao, Gary J. W.; Li, Edmund K. M.; Wong, Priscilla C. H.; Sun, Hao; Chan, K. C. Allen; Chiu, Rossa W. K.; Lo, Y. M. Dennis

    2014-01-01

    We performed a high-resolution analysis of the biological characteristics of plasma DNA in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients using massively parallel genomic and methylomic sequencing. A number of plasma DNA abnormalities were found. First, aberrations in measured genomic representations (MGRs) were identified in the plasma DNA of SLE patients. The extent of the aberrations in MGRs correlated with anti-double–stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibody level. Second, the plasma DNA of active SLE patients exhibited skewed molecular size-distribution profiles with a significantly increased proportion of short DNA fragments. The extent of plasma DNA shortening in SLE patients correlated with the SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) and anti-dsDNA antibody level. Third, the plasma DNA of active SLE patients showed decreased methylation densities. The extent of hypomethylation correlated with SLEDAI and anti-dsDNA antibody level. To explore the impact of anti-dsDNA antibody on plasma DNA in SLE, a column-based protein G capture approach was used to fractionate the IgG-bound and non–IgG-bound DNA in plasma. Compared with healthy individuals, SLE patients had higher concentrations of IgG-bound DNA in plasma. More IgG binding occurs at genomic locations showing increased MGRs. Furthermore, the IgG-bound plasma DNA was shorter in size and more hypomethylated than the non–IgG-bound plasma DNA. These observations have enhanced our understanding of the spectrum of plasma DNA aberrations in SLE and may provide new molecular markers for SLE. Our results also suggest that caution should be exercised when interpreting plasma DNA-based noninvasive prenatal testing and cancer testing conducted for SLE patients. PMID:25427797

  7. Signal replication in a DNA nanostructure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mendoza, Oscar; Houmadi, Said; Aimé, Jean-Pierre; Elezgaray, Juan

    2017-01-01

    Logic circuits based on DNA strand displacement reaction are the basic building blocks of future nanorobotic systems. The circuits tethered to DNA origami platforms present several advantages over solution-phase versions where couplings are always diffusion-limited. Here we consider a possible implementation of one of the basic operations needed in the design of these circuits, namely, signal replication. We show that with an appropriate preparation of the initial state, signal replication performs in a reproducible way. We also show the existence of side effects concomitant to the high effective concentrations in tethered circuits, such as slow leaky reactions and cross-activation.

  8. Multiple regulatory systems coordinate DNA replication with cell growth in Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Murray, Heath; Koh, Alan

    2014-10-01

    In many bacteria the rate of DNA replication is linked with cellular physiology to ensure that genome duplication is coordinated with growth. Nutrient-mediated growth rate control of DNA replication initiation has been appreciated for decades, however the mechanism(s) that connects these cell cycle activities has eluded understanding. In order to help address this fundamental question we have investigated regulation of DNA replication in the model organism Bacillus subtilis. Contrary to the prevailing view we find that changes in DnaA protein level are not sufficient to account for nutrient-mediated growth rate control of DNA replication initiation, although this regulation does require both DnaA and the endogenous replication origin. We go on to report connections between DNA replication and several essential cellular activities required for rapid bacterial growth, including respiration, central carbon metabolism, fatty acid synthesis, phospholipid synthesis, and protein synthesis. Unexpectedly, the results indicate that multiple regulatory systems are involved in coordinating DNA replication with cell physiology, with some of the regulatory systems targeting oriC while others act in a oriC-independent manner. We propose that distinct regulatory systems are utilized to control DNA replication in response to diverse physiological and chemical changes.

  9. DNA methylation aberrancies as a guide for surveillance and treatment of human cancers

    PubMed Central

    Liang, Gangning; Weisenberger, Daniel J.

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT DNA methylation aberrancies are hallmarks of human cancers and are characterized by global DNA hypomethylation of repetitive elements and non-CpG rich regions concomitant with locus-specific DNA hypermethylation. DNA methylation changes may result in altered gene expression profiles, most notably the silencing of tumor suppressors, microRNAs, endogenous retorviruses and tumor antigens due to promoter DNA hypermethylation, as well as oncogene upregulation due to gene-body DNA hypermethylation. Here, we review DNA methylation aberrancies in human cancers, their use in cancer surveillance and the interplay between DNA methylation and histone modifications in gene regulation. We also summarize DNA methylation inhibitors and their therapeutic effects in cancer treatment. In this context, we describe the integration of DNA methylation inhibitors with conventional chemotherapies, DNA repair inhibitors and immune-based therapies, to bring the epigenome closer to its normal state and increase sensitivity to other therapeutic agents to improve patient outcome and survival. PMID:28358281

  10. A dual promoter system regulating λ DNA replication initiation

    PubMed Central

    Olszewski, Paweł; Szambowska, Anna; Barańska, Sylwia; Narajczyk, Magdalena; Węgrzyn, Grzegorz; Glinkowska, Monika

    2014-01-01

    Transcription and DNA replication are tightly regulated to ensure coordination of gene expression with growth conditions and faithful transmission of genetic material to progeny. A large body of evidence has accumulated, indicating that encounters between protein machineries carrying out DNA and RNA synthesis occur in vivo and may have important regulatory consequences. This feature may be exacerbated in the case of compact genomes, like the one of bacteriophage λ, used in our study. Transcription that starts at the rightward pR promoter and proceeds through the λ origin of replication and downstream of it was proven to stimulate the initiation of λ DNA replication. Here, we demonstrate that the activity of a convergently oriented pO promoter decreases the efficiency of transcription starting from pR. Our results show, however, that a lack of the functional pO promoter negatively influences λ phage and λ-derived plasmid replication. We present data, suggesting that this effect is evoked by the enhanced level of the pR-driven transcription, occurring in the presence of the defective pO, which may result in the impeded formation of the replication initiation complex. Our data suggest that the cross talk between the two promoters regulates λ DNA replication and coordinates transcription and replication processes. PMID:24500197

  11. Structural basis for DNA binding by replication initiator Mcm10

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Warren, Eric M.; Vaithiyalingam, Sivaraja; Haworth, Justin

    2009-06-30

    Mcm10 is an essential eukaryotic DNA replication protein required for assembly and progression of the replication fork. The highly conserved internal domain (Mcm10-ID) has been shown to physically interact with single-stranded (ss) DNA, DNA polymerase alpha, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). The crystal structure of Xenopus laevis Mcm10-ID presented here reveals a DNA binding architecture composed of an oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide-fold followed in tandem by a variant and highly basic zinc finger. NMR chemical shift perturbation and mutational studies of DNA binding activity in vitro reveal how Mcm10 uses this unique surface to engage ssDNA. Corresponding mutations in Saccharomyces cerevisiae resultmore » in increased sensitivity to replication stress, demonstrating the functional importance of DNA binding by this region of Mcm10 to replication. In addition, mapping Mcm10 mutations known to disrupt PCNA, polymerase alpha, and DNA interactions onto the crystal structure provides insight into how Mcm10 might coordinate protein and DNA binding within the replisome.« less

  12. Origins of DNA Replication and Amplification in the Breast Cancer Genome

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-09-01

    AD_________________ Award Number: W81XWH-10-1-0463 TITLE: Origins of DNA Replication and...hypothesis we need to map origins of DNA replication in the genome and ask which of these coincide with sites of DNA amplification and with ER...Spring Harbor DNA Replication meetings this summer/earlyfall. Figures from the posters and also the abstracts are attached. The samples have been

  13. pUL34 binding near the human cytomegalovirus origin of lytic replication enhances DNA replication and viral growth.

    PubMed

    Slayton, Mark; Hossain, Tanvir; Biegalke, Bonita J

    2018-05-01

    The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) UL34 gene encodes sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins (pUL34) which are required for viral replication. Interactions of pUL34 with DNA binding sites represses transcription of two viral immune evasion genes, US3 and US9. 12 additional predicted pUL34-binding sites are present in the HCMV genome (strain AD169) with three binding sites concentrated near the HCMV origin of lytic replication (oriLyt). We used ChIP-seq analysis of pUL34-DNA interactions to confirm that pUL34 binds to the oriLyt region during infection. Mutagenesis of the UL34-binding sites in an oriLyt-containing plasmid significantly reduced viral-mediated oriLyt-dependent DNA replication. Mutagenesis of these sites in the HCMV genome reduced the replication efficiencies of the resulting viruses. Protein-protein interaction analyses demonstrated that pUL34 interacts with the viral proteins IE2, UL44, and UL84, that are essential for viral DNA replication, suggesting that pUL34-DNA interactions in the oriLyt region are involved in the DNA replication cascade. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. DNA Damage and Genomic Instability Induced by Inappropriate DNA Re-replication

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-04-01

    replication in yeast cells. In the prior reporting period we demonstrated that re-replication induces a rapid and significant decrease in cell viability...repair, DNA replication, checkpoint, cell cycle, yeast , RAD9 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 18. NUMBER OF PAGES 19a. NAME OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON...initiation, our laboratory has been able to conditionally induce varying amounts of re- replication in yeast cells. Effectively, cells enter, but do not

  15. Fork rotation and DNA precatenation are restricted during DNA replication to prevent chromosomal instability.

    PubMed

    Schalbetter, Stephanie A; Mansoubi, Sahar; Chambers, Anna L; Downs, Jessica A; Baxter, Jonathan

    2015-08-18

    Faithful genome duplication and inheritance require the complete resolution of all intertwines within the parental DNA duplex. This is achieved by topoisomerase action ahead of the replication fork or by fork rotation and subsequent resolution of the DNA precatenation formed. Although fork rotation predominates at replication termination, in vitro studies have suggested that it also occurs frequently during elongation. However, the factors that influence fork rotation and how rotation and precatenation may influence other replication-associated processes are unknown. Here we analyze the causes and consequences of fork rotation in budding yeast. We find that fork rotation and precatenation preferentially occur in contexts that inhibit topoisomerase action ahead of the fork, including stable protein-DNA fragile sites and termination. However, generally, fork rotation and precatenation are actively inhibited by Timeless/Tof1 and Tipin/Csm3. In the absence of Tof1/Timeless, excessive fork rotation and precatenation cause extensive DNA damage following DNA replication. With Tof1, damage related to precatenation is focused on the fragile protein-DNA sites where fork rotation is induced. We conclude that although fork rotation and precatenation facilitate unwinding in hard-to-replicate contexts, they intrinsically disrupt normal chromosome duplication and are therefore restricted by Timeless/Tipin.

  16. Nuclear Mitochondrial DNA Activates Replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

    PubMed Central

    Chatre, Laurent; Ricchetti, Miria

    2011-01-01

    The nuclear genome of eukaryotes is colonized by DNA fragments of mitochondrial origin, called NUMTs. These insertions have been associated with a variety of germ-line diseases in humans. The significance of this uptake of potentially dangerous sequences into the nuclear genome is unclear. Here we provide functional evidence that sequences of mitochondrial origin promote nuclear DNA replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We show that NUMTs are rich in key autonomously replicating sequence (ARS) consensus motifs, whose mutation results in the reduction or loss of DNA replication activity. Furthermore, 2D-gel analysis of the mrc1 mutant exposed to hydroxyurea shows that several NUMTs function as late chromosomal origins. We also show that NUMTs located close to or within ARS provide key sequence elements for replication. Thus NUMTs can act as independent origins, when inserted in an appropriate genomic context or affect the efficiency of pre-existing origins. These findings show that migratory mitochondrial DNAs can impact on the replication of the nuclear region they are inserted in. PMID:21408151

  17. Nuclear mitochondrial DNA activates replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    PubMed

    Chatre, Laurent; Ricchetti, Miria

    2011-03-08

    The nuclear genome of eukaryotes is colonized by DNA fragments of mitochondrial origin, called NUMTs. These insertions have been associated with a variety of germ-line diseases in humans. The significance of this uptake of potentially dangerous sequences into the nuclear genome is unclear. Here we provide functional evidence that sequences of mitochondrial origin promote nuclear DNA replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We show that NUMTs are rich in key autonomously replicating sequence (ARS) consensus motifs, whose mutation results in the reduction or loss of DNA replication activity. Furthermore, 2D-gel analysis of the mrc1 mutant exposed to hydroxyurea shows that several NUMTs function as late chromosomal origins. We also show that NUMTs located close to or within ARS provide key sequence elements for replication. Thus NUMTs can act as independent origins, when inserted in an appropriate genomic context or affect the efficiency of pre-existing origins. These findings show that migratory mitochondrial DNAs can impact on the replication of the nuclear region they are inserted in.

  18. Analysis of re-replication from deregulated origin licensing by DNA fiber spreading

    PubMed Central

    Dorn, Elizabeth S.; Chastain, Paul D.; Hall, Jonathan R.; Cook, Jeanette Gowen

    2009-01-01

    A major challenge each human cell-division cycle is to ensure that DNA replication origins do not initiate more than once, a phenomenon known as re-replication. Acute deregulation of replication control ultimately causes extensive DNA damage, cell-cycle checkpoint activation and cell death whereas moderate deregulation promotes genome instability and tumorigenesis. In the absence of detectable increases in cellular DNA content however, it has been difficult to directly demonstrate re-replication or to determine if the ability to re-replicate is restricted to a particular cell-cycle phase. Using an adaptation of DNA fiber spreading we report the direct detection of re-replication on single DNA molecules from human chromosomes. Using this method we demonstrate substantial re-replication within 1 h of S phase entry in cells overproducing the replication factor, Cdt1. Moreover, a comparison of the HeLa cancer cell line to untransformed fibroblasts suggests that HeLa cells produce replication signals consistent with low-level re-replication in otherwise unperturbed cell cycles. Re-replication after depletion of the Cdt1 inhibitor, geminin, in an untransformed fibroblast cell line is undetectable by standard assays but readily quantifiable by DNA fiber spreading analysis. Direct evaluation of re-replicated DNA molecules will promote increased understanding of events that promote or perturb genome stability. PMID:19010964

  19. Regulated Eukaryotic DNA Replication Origin Firing with Purified Proteins

    PubMed Central

    Yeeles, Joseph T.P.; Deegan, Tom D.; Janska, Agnieszka; Early, Anne; Diffley, John F. X.

    2016-01-01

    Eukaryotic cells initiate DNA replication from multiple origins, which must be tightly regulated to promote precise genome duplication in every cell cycle. To accomplish this, initiation is partitioned into two temporally discrete steps: a double hexameric MCM complex is first loaded at replication origins during G1 phase, and then converted to the active CMG (Cdc45, MCM, GINS) helicase during S phase. Here we describe the reconstitution of budding yeast DNA replication initiation with 16 purified replication factors, made from 42 polypeptides. Origin-dependent initiation recapitulates regulation seen in vivo. Cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) inhibits MCM loading by phosphorylating the origin recognition complex (ORC) and promotes CMG formation by phosphorylating Sld2 and Sld3. Dbf4 dependent kinase (DDK) promotes replication by phosphorylating MCM, and can act either before or after CDK. These experiments define the minimum complement of proteins, protein kinase substrates and co-factors required for regulated eukaryotic DNA replication. PMID:25739503

  20. Regulated eukaryotic DNA replication origin firing with purified proteins.

    PubMed

    Yeeles, Joseph T P; Deegan, Tom D; Janska, Agnieszka; Early, Anne; Diffley, John F X

    2015-03-26

    Eukaryotic cells initiate DNA replication from multiple origins, which must be tightly regulated to promote precise genome duplication in every cell cycle. To accomplish this, initiation is partitioned into two temporally discrete steps: a double hexameric minichromosome maintenance (MCM) complex is first loaded at replication origins during G1 phase, and then converted to the active CMG (Cdc45-MCM-GINS) helicase during S phase. Here we describe the reconstitution of budding yeast DNA replication initiation with 16 purified replication factors, made from 42 polypeptides. Origin-dependent initiation recapitulates regulation seen in vivo. Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibits MCM loading by phosphorylating the origin recognition complex (ORC) and promotes CMG formation by phosphorylating Sld2 and Sld3. Dbf4-dependent kinase (DDK) promotes replication by phosphorylating MCM, and can act either before or after CDK. These experiments define the minimum complement of proteins, protein kinase substrates and co-factors required for regulated eukaryotic DNA replication.

  1. Visualization of DNA Replication in the Vertebrate Model System DT40 using the DNA Fiber Technique

    PubMed Central

    Schwab, Rebekka A.V.; Niedzwiedz, Wojciech

    2011-01-01

    Maintenance of replication fork stability is of utmost importance for dividing cells to preserve viability and prevent disease. The processes involved not only ensure faithful genome duplication in the face of endogenous and exogenous DNA damage but also prevent genomic instability, a recognized causative factor in tumor development. Here, we describe a simple and cost-effective fluorescence microscopy-based method to visualize DNA replication in the avian B-cell line DT40. This cell line provides a powerful tool to investigate protein function in vivo by reverse genetics in vertebrate cells1. DNA fiber fluorography in DT40 cells lacking a specific gene allows one to elucidate the function of this gene product in DNA replication and genome stability. Traditional methods to analyze replication fork dynamics in vertebrate cells rely on measuring the overall rate of DNA synthesis in a population of pulse-labeled cells. This is a quantitative approach and does not allow for qualitative analysis of parameters that influence DNA synthesis. In contrast, the rate of movement of active forks can be followed directly when using the DNA fiber technique2-4. In this approach, nascent DNA is labeled in vivo by incorporation of halogenated nucleotides (Fig 1A). Subsequently, individual fibers are stretched onto a microscope slide, and the labeled DNA replication tracts are stained with specific antibodies and visualized by fluorescence microscopy (Fig 1B). Initiation of replication as well as fork directionality is determined by the consecutive use of two differently modified analogues. Furthermore, the dual-labeling approach allows for quantitative analysis of parameters that influence DNA synthesis during the S-phase, i.e. replication structures such as ongoing and stalled forks, replication origin density as well as fork terminations. Finally, the experimental procedure can be accomplished within a day, and requires only general laboratory equipment and a fluorescence

  2. Multiple Regulatory Systems Coordinate DNA Replication with Cell Growth in Bacillus subtilis

    PubMed Central

    Murray, Heath; Koh, Alan

    2014-01-01

    In many bacteria the rate of DNA replication is linked with cellular physiology to ensure that genome duplication is coordinated with growth. Nutrient-mediated growth rate control of DNA replication initiation has been appreciated for decades, however the mechanism(s) that connects these cell cycle activities has eluded understanding. In order to help address this fundamental question we have investigated regulation of DNA replication in the model organism Bacillus subtilis. Contrary to the prevailing view we find that changes in DnaA protein level are not sufficient to account for nutrient-mediated growth rate control of DNA replication initiation, although this regulation does require both DnaA and the endogenous replication origin. We go on to report connections between DNA replication and several essential cellular activities required for rapid bacterial growth, including respiration, central carbon metabolism, fatty acid synthesis, phospholipid synthesis, and protein synthesis. Unexpectedly, the results indicate that multiple regulatory systems are involved in coordinating DNA replication with cell physiology, with some of the regulatory systems targeting oriC while others act in a oriC-independent manner. We propose that distinct regulatory systems are utilized to control DNA replication in response to diverse physiological and chemical changes. PMID:25340815

  3. Resistance of Adenoviral DNA Replication to Aphidicolin Is Dependent on the 72-Kilodalton DNA-Binding Protein

    PubMed Central

    Foster, David A.; Hantzopoulos, Petros; Zubay, Geoffrey

    1982-01-01

    Aphidicolin is a highly specific inhibitor of DNA polymerase α and has been most useful for assessing the role of this enzyme in various replication processes (J. A. Huberman, Cell 23:647-648, 1981). Both nuclear DNA replication and simian virus 40 DNA replication are highly sensitive to this drug (Krokan et al., Biochemistry 18:4431-4443, 1979), whereas mitochondrial DNA synthesis is completely insensitive (Zimmerman et al., J. Biol. Chem. 255:11847-11852, 1980). Adenovirus DNA replication is sensitive to aphidicolin, but only at much higher concentrations. These patterns of sensitivity are seen both in vivo and in vitro (Krokan et al., Biochemistry 18:4431-4443, 1979). A temperature-sensitive mutant of adenovirus type 5 known as H5ts125 is able to complete but not initiate new rounds of replication at nonpermissive temperatures (P. C. van der Vliet and J. S. Sussenbach, Virology 67:415-426, 1975). When cells infected with H5ts125 were shifted from permissive (33°C) to nonpermissive (41°C) conditions, the residual DNA synthesis (elongation) showed a striking increase in sensitivity to aphidicolin. The temperature-sensitive mutation of H5ts125 is in the gene for the 72-kilodalton single-stranded DNA-binding protein. This demonstrated that the increased resistance to aphidicolin shown by adenovirus DNA replication was dependent on that protein. It also supports an elongation role for both DNA polymerase α and the 72-kilodalton single-stranded DNA-binding protein in adenovirus DNA replication. Further support for an elongation role of DNA polymerase α came from experiments with permissive temperature conditions and inhibiting levels of aphidicolin in which it was shown that newly initiated strands failed to elongate to completion. Images PMID:6809958

  4. Methylation of DNA Ligase 1 by G9a/GLP Recruits UHRF1 to Replicating DNA and Regulates DNA Methylation.

    PubMed

    Ferry, Laure; Fournier, Alexandra; Tsusaka, Takeshi; Adelmant, Guillaume; Shimazu, Tadahiro; Matano, Shohei; Kirsh, Olivier; Amouroux, Rachel; Dohmae, Naoshi; Suzuki, Takehiro; Filion, Guillaume J; Deng, Wen; de Dieuleveult, Maud; Fritsch, Lauriane; Kudithipudi, Srikanth; Jeltsch, Albert; Leonhardt, Heinrich; Hajkova, Petra; Marto, Jarrod A; Arita, Kyohei; Shinkai, Yoichi; Defossez, Pierre-Antoine

    2017-08-17

    DNA methylation is an essential epigenetic mark in mammals that has to be re-established after each round of DNA replication. The protein UHRF1 is essential for this process; it has been proposed that the protein targets newly replicated DNA by cooperatively binding hemi-methylated DNA and H3K9me2/3, but this model leaves a number of questions unanswered. Here, we present evidence for a direct recruitment of UHRF1 by the replication machinery via DNA ligase 1 (LIG1). A histone H3K9-like mimic within LIG1 is methylated by G9a and GLP and, compared with H3K9me2/3, more avidly binds UHRF1. Interaction with methylated LIG1 promotes the recruitment of UHRF1 to DNA replication sites and is required for DNA methylation maintenance. These results further elucidate the function of UHRF1, identify a non-histone target of G9a and GLP, and provide an example of a histone mimic that coordinates DNA replication and DNA methylation maintenance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Replicating DNA by cell factories: roles of central carbon metabolism and transcription in the control of DNA replication in microbes, and implications for understanding this process in human cells

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Precise regulation of DNA replication is necessary to ensure the inheritance of genetic features by daughter cells after each cell division. Therefore, determining how the regulatory processes operate to control DNA replication is crucial to our understanding and application to biotechnological processes. Contrary to early concepts of DNA replication, it appears that this process is operated by large, stationary nucleoprotein complexes, called replication factories, rather than by single enzymes trafficking along template molecules. Recent discoveries indicated that in bacterial cells two processes, central carbon metabolism (CCM) and transcription, significantly and specifically influence the control of DNA replication of various replicons. The impact of these discoveries on our understanding of the regulation of DNA synthesis is discussed in this review. It appears that CCM may influence DNA replication by either action of specific metabolites or moonlighting activities of some enzymes involved in this metabolic pathway. The role of transcription in the control of DNA replication may arise from either topological changes in nucleic acids which accompany RNA synthesis or direct interactions between replication and transcription machineries. Due to intriguing similarities between some prokaryotic and eukaryotic regulatory systems, possible implications of studies on regulation of microbial DNA replication on understanding such a process occurring in human cells are discussed. PMID:23714207

  6. Hda inactivation of DnaA is the predominant mechanism preventing hyperinitiation of Escherichia coli DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Camara, Johanna E; Breier, Adam M; Brendler, Therese; Austin, Stuart; Cozzarelli, Nicholas R; Crooke, Elliott

    2005-08-01

    Initiation of DNA replication from the Escherichia coli chromosomal origin is highly regulated, assuring that replication occurs precisely once per cell cycle. Three mechanisms for regulation of replication initiation have been proposed: titration of free DnaA initiator protein by the datA locus, sequestration of newly replicated origins by SeqA protein and regulatory inactivation of DnaA (RIDA), in which active ATP-DnaA is converted to the inactive ADP-bound form. DNA microarray analyses showed that the level of initiation in rapidly growing cells that lack datA was indistinguishable from that in wild-type cells, and that the absence of SeqA protein caused only a modest increase in initiation, in agreement with flow-cytometry data. In contrast, cells lacking Hda overinitiated replication twofold, implicating RIDA as the predominant mechanism preventing extra initiation events in a cell cycle.

  7. The role of template superhelicity in the initiation of bacteriophage lambda DNA replication.

    PubMed Central

    Alfano, C; McMacken, R

    1988-01-01

    The prepriming steps in the initiation of bacteriophage lambda DNA replication depend on the action of the lambda O and P proteins and on the DnaB helicase, single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSB), and DnaJ and DnaK heat shock proteins of the E. coli host. The binding of multiple copies of the lambda O protein to the phage replication origin (ori lambda) initiates the ordered assembly of a series of nucleoprotein structures that form at ori lambda prior to DNA unwinding, priming and DNA synthesis steps. Since the initiation of lambda DNA replication is known to occur only on supercoiled templates in vivo and in vitro, we examined how the early steps in lambda DNA replication are influenced by superhelical tension. All initiation complexes formed prior to helicase-mediated DNA-unwinding form with high efficiency on relaxed ori lambda DNA. Nonetheless, the DNA templates in these structures must be negatively supertwisted before they can be replicated. Once DNA helicase unwinding is initiated at ori lambda, however, later steps in lambda DNA replication proceed efficiently in the absence of superhelical tension. We conclude that supercoiling is required during the initiation of lambda DNA replication to facilitate entry of a DNA helicase, presumably the DnaB protein, between the DNA strands. Images PMID:2847118

  8. The rolling-circle melting-pot model for porcine circovirus DNA replication

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    A stem-loop structure, formed by a pair of inverted repeats during DNA replication, is a conserved feature at the origin of DNA replication (Ori) among plant and animal viruses, bacteriophages and plasmids that replicate their genomes via the rolling-circle replication (RCR) mechanism. Porcine circo...

  9. Fidelity of DNA Replication in Normal and Malignant Human Breast Cells.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1996-08-01

    In order to better understand the extent to which the intact DNA replication machinery contributes to the overall mutation frequencies observed in...normal and malignant breast cells, I have designed experiments to examine the degree of fidelity exhibited during the DNA replication process in both...normal and cancerous breast cells. To accomplish this goal I have isolated a multiprotein DNA replication complex (which we have designated the DNA

  10. Partial Purification of a Megadalton DNA Replication Complex by Free Flow Electrophoresis.

    PubMed

    Li, Caroline M; Miao, Yunan; Lingeman, Robert G; Hickey, Robert J; Malkas, Linda H

    2016-01-01

    We describe a gentle and rapid method to purify the intact multiprotein DNA replication complex using free flow electrophoresis (FFE). In particular, we applied FFE to purify the human cell DNA synthesome, which is a multiprotein complex that is fully competent to carry-out all phases of the DNA replication process in vitro using a plasmid containing the simian virus 40 (SV40) origin of DNA replication and the viral large tumor antigen (T-antigen) protein. The isolated native DNA synthesome can be of use in studying the mechanism by which mammalian DNA replication is carried-out and how anti-cancer drugs disrupt the DNA replication or repair process. Partially purified extracts from HeLa cells were fractionated in a native, liquid based separation by FFE. Dot blot analysis showed co-elution of many proteins identified as part of the DNA synthesome, including proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), DNA topoisomerase I (topo I), DNA polymerase δ (Pol δ), DNA polymerase ɛ (Pol ɛ), replication protein A (RPA) and replication factor C (RFC). Previously identified DNA synthesome proteins co-eluted with T-antigen dependent and SV40 origin-specific DNA polymerase activity at the same FFE fractions. Native gels show a multiprotein PCNA containing complex migrating with an apparent relative mobility in the megadalton range. When PCNA containing bands were excised from the native gel, mass spectrometric sequencing analysis identified 23 known DNA synthesome associated proteins or protein subunits.

  11. USP7 is a SUMO deubiquitinase essential for DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Lecona, Emilio; Rodriguez-Acebes, Sara; Specks, Julia; Lopez-Contreras, Andres J; Ruppen, Isabel; Murga, Matilde; Muñoz, Javier; Mendez, Juan; Fernandez-Capetillo, Oscar

    2016-04-01

    Post-translational modification of proteins by ubiquitin (Ub) and Ub-like modifiers regulates DNA replication. We have previously shown that chromatin around replisomes is rich in SUMO and poor in Ub, whereas mature chromatin exhibits an opposite pattern. How this SUMO-rich, Ub-poor environment is maintained at sites of DNA replication in mammalian cells remains unexplored. Here we identify USP7 as a replisome-enriched SUMO deubiquitinase that is essential for DNA replication. By acting on SUMO and SUMOylated proteins, USP7 counteracts their ubiquitination. Inhibition or genetic deletion of USP7 leads to the accumulation of Ub on SUMOylated proteins, which are displaced away from replisomes. Our findings provide a model explaining the differential accumulation of SUMO and Ub at replication forks and identify an essential role of USP7 in DNA replication that should be considered in the development of USP7 inhibitors as anticancer agents.

  12. Epigenetically-inherited centromere and neocentromere DNA replicates earliest in S-phase.

    PubMed

    Koren, Amnon; Tsai, Hung-Ji; Tirosh, Itay; Burrack, Laura S; Barkai, Naama; Berman, Judith

    2010-08-19

    Eukaryotic centromeres are maintained at specific chromosomal sites over many generations. In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, centromeres are genetic elements defined by a DNA sequence that is both necessary and sufficient for function; whereas, in most other eukaryotes, centromeres are maintained by poorly characterized epigenetic mechanisms in which DNA has a less definitive role. Here we use the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans as a model organism to study the DNA replication properties of centromeric DNA. By determining the genome-wide replication timing program of the C. albicans genome, we discovered that each centromere is associated with a replication origin that is the first to fire on its respective chromosome. Importantly, epigenetic formation of new ectopic centromeres (neocentromeres) was accompanied by shifts in replication timing, such that a neocentromere became the first to replicate and became associated with origin recognition complex (ORC) components. Furthermore, changing the level of the centromere-specific histone H3 isoform led to a concomitant change in levels of ORC association with centromere regions, further supporting the idea that centromere proteins determine origin activity. Finally, analysis of centromere-associated DNA revealed a replication-dependent sequence pattern characteristic of constitutively active replication origins. This strand-biased pattern is conserved, together with centromere position, among related strains and species, in a manner independent of primary DNA sequence. Thus, inheritance of centromere position is correlated with a constitutively active origin of replication that fires at a distinct early time. We suggest a model in which the distinct timing of DNA replication serves as an epigenetic mechanism for the inheritance of centromere position.

  13. Aberrant DNA Methylation in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: Cell Fate Control, Prognosis, and Therapeutic Response.

    PubMed

    Behzad, Masumeh Maleki; Shahrabi, Saeid; Jaseb, Kaveh; Bertacchini, Jessika; Ketabchi, Neda; Saki, Najmaldin

    2018-01-31

    Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a hematopoietic stem cell malignancy characterized by the expression of the BCR-ABL1 fusion gene with different chimeric transcripts. Despite the crucial impact of constitutively active tyrosine kinase in CML pathogenesis, aberrant DNA methylation of certain genes plays an important role in disease progression and the development of drug resistance. This article reviews recent findings relevant to the effect of DNA methylation pattern of regulatory genes on various cellular activities such as cell proliferation and survival, as well as cell-signaling molecules in CML. These data might contribute to defining the role of aberrant DNA methylation in disease initiation and progression. However, further studies are needed on the validation of specific aberrant methylation markers regarding the prognosis and prediction of response among the CML patients.

  14. Links between DNA Replication, Stem Cells and Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Vassilev, Alex; DePamphilis, Melvin L.

    2017-01-01

    Cancers can be categorized into two groups: those whose frequency increases with age, and those resulting from errors during mammalian development. The first group is linked to DNA replication through the accumulation of genetic mutations that occur during proliferation of developmentally acquired stem cells that give rise to and maintain tissues and organs. These mutations, which result from DNA replication errors as well as environmental insults, fall into two categories; cancer driver mutations that initiate carcinogenesis and genome destabilizing mutations that promote aneuploidy through excess genome duplication and chromatid missegregation. Increased genome instability results in accelerated clonal evolution leading to the appearance of more aggressive clones with increased drug resistance. The second group of cancers, termed germ cell neoplasia, results from the mislocation of pluripotent stem cells during early development. During normal development, pluripotent stem cells that originate in early embryos give rise to all of the cell lineages in the embryo and adult, but when they mislocate to ectopic sites, they produce tumors. Remarkably, pluripotent stem cells, like many cancer cells, depend on the Geminin protein to prevent excess DNA replication from triggering DNA damage-dependent apoptosis. This link between the control of DNA replication during early development and germ cell neoplasia reveals Geminin as a potential chemotherapeutic target in the eradication of cancer progenitor cells. PMID:28125050

  15. Direct non transcriptional role of NF-Y in DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Benatti, Paolo; Belluti, Silvia; Miotto, Benoit; Neusiedler, Julia; Dolfini, Diletta; Drac, Marjorie; Basile, Valentina; Schwob, Etienne; Mantovani, Roberto; Blow, J Julian; Imbriano, Carol

    2016-04-01

    NF-Y is a heterotrimeric transcription factor, which plays a pioneer role in the transcriptional control of promoters containing the CCAAT-box, among which genes involved in cell cycle regulation, apoptosis and DNA damage response. The knock-down of the sequence-specific subunit NF-YA triggers defects in S-phase progression, which lead to apoptotic cell death. Here, we report that NF-Y has a critical function in DNA replication progression, independent from its transcriptional activity. NF-YA colocalizes with early DNA replication factories, its depletion affects the loading of replisome proteins to DNA, among which Cdc45, and delays the passage from early to middle-late S phase. Molecular combing experiments are consistent with a role for NF-Y in the control of fork progression. Finally, we unambiguously demonstrate a direct non-transcriptional role of NF-Y in the overall efficiency of DNA replication, specifically in the DNA elongation process, using a Xenopus cell-free system. Our findings broaden the activity of NF-Y on a DNA metabolism other than transcription, supporting the existence of specific TFs required for proper and efficient DNA replication. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. New features of mitochondrial DNA replication system in yeast and man.

    PubMed

    Lecrenier, N; Foury, F

    2000-04-04

    In this review, we sum up the research carried out over two decades on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication, primarily by comparing this system in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Homo sapiens. Brief incursions into systems of other organisms have also been achieved when they provide new information.S. cerevisiae and H. sapiens mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been thought for a long time to share closely related architecture and replication mechanisms. However, recent studies suggest that mitochondrial genome of S. cerevisiae may be formed, at least partially, from linear multimeric molecules, while human mtDNA is circular. Although several proteins involved in the replication of these two genomes are very similar, divergences are also now increasingly evident. As an example, the recently cloned human mitochondrial DNA polymerase beta-subunit has no counterpart in yeast. Yet, yeast Abf2p and human mtTFA are probably not as closely functionally related as thought previously. Some mtDNA metabolism factors, like DNA ligases, were until recently largely uncharacterized, and have been found to be derived from alternative nuclear products. Many factors involved in the metabolism of mitochondrial DNA are linked through genetic or biochemical interconnections. These links are presented on a map. Finally, we discuss recent studies suggesting that the yeast mtDNA replication system diverges from that observed in man, and may involve recombination, possibly coupled to alternative replication mechanisms like rolling circle replication.

  17. Human FEN1 Expression and Solubility Patterson in DNA Replication and Repair

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1999-11-03

    following DNA replication from the simian virus 40 (SV40) origin of replication in vitro. Human FEN1, and FEN1 homologues from yeast to mammals, are...also implicated in different forms of DNA repair. In this thesis, I provide additional evidence supporting human FEN1’s role in nuclear DNA replication in...coincident with S phase DNA replication in both primary and transformed cells. Using novel antibodies that recognize human FEN1, I further show that very

  18. Single molecular biology: coming of age in DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Liu, Xiao-Jing; Lou, Hui-Qiang

    2017-09-20

    DNA replication is an essential process of the living organisms. To achieve precise and reliable replication, DNA polymerases play a central role in DNA synthesis. Previous investigations have shown that the average rates of DNA synthesis on the leading and lagging strands in a replisome must be similar to avoid the formation of significant gaps in the nascent strands. The underlying mechanism has been assumed to be coordination between leading- and lagging-strand polymerases. However, Kowalczykowski's lab members recently performed single molecule techniques in E. coli and showed the real-time behavior of a replisome. The leading- and lagging-strand polymerases function stochastically and independently. Furthermore, when a DNA polymerase is paused, the helicase slows down in a self-regulating fail-safe mechanism, akin to a ''dead-man's switch''. Based on the real-time single-molecular observation, the authors propose that leading- and lagging-strand polymerases synthesize DNA stochastically within a Gaussian distribution. Along with the development and application of single-molecule techniques, we will witness a new age of DNA replication and other biological researches.

  19. USP7 is a SUMO deubiquitinase essential for DNA replication

    PubMed Central

    Lecona, Emilio; Rodriguez-Acebes, Sara; Specks, Julia; Lopez-Contreras, Andres J; Ruppen, Isabel; Murga, Matilde; Muñoz, Javier; Mendez, Juan; Fernandez-Capetillo, Oscar

    2016-01-01

    Post-translational modification of proteins by ubiquitin (Ub) and Ub-like modifiers regulates various aspects of DNA replication. We previously showed that the chromatin around replisomes is rich in SUMO and depleted in Ub, whereas an opposite pattern is observed in mature chromatin. How this SUMO-rich/Ub-low environment is maintained at sites of DNA replication is not known. Here we identify USP7 as a replisome-enriched SUMO deubiquitinase that is essential for DNA replication. By acting on SUMO and SUMOylated proteins, USP7 counteracts their ubiquitination. Chemical inhibition or genetic deletion of USP7 leads to the accumulation of Ub on SUMOylated proteins, which are displaced to chromatin away from replisomes. Our findings provide a model to explain the differential accumulation of SUMO and Ub at replication forks, and identify an essential role of USP7 in DNA replication that should be taken into account for the use of USP7 inhibitors as anticancer agents. PMID:26950370

  20. Initiation of DNA replication requires actin dynamics and formin activity.

    PubMed

    Parisis, Nikolaos; Krasinska, Liliana; Harker, Bethany; Urbach, Serge; Rossignol, Michel; Camasses, Alain; Dewar, James; Morin, Nathalie; Fisher, Daniel

    2017-11-02

    Nuclear actin regulates transcriptional programmes in a manner dependent on its levels and polymerisation state. This dynamics is determined by the balance of nucleocytoplasmic shuttling, formin- and redox-dependent filament polymerisation. Here, using Xenopus egg extracts and human somatic cells, we show that actin dynamics and formins are essential for DNA replication. In proliferating cells, formin inhibition abolishes nuclear transport and initiation of DNA replication, as well as general transcription. In replicating nuclei from transcriptionally silent Xenopus egg extracts, we identified numerous actin regulators, and disruption of actin dynamics abrogates nuclear transport, preventing NLS (nuclear localisation signal)-cargo release from RanGTP-importin complexes. Nuclear formin activity is further required to promote loading of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) onto chromatin, as well as initiation and elongation of DNA replication. Therefore, actin dynamics and formins control DNA replication by multiple direct and indirect mechanisms. © 2017 The Authors.

  1. DNA damage tolerance pathway involving DNA polymerase ι and the tumor suppressor p53 regulates DNA replication fork progression.

    PubMed

    Hampp, Stephanie; Kiessling, Tina; Buechle, Kerstin; Mansilla, Sabrina F; Thomale, Jürgen; Rall, Melanie; Ahn, Jinwoo; Pospiech, Helmut; Gottifredi, Vanesa; Wiesmüller, Lisa

    2016-07-26

    DNA damage tolerance facilitates the progression of replication forks that have encountered obstacles on the template strands. It involves either translesion DNA synthesis initiated by proliferating cell nuclear antigen monoubiquitination or less well-characterized fork reversal and template switch mechanisms. Herein, we characterize a novel tolerance pathway requiring the tumor suppressor p53, the translesion polymerase ι (POLι), the ubiquitin ligase Rad5-related helicase-like transcription factor (HLTF), and the SWI/SNF catalytic subunit (SNF2) translocase zinc finger ran-binding domain containing 3 (ZRANB3). This novel p53 activity is lost in the exonuclease-deficient but transcriptionally active p53(H115N) mutant. Wild-type p53, but not p53(H115N), associates with POLι in vivo. Strikingly, the concerted action of p53 and POLι decelerates nascent DNA elongation and promotes HLTF/ZRANB3-dependent recombination during unperturbed DNA replication. Particularly after cross-linker-induced replication stress, p53 and POLι also act together to promote meiotic recombination enzyme 11 (MRE11)-dependent accumulation of (phospho-)replication protein A (RPA)-coated ssDNA. These results implicate a direct role of p53 in the processing of replication forks encountering obstacles on the template strand. Our findings define an unprecedented function of p53 and POLι in the DNA damage response to endogenous or exogenous replication stress.

  2. DNA replication machinery is required for development in Drosophila.

    PubMed

    Kohzaki, Hidetsugu; Asano, Maki; Murakami, Yota

    2018-01-01

     In Drosophila , some factors involved in chromosome replication seem to be involved in gene amplification and endoreplication, which are actively utilized in particular tissue development, but direct evidence has not been shown. Therefore, we examined the effect of depletion of replication factors on these processes. First, we confirmed RNAi knockdown can be used for the depletion of replication factors by comparing the phenotypes of RNAi knockdown and deletion or point mutants of the components of DNA licensing factor, MCM2, MCM4 and Cdt1. Next, we found that tissue-specific RNAi knockdown of replication factors caused tissue-specific defects, probably due to defects in DNA replication. In particular, we found that depletion inhibited gene amplification of the chorion gene in follicle cells and endoreplication in salivary glands, showing that chromosomal DNA replication factors are required for these processes. Finally, using RNAi, we screened the genes for chromosomal DNA replication that affected tissue development. Interestingly, wing specific knockdown of Mcm10 induced wing formation defects. These results suggest that some components of chromosomal replication machinery are directly involved in tissue development.

  3. Replication of damaged DNA in vitro is blocked by p53

    PubMed Central

    Zhou, Jianmin; Prives, Carol

    2003-01-01

    The tumor suppressor protein p53 may have other roles and functions in addition to its well-documented ability to serve as a sequence-specific transcriptional activator in response to DNA damage. We showed previously that p53 can block the replication of polyomavirus origin-containing DNA (Py ori-DNA) in vitro when p53 binding sites are present on the late side of the Py ori. Here we have both further extended these observations and have also examined whether p53 might be able to bind directly to and inhibit the replication of damaged DNA. We found that p53 strongly inhibits replication of γ-irradiated Py ori-DNA and such inhibition requires both the central DNA binding domain and the extreme C-terminus of the p53 protein. An endogenous p53 binding site lies within the Py origin and is required for the ability of p53 to block initiation of replication from γ-irradiated Py ori-DNA, suggesting the possibility of DNA looping caused by p53 binding both non-specifically to sites of DNA damage and specifically to the endogenous site in the polyomavirus origin. Our results thus suggest the possibility that under some circumstances p53 might serve as a direct regulator of DNA replication and suggest as well an additional function for cooperation between its two autonomous DNA binding domains. PMID:12853603

  4. Aberrant DNA methylation patterns of spermatozoa in men with unexplained infertility.

    PubMed

    Urdinguio, Rocío G; Bayón, Gustavo F; Dmitrijeva, Marija; Toraño, Estela G; Bravo, Cristina; Fraga, Mario F; Bassas, Lluís; Larriba, Sara; Fernández, Agustín F

    2015-05-01

    Are there DNA methylation alterations in sperm that could explain the reduced biological fertility of male partners from couples with unexplained infertility? DNA methylation patterns, not only at specific loci but also at Alu Yb8 repetitive sequences, are altered in infertile individuals compared with fertile controls. Aberrant DNA methylation of sperm has been associated with human male infertility in patients demonstrating either deficiencies in the process of spermatogenesis or low semen quality. Case and control prospective study. This study compares 46 sperm samples obtained from 17 normospermic fertile men and 29 normospermic infertile patients. Illumina Infinium HD Human Methylation 450K arrays were used to identify genomic regions showing differences in sperm DNA methylation patterns between five fertile and seven infertile individuals. Additionally, global DNA methylation of sperm was measured using the Methylamp Global DNA Methylation Quantification Ultra kit (Epigentek) in 14 samples, and DNA methylation at several repetitive sequences (LINE-1, Alu Yb8, NBL2, D4Z4) measured by bisulfite pyrosequencing in 44 sperm samples. A sperm-specific DNA methylation pattern was obtained by comparing the sperm methylomes with the DNA methylomes of differentiated somatic cells using data obtained from methylation arrays (Illumina 450 K) of blood, neural and glial cells deposited in public databases. In this study we conduct, for the first time, a genome-wide study to identify alterations of sperm DNA methylation in individuals with unexplained infertility that may account for the differences in their biological fertility compared with fertile individuals. We have identified 2752 CpGs showing aberrant DNA methylation patterns, and more importantly, these differentially methylated CpGs were significantly associated with CpG sites which are specifically methylated in sperm when compared with somatic cells. We also found statistically significant (P < 0.001) associations

  5. DNA synthesis by Pol η promotes fragile site stability by preventing under-replicated DNA in mitosis

    PubMed Central

    Bergoglio, Valérie; Boyer, Anne-Sophie; Walsh, Erin; Naim, Valeria; Legube, Gaëlle; Lee, Marietta Y.W.T.; Rey, Laurie; Rosselli, Filippo; Cazaux, Christophe; Eckert, Kristin A.

    2013-01-01

    Human DNA polymerase η (Pol η) is best known for its role in responding to UV irradiation–induced genome damage. We have recently observed that Pol η is also required for the stability of common fragile sites (CFSs), whose rearrangements are considered a driving force of oncogenesis. Here, we explored the molecular mechanisms underlying this newly identified role. We demonstrated that Pol η accumulated at CFSs upon partial replication stress and could efficiently replicate non-B DNA sequences within CFSs. Pol η deficiency led to persistence of checkpoint-blind under-replicated CFS regions in mitosis, detectable as FANCD2-associated chromosomal sites that were transmitted to daughter cells in 53BP1-shielded nuclear bodies. Expression of a catalytically inactive mutant of Pol η increased replication fork stalling and activated the replication checkpoint. These data are consistent with the requirement of Pol η–dependent DNA synthesis during S phase at replication forks stalled in CFS regions to suppress CFS instability by preventing checkpoint-blind under-replicated DNA in mitosis. PMID:23609533

  6. Termination of DNA replication forks: "Breaking up is hard to do".

    PubMed

    Bailey, Rachael; Priego Moreno, Sara; Gambus, Agnieszka

    2015-01-01

    To ensure duplication of the entire genome, eukaryotic DNA replication initiates from thousands of replication origins. The replication forks move through the chromatin until they encounter forks from neighboring origins. During replication fork termination forks converge, the replisomes disassemble and topoisomerase II resolves the daughter DNA molecules. If not resolved efficiently, terminating forks result in genomic instability through the formation of pathogenic structures. Our recent findings shed light onto the mechanism of replisome disassembly upon replication fork termination. We have shown that termination-specific polyubiquitylation of the replicative helicase component - Mcm7, leads to dissolution of the active helicase in a process dependent on the p97/VCP/Cdc48 segregase. The inhibition of terminating helicase disassembly resulted in a replication termination defect. In this extended view we present hypothetical models of replication fork termination and discuss remaining and emerging questions in the DNA replication termination field.

  7. Dynamic binding of replication protein a is required for DNA repair

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Ran; Subramanyam, Shyamal; Elcock, Adrian H.; Spies, Maria; Wold, Marc S.

    2016-01-01

    Replication protein A (RPA), the major eukaryotic single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) binding protein, is essential for replication, repair and recombination. High-affinity ssDNA-binding by RPA depends on two DNA binding domains in the large subunit of RPA. Mutation of the evolutionarily conserved aromatic residues in these two domains results in a separation-of-function phenotype: aromatic residue mutants support DNA replication but are defective in DNA repair. We used biochemical and single-molecule analyses, and Brownian Dynamics simulations to determine the molecular basis of this phenotype. Our studies demonstrated that RPA binds to ssDNA in at least two modes characterized by different dissociation kinetics. We also showed that the aromatic residues contribute to the formation of the longer-lived state, are required for stable binding to short ssDNA regions and are needed for RPA melting of partially duplex DNA structures. We conclude that stable binding and/or the melting of secondary DNA structures by RPA is required for DNA repair, including RAD51 mediated DNA strand exchange, but is dispensable for DNA replication. It is likely that the binding modes are in equilibrium and reflect dynamics in the RPA–DNA complex. This suggests that dynamic binding of RPA to DNA is necessary for different cellular functions. PMID:27131385

  8. Pathways for maintenance of telomeres and common fragile sites during DNA replication stress

    PubMed Central

    Özer, Özgün

    2018-01-01

    Oncogene activation during tumour development leads to changes in the DNA replication programme that enhance DNA replication stress. Certain regions of the human genome, such as common fragile sites and telomeres, are particularly sensitive to DNA replication stress due to their inherently ‘difficult-to-replicate’ nature. Indeed, it appears that these regions sometimes fail to complete DNA replication within the period of interphase when cells are exposed to DNA replication stress. Under these conditions, cells use a salvage pathway, termed ‘mitotic DNA repair synthesis (MiDAS)’, to complete DNA synthesis in the early stages of mitosis. If MiDAS fails, the ensuing mitotic errors threaten genome integrity and cell viability. Recent studies have provided an insight into how MiDAS helps cells to counteract DNA replication stress. However, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms and regulation of MiDAS remain poorly defined. Here, we provide an overview of how DNA replication stress triggers MiDAS, with an emphasis on how common fragile sites and telomeres are maintained. Furthermore, we discuss how a better understanding of MiDAS might reveal novel strategies to target cancer cells that maintain viability in the face of chronic oncogene-induced DNA replication stress. PMID:29695617

  9. THE RELATION BETWEEN DNA SYNTHESIS AND CHROMOSOME STRUCTURE AS RESOLVED BY X-RAY DAMAGE

    PubMed Central

    Evans, H. J.; Savage, J. R. K.

    1963-01-01

    Vicia faba root tip cells were treated for short periods with tritiated thymidine, either immediately before or after exposure of roots to x-rays, and autoradiograph preparations were analysed in an attempt to test the hypothesis that chromatid type (B') aberrations are induced only in those chromosome regions that have synthesized DNA prior to x-irradiation, whereas chromosome type (B'') aberrations are induced only in unduplicated chromosome regions. Studying the relation between presence or absence of label at loci involved in aberrations, in cells irradiated at different development stages, and the pattern of labelling in cells carrying both types of aberration leads to the conclusion that B'' aberrations are induced only in unreplicated chromosome regions. Following replication, only B' aberrations are induced, but these aberrations are also induced in chromosome regions preparing to incorporate DNA. It is suggested that the doubled response of the chromosome to x-rays prior to DNA incorporation might reflect a physical separation of replicating units prior to replication. The aberration yields in damaged cells which were irradiated in G 1 S, and early G 2 were in the ratio of 1.0:2.0:3.2. The data indicate that the increased yield of B' in early G 2 relative to S cells may be a consequence of changes in the spatial distribution of the chromosomes within the nucleus. PMID:14064107

  10. Ethidium bromide as a marker of mtDNA replication in living cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Villa, Anna Maria; Fusi, Paola; Pastori, Valentina; Amicarelli, Giulia; Pozzi, Chiara; Adlerstein, Daniel; Doglia, Silvia Maria

    2012-04-01

    Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in tumor cells was found to play an important role in maintaining the malignant phenotype. Using laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy (LSCFM) in a recent work, we reported a variable fluorescence intensity of ethidium bromide (EB) in mitochondria nucleoids of living carcinoma cells. Since when EB is bound to nucleic acids its fluorescence is intensified; a higher EB fluorescence intensity could reflect a higher DNA accessibility to EB, suggesting a higher mtDNA replication activity. To prove this hypothesis, in the present work we studied, by LSCFM, the EB fluorescence in mitochondria nucleoids of living neuroblastoma cells, a model system in which differentiation affects the level of mtDNA replication. A drastic decrease of fluorescence was observed after differentiation. To correlate EB fluorescence intensity to the mtDNA replication state, we evaluated the mtDNA nascent strands content by ligation-mediated real-time PCR, and we found a halved amount of replicating mtDNA molecules in differentiating cells. A similar result was obtained by BrdU incorporation. These results indicate that the low EB fluorescence of nucleoids in differentiated cells is correlated to a low content of replicating mtDNA, suggesting that EB may be used as a marker of mtDNA replication in living cells.

  11. Initiation and Reinitiation of DNA Synthesis during Replication of Bacteriophage T7*

    PubMed Central

    Dressler, David; Wolfson, John; Magazin, Marilyn

    1972-01-01

    In its first round of replication, the T7 chromosome follows a simple pattern, as viewed in the electron microscope. The iniation of DNA synthesis occurs about 17% from the genetic left end of the viral DNA rod. Bidirectional DNA synthesis from this origin then generates a replicating intermediate that we call an “eye form.” In the eye form, when synthesis in the leftward direction reaches the left end of the viral chromosome, the molecule is converted into a Y-shaped replicating rod. The remaining growing point continues synthesis rightward, until presumably it runs off the right end of the DNA rod, thus terminating replication. Numerous T7 chromosomes were found in which a second round of replication had begun before the first round had finished. Analysis of these reinitiated DNA molecules showed that the second round of replication, like the first, began 17% from the end of the chromosome and involved bidirectional DNA synthesis. Images PMID:4554539

  12. Effects of Replication and Transcription on DNA Structure-Related Genetic Instability.

    PubMed

    Wang, Guliang; Vasquez, Karen M

    2017-01-05

    Many repetitive sequences in the human genome can adopt conformations that differ from the canonical B-DNA double helix (i.e., non-B DNA), and can impact important biological processes such as DNA replication, transcription, recombination, telomere maintenance, viral integration, transposome activation, DNA damage and repair. Thus, non-B DNA-forming sequences have been implicated in genetic instability and disease development. In this article, we discuss the interactions of non-B DNA with the replication and/or transcription machinery, particularly in disease states (e.g., tumors) that can lead to an abnormal cellular environment, and how such interactions may alter DNA replication and transcription, leading to potential conflicts at non-B DNA regions, and eventually result in genetic stability and human disease.

  13. Effects of Replication and Transcription on DNA Structure-Related Genetic Instability

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Guliang; Vasquez, Karen M.

    2017-01-01

    Many repetitive sequences in the human genome can adopt conformations that differ from the canonical B-DNA double helix (i.e., non-B DNA), and can impact important biological processes such as DNA replication, transcription, recombination, telomere maintenance, viral integration, transposome activation, DNA damage and repair. Thus, non-B DNA-forming sequences have been implicated in genetic instability and disease development. In this article, we discuss the interactions of non-B DNA with the replication and/or transcription machinery, particularly in disease states (e.g., tumors) that can lead to an abnormal cellular environment, and how such interactions may alter DNA replication and transcription, leading to potential conflicts at non-B DNA regions, and eventually result in genetic stability and human disease. PMID:28067787

  14. USP7/HAUSP: A SUMO deubiquitinase at the heart of DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Smits, Veronique A J; Freire, Raimundo

    2016-09-01

    DNA replication is both highly conserved and controlled. Problematic DNA replication can lead to genomic instability and therefore carcinogenesis. Numerous mechanisms work together to achieve this tight control and increasing evidence suggests that post-translational modifications (phosphorylation, ubiquitination, SUMOylation) of DNA replication proteins play a pivotal role in this process. Here we discuss such modifications in the light of a recent article that describes a novel role for the deubiquitinase (DUB) USP7/HAUSP in the control of DNA replication. USP7 achieves this function by an unusual and novel mechanism, namely deubiquitination of SUMOylated proteins at the replication fork, making USP7 also a SUMO DUB (SDUB). This work extends previous observations of increased levels of SUMO and low levels of ubiquitin at the on-going replication fork. Here, we discuss this novel study, its contribution to the DNA replication and genomic stability field and what questions arise from this work. © 2016 WILEY Periodicals, Inc.

  15. MDS and secondary AML display unique patterns and abundance of aberrant DNA methylation

    PubMed Central

    Figueroa, Maria E.; Skrabanek, Lucy; Li, Yushan; Jiemjit, Anchalee; Fandy, Tamer E.; Paietta, Elisabeth; Fernandez, Hugo; Tallman, Martin S.; Greally, John M.; Carraway, Hetty; Licht, Jonathan D.; Gore, Steven D.

    2009-01-01

    Increasing evidence shows aberrant hypermethylation of genes occurring in and potentially contributing to pathogenesis of myeloid malignancies. Several of these diseases, such as myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs), are responsive to DNA methyltransferase inhibitors. To determine the extent of promoter hypermethylation in such tumors, we compared the distribution of DNA methylation of 14 000 promoters in MDS and secondary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients enrolled in a phase 1 trial of 5-azacytidine and the histone deacetylase inhibitor entinostat against de novo AML patients and normal CD34+ bone marrow cells. The MDS and secondary AML patients displayed more extensive aberrant DNA methylation involving thousands of genes than did the normal CD34+ bone marrow cells or de novo AML blasts. Aberrant methylation in MDS and secondary AML tended to affect particular chromosomal regions, occurred more frequently in Alu-poor genes, and included prominent involvement of genes involved in the WNT and MAPK signaling pathways. DNA methylation was also measured at days 15 and 29 after the first treatment cycle. DNA methylation was reversed at day 15 in a uniform manner throughout the genome, and this effect persisted through day 29, even without continuous administration of the study drugs. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as J0443. PMID:19652201

  16. DNA replication fidelity in Mycobacterium tuberculosis is mediated by an ancestral prokaryotic proofreader.

    PubMed

    Rock, Jeremy M; Lang, Ulla F; Chase, Michael R; Ford, Christopher B; Gerrick, Elias R; Gawande, Richa; Coscolla, Mireia; Gagneux, Sebastien; Fortune, Sarah M; Lamers, Meindert H

    2015-06-01

    The DNA replication machinery is an important target for antibiotic development in increasingly drug-resistant bacteria, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Although blocking DNA replication leads to cell death, disrupting the processes used to ensure replication fidelity can accelerate mutation and the evolution of drug resistance. In Escherichia coli, the proofreading subunit of the replisome, the ɛ exonuclease, is essential for high-fidelity DNA replication; however, we find that the corresponding subunit is completely dispensable in M. tuberculosis. Rather, the mycobacterial replicative polymerase DnaE1 itself encodes an editing function that proofreads DNA replication, mediated by an intrinsic 3'-5' exonuclease activity within its PHP domain. Inactivation of the DnaE1 PHP domain increases the mutation rate by more than 3,000-fold. Moreover, phylogenetic analysis of DNA replication proofreading in the bacterial kingdom suggests that E. coli is a phylogenetic outlier and that PHP domain-mediated proofreading is widely conserved and indeed may be the ancestral prokaryotic proofreader.

  17. DNA replication fidelity in Mycobacterium tuberculosis is mediated by an ancestral prokaryotic proofreader

    PubMed Central

    Rock, Jeremy M.; Lang, Ulla F.; Chase, Michael R.; Ford, Christopher B.; Gerrick, Elias R.; Gawande, Richa; Coscolla, Mireia; Gagneux, Sebastien; Fortune, Sarah M.; Lamers, Meindert H.

    2015-01-01

    The DNA replication machinery is an important target for antibiotic development for increasingly drug resistant bacteria including Mycobacterium tuberculosis1. While blocking DNA replication leads to cell death, disrupting the processes used to ensure replication fidelity can accelerate mutation and the evolution of drug resistance. In E. coli, the proofreading subunit of the replisome, the ε-exonuclease, is essential for high fidelity DNA replication2; however, we find that it is completely dispensable in M. tuberculosis. Rather, the mycobacterial replicative polymerase, DnaE1, encodes a novel editing function that proofreads DNA replication, mediated by an intrinsic 3′-5′ exonuclease activity within its PHP domain. Inactivation of the DnaE1 PHP domain increases the mutation rate by greater than 3,000 fold. Moreover, phylogenetic analysis of DNA replication proofreading in the bacterial kingdom suggests that E. coli is a phylogenetic outlier and that PHP-domain mediated proofreading is widely conserved and indeed may be the ancestral prokaryotic proofreader. PMID:25894501

  18. DNA Replication in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

    PubMed Central

    DITSE, ZANELE; LAMERS, MEINDERT H.; WARNER, DIGBY F.

    2017-01-01

    Faithful replication and maintenance of the genome are essential to the ability of any organism to survive and propagate. For an obligate pathogen such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis that has to complete successive cycles of transmission, infection, and disease in order to retain a foothold in the human population, this requires that genome replication and maintenance must be accomplished under the metabolic, immune, and antibiotic stresses encountered during passage through variable host environments. Comparative genomic analyses have established that chromosomal mutations enable M. tuberculosis to adapt to these stresses: the emergence of drug-resistant isolates provides direct evidence of this capacity, so too the well-documented genetic diversity among M. tuberculosis lineages across geographic loci, as well as the microvariation within individual patients that is increasingly observed as whole-genome sequencing methodologies are applied to clinical samples and tuberculosis (TB) disease models. However, the precise mutagenic mechanisms responsible for M. tuberculosis evolution and adaptation are poorly understood. Here, we summarize current knowledge of the machinery responsible for DNA replication in M. tuberculosis, and discuss the potential contribution of the expanded complement of mycobacterial DNA polymerases to mutagenesis. We also consider briefly the possible role of DNA replication—in particular, its regulation and coordination with cell division—in the ability of M. tuberculosis to withstand antibacterial stresses, including host immune effectors and antibiotics, through the generation at the population level of a tolerant state, or through the formation of a subpopulation of persister bacilli—both of which might be relevant to the emergence and fixation of genetic drug resistance. PMID:28361736

  19. DNA replication components as regulators of epigenetic inheritance--lesson from fission yeast centromere.

    PubMed

    He, Haijin; Gonzalez, Marlyn; Zhang, Fan; Li, Fei

    2014-06-01

    Genetic information stored in DNA is accurately copied and transferred to subsequent generations through DNA replication. This process is accomplished through the concerted actions of highly conserved DNA replication components. Epigenetic information stored in the form of histone modifications and DNA methylation, constitutes a second layer of regulatory information important for many cellular processes, such as gene expression regulation, chromatin organization, and genome stability. During DNA replication, epigenetic information must also be faithfully transmitted to subsequent generations. How this monumental task is achieved remains poorly understood. In this review, we will discuss recent advances on the role of DNA replication components in the inheritance of epigenetic marks, with a particular focus on epigenetic regulation in fission yeast. Based on these findings, we propose that specific DNA replication components function as key regulators in the replication of epigenetic information across the genome.

  20. Analysis of JC virus DNA replication using a quantitative and high-throughput assay

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shin, Jong; Phelan, Paul J.; Chhum, Panharith

    2014-11-15

    Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML) is caused by lytic replication of JC virus (JCV) in specific cells of the central nervous system. Like other polyomaviruses, JCV encodes a large T-antigen helicase needed for replication of the viral DNA. Here, we report the development of a luciferase-based, quantitative and high-throughput assay of JCV DNA replication in C33A cells, which, unlike the glial cell lines Hs 683 and U87, accumulate high levels of nuclear T-ag needed for robust replication. Using this assay, we investigated the requirement for different domains of T-ag, and for specific sequences within and flanking the viral origin, in JCVmore » DNA replication. Beyond providing validation of the assay, these studies revealed an important stimulatory role of the transcription factor NF1 in JCV DNA replication. Finally, we show that the assay can be used for inhibitor testing, highlighting its value for the identification of antiviral drugs targeting JCV DNA replication. - Highlights: • Development of a high-throughput screening assay for JCV DNA replication using C33A cells. • Evidence that T-ag fails to accumulate in the nuclei of established glioma cell lines. • Evidence that NF-1 directly promotes JCV DNA replication in C33A cells. • Proof-of-concept that the HTS assay can be used to identify pharmacological inhibitor of JCV DNA replication.« less

  1. Histone H4 acetylation required for chromatin decompaction during DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Ruan, Kun; Yamamoto, Takaharu G; Asakawa, Haruhiko; Chikashige, Yuji; Kimura, Hiroshi; Masukata, Hisao; Haraguchi, Tokuko; Hiraoka, Yasushi

    2015-07-30

    Faithful DNA replication is a prerequisite for cell proliferation. Several cytological studies have shown that chromosome structures alter in the S-phase of the cell cycle. However, the molecular mechanisms behind the alteration of chromosome structures associated with DNA replication have not been elucidated. Here, we investigated chromatin structures and acetylation of specific histone residues during DNA replication using the meiotic nucleus of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. The S. pombe meiotic nucleus provides a unique opportunity for measuring the levels of compaction of chromatin along the chromosome in a defined orientation. By direct measurement of chromatin compaction in living cells, we demonstrated that decompaction of chromatin occurs during meiotic DNA replication. This chromatin decompaction was suppressed by depletion of histone acetyltransferase Mst1 or by arginine substitution of specific lysine residues (K8 and K12) of histone H4. These results suggest that acetylation of histone H4 residues K8 and K12 plays a critical role in loosening chromatin structures during DNA replication.

  2. Replicative DNA polymerase mutations in cancer☆

    PubMed Central

    Heitzer, Ellen; Tomlinson, Ian

    2014-01-01

    Three DNA polymerases — Pol α, Pol δ and Pol ɛ — are essential for DNA replication. After initiation of DNA synthesis by Pol α, Pol δ or Pol ɛ take over on the lagging and leading strand respectively. Pol δ and Pol ɛ perform the bulk of replication with very high fidelity, which is ensured by Watson–Crick base pairing and 3′exonuclease (proofreading) activity. Yeast models have shown that mutations in the exonuclease domain of Pol δ and Pol ɛ homologues can cause a mutator phenotype. Recently, we identified germline exonuclease domain mutations (EDMs) in human POLD1 and POLE that predispose to ‘polymerase proofreading associated polyposis’ (PPAP), a disease characterised by multiple colorectal adenomas and carcinoma, with high penetrance and dominant inheritance. Moreover, somatic EDMs in POLE have also been found in sporadic colorectal and endometrial cancers. Tumors with EDMs are microsatellite stable and show an ‘ultramutator’ phenotype, with a dramatic increase in base substitutions. PMID:24583393

  3. Origins of DNA Replication and Amplification in the Breast Cancer Genome

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-09-01

    W81XWH-10-1-0463 TITLE: Origins of DNA Replication and Amplification in the...2. REPORT TYPE Final 3. DATES COVERED 1 Sep 2010 – 31 Aug 2012 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Origins of DNA Replication and...described in the DOD funded parent grant, to test our hypothesis we need to map origins of DNA replication in the genome and ask which of these

  4. A distinct first replication cycle of DNA introduced in mammalian cells

    PubMed Central

    Chandok, Gurangad S.; Kapoor, Kalvin K.; Brick, Rachel M.; Sidorova, Julia M.; Krasilnikova, Maria M.

    2011-01-01

    Many mutation events in microsatellite DNA sequences were traced to the first embryonic divisions. It was not known what makes the first replication cycles of embryonic DNA different from subsequent replication cycles. Here we demonstrate that an unusual replication mode is involved in the first cycle of replication of DNA introduced in mammalian cells. This alternative replication starts at random positions, and occurs before the chromatin is fully assembled. It is detected in various cell lines and primary cells. The presence of single-stranded regions increases the efficiency of this alternative replication mode. The alternative replication cannot progress through the A/T-rich FRA16B fragile site, while the regular replication mode is not affected by it. A/T-rich microsatellites are associated with the majority of chromosomal breakpoints in cancer. We suggest that the alternative replication mode may be initiated at the regions with immature chromatin structure in embryonic and cancer cells resulting in increased genomic instability. This work demonstrates, for the first time, differences in the replication progression during the first and subsequent replication cycles in mammalian cells. PMID:21062817

  5. Cytology of DNA Replication Reveals Dynamic Plasticity of Large-Scale Chromatin Fibers.

    PubMed

    Deng, Xiang; Zhironkina, Oxana A; Cherepanynets, Varvara D; Strelkova, Olga S; Kireev, Igor I; Belmont, Andrew S

    2016-09-26

    In higher eukaryotic interphase nuclei, the 100- to >1,000-fold linear compaction of chromatin is difficult to reconcile with its function as a template for transcription, replication, and repair. It is challenging to imagine how DNA and RNA polymerases with their associated molecular machinery would move along the DNA template without transient decondensation of observed large-scale chromatin "chromonema" fibers [1]. Transcription or "replication factory" models [2], in which polymerases remain fixed while DNA is reeled through, are similarly difficult to conceptualize without transient decondensation of these chromonema fibers. Here, we show how a dynamic plasticity of chromatin folding within large-scale chromatin fibers allows DNA replication to take place without significant changes in the global large-scale chromatin compaction or shape of these large-scale chromatin fibers. Time-lapse imaging of lac-operator-tagged chromosome regions shows no major change in the overall compaction of these chromosome regions during their DNA replication. Improved pulse-chase labeling of endogenous interphase chromosomes yields a model in which the global compaction and shape of large-Mbp chromatin domains remains largely invariant during DNA replication, with DNA within these domains undergoing significant movements and redistribution as they move into and then out of adjacent replication foci. In contrast to hierarchical folding models, this dynamic plasticity of large-scale chromatin organization explains how localized changes in DNA topology allow DNA replication to take place without an accompanying global unfolding of large-scale chromatin fibers while suggesting a possible mechanism for maintaining epigenetic programming of large-scale chromatin domains throughout DNA replication. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Histone Modification Associated with Initiation of DNA Replication | Center for Cancer Research

    Cancer.gov

    Before cells are able to divide, they must first duplicate their chromosomes accurately. DNA replication and packaging of DNA into chromosomes by histone proteins need to be coordinated by the cell to ensure proper transmission of genetic and epigenetic information to the next generation. Mammalian DNA replication begins at specific chromosomal sites, called replication origins, which are located throughout the genome. The replication origins are tightly regulated to start replication only once per cell division so that genomic stability is maintained and cancer development is prevented.

  7. Genomic mapping of single-stranded DNA in hydroxyurea-challenged yeasts identifies origins of replication.

    PubMed

    Feng, Wenyi; Collingwood, David; Boeck, Max E; Fox, Lindsay A; Alvino, Gina M; Fangman, Walton L; Raghuraman, Mosur K; Brewer, Bonita J

    2006-02-01

    During DNA replication one or both strands transiently become single stranded: first at the sites where initiation of DNA synthesis occurs (known as origins of replication) and subsequently on the lagging strands of replication forks as discontinuous Okazaki fragments are generated. We report a genome-wide analysis of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) formation in the presence of hydroxyurea during DNA replication in wild-type and checkpoint-deficient rad53 Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. In wild-type cells, ssDNA was first observed at a subset of replication origins and later 'migrated' bi-directionally, suggesting that ssDNA formation is associated with continuously moving replication forks. In rad53 cells, ssDNA was observed at virtually every known origin, but remained there over time, suggesting that replication forks stall. Telomeric regions seemed to be particularly sensitive to the loss of Rad53 checkpoint function. Replication origins in Schizosaccharomyces pombe were also mapped using our method.

  8. Dynamics of DNA replication during premeiosis and early meiosis in wheat.

    PubMed

    Rey, María-Dolores; Prieto, Pilar

    2014-01-01

    Meiosis is a specialised cell division that involves chromosome replication, two rounds of chromosome segregation and results in the formation of the gametes. Meiotic DNA replication generally precedes chromosome pairing, recombination and synapsis in sexually developing eukaryotes. In this work, replication has been studied during premeiosis and early meiosis in wheat using flow cytometry, which has allowed the quantification of the amount of DNA in wheat anther in each phase of the cell cycle during premeiosis and each stage of early meiosis. Flow cytometry has been revealed as a suitable and user-friendly tool to detect and quantify DNA replication during early meiosis in wheat. Chromosome replication was detected in wheat during premeiosis and early meiosis until the stage of pachytene, when chromosomes are associated in pairs to further recombine and correctly segregate in the gametes. In addition, the effect of the Ph1 locus, which controls chromosome pairing and affects replication in wheat, was also studied by flow cytometry. Here we showed that the Ph1 locus plays an important role on the length of meiotic DNA replication in wheat, particularly affecting the rate of replication during early meiosis in wheat.

  9. Dynamics of DNA Replication during Premeiosis and Early Meiosis in Wheat

    PubMed Central

    Rey, María-Dolores; Prieto, Pilar

    2014-01-01

    Meiosis is a specialised cell division that involves chromosome replication, two rounds of chromosome segregation and results in the formation of the gametes. Meiotic DNA replication generally precedes chromosome pairing, recombination and synapsis in sexually developing eukaryotes. In this work, replication has been studied during premeiosis and early meiosis in wheat using flow cytometry, which has allowed the quantification of the amount of DNA in wheat anther in each phase of the cell cycle during premeiosis and each stage of early meiosis. Flow cytometry has been revealed as a suitable and user-friendly tool to detect and quantify DNA replication during early meiosis in wheat. Chromosome replication was detected in wheat during premeiosis and early meiosis until the stage of pachytene, when chromosomes are associated in pairs to further recombine and correctly segregate in the gametes. In addition, the effect of the Ph1 locus, which controls chromosome pairing and affects replication in wheat, was also studied by flow cytometry. Here we showed that the Ph1 locus plays an important role on the length of meiotic DNA replication in wheat, particularly affecting the rate of replication during early meiosis in wheat. PMID:25275307

  10. Palm Mutants in DNA Polymerases α and η Alter DNA Replication Fidelity and Translesion Activity

    PubMed Central

    Niimi, Atsuko; Limsirichaikul, Siripan; Yoshida, Shonen; Iwai, Shigenori; Masutani, Chikahide; Hanaoka, Fumio; Kool, Eric T.; Nishiyama, Yukihiro; Suzuki, Motoshi

    2004-01-01

    We isolated active mutants in Saccharomyces cerevisiae DNA polymerase α that were associated with a defect in error discrimination. Among them, L868F DNA polymerase α has a spontaneous error frequency of 3 in 100 nucleotides and 570-fold lower replication fidelity than wild-type (WT) polymerase α. In vivo, mutant DNA polymerases confer a mutator phenotype and are synergistic with msh2 or msh6, suggesting that DNA polymerase α-dependent replication errors are recognized and repaired by mismatch repair. In vitro, L868F DNA polymerase α catalyzes efficient bypass of a cis-syn cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer, extending the 3′ T 26,000-fold more efficiently than the WT. Phe34 is equivalent to residue Leu868 in translesion DNA polymerase η, and the F34L mutant of S. cerevisiae DNA polymerase η has reduced translesion DNA synthesis activity in vitro. These data suggest that high-fidelity DNA synthesis by DNA polymerase α is required for genomic stability in yeast. The data also suggest that the phenylalanine and leucine residues in translesion and replicative DNA polymerases, respectively, might have played a role in the functional evolution of these enzyme classes. PMID:15024063

  11. Effects of Homology Length in the Repeat Region on Minus-Strand DNA Transfer and Retroviral Replication

    PubMed Central

    Dang, Que; Hu, Wei-Shau

    2001-01-01

    Homology between the two repeat (R) regions in the retroviral genome mediates minus-strand DNA transfer during reverse transcription. We sought to define the effects of R homology lengths on minus-strand DNA transfer. We generated five murine leukemia virus (MLV)-based vectors that contained identical sequences but different lengths of the 3′ R (3, 6, 12, 24 and 69 nucleotides [nt]); 69 nt is the full-length MLV R. After one round of replication, viral titers from the vector with a full-length downstream R were compared with viral titers generated from the other four vectors with reduced R lengths. Viral titers generated from vectors with R lengths reduced to one-third (24 nt) or one-sixth (12 nt) that of the wild type were not significantly affected; however, viral titers generated from vectors with only 3- or 6-nt homology in the R region were significantly lower. Because expression and packaging of the RNA were similar among all the vectors, the differences in the viral titers most likely reflected the impact of the homology lengths on the efficiency of minus-strand DNA transfer. The molecular nature of minus-strand DNA transfer was characterized in 63 proviruses. Precise R-to-R transfer was observed in most proviruses generated from vectors with 12-, 24-, or 69-nt homology in R, whereas aberrant transfers were predominantly used to generate proviruses from vectors with 3- or 6-nt homology. Reverse transcription using RNA transcribed from an upstream promoter, termed read-in RNA transcripts, resulted in most of the aberrant transfers. These data demonstrate that minus-strand DNA transfer is homology driven and a minimum homology length is required for accurate and efficient minus-strand DNA transfer. PMID:11134294

  12. DNA replication initiator Cdc6 also regulates ribosomal DNA transcription initiation.

    PubMed

    Huang, Shijiao; Xu, Xiaowei; Wang, Guopeng; Lu, Guoliang; Xie, Wenbing; Tao, Wei; Zhang, Hongyin; Jiang, Qing; Zhang, Chuanmao

    2016-04-01

    RNA-polymerase-I-dependent ribosomal DNA (rDNA) transcription is fundamental to rRNA processing, ribosome assembly and protein synthesis. However, how this process is initiated during the cell cycle is not fully understood. By performing a proteomic analysis of transcription factors that bind RNA polymerase I during rDNA transcription initiation, we identified that the DNA replication initiator Cdc6 interacts with RNA polymerase I and its co-factors, and promotes rDNA transcription in G1 phase in an ATPase-activity-dependent manner. We further showed that Cdc6 is targeted to the nucleolus during late mitosis and G1 phase in a manner that is dependent on B23 (also known as nucleophosmin, NPM1), and preferentially binds to the rDNA promoter through its ATP-binding domain. Overexpression of Cdc6 increases rDNA transcription, whereas knockdown of Cdc6 results in a decreased association of both RNA polymerase I and the RNA polymerase I transcription factor RRN3 with rDNA, and a reduction of rDNA transcription. Furthermore, depletion of Cdc6 impairs the interaction between RRN3 and RNA polymerase I. Taken together, our data demonstrate that Cdc6 also serves as a regulator of rDNA transcription initiation, and indicate a mechanism by which initiation of rDNA transcription and DNA replication can be coordinated in cells. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  13. Histone Modification Associated with Initiation of DNA Replication | Center for Cancer Research

    Cancer.gov

    Before cells are able to divide, they must first duplicate their chromosomes accurately. DNA replication and packaging of DNA into chromosomes by histone proteins need to be coordinated by the cell to ensure proper transmission of genetic and epigenetic information to the next generation. Mammalian DNA replication begins at specific chromosomal sites, called replication

  14. Activation of a yeast replication origin near a double-stranded DNA break.

    PubMed

    Raghuraman, M K; Brewer, B J; Fangman, W L

    1994-03-01

    Irradiation in the G1 phase of the cell cycle delays the onset of DNA synthesis and transiently inhibits the activation of replication origins in mammalian cells. It has been suggested that this inhibition is the result of the loss of torsional tension in the DNA after it has been damaged. Because irradiation causes DNA damage at an undefined number of nonspecific sites in the genome, it is not known how cells respond to limited DNA damage, and how replication origins in the immediate vicinity of a damage site would behave. Using the sequence-specific HO endonuclease, we have created a defined double-stranded DNA break in a centromeric plasmid in G1-arrested cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We show that replication does initiate at the origin on the cut plasmid, and that the plasmid replicates early in the S phase after linearization in vivo. These observations suggest that relaxation of a supercoiled DNA domain in yeast need not inactivate replication origins within that domain. Furthermore, these observations rule out the possibility that the late replication context associated with chromosomal termini is a consequence of DNA ends.

  15. DNA Replication Is Required for Circadian Clock Function by Regulating Rhythmic Nucleosome Composition.

    PubMed

    Liu, Xiao; Dang, Yunkun; Matsu-Ura, Toru; He, Yubo; He, Qun; Hong, Christian I; Liu, Yi

    2017-07-20

    Although the coupling between circadian and cell cycles allows circadian clocks to gate cell division and DNA replication in many organisms, circadian clocks were thought to function independently of cell cycle. Here, we show that DNA replication is required for circadian clock function in Neurospora. Genetic and pharmacological inhibition of DNA replication abolished both overt and molecular rhythmicities by repressing frequency (frq) gene transcription. DNA replication is essential for the rhythmic changes of nucleosome composition at the frq promoter. The FACT complex, known to be involved in histone disassembly/reassembly, is required for clock function and is recruited to the frq promoter in a replication-dependent manner to promote replacement of histone H2A.Z by H2A. Finally, deletion of H2A.Z uncoupled the dependence of the circadian clock on DNA replication. Together, these results establish circadian clock and cell cycle as interdependent coupled oscillators and identify DNA replication as a critical process in the circadian mechanism. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  16. Slow Joining of Newly Replicated DNA Chains in DNA Polymerase I-Deficient Escherichia coli Mutants*

    PubMed Central

    Okazaki, Reiji; Arisawa, Mikio; Sugino, Akio

    1971-01-01

    In Escherichia coli mutants deficient in DNA polymerase I, newly replicated short DNA is joined at about 10% of the rate in the wild-type strains. It is postulated that DNA polymerase I normally functions in filling gaps between the nascent short segments synthesized by the replication complex. Possible implications of the finding are discussed in relation to other abnormal properties of these mutants. PMID:4943548

  17. Coevolution between Nuclear-Encoded DNA Replication, Recombination, and Repair Genes and Plastid Genome Complexity

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Jin; Ruhlman, Tracey A.; Sabir, Jamal S. M.; Blazier, John Chris; Weng, Mao-Lun; Park, Seongjun; Jansen, Robert K.

    2016-01-01

    Disruption of DNA replication, recombination, and repair (DNA-RRR) systems has been hypothesized to cause highly elevated nucleotide substitution rates and genome rearrangements in the plastids of angiosperms, but this theory remains untested. To investigate nuclear–plastid genome (plastome) coevolution in Geraniaceae, four different measures of plastome complexity (rearrangements, repeats, nucleotide insertions/deletions, and substitution rates) were evaluated along with substitution rates of 12 nuclear-encoded, plastid-targeted DNA-RRR genes from 27 Geraniales species. Significant correlations were detected for nonsynonymous (dN) but not synonymous (dS) substitution rates for three DNA-RRR genes (uvrB/C, why1, and gyrA) supporting a role for these genes in accelerated plastid genome evolution in Geraniaceae. Furthermore, correlation between dN of uvrB/C and plastome complexity suggests the presence of nucleotide excision repair system in plastids. Significant correlations were also detected between plastome complexity and 13 of the 90 nuclear-encoded organelle-targeted genes investigated. Comparisons revealed significant acceleration of dN in plastid-targeted genes of Geraniales relative to Brassicales suggesting this correlation may be an artifact of elevated rates in this gene set in Geraniaceae. Correlation between dN of plastid-targeted DNA-RRR genes and plastome complexity supports the hypothesis that the aberrant patterns in angiosperm plastome evolution could be caused by dysfunction in DNA-RRR systems. PMID:26893456

  18. Dynamic interaction of Y RNAs with chromatin and initiation proteins during human DNA replication

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Alice Tianbu; Langley, Alexander R.; Christov, Christo P.; Kheir, Eyemen; Shafee, Thomas; Gardiner, Timothy J.; Krude, Torsten

    2011-01-01

    Non-coding Y RNAs are required for the initiation of chromosomal DNA replication in mammalian cells. It is unknown how they perform this function or if they associate with a nuclear structure during DNA replication. Here, we investigate the association of Y RNAs with chromatin and their interaction with replication proteins during DNA replication in a human cell-free system. Our results show that fluorescently labelled Y RNAs associate with unreplicated euchromatin in late G1 phase cell nuclei before the initiation of DNA replication. Following initiation, Y RNAs are displaced locally from nascent and replicated DNA present in replication foci. In intact human cells, a substantial fraction of endogenous Y RNAs are associated with G1 phase nuclei, but not with G2 phase nuclei. Y RNAs interact and colocalise with the origin recognition complex (ORC), the pre-replication complex (pre-RC) protein Cdt1, and other proteins implicated in the initiation of DNA replication. These data support a molecular ‘catch and release’ mechanism for Y RNA function during the initiation of chromosomal DNA replication, which is consistent with Y RNAs acting as replication licensing factors. PMID:21610089

  19. Regulated transport into the nucleus of herpesviridae DNA replication core proteins.

    PubMed

    Gualtiero, Alvisi; Jans, David A; Camozzi, Daria; Avanzi, Simone; Loregian, Arianna; Ripalti, Alessandro; Palù, Giorgio

    2013-09-16

    The Herpesvirdae family comprises several major human pathogens belonging to three distinct subfamilies. Their double stranded DNA genome is replicated in the nuclei of infected cells by a number of host and viral products. Among the latter the viral replication complex, whose activity is strictly required for viral replication, is composed of six different polypeptides, including a two-subunit DNA polymerase holoenzyme, a trimeric primase/helicase complex and a single stranded DNA binding protein. The study of herpesviral DNA replication machinery is extremely important, both because it provides an excellent model to understand processes related to eukaryotic DNA replication and it has important implications for the development of highly needed antiviral agents. Even though all known herpesviruses utilize very similar mechanisms for amplification of their genomes, the nuclear import of the replication complex components appears to be a heterogeneous and highly regulated process to ensure the correct spatiotemporal localization of each protein. The nuclear transport process of these enzymes is controlled by three mechanisms, typifying the main processes through which protein nuclear import is generally regulated in eukaryotic cells. These include cargo post-translational modification-based recognition by the intracellular transporters, piggy-back events allowing coordinated nuclear import of multimeric holoenzymes, and chaperone-assisted nuclear import of specific subunits. In this review we summarize these mechanisms and discuss potential implications for the development of antiviral compounds aimed at inhibiting the Herpesvirus life cycle by targeting nuclear import of the Herpesvirus DNA replicating enzymes.

  20. DNA Damage and Genomic Instability Induced by Inappropriate DNA Re-replication

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-04-01

    Conway, A., Lockhart, D. J., Davis, R. W., Brewer , B. J., and Fangman, W. L. (2001). Replication dynamics of the yeast genome. Science 294, 115–121... Brewer , B. J. (2001). An origin-deficient yeast artificial chromosome triggers a cell cycle checkpoint. Mol. Cell 7, 705–713. Vas, A., Mok, W., and...replication in yeast cells. We have demonstrated that re-replication induces a rapid and significant decrease in cell viability and a cellular DNA damage

  1. Understanding DNA replication by the bacteriophage T4 replisome.

    PubMed

    Benkovic, Stephen J; Spiering, Michelle M

    2017-11-10

    The T4 replisome has provided a unique opportunity to investigate the intricacies of DNA replication. We present a comprehensive review of this system focusing on the following: its 8-protein composition, their individual and synergistic activities, and assembly in vitro and in vivo into a replisome capable of coordinated leading/lagging strand DNA synthesis. We conclude with a brief comparison with other replisomes with emphasis on how coordinated DNA replication is achieved. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  2. Spermine Attenuates the Action of the DNA Intercalator, Actinomycin D, on DNA Binding and the Inhibition of Transcription and DNA Replication

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Jeremy J. W.; Wu, Wen-Lin; Yuann, Jeu-Ming P.; Su, Wang-Lin; Chuang, Show-Mei; Hou, Ming-Hon

    2012-01-01

    The anticancer activity of DNA intercalators is related to their ability to intercalate into the DNA duplex with high affinity, thereby interfering with DNA replication and transcription. Polyamines (spermine in particular) are almost exclusively bound to nucleic acids and are involved in many cellular processes that require nucleic acids. Until now, the effects of polyamines on DNA intercalator activities have remained unclear because intercalation is the most important mechanism employed by DNA-binding drugs. Herein, using actinomycin D (ACTD) as a model, we have attempted to elucidate the effects of spermine on the action of ACTD, including its DNA-binding ability, RNA and DNA polymerase interference, and its role in the transcription and replication inhibition of ACTD within cells. We found that spermine interfered with the binding and stabilization of ACTD to DNA. The presence of increasing concentrations of spermine enhanced the transcriptional and replication activities of RNA and DNA polymerases, respectively, in vitro treated with ActD. Moreover, a decrease in intracellular polyamine concentrations stimulated by methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) enhanced the ACTD-induced inhibition of c-myc transcription and DNA replication in several cancer cell lines. The results indicated that spermine attenuates ACTD binding to DNA and its inhibition of transcription and DNA replication both in vitro and within cells. Finally, a synergistic antiproliferative effect of MGBG and ACTD was observed in a cell viability assay. Our findings will be of significant relevance to future developments in combination with cancer therapy by enhancing the anticancer activity of DNA interactors through polyamine depletion. PMID:23144800

  3. Spermine attenuates the action of the DNA intercalator, actinomycin D, on DNA binding and the inhibition of transcription and DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Wang, Sheng-Yu; Lee, Alan Yueh-Luen; Lee, Yueh-Luen; Lai, Yi-Hua; Chen, Jeremy J W; Wu, Wen-Lin; Yuann, Jeu-Ming P; Su, Wang-Lin; Chuang, Show-Mei; Hou, Ming-Hon

    2012-01-01

    The anticancer activity of DNA intercalators is related to their ability to intercalate into the DNA duplex with high affinity, thereby interfering with DNA replication and transcription. Polyamines (spermine in particular) are almost exclusively bound to nucleic acids and are involved in many cellular processes that require nucleic acids. Until now, the effects of polyamines on DNA intercalator activities have remained unclear because intercalation is the most important mechanism employed by DNA-binding drugs. Herein, using actinomycin D (ACTD) as a model, we have attempted to elucidate the effects of spermine on the action of ACTD, including its DNA-binding ability, RNA and DNA polymerase interference, and its role in the transcription and replication inhibition of ACTD within cells. We found that spermine interfered with the binding and stabilization of ACTD to DNA. The presence of increasing concentrations of spermine enhanced the transcriptional and replication activities of RNA and DNA polymerases, respectively, in vitro treated with ActD. Moreover, a decrease in intracellular polyamine concentrations stimulated by methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) enhanced the ACTD-induced inhibition of c-myc transcription and DNA replication in several cancer cell lines. The results indicated that spermine attenuates ACTD binding to DNA and its inhibition of transcription and DNA replication both in vitro and within cells. Finally, a synergistic antiproliferative effect of MGBG and ACTD was observed in a cell viability assay. Our findings will be of significant relevance to future developments in combination with cancer therapy by enhancing the anticancer activity of DNA interactors through polyamine depletion.

  4. Differential Activation of Cellular DNA Damage Responses by Replication-Defective and Replication-Competent Adenovirus Mutants

    PubMed Central

    Prakash, Anand; Jayaram, Sumithra

    2012-01-01

    Adenovirus (Ad) mutants that lack early region 4 (E4) activate the phosphorylation of cellular DNA damage response proteins. In wild-type Ad type 5 (Ad5) infections, E1b and E4 proteins target the cellular DNA repair protein Mre11 for redistribution and degradation, thereby interfering with its ability to activate phosphorylation cascades important during DNA repair. The characteristics of Ad infection that activate cellular DNA repair processes are not yet well understood. We investigated the activation of DNA damage responses by a replication-defective Ad vector (AdRSVβgal) that lacks E1 and fails to produce the immediate-early E1a protein. E1a is important for activating early gene expression from the other viral early transcription units, including E4. AdRSVβgal can deliver its genome to the cell, but it is subsequently deficient for viral early gene expression and DNA replication. We studied the ability of AdRSVβgal-infected cells to induce cellular DNA damage responses. AdRSVβgal infection does activate formation of foci containing the Mdc1 protein. However, AdRSVβgal fails to activate phosphorylation of the damage response proteins Nbs1 and Chk1. We found that viral DNA replication is important for Nbs1 phosphorylation, suggesting that this step in the viral life cycle may provide an important trigger for activating at least some DNA repair proteins. PMID:23015708

  5. Genome-wide alterations of the DNA replication program during tumor progression

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arneodo, A.; Goldar, A.; Argoul, F.; Hyrien, O.; Audit, B.

    2016-08-01

    Oncogenic stress is a major driving force in the early stages of cancer development. Recent experimental findings reveal that, in precancerous lesions and cancers, activated oncogenes may induce stalling and dissociation of DNA replication forks resulting in DNA damage. Replication timing is emerging as an important epigenetic feature that recapitulates several genomic, epigenetic and functional specificities of even closely related cell types. There is increasing evidence that chromosome rearrangements, the hallmark of many cancer genomes, are intimately associated with the DNA replication program and that epigenetic replication timing changes often precede chromosomic rearrangements. The recent development of a novel methodology to map replication fork polarity using deep sequencing of Okazaki fragments has provided new and complementary genome-wide replication profiling data. We review the results of a wavelet-based multi-scale analysis of genomic and epigenetic data including replication profiles along human chromosomes. These results provide new insight into the spatio-temporal replication program and its dynamics during differentiation. Here our goal is to bring to cancer research, the experimental protocols and computational methodologies for replication program profiling, and also the modeling of the spatio-temporal replication program. To illustrate our purpose, we report very preliminary results obtained for the chronic myelogeneous leukemia, the archetype model of cancer. Finally, we discuss promising perspectives on using genome-wide DNA replication profiling as a novel efficient tool for cancer diagnosis, prognosis and personalized treatment.

  6. POLD3 is haploinsufficient for DNA replication in mice

    PubMed Central

    Murga, Matilde; Lecona, Emilio; Kamileri, Irene; Díaz, Marcos; Lugli, Natalia; Sotiriou, Sotirios K.; Anton, Marta E.; Méndez, Juan; Halazonetis, Thanos D.; Fernandez-Capetillo, Oscar

    2016-01-01

    Summary The Pold3 gene encodes a subunit of the Polδ DNA polymerase complex. Pold3 orthologues are not essential in Saccharomyces cerevisiae or chicken DT40 cells, but the Schizzosaccharomyces pombe orthologue is essential. POLD3 also has a specialized role in the repair of broken replication forks, suggesting that POLD3 activity could be particularly relevant for cancer cells enduring high levels of DNA replication stress. We report here that POLD3 is essential for mouse development and is also required for viability in adult animals. Strikingly, even Pold3+/- mice were born at sub-Mendelian ratios and, of those born, some presented hydrocephaly and had a reduced lifespan. In cells, POLD3 deficiency led to replication stress and cell death, which were aggravated by expression of activated oncogenes. Finally, we show that Pold3 deletion destabilizes all members of the Polδ complex, explaining its major role in DNA replication and the severe impact of its deficiency. PMID:27524497

  7. Nonenzymatic Role for WRN in Preserving Nascent DNA Strands after Replication Stress

    DOE PAGES

    Su, Fengtao; Mukherjee, Shibani; Yang, Yanyong; ...

    2014-11-20

    WRN, the protein defective in Werner syndrome (WS), is a multifunctional nuclease involved in DNA damage repair, replication, and genome stability maintenance. It was assumed that the nuclease activities of WRN were critical for these functions. Here, we report a nonenzymatic role for WRN in preserving nascent DNA strands following replication stress. We found that lack of WRN led to shortening of nascent DNA strands after replication stress. Furthermore, we discovered that the exonuclease activity of MRE11 was responsible for the shortening of newly replicated DNA in the absence of WRN. Mechanistically, the N-terminal FHA domain of NBS1 recruits WRNmore » to replication-associated DNA double-stranded breaks to stabilize Rad51 and to limit the nuclease activity of its C-terminal binding partner MRE11. Thus, this previously unrecognized nonenzymatic function of WRN in the stabilization of nascent DNA strands sheds light on the molecular reason for the origin of genome instability in WS individuals.« less

  8. SINGLE STRAND-CONTAINING REPLICATING MOLECULES OF CIRCULAR MITOCHONDRIAL DNA

    PubMed Central

    Wolstenholme, David R.; Koike, Katsuro; Cochran-Fouts, Patricia

    1973-01-01

    Mitochondrial DNAs (mtDNAs) from Chang rat solid hepatomas and Novikoff rat ascites hepatomas were examined in the electron microscope after preparation by the aqueous and by the formamide protein monolayer techniques. MtDNAs from both tumors were found to include double-forked circular molecules with a form and size suggesting they were replicative intermediates. These molecules were of two classes. In molecules of one class, all three segments were apparently totally double stranded. Molecules of the second class were distinguished by the fact that one of the segments spanning the region between the forks in which replication had occurred (the daughter segments) was either totally single stranded, or contained a single-stranded region associated with one of the forks. Daughter segments of both totally double-stranded and single strand-containing replicating molecules varied in length from about 3 to about 80% of the circular contour length of the molecule. Similar classes of replicating molecules were found in mtDNA from regenerating rat liver and chick embryos, indicating them to be normal intermediates in the replication of mtDNA All of the mtDNAs examined included partially single-stranded simple (nonforked) circular molecules. A possible scheme for the replication of mtDNA is presented, based on the different molecular forms observed PMID:4345165

  9. Replication-mediated disassociation of replication protein A-XPA complex upon DNA damage: implications for RPA handing off.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Gaofeng; Zou, Yue; Wu, Xiaoming

    2012-08-01

    RPA (replication protein A), the eukaryotic ssDNA (single-stranded DNA)-binding protein, participates in most cellular processes in response to genotoxic insults, such as NER (nucleotide excision repair), DNA, DSB (double-strand break) repair and activation of cell cycle checkpoint signalling. RPA interacts with XPA (xeroderma pigmentosum A) and functions in early stage of NER. We have shown that in cells the RPA-XPA complex disassociated upon exposure of cells to high dose of UV irradiation. The dissociation required replication stress and was partially attributed to tRPA hyperphosphorylation. Treatment of cells with CPT (camptothecin) and HU (hydroxyurea), which cause DSB DNA damage and replication fork collapse respectively and also leads to the disruption of RPA-XPA complex. Purified RPA and XPA were unable to form complex in vitro in the presence of ssDNA. We propose that the competition-based RPA switch among different DNA metabolic pathways regulates the dissociation of RPA with XPA in cells after DNA damage. The biological significances of RPA-XPA complex disruption in relation with checkpoint activation, DSB repair and RPA hyperphosphorylation are discussed.

  10. Replication-mediated disassociation of replication protein A–XPA complex upon DNA damage: implications for RPA handing off

    PubMed Central

    Jiang, Gaofeng; Zou, Yue; Wu, Xiaoming

    2013-01-01

    RPA (replication protein A), the eukaryotic ssDNA (single-stranded DNA)-binding protein, participates in most cellular processes in response to genotoxic insults, such as NER (nucleotide excision repair), DNA, DSB (double-strand break) repair and activation of cell cycle checkpoint signalling. RPA interacts with XPA (xeroderma pigmentosum A) and functions in early stage of NER. We have shown that in cells the RPA–XPA complex disassociated upon exposure of cells to high dose of UV irradiation. The dissociation required replication stress and was partially attributed to tRPA hyperphosphorylation. Treatment of cells with CPT (camptothecin) and HU (hydroxyurea), which cause DSB DNA damage and replication fork collapse respectively and also leads to the disruption of RPA–XPA complex. Purified RPA and XPA were unable to form complex in vitro in the presence of ssDNA. We propose that the competition-based RPA switch among different DNA metabolic pathways regulates the dissociation of RPA with XPA in cells after DNA damage. The biological significances of RPA–XPA complex disruption in relation with checkpoint activation, DSB repair and RPA hyperphosphorylation are discussed. PMID:22578086

  11. Role of the mitochondrial DNA replication machinery in mitochondrial DNA mutagenesis, aging and age-related diseases

    PubMed Central

    DeBalsi, Karen L.; Hoff, Kirsten E.; Copeland, William C.

    2016-01-01

    As regulators of bioenergetics in the cell and the primary source of endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS), dysfunctional mitochondria have been implicated for decades in the process of aging and age-related diseases. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is replicated and repaired by nuclear-encoded mtDNA polymerase γ (Pol γ) and several other associated proteins, which compose the mtDNA replication machinery. Here, we review evidence that errors caused by this replication machinery and failure to repair these mtDNA errors results in mtDNA mutations. Clonal expansion of mtDNA mutations results in mitochondrial dysfunction, such as decreased electron transport chain (ETC) enzyme activity and impaired cellular respiration. We address the literature that mitochondrial dysfunction, in conjunction with altered mitochondrial dynamics, is a major driving force behind aging and age-related diseases. Additionally, interventions to improve mitochondrial function and attenuate the symptoms of aging are examined. PMID:27143693

  12. Human Adipose‐Derived Stem Cells Expanded Under Ambient Oxygen Concentration Accumulate Oxidative DNA Lesions and Experience Procarcinogenic DNA Replication Stress

    PubMed Central

    Renoud, Marie‐Laure; Hoede, Claire; Gonzalez, Ignacio; Jones, Natalie; Longy, Michel; Sensebé, Luc; Cazaux, Christophe

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Adipose‐derived stem cells (ADSCs) have led to growing interest in cell‐based therapy because they can be easily harvested from an abundant tissue. ADSCs must be expanded in vitro before transplantation. This essential step causes concerns about the safety of adult stem cells in terms of potential transformation. Tumorigenesis is driven in its earliest step by DNA replication stress, which is characterized by the accumulation of stalled DNA replication forks and activation of the DNA damage response. Thus, to evaluate the safety of ADSCs during ex vivo expansion, we monitored DNA replication under atmospheric (21%) or physiologic (1%) oxygen concentration. Here, by combining immunofluorescence and DNA combing, we show that ADSCs cultured under 21% oxygen accumulate endogenous oxidative DNA lesions, which interfere with DNA replication by increasing fork stalling events, thereby leading to incomplete DNA replication and fork collapse. Moreover, we found by RNA sequencing (RNA‐seq) that culture of ADSCs under atmospheric oxygen concentration leads to misexpression of cell cycle and DNA replication genes, which could contribute to DNA replication stress. Finally, analysis of acquired small nucleotide polymorphism shows that expansion of ADSCs under 21% oxygen induces a mutational bias toward deleterious transversions. Overall, our results suggest that expanding ADSCs at a low oxygen concentration could reduce the risk for DNA replication stress‐associated transformation, as occurs in neoplastic tissues. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2017;6:68–76 PMID:28170194

  13. In vitro-reconstituted nucleoids can block mitochondrial DNA replication and transcription.

    PubMed

    Farge, Géraldine; Mehmedovic, Majda; Baclayon, Marian; van den Wildenberg, Siet M J L; Roos, Wouter H; Gustafsson, Claes M; Wuite, Gijs J L; Falkenberg, Maria

    2014-07-10

    The mechanisms regulating the number of active copies of mtDNA are still unclear. A mammalian cell typically contains 1,000-10,000 copies of mtDNA, which are packaged into nucleoprotein complexes termed nucleoids. The main protein component of these structures is mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM). Here, we reconstitute nucleoid-like particles in vitro and demonstrate that small changes in TFAM levels dramatically impact the fraction of DNA molecules available for transcription and DNA replication. Compaction by TFAM is highly cooperative, and at physiological ratios of TFAM to DNA, there are large variations in compaction, from fully compacted nucleoids to naked DNA. In compacted nucleoids, TFAM forms stable protein filaments on DNA that block melting and prevent progression of the replication and transcription machineries. Based on our observations, we suggest that small variations in the TFAM-to-mtDNA ratio may be used to regulate mitochondrial gene transcription and DNA replication. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. The actin-like MreB cytoskeleton organizes viral DNA replication in bacteria.

    PubMed

    Muñoz-Espín, Daniel; Daniel, Richard; Kawai, Yoshikazu; Carballido-López, Rut; Castilla-Llorente, Virginia; Errington, Jeff; Meijer, Wilfried J J; Salas, Margarita

    2009-08-11

    Little is known about the organization or proteins involved in membrane-associated replication of prokaryotic genomes. Here we show that the actin-like MreB cytoskeleton of the distantly related bacteria Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis is required for efficient viral DNA replication. Detailed analyses of B. subtilis phage ϕ29 showed that the MreB cytoskeleton plays a crucial role in organizing phage DNA replication at the membrane. Thus, phage double-stranded DNA and components of the ϕ29 replication machinery localize in peripheral helix-like structures in a cytoskeleton-dependent way. Importantly, we show that MreB interacts directly with the ϕ29 membrane-protein p16.7, responsible for attaching viral DNA at the cell membrane. Altogether, the results reveal another function for the MreB cytoskeleton and describe a mechanism by which viral DNA replication is organized at the bacterial membrane.

  15. Achieving Precision Death with Cell-Cycle Inhibitors that Target DNA Replication and Repair.

    PubMed

    Lin, Aimee Bence; McNeely, Samuel C; Beckmann, Richard P

    2017-07-01

    All cancers are characterized by defects in the systems that ensure strict control of the cell cycle in normal tissues. The consequent excess tissue growth can be countered by drugs that halt cell division, and, indeed, the majority of chemotherapeutics developed during the last century work by disrupting processes essential for the cell cycle, particularly DNA synthesis, DNA replication, and chromatid segregation. In certain contexts, the efficacy of these classes of drugs can be impressive, but because they indiscriminately block the cell cycle of all actively dividing cells, their side effects severely constrain the dose and duration with which they can be administered, allowing both normal and malignant cells to escape complete growth arrest. Recent progress in understanding how cancers lose control of the cell cycle, coupled with comprehensive genomic profiling of human tumor biopsies, has shown that many cancers have mutations affecting various regulators and checkpoints that impinge on the core cell-cycle machinery. These defects introduce unique vulnerabilities that can be exploited by a next generation of drugs that promise improved therapeutic windows in patients whose tumors bear particular genomic aberrations, permitting increased dose intensity and efficacy. These developments, coupled with the success of new drugs targeting cell-cycle regulators, have led to a resurgence of interest in cell-cycle inhibitors. This review in particular focuses on the newer strategies that may facilitate better therapeutic targeting of drugs that inhibit the various components that safeguard the fidelity of the fundamental processes of DNA replication and repair. Clin Cancer Res; 23(13); 3232-40. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

  16. Differential impact of ionic and coordinate covalent chromium (Cr)-DNA binding on DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Fornsaglio, Jamie L; O'Brien, Travis J; Patierno, Steven R

    2005-11-01

    The reactive species produced by the reduction of Cr(VI), particularly Cr(III), can form both ionic and coordinate covalent complexes with DNA. These Cr(III)-DNA interactions consist of Cr-DNA monoadducts, Cr-DNA ternary adducts, and Cr-DNA interstrand cross-links (Cr-ICLs), the latter of which are DNA polymerase arresting lesions (PALs). We sought to determine the impact of Cr-DNA interactions on the formation of replication blocking lesions in S. cerevisiae using a PCR-based method. We found that target sequence (TS) amplification using DNA isolated from Cr(VI)-treated yeast actually increased as a function of Cr(VI) concentration. Moreover, the enhanced TS amplification was reproduced in vitro using Cr(III)-treated DNA. In contrast, PCR amplification of TS from DNA isolated from yeast exposed to equitoxic doses of the inorganic DNA cross-linking agent cisplatin (CDDP), was decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. This paradox suggested that a specific Cr-DNA interaction, such as an ionic Cr-DNA complex, was responsible for the enhanced TS amplification, thereby masking the replication-blocking effect of certain ternary Cr-DNA adducts (i.e. interstrand cross-links). To test this possibility, we removed ionically associated Cr from the DNA using salt extraction prior to PCR analysis. This procedure obviated the increased amplification and revealed a dose-dependent decrease in TS amplification and an increase in Cr-PALs. These data from DNA analyzed ex vivo after treatment of intact cells indicate that ionic interactions of Cr with DNA result in increased DNA amplification whereas coordinate-covalent Cr-DNA complexes lead to formation of Cr-PALs. Thus, these results suggest that treatment of living cells with Cr(VI) leads to two modes of Cr-binding, which may have conflicting effects on DNA replication.

  17. Analysis of JC virus DNA replication using a quantitative and high-throughput assay

    PubMed Central

    Shin, Jong; Phelan, Paul J.; Chhum, Panharith; Bashkenova, Nazym; Yim, Sung; Parker, Robert; Gagnon, David; Gjoerup, Ole; Archambault, Jacques; Bullock, Peter A.

    2015-01-01

    Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML) is caused by lytic replication of JC virus (JCV) in specific cells of the central nervous system. Like other polyomaviruses, JCV encodes a large T-antigen helicase needed for replication of the viral DNA. Here, we report the development of a luciferase-based, quantitative and high-throughput assay of JCV DNA replication in C33A cells, which, unlike the glial cell lines Hs 683 and U87, accumulate high levels of nuclear T-ag needed for robust replication. Using this assay, we investigated the requirement for different domains of T-ag, and for specific sequences within and flanking the viral origin, in JCV DNA replication. Beyond providing validation of the assay, these studies revealed an important stimulatory role of the transcription factor NF1 in JCV DNA replication. Finally, we show that the assay can be used for inhibitor testing, highlighting its value for the identification of antiviral drugs targeting JCV DNA replication. PMID:25155200

  18. Mammalian DNA enriched for replication origins is enriched for snap-back sequences.

    PubMed

    Zannis-Hadjopoulos, M; Kaufmann, G; Martin, R G

    1984-11-15

    Using the instability of replication loops as a method for the isolation of double-stranded nascent DNA, extruded DNA enriched for replication origins was obtained and denatured. Snap-back DNA, single-stranded DNA with inverted repeats (palindromic sequences), reassociates rapidly into stem-loop structures with zero-order kinetics when conditions are changed from denaturing to renaturing, and can be assayed by chromatography on hydroxyapatite. Origin-enriched nascent DNA strands from mouse, rat and monkey cells growing either synchronously or asynchronously were purified and assayed for the presence of snap-back sequences. The results show that origin-enriched DNA is also enriched for snap-back sequences, implying that some origins for mammalian DNA replication contain or lie near palindromic sequences.

  19. Productive replication of human papillomavirus 31 requires DNA repair factor Nbs1.

    PubMed

    Anacker, Daniel C; Gautam, Dipendra; Gillespie, Kenric A; Chappell, William H; Moody, Cary A

    2014-08-01

    Activation of the ATM (ataxia telangiectasia-mutated kinase)-dependent DNA damage response (DDR) is necessary for productive replication of human papillomavirus 31 (HPV31). We previously found that DNA repair and homologous recombination (HR) factors localize to sites of HPV replication, suggesting that ATM activity is required to recruit factors to viral genomes that can productively replicate viral DNA in a recombination-dependent manner. The Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 (MRN) complex is an essential component of the DDR that is necessary for ATM-mediated HR repair and localizes to HPV DNA foci. In this study, we demonstrate that the HPV E7 protein is sufficient to increase levels of the MRN complex and also interacts with MRN components. We have found that Nbs1 depletion blocks productive viral replication and results in decreased localization of Mre11, Rad50, and the principal HR factor Rad51 to HPV DNA foci upon differentiation. Nbs1 contributes to the DDR by acting as an upstream activator of ATM in response to double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs) and as a downstream effector of ATM activity in the intra-S-phase checkpoint. We have found that phosphorylation of ATM and its downstream target Chk2, as well as SMC1 (structural maintenance of chromosome 1), is maintained upon Nbs1 knockdown in differentiating cells. Given that ATM and Chk2 are required for productive replication, our results suggest that Nbs1 contributes to viral replication outside its role as an ATM activator, potentially through ensuring localization of DNA repair factors to viral genomes that are necessary for efficient productive replication. The mechanisms that regulate human papillomavirus (HPV) replication during the viral life cycle are not well understood. Our finding that Nbs1 is necessary for productive replication even in the presence of ATM (ataxia telangiectasia-mutated kinase) and Chk2 phosphorylation offers evidence that Nbs1 contributes to viral replication downstream of facilitating ATM

  20. Productive Replication of Human Papillomavirus 31 Requires DNA Repair Factor Nbs1

    PubMed Central

    Anacker, Daniel C.; Gautam, Dipendra; Gillespie, Kenric A.; Chappell, William H.

    2014-01-01

    ABSTRACT Activation of the ATM (ataxia telangiectasia-mutated kinase)-dependent DNA damage response (DDR) is necessary for productive replication of human papillomavirus 31 (HPV31). We previously found that DNA repair and homologous recombination (HR) factors localize to sites of HPV replication, suggesting that ATM activity is required to recruit factors to viral genomes that can productively replicate viral DNA in a recombination-dependent manner. The Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 (MRN) complex is an essential component of the DDR that is necessary for ATM-mediated HR repair and localizes to HPV DNA foci. In this study, we demonstrate that the HPV E7 protein is sufficient to increase levels of the MRN complex and also interacts with MRN components. We have found that Nbs1 depletion blocks productive viral replication and results in decreased localization of Mre11, Rad50, and the principal HR factor Rad51 to HPV DNA foci upon differentiation. Nbs1 contributes to the DDR by acting as an upstream activator of ATM in response to double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs) and as a downstream effector of ATM activity in the intra-S-phase checkpoint. We have found that phosphorylation of ATM and its downstream target Chk2, as well as SMC1 (structural maintenance of chromosome 1), is maintained upon Nbs1 knockdown in differentiating cells. Given that ATM and Chk2 are required for productive replication, our results suggest that Nbs1 contributes to viral replication outside its role as an ATM activator, potentially through ensuring localization of DNA repair factors to viral genomes that are necessary for efficient productive replication. IMPORTANCE The mechanisms that regulate human papillomavirus (HPV) replication during the viral life cycle are not well understood. Our finding that Nbs1 is necessary for productive replication even in the presence of ATM (ataxia telangiectasia-mutated kinase) and Chk2 phosphorylation offers evidence that Nbs1 contributes to viral replication downstream of

  1. Plasmodium falciparum CRK4 directs continuous rounds of DNA replication during schizogony.

    PubMed

    Ganter, Markus; Goldberg, Jonathan M; Dvorin, Jeffrey D; Paulo, Joao A; King, Jonas G; Tripathi, Abhai K; Paul, Aditya S; Yang, Jing; Coppens, Isabelle; Jiang, Rays H Y; Elsworth, Brendan; Baker, David A; Dinglasan, Rhoel R; Gygi, Steven P; Duraisingh, Manoj T

    2017-02-17

    Plasmodium parasites, the causative agents of malaria, have evolved a unique cell division cycle in the clinically relevant asexual blood stage of infection 1 . DNA replication commences approximately halfway through the intracellular development following invasion and parasite growth. The schizont stage is associated with multiple rounds of DNA replication and nuclear division without cytokinesis, resulting in a multinucleated cell. Nuclei divide asynchronously through schizogony, with only the final round of DNA replication and segregation being synchronous and coordinated with daughter cell assembly 2,3 . However, the control mechanisms for this divergent mode of replication are unknown. Here, we show that the Plasmodium-specific kinase PfCRK4 is a key cell-cycle regulator that orchestrates multiple rounds of DNA replication throughout schizogony in Plasmodium falciparum. PfCRK4 depletion led to a complete block in nuclear division and profoundly inhibited DNA replication. Quantitative phosphoproteomic profiling identified a set of PfCRK4-regulated phosphoproteins with greatest functional similarity to CDK2 substrates, particularly proteins involved in the origin of replication firing. PfCRK4 was required for initial and subsequent rounds of DNA replication during schizogony and, in addition, was essential for development in the mosquito vector. Our results identified an essential S-phase promoting factor of the unconventional P. falciparum cell cycle. PfCRK4 is required for both a prolonged period of the intraerythrocytic stage of Plasmodium infection, as well as for transmission, revealing a broad window for PfCRK4-targeted chemotherapeutics.

  2. Human ribonuclease H1 resolves R-loops and thereby enables progression of the DNA replication fork.

    PubMed

    Parajuli, Shankar; Teasley, Daniel C; Murali, Bhavna; Jackson, Jessica; Vindigni, Alessandro; Stewart, Sheila A

    2017-09-15

    Faithful DNA replication is essential for genome stability. To ensure accurate replication, numerous complex and redundant replication and repair mechanisms function in tandem with the core replication proteins to ensure DNA replication continues even when replication challenges are present that could impede progression of the replication fork. A unique topological challenge to the replication machinery is posed by RNA-DNA hybrids, commonly referred to as R-loops. Although R-loops play important roles in gene expression and recombination at immunoglobulin sites, their persistence is thought to interfere with DNA replication by slowing or impeding replication fork progression. Therefore, it is of interest to identify DNA-associated enzymes that help resolve replication-impeding R-loops. Here, using DNA fiber analysis, we demonstrate that human ribonuclease H1 (RNH1) plays an important role in replication fork movement in the mammalian nucleus by resolving R-loops. We found that RNH1 depletion results in accumulation of RNA-DNA hybrids, slowing of replication forks, and increased DNA damage. Our data uncovered a role for RNH1 in global DNA replication in the mammalian nucleus. Because accumulation of RNA-DNA hybrids is linked to various human cancers and neurodegenerative disorders, our study raises the possibility that replication fork progression might be impeded, adding to increased genomic instability and contributing to disease. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  3. Mitochondrial DNA replication, nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors, and AIDS cardiomyopathy.

    PubMed

    Lewis, William

    2003-01-01

    Nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) in combination with other antiretrovirals (HAART) are the cornerstones of current AIDS therapy, but extensive use brought mitochondrial side effects to light. Clinical experience, pharmacological, cell, and molecular biological evidence links altered mitochondrial (mt-) DNA replication to the toxicity of NRTIs in many tissues, and conversely, mtDNA replication defects and mtDNA depletion in target tissues are observed. Organ-specific pathological changes or diverse systemic effects result from and are frequently attributed to HAART in which NRTIs are included. The shared features of mtDNA depletion and energy depletion became key observations and related the clinical and in vivo experimental findings to inhibition of mtDNA replication by NRTI triphosphates in vitro. Subsequent to those findings, other observations suggested that mitochondrial energy deprivation is concomitant with or the result of mitochondrial oxidative stress in AIDS (from HIV, for example) or from NRTI therapy itself. Copyright 2003, Elsevier Science (USA)

  4. Fidelity of DNA Replication in Normal and Malignant Human Breast Cells.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1997-08-01

    enzyme) into the multiple cloning site (MCS). This template will not only replicate inside a mammalian cell (utilizing the E-B virus origin), and...Maniatis, T. Commonly used techniques in molecular cloning . In: Molecular cloning : REFERENCES a laboratory manual, 2nd edition. Cold Spring Harbor...A vatit"Y Of DNA synthesis and the typt of DNA replica~tion Products " celular prca including DNA rsplicatlon. DNA repsair. R~NA formed in experiments

  5. Two subunits of human ORC are dispensable for DNA replication and proliferation.

    PubMed

    Shibata, Etsuko; Kiran, Manjari; Shibata, Yoshiyuki; Singh, Samarendra; Kiran, Shashi; Dutta, Anindya

    2016-12-01

    The six-subunit Origin Recognition Complex (ORC) is believed to be an essential eukaryotic ATPase that binds to origins of replication as a ring-shaped heterohexamer to load MCM2-7 and initiate DNA replication. We have discovered that human cell lines in culture proliferate with intact chromosomal origins of replication after disruption of both alleles of ORC2 or of the ATPase subunit, ORC1 . The ORC1 or ORC2 -depleted cells replicate with decreased chromatin loading of MCM2-7 and become critically dependent on another ATPase, CDC6, for survival and DNA replication. Thus, either the ORC ring lacking a subunit, even its ATPase subunit, can load enough MCM2-7 in partnership with CDC6 to initiate DNA replication, or cells have an ORC-independent, CDC6-dependent mechanism to load MCM2-7 on origins of replication.

  6. Porcine circovirus: transcription and rolling-circle DNA replication

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    This review summarizes the molecular studies pertaining to porcine circovirus (PCV) transcription and DNA replication. The genome of PCV is circular, single-stranded DNA and contains 1759-1768 nucleotides. Both the genome-strand (packaged in the virus particle) and the complementary-strand (synthesi...

  7. Coevolution between Nuclear-Encoded DNA Replication, Recombination, and Repair Genes and Plastid Genome Complexity.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jin; Ruhlman, Tracey A; Sabir, Jamal S M; Blazier, John Chris; Weng, Mao-Lun; Park, Seongjun; Jansen, Robert K

    2016-02-17

    Disruption of DNA replication, recombination, and repair (DNA-RRR) systems has been hypothesized to cause highly elevated nucleotide substitution rates and genome rearrangements in the plastids of angiosperms, but this theory remains untested. To investigate nuclear-plastid genome (plastome) coevolution in Geraniaceae, four different measures of plastome complexity (rearrangements, repeats, nucleotide insertions/deletions, and substitution rates) were evaluated along with substitution rates of 12 nuclear-encoded, plastid-targeted DNA-RRR genes from 27 Geraniales species. Significant correlations were detected for nonsynonymous (dN) but not synonymous (dS) substitution rates for three DNA-RRR genes (uvrB/C, why1, and gyrA) supporting a role for these genes in accelerated plastid genome evolution in Geraniaceae. Furthermore, correlation between dN of uvrB/C and plastome complexity suggests the presence of nucleotide excision repair system in plastids. Significant correlations were also detected between plastome complexity and 13 of the 90 nuclear-encoded organelle-targeted genes investigated. Comparisons revealed significant acceleration of dN in plastid-targeted genes of Geraniales relative to Brassicales suggesting this correlation may be an artifact of elevated rates in this gene set in Geraniaceae. Correlation between dN of plastid-targeted DNA-RRR genes and plastome complexity supports the hypothesis that the aberrant patterns in angiosperm plastome evolution could be caused by dysfunction in DNA-RRR systems. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

  8. An Mcm10 Mutant Defective in ssDNA Binding Shows Defects in DNA Replication Initiation.

    PubMed

    Perez-Arnaiz, Patricia; Kaplan, Daniel L

    2016-11-20

    Mcm10 is an essential protein that functions to initiate DNA replication after the formation of the replication fork helicase. In this manuscript, we identified a budding yeast Mcm10 mutant (Mcm10-m2,3,4) that is defective in DNA binding in vitro. Moreover, this Mcm10-m2,3,4 mutant does not stimulate the phosphorylation of Mcm2 by Dbf4-dependent kinase (DDK) in vitro. When we expressed wild-type levels of mcm10-m2,3,4 in budding yeast cells, we observed a severe growth defect and a substantially decreased DNA replication. We also observed a substantially reduced replication protein A- chromatin immunoprecipitation signal at origins of replication, reduced levels of DDK-phosphorylated Mcm2, and diminished Go, Ichi, Ni, and San (GINS) association with Mcm2-7 in vivo. mcm5-bob1 bypasses the growth defect conferred by DDK-phosphodead Mcm2 in budding yeast. However, the growth defect observed by expressing mcm10-m2,3,4 is not bypassed by the mcm5-bob1 mutation. Furthermore, origin melting and GINS association with Mcm2-7 are substantially decreased for cells expressing mcm10-m2,3,4 in the mcm5-bob1 background. Thus, the origin melting and GINS-Mcm2-7 interaction defects we observed for mcm10-m2,3,4 are not explained by decreased Mcm2 phosphorylation by DDK, since the defects persist in an mcm5-bob1 background. These data suggest that DNA binding by Mcm10 is essential for the initiation of DNA replication. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Micro-Scale Genomic DNA Copy Number Aberrations as Another Means of Mutagenesis in Breast Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Chao, Hann-Hsiang; He, Xiaping; Parker, Joel S.; Zhao, Wei; Perou, Charles M.

    2012-01-01

    Introduction In breast cancer, the basal-like subtype has high levels of genomic instability relative to other breast cancer subtypes with many basal-like-specific regions of aberration. There is evidence that this genomic instability extends to smaller scale genomic aberrations, as shown by a previously described micro-deletion event in the PTEN gene in the Basal-like SUM149 breast cancer cell line. Methods We sought to identify if small regions of genomic DNA copy number changes exist by using a high density, gene-centric Comparative Genomic Hybridizations (CGH) array on cell lines and primary tumors. A custom tiling array for CGH (244,000 probes, 200 bp tiling resolution) was created to identify small regions of genomic change, which was focused on previously identified basal-like-specific, and general cancer genes. Tumor genomic DNA from 94 patients and 2 breast cancer cell lines was labeled and hybridized to these arrays. Aberrations were called using SWITCHdna and the smallest 25% of SWITCHdna-defined genomic segments were called micro-aberrations (<64 contiguous probes, ∼ 15 kb). Results Our data showed that primary tumor breast cancer genomes frequently contained many small-scale copy number gains and losses, termed micro-aberrations, most of which are undetectable using typical-density genome-wide aCGH arrays. The basal-like subtype exhibited the highest incidence of these events. These micro-aberrations sometimes altered expression of the involved gene. We confirmed the presence of the PTEN micro-amplification in SUM149 and by mRNA-seq showed that this resulted in loss of expression of all exons downstream of this event. Micro-aberrations disproportionately affected the 5′ regions of the affected genes, including the promoter region, and high frequency of micro-aberrations was associated with poor survival. Conclusion Using a high-probe-density, gene-centric aCGH microarray, we present evidence of small-scale genomic aberrations that can contribute to

  10. DNA polymerase η modulates replication fork progression and DNA damage responses in platinum-treated human cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sokol, Anna M.; Cruet-Hennequart, Séverine; Pasero, Philippe; Carty, Michael P.

    2013-11-01

    Human cells lacking DNA polymerase η (polη) are sensitive to platinum-based cancer chemotherapeutic agents. Using DNA combing to directly investigate the role of polη in bypass of platinum-induced DNA lesions in vivo, we demonstrate that nascent DNA strands are up to 39% shorter in human cells lacking polη than in cells expressing polη. This provides the first direct evidence that polη modulates replication fork progression in vivo following cisplatin and carboplatin treatment. Severe replication inhibition in individual platinum-treated polη-deficient cells correlates with enhanced phosphorylation of the RPA2 subunit of replication protein A on serines 4 and 8, as determined using EdU labelling and immunofluorescence, consistent with formation of DNA strand breaks at arrested forks in the absence of polη. Polη-mediated bypass of platinum-induced DNA lesions may therefore represent one mechanism by which cancer cells can tolerate platinum-based chemotherapy.

  11. Emerging players in the initiation of eukaryotic DNA replication

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Faithful duplication of the genome in eukaryotes requires ordered assembly of a multi-protein complex called the pre-replicative complex (pre-RC) prior to S phase; transition to the pre-initiation complex (pre-IC) at the beginning of DNA replication; coordinated progression of the replisome during S phase; and well-controlled regulation of replication licensing to prevent re-replication. These events are achieved by the formation of distinct protein complexes that form in a cell cycle-dependent manner. Several components of the pre-RC and pre-IC are highly conserved across all examined eukaryotic species. Many of these proteins, in addition to their bona fide roles in DNA replication are also required for other cell cycle events including heterochromatin organization, chromosome segregation and centrosome biology. As the complexity of the genome increases dramatically from yeast to human, additional proteins have been identified in higher eukaryotes that dictate replication initiation, progression and licensing. In this review, we discuss the newly discovered components and their roles in cell cycle progression. PMID:23075259

  12. Sister acts: coordinating DNA replication and cohesion establishment

    PubMed Central

    Sherwood, Rebecca; Takahashi, Tatsuro S.; Jallepalli, Prasad V.

    2010-01-01

    The ring-shaped cohesin complex links sister chromatids and plays crucial roles in homologous recombination and mitotic chromosome segregation. In cycling cells, cohesin's ability to generate cohesive linkages is restricted to S phase and depends on loading and establishment factors that are intimately connected to DNA replication. Here we review how cohesin is regulated by the replication machinery, as well as recent evidence that cohesin itself influences how chromosomes are replicated. PMID:21159813

  13. DNA Replication During Conjugal Transfer of R1162

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2002-01-01

    transport out of the cell. This idea is stimulated by the similarity between the intermediates of single-stranded phage DNA replication and conjugative...the tra gene clusters ( Miele et al., 1991). The protein is not required for replication of the plasmid, and it seems to be dispensable for transfer...donor, in order to reattach to the transport mechanism prior to the start of a new round of transfer. Rolling circle replication itself might also be

  14. The hunt for origins of DNA replication in multicellular eukaryotes

    PubMed Central

    Urban, John M.; Foulk, Michael S.; Casella, Cinzia

    2015-01-01

    Origins of DNA replication (ORIs) occur at defined regions in the genome. Although DNA sequence defines the position of ORIs in budding yeast, the factors for ORI specification remain elusive in metazoa. Several methods have been used recently to map ORIs in metazoan genomes with the hope that features for ORI specification might emerge. These methods are reviewed here with analysis of their advantages and shortcomings. The various factors that may influence ORI selection for initiation of DNA replication are discussed. PMID:25926981

  15. Dpb11 may function with RPA and DNA to initiate DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Bruck, Irina; Dhingra, Nalini; Martinez, Matthew P; Kaplan, Daniel L

    2017-01-01

    Dpb11 is required for the initiation of DNA replication in budding yeast. We found that Dpb11 binds tightly to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) or branched DNA structures, while its human homolog, TopBP1, binds tightly to branched-DNA structures. We also found that Dpb11 binds stably to CDK-phosphorylated RPA, the eukaryotic ssDNA binding protein, in the presence of branched DNA. A Dpb11 mutant specifically defective for DNA binding did not exhibit tight binding to RPA in the presence of DNA, suggesting that Dpb11-interaction with DNA may promote the recruitment of RPA to melted DNA. We then characterized a mutant of Dpb11 that is specifically defective in DNA binding in budding yeast cells. Expression of dpb11-m1,2,3,5,ΔC results in a substantial decrease in RPA recruitment to origins, suggesting that Dpb11 interaction with DNA may be required for RPA recruitment to origins. Expression of dpb11-m1,2,3,5,ΔC also results in diminished GINS interaction with Mcm2-7 during S phase, while Cdc45 interaction with Mcm2-7 is like wild-type. The reduced GINS interaction with Mcm2-7 may be an indirect consequence of diminished origin melting. We propose that the tight interaction between Dpb11, CDK-phosphorylated RPA, and branched-DNA may be required for the essential function of stabilizing melted origin DNA in vivo. We also propose an alternative model, wherein Dpb11-DNA interaction is required for some other function in DNA replication initiation, such as helicase activation.

  16. Dpb11 may function with RPA and DNA to initiate DNA replication

    PubMed Central

    Bruck, Irina; Dhingra, Nalini; Martinez, Matthew P.

    2017-01-01

    Dpb11 is required for the initiation of DNA replication in budding yeast. We found that Dpb11 binds tightly to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) or branched DNA structures, while its human homolog, TopBP1, binds tightly to branched-DNA structures. We also found that Dpb11 binds stably to CDK-phosphorylated RPA, the eukaryotic ssDNA binding protein, in the presence of branched DNA. A Dpb11 mutant specifically defective for DNA binding did not exhibit tight binding to RPA in the presence of DNA, suggesting that Dpb11-interaction with DNA may promote the recruitment of RPA to melted DNA. We then characterized a mutant of Dpb11 that is specifically defective in DNA binding in budding yeast cells. Expression of dpb11-m1,2,3,5,ΔC results in a substantial decrease in RPA recruitment to origins, suggesting that Dpb11 interaction with DNA may be required for RPA recruitment to origins. Expression of dpb11-m1,2,3,5,ΔC also results in diminished GINS interaction with Mcm2-7 during S phase, while Cdc45 interaction with Mcm2-7 is like wild-type. The reduced GINS interaction with Mcm2-7 may be an indirect consequence of diminished origin melting. We propose that the tight interaction between Dpb11, CDK-phosphorylated RPA, and branched-DNA may be required for the essential function of stabilizing melted origin DNA in vivo. We also propose an alternative model, wherein Dpb11-DNA interaction is required for some other function in DNA replication initiation, such as helicase activation. PMID:28467467

  17. Replication of each copy of the yeast 2 micron DNA plasmid occurs during the S phase.

    PubMed

    Zakian, V A; Brewer, B J; Fangman, W L

    1979-08-01

    Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains 50-100 copies per cell of a circular plasmid called 2 micron DNA. Replication of this DNA was studied in two ways. The distribution of replication events among 2 micron DNA molecules was examined by density transfer experiments with asynchronous cultures. The data show that 2 micron DNA replication is similar to chromosomal DNA replication: essentially all 2 micron duplexes were of hybrid density at one cell doubling after the density transfer, with the majority having one fully dense strand and one fully light strand. The results show that replication of 2 micron DNA occurs by a semiconservative mechanism where each of the plasmid molecules replicates once each cell cycle. 2 micron DNA is the only known example of a multiple-copy, extrachromosomal DNA in which every molecule replicates in each cell cycle. Quantitative analysis of the data indicates that 2 micron DNA replication is limited to a fraction of the cell cycle. The period in the cell cycle when 2 micron DNA replicates was examined directly with synchronous cell cultures. Synchronization was accomplished by sequentially arresting cells in G1 phase using the yeast pheromone alpha-factor and incubating at the restrictive temperature for a cell cycle (cdc 7) mutant. Replication was monitored by adding 3H-uracil to cells previously labeled with 14C-uracil, and determining the 3H/14C ratio for purified DNA species. 2 micron DNA replication did not occur during the G1 arrest periods. However, the population of 2 micron DNA doubled during the synchronous S phase at the permissive temperature, with most of the replication occurring in the first third of S phase. Our results indicate that a mechanism exists which insures that the origin of replication of each 2 micron DNA molecule is activated each S phase. As with chromosomal DNA, further activation is prevented until the next cell cycle. We propose that the mechanism which controls the replication initiation of each 2 micron DNA

  18. A Paper Model of DNA Structure and Replication.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sigismondi, Linda A.

    1989-01-01

    A paper model which is designed to give students a hands-on experience during lecture and blackboard instruction on DNA structure is provided. A list of materials, paper patterns, and procedures for using the models to teach DNA structure and replication are given. (CW)

  19. Relationship between DNA damage response, initiated by camptothecin or oxidative stress, and DNA replication, analyzed by quantitative 3D image analysis.

    PubMed

    Berniak, K; Rybak, P; Bernas, T; Zarębski, M; Biela, E; Zhao, H; Darzynkiewicz, Z; Dobrucki, J W

    2013-10-01

    A method of quantitative analysis of spatial (3D) relationship between discrete nuclear events detected by confocal microscopy is described and applied in analysis of a dependence between sites of DNA damage signaling (γH2AX foci) and DNA replication (EdU incorporation) in cells subjected to treatments with camptothecin (Cpt) or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Cpt induces γH2AX foci, likely reporting formation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), almost exclusively at sites of DNA replication. This finding is consistent with the known mechanism of induction of DSBs by DNA topoisomerase I (topo1) inhibitors at the sites of collisions of the moving replication forks with topo1-DNA "cleavable complexes" stabilized by Cpt. Whereas an increased level of H2AX histone phosphorylation is seen in S-phase of cells subjected to H2O2, only a minor proportion of γH2AX foci coincide with DNA replication sites. Thus, the increased level of H2AX phosphorylation induced by H2O2 is not a direct consequence of formation of DNA lesions at the sites of moving DNA replication forks. These data suggest that oxidative stress induced by H2O2 and formation of the primary H2O2-induced lesions (8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine) inhibits replication globally and triggers formation of γH2AX at various distances from replication forks. Quantitative analysis of a frequency of DNA replication sites and γH2AX foci suggests also that stalling of replicating forks by Cpt leads to activation of new DNA replication origins. © 2013 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry. Copyright © 2013 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.

  20. G-quadruplex-interacting compounds alter latent DNA replication and episomal persistence of KSHV

    PubMed Central

    Madireddy, Advaitha; Purushothaman, Pravinkumar; Loosbroock, Christopher P.; Robertson, Erle S.; Schildkraut, Carl L.; Verma, Subhash C.

    2016-01-01

    Kaposi's sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV) establishes life-long latent infection by persisting as an extra-chromosomal episome in the infected cells and by maintaining its genome in dividing cells. KSHV achieves this by tethering its epigenome to the host chromosome by latency associated nuclear antigen (LANA), which binds in the terminal repeat (TR) region of the viral genome. Sequence analysis of the TR, a GC-rich DNA element, identified several potential Quadruplex G-Rich Sequences (QGRS). Since quadruplexes have the tendency to obstruct DNA replication, we used G-quadruplex stabilizing compounds to examine their effect on latent DNA replication and the persistence of viral episomes. Our results showed that these G-quadruplex stabilizing compounds led to the activation of dormant origins of DNA replication, with preferential bi-directional pausing of replications forks moving out of the TR region, implicating the role of the G-rich TR in the perturbation of episomal DNA replication. Over time, treatment with PhenDC3 showed a loss of viral episomes in the infected cells. Overall, these data show that G-quadruplex stabilizing compounds retard the progression of replication forks leading to a reduction in DNA replication and episomal maintenance. These results suggest a potential role for G-quadruplex stabilizers in the treatment of KSHV-associated diseases. PMID:26837574

  1. Function of the Plant DNA Polymerase Epsilon in Replicative Stress Sensing, a Genetic Analysis.

    PubMed

    Pedroza-García, José-Antonio; Mazubert, Christelle; Del Olmo, Ivan; Bourge, Mickael; Domenichini, Séverine; Bounon, Rémi; Tariq, Zakia; Delannoy, Etienne; Piñeiro, Manuel; Jarillo, José A; Bergounioux, Catherine; Benhamed, Moussa; Raynaud, Cécile

    2017-03-01

    Faithful transmission of the genetic information is essential in all living organisms. DNA replication is therefore a critical step of cell proliferation, because of the potential occurrence of replication errors or DNA damage when progression of a replication fork is hampered causing replicative stress. Like other types of DNA damage, replicative stress activates the DNA damage response, a signaling cascade allowing cell cycle arrest and repair of lesions. The replicative DNA polymerase ε (Pol ε) was shown to activate the S-phase checkpoint in yeast in response to replicative stress, but whether this mechanism functions in multicellular eukaryotes remains unclear. Here, we explored the genetic interaction between Pol ε and the main elements of the DNA damage response in Arabidopsis ( Arabidopsis thaliana ). We found that mutations affecting the polymerase domain of Pol ε trigger ATR-dependent signaling leading to SOG1 activation, WEE1-dependent cell cycle inhibition, and tolerance to replicative stress induced by hydroxyurea, but result in enhanced sensitivity to a wide range of DNA damaging agents. Using knock-down lines, we also provide evidence for the direct role of Pol ε in replicative stress sensing. Together, our results demonstrate that the role of Pol ε in replicative stress sensing is conserved in plants, and provide, to our knowledge, the first genetic dissection of the downstream signaling events in a multicellular eukaryote. © 2017 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  2. Rv0004 is a new essential member of the mycobacterial DNA replication machinery.

    PubMed

    Mann, Katherine M; Huang, Deborah L; Hooppaw, Anna J; Logsdon, Michelle M; Richardson, Kirill; Lee, Hark Joon; Kimmey, Jacqueline M; Aldridge, Bree B; Stallings, Christina L

    2017-11-01

    DNA replication is fundamental for life, yet a detailed understanding of bacterial DNA replication is limited outside the organisms Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. Many bacteria, including mycobacteria, encode no identified homologs of helicase loaders or regulators of the initiator protein DnaA, despite these factors being essential for DNA replication in E. coli and B. subtilis. In this study we discover that a previously uncharacterized protein, Rv0004, from the human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis is essential for bacterial viability and that depletion of Rv0004 leads to a block in cell cycle progression. Using a combination of genetic and biochemical approaches, we found that Rv0004 has a role in DNA replication, interacts with DNA and the replicative helicase DnaB, and affects DnaB-DnaA complex formation. We also identify a conserved domain in Rv0004 that is predicted to structurally resemble the N-terminal protein-protein interaction domain of DnaA. Mutation of a single conserved tryptophan within Rv0004's DnaA N-terminal-like domain leads to phenotypes similar to those observed upon Rv0004 depletion and can affect the association of Rv0004 with DnaB. In addition, using live cell imaging during depletion of Rv0004, we have uncovered a previously unappreciated role for DNA replication in coordinating mycobacterial cell division and cell size. Together, our data support that Rv0004 encodes a homolog of the recently identified DciA family of proteins found in most bacteria that lack the DnaC-DnaI helicase loaders in E. coli and B. subtilis. Therefore, the mechanisms of Rv0004 elucidated here likely apply to other DciA homologs and reveal insight into the diversity of bacterial strategies in even the most conserved biological processes.

  3. Rv0004 is a new essential member of the mycobacterial DNA replication machinery

    PubMed Central

    Hooppaw, Anna J.; Richardson, Kirill; Lee, Hark Joon; Kimmey, Jacqueline M.; Aldridge, Bree B.

    2017-01-01

    DNA replication is fundamental for life, yet a detailed understanding of bacterial DNA replication is limited outside the organisms Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. Many bacteria, including mycobacteria, encode no identified homologs of helicase loaders or regulators of the initiator protein DnaA, despite these factors being essential for DNA replication in E. coli and B. subtilis. In this study we discover that a previously uncharacterized protein, Rv0004, from the human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis is essential for bacterial viability and that depletion of Rv0004 leads to a block in cell cycle progression. Using a combination of genetic and biochemical approaches, we found that Rv0004 has a role in DNA replication, interacts with DNA and the replicative helicase DnaB, and affects DnaB-DnaA complex formation. We also identify a conserved domain in Rv0004 that is predicted to structurally resemble the N-terminal protein-protein interaction domain of DnaA. Mutation of a single conserved tryptophan within Rv0004’s DnaA N-terminal-like domain leads to phenotypes similar to those observed upon Rv0004 depletion and can affect the association of Rv0004 with DnaB. In addition, using live cell imaging during depletion of Rv0004, we have uncovered a previously unappreciated role for DNA replication in coordinating mycobacterial cell division and cell size. Together, our data support that Rv0004 encodes a homolog of the recently identified DciA family of proteins found in most bacteria that lack the DnaC-DnaI helicase loaders in E. coli and B. subtilis. Therefore, the mechanisms of Rv0004 elucidated here likely apply to other DciA homologs and reveal insight into the diversity of bacterial strategies in even the most conserved biological processes. PMID:29176877

  4. Micronuclear DNA of Oxytricha nova contains sequences with autonomously replicating activity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    PubMed Central

    Colombo, M M; Swanton, M T; Donini, P; Prescott, D M

    1984-01-01

    Oxytricha nova is a hypotrichous ciliate with micronuclei and macronuclei. Micronuclei, which contain large, chromosomal-sized DNA, are genetically inert but undergo meiosis and exchange during cell mating. Macronuclei, which contain only small, gene-sized DNA molecules, provide all of the nuclear RNA needed to run the cell. After cell mating the macronucleus is derived from a micronucleus, a derivation that includes excision of the genes from chromosomes and elimination of the remaining DNA. The eliminated DNA includes all of the repetitious sequences and approximately 95% of the unique sequences. We cloned large restriction fragments from the micronucleus that confer replication ability on a replication-deficient plasmid in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Sequences that confer replication ability are called autonomously replicating sequences. The frequency and effectiveness of autonomously replicating sequences in micronuclear DNA are similar to those reported for DNAs of other organisms introduced into yeast cells. Of the 12 micronuclear fragments with autonomously replicating sequence activity, 9 also showed homology to macronuclear DNA, indicating that they contain a macronuclear gene sequence. We conclude from this that autonomously replicating sequence activity is nonrandomly distributed throughout micronuclear DNA and is preferentially associated with those regions of micronuclear DNA that contain genes. Images PMID:6092934

  5. RPA binds histone H3-H4 and functions in DNA replication-coupled nucleosome assembly.

    PubMed

    Liu, Shaofeng; Xu, Zhiyun; Leng, He; Zheng, Pu; Yang, Jiayi; Chen, Kaifu; Feng, Jianxun; Li, Qing

    2017-01-27

    DNA replication-coupled nucleosome assembly is essential to maintain genome integrity and retain epigenetic information. Multiple involved histone chaperones have been identified, but how nucleosome assembly is coupled to DNA replication remains elusive. Here we show that replication protein A (RPA), an essential replisome component that binds single-stranded DNA, has a role in replication-coupled nucleosome assembly. RPA directly binds free H3-H4. Assays using a synthetic sequence that mimics freshly unwound single-stranded DNA at replication fork showed that RPA promotes DNA-(H3-H4) complex formation immediately adjacent to double-stranded DNA. Further, an RPA mutant defective in H3-H4 binding exhibited attenuated nucleosome assembly on nascent chromatin. Thus, we propose that RPA functions as a platform for targeting histone deposition to replication fork, through which RPA couples nucleosome assembly with ongoing DNA replication. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

  6. Initiation of DNA replication: functional and evolutionary aspects

    PubMed Central

    Bryant, John A.; Aves, Stephen J.

    2011-01-01

    Background The initiation of DNA replication is a very important and highly regulated step in the cell division cycle. It is of interest to compare different groups of eukaryotic organisms (a) to identify the essential molecular events that occur in all eukaryotes, (b) to start to identify higher-level regulatory mechanisms that are specific to particular groups and (c) to gain insights into the evolution of initiation mechanisms. Scope This review features a wide-ranging literature survey covering replication origins, origin recognition and usage, modification of origin usage (especially in response to plant hormones), assembly of the pre-replication complex, loading of the replisome, genomics, and the likely origin of these mechanisms and proteins in Archaea. Conclusions In all eukaryotes, chromatin is organized for DNA replication as multiple replicons. In each replicon, replication is initiated at an origin. With the exception of those in budding yeast, replication origins, including the only one to be isolated so far from a plant, do not appear to embody a specific sequence; rather, they are AT-rich, with short tracts of locally bent DNA. The proteins involved in initiation are remarkably similar across the range of eukaryotes. Nevertheless, their activity may be modified by plant-specific mechanisms, including regulation by plant hormones. The molecular features of initiation are seen in a much simpler form in the Archaea. In particular, where eukaryotes possess a number of closely related proteins that form ‘hetero-complexes’ (such as the origin recognition complex and the MCM complex), archaeans typically possess one type of protein (e.g. one MCM) that forms a homo-complex. This suggests that several eukaryotic initiation proteins have evolved from archaeal ancestors by gene duplication and divergence. PMID:21508040

  7. Primer-Independent DNA Synthesis by a Family B DNA Polymerase from Self-Replicating Mobile Genetic Elements.

    PubMed

    Redrejo-Rodríguez, Modesto; Ordóñez, Carlos D; Berjón-Otero, Mónica; Moreno-González, Juan; Aparicio-Maldonado, Cristian; Forterre, Patrick; Salas, Margarita; Krupovic, Mart

    2017-11-07

    Family B DNA polymerases (PolBs) play a central role during replication of viral and cellular chromosomes. Here, we report the discovery of a third major group of PolBs, which we denote primer-independent PolB (piPolB), that might be a link between the previously known protein-primed and RNA/DNA-primed PolBs. PiPolBs are encoded by highly diverse mobile genetic elements, pipolins, integrated in the genomes of diverse bacteria and also present as circular plasmids in mitochondria. Biochemical characterization showed that piPolB displays efficient DNA polymerization activity that can use undamaged and damaged templates and is endowed with proofreading and strand displacement capacities. Remarkably, the protein is also capable of template-dependent de novo DNA synthesis, i.e., DNA-priming activity, thereby breaking the long-standing dogma that replicative DNA polymerases require a pre-existing primer for DNA synthesis. We suggest that piPolBs are involved in self-replication of pipolins and may also contribute to bacterial DNA damage tolerance. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Single Molecule Analysis of Replicated DNA Reveals the Usage of Multiple KSHV Genome Regions for Latent Replication

    PubMed Central

    Verma, Subhash C.; Lu, Jie; Cai, Qiliang; Kosiyatrakul, Settapong; McDowell, Maria E.; Schildkraut, Carl L.; Robertson, Erle S.

    2011-01-01

    Kaposi's sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV), an etiologic agent of Kaposi's sarcoma, Body Cavity Based Lymphoma and Multicentric Castleman's Disease, establishes lifelong latency in infected cells. The KSHV genome tethers to the host chromosome with the help of a latency associated nuclear antigen (LANA). Additionally, LANA supports replication of the latent origins within the terminal repeats by recruiting cellular factors. Our previous studies identified and characterized another latent origin, which supported the replication of plasmids ex-vivo without LANA expression in trans. Therefore identification of an additional origin site prompted us to analyze the entire KSHV genome for replication initiation sites using single molecule analysis of replicated DNA (SMARD). Our results showed that replication of DNA can initiate throughout the KSHV genome and the usage of these regions is not conserved in two different KSHV strains investigated. SMARD also showed that the utilization of multiple replication initiation sites occurs across large regions of the genome rather than a specified sequence. The replication origin of the terminal repeats showed only a slight preference for their usage indicating that LANA dependent origin at the terminal repeats (TR) plays only a limited role in genome duplication. Furthermore, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation for ORC2 and MCM3, which are part of the pre-replication initiation complex to determine the genomic sites where these proteins accumulate, to provide further characterization of potential replication initiation sites on the KSHV genome. The ChIP data confirmed accumulation of these pre-RC proteins at multiple genomic sites in a cell cycle dependent manner. Our data also show that both the frequency and the sites of replication initiation vary within the two KSHV genomes studied here, suggesting that initiation of replication is likely to be affected by the genomic context rather than the DNA sequences. PMID

  9. Chromium reduces the in vitro activity and fidelity of DNA replication mediated by the human cell DNA synthesome

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dai Heqiao; Liu Jianying; Malkas, Linda H.

    2009-04-15

    Hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) is known to be a carcinogenic metal ion, with a complicated mechanism of action. It can be found within our environment in soil and water contaminated by manufacturing processes. Cr(VI) ion is readily taken up by cells, and is recognized to be both genotoxic and cytotoxic; following its reduction to the stable trivalent form of the ion, chromium(Cr(III)), within cells. This form of the ion is known to impede the activity of cellular DNA polymerase and polymerase-mediated DNA replication. Here, we report the effects of chromium on the activity and fidelity of the DNA replication process mediatedmore » by the human cell DNA synthesome. The DNA synthesome is a functional multiprotein complex that is fully competent to carry-out each phase of the DNA replication process. The IC{sub 50} of Cr(III) toward the activity of DNA synthesome-associated DNA polymerases {alpha}, {delta} and {epsilon} is 15, 45 and 125 {mu}M, respectively. Cr(III) inhibits synthesome-mediated DNA synthesis (IC{sub 50} = 88 {mu}M), and significantly reduces the fidelity of synthesome-mediated DNA replication. The mutation frequency induced by the different concentrations of Cr(III) ion used in our assays ranges from 2-13 fold higher than that which occurs spontaneously, and the types of mutations include single nucleotide substitutions, insertions, and deletions. Single nucleotide substitutions are the predominant type of mutation, and they occur primarily at GC base-pairs. Cr(III) ion produces a lower number of transition and a higher number of transversion mutations than occur spontaneously. Unlike Cr(III), Cr(VI) ion has little effect on the in vitro DNA synthetic activity and fidelity of the DNA synthesome, but does significantly inhibit DNA synthesis in intact cells. Cell growth and proliferation is also arrested by increasing concentrations of Cr(VI) ion. Our studies provide evidence indicating that the chromium ion induced decrease in the fidelity and activity

  10. Chromium reduces the in vitro activity and fidelity of DNA replication mediated by the human cell DNA synthesome

    PubMed Central

    Dai, Heqiao; Liu, Jianying; Malkas, Linda H.; Catalano, Jennifer; Alagharu, Srilakshmi; Hickey, Robert J.

    2009-01-01

    Hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) is known to be a carcinogenic metal ion, with a complicated mechanism of action. It can be found within our environment in soil and water contaminated by manufacturing processes. Cr(VI) ion is readily taken up by cells, and is recognized to be both genotoxic and cytotoxic; following its reduction to the stable trivalent form of the ion, chromium(Cr(III)), within cells. This form of the ion is known to impede the activity of cellular DNA polymerase and polymerase-mediated DNA replication. Here, we report the effects of chromium on the activity and fidelity of the DNA replication process mediated by the human cell DNA synthesome. The DNA synthesome is a functional multiprotein complex that is fully competent to carry-out each phase of the DNA replication process. The IC50 of Cr(III) toward the activity of DNA synthesome-associated DNA polymerases α, δ and ε is 15, 45 and 125 μM, respectively. Cr(III) inhibits synthesome-mediated DNA synthesis (IC50 =88 μM), and significantly reduces the fidelity of synthesome-mediated DNA replication. The mutation frequency induced by the different concentrations of Cr(III) ion used in our assays ranges from 2–13 fold higher than that which occurs spontaneously, and the types of mutations include single nucleotide substitutions, insertions, and deletions. Single nucleotide substitutions are the predominant type of mutation, and they occur primarily at GC base-pairs. Cr(III) ion produces a lower number of transition and a higher number of transversion mutations than occur spontaneously. Unlike Cr (III), Cr(VI) ion has little effect on the in vitro DNA synthetic activity and fidelity of the DNA synthesome, but does significantly inhibit DNA synthesis in intact cells. Cell growth and proliferation is also arrested by increasing concentrations of Cr(VI) ion. Our studies provide evidence indicating that the chromium ion induced decrease in the fidelity and activity of synthesome mediated DNA replication

  11. 3D replicon distributions arise from stochastic initiation and domino-like DNA replication progression

    PubMed Central

    Löb, D.; Lengert, N.; Chagin, V. O.; Reinhart, M.; Casas-Delucchi, C. S.; Cardoso, M. C.; Drossel, B.

    2016-01-01

    DNA replication dynamics in cells from higher eukaryotes follows very complex but highly efficient mechanisms. However, the principles behind initiation of potential replication origins and emergence of typical patterns of nuclear replication sites remain unclear. Here, we propose a comprehensive model of DNA replication in human cells that is based on stochastic, proximity-induced replication initiation. Critical model features are: spontaneous stochastic firing of individual origins in euchromatin and facultative heterochromatin, inhibition of firing at distances below the size of chromatin loops and a domino-like effect by which replication forks induce firing of nearby origins. The model reproduces the empirical temporal and chromatin-related properties of DNA replication in human cells. We advance the one-dimensional DNA replication model to a spatial model by taking into account chromatin folding in the nucleus, and we are able to reproduce the spatial and temporal characteristics of the replication foci distribution throughout S-phase. PMID:27052359

  12. 3D replicon distributions arise from stochastic initiation and domino-like DNA replication progression.

    PubMed

    Löb, D; Lengert, N; Chagin, V O; Reinhart, M; Casas-Delucchi, C S; Cardoso, M C; Drossel, B

    2016-04-07

    DNA replication dynamics in cells from higher eukaryotes follows very complex but highly efficient mechanisms. However, the principles behind initiation of potential replication origins and emergence of typical patterns of nuclear replication sites remain unclear. Here, we propose a comprehensive model of DNA replication in human cells that is based on stochastic, proximity-induced replication initiation. Critical model features are: spontaneous stochastic firing of individual origins in euchromatin and facultative heterochromatin, inhibition of firing at distances below the size of chromatin loops and a domino-like effect by which replication forks induce firing of nearby origins. The model reproduces the empirical temporal and chromatin-related properties of DNA replication in human cells. We advance the one-dimensional DNA replication model to a spatial model by taking into account chromatin folding in the nucleus, and we are able to reproduce the spatial and temporal characteristics of the replication foci distribution throughout S-phase.

  13. The mitochondrial outer membrane protein MDI promotes local protein synthesis and mtDNA replication.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yi; Chen, Yong; Gucek, Marjan; Xu, Hong

    2016-05-17

    Early embryonic development features rapid nuclear DNA replication cycles, but lacks mtDNA replication. To meet the high-energy demands of embryogenesis, mature oocytes are furnished with vast amounts of mitochondria and mtDNA However, the cellular machinery driving massive mtDNA replication in ovaries remains unknown. Here, we describe a Drosophila AKAP protein, MDI that recruits a translation stimulator, La-related protein (Larp), to the mitochondrial outer membrane in ovaries. The MDI-Larp complex promotes the synthesis of a subset of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial proteins by cytosolic ribosomes on the mitochondrial surface. MDI-Larp's targets include mtDNA replication factors, mitochondrial ribosomal proteins, and electron-transport chain subunits. Lack of MDI abolishes mtDNA replication in ovaries, which leads to mtDNA deficiency in mature eggs. Targeting Larp to the mitochondrial outer membrane independently of MDI restores local protein synthesis and rescues the phenotypes of mdi mutant flies. Our work suggests that a selective translational boost by the MDI-Larp complex on the outer mitochondrial membrane might be essential for mtDNA replication and mitochondrial biogenesis during oogenesis. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  14. Hda, a novel DnaA-related protein, regulates the replication cycle in Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Kato , J; Katayama, T

    2001-08-01

    The bacterial DnaA protein binds to the chromosomal origin of replication to trigger a series of initiation reactions, which leads to the loading of DNA polymerase III. In Escherichia coli, once this polymerase initiates DNA synthesis, ATP bound to DnaA is efficiently hydrolyzed to yield the ADP-bound inactivated form. This negative regulation of DnaA, which occurs through interaction with the beta-subunit sliding clamp configuration of the polymerase, functions in the temporal blocking of re-initiation. Here we show that the novel DnaA-related protein, Hda, from E.coli is essential for this regulatory inactivation of DnaA in vitro and in vivo. Our results indicate that the hda gene is required to prevent over-initiation of chromosomal replication and for cell viability. Hda belongs to the chaperone-like ATPase family, AAA(+), as do DnaA and certain eukaryotic proteins essential for the initiation of DNA replication. We propose that the once-per-cell-cycle rule of replication depends on the timely interaction of AAA(+) proteins that comprise the apparatus regulating the activity of the initiator of replication.

  15. Inhibition of DNA2 nuclease as a therapeutic strategy targeting replication stress in cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Kumar, S; Peng, X; Daley, J; Yang, L; Shen, J; Nguyen, N; Bae, G; Niu, H; Peng, Y; Hsieh, H-J; Wang, L; Rao, C; Stephan, C C; Sung, P; Ira, G; Peng, G

    2017-04-17

    Replication stress is a characteristic feature of cancer cells, which is resulted from sustained proliferative signaling induced by activation of oncogenes or loss of tumor suppressors. In cancer cells, oncogene-induced replication stress manifests as replication-associated lesions, predominantly double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs). An essential mechanism utilized by cells to repair replication-associated DSBs is homologous recombination (HR). In order to overcome replication stress and survive, cancer cells often require enhanced HR repair capacity. Therefore, the key link between HR repair and cellular tolerance to replication-associated DSBs provides us with a mechanistic rationale for exploiting synthetic lethality between HR repair inhibition and replication stress. DNA2 nuclease is an evolutionarily conserved essential enzyme in replication and HR repair. Here we demonstrate that DNA2 is overexpressed in pancreatic cancers, one of the deadliest and more aggressive forms of human cancers, where mutations in the KRAS are present in 90-95% of cases. In addition, depletion of DNA2 significantly reduces pancreatic cancer cell survival and xenograft tumor growth, suggesting the therapeutic potential of DNA2 inhibition. Finally, we develop a robust high-throughput biochemistry assay to screen for inhibitors of the DNA2 nuclease activity. The top inhibitors were shown to be efficacious against both yeast Dna2 and human DNA2. Treatment of cancer cells with DNA2 inhibitors recapitulates phenotypes observed upon DNA2 depletion, including decreased DNA double strand break end resection and attenuation of HR repair. Similar to genetic ablation of DNA2, chemical inhibition of DNA2 selectively attenuates the growth of various cancer cells with oncogene-induced replication stress. Taken together, our findings open a new avenue to develop a new class of anticancer drugs by targeting druggable nuclease DNA2. We propose DNA2 inhibition as new strategy in cancer therapy by targeting

  16. Simulation of the Formation of DNA Double Strand Breaks and Chromosome Aberrations in Irradiated Cells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Plante, Ianik; Ponomarev, Artem L.; Wu, Honglu; Blattnig, Steve; George, Kerry

    2014-01-01

    The formation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and chromosome aberrations is an important consequence of ionizing radiation. To simulate DNA double-strand breaks and the formation of chromosome aberrations, we have recently merged the codes RITRACKS (Relativistic Ion Tracks) and NASARTI (NASA Radiation Track Image). The program RITRACKS is a stochastic code developed to simulate detailed event-by-event radiation track structure: [1] This code is used to calculate the dose in voxels of 20 nm, in a volume containing simulated chromosomes, [2] The number of tracks in the volume is calculated for each simulation by sampling a Poisson distribution, with the distribution parameter obtained from the irradiation dose, ion type and energy. The program NASARTI generates the chromosomes present in a cell nucleus by random walks of 20 nm, corresponding to the size of the dose voxels, [3] The generated chromosomes are located within domains which may intertwine, and [4] Each segment of the random walks corresponds to approx. 2,000 DNA base pairs. NASARTI uses pre-calculated dose at each voxel to calculate the probability of DNA damage at each random walk segment. Using the location of double-strand breaks, possible rejoining between damaged segments is evaluated. This yields various types of chromosomes aberrations, including deletions, inversions, exchanges, etc. By performing the calculations using various types of radiations, it will be possible to obtain relative biological effectiveness (RBE) values for several types of chromosome aberrations.

  17. G-Quadruplexes in DNA Replication: A Problem or a Necessity?

    PubMed

    Valton, Anne-Laure; Prioleau, Marie-Noëlle

    2016-11-01

    DNA replication is a highly regulated process that ensures the correct duplication of the genome at each cell cycle. A precise cell type-specific temporal program controls the duplication of complex vertebrate genomes in an orderly manner. This program is based on the regulation of both replication origin firing and replication fork progression. G-quadruplexes (G4s), DNA secondary structures displaying noncanonical Watson-Crick base pairing, have recently emerged as key controllers of genome duplication. Here we discuss the various means by which G4s affect this fundamental cellular process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Role of the Polymerase ϵ sub-unit DPB2 in DNA replication, cell cycle regulation and DNA damage response in Arabidopsis.

    PubMed

    Pedroza-Garcia, José Antonio; Domenichini, Séverine; Mazubert, Christelle; Bourge, Mickael; White, Charles; Hudik, Elodie; Bounon, Rémi; Tariq, Zakia; Delannoy, Etienne; Del Olmo, Ivan; Piñeiro, Manuel; Jarillo, Jose Antonio; Bergounioux, Catherine; Benhamed, Moussa; Raynaud, Cécile

    2016-09-06

    Faithful DNA replication maintains genome stability in dividing cells and from one generation to the next. This is particularly important in plants because the whole plant body and reproductive cells originate from meristematic cells that retain their proliferative capacity throughout the life cycle of the organism. DNA replication involves large sets of proteins whose activity is strictly regulated, and is tightly linked to the DNA damage response to detect and respond to replication errors or defects. Central to this interconnection is the replicative polymerase DNA Polymerase ϵ (Pol ϵ) which participates in DNA replication per se, as well as replication stress response in animals and in yeast. Surprisingly, its function has to date been little explored in plants, and notably its relationship with DNA Damage Response (DDR) has not been investigated. Here, we have studied the role of the largest regulatory sub-unit of Arabidopsis DNA Pol ϵ: DPB2, using an over-expression strategy. We demonstrate that excess accumulation of the protein impairs DNA replication and causes endogenous DNA stress. Furthermore, we show that Pol ϵ dysfunction has contrasting outcomes in vegetative and reproductive cells and leads to the activation of distinct DDR pathways in the two cell types. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  19. The Interplay Between Estrogen and Replication Origins in Breast Cancer DNA Amplification

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-09-01

    Replication Origins in Breast Cancer DNA Amplification PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Cinzia Casella CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: Brown...Interplay Between Estrogen and Replication Origins in Breast Cancer DNA Amplification 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-11-1-0599 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6... amplification and oncogenes activation in breast cancer cells? This project aims to understand the role of estrogen in inducing re-replication, thus

  20. G-quadruplex-interacting compounds alter latent DNA replication and episomal persistence of KSHV.

    PubMed

    Madireddy, Advaitha; Purushothaman, Pravinkumar; Loosbroock, Christopher P; Robertson, Erle S; Schildkraut, Carl L; Verma, Subhash C

    2016-05-05

    Kaposi's sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV) establishes life-long latent infection by persisting as an extra-chromosomal episome in the infected cells and by maintaining its genome in dividing cells. KSHV achieves this by tethering its epigenome to the host chromosome by latency associated nuclear antigen (LANA), which binds in the terminal repeat (TR) region of the viral genome. Sequence analysis of the TR, a GC-rich DNA element, identified several potential Quadruplex G-Rich Sequences (QGRS). Since quadruplexes have the tendency to obstruct DNA replication, we used G-quadruplex stabilizing compounds to examine their effect on latent DNA replication and the persistence of viral episomes. Our results showed that these G-quadruplex stabilizing compounds led to the activation of dormant origins of DNA replication, with preferential bi-directional pausing of replications forks moving out of the TR region, implicating the role of the G-rich TR in the perturbation of episomal DNA replication. Over time, treatment with PhenDC3 showed a loss of viral episomes in the infected cells. Overall, these data show that G-quadruplex stabilizing compounds retard the progression of replication forks leading to a reduction in DNA replication and episomal maintenance. These results suggest a potential role for G-quadruplex stabilizers in the treatment of KSHV-associated diseases. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  1. Prereplicative complexes assembled in vitro support origin-dependent and independent DNA replication

    PubMed Central

    On, Kin Fan; Beuron, Fabienne; Frith, David; Snijders, Ambrosius P; Morris, Edward P; Diffley, John F X

    2014-01-01

    Eukaryotic DNA replication initiates from multiple replication origins. To ensure each origin fires just once per cell cycle, initiation is divided into two biochemically discrete steps: the Mcm2-7 helicase is first loaded into prereplicative complexes (pre-RCs) as an inactive double hexamer by the origin recognition complex (ORC), Cdt1 and Cdc6; the helicase is then activated by a set of “firing factors.” Here, we show that plasmids containing pre-RCs assembled with purified proteins support complete and semi-conservative replication in extracts from budding yeast cells overexpressing firing factors. Replication requires cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) and Dbf4-dependent kinase (DDK). DDK phosphorylation of Mcm2-7 does not by itself promote separation of the double hexamer, but is required for the recruitment of firing factors and replisome components in the extract. Plasmid replication does not require a functional replication origin; however, in the presence of competitor DNA and limiting ORC concentrations, replication becomes origin-dependent in this system. These experiments indicate that Mcm2-7 double hexamers can be precursors of replication and provide insight into the nature of eukaryotic DNA replication origins. PMID:24566989

  2. DNA Replication Fidelity in the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex.

    PubMed

    Warner, Digby F; Rock, Jeremy M; Fortune, Sarah M; Mizrahi, Valerie

    2017-01-01

    Mycobacterium tuberculosis is genetically isolated, with no evidence for horizontal gene transfer or the acquisition of episomal genetic information in the modern evolution of strains of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. When considered in the context of the specific features of the disease M. tuberculosis causes (e.g., transmission via cough aerosol, replication within professional phagocytes, subclinical persistence, and stimulation of a destructive immune pathology), this implies that to understand the mechanisms ensuring preservation of genomic integrity in infecting mycobacterial populations is to understand the source of genetic variation, including the emergence of microdiverse sub-populations that may be linked to the acquisition of drug resistance. In this chapter, we focus on mechanisms involved in maintaining DNA replication fidelity in M. tuberculosis, and consider the potential to target components of the DNA replication machinery as part of novel therapeutic regimens designed to curb the emerging threat of drug-resistance.

  3. Rad53 regulates replication fork restart after DNA damage in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

    PubMed Central

    Szyjka, Shawn J.; Aparicio, Jennifer G.; Viggiani, Christopher J.; Knott, Simon; Xu, Weihong; Tavaré, Simon; Aparicio, Oscar M.

    2008-01-01

    Replication fork stalling at a DNA lesion generates a damage signal that activates the Rad53 kinase, which plays a vital role in survival by stabilizing stalled replication forks. However, evidence that Rad53 directly modulates the activity of replication forks has been lacking, and the nature of fork stabilization has remained unclear. Recently, cells lacking the Psy2–Pph3 phosphatase were shown to be defective in dephosphorylation of Rad53 as well as replication fork restart after DNA damage, suggesting a mechanistic link between Rad53 deactivation and fork restart. To test this possibility we examined the progression of replication forks in methyl-methanesulfonate (MMS)-damaged cells, under different conditions of Rad53 activity. Hyperactivity of Rad53 in pph3Δ cells slows fork progression in MMS, whereas deactivation of Rad53, through expression of dominant-negative Rad53-KD, is sufficient to allow fork restart during recovery. Furthermore, combined deletion of PPH3 and PTC2, a second, unrelated Rad53 phosphatase, results in complete replication fork arrest and lethality in MMS, demonstrating that Rad53 deactivation is a key mechanism controlling fork restart. We propose a model for regulation of replication fork progression through damaged DNA involving a cycle of Rad53 activation and deactivation that coordinates replication restart with DNA repair. PMID:18628397

  4. Environmental stress speeds up DNA replication in Pseudomonas putida in chemostat cultivations.

    PubMed

    Lieder, Sarah; Jahn, Michael; Koepff, Joachim; Müller, Susann; Takors, Ralf

    2016-01-01

    Cellular response to different types of stress is the hallmark of the cell's strategy for survival. How organisms adjust their cell cycle dynamics to compensate for changes in environmental conditions is an important unanswered question in bacterial physiology. A cell using binary fission for reproduction passes through three stages during its cell cycle: a stage from cell birth to initiation of replication, a DNA replication phase and a period of cell division. We present a detailed analysis of durations of cell cycle phases, investigating their dynamics under environmental stress conditions. Applying continuous steady state cultivations (chemostats), the DNA content of a Pseudomonas putida KT2440 population was quantified with flow cytometry at distinct growth rates. Data-driven modeling revealed that under stress conditions, such as oxygen deprivation, solvent exposure and decreased iron availability, DNA replication was accelerated correlated to the severity of the imposed stress (up to 1.9-fold). Cells maintained constant growth rates by balancing the shortened replication phase with extended cell cycle phases before and after replication. Transcriptome data underpin the transcriptional upregulation of crucial genes of the replication machinery. Hence adaption of DNA replication speed appears to be an important strategy to withstand environmental stress. Copyright © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. How MCM loading and spreading specify eukaryotic DNA replication initiation sites.

    PubMed

    Hyrien, Olivier

    2016-01-01

    DNA replication origins strikingly differ between eukaryotic species and cell types. Origins are localized and can be highly efficient in budding yeast, are randomly located in early fly and frog embryos, which do not transcribe their genomes, and are clustered in broad (10-100 kb) non-transcribed zones, frequently abutting transcribed genes, in mammalian cells. Nonetheless, in all cases, origins are established during the G1-phase of the cell cycle by the loading of double hexamers of the Mcm 2-7 proteins (MCM DHs), the core of the replicative helicase. MCM DH activation in S-phase leads to origin unwinding, polymerase recruitment, and initiation of bidirectional DNA synthesis. Although MCM DHs are initially loaded at sites defined by the binding of the origin recognition complex (ORC), they ultimately bind chromatin in much greater numbers than ORC and only a fraction are activated in any one S-phase. Data suggest that the multiplicity and functional redundancy of MCM DHs provide robustness to the replication process and affect replication time and that MCM DHs can slide along the DNA and spread over large distances around the ORC. Recent studies further show that MCM DHs are displaced along the DNA by collision with transcription complexes but remain functional for initiation after displacement. Therefore, eukaryotic DNA replication relies on intrinsically mobile and flexible origins, a strategy fundamentally different from bacteria but conserved from yeast to human. These properties of MCM DHs likely contribute to the establishment of broad, intergenic replication initiation zones in higher eukaryotes.

  6. How MCM loading and spreading specify eukaryotic DNA replication initiation sites

    PubMed Central

    Hyrien, Olivier

    2016-01-01

    DNA replication origins strikingly differ between eukaryotic species and cell types. Origins are localized and can be highly efficient in budding yeast, are randomly located in early fly and frog embryos, which do not transcribe their genomes, and are clustered in broad (10-100 kb) non-transcribed zones, frequently abutting transcribed genes, in mammalian cells. Nonetheless, in all cases, origins are established during the G1-phase of the cell cycle by the loading of double hexamers of the Mcm 2-7 proteins (MCM DHs), the core of the replicative helicase. MCM DH activation in S-phase leads to origin unwinding, polymerase recruitment, and initiation of bidirectional DNA synthesis. Although MCM DHs are initially loaded at sites defined by the binding of the origin recognition complex (ORC), they ultimately bind chromatin in much greater numbers than ORC and only a fraction are activated in any one S-phase. Data suggest that the multiplicity and functional redundancy of MCM DHs provide robustness to the replication process and affect replication time and that MCM DHs can slide along the DNA and spread over large distances around the ORC. Recent studies further show that MCM DHs are displaced along the DNA by collision with transcription complexes but remain functional for initiation after displacement. Therefore, eukaryotic DNA replication relies on intrinsically mobile and flexible origins, a strategy fundamentally different from bacteria but conserved from yeast to human. These properties of MCM DHs likely contribute to the establishment of broad, intergenic replication initiation zones in higher eukaryotes. PMID:27635237

  7. Inhibition and recovery of the replication of depurinated parvovirus DNA in mouse fibroblasts

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Vos, J.M.; Avalosse, B.; Su, Z.Z.

    Apurinic sites were introduced in the single-stranded DNA of parvovirus minute-virus-of-mice (MVM) and their effect on viral DNA synthesis was measured in mouse fibroblasts. Approximately one apurinic site per viral genome, is sufficient to block its replication in untreated cells. The exposure of host cells to a sublethal dose of UV-light 15 hours prior to virus infection, enhances their ability to support the replication of depurinated MVM. Cell preirradiation induces the apparent overcome of 10-15% of viral DNA replication blocks. These results indicate that apurinic sites prevent mammalian cells from replicating single-stranded DNA unless a recovery process is activated bymore » cell UV-irradiation.« less

  8. Intragenic origins due to short G1 phases underlie oncogene-induced DNA replication stress.

    PubMed

    Macheret, Morgane; Halazonetis, Thanos D

    2018-03-01

    Oncogene-induced DNA replication stress contributes critically to the genomic instability that is present in cancer. However, elucidating how oncogenes deregulate DNA replication has been impeded by difficulty in mapping replication initiation sites on the human genome. Here, using a sensitive assay to monitor nascent DNA synthesis in early S phase, we identified thousands of replication initiation sites in cells before and after induction of the oncogenes CCNE1 and MYC. Remarkably, both oncogenes induced firing of a novel set of DNA replication origins that mapped within highly transcribed genes. These ectopic origins were normally suppressed by transcription during G1, but precocious entry into S phase, before all genic regions had been transcribed, allowed firing of origins within genes in cells with activated oncogenes. Forks from oncogene-induced origins were prone to collapse, as a result of conflicts between replication and transcription, and were associated with DNA double-stranded break formation and chromosomal rearrangement breakpoints both in our experimental system and in a large cohort of human cancers. Thus, firing of intragenic origins caused by premature S phase entry represents a mechanism of oncogene-induced DNA replication stress that is relevant for genomic instability in human cancer.

  9. NEK8 regulates DNA damage-induced RAD51 foci formation and replication fork protection

    PubMed Central

    Abeyta, Antonio; Castella, Maria; Jacquemont, Celine; Taniguchi, Toshiyasu

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Proteins essential for homologous recombination play a pivotal role in the repair of DNA double strand breaks, DNA inter-strand crosslinks and replication fork stability. Defects in homologous recombination also play a critical role in the development of cancer and the sensitivity of these cancers to chemotherapy. RAD51, an essential factor for homologous recombination and replication fork protection, accumulates and forms immunocytochemically detectable nuclear foci at sites of DNA damage. To identify kinases that may regulate RAD51 localization to sites of DNA damage, we performed a human kinome siRNA library screen, using DNA damage-induced RAD51 foci formation as readout. We found that NEK8, a NIMA family kinase member, is required for efficient DNA damage-induced RAD51 foci formation. Interestingly, knockout of Nek8 in murine embryonic fibroblasts led to cellular sensitivity to the replication inhibitor, hydroxyurea, and inhibition of the ATR kinase. Furthermore, NEK8 was required for proper replication fork protection following replication stall with hydroxyurea. Loading of RAD51 to chromatin was decreased in NEK8-depleted cells and Nek8-knockout cells. Single-molecule DNA fiber analyses revealed that nascent DNA tracts were degraded in the absence of NEK8 following treatment with hydroxyurea. Consistent with this, Nek8-knockout cells showed increased chromosome breaks following treatment with hydroxyurea. Thus, NEK8 plays a critical role in replication fork stability through its regulation of the DNA repair and replication fork protection protein RAD51. PMID:27892797

  10. NEK8 regulates DNA damage-induced RAD51 foci formation and replication fork protection.

    PubMed

    Abeyta, Antonio; Castella, Maria; Jacquemont, Celine; Taniguchi, Toshiyasu

    2017-02-16

    Proteins essential for homologous recombination play a pivotal role in the repair of DNA double strand breaks, DNA inter-strand crosslinks and replication fork stability. Defects in homologous recombination also play a critical role in the development of cancer and the sensitivity of these cancers to chemotherapy. RAD51, an essential factor for homologous recombination and replication fork protection, accumulates and forms immunocytochemically detectable nuclear foci at sites of DNA damage. To identify kinases that may regulate RAD51 localization to sites of DNA damage, we performed a human kinome siRNA library screen, using DNA damage-induced RAD51 foci formation as readout. We found that NEK8, a NIMA family kinase member, is required for efficient DNA damage-induced RAD51 foci formation. Interestingly, knockout of Nek8 in murine embryonic fibroblasts led to cellular sensitivity to the replication inhibitor, hydroxyurea, and inhibition of the ATR kinase. Furthermore, NEK8 was required for proper replication fork protection following replication stall with hydroxyurea. Loading of RAD51 to chromatin was decreased in NEK8-depleted cells and Nek8-knockout cells. Single-molecule DNA fiber analyses revealed that nascent DNA tracts were degraded in the absence of NEK8 following treatment with hydroxyurea. Consistent with this, Nek8-knockout cells showed increased chromosome breaks following treatment with hydroxyurea. Thus, NEK8 plays a critical role in replication fork stability through its regulation of the DNA repair and replication fork protection protein RAD51.

  11. Inhibition of polyomavirus ori-dependent DNA replication by mSin3B.

    PubMed

    Xie, An-Yong; Folk, William R

    2002-12-01

    When tethered in cis to DNA, the transcriptional corepressor mSin3B inhibits polyomavirus (Py) ori-dependent DNA replication in vivo. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) appear not to be involved, since tethering class I and class II HDACs in cis does not inhibit replication and treating the cells with trichostatin A does not specifically relieve inhibition by mSin3B. However, the mSin3B L59P mutation that impairs mSin3B interaction with N-CoR/SMRT abrogates inhibition of replication, suggesting the involvement of N-CoR/SMRT. Py large T antigen interacts with mSin3B, suggesting an HDAC-independent mechanism by which mSin3B inhibits DNA replication.

  12. USP37 deubiquitinates Cdt1 and contributes to regulate DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Hernández-Pérez, Santiago; Cabrera, Elisa; Amoedo, Hugo; Rodríguez-Acebes, Sara; Koundrioukoff, Stephane; Debatisse, Michelle; Méndez, Juan; Freire, Raimundo

    2016-10-01

    DNA replication control is a key process in maintaining genomic integrity. Monitoring DNA replication initiation is particularly important as it needs to be coordinated with other cellular events and should occur only once per cell cycle. Crucial players in the initiation of DNA replication are the ORC protein complex, marking the origin of replication, and the Cdt1 and Cdc6 proteins, that license these origins to replicate by recruiting the MCM2-7 helicase. To accurately achieve its functions, Cdt1 is tightly regulated. Cdt1 levels are high from metaphase and during G1 and low in S/G2 phases of the cell cycle. This control is achieved, among other processes, by ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. In an overexpression screen for Cdt1 deubiquitinating enzymes, we isolated USP37, to date the first ubiquitin hydrolase controlling Cdt1. USP37 overexpression stabilizes Cdt1, most likely a phosphorylated form of the protein. In contrast, USP37 knock down destabilizes Cdt1, predominantly during G1 and G1/S phases of the cell cycle. USP37 interacts with Cdt1 and is able to de-ubiquitinate Cdt1 in vivo and, USP37 is able to regulate the loading of MCM complexes onto the chromatin. In addition, downregulation of USP37 reduces DNA replication fork speed. Taken together, here we show that the deubiquitinase USP37 plays an important role in the regulation of DNA replication. Whether this is achieved via Cdt1, a central protein in this process, which we have shown to be stabilized by USP37, or via additional factors, remains to be tested. Copyright © 2016 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Transcription-Replication Conflict Orientation Modulates R-Loop Levels and Activates Distinct DNA Damage Responses.

    PubMed

    Hamperl, Stephan; Bocek, Michael J; Saldivar, Joshua C; Swigut, Tomek; Cimprich, Karlene A

    2017-08-10

    Conflicts between transcription and replication are a potent source of DNA damage. Co-transcriptional R-loops could aggravate such conflicts by creating an additional barrier to replication fork progression. Here, we use a defined episomal system to investigate how conflict orientation and R-loop formation influence genome stability in human cells. R-loops, but not normal transcription complexes, induce DNA breaks and orientation-specific DNA damage responses during conflicts with replication forks. Unexpectedly, the replisome acts as an orientation-dependent regulator of R-loop levels, reducing R-loops in the co-directional (CD) orientation but promoting their formation in the head-on (HO) orientation. Replication stress and deregulated origin firing increase the number of HO collisions leading to genome-destabilizing R-loops. Our findings connect DNA replication to R-loop homeostasis and suggest a mechanistic basis for genome instability resulting from deregulated DNA replication, observed in cancer and other disease states. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Hda, a novel DnaA-related protein, regulates the replication cycle in Escherichia coli

    PubMed Central

    Kato, Jun-ichi; Katayama, Tsutomu

    2001-01-01

    The bacterial DnaA protein binds to the chromosomal origin of replication to trigger a series of initiation reactions, which leads to the loading of DNA polymerase III. In Escherichia coli, once this polymerase initiates DNA synthesis, ATP bound to DnaA is efficiently hydrolyzed to yield the ADP-bound inactivated form. This negative regulation of DnaA, which occurs through interaction with the β-subunit sliding clamp configuration of the polymerase, functions in the temporal blocking of re-initiation. Here we show that the novel DnaA-related protein, Hda, from E.coli is essential for this regulatory inactivation of DnaA in vitro and in vivo. Our results indicate that the hda gene is required to prevent over-initiation of chromosomal replication and for cell viability. Hda belongs to the chaperone-like ATPase family, AAA+, as do DnaA and certain eukaryotic proteins essential for the initiation of DNA replication. We propose that the once-per-cell-cycle rule of replication depends on the timely interaction of AAA+ proteins that comprise the apparatus regulating the activity of the initiator of replication. PMID:11483528

  15. Dynamic Architecture of Eukaryotic DNA Replication Forks In Vivo, Visualized by Electron Microscopy.

    PubMed

    Zellweger, Ralph; Lopes, Massimo

    2018-01-01

    The DNA replication process can be heavily perturbed by several different conditions of genotoxic stress, particularly relevant for cancer onset and therapy. The combination of psoralen crosslinking and electron microscopy has proven instrumental to reveal the fine architecture of in vivo DNA replication intermediates and to uncover their remodeling upon specific conditions of genotoxic stress. The replication structures are stabilized in vivo (by psoralen crosslinking) prior to extraction and enrichment procedures, allowing their visualization at the transmission electron microscope. This chapter outlines the procedures required to visualize and interpret in vivo replication intermediates of eukaryotic genomic DNA, and includes an improved method for enrichment of replication intermediates, compared to previously used BND-cellulose columns.

  16. High-fidelity DNA replication in Mycobacterium tuberculosis relies on a trinuclear zinc center.

    PubMed

    Baños-Mateos, Soledad; van Roon, Anne-Marie M; Lang, Ulla F; Maslen, Sarah L; Skehel, J Mark; Lamers, Meindert H

    2017-10-11

    High-fidelity DNA replication depends on a proofreading 3'-5' exonuclease that is associated with the replicative DNA polymerase. The replicative DNA polymerase DnaE1 from the major pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) uses its intrinsic PHP-exonuclease that is distinct from the canonical DEDD exonucleases found in the Escherichia coli and eukaryotic replisomes. The mechanism of the PHP-exonuclease is not known. Here, we present the crystal structure of the Mtb DnaE1 polymerase. The PHP-exonuclease has a trinuclear zinc center, coordinated by nine conserved residues. Cryo-EM analysis reveals the entry path of the primer strand in the PHP-exonuclease active site. Furthermore, the PHP-exonuclease shows a striking similarity to E. coli endonuclease IV, which provides clues regarding the mechanism of action. Altogether, this work provides important insights into the PHP-exonuclease and reveals unique properties that make it an attractive target for novel anti-mycobacterial drugs.The polymerase and histidinol phosphatase (PHP) domain in the DNA polymerase DnaE1 is essential for mycobacterial high-fidelity DNA replication. Here, the authors determine the DnaE1 crystal structure, which reveals the PHP-exonuclease mechanism that can be exploited for antibiotic development.

  17. Adenovirus type 2 DNA replication. I. Evidence for discontinuous DNA synthesis.

    PubMed Central

    Winnacker, E L

    1975-01-01

    Isolated nuclei from adenovirus type 2-infected HeLa cells catalyze the incorporation of all four deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates into viral DNA. The observed DNA synthesis occurs via a transient formation of DNA fragments with a sedimentation coefficient of 10S. The fragments are precursors to unit-length viral DNA, they are self-complementary to an extent of at least 70%, and they are distributed along most of the viral chromosome. In addition, accumulation of 10S DNA fragments is observed either in intact, virus-infected HeLa cells under conditions where viral DNA synthesis is inhibited by hydroxyurea or in isolated nuclei from virus-infected HeLa cells at low concentrations of deoxyribonucleotides. Under these suboptimal conditions for DNA synthesis in isolated nuclei, ribonucleoside triphosphates determine the size distribution of DNA intermediates. The evidence presented suggests that a ribonucleoside-dependent initiation step as well at two DNA polymerase catalyzed reactions are involved in the discontinuous replication of adenovirus type 2 DNA. PMID:1117487

  18. DNA Damage Reduces the Quality, but Not the Quantity of Human Papillomavirus 16 E1 and E2 DNA Replication.

    PubMed

    Bristol, Molly L; Wang, Xu; Smith, Nathan W; Son, Minkyeong P; Evans, Michael R; Morgan, Iain M

    2016-06-22

    Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are causative agents in almost all cervical carcinomas. HPVs are also causative agents in head and neck cancer, the cases of which are increasing rapidly. Viral replication activates the DNA damage response (DDR) pathway; associated proteins are recruited to replication foci, and this pathway may serve to allow for viral genome amplification. Likewise, HPV genome double-strand breaks (DSBs) could be produced during replication and could lead to linearization and viral integration. Many studies have shown that viral integration into the host genome results in unregulated expression of the viral oncogenes, E6 and E7, promoting HPV-induced carcinogenesis. Previously, we have demonstrated that DNA-damaging agents, such as etoposide, or knocking down viral replication partner proteins, such as topoisomerase II β binding protein I (TopBP1), does not reduce the level of DNA replication. Here, we investigated whether these treatments alter the quality of DNA replication by HPV16 E1 and E2. We confirm that knockdown of TopBP1 or treatment with etoposide does not reduce total levels of E1/E2-mediated DNA replication; however, the quality of replication is significantly reduced. The results demonstrate that E1 and E2 continue to replicate under genomically-stressed conditions and that this replication is mutagenic. This mutagenesis would promote the formation of substrates for integration of the viral genome into that of the host, a hallmark of cervical cancer.

  19. DNA hypomethylation induces a DNA replication-associated cell cycle arrest to block hepatic outgrowth in uhrf1 mutant zebrafish embryos

    PubMed Central

    Jacob, Vinitha; Chernyavskaya, Yelena; Chen, Xintong; Tan, Poh Seng; Kent, Brandon; Hoshida, Yujin; Sadler, Kirsten C.

    2015-01-01

    UHRF1 (ubiquitin-like, containing PHD and RING finger domains, 1) recruits DNMT1 to hemimethylated DNA during replication and is essential for maintaining DNA methylation. uhrf1 mutant zebrafish have global DNA hypomethylation and display embryonic defects, including a small liver, and they die as larvae. We make the surprising finding that, despite their reduced organ size, uhrf1 mutants express high levels of genes controlling S-phase and have many more cells undergoing DNA replication, as measured by BrdU incorporation. In contrast to wild-type hepatocytes, which are continually dividing during hepatic outgrowth and thus dilute the BrdU label, uhrf1 mutant hepatocytes retain BrdU throughout outgrowth, reflecting cell cycle arrest. Pulse-chase-pulse experiments with BrdU and EdU, and DNA content analysis indicate that uhrf1 mutant cells undergo DNA re-replication and that apoptosis is the fate of many of the re-replicating and arrested hepatocytes. Importantly, the DNA re-replication phenotype and hepatic outgrowth failure are preceded by global loss of DNA methylation. Moreover, uhrf1 mutants are phenocopied by mutation of dnmt1, and Dnmt1 knockdown in uhrf1 mutants enhances their small liver phenotype. Together, these data indicate that unscheduled DNA replication and failed cell cycle progression leading to apoptosis are the mechanisms by which DNA hypomethylation prevents organ expansion in uhrf1 mutants. We propose that cell cycle arrest leading to apoptosis is a strategy that restricts propagation of epigenetically damaged cells during embryogenesis. PMID:25564650

  20. DNA hypomethylation induces a DNA replication-associated cell cycle arrest to block hepatic outgrowth in uhrf1 mutant zebrafish embryos.

    PubMed

    Jacob, Vinitha; Chernyavskaya, Yelena; Chen, Xintong; Tan, Poh Seng; Kent, Brandon; Hoshida, Yujin; Sadler, Kirsten C

    2015-02-01

    UHRF1 (ubiquitin-like, containing PHD and RING finger domains, 1) recruits DNMT1 to hemimethylated DNA during replication and is essential for maintaining DNA methylation. uhrf1 mutant zebrafish have global DNA hypomethylation and display embryonic defects, including a small liver, and they die as larvae. We make the surprising finding that, despite their reduced organ size, uhrf1 mutants express high levels of genes controlling S-phase and have many more cells undergoing DNA replication, as measured by BrdU incorporation. In contrast to wild-type hepatocytes, which are continually dividing during hepatic outgrowth and thus dilute the BrdU label, uhrf1 mutant hepatocytes retain BrdU throughout outgrowth, reflecting cell cycle arrest. Pulse-chase-pulse experiments with BrdU and EdU, and DNA content analysis indicate that uhrf1 mutant cells undergo DNA re-replication and that apoptosis is the fate of many of the re-replicating and arrested hepatocytes. Importantly, the DNA re-replication phenotype and hepatic outgrowth failure are preceded by global loss of DNA methylation. Moreover, uhrf1 mutants are phenocopied by mutation of dnmt1, and Dnmt1 knockdown in uhrf1 mutants enhances their small liver phenotype. Together, these data indicate that unscheduled DNA replication and failed cell cycle progression leading to apoptosis are the mechanisms by which DNA hypomethylation prevents organ expansion in uhrf1 mutants. We propose that cell cycle arrest leading to apoptosis is a strategy that restricts propagation of epigenetically damaged cells during embryogenesis. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  1. A mutational analysis of the yeast proliferating cell nuclear antigen indicates distinct roles in DNA replication and DNA repair.

    PubMed Central

    Ayyagari, R; Impellizzeri, K J; Yoder, B L; Gary, S L; Burgers, P M

    1995-01-01

    The saccharomyces cerevisiae proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), encoded by the POL30 gene, is essential for DNA replication and DNA repair processes. Twenty-one site-directed mutations were constructed in the POL30 gene, each mutation changing two adjacently located charged amino acids to alanines. Although none of the mutant strains containing these double-alanine mutations as the sole source of PCNA were temperature sensitive or cold sensitive for growth, about a third of the mutants showed sensitivity to UV light. Some of those UV-sensitive mutants had elevated spontaneous mutation rates. In addition, several mutants suppressed a cold-sensitive mutation in the CDC44 gene, which encodes the large subunit of replication factor C. A cold-sensitive mutant, which was isolated by random mutagenesis, showed a terminal phenotype at the restrictive temperature consistent with a defect in DNA replication. Several mutant PCNAs were expressed and purified from Escherichia coli, and their in vitro properties were determined. The cold-sensitive mutant (pol30-52, S115P) was a monomer, rather than a trimer, in solution. This mutant was deficient for DNA synthesis in vitro. Partial restoration of DNA polymerase delta holoenzyme activity was achieved at 37 degrees C but not at 14 degrees C by inclusion of the macromolecular crowding agent polyethylene glycol in the assay. The only other mutant (pol30-6, DD41,42AA) that showed a growth defect was partially defective for interaction with replication factor C and DNA polymerase delta but completely defective for interaction with DNA polymerase epsilon. Two other mutants sensitive to DNA damage showed no defect in vitro. These results indicate that the latter mutants are specifically impaired in one or more DNA repair processes whereas pol30-6 and pol30-52 mutants show their primary defects in the basic DNA replication machinery with probable associated defects in DNA repair. Therefore, DNA repair requires interactions

  2. DNA replication stress as a hallmark of cancer.

    PubMed

    Macheret, Morgane; Halazonetis, Thanos D

    2015-01-01

    Human cancers share properties referred to as hallmarks, among which sustained proliferation, escape from apoptosis, and genomic instability are the most pervasive. The sustained proliferation hallmark can be explained by mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressors that regulate cell growth, whereas the escape from apoptosis hallmark can be explained by mutations in the TP53, ATM, or MDM2 genes. A model to explain the presence of the three hallmarks listed above, as well as the patterns of genomic instability observed in human cancers, proposes that the genes driving cell proliferation induce DNA replication stress, which, in turn, generates genomic instability and selects for escape from apoptosis. Here, we review the data that support this model, as well as the mechanisms by which oncogenes induce replication stress. Further, we argue that DNA replication stress should be considered as a hallmark of cancer because it likely drives cancer development and is very prevalent.

  3. RTEL1 contributes to DNA replication and repair and telomere maintenance.

    PubMed

    Uringa, Evert-Jan; Lisaingo, Kathleen; Pickett, Hilda A; Brind'Amour, Julie; Rohde, Jan-Hendrik; Zelensky, Alex; Essers, Jeroen; Lansdorp, Peter M

    2012-07-01

    Telomere maintenance and DNA repair are important processes that protect the genome against instability. mRtel1, an essential helicase, is a dominant factor setting telomere length in mice. In addition, mRtel1 is involved in DNA double-strand break repair. The role of mRtel1 in telomere maintenance and genome stability is poorly understood. Therefore we used mRtel1-deficient mouse embryonic stem cells to examine the function of mRtel1 in replication, DNA repair, recombination, and telomere maintenance. mRtel1-deficient mouse embryonic stem cells showed sensitivity to a range of DNA-damaging agents, highlighting its role in replication and genome maintenance. Deletion of mRtel1 increased the frequency of sister chromatid exchange events and suppressed gene replacement, demonstrating the involvement of the protein in homologous recombination. mRtel1 localized transiently at telomeres and is needed for efficient telomere replication. Of interest, in the absence of mRtel1, telomeres in embryonic stem cells appeared relatively stable in length, suggesting that mRtel1 is required to allow extension by telomerase. We propose that mRtel1 is a key protein for DNA replication, recombination, and repair and efficient elongation of telomeres by telomerase.

  4. Broken replication forks trigger heritable DNA breaks in the terminus of a circular chromosome

    PubMed Central

    Possoz, Christophe; Durand, Adeline; Desfontaines, Jean-Michel; Barre, François-Xavier; Leach, David R. F.

    2018-01-01

    It was recently reported that the recBC mutants of Escherichia coli, deficient for DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair, have a decreased copy number of their terminus region. We previously showed that this deficit resulted from DNA loss after post-replicative breakage of one of the two sister-chromosome termini at cell division. A viable cell and a dead cell devoid of terminus region were thus produced and, intriguingly, the reaction was transmitted to the following generations. Using genome marker frequency profiling and observation by microscopy of specific DNA loci within the terminus, we reveal here the origin of this phenomenon. We observed that terminus DNA loss was reduced in a recA mutant by the double-strand DNA degradation activity of RecBCD. The terminus-less cell produced at the first cell division was less prone to divide than the one produced at the next generation. DNA loss was not heritable if the chromosome was linearized in the terminus and occurred at chromosome termini that were unable to segregate after replication. We propose that in a recB mutant replication fork breakage results in the persistence of a linear DNA tail attached to a circular chromosome. Segregation of the linear and circular parts of this “σ-replicating chromosome” causes terminus DNA breakage during cell division. One daughter cell inherits a truncated linear chromosome and is not viable. The other inherits a circular chromosome attached to a linear tail ending in the chromosome terminus. Replication extends this tail, while degradation of its extremity results in terminus DNA loss. Repeated generation and segregation of new σ-replicating chromosomes explains the heritability of post-replicative breakage. Our results allow us to determine that in E. coli at each generation, 18% of cells are subject to replication fork breakage at dispersed, potentially random, chromosomal locations. PMID:29522563

  5. DNA Damage Response Resulting from Replication Stress Induced by Synchronization of Cells by Inhibitors of DNA Replication: Analysis by Flow Cytometry.

    PubMed

    Halicka, Dorota; Zhao, Hong; Li, Jiangwei; Garcia, Jorge; Podhorecka, Monika; Darzynkiewicz, Zbigniew

    2017-01-01

    Cell synchronization is often achieved by transient inhibition of DNA replication. When cultured in the presence of such inhibitors as hydroxyurea, aphidicolin or excess of thymidine the cells that become arrested at the entrance to S-phase upon release from the block initiate progression through S then G 2 and M. However, exposure to these inhibitors at concentrations commonly used to synchronize cells leads to activation of ATR and ATM protein kinases as well as phosphorylation of Ser139 of histone H2AX. This observation of DNA damage signaling implies that synchronization of cells by these inhibitors is inducing replication stress. Thus, a caution should be exercised while interpreting data obtained with use of cells synchronized this way since they do not represent unperturbed cell populations in a natural metabolic state. This chapter critically outlines virtues and vices of most cell synchronization methods. It also presents the protocol describing an assessment of phosphorylation of Ser139 on H2AX and activation of ATM in cells treated with aphidicolin, as a demonstrative of one of several DNA replication inhibitors that are being used for cell synchronization. Phosphorylation of Ser139H2AX and Ser1981ATM in individual cells is detected immunocytochemically with phospho-specific Abs and intensity of immunofluorescence is measured by flow cytometry. Concurrent measurement of cellular DNA content followed by multiparameter analysis allows one to correlate the extent of phosphorylation of these proteins in response to aphidicolin with the cell cycle phase.

  6. A Role of hIPI3 in DNA Replication Licensing in Human Cells.

    PubMed

    Huang, Yining; Amin, Aftab; Qin, Yan; Wang, Ziyi; Jiang, Huadong; Liang, Lu; Shi, Linjing; Liang, Chun

    2016-01-01

    The yeast Ipi3p is required for DNA replication and cell viability in Sacharomyces cerevisiae. It is an essential component of the Rix1 complex (Rix1p/Ipi2p-Ipi1p-Ipi3p) that is required for the processing of 35S pre-rRNA in pre-60S ribosomal particles and for the initiation of DNA replication. The human IPI3 homolog is WDR18 (WD repeat domain 18), which shares significant homology with yIpi3p. Here we report that knockdown of hIPI3 resulted in substantial defects in the chromatin association of the MCM complex, DNA replication, cell cycle progression and cell proliferation. Importantly, hIPI3 silencing did not result in a reduction of the protein level of hCDC6, hMCM7, or the ectopically expressed GFP protein, indicating that protein synthesis was not defective in the same time frame of the DNA replication and cell cycle defects. Furthermore, the mRNA and protein levels of hIPI3 fluctuate in the cell cycle, with the highest levels from M phase to early G1 phase, similar to other pre-replicative (pre-RC) proteins. Moreover, hIPI3 interacts with other replication-initiation proteins, co-localizes with hMCM7 in the nucleus, and is important for the nuclear localization of hMCM7. We also found that hIPI3 preferentially binds to the origins of DNA replication including those at the c-Myc, Lamin-B2 and β-Globin loci. These results indicate that hIPI3 is involved in human DNA replication licensing independent of its role in ribosome biogenesis.

  7. Aberrant DNA Methylation as a Biomarker and a Therapeutic Target of Cholangiocarcinoma.

    PubMed

    Nakaoka, Toshiaki; Saito, Yoshimasa; Saito, Hidetsugu

    2017-05-23

    Cholangiocarcinoma is an epithelial malignancy arising in the region between the intrahepatic bile ducts and the ampulla of Vater at the distal end of the common bile duct. The effect of current chemotherapy regimens against cholangiocarcinoma is limited, and the prognosis of patients with cholangiocarcinoma is poor. Aberrant DNA methylation and histone modification induce silencing of tumor suppressor genes and chromosomal instability during carcinogenesis. Studies have shown that the tumor suppressor genes and microRNAs (miRNAs) including MLH1 , p14 , p16 , death-associated protein kinase ( DAPK ), miR-370 and miR-376c are frequently methylated in cholangiocarcinoma. Silencing of these tumor suppressor genes and miRNAs plays critical roles in the initiation and progression of cholangiocarcinoma. In addition, recent studies have demonstrated that DNA methylation inhibitors induce expression of endogenous retroviruses and exert the anti-tumor effect of via an anti-viral immune response. Aberrant DNA methylation of tumor suppressor genes and miRNAs could be a powerful biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of cholangiocarcinoma. Epigenetic therapy with DNA methylation inhibitors holds considerable promise for the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma through the reactivation of tumor suppressor genes and miRNAs as well as the induction of an anti-viral immune response.

  8. Aberrant DNA Methylation as a Biomarker and a Therapeutic Target of Cholangiocarcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Nakaoka, Toshiaki; Saito, Yoshimasa; Saito, Hidetsugu

    2017-01-01

    Cholangiocarcinoma is an epithelial malignancy arising in the region between the intrahepatic bile ducts and the ampulla of Vater at the distal end of the common bile duct. The effect of current chemotherapy regimens against cholangiocarcinoma is limited, and the prognosis of patients with cholangiocarcinoma is poor. Aberrant DNA methylation and histone modification induce silencing of tumor suppressor genes and chromosomal instability during carcinogenesis. Studies have shown that the tumor suppressor genes and microRNAs (miRNAs) including MLH1, p14, p16, death-associated protein kinase (DAPK), miR-370 and miR-376c are frequently methylated in cholangiocarcinoma. Silencing of these tumor suppressor genes and miRNAs plays critical roles in the initiation and progression of cholangiocarcinoma. In addition, recent studies have demonstrated that DNA methylation inhibitors induce expression of endogenous retroviruses and exert the anti-tumor effect of via an anti-viral immune response. Aberrant DNA methylation of tumor suppressor genes and miRNAs could be a powerful biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of cholangiocarcinoma. Epigenetic therapy with DNA methylation inhibitors holds considerable promise for the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma through the reactivation of tumor suppressor genes and miRNAs as well as the induction of an anti-viral immune response. PMID:28545228

  9. Role of the hydrophilic channels of simian virus 40 T-antigen helicase in DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Wang, Weiping; Manna, David; Simmons, Daniel T

    2007-05-01

    The simian virus 40 (SV40) hexameric helicase consists of a central channel and six hydrophilic channels located between adjacent large tier domains within each hexamer. To study the function of the hydrophilic channels in SV40 DNA replication, a series of single-point substitutions were introduced at sites not directly involved in protein-protein contacts. The mutants were characterized biochemically in various ways. All mutants oligomerized normally in the absence of DNA. Interestingly, 8 of the 10 mutants failed to unwind an origin-containing DNA fragment and nine of them were totally unable to support SV40 DNA replication in vitro. The mutants fell into four classes based on their biochemical properties. Class A mutants bound DNA normally and had normal ATPase and helicase activities but failed to unwind origin DNA and support SV40 DNA replication. Class B mutants were compromised in single-stranded DNA and origin DNA binding at low protein concentrations. They were defective in helicase activity and unwinding of the origin and in supporting DNA replication. Class C and D mutants possessed higher-than-normal single-stranded DNA binding activity at low protein concentrations. The class C mutants failed to separate origin DNA and support DNA replication. The class D mutants unwound origin DNA normally but were compromised in their ability to support DNA replication. Taken together, these results suggest that the hydrophilic channels have an active role in the unwinding of SV40 DNA from the origin and the placement of the resulting single strands within the helicase.

  10. [The effects of TorR protein on initiation of DNA replication in Escherichia coli].

    PubMed

    Yuan, Yao; Jiaxin, Qiao; Jing, Li; Hui, Li; Morigen, Morigen

    2015-03-01

    The two-component systems, which could sense and respond to environmental changes, widely exist in bacteria as a signal transduction pathway. The bacterial CckA/CtrA, ArcA/ArcB and PhoP/PhoQ two-component systems are associated with initiation of DNA replication and cell division, however, the effects of the TorS/TorR system on cell cycle and DNA replication remains unknown. The TorS/TorR system in Escherichia coli can sense changes in trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) concentration around the cells. However, it is unknown if it also affects initiation of DNA replication. We detected DNA replication patterns in ΔtorS and ΔtorR mutant strains by flow cytometry. We found that the average number of replication origins (oriCs) per cell and doubling time in ΔtorS mutants were the same while the average number of oriCs in ΔtorR mutants was increased compared with that in wild-type cells. These results indicated that absence of TorR led to an earlier initiation of DNA replication than that in wild-type cells. Strangely, neither overexpression of TorR nor co-expression of TorR and TorS could restore ΔtorR mutant phenotype to the wild type. However, overexpression of SufD in both wild type and ΔtorR mutants promoted initiation of DNA replication, while mutation of SufD delayed it in ΔtorR mutants. Thus, TorR may affect initiation of DNA replication indirectly through regulating gene expression of sufD.

  11. PERK inhibits DNA replication during the Unfolded Protein Response via Claspin and Chk1.

    PubMed

    Cabrera, E; Hernández-Pérez, S; Koundrioukoff, S; Debatisse, M; Kim, D; Smolka, M B; Freire, R; Gillespie, D A

    2017-02-02

    Stresses such as hypoxia, nutrient deprivation and acidification disturb protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and activate the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) to trigger adaptive responses through the effectors, PERK, IRE1 and ATF6. Most of these responses relate to ER homoeostasis; however, here we show that the PERK branch of the UPR also controls DNA replication. Treatment of cells with the non-genotoxic UPR agonist thapsigargin led to a rapid inhibition of DNA synthesis that was attributable to a combination of DNA replication fork slowing and reduced replication origin firing. DNA synthesis inhibition was dependent on the UPR effector PERK and was associated with phosphorylation of the checkpoint adaptor protein Claspin and activation of the Chk1 effector kinase, both of which occurred in the absence of detectable DNA damage. Remarkably, thapsigargin did not inhibit bulk DNA synthesis or activate Chk1 in cells depleted of Claspin, or when Chk1 was depleted or subject to chemical inhibition. In each case thapsigargin-resistant DNA synthesis was due to an increase in replication origin firing that compensated for reduced fork progression. Taken together, our results unveil a new aspect of PERK function and previously unknown roles for Claspin and Chk1 as negative regulators of DNA replication in the absence of genotoxic stress. Because tumour cells proliferate in suboptimal environments, and frequently show evidence of UPR activation, this pathway could modulate the response to DNA replication-targeted chemotherapies.

  12. Chromatin Challenges during DNA Replication: A Systems Representation

    PubMed Central

    Aladjem, Mirit I.; Weinstein, John N.; Pommier, Yves

    2008-01-01

    In a recent review, A. Groth and coworkers presented a comprehensive account of nucleosome disassembly in front of a DNA replication fork, assembly behind the replication fork, and the copying of epigenetic information onto the replicated chromatin. Understanding those processes however would be enhanced by a comprehensive graphical depiction analogous to a circuit diagram. Accordingly, we have constructed a molecular interaction map (MIM) that preserves in essentially complete detail the processes described by Groth et al. The MIM organizes and elucidates the information presented by Groth et al. on the complexities of chromatin replication, thereby providing a tool for system-level comprehension of the effects of genetic mutations, altered gene expression, and pharmacologic intervention. PMID:17959828

  13. Parvovirus Minute Virus of Mice Induces a DNA Damage Response That Facilitates Viral Replication

    PubMed Central

    Adeyemi, Richard O.; Landry, Sebastien; Davis, Meredith E.; Weitzman, Matthew D.; Pintel, David J.

    2010-01-01

    Infection by DNA viruses can elicit DNA damage responses (DDRs) in host cells. In some cases the DDR presents a block to viral replication that must be overcome, and in other cases the infecting agent exploits the DDR to facilitate replication. We find that low multiplicity infection with the autonomous parvovirus minute virus of mice (MVM) results in the activation of a DDR, characterized by the phosphorylation of H2AX, Nbs1, RPA32, Chk2 and p53. These proteins are recruited to MVM replication centers, where they co-localize with the main viral replication protein, NS1. The response is seen in both human and murine cell lines following infection with either the MVMp or MVMi strains. Replication of the virus is required for DNA damage signaling. Damage response proteins, including the ATM kinase, accumulate in viral-induced replication centers. Using mutant cell lines and specific kinase inhibitors, we show that ATM is the main transducer of the signaling events in the normal murine host. ATM inhibitors restrict MVM replication and ameliorate virus-induced cell cycle arrest, suggesting that DNA damage signaling facilitates virus replication, perhaps in part by promoting cell cycle arrest. Thus it appears that MVM exploits the cellular DNA damage response machinery early in infection to enhance its replication in host cells. PMID:20949077

  14. The barley EST DNA Replication and Repair Database (bEST-DRRD) as a tool for the identification of the genes involved in DNA replication and repair.

    PubMed

    Gruszka, Damian; Marzec, Marek; Szarejko, Iwona

    2012-06-14

    The high level of conservation of genes that regulate DNA replication and repair indicates that they may serve as a source of information on the origin and evolution of the species and makes them a reliable system for the identification of cross-species homologs. Studies that had been conducted to date shed light on the processes of DNA replication and repair in bacteria, yeast and mammals. However, there is still much to be learned about the process of DNA damage repair in plants. These studies, which were conducted mainly using bioinformatics tools, enabled the list of genes that participate in various pathways of DNA repair in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh to be outlined; however, information regarding these mechanisms in crop plants is still very limited. A similar, functional approach is particularly difficult for a species whose complete genomic sequences are still unavailable. One of the solutions is to apply ESTs (Expressed Sequence Tags) as the basis for gene identification. For the construction of the barley EST DNA Replication and Repair Database (bEST-DRRD), presented here, the Arabidopsis nucleotide and protein sequences involved in DNA replication and repair were used to browse for and retrieve the deposited sequences, derived from four barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) sequence databases, including the "Barley Genome version 0.05" database (encompassing ca. 90% of barley coding sequences) and from two databases covering the complete genomes of two monocot models: Oryza sativa L. and Brachypodium distachyon L. in order to identify homologous genes. Sequences of the categorised Arabidopsis queries are used for browsing the repositories, which are located on the ViroBLAST platform. The bEST-DRRD is currently used in our project during the identification and validation of the barley genes involved in DNA repair. The presented database provides information about the Arabidopsis genes involved in DNA replication and repair, their expression patterns and models

  15. Mechanism of Archaeal MCM Helicase Recruitment to DNA Replication Origins

    PubMed Central

    Samson, Rachel Y.; Abeyrathne, Priyanka D.; Bell, Stephen D.

    2015-01-01

    Summary Cellular DNA replication origins direct the recruitment of replicative helicases via the action of initiator proteins belonging to the AAA+ superfamily of ATPases. Archaea have a simplified subset of the eukaryotic DNA replication machinery proteins and possess initiators that appear ancestral to both eukaryotic Orc1 and Cdc6. We have reconstituted origin-dependent recruitment of the homohexameric archaeal MCM in vitro with purified recombinant proteins. Using this system, we reveal that archaeal Orc1-1 fulfills both Orc1 and Cdc6 functions by binding to a replication origin and directly recruiting MCM helicase. We identify the interaction interface between these proteins and reveal how ATP binding by Orc1-1 modulates recruitment of MCM. Additionally, we provide evidence that an open-ring form of the archaeal MCM homohexamer is loaded at origins. PMID:26725007

  16. DNA Replication Dynamics of the GGGGCC Repeat of the C9orf72 Gene.

    PubMed

    Thys, Ryan Griffin; Wang, Yuh-Hwa

    2015-11-27

    DNA has the ability to form a variety of secondary structures in addition to the normal B-form DNA, including hairpins and quadruplexes. These structures are implicated in a number of neurological diseases and cancer. Expansion of a GGGGCC repeat located at C9orf72 is associated with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. This repeat expands from two to 24 copies in normal individuals to several hundreds or thousands of repeats in individuals with the disease. Biochemical studies have demonstrated that as little as four repeats have the ability to form a stable DNA secondary structure known as a G-quadruplex. Quadruplex structures have the ability to disrupt normal DNA processes such as DNA replication and transcription. Here we examine the role of GGGGCC repeat length and orientation on DNA replication using an SV40 replication system in human cells. Replication through GGGGCC repeats leads to a decrease in overall replication efficiency and an increase in instability in a length-dependent manner. Both repeat expansions and contractions are observed, and replication orientation is found to influence the propensity for expansions or contractions. The presence of replication stress, such as low-dose aphidicolin, diminishes replication efficiency but has no effect on instability. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis analysis demonstrates a replication stall with as few as 20 GGGGCC repeats. These results suggest that replication of the GGGGCC repeat at C9orf72 is perturbed by the presence of expanded repeats, which has the potential to result in further expansion, leading to disease. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  17. Top2 and Sgs1-Top3 Act Redundantly to Ensure rDNA Replication Termination

    PubMed Central

    Fredsøe, Jacob; Nielsen, Ida; Pedersen, Jakob Madsen; Bentsen, Iben Bach; Lisby, Michael; Bjergbaek, Lotte; Andersen, Anni H

    2015-01-01

    Faithful DNA replication with correct termination is essential for genome stability and transmission of genetic information. Here we have investigated the potential roles of Topoisomerase II (Top2) and the RecQ helicase Sgs1 during late stages of replication. We find that cells lacking Top2 and Sgs1 (or Top3) display two different characteristics during late S/G2 phase, checkpoint activation and accumulation of asymmetric X-structures, which are both independent of homologous recombination. Our data demonstrate that checkpoint activation is caused by a DNA structure formed at the strongest rDNA replication fork barrier (RFB) during replication termination, and consistently, checkpoint activation is dependent on the RFB binding protein, Fob1. In contrast, asymmetric X-structures are formed independent of Fob1 at less strong rDNA replication fork barriers. However, both checkpoint activation and formation of asymmetric X-structures are sensitive to conditions, which facilitate fork merging and progression of replication forks through replication fork barriers. Our data are consistent with a redundant role of Top2 and Sgs1 together with Top3 (Sgs1-Top3) in replication fork merging at rDNA barriers. At RFB either Top2 or Sgs1-Top3 is essential to prevent formation of a checkpoint activating DNA structure during termination, but at less strong rDNA barriers absence of the enzymes merely delays replication fork merging, causing an accumulation of asymmetric termination structures, which are solved over time. PMID:26630413

  18. DNA polymerase-α regulates type I interferon activation through cytosolic RNA:DNA synthesis

    PubMed Central

    Starokadomskyy, Petro; Gemelli, Terry; Rios, Jonathan J.; Xing, Chao; Wang, Richard C.; Li, Haiying; Pokatayev, Vladislav; Dozmorov, Igor; Khan, Shaheen; Miyata, Naoteru; Fraile, Guadalupe; Raj, Prithvi; Xu, Zhe; Xu, Zigang; Ma, Lin; Lin, Zhimiao; Wang, Huijun; Yang, Yong; Ben-Amitai, Dan; Orenstein, Naama; Mussaffi, Huda; Baselga, Eulalia; Tadini, Gianluca; Grunebaum, Eyal; Sarajlija, Adrijan; Krzewski, Konrad; Wakeland, Edward K.; Yan, Nan; de la Morena, Maria Teresa; Zinn, Andrew R.; Burstein, Ezra

    2016-01-01

    Aberrant nucleic acids generated during viral replication are the main trigger for antiviral immunity, and mutations disrupting nucleic acid metabolism can lead to autoinflammatory disorders. Here we investigated the etiology of X-linked reticulate pigmentary disorder (XLPDR), a primary immunodeficiency with autoinflammatory features. We discovered that XLPDR is caused by an intronic mutation that disrupts expression of POLA1, the gene encoding the catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase-α. Unexpectedly, POLA1 deficiency results in increased type I interferon production. This enzyme is necessary for RNA:DNA primer synthesis during DNA replication and strikingly, POLA1 is also required for the synthesis of cytosolic RNA:DNA, which directly modulates interferon activation. Altogether, this work identified POLA1 as a critical regulator of the type I interferon response. PMID:27019227

  19. Control of Initiation of DNA Replication in Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli

    PubMed Central

    Jameson, Katie H.; Wilkinson, Anthony J.

    2017-01-01

    Initiation of DNA Replication is tightly regulated in all cells since imbalances in chromosomal copy number are deleterious and often lethal. In bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli, at the point of cytokinesis, there must be two complete copies of the chromosome to partition into the daughter cells following division at mid-cell during vegetative growth. Under conditions of rapid growth, when the time taken to replicate the chromosome exceeds the doubling time of the cells, there will be multiple initiations per cell cycle and daughter cells will inherit chromosomes that are already undergoing replication. In contrast, cells entering the sporulation pathway in B. subtilis can do so only during a short interval in the cell cycle when there are two, and only two, chromosomes per cell, one destined for the spore and one for the mother cell. Here, we briefly describe the overall process of DNA replication in bacteria before reviewing initiation of DNA replication in detail. The review covers DnaA-directed assembly of the replisome at oriC and the multitude of mechanisms of regulation of initiation, with a focus on the similarities and differences between E. coli and B. subtilis. PMID:28075389

  20. A Rolling Circle Replication Mechanism Produces Multimeric Lariats of Mitochondrial DNA in Caenorhabditis elegans

    PubMed Central

    Lewis, Samantha C.; Joers, Priit; Willcox, Smaranda; Griffith, Jack D.; Jacobs, Howard T.; Hyman, Bradley C.

    2015-01-01

    Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) encodes respiratory complex subunits essential to almost all eukaryotes; hence respiratory competence requires faithful duplication of this molecule. However, the mechanism(s) of its synthesis remain hotly debated. Here we have developed Caenorhabditis elegans as a convenient animal model for the study of metazoan mtDNA synthesis. We demonstrate that C. elegans mtDNA replicates exclusively by a phage-like mechanism, in which multimeric molecules are synthesized from a circular template. In contrast to previous mammalian studies, we found that mtDNA synthesis in the C. elegans gonad produces branched-circular lariat structures with multimeric DNA tails; we were able to detect multimers up to four mtDNA genome unit lengths. Further, we did not detect elongation from a displacement-loop or analogue of 7S DNA, suggesting a clear difference from human mtDNA in regard to the site(s) of replication initiation. We also identified cruciform mtDNA species that are sensitive to cleavage by the resolvase RusA; we suggest these four-way junctions may have a role in concatemer-to-monomer resolution. Overall these results indicate that mtDNA synthesis in C. elegans does not conform to any previously documented metazoan mtDNA replication mechanism, but instead are strongly suggestive of rolling circle replication, as employed by bacteriophages. As several components of the metazoan mitochondrial DNA replisome are likely phage-derived, these findings raise the possibility that the rolling circle mtDNA replication mechanism may be ancestral among metazoans. PMID:25693201

  1. Cloning of an origin of DNA replication of Xenopus laevis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Watanabe, S.; Taylor, J.H.

    1980-09-01

    DNA fragments of Xenopus laevis, the African frog, were cloned in the EcoRI site of the Eschrichia coli plasmid pACYC189 and tested for ability to initiate and complete replication of the recombinant plasmid when injected into unfertilized eggs of X. laevis. After measurement of the (/sup 3/H)-thymidine incorporation per egg for a number of recombinant plasmids, pSW14 and pSW9, which respectively contain a small segment (550 base pairs) and several kilobases of frog DNA, were selected for more extensive analysis. In spite of the small size of th segment in pSW14, it incorporates in 2 hr at least 3 timesmore » as much labeled thymidine as either pSW9 or the vector alone. To determine the number of replications of pSW14, a novel method was employed. The results showed that about 50% of the labeled, supercoiled DNA recovered from eggs after 4 hr was sensitive to EcoRI digestion, which indicates that most of the DNA that incorporated (/sup 3/H)thymidine had replicated twice during the 4 hr in the unfertilized eggs of X. laevis. We conclude the pSW14 has a functional origin in the Xenopus DNA segment.« less

  2. Replication Intermediates of the Linear Mitochondrial DNA of Candida parapsilosis Suggest a Common Recombination Based Mechanism for Yeast Mitochondria*

    PubMed Central

    Gerhold, Joachim M.; Sedman, Tiina; Visacka, Katarina; Slezakova, Judita; Tomaska, Lubomir; Nosek, Jozef; Sedman, Juhan

    2014-01-01

    Variation in the topology of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in eukaryotes evokes the question if differently structured DNAs are replicated by a common mechanism. RNA-primed DNA synthesis has been established as a mechanism for replicating the circular animal/mammalian mtDNA. In yeasts, circular mtDNA molecules were assumed to be templates for rolling circle DNA-replication. We recently showed that in Candida albicans, which has circular mapping mtDNA, recombination driven replication is a major mechanism for replicating a complex branched mtDNA network. Careful analyses of C. albicans-mtDNA did not reveal detectable amounts of circular DNA molecules. In the present study we addressed the question of how the unit sized linear mtDNA of Candida parapsilosis terminating at both ends with arrays of tandem repeats (mitochondrial telomeres) is replicated. Originally, we expected to find replication intermediates diagnostic of canonical bi-directional replication initiation at the centrally located bi-directional promoter region. However, we found that the linear mtDNA of Candida parapsilosis also employs recombination for replication initiation. The most striking findings were that the mitochondrial telomeres appear to be hot spots for recombination driven replication, and that stable RNA:DNA hybrids, with a potential role in mtDNA replication, are also present in the mtDNA preparations. PMID:24951592

  3. Inter-Fork Strand Annealing causes genomic deletions during the termination of DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Morrow, Carl A; Nguyen, Michael O; Fower, Andrew; Wong, Io Nam; Osman, Fekret; Bryer, Claire; Whitby, Matthew C

    2017-06-06

    Problems that arise during DNA replication can drive genomic alterations that are instrumental in the development of cancers and many human genetic disorders. Replication fork barriers are a commonly encountered problem, which can cause fork collapse and act as hotspots for replication termination. Collapsed forks can be rescued by homologous recombination, which restarts replication. However, replication restart is relatively slow and, therefore, replication termination may frequently occur by an active fork converging on a collapsed fork. We find that this type of non-canonical fork convergence in fission yeast is prone to trigger deletions between repetitive DNA sequences via a mechanism we call Inter-Fork Strand Annealing (IFSA) that depends on the recombination proteins Rad52, Exo1 and Mus81, and is countered by the FANCM-related DNA helicase Fml1. Based on our findings, we propose that IFSA is a potential threat to genomic stability in eukaryotes.

  4. Chromatin Remodeling Function of BRCA1 and Its Implication in Regulation of DNA Replication

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2001-09-01

    Remodeling Function of BRCAI and its Implication in Regulation of DNA Replication PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Rong Li, Ph.D. CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: University...of BRCAI and its Implication DAMD17-99-1-9572 in Regulation of DNA Replication 6. AUTHOR(S) Rong Li, Ph.D. 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND...1-mediated nuclear functions. 14. SUBJECT TERMS 15. NUMBER OF PAGES Breast Cancer, DNA replication , chromatin remodeling, transcription, 19 cell cycle

  5. Mutant p53 perturbs DNA replication checkpoint control through TopBP1 and Treslin.

    PubMed

    Liu, Kang; Lin, Fang-Tsyr; Graves, Joshua D; Lee, Yu-Ju; Lin, Weei-Chin

    2017-05-09

    Accumulating evidence supports the gain-of-function of mutant forms of p53 (mutp53s). However, whether mutp53 directly perturbs the DNA replication checkpoint remains unclear. Previously, we have demonstrated that TopBP1 forms a complex with mutp53s and mediates their gain-of-function through NF-Y and p63/p73. Akt phosphorylates TopBP1 and induces its oligomerization, which inhibits its ATR-activating function. Here we show that various contact and conformational mutp53s bypass Akt to induce TopBP1 oligomerization and attenuate ATR checkpoint response during replication stress. The effect on ATR response caused by mutp53 can be exploited in a synthetic lethality strategy, as depletion of another ATR activator, DNA2, in mutp53-R273H-expressing cancer cells renders cells hypersensitive to cisplatin. Expression of mutp53-R273H also makes cancer cells more sensitive to DNA2 depletion or DNA2 inhibitors. In addition to ATR-activating function during replication stress, TopBP1 interacts with Treslin in a Cdk-dependent manner to initiate DNA replication during normal growth. We find that mutp53 also interferes with TopBP1 replication function. Several contact, but not conformational, mutp53s enhance the interaction between TopBP1 and Treslin and promote DNA replication despite the presence of a Cdk2 inhibitor. Together, these data uncover two distinct mechanisms by which mutp53 enhances DNA replication: ( i ) Both contact and conformational mutp53s can bind TopBP1 and attenuate the checkpoint response to replication stress, and ( ii ) during normal growth, contact (but not conformational) mutp53s can override the Cdk2 requirement to promote replication by facilitating the TopBP1/Treslin interaction.

  6. Mapping vaccinia virus DNA replication origins at nucleotide level by deep sequencing.

    PubMed

    Senkevich, Tatiana G; Bruno, Daniel; Martens, Craig; Porcella, Stephen F; Wolf, Yuri I; Moss, Bernard

    2015-09-01

    Poxviruses reproduce in the host cytoplasm and encode most or all of the enzymes and factors needed for expression and synthesis of their double-stranded DNA genomes. Nevertheless, the mode of poxvirus DNA replication and the nature and location of the replication origins remain unknown. A current but unsubstantiated model posits only leading strand synthesis starting at a nick near one covalently closed end of the genome and continuing around the other end to generate a concatemer that is subsequently resolved into unit genomes. The existence of specific origins has been questioned because any plasmid can replicate in cells infected by vaccinia virus (VACV), the prototype poxvirus. We applied directional deep sequencing of short single-stranded DNA fragments enriched for RNA-primed nascent strands isolated from the cytoplasm of VACV-infected cells to pinpoint replication origins. The origins were identified as the switching points of the fragment directions, which correspond to the transition from continuous to discontinuous DNA synthesis. Origins containing a prominent initiation point mapped to a sequence within the hairpin loop at one end of the VACV genome and to the same sequence within the concatemeric junction of replication intermediates. These findings support a model for poxvirus genome replication that involves leading and lagging strand synthesis and is consistent with the requirements for primase and ligase activities as well as earlier electron microscopic and biochemical studies implicating a replication origin at the end of the VACV genome.

  7. A Natural Polymorphism in rDNA Replication Origins Links Origin Activation with Calorie Restriction and Lifespan

    PubMed Central

    Kwan, Elizabeth X.; Foss, Eric J.; Tsuchiyama, Scott; Alvino, Gina M.; Kruglyak, Leonid; Kaeberlein, Matt; Raghuraman, M. K.; Brewer, Bonita J.; Kennedy, Brian K.; Bedalov, Antonio

    2013-01-01

    Aging and longevity are complex traits influenced by genetic and environmental factors. To identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that control replicative lifespan, we employed an outbred Saccharomyces cerevisiae model, generated by crossing a vineyard and a laboratory strain. The predominant QTL mapped to the rDNA, with the vineyard rDNA conferring a lifespan increase of 41%. The lifespan extension was independent of Sir2 and Fob1, but depended on a polymorphism in the rDNA origin of replication from the vineyard strain that reduced origin activation relative to the laboratory origin. Strains carrying vineyard rDNA origins have increased capacity for replication initiation at weak plasmid and genomic origins, suggesting that inability to complete genome replication presents a major impediment to replicative lifespan. Calorie restriction, a conserved mediator of lifespan extension that is also independent of Sir2 and Fob1, reduces rDNA origin firing in both laboratory and vineyard rDNA. Our results are consistent with the possibility that calorie restriction, similarly to the vineyard rDNA polymorphism, modulates replicative lifespan through control of rDNA origin activation, which in turn affects genome replication dynamics. PMID:23505383

  8. A natural polymorphism in rDNA replication origins links origin activation with calorie restriction and lifespan.

    PubMed

    Kwan, Elizabeth X; Foss, Eric J; Tsuchiyama, Scott; Alvino, Gina M; Kruglyak, Leonid; Kaeberlein, Matt; Raghuraman, M K; Brewer, Bonita J; Kennedy, Brian K; Bedalov, Antonio

    2013-01-01

    Aging and longevity are complex traits influenced by genetic and environmental factors. To identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that control replicative lifespan, we employed an outbred Saccharomyces cerevisiae model, generated by crossing a vineyard and a laboratory strain. The predominant QTL mapped to the rDNA, with the vineyard rDNA conferring a lifespan increase of 41%. The lifespan extension was independent of Sir2 and Fob1, but depended on a polymorphism in the rDNA origin of replication from the vineyard strain that reduced origin activation relative to the laboratory origin. Strains carrying vineyard rDNA origins have increased capacity for replication initiation at weak plasmid and genomic origins, suggesting that inability to complete genome replication presents a major impediment to replicative lifespan. Calorie restriction, a conserved mediator of lifespan extension that is also independent of Sir2 and Fob1, reduces rDNA origin firing in both laboratory and vineyard rDNA. Our results are consistent with the possibility that calorie restriction, similarly to the vineyard rDNA polymorphism, modulates replicative lifespan through control of rDNA origin activation, which in turn affects genome replication dynamics.

  9. Both DNA Polymerases δ and ε Contact Active and Stalled Replication Forks Differently

    PubMed Central

    Yu, Chuanhe; Gan, Haiyun

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Three DNA polymerases, polymerases α, δ, and ε (Pol α, Pol δ, and Pol ε), are responsible for eukaryotic genome duplication. When DNA replication stress is encountered, DNA synthesis stalls until the stress is ameliorated. However, it is not known whether there is a difference in the association of each polymerase with active and stalled replication forks. Here, we show that each DNA polymerase has a distinct pattern of association with active and stalled replication forks. Pol α is enriched at extending Okazaki fragments of active and stalled forks. In contrast, although Pol δ contacts the nascent lagging strands of active and stalled forks, it binds to only the matured (and not elongating) Okazaki fragments of stalled forks. Pol ε has greater contact with the nascent single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) of the leading strand on active forks than on stalled forks. We propose that the configuration of DNA polymerases at stalled forks facilitates the resumption of DNA synthesis after stress removal. PMID:28784720

  10. The effect of DNA replication on mutation of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae CDC8 gene.

    PubMed

    Zaborowska, D; Zuk, J

    1990-04-01

    Incubation in YPD medium under permissive conditions when DNA replication is going on, strongly stimulates the induction of cdc+ colonies of UV-irradiated cells of yeast strains HB23 (cdc8-1/cdc8-3), HB26 (cdc8-3/cdc8-3) and HB7 (cdc8-1/cdc8-1). Inhibition of DNA replication by hydroxyurea, araCMP, cycloheximide or caffeine or else by incubation in phosphate buffer pH 7.0, abolishes this stimulation. Thus the replication of DNA is strongly correlated with the high induction of cdc+ colonies by UV irradiation. It is postulated that these UV-induced cdc+ colonies arise as the result infidelity in DNA replication.

  11. Cohesin Can Remain Associated with Chromosomes during DNA Replication.

    PubMed

    Rhodes, James D P; Haarhuis, Judith H I; Grimm, Jonathan B; Rowland, Benjamin D; Lavis, Luke D; Nasmyth, Kim A

    2017-09-19

    To ensure disjunction to opposite poles during anaphase, sister chromatids must be held together following DNA replication. This is mediated by cohesin, which is thought to entrap sister DNAs inside a tripartite ring composed of its Smc and kleisin (Scc1) subunits. How such structures are created during S phase is poorly understood, in particular whether they are derived from complexes that had entrapped DNAs prior to replication. To address this, we used selective photobleaching to determine whether cohesin associated with chromatin in G1 persists in situ after replication. We developed a non-fluorescent HaloTag ligand to discriminate the fluorescence recovery signal from labeling of newly synthesized Halo-tagged Scc1 protein (pulse-chase or pcFRAP). In cells where cohesin turnover is inactivated by deletion of WAPL, Scc1 can remain associated with chromatin throughout S phase. These findings suggest that cohesion might be generated by cohesin that is already bound to un-replicated DNA. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. DNA replication stress and cancer: cause or cure?

    PubMed

    Taylor, Elaine M; Lindsay, Howard D

    2016-01-01

    There is an extensive and growing body of evidence that DNA replication stress is a major driver in the development and progression of many cancers, and that these cancers rely heavily on replication stress response pathways for their continued proliferation. This raises the possibility that the pathways that ordinarily protect cells from the accumulation of cancer-causing mutations may actually prove to be effective therapeutic targets for a wide range of malignancies. In this review, we explore the mechanisms by which sustained proliferation can lead to replication stress and genome instability, and discuss how the pattern of mutations observed in human cancers is supportive of this oncogene-induced replication stress model. Finally, we go on to consider the implications of replication stress both as a prognostic indicator and, more encouragingly, as a potential target in cancer treatment.

  13. ATAD2 is an epigenetic reader of newly synthesized histone marks during DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Koo, Seong Joo; Fernández-Montalván, Amaury E; Badock, Volker; Ott, Christopher J; Holton, Simon J; von Ahsen, Oliver; Toedling, Joern; Vittori, Sarah; Bradner, James E; Gorjánácz, Mátyás

    2016-10-25

    ATAD2 (ATPase family AAA domain-containing protein 2) is a chromatin regulator harboring an AAA+ ATPase domain and a bromodomain, previously proposed to function as an oncogenic transcription co-factor. Here we suggest that ATAD2 is also required for DNA replication. ATAD2 is co-expressed with genes involved in DNA replication in various cancer types and predominantly expressed in S phase cells where it localized on nascent chromatin (replication sites). Our extensive biochemical and cellular analyses revealed that ATAD2 is recruited to replication sites through a direct interaction with di-acetylated histone H4 at K5 and K12, indicative of newly synthesized histones during replication-coupled chromatin reassembly. Similar to ATAD2-depletion, ectopic expression of ATAD2 mutants that are deficient in binding to these di-acetylation marks resulted in reduced DNA replication and impaired loading of PCNA onto chromatin, suggesting relevance of ATAD2 in DNA replication. Taken together, our data show a novel function of ATAD2 in cancer and for the first time identify a reader of newly synthesized histone di-acetylation-marks during replication.

  14. Replication of alpha-satellite DNA arrays in endogenous human centromeric regions and in human artificial chromosome

    PubMed Central

    Erliandri, Indri; Fu, Haiqing; Nakano, Megumi; Kim, Jung-Hyun; Miga, Karen H.; Liskovykh, Mikhail; Earnshaw, William C.; Masumoto, Hiroshi; Kouprina, Natalay; Aladjem, Mirit I.; Larionov, Vladimir

    2014-01-01

    In human chromosomes, centromeric regions comprise megabase-size arrays of 171 bp alpha-satellite DNA monomers. The large distances spanned by these arrays preclude their replication from external sites and imply that the repetitive monomers contain replication origins. However, replication within these arrays has not previously been profiled and the role of alpha-satellite DNA in initiation of DNA replication has not yet been demonstrated. Here, replication of alpha-satellite DNA in endogenous human centromeric regions and in de novo formed Human Artificial Chromosome (HAC) was analyzed. We showed that alpha-satellite monomers could function as origins of DNA replication and that replication of alphoid arrays organized into centrochromatin occurred earlier than those organized into heterochromatin. The distribution of inter-origin distances within centromeric alphoid arrays was comparable to the distribution of inter-origin distances on randomly selected non-centromeric chromosomal regions. Depletion of CENP-B, a kinetochore protein that binds directly to a 17 bp CENP-B box motif common to alpha-satellite DNA, resulted in enrichment of alpha-satellite sequences for proteins of the ORC complex, suggesting that CENP-B may have a role in regulating the replication of centromeric regions. Mapping of replication initiation sites in the HAC revealed that replication preferentially initiated in transcriptionally active regions. PMID:25228468

  15. Laser controlled singlet oxygen generation in mitochondria to promote mitochondrial DNA replication in vitro.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Xin; Wang, Yupei; Si, Jing; Zhou, Rong; Gan, Lu; Di, Cuixia; Xie, Yi; Zhang, Hong

    2015-11-18

    Reports have shown that a certain level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) can promote mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication. However, it is unclear whether it is the mitochondrial ROS that stimulate mtDNA replication and this requires further investigation. Here we employed a photodynamic system to achieve controlled mitochondrial singlet oxygen ((1)O2) generation. HeLa cells incubated with 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) were exposed to laser irradiation to induce (1)O2 generation within mitochondria. Increased mtDNA copy number was detected after low doses of 630 nm laser light in ALA-treated cells. The stimulated mtDNA replication was directly linked to mitochondrial (1)O2 generation, as verified using specific ROS scavengers. The stimulated mtDNA replication was regulated by mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) and mtDNA polymerase γ. MtDNA control region modifications were induced by (1)O2 generation in mitochondria. A marked increase in 8-Oxoguanine (8-oxoG) level was detected in ALA-treated cells after irradiation. HeLa cell growth stimulation and G1-S cell cycle transition were also observed after laser irradiation in ALA-treated cells. These cellular responses could be due to a second wave of ROS generation detected in mitochondria. In summary, we describe a controllable method of inducing mtDNA replication in vitro.

  16. Origin recognition is the predominant role for DnaA-ATP in initiation of chromosome replication.

    PubMed

    Grimwade, Julia E; Rozgaja, Tania A; Gupta, Rajat; Dyson, Kyle; Rao, Prassanna; Leonard, Alan C

    2018-05-25

    In all cells, initiation of chromosome replication depends on the activity of AAA+ initiator proteins that form complexes with replication origin DNA. In bacteria, the conserved, adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-regulated initiator protein, DnaA, forms a complex with the origin, oriC, that mediates DNA strand separation and recruitment of replication machinery. Complex assembly and origin activation requires DnaA-ATP, which differs from DnaA-ADP in its ability to cooperatively bind specific low affinity sites and also to oligomerize into helical filaments. The degree to which each of these activities contributes to the DnaA-ATP requirement for initiation is not known. In this study, we compared the DnaA-ATP dependence of initiation from wild-type Escherichia coli oriC and a synthetic origin (oriCallADP), whose multiple low affinity DnaA sites bind DnaA-ATP and DnaA-ADP similarly. OriCallADP was fully occupied and unwound by DnaA-ADP in vitro, and, in vivo, oriCallADP suppressed lethality of DnaA mutants defective in ATP binding and ATP-specific oligomerization. However, loss of preferential DnaA-ATP binding caused over-initiation and increased sensitivity to replicative stress. The findings indicate both DnaA-ATP and DnaA-ADP can perform most of the mechanical functions needed for origin activation, and suggest that a key reason for ATP-regulation of DnaA is to control replication initiation frequency.

  17. Replication intermediates of the linear mitochondrial DNA of Candida parapsilosis suggest a common recombination based mechanism for yeast mitochondria.

    PubMed

    Gerhold, Joachim M; Sedman, Tiina; Visacka, Katarina; Slezakova, Judita; Tomaska, Lubomir; Nosek, Jozef; Sedman, Juhan

    2014-08-15

    Variation in the topology of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in eukaryotes evokes the question if differently structured DNAs are replicated by a common mechanism. RNA-primed DNA synthesis has been established as a mechanism for replicating the circular animal/mammalian mtDNA. In yeasts, circular mtDNA molecules were assumed to be templates for rolling circle DNA-replication. We recently showed that in Candida albicans, which has circular mapping mtDNA, recombination driven replication is a major mechanism for replicating a complex branched mtDNA network. Careful analyses of C. albicans-mtDNA did not reveal detectable amounts of circular DNA molecules. In the present study we addressed the question of how the unit sized linear mtDNA of Candida parapsilosis terminating at both ends with arrays of tandem repeats (mitochondrial telomeres) is replicated. Originally, we expected to find replication intermediates diagnostic of canonical bi-directional replication initiation at the centrally located bi-directional promoter region. However, we found that the linear mtDNA of Candida parapsilosis also employs recombination for replication initiation. The most striking findings were that the mitochondrial telomeres appear to be hot spots for recombination driven replication, and that stable RNA:DNA hybrids, with a potential role in mtDNA replication, are also present in the mtDNA preparations. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  18. Knockdown of RMI1 impairs DNA repair under DNA replication stress.

    PubMed

    Xu, Chang; Fang, Lianying; Kong, Yangyang; Xiao, Changyan; Yang, Mengmeng; Du, Li-Qing; Liu, Qiang

    2017-12-09

    RMI1 (RecQ-mediated genome instability protein 1) forms a conserved BTR complex with BLM, Topo IIIα, and RMI2, and its absence causes genome instability. It has been revealed that RMI1 localizes to nuclear foci with BLM and Topo IIIα in response to replication stress, and that RMI1 functions downstream of BLM in promoting replication elongation. However, the precise functions of RMI1 during replication stress are not completely understood. Here we report that RMI1 knockdown cells are hypersensitive to hydroxyurea (HU). Using comet assay, we show that RMI1 knockdown cells exhibit accumulation of broken DNAs after being released from HU treatment. Moreover, we demonstrate that RMI1 facilitates the recovery from activated checkpoint and resuming the cell cycle after replicative stress. Surprisingly, loss of RMI1 results in a failure of RAD51 loading onto DNA damage sites. These findings reveal the importance of RMI1 in response to replication stress, which could explain the molecular basis for its function in maintaining genome integrity. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. An Adenovirus DNA Replication Factor, but Not Incoming Genome Complexes, Targets PML Nuclear Bodies.

    PubMed

    Komatsu, Tetsuro; Nagata, Kyosuke; Wodrich, Harald

    2016-02-01

    Promyelocytic leukemia protein nuclear bodies (PML-NBs) are subnuclear domains implicated in cellular antiviral responses. Despite the antiviral activity, several nuclear replicating DNA viruses use the domains as deposition sites for the incoming viral genomes and/or as sites for viral DNA replication, suggesting that PML-NBs are functionally relevant during early viral infection to establish productive replication. Although PML-NBs and their components have also been implicated in the adenoviral life cycle, it remains unclear whether incoming adenoviral genome complexes target PML-NBs. Here we show using immunofluorescence and live-cell imaging analyses that incoming adenovirus genome complexes neither localize at nor recruit components of PML-NBs during early phases of infection. We further show that the viral DNA binding protein (DBP), an early expressed viral gene and essential DNA replication factor, independently targets PML-NBs. We show that DBP oligomerization is required to selectively recruit the PML-NB components Sp100 and USP7. Depletion experiments suggest that the absence of one PML-NB component might not affect the recruitment of other components toward DBP oligomers. Thus, our findings suggest a model in which an adenoviral DNA replication factor, but not incoming viral genome complexes, targets and modulates PML-NBs to support a conducive state for viral DNA replication and argue against a generalized concept that PML-NBs target incoming viral genomes. The immediate fate upon nuclear delivery of genomes of incoming DNA viruses is largely unclear. Early reports suggested that incoming genomes of herpesviruses are targeted and repressed by PML-NBs immediately upon nuclear import. Genome localization and/or viral DNA replication has also been observed at PML-NBs for other DNA viruses. Thus, it was suggested that PML-NBs may immediately sense and target nuclear viral genomes and hence serve as sites for deposition of incoming viral genomes and

  20. Endonuclease EEPD1 Is a Gatekeeper for Repair of Stressed Replication Forks*

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Hyun-Suk; Nickoloff, Jac A.; Wu, Yuehan; Williamson, Elizabeth A.; Sidhu, Gurjit Singh; Reinert, Brian L.; Jaiswal, Aruna S.; Srinivasan, Gayathri; Patel, Bhavita; Kong, Kimi; Burma, Sandeep; Lee, Suk-Hee; Hromas, Robert A.

    2017-01-01

    Replication is not as continuous as once thought, with DNA damage frequently stalling replication forks. Aberrant repair of stressed replication forks can result in cell death or genome instability and resulting transformation to malignancy. Stressed replication forks are most commonly repaired via homologous recombination (HR), which begins with 5′ end resection, mediated by exonuclease complexes, one of which contains Exo1. However, Exo1 requires free 5′-DNA ends upon which to act, and these are not commonly present in non-reversed stalled replication forks. To generate a free 5′ end, stalled replication forks must therefore be cleaved. Although several candidate endonucleases have been implicated in cleavage of stalled replication forks to permit end resection, the identity of such an endonuclease remains elusive. Here we show that the 5′-endonuclease EEPD1 cleaves replication forks at the junction between the lagging parental strand and the unreplicated DNA parental double strands. This cleavage creates the structure that Exo1 requires for 5′ end resection and HR initiation. We observed that EEPD1 and Exo1 interact constitutively, and Exo1 repairs stalled replication forks poorly without EEPD1. Thus, EEPD1 performs a gatekeeper function for replication fork repair by mediating the fork cleavage that permits initiation of HR-mediated repair and restart of stressed forks. PMID:28049724

  1. Baculovirus LEF-11 nuclear localization signal is important for viral DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Chen, Tingting; Dong, Zhanqi; Hu, Nan; Hu, Zhigang; Dong, Feifan; Jiang, Yaming; Li, Jun; Chen, Peng; Lu, Cheng; Pan, Minhui

    2017-06-15

    Baculovirus LEF-11 is a small nuclear protein that is involved in viral late gene transcription and DNA replication. However, the characteristics of its nuclear localization signal and its impact on viral DNA replication are unknown. In the present study, systemic bioinformatics analysis showed that the baculovirus LEF-11 contains monopartite and bipartite classical nuclear localization signal sequences (cNLSs), which were also detected in a few alphabaculovirus species. Localization of representative LEF-11 proteins of four baculovirus genera indicated that the nuclear localization characteristics of baculovirus LEF-11 coincided with the predicted results. Moreover, Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) LEF-11 could be transported into the nucleus during viral infection in the absence of a cNLSs. Further investigations demonstrated that the NLS of BmNPV LEF-11 is important for viral DNA replication. The findings of the present study indicate that the characteristics of the baculovirus LEF-11 protein and the NLS is essential to virus DNA replication and nuclear transport mechanisms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. A conserved MCM single-stranded DNA binding element is essential for replication initiation.

    PubMed

    Froelich, Clifford A; Kang, Sukhyun; Epling, Leslie B; Bell, Stephen P; Enemark, Eric J

    2014-04-01

    The ring-shaped MCM helicase is essential to all phases of DNA replication. The complex loads at replication origins as an inactive double-hexamer encircling duplex DNA. Helicase activation converts this species to two active single hexamers that encircle single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). The molecular details of MCM DNA interactions during these events are unknown. We determined the crystal structure of the Pyrococcus furiosus MCM N-terminal domain hexamer bound to ssDNA and define a conserved MCM-ssDNA binding motif (MSSB). Intriguingly, ssDNA binds the MCM ring interior perpendicular to the central channel with defined polarity. In eukaryotes, the MSSB is conserved in several Mcm2-7 subunits, and MSSB mutant combinations in S. cerevisiae Mcm2-7 are not viable. Mutant Mcm2-7 complexes assemble and are recruited to replication origins, but are defective in helicase loading and activation. Our findings identify an important MCM-ssDNA interaction and suggest it functions during helicase activation to select the strand for translocation. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01993.001.

  3. A conserved MCM single-stranded DNA binding element is essential for replication initiation

    PubMed Central

    Froelich, Clifford A; Kang, Sukhyun; Epling, Leslie B; Bell, Stephen P; Enemark, Eric J

    2014-01-01

    The ring-shaped MCM helicase is essential to all phases of DNA replication. The complex loads at replication origins as an inactive double-hexamer encircling duplex DNA. Helicase activation converts this species to two active single hexamers that encircle single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). The molecular details of MCM DNA interactions during these events are unknown. We determined the crystal structure of the Pyrococcus furiosus MCM N-terminal domain hexamer bound to ssDNA and define a conserved MCM-ssDNA binding motif (MSSB). Intriguingly, ssDNA binds the MCM ring interior perpendicular to the central channel with defined polarity. In eukaryotes, the MSSB is conserved in several Mcm2-7 subunits, and MSSB mutant combinations in S. cerevisiae Mcm2-7 are not viable. Mutant Mcm2-7 complexes assemble and are recruited to replication origins, but are defective in helicase loading and activation. Our findings identify an important MCM-ssDNA interaction and suggest it functions during helicase activation to select the strand for translocation. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01993.001 PMID:24692448

  4. Structure and interactions of the Bacillus subtilis sporulation inhibitor of DNA replication, SirA, with domain I of DnaA

    PubMed Central

    Jameson, Katie H; Rostami, Nadia; Fogg, Mark J; Turkenburg, Johan P; Grahl, Anne; Murray, Heath; Wilkinson, Anthony J

    2014-01-01

    Chromosome copy number in cells is controlled so that the frequency of initiation of DNA replication matches that of cell division. In bacteria, this is achieved through regulation of the interaction between the initiator protein DnaA and specific DNA elements arrayed at the origin of replication. DnaA assembles at the origin and promotes DNA unwinding and the assembly of a replication initiation complex. SirA is a DnaA-interacting protein that inhibits initiation of replication in diploid Bacillus subtilis cells committed to the developmental pathway leading to formation of a dormant spore. Here we present the crystal structure of SirA in complex with the N-terminal domain of DnaA revealing a heterodimeric complex. The interacting surfaces of both proteins are α-helical with predominantly apolar side-chains packing in a hydrophobic interface. Site-directed mutagenesis experiments confirm the importance of this interface for the interaction of the two proteins in vitro and in vivo. Localization of GFP–SirA indicates that the protein accumulates at the replisome in sporulating cells, likely through a direct interaction with DnaA. The SirA interacting surface of DnaA corresponds closely to the HobA-interacting surface of DnaA from Helicobacter pylori even though HobA is an activator of DnaA and SirA is an inhibitor. PMID:25041308

  5. Exponential growth and selection in self-replicating materials from DNA origami rafts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, Xiaojin; Sha, Ruojie; Zhuo, Rebecca; Mi, Yongli; Chaikin, Paul M.; Seeman, Nadrian C.

    2017-10-01

    Self-replication and evolution under selective pressure are inherent phenomena in life, and but few artificial systems exhibit these phenomena. We have designed a system of DNA origami rafts that exponentially replicates a seed pattern, doubling the copies in each diurnal-like cycle of temperature and ultraviolet illumination, producing more than 7 million copies in 24 cycles. We demonstrate environmental selection in growing populations by incorporating pH-sensitive binding in two subpopulations. In one species, pH-sensitive triplex DNA bonds enable parent-daughter templating, while in the second species, triplex binding inhibits the formation of duplex DNA templating. At pH 5.3, the replication rate of species I is ~1.3-1.4 times faster than that of species II. At pH 7.8, the replication rates are reversed. When mixed together in the same vial, the progeny of species I replicate preferentially at pH 7.8 similarly at pH 5.3, the progeny of species II take over the system. This addressable selectivity should be adaptable to the selection and evolution of multi-component self-replicating materials in the nanoscopic-to-microscopic size range.

  6. Mechanistic insights into how CMG helicase facilitates replication past DNA roadblocks.

    PubMed

    Trakselis, Michael A; Seidman, Michael M; Brosh, Robert M

    2017-07-01

    Before leaving the house, it is a good idea to check for road closures that may affect the morning commute. Otherwise, one may encounter significant delays arriving at the destination. While this is commonly true, motorists may be able to consult a live interactive traffic map and pick an alternate route or detour to avoid being late. However, this is not the case if one needs to catch the train which follows a single track to the terminus; if something blocks the track, there is a delay. Such is the case for the DNA replisome responsible for copying the genetic information that provides the recipe of life. When the replication machinery encounters a DNA roadblock, the outcome can be devastating if the obstacle is not overcome in an efficient manner. Fortunately, the cell's DNA synthesis apparatus can bypass certain DNA obstructions, but the mechanism(s) are still poorly understood. Very recently, two papers from the O'Donnell lab, one structural (Georgescu et al., 2017 [1]) and the other biochemical (Langston and O'Donnell, 2017 [2]), have challenged the conventional thinking of how the replicative CMG helicase is arranged on DNA, unwinds double-stranded DNA, and handles barricades in its path. These new findings raise important questions in the search for mechanistic insights into how DNA is copied, particularly when the replication machinery encounters a roadblock. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  7. The role of RNase H2 in processing ribonucleotides incorporated during DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Williams, Jessica S; Gehle, Daniel B; Kunkel, Thomas A

    2017-05-01

    Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNase H2 resolves RNA-DNA hybrids formed during transcription and it incises DNA at single ribonucleotides incorporated during nuclear DNA replication. To distinguish between the roles of these two activities in maintenance of genome stability, here we investigate the phenotypes of a mutant of yeast RNase H2 (rnh201-RED; ribonucleotide excision defective) that retains activity on RNA-DNA hybrids but is unable to cleave single ribonucleotides that are stably incorporated into the genome. The rnh201-RED mutant was expressed in wild type yeast or in a strain that also encodes a mutant allele of DNA polymerase ε (pol2-M644G) that enhances ribonucleotide incorporation during DNA replication. Similar to a strain that completely lacks RNase H2 (rnh201Δ), the pol2-M644G rnh201-RED strain exhibits replication stress and checkpoint activation. Moreover, like its null mutant counterpart, the double mutant pol2-M644G rnh201-RED strain and the single mutant rnh201-RED strain delete 2-5 base pairs in repetitive sequences at a high rate that is topoisomerase 1-dependent. The results highlight an important role for RNase H2 in maintaining genome integrity by removing single ribonucleotides incorporated during DNA replication. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  8. The pathological consequences of impaired genome integrity in humans; disorders of the DNA replication machinery.

    PubMed

    O'Driscoll, Mark

    2017-01-01

    Accurate and efficient replication of the human genome occurs in the context of an array of constitutional barriers, including regional topological constraints imposed by chromatin architecture and processes such as transcription, catenation of the helical polymer and spontaneously generated DNA lesions, including base modifications and strand breaks. DNA replication is fundamentally important for tissue development and homeostasis; differentiation programmes are intimately linked with stem cell division. Unsurprisingly, impairments of the DNA replication machinery can have catastrophic consequences for genome stability and cell division. Functional impacts on DNA replication and genome stability have long been known to play roles in malignant transformation through a variety of complex mechanisms, and significant further insights have been gained from studying model organisms in this context. Congenital hypomorphic defects in components of the DNA replication machinery have been and continue to be identified in humans. These disorders present with a wide range of clinical features. Indeed, in some instances, different mutations in the same gene underlie different clinical presentations. Understanding the origin and molecular basis of these features opens a window onto the range of developmental impacts of suboptimal DNA replication and genome instability in humans. Here, I will briefly overview the basic steps involved in DNA replication and the key concepts that have emerged from this area of research, before switching emphasis to the pathological consequences of defects within the DNA replication network; the human disorders. Copyright © 2016 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  9. MMSET is dynamically regulated during cell-cycle progression and promotes normal DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Evans, Debra L; Zhang, Haoxing; Ham, Hyoungjun; Pei, Huadong; Lee, SeungBaek; Kim, JungJin; Billadeau, Daniel D; Lou, Zhenkun

    2016-01-01

    The timely and precise duplication of cellular DNA is essential for maintaining genome integrity and is thus tightly-regulated. During mitosis and G1, the Origin Recognition Complex (ORC) binds to future replication origins, coordinating with multiple factors to load the minichromosome maintenance (MCM) complex onto future replication origins as part of the pre-replication complex (pre-RC). The pre-RC machinery, in turn, remains inactive until the subsequent S phase when it is required for replication fork formation, thereby initiating DNA replication. Multiple myeloma SET domain-containing protein (MMSET, a.k.a. WHSC1, NSD2) is a histone methyltransferase that is frequently overexpressed in aggressive cancers and is essential for normal human development. Several studies have suggested a role for MMSET in cell-cycle regulation; however, whether MMSET is itself regulated during cell-cycle progression has not been examined. In this study, we report that MMSET is degraded during S phase in a cullin-ring ligase 4-Cdt2 (CRL4(Cdt2)) and proteasome-dependent manner. Notably, we also report defects in DNA replication and a decreased association of pre-RC factors with chromatin in MMSET-depleted cells. Taken together, our results suggest a dynamic regulation of MMSET levels throughout the cell cycle, and further characterize the role of MMSET in DNA replication and cell-cycle progression.

  10. Progress toward an aberration-corrected low energy electron microscope for DNA sequencing and surface analysis.

    PubMed

    Mankos, Marian; Shadman, Khashayar; N'diaye, Alpha T; Schmid, Andreas K; Persson, Henrik H J; Davis, Ronald W

    2012-11-01

    Monochromatic, aberration-corrected, dual-beam low energy electron microscopy (MAD-LEEM) is a novel imaging technique aimed at high resolution imaging of macromolecules, nanoparticles, and surfaces. MAD-LEEM combines three innovative electron-optical concepts in a single tool: a monochromator, a mirror aberration corrector, and dual electron beam illumination. The monochromator reduces the energy spread of the illuminating electron beam, which significantly improves spectroscopic and spatial resolution. The aberration corrector is needed to achieve subnanometer resolution at landing energies of a few hundred electronvolts. The dual flood illumination approach eliminates charging effects generated when a conventional, single-beam LEEM is used to image insulating specimens. The low landing energy of electrons in the range of 0 to a few hundred electronvolts is also critical for avoiding radiation damage, as high energy electrons with kilo-electron-volt kinetic energies cause irreversible damage to many specimens, in particular biological molecules. The performance of the key electron-optical components of MAD-LEEM, the aberration corrector combined with the objective lens and a magnetic beam separator, was simulated. Initial results indicate that an electrostatic electron mirror has negative spherical and chromatic aberration coefficients that can be tuned over a large parameter range. The negative aberrations generated by the electron mirror can be used to compensate the aberrations of the LEEM objective lens for a range of electron energies and provide a path to achieving subnanometer spatial resolution. First experimental results on characterizing DNA molecules immobilized on Au substrates in a LEEM are presented. Images obtained in a spin-polarized LEEM demonstrate that high contrast is achievable at low electron energies in the range of 1-10 eV and show that small changes in landing energy have a strong impact on the achievable contrast. The MAD-LEEM approach

  11. Progress toward an aberration-corrected low energy electron microscope for DNA sequencing and surface analysis

    PubMed Central

    Mankos, Marian; Shadman, Khashayar; N'Diaye, Alpha T.; Schmid, Andreas K.; Persson, Henrik H. J.; Davis, Ronald W.

    2012-01-01

    Monochromatic, aberration-corrected, dual-beam low energy electron microscopy (MAD-LEEM) is a novel imaging technique aimed at high resolution imaging of macromolecules, nanoparticles, and surfaces. MAD-LEEM combines three innovative electron–optical concepts in a single tool: a monochromator, a mirror aberration corrector, and dual electron beam illumination. The monochromator reduces the energy spread of the illuminating electron beam, which significantly improves spectroscopic and spatial resolution. The aberration corrector is needed to achieve subnanometer resolution at landing energies of a few hundred electronvolts. The dual flood illumination approach eliminates charging effects generated when a conventional, single-beam LEEM is used to image insulating specimens. The low landing energy of electrons in the range of 0 to a few hundred electronvolts is also critical for avoiding radiation damage, as high energy electrons with kilo-electron-volt kinetic energies cause irreversible damage to many specimens, in particular biological molecules. The performance of the key electron–optical components of MAD-LEEM, the aberration corrector combined with the objective lens and a magnetic beam separator, was simulated. Initial results indicate that an electrostatic electron mirror has negative spherical and chromatic aberration coefficients that can be tuned over a large parameter range. The negative aberrations generated by the electron mirror can be used to compensate the aberrations of the LEEM objective lens for a range of electron energies and provide a path to achieving subnanometer spatial resolution. First experimental results on characterizing DNA molecules immobilized on Au substrates in a LEEM are presented. Images obtained in a spin-polarized LEEM demonstrate that high contrast is achievable at low electron energies in the range of 1–10 eV and show that small changes in landing energy have a strong impact on the achievable contrast. The MAD

  12. Alteration in levels of unsaturated fatty acids in mutants of Escherichia coli defective in DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Suzuki, E; Kondo, T; Makise, M; Mima, S; Sakamoto, K; Tsuchiya, T; Mizushima, T

    1998-07-01

    We previously reported that mutations in the dnaA gene which encodes the initiator of chromosomal DNA replication in Escherichia coli caused an alteration in the levels of unsaturated fatty acids of phospholipids in membranes. In this study, we examined fatty acid compositions in other mutants which are defective in DNA replication. As in the case of temperature-sensitive dnaA mutants, temperature-sensitive dnaC and dnaE mutants, which have defects in initiation and elongation, respectively, of DNA replication showed a lower level of unsaturation of fatty acids (ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids) compared with the wild-type strain, especially at high temperatures. On the other hand, temperature-sensitive mutants defective in cellular processes other than DNA replication, such as RNA synthesis and cell division, did not show a lower level of unsaturation of fatty acids compared with the wild-type strain. These results suggest that the inhibition of DNA replication causes a lower level of unsaturation of fatty acids in Escherichia coli cells.

  13. Strategic role of the ubiquitin-dependent segregase p97 (VCP or Cdc48) in DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Ramadan, Kristijan; Halder, Swagata; Wiseman, Katherine; Vaz, Bruno

    2017-02-01

    Genome amplification (DNA synthesis) is one of the most demanding cellular processes in all proliferative cells. The DNA replication machinery (also known as the replisome) orchestrates genome amplification during S-phase of the cell cycle. Genetic material is particularly vulnerable to various events that can challenge the replisome during its assembly, activation (firing), progression (elongation) and disassembly from chromatin (termination). Any disturbance of the replisome leads to stalling of the DNA replication fork and firing of dormant replication origins, a process known as DNA replication stress. DNA replication stress is considered to be one of the main causes of sporadic cancers and other pathologies related to tissue degeneration and ageing. The mechanisms of replisome assembly and elongation during DNA synthesis are well understood. However, once DNA synthesis is complete, the process of replisome disassembly, and its removal from chromatin, remains unclear. In recent years, a growing body of evidence has alluded to a central role in replisome regulation for the ubiquitin-dependent protein segregase p97, also known as valosin-containing protein (VCP) in metazoans and Cdc48 in lower eukaryotes. By orchestrating the spatiotemporal turnover of the replisome, p97 plays an essential role in DNA replication. In this review, we will summarise our current knowledge about how p97 controls the replisome from replication initiation, to elongation and finally termination. We will also further examine the more recent findings concerning the role of p97 and how mutations in p97 cofactors, also known as adaptors, cause DNA replication stress induced genomic instability that leads to cancer and accelerated ageing. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive review concerning the mechanisms involved in the regulation of DNA replication by p97.

  14. A new MCM modification cycle regulates DNA replication initiation

    PubMed Central

    Wei, Lei; Zhao, Xiaolan

    2016-01-01

    The MCM DNA helicase is a central regulatory target during genome replication. MCM is kept inactive during G1 and activated in S phase to initiate replication. During this transition, the only known chemical change on MCM is the gain of multi-site phosphorylation that promotes cofactor recruitment. As replication initiation is intimately linked to multiple biological cues, additional changes on MCM can provide further regulatory points. Here, we describe a yeast MCM sumoylation cycle that negatively regulates replication. MCM subunits undergo sumoylation upon loading at origins in G1 prior to MCM phosphorylation. MCM sumoylation levels then decline as MCM phosphorylation levels rise, suggesting an inhibitory role in replication. Indeed, increasing MCM sumoylation impairs replication initiation through promoting the recruitment of a phosphatase that reduces MCM phosphorylation and activation. MCM sumoylation thus counterbalances kinase-based regulation to ensure accurate control of replication initiation. PMID:26854664

  15. A new MCM modification cycle regulates DNA replication initiation.

    PubMed

    Wei, Lei; Zhao, Xiaolan

    2016-03-01

    The MCM DNA helicase is a central regulatory target during genome replication. MCM is kept inactive during G1, and it initiates replication after being activated in S phase. During this transition, the only known chemical change to MCM is the gain of multisite phosphorylation that promotes cofactor recruitment. Because replication initiation is intimately linked to multiple biological cues, additional changes to MCM can provide further regulatory points. Here, we describe a yeast MCM SUMOylation cycle that regulates replication. MCM subunits undergo SUMOylation upon loading at origins in G1 before MCM phosphorylation. MCM SUMOylation levels then decline as MCM phosphorylation levels rise, thus suggesting an inhibitory role of MCM SUMOylation during replication. Indeed, increasing MCM SUMOylation impairs replication initiation, partly through promoting the recruitment of a phosphatase that decreases MCM phosphorylation and activation. We propose that MCM SUMOylation counterbalances kinase-based regulation, thus ensuring accurate control of replication initiation.

  16. Protein domains connect cell cycle stimulation directly to initiation of DNA replication.

    PubMed Central

    Gjørup, O V; Rose, P E; Holman, P S; Bockus, B J; Schaffhausen, B S

    1994-01-01

    Polyoma large T antigen (LT) is the only viral gene product required for viral DNA replication. LT can be divided into two domains, one N-terminal (NT) spanning residues 1-260 and one C-terminal (CT) comprising approximately residues 264-785. NT is known to immortalize primary cells in a manner dependent on binding of pRB/p107. Here a CT construct comprising residues 264-785 was shown to have independent function in DNA replication. CT is entirely sufficient for driving viral DNA replication in vivo in growing mouse cells at a level approaching that of full-length LT. In contrast, CT is strikingly deficient for replication in serum-starved cells. However, this deficiency can be complemented by coexpression of NT. BrdUrd incorporation in transfected, starved cells showed that NT was sufficient for inducing S phase, suggesting a mechanism for complementation. By contrast, CT was unable to induce S phase when tested in the same assay. NT also promotes phosphorylation of sites in CT that are likely to be important for replication. Other DNA tumor virus gene products such as adenovirus E1A 12S and human papillomavirus 16 E7 could also complement CT for replication. Although NT, E1A 12S, and E7 all bind the retinoblastoma gene product (pRB) and p107, genetic analysis demonstrates an additional function, independent of that binding, is responsible for complementation. Images PMID:7991595

  17. Space Radiation Effects on Human Cells: Modeling DNA Breakage, DNA Damage Foci Distribution, Chromosomal Aberrations and Tissue Effects

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ponomarev, A. L.; Huff, J. L.; Cucinotta, F. A.

    2011-01-01

    Future long-tem space travel will face challenges from radiation concerns as the space environment poses health risk to humans in space from radiations with high biological efficiency and adverse post-flight long-term effects. Solar particles events may dramatically affect the crew performance, while Galactic Cosmic Rays will induce a chronic exposure to high-linear-energy-transfer (LET) particles. These types of radiation, not present on the ground level, can increase the probability of a fatal cancer later in astronaut life. No feasible shielding is possible from radiation in space, especially for the heavy ion component, as suggested solutions will require a dramatic increase in the mass of the mission. Our research group focuses on fundamental research and strategic analysis leading to better shielding design and to better understanding of the biological mechanisms of radiation damage. We present our recent effort to model DNA damage and tissue damage using computational models based on the physics of heavy ion radiation, DNA structure and DNA damage and repair in human cells. Our particular area of expertise include the clustered DNA damage from high-LET radiation, the visualization of DSBs (DNA double strand breaks) via DNA damage foci, image analysis and the statistics of the foci for different experimental situations, chromosomal aberration formation through DSB misrepair, the kinetics of DSB repair leading to a model-derived spectrum of chromosomal aberrations, and, finally, the simulation of human tissue and the pattern of apoptotic cell damage. This compendium of theoretical and experimental data sheds light on the complex nature of radiation interacting with human DNA, cells and tissues, which can lead to mutagenesis and carcinogenesis later in human life after the space mission.

  18. Deciphering DNA replication dynamics in eukaryotic cell populations in relation with their averaged chromatin conformations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goldar, A.; Arneodo, A.; Audit, B.; Argoul, F.; Rappailles, A.; Guilbaud, G.; Petryk, N.; Kahli, M.; Hyrien, O.

    2016-03-01

    We propose a non-local model of DNA replication that takes into account the observed uncertainty on the position and time of replication initiation in eukaryote cell populations. By picturing replication initiation as a two-state system and considering all possible transition configurations, and by taking into account the chromatin’s fractal dimension, we derive an analytical expression for the rate of replication initiation. This model predicts with no free parameter the temporal profiles of initiation rate, replication fork density and fraction of replicated DNA, in quantitative agreement with corresponding experimental data from both S. cerevisiae and human cells and provides a quantitative estimate of initiation site redundancy. This study shows that, to a large extent, the program that regulates the dynamics of eukaryotic DNA replication is a collective phenomenon that emerges from the stochastic nature of replication origins initiation.

  19. High-affinity DNA-binding Domains of Replication Protein A (RPA) Direct SMARCAL1-dependent Replication Fork Remodeling*

    PubMed Central

    Bhat, Kamakoti P.; Bétous, Rémy; Cortez, David

    2015-01-01

    SMARCAL1 catalyzes replication fork remodeling to maintain genome stability. It is recruited to replication forks via an interaction with replication protein A (RPA), the major ssDNA-binding protein in eukaryotic cells. In addition to directing its localization, RPA also activates SMARCAL1 on some fork substrates but inhibits it on others, thereby conferring substrate specificity to SMARCAL1 fork-remodeling reactions. We investigated the mechanism by which RPA regulates SMARCAL1. Our results indicate that although an interaction between SMARCAL1 and RPA is essential for SMARCAL1 activation, the location of the interacting surface on RPA is not. Counterintuitively, high-affinity DNA binding of RPA DNA-binding domain (DBD) A and DBD-B near the fork junction makes it easier for SMARCAL1 to remodel the fork, which requires removing RPA. We also found that RPA DBD-C and DBD-D are not required for SMARCAL1 regulation. Thus, the orientation of the high-affinity RPA DBDs at forks dictates SMARCAL1 substrate specificity. PMID:25552480

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

    PubMed

    Bhat, Kamakoti P; Bétous, Rémy; Cortez, David

    2015-02-13

    SMARCAL1 catalyzes replication fork remodeling to maintain genome stability. It is recruited to replication forks via an interaction with replication protein A (RPA), the major ssDNA-binding protein in eukaryotic cells. In addition to directing its localization, RPA also activates SMARCAL1 on some fork substrates but inhibits it on others, thereby conferring substrate specificity to SMARCAL1 fork-remodeling reactions. We investigated the mechanism by which RPA regulates SMARCAL1. Our results indicate that although an interaction between SMARCAL1 and RPA is essential for SMARCAL1 activation, the location of the interacting surface on RPA is not. Counterintuitively, high-affinity DNA binding of RPA DNA-binding domain (DBD) A and DBD-B near the fork junction makes it easier for SMARCAL1 to remodel the fork, which requires removing RPA. We also found that RPA DBD-C and DBD-D are not required for SMARCAL1 regulation. Thus, the orientation of the high-affinity RPA DBDs at forks dictates SMARCAL1 substrate specificity. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  1. Bacillus subtilis DNA polymerases, PolC and DnaE, are required for both leading and lagging strand synthesis in SPP1 origin-dependent DNA replication

    PubMed Central

    Seco, Elena M.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Firmicutes have two distinct replicative DNA polymerases, the PolC leading strand polymerase, and PolC and DnaE synthesizing the lagging strand. We have reconstituted in vitro Bacillus subtilis bacteriophage SPP1 θ-type DNA replication, which initiates unidirectionally at oriL. With this system we show that DnaE is not only restricted to lagging strand synthesis as previously suggested. DnaG primase and DnaE polymerase are required for initiation of DNA replication on both strands. DnaE and DnaG synthesize in concert a hybrid RNA/DNA ‘initiation primer’ on both leading and lagging strands at the SPP1 oriL region, as it does the eukaryotic Pol α complex. DnaE, as a RNA-primed DNA polymerase, extends this initial primer in a reaction modulated by DnaG and one single-strand binding protein (SSB, SsbA or G36P), and hands off the initiation primer to PolC, a DNA-primed DNA polymerase. Then, PolC, stimulated by DnaG and the SSBs, performs the bulk of DNA chain elongation at both leading and lagging strands. Overall, these modulations by the SSBs and DnaG may contribute to the mechanism of polymerase switch at Firmicutes replisomes. PMID:28575448

  2. The function of Xenopus Bloom's syndrome protein homolog (xBLM) in DNA replication

    PubMed Central

    Liao, Shuren; Graham, Jeanine; Yan, Hong

    2000-01-01

    The Bloom's syndrome gene (BLM) plays a pivotal role in the maintenance of genomic stability in somatic cells. It encodes a DNA helicase (BLM) of the RecQ family, but the exact function of BLM remains elusive. To study this question, we have cloned the BLM homolog of the frog Xenopus laevis (xBLM) and have raised antibodies to it. Immunodepletion of xBLM from a Xenopus egg extract severely inhibits the replication of DNA in reconstituted nuclei. Moreover, the inhibition can be rescued by the addition of the recombinant xBLM protein. These results provide the first direct evidence that BLM plays an important role in DNA replication, suggesting that Bloom's syndrome may be the consequence of defective DNA replication. PMID:11040210

  3. Primer retention owing to the absence of RNase H1 is catastrophic for mitochondrial DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Holmes, J Bradley; Akman, Gokhan; Wood, Stuart R; Sakhuja, Kiran; Cerritelli, Susana M; Moss, Chloe; Bowmaker, Mark R; Jacobs, Howard T; Crouch, Robert J; Holt, Ian J

    2015-07-28

    Encoding ribonuclease H1 (RNase H1) degrades RNA hybridized to DNA, and its function is essential for mitochondrial DNA maintenance in the developing mouse. Here we define the role of RNase H1 in mitochondrial DNA replication. Analysis of replicating mitochondrial DNA in embryonic fibroblasts lacking RNase H1 reveals retention of three primers in the major noncoding region (NCR) and one at the prominent lagging-strand initiation site termed Ori-L. Primer retention does not lead immediately to depletion, as the persistent RNA is fully incorporated in mitochondrial DNA. However, the retained primers present an obstacle to the mitochondrial DNA polymerase γ in subsequent rounds of replication and lead to the catastrophic generation of a double-strand break at the origin when the resulting gapped molecules are copied. Hence, the essential role of RNase H1 in mitochondrial DNA replication is the removal of primers at the origin of replication.

  4. Structural rearrangements in the mitochondrial genome of Drosophila melanogaster induced by elevated levels of the replicative DNA helicase

    PubMed Central

    Ciesielski, Grzegorz L; Nadalutti, Cristina A; Oliveira, Marcos T; Griffith, Jack D; Kaguni, Laurie S

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Pathological conditions impairing functions of mitochondria often lead to compensatory upregulation of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replisome machinery, and the replicative DNA helicase appears to be a key factor in regulating mtDNA copy number. Moreover, mtDNA helicase mutations have been associated with structural rearrangements of the mitochondrial genome. To evaluate the effects of elevated levels of the mtDNA helicase on the integrity and replication of the mitochondrial genome, we overexpressed the helicase in Drosophila melanogaster Schneider cells and analyzed the mtDNA by two-dimensional neutral agarose gel electrophoresis and electron microscopy. We found that elevation of mtDNA helicase levels increases the quantity of replication intermediates and alleviates pausing at the replication slow zones. Though we did not observe a concomitant alteration in mtDNA copy number, we observed deletions specific to the segment of repeated elements in the immediate vicinity of the origin of replication, and an accumulation of species characteristic of replication fork stalling. We also found elevated levels of RNA that are retained in the replication intermediates. Together, our results suggest that upregulation of mtDNA helicase promotes the process of mtDNA replication but also results in genome destabilization. PMID:29432582

  5. Ancient diversification of eukaryotic MCM DNA replication proteins

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Yuan; Richards, Thomas A; Aves, Stephen J

    2009-01-01

    Background Yeast and animal cells require six mini-chromosome maintenance proteins (Mcm2-7) for pre-replication complex formation, DNA replication initiation and DNA synthesis. These six individual MCM proteins form distinct heterogeneous subunits within a hexamer which is believed to form the replicative helicase and which associates with the essential but non-homologous Mcm10 protein during DNA replication. In contrast Archaea generally only possess one MCM homologue which forms a homohexameric MCM helicase. In some eukaryotes Mcm8 and Mcm9 paralogues also appear to be involved in DNA replication although their exact roles are unclear. Results We used comparative genomics and phylogenetics to reconstruct the diversification of the eukaryotic Mcm2-9 gene family, demonstrating that Mcm2-9 were formed by seven gene duplication events before the last common ancestor of the eukaryotes. Mcm2-7 protein paralogues were present in all eukaryote genomes studied suggesting that no gene loss or functional replacements have been tolerated during the evolutionary diversification of eukaryotes. Mcm8 and 9 are widely distributed in eukaryotes and group together on the MCM phylogenetic tree to the exclusion of all other MCM paralogues suggesting co-ancestry. Mcm8 and Mcm9 are absent in some taxa, including Trichomonas and Giardia, and appear to have been secondarily lost in some fungi and some animals. The presence and absence of Mcm8 and 9 is concordant in all taxa sampled with the exception of Drosophila species. Mcm10 is present in most eukaryotes sampled but shows no concordant pattern of presence or absence with Mcm8 or 9. Conclusion A multifaceted and heterogeneous Mcm2-7 hexamer evolved during the early evolution of the eukaryote cell in parallel with numerous other acquisitions in cell complexity and prior to the diversification of extant eukaryotes. The conservation of all six paralogues throughout the eukaryotes suggests that each Mcm2-7 hexamer component has an

  6. Transcriptionally Driven DNA Replication Program of the Human Parasite Leishmania major.

    PubMed

    Lombraña, Rodrigo; Álvarez, Alba; Fernández-Justel, José Miguel; Almeida, Ricardo; Poza-Carrión, César; Gomes, Fábia; Calzada, Arturo; Requena, José María; Gómez, María

    2016-08-09

    Faithful inheritance of eukaryotic genomes requires the orchestrated activation of multiple DNA replication origins (ORIs). Although origin firing is mechanistically conserved, how origins are specified and selected for activation varies across different model systems. Here, we provide a complete analysis of the nucleosomal landscape and replication program of the human parasite Leishmania major, building on a better evolutionary understanding of replication organization in Eukarya. We found that active transcription is a driving force for the nucleosomal organization of the L. major genome and that both the spatial and the temporal program of DNA replication can be explained as associated to RNA polymerase kinetics. This simple scenario likely provides flexibility and robustness to deal with the environmental changes that impose alterations in the genetic programs during parasitic life cycle stages. Our findings also suggest that coupling replication initiation to transcription elongation could be an ancient solution used by eukaryotic cells for origin maintenance. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Acute inactivation of the replicative helicase in human cells triggers MCM8–9-dependent DNA synthesis

    PubMed Central

    Natsume, Toyoaki; Nishimura, Kohei; Minocherhomji, Sheroy; Bhowmick, Rahul; Hickson, Ian D.; Kanemaki, Masato T.

    2017-01-01

    DNA replication fork progression can be disrupted at difficult to replicate loci in the human genome, which has the potential to challenge chromosome integrity. This replication fork disruption can lead to the dissociation of the replisome and the formation of DNA damage. To model the events stemming from replisome dissociation during DNA replication perturbation, we used a degron-based system for inducible proteolysis of a subunit of the replicative helicase. We show that MCM2-depleted cells activate a DNA damage response pathway and generate replication-associated DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Remarkably, these cells maintain some DNA synthesis in the absence of MCM2, and this requires the MCM8–9 complex, a paralog of the MCM2–7 replicative helicase. We show that MCM8–9 functions in a homologous recombination-based pathway downstream from RAD51, which is promoted by DSB induction. This RAD51/MCM8–9 axis is distinct from the recently described RAD52-dependent DNA synthesis pathway that operates in early mitosis at common fragile sites. We propose that stalled replication forks can be restarted in S phase via homologous recombination using MCM8–9 as an alternative replicative helicase. PMID:28487407

  8. 5',5'''-P1, P4 diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap4A): a putative initiator of DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Baril, E F; Coughlin, S A; Zamecnik, P C

    1985-01-01

    The proposal that Ap4A acts as an inducer of DNA replication is based primarily on two pieces of evidence (7). The intracellular levels of Ap4A increase ten- to 1000-fold as cells progress into S phase and the introduction of Ap4A into nonproliferating cells stimulated DNA synthesis. There is also some additional suggestive evidence such as the binding of Ap4A to a protein that is associated with multiprotein forms of the replicative DNA polymerase alpha and the ability of this enzyme to use Ap4A as a primer for DNA synthesis in vitro with single-stranded DNA templates. These observations have stimulated interest in the cellular metabolism of Ap4A. This is well since there is a great need for additional experimentation in order to clearly establish Ap4A as an inducer of DNA replication. Microinjection experiments of Ap4A into quiescent cells are needed in order to ascertain if Ap4A will stimulate DNA replication and possibly cell division in intact cells. Studies of the effects of nonhydrolyzable analogs of Ap4A on DNA replication in intact quiescent cells could also prove valuable. Although Ap4A can function as a primer for in vitro DNA synthesis by DNA polymerase alpha this may not be relevant in regard to its in vivo role in DNA replication. Ap4A in vivo could interact with key protein(s) in DNA replication and in this way act as an effector molecule in the initiation of DNA replication. In this regard the interaction of Ap4A with a protein associated with a multiprotein form of DNA polymerase alpha isolated from S-phase cells is of interest. More experiments are required to determine if there is a specific target protein(s) for Ap4A in vivo and what its role in DNA replication is. The cofractionation of tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase with the replicative DNA polymerase alpha from animal and plant cells is of interest. The DNA polymerase alpha from synchronized animal cells also interacted with Ap4A. Although the plant cell alpha-like DNA polymerase did not

  9. MTBP, the partner of Treslin, contains a novel DNA-binding domain that is essential for proper initiation of DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Kumagai, Akiko; Dunphy, William G

    2017-11-01

    Treslin, which is essential for incorporation of Cdc45 into the replicative helicase, possesses a partner called MTBP (Mdm2-binding protein). We have analyzed Xenopus and human MTBP to assess its role in DNA replication. Depletion of MTBP from Xenopus egg extracts, which also removes Treslin, abolishes DNA replication. These extracts be can rescued with recombinant Treslin-MTBP but not Treslin or MTBP alone. Thus, Treslin-MTBP is collectively necessary for replication. We have identified a C-terminal region of MTBP (the CTM domain) that binds efficiently to both double-stranded DNA and G-quadruplex (G4) DNA. This domain also exhibits homology with budding yeast Sld7. Mutants of MTBP without a functional CTM domain are defective for DNA replication in Xenopus egg extracts. These mutants display an impaired localization to chromatin and the inability to support loading of Cdc45. Human cells harboring such a mutant also display severe S-phase defects. Thus, the CTM domain of MTBP plays a critical role in localizing Treslin-MTBP to the replication apparatus for initiation. © 2017 Kumagai and Dunphy. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  10. Mechanisms involved in regulating DNA replication origins during the cell cycle and in response to DNA damage.

    PubMed Central

    Early, Anne; Drury, Lucy S; Diffley, John F X

    2004-01-01

    Replication origins in eukaryotic cells never fire more than once in a given S phase. Here, we summarize the role of cyclin-dependent kinases in limiting DNA replication origin usage to once per cell cycle in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We have examined the role of different cyclins in the phosphorylation and regulation of several replication/regulatory factors including Cdc6, Sic1, ORC and DNA polymerase alpha-primase. In addition to being regulated by the cell cycle machinery, replication origins are also regulated by the genome integrity checkpoint kinases, Mec1 and Rad53. In response to DNA damage or drugs which interfere with the progression of replication forks, the activation of late-firing replication origins is inhibited. There is evidence indicating that the temporal programme of origin firing depends upon the local histone acetylation state. We have attempted to test the possibility that checkpoint regulation of late-origin firing operates through the regulation of the acetylation state. We found that overexpression of the essential histone acetylase, Esal, cannot override checkpoint regulation of origin firing. We have also constructed a temperature-sensitive esa1 mutant. This mutant is unable to resume cell cycle progression after alpha-factor arrest. This can be overcome by overexpression of the G1 cyclin, Cln2, revealing a novel role for Esal in regulating Start. PMID:15065654

  11. CyDNA: synthesis and replication of highly Cy-dye substituted DNA by an evolved polymerase.

    PubMed

    Ramsay, Nicola; Jemth, Ann-Sofie; Brown, Anthony; Crampton, Neal; Dear, Paul; Holliger, Philipp

    2010-04-14

    DNA not only transmits genetic information but can also serve as a versatile supramolecular scaffold. Here we describe a strategy for the synthesis and replication of DNA displaying hundreds of substituents using directed evolution of polymerase function by short-patch compartmentalized self-replication (spCSR) and the widely used fluorescent dye labeled deoxinucleotide triphosphates Cy3-dCTP and Cy5-dCTP as substrates. In just two rounds of spCSR selection, we have isolated a polymerase that allows the PCR amplification of double stranded DNA fragments up to 1kb, in which all dC bases are substituted by its fluorescent dye-labeled equivalent Cy3- or Cy5-dC. The resulting "CyDNA" displays hundreds of aromatic heterocycles on the outside of the DNA helix and is brightly colored and highly fluorescent. CyDNA also exhibits significantly altered physicochemical properties compared to standard B-form DNA, including loss of silica and intercalating dye binding, resistance to cleavage by some endonucleases, an up to 40% increased apparent diameter as judged by atomic force microscopy and organic phase partitioning during phenol extraction. CyDNA also displays very bright fluorescence enabling significant signal gains in microarray and microfluidic applications. CyDNA represents a step toward a long-term goal of the encoded synthesis of DNA-based polymers of programmable and evolvable sequence and properties.

  12. Running on empty: does mitochondrial DNA mutation limit replicative lifespan in yeast?: Mutations that increase the division rate of cells lacking mitochondrial DNA also extend replicative lifespan in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    PubMed

    Dunn, Cory D

    2011-10-01

    Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations escalate with increasing age in higher organisms. However, it has so far been difficult to experimentally determine whether mtDNA mutation merely correlates with age or directly limits lifespan. A recent study shows that budding yeast can also lose functional mtDNA late in life. Interestingly, independent studies of replicative lifespan (RLS) and of mtDNA-deficient cells show that the same mutations can increase both RLS and the division rate of yeast lacking the mitochondrial genome. These exciting, parallel findings imply a potential causal relationship between mtDNA mutation and replicative senescence. Furthermore, these results suggest more efficient methods for discovering genes that determine lifespan. Copyright © 2011 WILEY Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Both Chromosome Decondensation and Condensation Are Dependent on DNA Replication in C. elegans Embryos

    PubMed Central

    Sonneville, Remi; Craig, Gillian; Labib, Karim; Gartner, Anton; Blow, J. Julian

    2015-01-01

    Summary During cell division, chromatin alternates between a condensed state to facilitate chromosome segregation and a decondensed form when DNA replicates. In most tissues, S phase and mitosis are separated by defined G1 and G2 gap phases, but early embryogenesis involves rapid oscillations between replication and mitosis. Using Caenorhabditis elegans embryos as a model system, we show that chromosome condensation and condensin II concentration on chromosomal axes require replicated DNA. In addition, we found that, during late telophase, replication initiates on condensed chromosomes and promotes the rapid decondensation of the chromatin. Upon replication initiation, the CDC-45-MCM-GINS (CMG) DNA helicase drives the release of condensin I complexes from chromatin and the activation or displacement of inactive MCM-2–7 complexes, which together with the nucleoporin MEL-28/ELYS tethers condensed chromatin to the nuclear envelope, thereby promoting chromatin decondensation. Our results show how, in an early embryo, the chromosome-condensation cycle is functionally linked with DNA replication. PMID:26166571

  14. DNA replication restart and cellular dynamics of Hef helicase/nuclease protein in Haloferax volcanii.

    PubMed

    Lestini, Roxane; Delpech, Floriane; Myllykallio, Hannu

    2015-11-01

    Understanding how frequently spontaneous replication arrests occur and how archaea deal with these arrests are very interesting and challenging research topics. Here we will described how genetic and imaging studies have revealed the central role of the archaeal helicase/nuclease Hef belonging to the XPF/MUS81/FANCM family of endonucleases in repair of arrested replication forks. Special focus will be on description of a recently developed combination of genetic and imaging tools to study the dynamic localization of a functional Hef::GFP (Green Fluorescent Protein) fusion protein in the living cells of halophilic archaea Haloferax volcanii. As Archaea provide an excellent and unique model for understanding how DNA replication is regulated to allow replication of a circular DNA molecule either from single or multiple replication origins, we will also summarize recent studies that have revealed peculiar features regarding DNA replication, particularly in halophilic archaea. We strongly believe that fundamental knowledge of our on-going studies will shed light on the evolutionary history of the DNA replication machinery and will help to establish general rules concerning replication restart and the key role of recombination proteins not only in bacteria, yeast and higher eukaryotes but also in archaea. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. and Société Française de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire (SFBBM). All rights reserved.

  15. Sequential steps in DNA replication are inhibited to ensure reduction of ploidy in meiosis

    PubMed Central

    Hua, Hui; Namdar, Mandana; Ganier, Olivier; Gregan, Juraj; Méchali, Marcel; Kearsey, Stephen E.

    2013-01-01

    Meiosis involves two successive rounds of chromosome segregation without an intervening S phase. Exit from meiosis I is distinct from mitotic exit, in that replication origins are not licensed by Mcm2-7 chromatin binding, but spindle disassembly occurs during a transient interphase-like state before meiosis II. The absence of licensing is assumed to explain the block to DNA replication, but this has not been formally tested. Here we attempt to subvert this block by expressing the licensing control factors Cdc18 and Cdt1 during the interval between meiotic nuclear divisions. Surprisingly, this leads only to a partial round of DNA replication, even when these factors are overexpressed and effect clear Mcm2-7 chromatin binding. Combining Cdc18 and Cdt1 expression with modulation of cyclin-dependent kinase activity, activation of Dbf4-dependent kinase, or deletion of the Spd1 inhibitor of ribonucleotide reductase has little additional effect on the extent of DNA replication. Single-molecule analysis indicates this partial round of replication results from inefficient progression of replication forks, and thus both initiation and elongation replication steps may be inhibited in late meiosis. In addition, DNA replication or damage during the meiosis I–II interval fails to arrest meiotic progress, suggesting absence of checkpoint regulation of meiosis II entry. PMID:23303250

  16. Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres Mediated by Mitotic DNA Synthesis Engages Break-Induced Replication Processes

    PubMed Central

    Min, Jaewon; Wright, Woodring E.

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) is a telomerase-independent telomere maintenance mechanism that occurs in a subset of cancers. By analyzing telomerase-positive cells and their human TERC knockout-derived ALT human cell lines, we show that ALT cells harbor more fragile telomeres representing telomere replication problems. ALT-associated replication defects trigger mitotic DNA synthesis (MiDAS) at telomeres in a RAD52-dependent, but RAD51-independent, manner. Telomeric MiDAS is a conservative DNA synthesis process, potentially mediated by break-induced replication, similar to type II ALT survivors in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Replication stresses induced by ectopic oncogenic expression of cyclin E, G-quadruplexes, or R-loop formation facilitate the ALT pathway and lead to telomere clustering, a hallmark of ALT cancers. The TIMELESS/TIPIN complex suppresses telomere clustering and telomeric MiDAS, whereas the SMC5/6 complex promotes them. In summary, ALT cells exhibit more telomere replication defects that result in persistent DNA damage responses at telomeres, leading to the engagement of telomeric MiDAS (spontaneous mitotic telomere synthesis) that is triggered by DNA replication stress, a potential driver of genomic duplications in cancer. PMID:28760773

  17. Emerging critical roles of Fe-S clusters in DNA replication and repair

    PubMed Central

    Fuss, Jill O.; Tsai, Chi-Lin; Ishida, Justin P.; Tainer, John A.

    2015-01-01

    Fe-S clusters are partners in the origin of life that predate cells, acetyl-CoA metabolism, DNA, and the RNA world. The double helix solved the mystery of DNA replication by base pairing for accurate copying. Yet, for genome stability necessary to life, the double helix has equally important implications for damage repair. Here we examine striking advances that uncover Fe-S cluster roles both in copying the genetic sequence by DNA polymerases and in crucial repair processes for genome maintenance, as mutational defects cause cancer and degenerative disease. Moreover, we examine an exciting, controversial role for Fe-S clusters in a third element required for life – the long-range coordination and regulation of replication and repair events. By their ability to delocalize electrons over both Fe and S centers, Fe-S clusters have unbeatable features for protein conformational control and charge transfer via double-stranded DNA that may fundamentally transform our understanding of life, replication, and repair. PMID:25655665

  18. Identification of Poxvirus Genome Uncoating and DNA Replication Factors with Mutually Redundant Roles.

    PubMed

    Liu, Baoming; Panda, Debasis; Mendez-Rios, Jorge D; Ganesan, Sundar; Wyatt, Linda S; Moss, Bernard

    2018-04-01

    Genome uncoating is essential for replication of most viruses. For poxviruses, the process is divided into two stages: removal of the envelope, allowing early gene expression, and breaching of the core wall, allowing DNA release, replication, and late gene expression. Subsequent studies showed that the host proteasome and the viral D5 protein, which has an essential role in DNA replication, are required for vaccinia virus (VACV) genome uncoating. In a search for additional VACV uncoating proteins, we noted a report that described a defect in DNA replication and late expression when the gene encoding a 68-kDa ankyrin repeat/F-box protein (68k-ank), associated with the cellular SCF (Skp1, cullin1, F-box-containing complex) ubiquitin ligase complex, was deleted from the attenuated modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA). Here we showed that the 68k-ank deletion mutant exhibited diminished genome uncoating, formation of DNA prereplication sites, and degradation of viral cores as well as an additional, independent defect in DNA synthesis. Deletion of the 68k-ank homolog of VACV strain WR, however, was without effect, suggesting the existence of compensating genes. By inserting VACV genes into an MVA 68k-ank deletion mutant, we discovered that M2, a member of the poxvirus immune evasion (PIE) domain superfamily and a regulator of NF-κB, and C5, a member of the BTB/Kelch superfamily associated with cullin-3-based ligase complexes, independently rescued the 68k-ank deletion phenotype. Thus, poxvirus uncoating and DNA replication are intertwined processes involving at least three viral proteins with mutually redundant functions in addition to D5. IMPORTANCE Poxviruses comprise a family of large DNA viruses that infect vertebrates and invertebrates and cause diseases of medical and zoological importance. Poxviruses, unlike most other DNA viruses, replicate in the cytoplasm, and their large genomes usually encode 200 or more proteins with diverse functions. About 90 genes may

  19. CyDNA: Synthesis and Replication of Highly Cy-Dye Substituted DNA by an Evolved Polymerase

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    DNA not only transmits genetic information but can also serve as a versatile supramolecular scaffold. Here we describe a strategy for the synthesis and replication of DNA displaying hundreds of substituents using directed evolution of polymerase function by short-patch compartmentalized self-replication (spCSR) and the widely used fluorescent dye labeled deoxinucleotide triphosphates Cy3-dCTP and Cy5-dCTP as substrates. In just two rounds of spCSR selection, we have isolated a polymerase that allows the PCR amplification of double stranded DNA fragments up to 1kb, in which all dC bases are substituted by its fluorescent dye-labeled equivalent Cy3- or Cy5-dC. The resulting “CyDNA” displays hundreds of aromatic heterocycles on the outside of the DNA helix and is brightly colored and highly fluorescent. CyDNA also exhibits significantly altered physicochemical properties compared to standard B-form DNA, including loss of silica and intercalating dye binding, resistance to cleavage by some endonucleases, an up to 40% increased apparent diameter as judged by atomic force microscopy and organic phase partitioning during phenol extraction. CyDNA also displays very bright fluorescence enabling significant signal gains in microarray and microfluidic applications. CyDNA represents a step toward a long-term goal of the encoded synthesis of DNA-based polymers of programmable and evolvable sequence and properties. PMID:20235594

  20. How and why multiple MCMs are loaded at origins of DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Das, Shankar P; Rhind, Nicholas

    2016-07-01

    Recent work suggests that DNA replication origins are regulated by the number of multiple mini-chromosome maintenance (MCM) complexes loaded. Origins are defined by the loading of MCM - the replicative helicase which initiates DNA replication and replication kinetics determined by origin's location and firing times. However, activation of MCM is heterogeneous; different origins firing at different times in different cells. Also, more MCMs are loaded in G1 than are used in S phase. These aspects of MCM biology are explained by the observation that multiple MCMs are loaded at origins. Having more MCMs at early origins makes them more likely to fire, effecting differences in origin efficiency that define replication timing. Nonetheless, multiple MCM loading raises new questions, such as how they are loaded, where these MCMs reside at origins, and how their presence affects replication timing. In this review, we address these questions and discuss future avenues of research. © 2016 WILEY Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Education: DNA replication using microscale natural convection.

    PubMed

    Priye, Aashish; Hassan, Yassin A; Ugaz, Victor M

    2012-12-07

    There is a need for innovative educational experiences that unify and reinforce fundamental principles at the interface between the physical, chemical, and life sciences. These experiences empower and excite students by helping them recognize how interdisciplinary knowledge can be applied to develop new products and technologies that benefit society. Microfluidics offers an incredibly versatile tool to address this need. Here we describe our efforts to create innovative hands-on activities that introduce chemical engineering students to molecular biology by challenging them to harness microscale natural convection phenomena to perform DNA replication via the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Experimentally, we have constructed convective PCR stations incorporating a simple design for loading and mounting cylindrical microfluidic reactors between independently controlled thermal plates. A portable motion analysis microscope enables flow patterns inside the convective reactors to be directly visualized using fluorescent bead tracers. We have also developed a hands-on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) exercise based on modeling microscale thermal convection to identify optimal geometries for DNA replication. A cognitive assessment reveals that these activities strongly impact student learning in a positive way.

  2. Process of infection with bacteriophage phi chi 174. XL. Viral DNA replication of phi chi 174 mutants blocked in progeny single-stranded DNA synthesis.

    PubMed Central

    Fukuda, A; Sinsheimer, R L

    1976-01-01

    Mutation in several different cistrons of bacteriophage phi chi 174 blocks net progeny single-stranded DNA synthesis at the late period of infection (15). For the study of the functions of these cistrons in single-stranded DNA synthesis, asymmetric replication of replicative form DNA was examined at the late period of infection with amber mutants of these cistrons. While the normal, rapid process of asymmetric single-stranded viral DNA synthesis is blocked at the late period of these mutant infections, an asymmetric synthesis of the viral strand of replicative-form DNA is observed in this period, though at a reduced level, together with degradation of prelabeled viral strand. Some intermediate replicative-form molecules were also detected. Asymmetric synthesis of the viral strand of replicative-form DNA at the late period of phi chi infection is completely inhibited in the presence of a low concentration (35mug/ml) of chloramphenicol (which also blocks net single-stranded viral DNA synthesis). These results are discussed in terms of the possible role of the specific viral proteins for normal single-stranded DNA synthesis. PMID:1255871

  3. Mitochondrial DNA replication: a PrimPol perspective

    PubMed Central

    Bailey, Laura J.

    2017-01-01

    PrimPol, (primase–polymerase), the most recently identified eukaryotic polymerase, has roles in both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA maintenance. PrimPol is capable of acting as a DNA polymerase, with the ability to extend primers and also bypass a variety of oxidative and photolesions. In addition, PrimPol also functions as a primase, catalysing the preferential formation of DNA primers in a zinc finger-dependent manner. Although PrimPol's catalytic activities have been uncovered in vitro, we still know little about how and why it is targeted to the mitochondrion and what its key roles are in the maintenance of this multicopy DNA molecule. Unlike nuclear DNA, the mammalian mitochondrial genome is circular and the organelle has many unique proteins essential for its maintenance, presenting a differing environment within which PrimPol must function. Here, we discuss what is currently known about the mechanisms of DNA replication in the mitochondrion, the proteins that carry out these processes and how PrimPol is likely to be involved in assisting this vital cellular process. PMID:28408491

  4. Physical interactions between bacteriophage and Escherichia coli proteins required for initiation of lambda DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Liberek, K; Osipiuk, J; Zylicz, M; Ang, D; Skorko, J; Georgopoulos, C

    1990-02-25

    The process of initiation of lambda DNA replication requires the assembly of the proper nucleoprotein complex at the origin of replication, ori lambda. The complex is composed of both phage and host-coded proteins. The lambda O initiator protein binds specifically to ori lambda. The lambda P initiator protein binds to both lambda O and the host-coded dnaB helicase, giving rise to an ori lambda DNA.lambda O.lambda P.dnaB structure. The dnaK and dnaJ heat shock proteins have been shown capable of dissociating this complex. The thus freed dnaB helicase unwinds the duplex DNA template at the replication fork. In this report, through cross-linking, size chromatography, and protein affinity chromatography, we document some of the protein-protein interactions occurring at ori lambda. Our results show that the dnaK protein specifically interacts with both lambda O and lambda P, and that the dnaJ protein specifically interacts with the dnaB helicase.

  5. Plasmid P1 replication: negative control by repeated DNA sequences.

    PubMed Central

    Chattoraj, D; Cordes, K; Abeles, A

    1984-01-01

    The incompatibility locus, incA, of the unit-copy plasmid P1 is contained within a fragment that is essentially a set of nine 19-base-pair repeats. One or more copies of the fragment destabilizes the plasmid when present in trans. Here we show that extra copies of incA interfere with plasmid DNA replication and that a deletion of most of incA increases plasmid copy number. Thus, incA is not essential for replication but is required for its control. When cloned in a high-copy-number vector, pieces of the incA fragment that each contain only three repeats destabilize P1 plasmids efficiently. This result makes it unlikely that incA specifies a regulatory product. Our in vivo results suggest that the repeating DNA sequence itself negatively controls replication by titrating a P1-determined protein, RepA, that is essential for replication. Consistent with this hypothesis is the observation that the RepA protein binds to the incA fragment in vitro. Images PMID:6387706

  6. The Midblastula Transition Defines the Onset of Y RNA-Dependent DNA Replication in Xenopus laevis ▿

    PubMed Central

    Collart, Clara; Christov, Christo P.; Smith, James C.; Krude, Torsten

    2011-01-01

    Noncoding Y RNAs are essential for the initiation of chromosomal DNA replication in mammalian cell extracts, but their role in this process during early vertebrate development is unknown. Here, we use antisense morpholino nucleotides (MOs) to investigate Y RNA function in Xenopus laevis and zebrafish embryos. We show that embryos in which Y RNA function is inhibited by MOs develop normally until the midblastula transition (MBT) but then fail to replicate their DNA and die before gastrulation. Consistent with this observation, Y RNA function is not required for DNA replication in Xenopus egg extracts but is required for replication in a post-MBT cell line. Y RNAs do not bind chromatin in karyomeres before MBT, but they associate with interphase nuclei after MBT in an origin recognition complex (ORC)-dependent manner. Y RNA-specific MOs inhibit the association of Y RNAs with ORC, Cdt1, and HMGA1a proteins, suggesting that these molecular associations are essential for Y RNA function in DNA replication. The MBT is thus a transition point between Y RNA-independent and Y RNA-dependent control of vertebrate DNA replication. Our data suggest that in vertebrates Y RNAs function as a developmentally regulated layer of control over the evolutionarily conserved eukaryotic DNA replication machinery. PMID:21791613

  7. Arranging eukaryotic nuclear DNA polymerases for replication: Specific interactions with accessory proteins arrange Pols α, δ, and ϵ in the replisome for leading-strand and lagging-strand DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Kunkel, Thomas A; Burgers, Peter M J

    2017-08-01

    Biochemical and cryo-electron microscopy studies have just been published revealing interactions among proteins of the yeast replisome that are important for highly coordinated synthesis of the two DNA strands of the nuclear genome. These studies reveal key interactions important for arranging DNA polymerases α, δ, and ϵ for leading and lagging strand replication. The CMG (Mcm2-7, Cdc45, GINS) helicase is central to this interaction network. These are but the latest examples of elegant studies performed in the recent past that lead to a much better understanding of how the eukaryotic replication fork achieves efficient DNA replication that is accurate enough to prevent diseases yet allows evolution. This article has been contributed to by US Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.

  8. Replication and Transcription of Eukaryotic DNA in Esherichia coli

    PubMed Central

    Morrow, John F.; Cohen, Stanley N.; Chang, Annie C. Y.; Boyer, Herbert W.; Goodman, Howard M.; Helling, Robert B.

    1974-01-01

    Fragments of amplified Xenopus laevis DNA, coding for 18S and 28S ribosomal RNA and generated by EcoRI restriction endonuclease, have been linked in vitro to the bacterial plasmid pSC101; and the recombinant molecular species have been introduced into E. coli by transformation. These recombinant plasmids, containing both eukaryotic and prokaryotic DNA, replicate stably in E. coli. RNA isolated from E. coli minicells harboring the plasmids hybridizes to amplified X. laevis rDNA. Images PMID:4600264

  9. Disruption of PCNA-lamins A/C interactions by prelamin A induces DNA replication fork stalling.

    PubMed

    Cobb, Andrew M; Murray, Thomas V; Warren, Derek T; Liu, Yiwen; Shanahan, Catherine M

    2016-09-02

    The accumulation of prelamin A is linked to disruption of cellular homeostasis, tissue degeneration and aging. Its expression is implicated in compromised genome stability and increased levels of DNA damage, but to date there is no complete explanation for how prelamin A exerts its toxic effects. As the nuclear lamina is important for DNA replication we wanted to investigate the relationship between prelamin A expression and DNA replication fork stability. In this study we report that the expression of prelamin A in U2OS cells induced both mono-ubiquitination of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and subsequent induction of Pol η, two hallmarks of DNA replication fork stalling. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that cells expressing prelamin A presented with high levels of colocalisation between PCNA and γH2AX, indicating collapse of stalled DNA replication forks into DNA double-strand breaks. Subsequent protein-protein interaction assays showed prelamin A interacted with PCNA and that its presence mitigated interactions between PCNA and the mature nuclear lamina. Thus, we propose that the cytotoxicity of prelamin A arises in part, from it actively competing against mature lamin A to bind PCNA and that this destabilises DNA replication to induce fork stalling which in turn contributes to genomic instability.

  10. Translesion synthesis DNA polymerases promote error-free replication through the minor-groove DNA adduct 3-deaza-3-methyladenine.

    PubMed

    Yoon, Jung-Hoon; Roy Choudhury, Jayati; Park, Jeseong; Prakash, Satya; Prakash, Louise

    2017-11-10

    N3-Methyladenine (3-MeA) is formed in DNA by reaction with S -adenosylmethionine, the reactive methyl donor, and by reaction with alkylating agents. 3-MeA protrudes into the DNA minor groove and strongly blocks synthesis by replicative DNA polymerases (Pols). However, the mechanisms for replicating through this lesion in human cells remain unidentified. Here we analyzed the roles of translesion synthesis (TLS) Pols in the replication of 3-MeA-damaged DNA in human cells. Because 3-MeA has a short half-life in vitro , we used the stable 3-deaza analog, 3-deaza-3-methyladenine (3-dMeA), which blocks the DNA minor groove similarly to 3-MeA. We found that replication through the 3-dMeA adduct is mediated via three different pathways, dependent upon Polι/Polκ, Polθ, and Polζ. As inferred from biochemical studies, in the Polι/Polκ pathway, Polι inserts a nucleotide (nt) opposite 3-dMeA and Polκ extends synthesis from the inserted nt. In the Polθ pathway, Polθ carries out both the insertion and extension steps of TLS opposite 3-dMeA, and in the Polζ pathway, Polζ extends synthesis following nt insertion by an as yet unidentified Pol. Steady-state kinetic analyses indicated that Polι and Polθ insert the correct nt T opposite 3-dMeA with a much reduced catalytic efficiency and that both Pols exhibit a high propensity for inserting a wrong nt opposite this adduct. However, despite their low fidelity of synthesis opposite 3-dMeA, TLS opposite this lesion replicates DNA in a highly error-free manner in human cells. We discuss the implications of these observations for TLS mechanisms in human cells. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  11. Genetic networks controlled by the bacterial replication initiator and transcription factor DnaA in Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Washington, Tracy A; Smith, Janet L; Grossman, Alan D

    2017-10-01

    DnaA is the widely conserved bacterial AAA+ ATPase that functions as both the replication initiator and a transcription factor. In many organisms, DnaA controls expression of its own gene and likely several others during growth and in response to replication stress. To evaluate the effects of DnaA on gene expression, separate from its role in replication initiation, we analyzed changes in mRNA levels in Bacillus subtilis cells with and without dnaA, using engineered strains in which dnaA is not essential. We found that dnaA was required for many of the changes in gene expression in response to replication stress. We also found that dnaA indirectly affected expression of several regulons during growth, including those controlled by the transcription factors Spo0A, AbrB, PhoP, SinR, RemA, Rok and YvrH. These effects were largely mediated by the effects of DnaA on expression of sda. DnaA activates transcription of sda, and Sda inhibits histidine protein kinases required for activation of the transcription factor Spo0A. We also found that loss of dnaA caused a decrease in the development of genetic competence. Together, our results indicate that DnaA plays an important role in modulating cell physiology, separate from its role in replication initiation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Variety of DNA Replication Activity Among Cyanobacteria Correlates with Distinct Respiration Activity in the Dark.

    PubMed

    Ohbayashi, Ryudo; Yamamoto, Jun-Ya; Watanabe, Satoru; Kanesaki, Yu; Chibazakura, Taku; Miyagishima, Shin-Ya; Yoshikawa, Hirofumi

    2017-02-01

    Cyanobacteria exhibit light-dependent cell growth since most of their cellular energy is obtained by photosynthesis. In Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942, one of the model cyanobacteria, DNA replication depends on photosynthetic electron transport. However, the critical signal for the regulatory mechanism of DNA replication has not been identified. In addition, conservation of this regulatory mechanism has not been investigated among cyanobacteria. To understand this regulatory signal and its dependence on light, we examined the regulation of DNA replication under both light and dark conditions among three model cyanobacteria, S. elongatus PCC 7942, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and Anabaena sp. PCC 7120. Interestingly, DNA replication activity in Synechocystis and Anabaena was retained when cells were transferred to the dark, although it was drastically decreased in S. elongatus. Glycogen metabolism and respiration were higher in Synechocystis and Anabaena than in S. elongatus in the dark. Moreover, DNA replication activity in Synechocystis and Anabaena was reduced to the same level as that in S. elongatus by inhibition of respiratory electron transport after transfer to the dark. These results demonstrate that there is disparity in DNA replication occurring in the dark among cyanobacteria, which is caused by the difference in activity of respiratory electron transport. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  13. Stress induced by premature chromatin condensation triggers chromosome shattering and chromothripsis at DNA sites still replicating in micronuclei or multinucleate cells when primary nuclei enter mitosis.

    PubMed

    Terzoudi, Georgia I; Karakosta, Maria; Pantelias, Antonio; Hatzi, Vasiliki I; Karachristou, Ioanna; Pantelias, Gabriel

    2015-11-01

    Combination of next-generation DNA sequencing, single nucleotide polymorphism array analyses and bioinformatics has revealed the striking phenomenon of chromothripsis, described as complex genomic rearrangements acquired in a single catastrophic event affecting one or a few chromosomes. Via an unproven mechanism, it is postulated that mechanical stress causes chromosome shattering into small lengths of DNA, which are then randomly reassembled by DNA repair machinery. Chromothripsis is currently examined as an alternative mechanism of oncogenesis, in contrast to the present paradigm that considers a stepwise development of cancer. While evidence for the mechanism(s) underlying chromosome shattering during cancer development remains elusive, a number of hypotheses have been proposed to explain chromothripsis, including ionizing radiation, DNA replication stress, breakage-fusion-bridge cycles, micronuclei formation and premature chromosome compaction. In the present work, we provide experimental evidence on the mechanistic basis of chromothripsis and on how chromosomes can get locally shattered in a single catastrophic event. Considering the dynamic nature of chromatin nucleoprotein complex, capable of rapid unfolding, disassembling, assembling and refolding, we first show that chromatin condensation at repairing or replicating DNA sites induces the mechanical stress needed for chromosome shattering to ensue. Premature chromosome condensation is then used to visualize the dynamic nature of interphase chromatin and demonstrate that such mechanical stress and chromosome shattering can also occur in chromosomes within micronuclei or asynchronous multinucleate cells when primary nuclei enter mitosis. Following an aberrant mitosis, chromosomes could find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time so that they may undergo massive DNA breakage and rearrangement in a single catastrophic event. Specifically, our results support the hypothesis that premature chromosome

  14. The crystal structure of Neisseria gonorrhoeae PriB reveals mechanistic differences among bacterial DNA replication restart pathways

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dong, Jinlan; George, Nicholas P.; Duckett, Katrina L.

    2010-05-25

    Reactivation of repaired DNA replication forks is essential for complete duplication of bacterial genomes. However, not all bacteria encode homologs of the well-studied Escherichia coli DNA replication restart primosome proteins, suggesting that there might be distinct mechanistic differences among DNA replication restart pathways in diverse bacteria. Since reactivation of repaired DNA replication forks requires coordinated DNA and protein binding by DNA replication restart primosome proteins, we determined the crystal structure of Neisseria gonorrhoeae PriB at 2.7 {angstrom} resolution and investigated its ability to physically interact with DNA and PriA helicase. Comparison of the crystal structures of PriB from N. gonorrhoeaemore » and E. coli reveals a well-conserved homodimeric structure consisting of two oligosaccharide/oligonucleotide-binding (OB) folds. In spite of their overall structural similarity, there is significant species variation in the type and distribution of surface amino acid residues. This correlates with striking differences in the affinity with which each PriB homolog binds single-stranded DNA and PriA helicase. These results provide evidence that mechanisms of DNA replication restart are not identical across diverse species and that these pathways have likely become specialized to meet the needs of individual organisms.« less

  15. Modular structural elements in the replication origin region of Tetrahymena rDNA.

    PubMed Central

    Du, C; Sanzgiri, R P; Shaiu, W L; Choi, J K; Hou, Z; Benbow, R M; Dobbs, D L

    1995-01-01

    Computer analyses of the DNA replication origin region in the amplified rRNA genes of Tetrahymena thermophila identified a potential initiation zone in the 5'NTS [Dobbs, Shaiu and Benbow (1994), Nucleic Acids Res. 22, 2479-2489]. This region consists of a putative DNA unwinding element (DUE) aligned with predicted bent DNA segments, nuclear matrix or scaffold associated region (MAR/SAR) consensus sequences, and other common modular sequence elements previously shown to be clustered in eukaryotic chromosomal origin regions. In this study, two mung bean nuclease-hypersensitive sites in super-coiled plasmid DNA were localized within the major DUE-like element predicted by thermodynamic analyses. Three restriction fragments of the 5'NTS region predicted to contain bent DNA segments exhibited anomalous migration characteristic of bent DNA during electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels. Restriction fragments containing the 5'NTS region bound Tetrahymena nuclear matrices in an in vitro binding assay, consistent with an association of the replication origin region with the nuclear matrix in vivo. The direct demonstration in a protozoan origin region of elements previously identified in Drosophila, chick and mammalian origin regions suggests that clusters of modular structural elements may be a conserved feature of eukaryotic chromosomal origins of replication. Images PMID:7784181

  16. DNA recombination-initiation plays a role in the extremely biased inheritance of yeast [rho-] mitochondrial DNA that contains the replication origin ori5.

    PubMed

    Ling, Feng; Hori, Akiko; Shibata, Takehiko

    2007-02-01

    Hypersuppressiveness, as observed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is an extremely biased inheritance of a small mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) fragment that contains a replication origin (HS [rho(-)] mtDNA). Our previous studies showed that concatemers (linear head-to-tail multimers) are obligatory intermediates for mtDNA partitioning and are primarily formed by rolling-circle replication mediated by Mhr1, a protein required for homologous mtDNA recombination. In this study, we found that Mhr1 is required for the hypersuppressiveness of HS [ori5] [rho(-)] mtDNA harboring ori5, one of the replication origins of normal ([rho(+)]) mtDNA. In addition, we detected an Ntg1-stimulated double-strand break at the ori5 locus. Purified Ntg1, a base excision repair enzyme, introduced a double-stranded break by itself into HS [ori5] [rho(-)] mtDNA at ori5 isolated from yeast cells. Both hypersuppressiveness and concatemer formation of HS [ori5] [rho(-)] mtDNA are simultaneously suppressed by the ntg1 null mutation. These results support a model in which, like homologous recombination, rolling-circle HS [ori5] [rho(-)] mtDNA replication is initiated by double-stranded breakage in ori5, followed by Mhr1-mediated homologous pairing of the processed nascent DNA ends with circular mtDNA. The hypersuppressiveness of HS [ori5] [rho(-)] mtDNA depends on a replication advantage furnished by the higher density of ori5 sequences and on a segregation advantage furnished by the higher genome copy number on transmitted concatemers.

  17. An isolated Hda-clamp complex is functional in the regulatory inactivation of DnaA and DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Kawakami, Hironori; Su'etsugu, Masayuki; Katayama, Tsutomu

    2006-10-01

    In Escherichia coli, a complex consisting of Hda and the DNA-loaded clamp-subunit of the DNA polymerase III holoenzyme promotes hydrolysis of DnaA-ATP. The resultant ADP-DnaA is inactive for initiation of chromosomal DNA replication, thereby repressing excessive initiations. As the cellular content of the clamp is 10-100 times higher than that of Hda, most Hda molecules might be complexed with the clamp in vivo. Although Hda predominantly forms irregular aggregates when overexpressed, in the present study we found that co-overexpression of the clamp with Hda enhances Hda solubility dramatically and we efficiently isolated the Hda-clamp complex. A single molecule of the complex appears to consist of two Hda molecules and a single clamp. The complex is competent in DnaA-ATP hydrolysis and DNA replication in the presence of DNA and the clamp deficient subassembly of the DNA polymerase III holoenzyme (pol III*). These findings indicate that the clamp contained in the complex is loaded onto DNA through an interaction with the pol III* and that the Hda activity is preserved in these processes. The complex consisting of Hda and the DNA-unloaded clamp may play a specific role in a process proceeding to the DnaA-ATP hydrolysis in vivo.

  18. GINS complex protein Sld5 recruits SIK1 to activate MCM helicase during DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Joshi, Kiranmai; Shah, Varun Jayeshkumar; Maddika, Subbareddy

    2016-12-01

    In eukaryotes, proper loading and activation of MCM helicase at chromosomal origins plays a central role in DNA replication. Activation of MCM helicase requires its association with CDC45-GINS complex, but the mechanism of how this complex activates MCM helicase is poorly understood. Here we identified SIK1 (salt-inducible kinase 1), an AMPK related protein kinase, as a molecular link that connects GINS complex with MCM helicase activity. We demonstrated that Sld5 a component of GINS complex interacts with SIK1 and recruits it to the sites of DNA replication at the onset of S phase. Depletion of SIK1 leads to defective DNA replication. Further, we showed that SIK1 phosphorylates MCM2 at five conserved residues at its N-terminus, which is essential for the activation of MCM helicase. Collectively, our results suggest SIK1 as a novel integral component of CMG replicative helicase during eukaryotic DNA replication. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Tissue-specific profile of DNA replication in the swimming larvae of Ciona intestinalis.

    PubMed

    Nakayama, Akie; Satoh, Nori; Sasakura, Yasunori

    2005-03-01

    The cell cycle is strictly regulated during development and its regulation is essential for organ formation and developmental timing. Here we observed the pattern of DNA replication in swimming larvae of an ascidian, Ciona intestinalis. Usually, Ciona swimming larvae obtain competence for metamorphosis at about 4-5 h after hatching, and these competent larvae initiate metamorphosis soon after they adhere to substrate with their papillae. In these larvae, three major tissues (epidermis, endoderm and mesenchyme) showed extensive DNA replication with distinct pattern and timing, suggesting tissue-specific cell cycle regulation. However, DNA replication did not continue in aged larvae which kept swimming for several days, suggesting that the cell cycle is arrested in these larvae at a certain time to prevent further growth of adult organ rudiments until the initiation of metamorphosis. Inhibition of the cell cycle by aphidicolin during the larval stage affects only the speed of metamorphosis, and not the formation of adult organ rudiments or the timing of the initiation of metamorphosis. However, after the completion of tail resorption, DNA replication is necessary for further metamorphic events. Our data showed that DNA synthesis in the larval trunk is not directly associated with the organization of adult organs, but it contributes to the speed of metamorphosis after settlement.

  20. Evolution of DNA Replication Protein Complexes in Eukaryotes and Archaea

    PubMed Central

    Chia, Nicholas; Cann, Isaac; Olsen, Gary J.

    2010-01-01

    Background The replication of DNA in Archaea and eukaryotes requires several ancillary complexes, including proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), replication factor C (RFC), and the minichromosome maintenance (MCM) complex. Bacterial DNA replication utilizes comparable proteins, but these are distantly related phylogenetically to their archaeal and eukaryotic counterparts at best. Methodology/Principal Findings While the structures of each of the complexes do not differ significantly between the archaeal and eukaryotic versions thereof, the evolutionary dynamic in the two cases does. The number of subunits in each complex is constant across all taxa. However, they vary subtly with regard to composition. In some taxa the subunits are all identical in sequence, while in others some are homologous rather than identical. In the case of eukaryotes, there is no phylogenetic variation in the makeup of each complex—all appear to derive from a common eukaryotic ancestor. This is not the case in Archaea, where the relationship between the subunits within each complex varies taxon-to-taxon. We have performed a detailed phylogenetic analysis of these relationships in order to better understand the gene duplications and divergences that gave rise to the homologous subunits in Archaea. Conclusion/Significance This domain level difference in evolution suggests that different forces have driven the evolution of DNA replication proteins in each of these two domains. In addition, the phylogenies of all three gene families support the distinctiveness of the proposed archaeal phylum Thaumarchaeota. PMID:20532250

  1. Determination of initiation of DNA replication before and after nuclear formation in Xenopus egg cell free extracts

    PubMed Central

    1993-01-01

    Xenopus egg extracts prepared before and after egg activation retain M- and S-phase specific activity, respectively. Staurosporine, a potent inhibitor of protein kinase, converted M-phase extracts into interphase- like extracts that were capable of forming nuclei upon the addition of sperm DNA. The nuclei formed in the staurosporine treated M-phase extract were incapable of replicating DNA, and they were unable to initiate replication upon the addition of S-phase extracts. Furthermore, replication was inhibited when the staurosporine-treated M- phase extract was added in excess to the staurosporine-treated S-phase extract before the addition of DNA. The membrane-depleted S-phase extract supported neither nuclear formation nor replication; however, preincubation of sperm DNA with these extracts allowed them to form replication-competent nuclei upon the addition of excess staurosporine- treated M-phase extract. These results demonstrate that positive factors in the S-phase extracts determined the initiation of DNA replication before nuclear formation, although these factors were unable to initiate replication after nuclear formation. PMID:8253833

  2. Genetic variations in the DNA replication origins of human papillomavirus family correlate with their oncogenic potential.

    PubMed

    Yilmaz, Gulden; Biswas-Fiss, Esther E; Biswas, Subhasis B

    2018-04-01

    Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) encompass a large family of viruses that range from benign to highly carcinogenic. The crucial differences between benign and carcinogenic types of HPV remain unknown, except that the two HPV types differ in the frequency of DNA replication. We have systematically analyzed the mechanism of HPV DNA replication initiation in low-risk and high-risk HPVs. Our results demonstrate that HPV-encoded E2 initiator protein and its four binding sites in the replication origin play pivotal roles in determining the destiny of the HPV-infected cell. We have identified strain-specific single nucleotide variations in E2 binding sites found only in the high-risk HPVs. We have demonstrated that these variations result in attenuated formation of the E2-DNA complex. E2 binding to these sites is linked to the activation of the DNA replication origin as well as initiation of DNA replication. Both electrophoretic mobility shift assay and atomic force microscopy studies demonstrated that binding of E2 from either low- or high-risk HPVs with variant binding sequences lacked multimeric E2-DNA complex formation in vitro. These results provided a molecular basis of differential DNA replication in the two types of HPVs and pointed to a correlation with the development of cancer. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  3. MMS Exposure Promotes Increased MtDNA Mutagenesis in the Presence of Replication-Defective Disease-Associated DNA Polymerase γ Variants

    PubMed Central

    Stumpf, Jeffrey D.; Copeland, William C.

    2014-01-01

    Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) encodes proteins essential for ATP production. Mutant variants of the mtDNA polymerase cause mutagenesis that contributes to aging, genetic diseases, and sensitivity to environmental agents. We interrogated mtDNA replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains with disease-associated mutations affecting conserved regions of the mtDNA polymerase, Mip1, in the presence of the wild type Mip1. Mutant frequency arising from mtDNA base substitutions that confer erythromycin resistance and deletions between 21-nucleotide direct repeats was determined. Previously, increased mutagenesis was observed in strains encoding mutant variants that were insufficient to maintain mtDNA and that were not expected to reduce polymerase fidelity or exonuclease proofreading. Increased mutagenesis could be explained by mutant variants stalling the replication fork, thereby predisposing the template DNA to irreparable damage that is bypassed with poor fidelity. This hypothesis suggests that the exogenous base-alkylating agent, methyl methanesulfonate (MMS), would further increase mtDNA mutagenesis. Mitochondrial mutagenesis associated with MMS exposure was increased up to 30-fold in mip1 mutants containing disease-associated alterations that affect polymerase activity. Disrupting exonuclease activity of mutant variants was not associated with increased spontaneous mutagenesis compared with exonuclease-proficient alleles, suggesting that most or all of the mtDNA was replicated by wild type Mip1. A novel subset of C to G transversions was responsible for about half of the mutants arising after MMS exposure implicating error-prone bypass of methylated cytosines as the predominant mutational mechanism. Exposure to MMS does not disrupt exonuclease activity that suppresses deletions between 21-nucleotide direct repeats, suggesting the MMS-induce mutagenesis is not explained by inactivated exonuclease activity. Further, trace amounts of CdCl2 inhibit mtDNA replication but

  4. MMS exposure promotes increased MtDNA mutagenesis in the presence of replication-defective disease-associated DNA polymerase γ variants.

    PubMed

    Stumpf, Jeffrey D; Copeland, William C

    2014-10-01

    Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) encodes proteins essential for ATP production. Mutant variants of the mtDNA polymerase cause mutagenesis that contributes to aging, genetic diseases, and sensitivity to environmental agents. We interrogated mtDNA replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains with disease-associated mutations affecting conserved regions of the mtDNA polymerase, Mip1, in the presence of the wild type Mip1. Mutant frequency arising from mtDNA base substitutions that confer erythromycin resistance and deletions between 21-nucleotide direct repeats was determined. Previously, increased mutagenesis was observed in strains encoding mutant variants that were insufficient to maintain mtDNA and that were not expected to reduce polymerase fidelity or exonuclease proofreading. Increased mutagenesis could be explained by mutant variants stalling the replication fork, thereby predisposing the template DNA to irreparable damage that is bypassed with poor fidelity. This hypothesis suggests that the exogenous base-alkylating agent, methyl methanesulfonate (MMS), would further increase mtDNA mutagenesis. Mitochondrial mutagenesis associated with MMS exposure was increased up to 30-fold in mip1 mutants containing disease-associated alterations that affect polymerase activity. Disrupting exonuclease activity of mutant variants was not associated with increased spontaneous mutagenesis compared with exonuclease-proficient alleles, suggesting that most or all of the mtDNA was replicated by wild type Mip1. A novel subset of C to G transversions was responsible for about half of the mutants arising after MMS exposure implicating error-prone bypass of methylated cytosines as the predominant mutational mechanism. Exposure to MMS does not disrupt exonuclease activity that suppresses deletions between 21-nucleotide direct repeats, suggesting the MMS-induce mutagenesis is not explained by inactivated exonuclease activity. Further, trace amounts of CdCl2 inhibit mtDNA replication but

  5. Redox control of protein-DNA interactions: from molecular mechanisms to significance in signal transduction, gene expression, and DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Shlomai, Joseph

    2010-11-01

    Protein-DNA interactions play a key role in the regulation of major cellular metabolic pathways, including gene expression, genome replication, and genomic stability. They are mediated through the interactions of regulatory proteins with their specific DNA-binding sites at promoters, enhancers, and replication origins in the genome. Redox signaling regulates these protein-DNA interactions using reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species that interact with cysteine residues at target proteins and their regulators. This review describes the redox-mediated regulation of several master regulators of gene expression that control the induction and suppression of hundreds of genes in the genome, regulating multiple metabolic pathways, which are involved in cell growth, development, differentiation, and survival, as well as in the function of the immune system and cellular response to intracellular and extracellular stimuli. It also discusses the role of redox signaling in protein-DNA interactions that regulate DNA replication. Specificity of redox regulation is discussed, as well as the mechanisms providing several levels of redox-mediated regulation, from direct control of DNA-binding domains through the indirect control, mediated by release of negative regulators, regulation of redox-sensitive protein kinases, intracellular trafficking, and chromatin remodeling.

  6. Developmental regulation of DNA replication timing at the human beta globin locus.

    PubMed

    Simon, I; Tenzen, T; Mostoslavsky, R; Fibach, E; Lande, L; Milot, E; Gribnau, J; Grosveld, F; Fraser, P; Cedar, H

    2001-11-01

    The human beta globin locus replicates late in most cell types, but becomes early replicating in erythroid cells. Using FISH to map DNA replication timing around the endogenous beta globin locus and by applying a genetic approach in transgenic mice, we have demonstrated that both the late and early replication states are controlled by regulatory elements within the locus control region. These results also show that the pattern of replication timing is set up by mechanisms that work independently of gene transcription.

  7. Mutant analysis of Cdt1's function in suppressing nascent strand elongation during DNA replication in Xenopus egg extracts.

    PubMed

    Nakazaki, Yuta; Tsuyama, Takashi; Azuma, Yutaro; Takahashi, Mikiko; Tada, Shusuke

    2017-09-02

    The initiation of DNA replication is strictly regulated by multiple mechanisms to ensure precise duplication of chromosomes. In higher eukaryotes, activity of the Cdt1 protein is temporally regulated during the cell cycle, and deregulation of Cdt1 induces DNA re-replication. In previous studies, we showed that excess Cdt1 inhibits DNA replication by suppressing progression of replication forks in Xenopus egg extracts. Here, we investigated the functional regions of Cdt1 that are required for the inhibition of DNA replication. We constructed a series of N-terminally or C-terminally deleted mutants of Cdt1 and examined their inhibitory effects on DNA replication in Xenopus egg extracts. Our results showed that the region spanning amino acids (a. a.) 255-620 is required for efficient inhibition of DNA replication, and that, within this region, a. a. 255-289 have a critical role in inhibition. Moreover, one of the Cdt1 mutants, Cdt1 R285A, was compromised with respect to the licensing activity but still inhibited DNA replication. This result suggests that Cdt1 has an unforeseen function in the negative regulation of DNA replication, and that this function is located within a molecular region that is distinct from those required for the licensing activity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Regulation of DNA Replication Timing on Human Chromosome by a Cell-Type Specific DNA Binding Protein SATB1

    PubMed Central

    Oda, Masako; Kanoh, Yutaka; Watanabe, Yoshihisa; Masai, Hisao

    2012-01-01

    Background Replication timing of metazoan DNA during S-phase may be determined by many factors including chromosome structures, nuclear positioning, patterns of histone modifications, and transcriptional activity. It may be determined by Mb-domain structures, termed as “replication domains”, and recent findings indicate that replication timing is under developmental and cell type-specific regulation. Methodology/Principal Findings We examined replication timing on the human 5q23/31 3.5-Mb segment in T cells and non-T cells. We used two independent methods to determine replication timing. One is quantification of nascent replicating DNA in cell cycle-fractionated stage-specific S phase populations. The other is FISH analyses of replication foci. Although the locations of early- and late-replicating domains were common between the two cell lines, the timing transition region (TTR) between early and late domains were offset by 200-kb. We show that Special AT-rich sequence Binding protein 1 (SATB1), specifically expressed in T-cells, binds to the early domain immediately adjacent to TTR and delays the replication timing of the TTR. Measurement of the chromosome copy number along the TTR during synchronized S phase suggests that the fork movement may be slowed down by SATB1. Conclusions Our results reveal a novel role of SATB1 in cell type-specific regulation of replication timing along the chromosome. PMID:22879953

  9. Regulation of DNA replication timing on human chromosome by a cell-type specific DNA binding protein SATB1.

    PubMed

    Oda, Masako; Kanoh, Yutaka; Watanabe, Yoshihisa; Masai, Hisao

    2012-01-01

    Replication timing of metazoan DNA during S-phase may be determined by many factors including chromosome structures, nuclear positioning, patterns of histone modifications, and transcriptional activity. It may be determined by Mb-domain structures, termed as "replication domains", and recent findings indicate that replication timing is under developmental and cell type-specific regulation. We examined replication timing on the human 5q23/31 3.5-Mb segment in T cells and non-T cells. We used two independent methods to determine replication timing. One is quantification of nascent replicating DNA in cell cycle-fractionated stage-specific S phase populations. The other is FISH analyses of replication foci. Although the locations of early- and late-replicating domains were common between the two cell lines, the timing transition region (TTR) between early and late domains were offset by 200-kb. We show that Special AT-rich sequence Binding protein 1 (SATB1), specifically expressed in T-cells, binds to the early domain immediately adjacent to TTR and delays the replication timing of the TTR. Measurement of the chromosome copy number along the TTR during synchronized S phase suggests that the fork movement may be slowed down by SATB1. Our results reveal a novel role of SATB1 in cell type-specific regulation of replication timing along the chromosome.

  10. DNA adenine methylation is required to replicate both Vibrio cholerae chromosomes once per cell cycle.

    PubMed

    Demarre, Gaëlle; Chattoraj, Dhruba K

    2010-05-06

    DNA adenine methylation is widely used to control many DNA transactions, including replication. In Escherichia coli, methylation serves to silence newly synthesized (hemimethylated) sister origins. SeqA, a protein that binds to hemimethylated DNA, mediates the silencing, and this is necessary to restrict replication to once per cell cycle. The methylation, however, is not essential for replication initiation per se but appeared so when the origins (oriI and oriII) of the two Vibrio cholerae chromosomes were used to drive plasmid replication in E. coli. Here we show that, as in the case of E. coli, methylation is not essential for oriI when it drives chromosomal replication and is needed for once-per-cell-cycle replication in a SeqA-dependent fashion. We found that oriII also needs SeqA for once-per-cell-cycle replication and, additionally, full methylation for efficient initiator binding. The requirement for initiator binding might suffice to make methylation an essential function in V. cholerae. The structure of oriII suggests that it originated from a plasmid, but unlike plasmids, oriII makes use of methylation for once-per-cell-cycle replication, the norm for chromosomal but not plasmid replication.

  11. YAP controls retinal stem cell DNA replication timing and genomic stability

    PubMed Central

    Cabochette, Pauline; Vega-Lopez, Guillermo; Bitard, Juliette; Parain, Karine; Chemouny, Romain; Masson, Christel; Borday, Caroline; Hedderich, Marie; Henningfeld, Kristine A; Locker, Morgane; Bronchain, Odile; Perron, Muriel

    2015-01-01

    The adult frog retina retains a reservoir of active neural stem cells that contribute to continuous eye growth throughout life. We found that Yap, a downstream effector of the Hippo pathway, is specifically expressed in these stem cells. Yap knock-down leads to an accelerated S-phase and an abnormal progression of DNA replication, a phenotype likely mediated by upregulation of c-Myc. This is associated with an increased occurrence of DNA damage and eventually p53-p21 pathway-mediated cell death. Finally, we identified PKNOX1, a transcription factor involved in the maintenance of genomic stability, as a functional and physical interactant of YAP. Altogether, we propose that YAP is required in adult retinal stem cells to regulate the temporal firing of replication origins and quality control of replicated DNA. Our data reinforce the view that specific mechanisms dedicated to S-phase control are at work in stem cells to protect them from genomic instability. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.08488.001 PMID:26393999

  12. Elimination of mitochondrial DNA is not required for herpes simplex virus 1 replication.

    PubMed

    Duguay, Brett A; Saffran, Holly A; Ponomarev, Alina; Duley, Shayla A; Eaton, Heather E; Smiley, James R

    2014-03-01

    Infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) results in the rapid elimination of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from host cells. It is known that a mitochondrial isoform of the viral alkaline nuclease (UL12) called UL12.5 triggers this process. However, very little is known about the impact of mtDNA depletion on viral replication or the biology of HSV-1 infections. These questions have been difficult to address because UL12.5 and UL12 are encoded by overlapping transcripts that share the same open reading frame. As a result, mutations that alter UL12.5 also affect UL12, and UL12 null mutations severely impair viral growth by interfering with the intranuclear processing of progeny viral genomes. Therefore, to specifically assess the impact of mtDNA depletion on viral replication, it is necessary to eliminate the activity of UL12.5 while preserving the nuclear functions of UL12. Previous work has shown that the human cytomegalovirus alkaline nuclease UL98 can functionally substitute for UL12 during HSV-1 replication. We found that UL98 is unable to deplete mtDNA in transfected cells and therefore generated an HSV-1 variant in which UL98 coding sequences replace the UL12/UL12.5 open reading frame. The resulting virus was severely impaired in its ability to trigger mtDNA loss but reached titers comparable to those of wild-type HSV-1 in one-step and multistep growth experiments. Together, these observations demonstrate that the elimination of mtDNA is not required for HSV-1 replication in cell culture. Herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 destroy the DNA of host cell mitochondria, the powerhouses of cells. Epstein-Barr virus, a distantly related herpesvirus, has a similar effect, indicating that mitochondrial DNA destruction is under positive selection and thus confers a benefit to the virus. The present work shows that mitochondrial DNA destruction is not required for efficient replication of herpes simplex virus type 1 in cultured Vero kidney epithelial cells

  13. Periodic expression of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA replication genes during the trypanosomatid cell cycle.

    PubMed

    Pasion, S G; Brown, G W; Brown, L M; Ray, D S

    1994-12-01

    In trypanosomatids, DNA replication in the nucleus and in the single mitochondrion (or kinetoplast) initiates nearly simultaneously, suggesting that the DNA synthesis (S) phases of the nucleus and the mitochondrion are coordinately regulated. To investigate the basis for the temporal link between nuclear and mitochondrial DNA synthesis phases the expression of the genes encoding DNA ligase I, the 51 and 28 kDa subunits of replication protein A, dihydrofolate reductase and the mitochondrial type II topoisomerase were analyzed during the cell cycle progression of synchronous cultures of Crithidia fasciculata. These DNA replication genes were all expressed periodically, with peak mRNA levels occurring just prior to or at the peak of DNA synthesis in the synchronized cultures. A plasmid clone (pdN-1) in which TOP2, the gene encoding the mitochondrial topoisomerase, was disrupted by the insertion of a NEO drug-resistance cassette was found to express both a truncated TOP2 mRNA and a truncated topoisomerase polypeptide. The truncated mRNA was also expressed periodically coordinate with the expression of the endogenous TOP2 mRNA indicating that cis elements necessary for periodic expression are contained within cloned sequences. The expression of both TOP2 and nuclear DNA replication genes at the G1/S boundary suggests that regulated expression of these genes may play a role in coordinating nuclear and mitochondrial S phases in trypanosomatids.

  14. RPA Stabilization of Single-Stranded DNA Is Critical for Break-Induced Replication.

    PubMed

    Ruff, Patrick; Donnianni, Roberto A; Glancy, Eleanor; Oh, Julyun; Symington, Lorraine S

    2016-12-20

    DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are cytotoxic lesions that must be accurately repaired to maintain genome stability. Replication protein A (RPA) plays an important role in homology-dependent repair of DSBs by protecting the single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) intermediates formed by end resection and by facilitating Rad51 loading. We found that hypomorphic mutants of RFA1 that support intra-chromosomal homologous recombination are profoundly defective for repair processes involving long tracts of DNA synthesis, in particular break-induced replication (BIR). The BIR defects of the rfa1 mutants could be partially suppressed by eliminating the Sgs1-Dna2 resection pathway, suggesting that Dna2 nuclease attacks the ssDNA formed during end resection when not fully protected by RPA. Overexpression of Rad51 was also found to suppress the rfa1 BIR defects. We suggest that Rad51 binding to the ssDNA formed by excessive end resection and during D-loop migration can partially compensate for dysfunctional RPA. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. The Kaposi Sarcoma Herpesvirus Latency-associated Nuclear Antigen DNA Binding Domain Dorsal Positive Electrostatic Patch Facilitates DNA Replication and Episome Persistence*

    PubMed Central

    Li, Shijun; Tan, Min; Juillard, Franceline; Ponnusamy, Rajesh; Correia, Bruno; Simas, J. Pedro; Carrondo, Maria A.; McVey, Colin E.; Kaye, Kenneth M.

    2015-01-01

    Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) has a causative role in several human malignancies. KSHV latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) mediates persistence of viral episomes in latently infected cells. LANA mediates KSHV DNA replication and segregates episomes to progeny nuclei. The structure of the LANA DNA binding domain was recently solved, revealing a positive electrostatic patch opposite the DNA binding surface, which is the site of BET protein binding. Here we investigate the functional role of the positive patch in LANA-mediated episome persistence. As expected, LANA mutants with alanine or glutamate substitutions in the central, peripheral, or lateral portions of the positive patch maintained the ability to bind DNA by EMSA. However, all of the substitution mutants were deficient for LANA DNA replication and episome maintenance. Mutation of the peripheral region generated the largest deficiencies. Despite these deficiencies, all positive patch mutants concentrated to dots along mitotic chromosomes in cells containing episomes, similar to LANA. The central and peripheral mutants, but not the lateral mutants, were reduced for BET protein interaction as assessed by co-immunoprecipitation. However, defects in BET protein binding were independent of episome maintenance function. Overall, the reductions in episome maintenance closely correlated with DNA replication deficiencies, suggesting that the replication defects account for the reduced episome persistence. Therefore, the electrostatic patch exerts a key role in LANA-mediated DNA replication and episome persistence and may act through a host cell partner(s) other than a BET protein or by inducing specific structures or complexes. PMID:26420481

  16. The Kaposi Sarcoma Herpesvirus Latency-associated Nuclear Antigen DNA Binding Domain Dorsal Positive Electrostatic Patch Facilitates DNA Replication and Episome Persistence.

    PubMed

    Li, Shijun; Tan, Min; Juillard, Franceline; Ponnusamy, Rajesh; Correia, Bruno; Simas, J Pedro; Carrondo, Maria A; McVey, Colin E; Kaye, Kenneth M

    2015-11-20

    Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) has a causative role in several human malignancies. KSHV latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) mediates persistence of viral episomes in latently infected cells. LANA mediates KSHV DNA replication and segregates episomes to progeny nuclei. The structure of the LANA DNA binding domain was recently solved, revealing a positive electrostatic patch opposite the DNA binding surface, which is the site of BET protein binding. Here we investigate the functional role of the positive patch in LANA-mediated episome persistence. As expected, LANA mutants with alanine or glutamate substitutions in the central, peripheral, or lateral portions of the positive patch maintained the ability to bind DNA by EMSA. However, all of the substitution mutants were deficient for LANA DNA replication and episome maintenance. Mutation of the peripheral region generated the largest deficiencies. Despite these deficiencies, all positive patch mutants concentrated to dots along mitotic chromosomes in cells containing episomes, similar to LANA. The central and peripheral mutants, but not the lateral mutants, were reduced for BET protein interaction as assessed by co-immunoprecipitation. However, defects in BET protein binding were independent of episome maintenance function. Overall, the reductions in episome maintenance closely correlated with DNA replication deficiencies, suggesting that the replication defects account for the reduced episome persistence. Therefore, the electrostatic patch exerts a key role in LANA-mediated DNA replication and episome persistence and may act through a host cell partner(s) other than a BET protein or by inducing specific structures or complexes. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  17. Role for a region of helically unstable DNA within the Epstein-Barr virus latent cycle origin of DNA replication oriP in origin function

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Polonskaya, Zhanna; Benham, Craig J.; Hearing, Janet

    The minimal replicator of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latent cycle origin of DNA replication oriP is composed of two binding sites for the Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA-1) and flanking inverted repeats that bind the telomere repeat binding factor TRF2. Although not required for minimal replicator activity, additional binding sites for EBNA-1 and TRF2 and one or more auxiliary elements located to the right of the EBNA-1/TRF2 sites are required for the efficient replication of oriP plasmids. Another region of oriP that is predicted to be destabilized by DNA supercoiling is shown here to be an important functional component ofmore » oriP. The ability of DNA fragments of unrelated sequence and possessing supercoiled-induced DNA duplex destabilized (SIDD) structures, but not fragments characterized by helically stable DNA, to substitute for this component of oriP demonstrates a role for the SIDD region in the initiation of oriP-plasmid DNA replication.« less

  18. Two Geminin homologs regulate DNA replication in silkworm, Bombyx mori.

    PubMed

    Tang, Xiao-Fang; Chen, Xiang-Yun; Zhang, Chun-Dong; Li, Yao-Feng; Liu, Tai-Hang; Zhou, Xiao-Lin; Wang, La; Zhang, Qian; Chen, Peng; Lu, Cheng; Pan, Min-Hui

    2017-05-03

    DNA replication is rigorously controlled in cells to ensure that the genome duplicates exactly once per cell cycle. Geminin is a small nucleoprotein, which prevents DNA rereplication by directly binding to and inhibiting the DNA replication licensing factor, Cdt1. In this study, we have identified 2 Geminin genes, BmGeminin1 and BmGeminn2, in silkworm, Bombyx mori. These genes contain the Geminin conserved coiled-coil domain and are periodically localized in the nucleus during the S-G2 phase but are degraded at anaphase in mitosis. Both BmGeminin1 and BmGeminin2 are able to homodimerize and interact with BmCdt1 in cells. In addition, BmGeminin1 and BmGeminin2 can interact with each other. Overexpression of BmGeminin1 affects cell cycle progression: cell cycle is arrested in S phase, and RNA interference of BmGeminin1 leads to rereplication. In contrast, overexpression or knockdown of BmGeminin2 with RNAi did not significantly affect cell cycle, while more rereplication occurred when BmGeminin1 and BmGeminin2 together were knocked down in cells than when only BmGeminin1 was knocked down. These data suggest that both BmGeminin1 and BmGeminin2 are involved in the regulation of DNA replication. These findings provide insight into the function of Geminin and contribute to our understanding of the regulation mechanism of cell cycle in silkworm.

  19. Two Geminin homologs regulate DNA replication in silkworm, Bombyx mori

    PubMed Central

    Tang, Xiao-Fang; Chen, Xiang-Yun; Zhang, Chun-Dong; Li, Yao-Feng; Liu, Tai-Hang; Zhou, Xiao-Lin; Wang, La; Zhang, Qian; Chen, Peng; Lu, Cheng; Pan, Min-Hui

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT DNA replication is rigorously controlled in cells to ensure that the genome duplicates exactly once per cell cycle. Geminin is a small nucleoprotein, which prevents DNA rereplication by directly binding to and inhibiting the DNA replication licensing factor, Cdt1. In this study, we have identified 2 Geminin genes, BmGeminin1 and BmGeminn2, in silkworm, Bombyx mori. These genes contain the Geminin conserved coiled-coil domain and are periodically localized in the nucleus during the S-G2 phase but are degraded at anaphase in mitosis. Both BmGeminin1 and BmGeminin2 are able to homodimerize and interact with BmCdt1 in cells. In addition, BmGeminin1 and BmGeminin2 can interact with each other. Overexpression of BmGeminin1 affects cell cycle progression: cell cycle is arrested in S phase, and RNA interference of BmGeminin1 leads to rereplication. In contrast, overexpression or knockdown of BmGeminin2 with RNAi did not significantly affect cell cycle, while more rereplication occurred when BmGeminin1 and BmGeminin2 together were knocked down in cells than when only BmGeminin1 was knocked down. These data suggest that both BmGeminin1 and BmGeminin2 are involved in the regulation of DNA replication. These findings provide insight into the function of Geminin and contribute to our understanding of the regulation mechanism of cell cycle in silkworm. PMID:28379781

  20. Mapping yeast origins of replication via single-stranded DNA detection.

    PubMed

    Feng, Wenyi; Raghuraman, M K; Brewer, Bonita J

    2007-02-01

    Studies in th Saccharomyces cerevisiae have provided a framework for understanding how eukaryotic cells replicate their chromosomal DNA to ensure faithful transmission of genetic information to their daughter cells. In particular, S. cerevisiae is the first eukaryote to have its origins of replication mapped on a genomic scale, by three independent groups using three different microarray-based approaches. Here we describe a new technique of origin mapping via detection of single-stranded DNA in yeast. This method not only identified the majority of previously discovered origins, but also detected new ones. We have also shown that this technique can identify origins in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, illustrating the utility of this method for origin mapping in other eukaryotes.

  1. Application of the microfluidic-assisted replication track analysis to measure DNA repair in human and mouse cells.

    PubMed

    Welcsh, Piri; Kehrli, Keffy; Lazarchuk, Pavlo; Ladiges, Warren; Sidorova, Julia

    2016-10-01

    Functional studies of the roles that DNA helicases play in human cells have benefited immensely from DNA fiber (or single molecule) technologies, which enable us to discern minute differences in behaviors of individual replication forks in genomic DNA in vivo. DNA fiber technologies are a group of methods that use different approaches to unravel and stretch genomic DNA to its contour length, and display it on a glass surface in order to immuno-stain nucleoside analog incorporation into DNA to reveal tracks (or tracts) of replication. We have previously adopted a microfluidic approach to DNA stretching and used it to analyze DNA replication. This method was introduced under the moniker maRTA or microfluidic-assisted Replication Track Analysis, and we have since used it to analyze roles of the RECQ helicases WRN and BLM, and other proteins in normal and perturbed replication. Here we describe a novel application of maRTA to detect and measure repair of DNA damage produced by three different agents relevant to etiology or therapy of cancer: methyl-methanesulfonate, UV irradiation, and mitomycin C. Moreover, we demonstrate the utility of this method by analyzing DNA repair in cells with reduced levels of WRN or of the base excision repair protein XRCC1. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Checkpoint independence of most DNA replication origins in fission yeast

    PubMed Central

    Mickle, Katie L; Ramanathan, Sunita; Rosebrock, Adam; Oliva, Anna; Chaudari, Amna; Yompakdee, Chulee; Scott, Donna; Leatherwood, Janet; Huberman, Joel A

    2007-01-01

    Background In budding yeast, the replication checkpoint slows progress through S phase by inhibiting replication origin firing. In mammals, the replication checkpoint inhibits both origin firing and replication fork movement. To find out which strategy is employed in the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, we used microarrays to investigate the use of origins by wild-type and checkpoint-mutant strains in the presence of hydroxyurea (HU), which limits the pool of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) and activates the replication checkpoint. The checkpoint-mutant cells carried deletions either of rad3 (which encodes the fission yeast homologue of ATR) or cds1 (which encodes the fission yeast homologue of Chk2). Results Our microarray results proved to be largely consistent with those independently obtained and recently published by three other laboratories. However, we were able to reconcile differences between the previous studies regarding the extent to which fission yeast replication origins are affected by the replication checkpoint. We found (consistent with the three previous studies after appropriate interpretation) that, in surprising contrast to budding yeast, most fission yeast origins, including both early- and late-firing origins, are not significantly affected by checkpoint mutations during replication in the presence of HU. A few origins (~3%) behaved like those in budding yeast: they replicated earlier in the checkpoint mutants than in wild type. These were located primarily in the heterochromatic subtelomeric regions of chromosomes 1 and 2. Indeed, the subtelomeric regions defined by the strongest checkpoint restraint correspond precisely to previously mapped subtelomeric heterochromatin. This observation implies that subtelomeric heterochromatin in fission yeast differs from heterochromatin at centromeres, in the mating type region, and in ribosomal DNA, since these regions replicated at least as efficiently in wild-type cells as in

  3. Human Papilloma Viral DNA Replicates as a Stable Episome in Cultured Epidermal Keratinocytes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Laporta, Robert F.; Taichman, Lorne B.

    1982-06-01

    Human papilloma virus (HPV) is poorly understood because systems for its growth in tissue culture have not been developed. We report here that cultured human epidermal keratinocytes could be infected with HPV from plantar warts and that the viral DNA persisted and replicated as a stable episome. There were 50-200 copies of viral DNA per cell and there was no evidence to indicate integration of viral DNA into the cellular genome. There was also no evidence to suggest that viral DNA underwent productive replication. We conclude that cultured human epidermal keratinocytes may be a model for the study of certain aspects of HPV biology.

  4. Stochastic Endogenous Replication Stress Causes ATR-Triggered Fluctuations in CDK2 Activity that Dynamically Adjust Global DNA Synthesis Rates.

    PubMed

    Daigh, Leighton H; Liu, Chad; Chung, Mingyu; Cimprich, Karlene A; Meyer, Tobias

    2018-06-04

    Faithful DNA replication is challenged by stalling of replication forks during S phase. Replication stress is further increased in cancer cells or in response to genotoxic insults. Using live single-cell image analysis, we found that CDK2 activity fluctuates throughout an unperturbed S phase. We show that CDK2 fluctuations result from transient ATR signals triggered by stochastic replication stress events. In turn, fluctuating endogenous CDK2 activity causes corresponding decreases and increases in DNA synthesis rates, linking changes in stochastic replication stress to fluctuating global DNA replication rates throughout S phase. Moreover, cells that re-enter the cell cycle after mitogen stimulation have increased CDK2 fluctuations and prolonged S phase resulting from increased replication stress-induced CDK2 suppression. Thus, our study reveals a dynamic control principle for DNA replication whereby CDK2 activity is suppressed and fluctuates throughout S phase to continually adjust global DNA synthesis rates in response to recurring stochastic replication stress events. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  5. Genome-wide mapping of nuclear mitochondrial DNA sequences links DNA replication origins to chromosomal double-strand break formation in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

    PubMed Central

    Lenglez, Sandrine; Hermand, Damien; Decottignies, Anabelle

    2010-01-01

    Chromosomal double-strand breaks (DSBs) threaten genome integrity and repair of these lesions is often mutagenic. How and where DSBs are formed is a major question conveniently addressed in simple model organisms like yeast. NUMTs, nuclear DNA sequences of mitochondrial origin, are present in most eukaryotic genomes and probably result from the capture of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) fragments into chromosomal breaks. NUMT formation is ongoing and was reported to cause de novo human genetic diseases. Study of NUMTs is likely to contribute to the understanding of naturally occurring chromosomal breaks. We show that Schizosaccharomyces pombe NUMTs are exclusively located in noncoding regions with no preference for gene promoters and, when located into promoters, do not affect gene transcription level. Strikingly, most noncoding regions comprising NUMTs are also associated with a DNA replication origin (ORI). Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that chromosomal NUMTs are probably not acting as ORI on their own but that mtDNA insertions occurred directly next to ORIs, suggesting that these loci may be prone to DSB formation. Accordingly, induction of excessive DNA replication origin firing, a phenomenon often associated with human tumor formation, resulted in frequent nucleotide deletion events within ORI3001 subtelomeric chromosomal locus, illustrating a novel aspect of DNA replication-driven genomic instability. How mtDNA is fragmented is another important issue that we addressed by sequencing experimentally induced NUMTs. This highlighted regions of S. pombe mtDNA prone to breaking. Together with an analysis of human NUMTs, we propose that these fragile sites in mtDNA may correspond to replication pause sites. PMID:20688779

  6. An asymmetric structure of the Bacillus subtilis replication terminator protein in complex with DNA.

    PubMed

    Vivian, J P; Porter, C J; Wilce, J A; Wilce, M C J

    2007-07-13

    In Bacillus subtilis, the termination of DNA replication via polar fork arrest is effected by a specific protein:DNA complex formed between the replication terminator protein (RTP) and DNA terminator sites. We report the crystal structure of a replication terminator protein homologue (RTP.C110S) of B. subtilis in complex with the high affinity component of one of its cognate DNA termination sites, known as the TerI B-site, refined at 2.5 A resolution. The 21 bp RTP:DNA complex displays marked structural asymmetry in both the homodimeric protein and the DNA. This is in contrast to the previously reported complex formed with a symmetrical TerI B-site homologue. The induced asymmetry is consistent with the complex's solution properties as determined using NMR spectroscopy. Concomitant with this asymmetry is variation in the protein:DNA binding pattern for each of the subunits of the RTP homodimer. It is proposed that the asymmetric "wing" positions, as well as other asymmetrical features of the RTP:DNA complex, are critical for the cooperative binding that underlies the mechanism of polar fork arrest at the complete terminator site.

  7. Nuclear DNA Replication in Trypanosomatids: There Are No Easy Methods for Solving Difficult Problems.

    PubMed

    da Silva, Marcelo S; Pavani, Raphael S; Damasceno, Jeziel D; Marques, Catarina A; McCulloch, Richard; Tosi, Luiz Ricardo Orsini; Elias, Maria Carolina

    2017-11-01

    In trypanosomatids, etiological agents of devastating diseases, replication is robust and finely controlled to maintain genome stability and function in stressful environments. However, these parasites encode several replication protein components and complexes that show potentially variant composition compared with model eukaryotes. This review focuses on the advances made in recent years regarding the differences and peculiarities of the replication machinery in trypanosomatids, including how such divergence might affect DNA replication dynamics and the replication stress response. Comparing the DNA replication machinery and processes of parasites and their hosts may provide a foundation for the identification of targets that can be used in the development of chemotherapies to assist in the eradication of diseases caused by these pathogens. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  8. Genomic profiling reveals extensive heterogeneity in somatic DNA copy number aberrations of canine hemangiosarcoma

    PubMed Central

    Thomas, Rachael; Borst, Luke; Rotroff, Daniel; Motsinger-Reif, Alison; Lindblad-Toh, Kerstin; Modiano, Jaime F.; Breen, Matthew

    2017-01-01

    Canine hemangiosarcoma is a highly aggressive vascular neoplasm associated with extensive clinical and anatomical heterogeneity and a grave prognosis. Comprehensive molecular characterization of hemangiosarcoma may identify novel therapeutic targets and advanced clinical management strategies, but there are no published reports of tumor-associated genome instability and disrupted gene dosage in this cancer. We performed genome-wide microarray-based somatic DNA copy number profiling of 75 primary intra-abdominal hemangiosarcomas from five popular dog breeds that are highly predisposed to this disease. The cohort exhibited limited global genomic instability, compared to other canine sarcomas studied to date, and DNA copy number aberrations (CNAs) were predominantly of low amplitude. Recurrent imbalances of several key cancer-associated genes were evident; however the global penetrance of any single CNA was low and no distinct hallmark aberrations were evident. Copy number gains of dog chromosomes 13, 24 and 31, and loss of chromosome 16, were the most recurrent CNAs involving large chromosome regions, but their relative distribution within and between cases suggests they most likely represent passenger aberrations. CNAs involving CDKN2A, VEGFA and the SKI oncogene were identified as potential driver aberrations of hemangiosarcoma development, highlighting potential targets for therapeutic modulation. CNA profiles were broadly conserved between the five breeds, although subregional variation was evident, including a near two-fold lower incidence of VEGFA gain in Golden Retrievers versus other breeds (22% versus 40%). These observations support prior transcriptional studies suggesting that the clinical heterogeneity of this cancer may reflect the existence of multiple, molecularly-distinct subtypes of canine hemangiosarcoma. PMID:24599718

  9. Genomic profiling reveals extensive heterogeneity in somatic DNA copy number aberrations of canine hemangiosarcoma.

    PubMed

    Thomas, Rachael; Borst, Luke; Rotroff, Daniel; Motsinger-Reif, Alison; Lindblad-Toh, Kerstin; Modiano, Jaime F; Breen, Matthew

    2014-09-01

    Canine hemangiosarcoma is a highly aggressive vascular neoplasm associated with extensive clinical and anatomical heterogeneity and a grave prognosis. Comprehensive molecular characterization of hemangiosarcoma may identify novel therapeutic targets and advanced clinical management strategies, but there are no published reports of tumor-associated genome instability and disrupted gene dosage in this cancer. We performed genome-wide microarray-based somatic DNA copy number profiling of 75 primary intra-abdominal hemangiosarcomas from five popular dog breeds that are highly predisposed to this disease. The cohort exhibited limited global genomic instability, compared to other canine sarcomas studied to date, and DNA copy number aberrations (CNAs) were predominantly of low amplitude. Recurrent imbalances of several key cancer-associated genes were evident; however, the global penetrance of any single CNA was low and no distinct hallmark aberrations were evident. Copy number gains of dog chromosomes 13, 24, and 31, and loss of chromosome 16, were the most recurrent CNAs involving large chromosome regions, but their relative distribution within and between cases suggests they most likely represent passenger aberrations. CNAs involving CDKN2A, VEGFA, and the SKI oncogene were identified as potential driver aberrations of hemangiosarcoma development, highlighting potential targets for therapeutic modulation. CNA profiles were broadly conserved between the five breeds, although subregional variation was evident, including a near twofold lower incidence of VEGFA gain in Golden Retrievers versus other breeds (22 versus 40 %). These observations support prior transcriptional studies suggesting that the clinical heterogeneity of this cancer may reflect the existence of multiple, molecularly distinct subtypes of canine hemangiosarcoma.

  10. Proteome-wide analysis of SUMO2 targets in response to pathological DNA replication stress in human cells.

    PubMed

    Bursomanno, Sara; Beli, Petra; Khan, Asif M; Minocherhomji, Sheroy; Wagner, Sebastian A; Bekker-Jensen, Simon; Mailand, Niels; Choudhary, Chunaram; Hickson, Ian D; Liu, Ying

    2015-01-01

    SUMOylation is a form of post-translational modification involving covalent attachment of SUMO (Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier) polypeptides to specific lysine residues in the target protein. In human cells, there are four SUMO proteins, SUMO1-4, with SUMO2 and SUMO3 forming a closely related subfamily. SUMO2/3, in contrast to SUMO1, are predominantly involved in the cellular response to certain stresses, including heat shock. Substantial evidence from studies in yeast has shown that SUMOylation plays an important role in the regulation of DNA replication and repair. Here, we report a proteomic analysis of proteins modified by SUMO2 in response to DNA replication stress in S phase in human cells. We have identified a panel of 22 SUMO2 targets with increased SUMOylation during DNA replication stress, many of which play key functions within the DNA replication machinery and/or in the cellular response to DNA damage. Interestingly, POLD3 was found modified most significantly in response to a low dose aphidicolin treatment protocol that promotes common fragile site (CFS) breakage. POLD3 is the human ortholog of POL32 in budding yeast, and has been shown to act during break-induced recombinational repair. We have also shown that deficiency of POLD3 leads to an increase in RPA-bound ssDNA when cells are under replication stress, suggesting that POLD3 plays a role in the cellular response to DNA replication stress. Considering that DNA replication stress is a source of genome instability, and that excessive replication stress is a hallmark of pre-neoplastic and tumor cells, our characterization of SUMO2 targets during a perturbed S-phase should provide a valuable resource for future functional studies in the fields of DNA metabolism and cancer biology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Recombinase and translesion DNA polymerase decrease the speed of replication fork progression during the DNA damage response in Escherichia coli cells

    PubMed Central

    Tan, Kang Wei; Pham, Tuan Minh; Furukohri, Asako; Maki, Hisaji; Akiyama, Masahiro Tatsumi

    2015-01-01

    The SOS response is a DNA damage response pathway that serves as a general safeguard of genome integrity in bacteria. Extensive studies of the SOS response in Escherichia coli have contributed to establishing the key concepts of cellular responses to DNA damage. However, how the SOS response impacts on the dynamics of DNA replication fork movement remains unknown. We found that inducing the SOS response decreases the mean speed of individual replication forks by 30–50% in E. coli cells, leading to a 20–30% reduction in overall DNA synthesis. dinB and recA belong to a group of genes that are upregulated during the SOS response, and encode the highly conserved proteins DinB (also known as DNA polymerase IV) and RecA, which, respectively, specializes in translesion DNA synthesis and functions as the central recombination protein. Both genes were independently responsible for the SOS-dependent slowdown of replication fork progression. Furthermore, fork speed was reduced when each gene was ectopically expressed in SOS-uninduced cells to the levels at which they are expressed in SOS-induced cells. These results clearly indicate that the increased expression of dinB and recA performs a novel role in restraining the progression of an unperturbed replication fork during the SOS response. PMID:25628359

  12. Spatiotemporal coupling and decoupling of gene transcription with DNA replication origins during embryogenesis in C. elegans

    PubMed Central

    Pourkarimi, Ehsan; Bellush, James M; Whitehouse, Iestyn

    2016-01-01

    The primary task of developing embryos is genome replication, yet how DNA replication is integrated with the profound cellular changes that occur through development is largely unknown. Using an approach to map DNA replication at high resolution in C. elegans, we show that replication origins are marked with specific histone modifications that define gene enhancers. We demonstrate that the level of enhancer associated modifications scale with the efficiency at which the origin is utilized. By mapping replication origins at different developmental stages, we show that the positions and activity of origins is largely invariant through embryogenesis. Contrary to expectation, we find that replication origins are specified prior to the broad onset of zygotic transcription, yet when transcription initiates it does so in close proximity to the pre-defined replication origins. Transcription and DNA replication origins are correlated, but the association breaks down when embryonic cell division ceases. Collectively, our data indicate that replication origins are fundamental organizers and regulators of gene activity through embryonic development. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.21728.001 PMID:28009254

  13. DNA replication checkpoint promotes G1-S transcription by inactivating the MBF repressor Nrm1

    PubMed Central

    de Bruin, R. A. M.; Kalashnikova, T. I.; Aslanian, A.; Wohlschlegel, J.; Chahwan, C.; Yates, J. R.; Russell, P.; Wittenberg, C.

    2008-01-01

    The cell cycle transcriptional program imposes order on events of the cell-cycle and is a target for signals that regulate cell-cycle progression, including checkpoints required to maintain genome integrity. Neither the mechanism nor functional significance of checkpoint regulation of the cell-cycle transcription program are established. We show that Nrm1, an MBF-specific transcriptional repressor acting at the transition from G1 to S phase of the cell cycle, is at the nexus between the cell cycle transcriptional program and the DNA replication checkpoint in fission yeast. Phosphorylation of Nrm1 by the Cds1 (Chk2) checkpoint protein kinase, which is activated in response to DNA replication stress, promotes its dissociation from the MBF transcription factor. This leads to the expression of genes encoding components that function in DNA replication and repair pathways important for cell survival in response to arrested DNA replication. PMID:18682565

  14. Viral DNA Replication Orientation and hnRNPs Regulate Transcription of the Human Papillomavirus 18 Late Promoter.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xiaohong; Liu, Haibin; Ge, Hui; Ajiro, Masahiko; Sharma, Nishi R; Meyers, Craig; Morozov, Pavel; Tuschl, Thomas; Klar, Amar; Court, Donald; Zheng, Zhi-Ming

    2017-05-30

    The life cycle of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) is tightly linked to keratinocyte differentiation. Although expression of viral early genes is initiated immediately upon virus infection of undifferentiated basal cells, viral DNA amplification and late gene expression occur only in the mid to upper strata of the keratinocytes undergoing terminal differentiation. In this report, we show that the relative activity of HPV18 TATA-less late promoter P 811 depends on its orientation relative to that of the origin (Ori) of viral DNA replication and is sensitive to the eukaryotic DNA polymerase inhibitor aphidicolin. Additionally, transfected 70-nucleotide (nt)-long single-strand DNA oligonucleotides that are homologous to the region near Ori induce late promoter activity. We also found that promoter activation in raft cultures leads to production of the late promoter-associated, sense-strand transcription initiation RNAs (tiRNAs) and splice-site small RNAs (spliRNAs). Finally, a cis -acting AAGTATGCA core element that functions as a repressor to the promoter was identified. This element interacts with hnRNP D0B and hnRNP A/B factors. Point mutations in the core prevented binding of hnRNPs and increased the promoter activity. Confirming this result, knocking down the expression of both hnRNPs in keratinocytes led to increased promoter activity. Taking the data together, our study revealed the mechanism of how the HPV18 late promoter is regulated by DNA replication and host factors. IMPORTANCE It has been known for decades that the activity of viral late promoters is associated with viral DNA replication among almost all DNA viruses. However, the mechanism of how DNA replication activates the viral late promoter and what components of the replication machinery are involved remain largely unknown. In this study, we characterized the P 811 promoter region of HPV18 and demonstrated that its activation depends on the orientation of DNA replication. Using single

  15. A major role of DNA polymerase δ in replication of both the leading and lagging DNA strands

    PubMed Central

    Prakash, Louise; Prakash, Satya

    2015-01-01

    SUMMARY Genetic studies with S. cerevisiae Polδ (pol3-L612M) and Polε (pol2-M644G) mutant alleles, each of which display a higher rate for the generation of a specific mismatch, have led to the conclusion that Polε is the primary leading strand replicase and that Polδ is restricted to replicating the lagging strand template. Contrary to this widely accepted view, here we show that Polδ plays a major role in the replication of both DNA strands, and that the paucity of pol3-L612M generated errors on the leading strand results from their more proficient removal. Thus, the apparent lack of Polδ contribution to leading strand replication is due to differential mismatch removal rather than differential mismatch generation. Altogether, our genetic studies with Pol3 and Pol2 mutator alleles support the conclusion that Polδ, and not Polε, is the major DNA polymerase for carrying out both leading and lagging DNA synthesis. PMID:26145172

  16. XRN2 Links Transcription Termination to DNA Damage and Replication Stress

    PubMed Central

    Patidar, Praveen L.; Motea, Edward A.; Dang, Tuyen T.; Manley, James L.

    2016-01-01

    XRN2 is a 5’-3’ exoribonuclease implicated in transcription termination. Here we demonstrate an unexpected role for XRN2 in the DNA damage response involving resolution of R-loop structures and prevention of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). We show that XRN2 undergoes DNA damage-inducible nuclear re-localization, co-localizing with 53BP1 and R loops, in a transcription and R-loop-dependent process. XRN2 loss leads to increased R loops, genomic instability, replication stress, DSBs and hypersensitivity of cells to various DNA damaging agents. We demonstrate that the DSBs that arise with XRN2 loss occur at transcriptional pause sites. XRN2-deficient cells also exhibited an R-loop- and transcription-dependent delay in DSB repair after ionizing radiation, suggesting a novel role for XRN2 in R-loop resolution, suppression of replication stress, and maintenance of genomic stability. Our study highlights the importance of regulating transcription-related activities as a critical component in maintaining genetic stability. PMID:27437695

  17. XRN2 Links Transcription Termination to DNA Damage and Replication Stress.

    PubMed

    Morales, Julio C; Richard, Patricia; Patidar, Praveen L; Motea, Edward A; Dang, Tuyen T; Manley, James L; Boothman, David A

    2016-07-01

    XRN2 is a 5'-3' exoribonuclease implicated in transcription termination. Here we demonstrate an unexpected role for XRN2 in the DNA damage response involving resolution of R-loop structures and prevention of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). We show that XRN2 undergoes DNA damage-inducible nuclear re-localization, co-localizing with 53BP1 and R loops, in a transcription and R-loop-dependent process. XRN2 loss leads to increased R loops, genomic instability, replication stress, DSBs and hypersensitivity of cells to various DNA damaging agents. We demonstrate that the DSBs that arise with XRN2 loss occur at transcriptional pause sites. XRN2-deficient cells also exhibited an R-loop- and transcription-dependent delay in DSB repair after ionizing radiation, suggesting a novel role for XRN2 in R-loop resolution, suppression of replication stress, and maintenance of genomic stability. Our study highlights the importance of regulating transcription-related activities as a critical component in maintaining genetic stability.

  18. THE FORK AND THE KINASE: A DNA REPLICATION TALE FROM A CHK1 PERSPECTIVE

    PubMed Central

    González Besteiro, Marina A.; Gottifredi, Vanesa

    2014-01-01

    Replication fork progression is being continuously hampered by exogenously introduced and naturally occurring DNA lesions and other physical obstacles. The checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) is activated at replication forks that encounter damaged-DNA. Chk1 inhibits the initiation of new replication factories and stimulates the firing of dormant origins (those in the vicinity of stalled forks). Chk1 also avoids fork collapse into DSBs (double strand breaks) and promotes fork elongation. At the molecular level, the current model considers stalled forks as the site of Chk1 activation and the nucleoplasm as the location where Chk1 phosphorylates target proteins. This model certainly serves to explain how Chk1 modulates origin firing, but how Chk1 controls the fate of stalled forks is less clear. Interestingly, recent reports demonstrating that Chk1 phosphorylates chromatin-bound proteins and even holds kinase-independent functions might shed light on how Chk1 contributes to the elongation of damaged DNA. Such findings unveil a puzzling connection between Chk1 and DNA-lesion bypass, which might be central to promoting fork elongation and checkpoint attenuation. In summary, the multifaceted and versatile functions of Chk1 at ongoing forks and replication origins determine the extent and quality of the cellular response to replication stress. PMID:25795119

  19. Phosphorylated STAT5 directly facilitates parvovirus B19 DNA replication in human erythroid progenitors through interaction with the MCM complex.

    PubMed

    Ganaie, Safder S; Zou, Wei; Xu, Peng; Deng, Xuefeng; Kleiboeker, Steve; Qiu, Jianming

    2017-05-01

    Productive infection of human parvovirus B19 (B19V) exhibits high tropism for burst forming unit erythroid (BFU-E) and colony forming unit erythroid (CFU-E) progenitor cells in human bone marrow and fetal liver. This exclusive restriction of the virus replication to human erythroid progenitor cells is partly due to the intracellular factors that are essential for viral DNA replication, including erythropoietin signaling. Efficient B19V replication also requires hypoxic conditions, which upregulate the signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) pathway, and phosphorylated STAT5 is essential for virus replication. In this study, our results revealed direct involvement of STAT5 in B19V DNA replication. Consensus STAT5-binding elements were identified adjacent to the NS1-binding element within the minimal origins of viral DNA replication in the B19V genome. Phosphorylated STAT5 specifically interacted with viral DNA replication origins both in vivo and in vitro, and was actively recruited within the viral DNA replication centers. Notably, STAT5 interacted with minichromosome maintenance (MCM) complex, suggesting that STAT5 directly facilitates viral DNA replication by recruiting the helicase complex of the cellular DNA replication machinery to viral DNA replication centers. The FDA-approved drug pimozide dephosphorylates STAT5, and it inhibited B19V replication in ex vivo expanded human erythroid progenitors. Our results demonstrated that pimozide could be a promising antiviral drug for treatment of B19V-related diseases.

  20. Phosphorylated STAT5 directly facilitates parvovirus B19 DNA replication in human erythroid progenitors through interaction with the MCM complex

    PubMed Central

    Ganaie, Safder S.; Zou, Wei; Xu, Peng; Deng, Xuefeng; Kleiboeker, Steve

    2017-01-01

    Productive infection of human parvovirus B19 (B19V) exhibits high tropism for burst forming unit erythroid (BFU-E) and colony forming unit erythroid (CFU-E) progenitor cells in human bone marrow and fetal liver. This exclusive restriction of the virus replication to human erythroid progenitor cells is partly due to the intracellular factors that are essential for viral DNA replication, including erythropoietin signaling. Efficient B19V replication also requires hypoxic conditions, which upregulate the signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) pathway, and phosphorylated STAT5 is essential for virus replication. In this study, our results revealed direct involvement of STAT5 in B19V DNA replication. Consensus STAT5-binding elements were identified adjacent to the NS1-binding element within the minimal origins of viral DNA replication in the B19V genome. Phosphorylated STAT5 specifically interacted with viral DNA replication origins both in vivo and in vitro, and was actively recruited within the viral DNA replication centers. Notably, STAT5 interacted with minichromosome maintenance (MCM) complex, suggesting that STAT5 directly facilitates viral DNA replication by recruiting the helicase complex of the cellular DNA replication machinery to viral DNA replication centers. The FDA-approved drug pimozide dephosphorylates STAT5, and it inhibited B19V replication in ex vivo expanded human erythroid progenitors. Our results demonstrated that pimozide could be a promising antiviral drug for treatment of B19V-related diseases. PMID:28459842

  1. Genomic Instability in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Arises from Replicative Stress and Chromosome Condensation Defects.

    PubMed

    Lamm, Noa; Ben-David, Uri; Golan-Lev, Tamar; Storchová, Zuzana; Benvenisty, Nissim; Kerem, Batsheva

    2016-02-04

    Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) frequently acquire chromosomal aberrations such as aneuploidy in culture. These aberrations progressively increase over time and may compromise the properties and clinical utility of the cells. The underlying mechanisms that drive initial genomic instability and its continued progression are largely unknown. Here, we show that aneuploid hPSCs undergo DNA replication stress, resulting in defective chromosome condensation and segregation. Aneuploid hPSCs show altered levels of actin cytoskeletal genes controlled by the transcription factor SRF, and overexpression of SRF rescues impaired chromosome condensation and segregation defects in aneuploid hPSCs. Furthermore, SRF downregulation in diploid hPSCs induces replication stress and perturbed condensation similar to that seen in aneuploid cells. Together, these results suggest that decreased SRF expression induces replicative stress and chromosomal condensation defects that underlie the ongoing chromosomal instability seen in aneuploid hPSCs. A similar mechanism may also operate during initiation of instability in diploid cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Structure of nascent replicative form DNA of coliphage M13

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dasgupta, S.; Mitra, S.

    Nascent replicative form type II (RFII) DNA of coliphage M13 synthesized in an Escherichia coli mutant deficient in the 5' ..-->.. 3' exonuclease associated with DNA polymerase I contains ribonucleotides that are retained in the covalently closed RFI DNA sealed in vitro by the joint action of T5 phage DNA polymerase and T4 phage DNA ligase. These RFI molecules are labile to alkali and RNase H, unlike the RFI produced either in vivo or from RFII with E. coli DNA polymerase I and E. coli DNA ligase. The ribonucleotides are located at one site and predominantly in one strand ofmore » the nascent RF DNA. Furthermore, these molecules contain multiple small gaps, randomly located, and one large gap in the intracistronic region.« less

  3. Phosphorylation of Minichromosome Maintenance 3 (MCM3) by Checkpoint Kinase 1 (Chk1) Negatively Regulates DNA Replication and Checkpoint Activation.

    PubMed

    Han, Xiangzi; Mayca Pozo, Franklin; Wisotsky, Jacob N; Wang, Benlian; Jacobberger, James W; Zhang, Youwei

    2015-05-08

    Mechanisms controlling DNA replication and replication checkpoint are critical for the maintenance of genome stability and the prevention or treatment of human cancers. Checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) is a key effector protein kinase that regulates the DNA damage response and replication checkpoint. The heterohexameric minichromosome maintenance (MCM) complex is the core component of mammalian DNA helicase and has been implicated in replication checkpoint activation. Here we report that Chk1 phosphorylates the MCM3 subunit of the MCM complex at Ser-205 under normal growth conditions. Mutating the Ser-205 of MCM3 to Ala increased the length of DNA replication track and shortened the S phase duration, indicating that Ser-205 phosphorylation negatively controls normal DNA replication. Upon replicative stress treatment, the inhibitory phosphorylation of MCM3 at Ser-205 was reduced, and this reduction was accompanied with the generation of single strand DNA, the key platform for ataxia telangiectasia mutated and Rad3-related (ATR) activation. As a result, the replication checkpoint is activated. Together, these data provide significant insights into the regulation of both normal DNA replication and replication checkpoint activation through the novel phosphorylation of MCM3 by Chk1. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

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

    PubMed Central

    Hegde, Muralidhar L.; Hegde, Pavana M.; Bellot, Larry J.; Mandal, Santi M.; Hazra, Tapas K.; Li, Guo-Min; Boldogh, Istvan; Tomkinson, Alan E.; Mitra, Sankar

    2013-01-01

    Base oxidation by endogenous and environmentally induced reactive oxygen species preferentially occurs in replicating single-stranded templates in mammalian genomes, warranting prereplicative repair of the mutagenic base lesions. It is not clear how such lesions (which, unlike bulky adducts, do not block replication) are recognized for repair. Furthermore, strand breaks caused by base excision from ssDNA by DNA glycosylases, including Nei-like (NEIL) 1, would generate double-strand breaks during replication, which are not experimentally observed. NEIL1, whose deficiency causes a mutator phenotype and is activated during the S phase, is present in the DNA replication complex isolated from human cells, with enhanced association with DNA in S-phase cells and colocalization with replication foci containing DNA replication proteins. Furthermore, NEIL1 binds to 5-hydroxyuracil, the oxidative deamination product of C, in replication protein A-coated ssDNA template and inhibits DNA synthesis by DNA polymerase δ. We postulate that, upon encountering an oxidized base during replication, NEIL1 initiates prereplicative repair by acting as a “cowcatcher” and preventing nascent chain growth. Regression of the stalled replication fork, possibly mediated by annealing helicases, then allows lesion repair in the reannealed duplex. This model is supported by our observations that NEIL1, whose deficiency slows nascent chain growth in oxidatively stressed cells, is stimulated by replication proteins in vitro. Furthermore, deficiency of the closely related NEIL2 alone does not affect chain elongation, but combined NEIL1/2 deficiency further inhibits DNA replication. These results support a mechanism of NEIL1-mediated prereplicative repair of oxidized bases in the replicating strand, with NEIL2 providing a backup function. PMID:23898192

  5. Chromosomal Aberrations in DNA Repair Defective Cell Lines: Comparisons of Dose Rate and Radiation Quality

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    George, K. A.; Hada, M.; Patel, Z.; Huff, J.; Pluth, J. M.; Cucinotta, F. A.

    2009-01-01

    Chromosome aberration yields were assessed in DNA double-strand break repair (DSB) deficient cells after acute doses of gamma-rays or high-LET iron nuclei, or low dose-rate (0.018 Gy/hr) gamma-rays. We studied several cell lines including fibroblasts deficient in ATM (product of the gene that is mutated in ataxia telangiectasia patients) or NBS (product of the gene mutated in the Nijmegen breakage syndrome), and gliomablastoma cells that are proficient or lacking in DNA-dependent protein kinase, DNA-PK activity. Chromosomes were analyzed using the fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) chromosome painting method in cells at the first division post-irradiation and chromosome aberrations were identified as either simple exchanges (translocations and dicentrics) or complex exchanges (involving >2 breaks in 2 or more chromosomes). Gamma radiation induced higher yields of both simple and complex exchanges in the DSB repair defective cells than in the normal cells. The quadratic dose-response terms for both chromosome exchange types were significantly higher for the ATM and NBS defective lines than for normal fibroblasts. However, the linear dose-response term was significantly higher only for simple exchanges in the NBS cells. Large increases in the quadratic dose response terms indicate the important roles of ATM and NBS in chromatin modifications that facilitate correct DSB repair and minimize aberration formation. Differences in the response of AT and NBS deficient cells at lower doses suggests important questions about the applicability of observations of radiation sensitivity at high dose to low dose exposures. For all iron nuclei irradiated cells, regression models preferred purely linear and quadratic dose responses for simple and complex exchanges, respectively. All the DNA repair defective cell lines had lower Relative biological effectiveness (RBE) values than normal cells, the lowest being for the DNA-PK-deficient cells, which was near unity. To further

  6. Platinum nanoparticles induce damage to DNA and inhibit DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Nejdl, Lukas; Kudr, Jiri; Moulick, Amitava; Hegerova, Dagmar; Ruttkay-Nedecky, Branislav; Gumulec, Jaromir; Cihalova, Kristyna; Smerkova, Kristyna; Dostalova, Simona; Krizkova, Sona; Novotna, Marie; Kopel, Pavel; Adam, Vojtech

    2017-01-01

    Sparsely tested group of platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) may have a comparable effect as complex platinum compounds. The aim of this study was to observe the effect of PtNPs in in vitro amplification of DNA fragment of phage λ, on the bacterial cultures (Staphylococcus aureus), human foreskin fibroblasts and erythrocytes. In vitro synthesized PtNPs were characterized by dynamic light scattering (PtNPs size range 4.8-11.7 nm), zeta potential measurements (-15 mV at pH 7.4), X-ray fluorescence, UV/vis spectrophotometry and atomic absorption spectrometry. The PtNPs inhibited the DNA replication and affected the secondary structure of DNA at higher concentrations, which was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction, DNA sequencing and DNA denaturation experiments. Further, cisplatin (CisPt), as traditional chemotherapy agent, was used in all parallel experiments. Moreover, the encapsulation of PtNPs in liposomes (LipoPtNPs) caused an approximately 2.4x higher of DNA damage in comparison with CisPt, LipoCisPt and PtNPs. The encapsulation of PtNPs in liposomes also increased their antibacterial, cytostatic and cytotoxic effect, which was determined by the method of growth curves on S. aureus and HFF cells. In addition, both the bare and encapsulated PtNPs caused lower oxidative stress (determined by GSH/GSSG ratio) in the human erythrocytes compared to the bare and encapsulated CisPt. CisPt was used in all parallel experiments as traditional chemotherapy agent.

  7. Platinum nanoparticles induce damage to DNA and inhibit DNA replication

    PubMed Central

    Nejdl, Lukas; Kudr, Jiri; Moulick, Amitava; Hegerova, Dagmar; Ruttkay-Nedecky, Branislav; Gumulec, Jaromir; Cihalova, Kristyna; Smerkova, Kristyna; Dostalova, Simona; Krizkova, Sona; Novotna, Marie; Kopel, Pavel

    2017-01-01

    Sparsely tested group of platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) may have a comparable effect as complex platinum compounds. The aim of this study was to observe the effect of PtNPs in in vitro amplification of DNA fragment of phage λ, on the bacterial cultures (Staphylococcus aureus), human foreskin fibroblasts and erythrocytes. In vitro synthesized PtNPs were characterized by dynamic light scattering (PtNPs size range 4.8–11.7 nm), zeta potential measurements (-15 mV at pH 7.4), X-ray fluorescence, UV/vis spectrophotometry and atomic absorption spectrometry. The PtNPs inhibited the DNA replication and affected the secondary structure of DNA at higher concentrations, which was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction, DNA sequencing and DNA denaturation experiments. Further, cisplatin (CisPt), as traditional chemotherapy agent, was used in all parallel experiments. Moreover, the encapsulation of PtNPs in liposomes (LipoPtNPs) caused an approximately 2.4x higher of DNA damage in comparison with CisPt, LipoCisPt and PtNPs. The encapsulation of PtNPs in liposomes also increased their antibacterial, cytostatic and cytotoxic effect, which was determined by the method of growth curves on S. aureus and HFF cells. In addition, both the bare and encapsulated PtNPs caused lower oxidative stress (determined by GSH/GSSG ratio) in the human erythrocytes compared to the bare and encapsulated CisPt. CisPt was used in all parallel experiments as traditional chemotherapy agent. PMID:28704436

  8. Interpreting Chromosome Aberration Spectra

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Levy, Dan; Reeder, Christopher; Loucas, Bradford; Hlatky, Lynn; Chen, Allen; Cornforth, Michael; Sachs, Rainer

    2007-01-01

    Ionizing radiation can damage cells by breaking both strands of DNA in multiple locations, essentially cutting chromosomes into pieces. The cell has enzymatic mechanisms to repair such breaks; however, these mechanisms are imperfect and, in an exchange process, may produce a large-scale rearrangement of the genome, called a chromosome aberration. Chromosome aberrations are important in killing cells, during carcinogenesis, in characterizing repair/misrepair pathways, in retrospective radiation biodosimetry, and in a number of other ways. DNA staining techniques such as mFISH ( multicolor fluorescent in situ hybridization) provide a means for analyzing aberration spectra by examining observed final patterns. Unfortunately, an mFISH observed final pattern often does not uniquely determine the underlying exchange process. Further, resolution limitations in the painting protocol sometimes lead to apparently incomplete final patterns. We here describe an algorithm for systematically finding exchange processes consistent with any observed final pattern. This algorithm uses aberration multigraphs, a mathematical formalism that links the various aspects of aberration formation. By applying a measure to the space of consistent multigraphs, we will show how to generate model-specific distributions of aberration processes from mFISH experimental data. The approach is implemented by software freely available over the internet. As a sample application, we apply these algorithms to an aberration data set, obtaining a distribution of exchange cycle sizes, which serves to measure aberration complexity. Estimating complexity, in turn, helps indicate how damaging the aberrations are and may facilitate identification of radiation type in retrospective biodosimetry.

  9. DNA replication-timing analysis of human chromosome 22 at high resolution and different developmental states.

    PubMed

    White, Eric J; Emanuelsson, Olof; Scalzo, David; Royce, Thomas; Kosak, Steven; Oakeley, Edward J; Weissman, Sherman; Gerstein, Mark; Groudine, Mark; Snyder, Michael; Schübeler, Dirk

    2004-12-21

    Duplication of the genome during the S phase of the cell cycle does not occur simultaneously; rather, different sequences are replicated at different times. The replication timing of specific sequences can change during development; however, the determinants of this dynamic process are poorly understood. To gain insights into the contribution of developmental state, genomic sequence, and transcriptional activity to replication timing, we investigated the timing of DNA replication at high resolution along an entire human chromosome (chromosome 22) in two different cell types. The pattern of replication timing was correlated with respect to annotated genes, gene expression, novel transcribed regions of unknown function, sequence composition, and cytological features. We observed that chromosome 22 contains regions of early- and late-replicating domains of 100 kb to 2 Mb, many (but not all) of which are associated with previously described chromosomal bands. In both cell types, expressed sequences are replicated earlier than nontranscribed regions. However, several highly transcribed regions replicate late. Overall, the DNA replication-timing profiles of the two different cell types are remarkably similar, with only nine regions of difference observed. In one case, this difference reflects the differential expression of an annotated gene that resides in this region. Novel transcribed regions with low coding potential exhibit a strong propensity for early DNA replication. Although the cellular function of such transcripts is poorly understood, our results suggest that their activity is linked to the replication-timing program.

  10. A Role for USP7 in DNA Replication

    PubMed Central

    Jagannathan, Madhav; Nguyen, Tin; Gallo, David; Luthra, Niharika; Brown, Grant W.; Saridakis, Vivian

    2014-01-01

    The minichromosome maintenance (MCM) complex, which plays multiple important roles in DNA replication, is loaded onto chromatin following mitosis, remains on chromatin until the completion of DNA synthesis, and then is unloaded by a poorly defined mechanism that involves the MCM binding protein (MCM-BP). Here we show that MCM-BP directly interacts with the ubiquitin-specific protease USP7, that this interaction occurs predominantly on chromatin, and that MCM-BP can tether USP7 to MCM proteins. Detailed biochemical and structure analyses of the USP7–MCM-BP interaction showed that the 155PSTS158 MCM-BP sequence mediates critical interactions with the TRAF domain binding pocket of USP7. Analysis of the effects of USP7 knockout on DNA replication revealed that lack of USP7 results in slowed progression through late S phase without globally affecting the fork rate or origin usage. Lack of USP7 also resulted in increased levels of MCM proteins on chromatin, and investigation of the cause of this increase revealed a defect in the dissociation of MCM proteins from chromatin in mid- to late S phase. This role of USP7 mirrors the previously described role for MCM-BP in MCM complex unloading and suggests that USP7 works with MCM-BP to unload MCM complexes from chromatin at the end of S phase. PMID:24190967

  11. Genome-wide identification and characterisation of human DNA replication origins by initiation site sequencing (ini-seq)

    PubMed Central

    Langley, Alexander R.; Gräf, Stefan; Smith, James C.; Krude, Torsten

    2016-01-01

    Next-generation sequencing has enabled the genome-wide identification of human DNA replication origins. However, different approaches to mapping replication origins, namely (i) sequencing isolated small nascent DNA strands (SNS-seq); (ii) sequencing replication bubbles (bubble-seq) and (iii) sequencing Okazaki fragments (OK-seq), show only limited concordance. To address this controversy, we describe here an independent high-resolution origin mapping technique that we call initiation site sequencing (ini-seq). In this approach, newly replicated DNA is directly labelled with digoxigenin-dUTP near the sites of its initiation in a cell-free system. The labelled DNA is then immunoprecipitated and genomic locations are determined by DNA sequencing. Using this technique we identify >25,000 discrete origin sites at sub-kilobase resolution on the human genome, with high concordance between biological replicates. Most activated origins identified by ini-seq are found at transcriptional start sites and contain G-quadruplex (G4) motifs. They tend to cluster in early-replicating domains, providing a correlation between early replication timing and local density of activated origins. Origins identified by ini-seq show highest concordance with sites identified by SNS-seq, followed by OK-seq and bubble-seq. Furthermore, germline origins identified by positive nucleotide distribution skew jumps overlap with origins identified by ini-seq and OK-seq more frequently and more specifically than do sites identified by either SNS-seq or bubble-seq. PMID:27587586

  12. Genome-wide identification and characterisation of human DNA replication origins by initiation site sequencing (ini-seq).

    PubMed

    Langley, Alexander R; Gräf, Stefan; Smith, James C; Krude, Torsten

    2016-12-01

    Next-generation sequencing has enabled the genome-wide identification of human DNA replication origins. However, different approaches to mapping replication origins, namely (i) sequencing isolated small nascent DNA strands (SNS-seq); (ii) sequencing replication bubbles (bubble-seq) and (iii) sequencing Okazaki fragments (OK-seq), show only limited concordance. To address this controversy, we describe here an independent high-resolution origin mapping technique that we call initiation site sequencing (ini-seq). In this approach, newly replicated DNA is directly labelled with digoxigenin-dUTP near the sites of its initiation in a cell-free system. The labelled DNA is then immunoprecipitated and genomic locations are determined by DNA sequencing. Using this technique we identify >25,000 discrete origin sites at sub-kilobase resolution on the human genome, with high concordance between biological replicates. Most activated origins identified by ini-seq are found at transcriptional start sites and contain G-quadruplex (G4) motifs. They tend to cluster in early-replicating domains, providing a correlation between early replication timing and local density of activated origins. Origins identified by ini-seq show highest concordance with sites identified by SNS-seq, followed by OK-seq and bubble-seq. Furthermore, germline origins identified by positive nucleotide distribution skew jumps overlap with origins identified by ini-seq and OK-seq more frequently and more specifically than do sites identified by either SNS-seq or bubble-seq. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  13. DNA breaks early in replication in B cell cancers

    Cancer.gov

    Research by scientists at the NCI has identified a new class of DNA sites in cells that break early in the replication process. They found that these break sites correlate with damage often seen in B cell cancers, such as diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

  14. H3K9me3 demethylase Kdm4d facilitates the formation of pre-initiative complex and regulates DNA replication

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Rentian; Wang, Zhiquan; Zhang, Honglian; Gan, Haiyun; Zhang, Zhiguo

    2017-01-01

    DNA replication is tightly regulated to occur once and only once per cell cycle. How chromatin, the physiological substrate of DNA replication machinery, regulates DNA replication remains largely unknown. Here we show that histone H3 lysine 9 demethylase Kdm4d regulates DNA replication in eukaryotic cells. Depletion of Kdm4d results in defects in DNA replication, which can be rescued by the expression of H3K9M, a histone H3 mutant transgene that reverses the effect of Kdm4d on H3K9 methylation. Kdm4d interacts with replication proteins, and its recruitment to DNA replication origins depends on the two pre-replicative complex components (origin recognition complex [ORC] and minichromosome maintenance [MCM] complex). Depletion of Kdm4d impairs the recruitment of Cdc45, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and polymerase δ, but not ORC and MCM proteins. These results demonstrate a novel mechanism by which Kdm4d regulates DNA replication by reducing the H3K9me3 level to facilitate formation of pre-initiative complex. PMID:27679476

  15. Aberration hubs in protein interaction networks highlight actionable targets in cancer.

    PubMed

    Karimzadeh, Mehran; Jandaghi, Pouria; Papadakis, Andreas I; Trainor, Sebastian; Rung, Johan; Gonzàlez-Porta, Mar; Scelo, Ghislaine; Vasudev, Naveen S; Brazma, Alvis; Huang, Sidong; Banks, Rosamonde E; Lathrop, Mark; Najafabadi, Hamed S; Riazalhosseini, Yasser

    2018-05-18

    Despite efforts for extensive molecular characterization of cancer patients, such as the international cancer genome consortium (ICGC) and the cancer genome atlas (TCGA), the heterogeneous nature of cancer and our limited knowledge of the contextual function of proteins have complicated the identification of targetable genes. Here, we present Aberration Hub Analysis for Cancer (AbHAC) as a novel integrative approach to pinpoint aberration hubs, i.e. individual proteins that interact extensively with genes that show aberrant mutation or expression. Our analysis of the breast cancer data of the TCGA and the renal cancer data from the ICGC shows that aberration hubs are involved in relevant cancer pathways, including factors promoting cell cycle and DNA replication in basal-like breast tumors, and Src kinase and VEGF signaling in renal carcinoma. Moreover, our analysis uncovers novel functionally relevant and actionable targets, among which we have experimentally validated abnormal splicing of spleen tyrosine kinase as a key factor for cell proliferation in renal cancer. Thus, AbHAC provides an effective strategy to uncover novel disease factors that are only identifiable by examining mutational and expression data in the context of biological networks.

  16. Preparation of Double-Stranded (Replicative Form) Bacteriophage M13 DNA.

    PubMed

    Green, Michael R; Sambrook, Joseph

    2017-11-01

    The double-stranded, closed-circular, replicative form (RF) of M13 DNA is present in high copy numbers in infected cells, and its physical characteristics are essentially identical to those of closed-circular plasmid DNAs. Any of the methods commonly used to purify plasmid DNA can therefore be used to isolate M13 RF DNA. This protocol describes the isolation of M13 RF DNA by alkaline lysis from small volumes (1-2 mL) of infected bacterial cultures. The yield of DNA (1-4 mg, depending on the size of the M13 clone) is more than enough for most purposes in molecular cloning. However, should more DNA be needed, the procedure can easily be scaled up. © 2017 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

  17. The fork and the kinase: a DNA replication tale from a CHK1 perspective.

    PubMed

    González Besteiro, Marina A; Gottifredi, Vanesa

    2015-01-01

    Replication fork progression is being continuously hampered by exogenously introduced and naturally occurring DNA lesions and other physical obstacles. Checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) is activated at replication forks that encounter damaged DNA. Subsequently, Chk1 inhibits the initiation of new replication factories and stimulates the firing of dormant origins (those in the vicinity of stalled forks). Chk1 also avoids fork collapse into DSBs (double strand breaks) and promotes fork elongation. At the molecular level, the current model considers stalled forks as the site of Chk1 activation and the nucleoplasm as the location where Chk1 phosphorylates target proteins. This model certainly serves to explain how Chk1 modulates origin firing, but how Chk1 controls the fate of stalled forks is less clear. Interestingly, recent reports demonstrating that Chk1 phosphorylates chromatin-bound proteins and even holds kinase-independent functions might shed light on how Chk1 contributes to the elongation of damaged DNA. Indeed, such findings have unveiled a puzzling connection between Chk1 and DNA lesion bypass, which might be central to promoting fork elongation and checkpoint attenuation. In summary, Chk1 is a multifaceted and versatile signaling factor that acts at ongoing forks and replication origins to determine the extent and quality of the cellular response to replication stress. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. DNA-PK/Ku complex binds to latency-associated nuclear antigen and negatively regulates Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus latent replication

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cha, Seho; Lim, Chunghun; Lee, Jae Young

    2010-04-16

    During latent infection, latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) plays important roles in episomal persistence and replication. Several host factors are associated with KSHV latent replication. Here, we show that the catalytic subunit of DNA protein kinase (DNA-PKcs), Ku70, and Ku86 bind the N-terminal region of LANA. LANA was phosphorylated by DNA-PK and overexpression of Ku70, but not Ku86, impaired transient replication. The efficiency of transient replication was significantly increased in the HCT116 (Ku86 +/-) cell line, compared to the HCT116 (Ku86 +/+) cell line, suggesting that the DNA-PK/Ku complex negatively regulates KSHV latent replication.

  19. Chromatin-associated degradation is defined by UBXN-3/FAF1 to safeguard DNA replication fork progression

    PubMed Central

    Franz, André; Pirson, Paul A.; Pilger, Domenic; Halder, Swagata; Achuthankutty, Divya; Kashkar, Hamid; Ramadan, Kristijan; Hoppe, Thorsten

    2016-01-01

    The coordinated activity of DNA replication factors is a highly dynamic process that involves ubiquitin-dependent regulation. In this context, the ubiquitin-directed ATPase CDC-48/p97 recently emerged as a key regulator of chromatin-associated degradation in several of the DNA metabolic pathways that assure genome integrity. However, the spatiotemporal control of distinct CDC-48/p97 substrates in the chromatin environment remained unclear. Here, we report that progression of the DNA replication fork is coordinated by UBXN-3/FAF1. UBXN-3/FAF1 binds to the licensing factor CDT-1 and additional ubiquitylated proteins, thus promoting CDC-48/p97-dependent turnover and disassembly of DNA replication factor complexes. Consequently, inactivation of UBXN-3/FAF1 stabilizes CDT-1 and CDC-45/GINS on chromatin, causing severe defects in replication fork dynamics accompanied by pronounced replication stress and eventually resulting in genome instability. Our work identifies a critical substrate selection module of CDC-48/p97 required for chromatin-associated protein degradation in both Caenorhabditis elegans and humans, which is relevant to oncogenesis and aging. PMID:26842564

  20. Chromatin-associated degradation is defined by UBXN-3/FAF1 to safeguard DNA replication fork progression.

    PubMed

    Franz, André; Pirson, Paul A; Pilger, Domenic; Halder, Swagata; Achuthankutty, Divya; Kashkar, Hamid; Ramadan, Kristijan; Hoppe, Thorsten

    2016-02-04

    The coordinated activity of DNA replication factors is a highly dynamic process that involves ubiquitin-dependent regulation. In this context, the ubiquitin-directed ATPase CDC-48/p97 recently emerged as a key regulator of chromatin-associated degradation in several of the DNA metabolic pathways that assure genome integrity. However, the spatiotemporal control of distinct CDC-48/p97 substrates in the chromatin environment remained unclear. Here, we report that progression of the DNA replication fork is coordinated by UBXN-3/FAF1. UBXN-3/FAF1 binds to the licensing factor CDT-1 and additional ubiquitylated proteins, thus promoting CDC-48/p97-dependent turnover and disassembly of DNA replication factor complexes. Consequently, inactivation of UBXN-3/FAF1 stabilizes CDT-1 and CDC-45/GINS on chromatin, causing severe defects in replication fork dynamics accompanied by pronounced replication stress and eventually resulting in genome instability. Our work identifies a critical substrate selection module of CDC-48/p97 required for chromatin-associated protein degradation in both Caenorhabditis elegans and humans, which is relevant to oncogenesis and aging.

  1. Single-stranded DNA binding protein Gp5 of Bacillus subtilis phage Φ29 is required for viral DNA replication in growth-temperature dependent fashion.

    PubMed

    Tone, Takahiro; Takeuchi, Ari; Makino, Osamu

    2012-01-01

    In the absence of viral single-stranded DNA binding protein gp5, Bacillus subtilis phage φ29 failed to grow and to replicate its genome at 45 °C, while it grew and replicated normally at 30 °C and 42 °C. This indicates that gp5 is dispensable for φ29 DNA replication at 42 °C and lower temperatures.

  2. Problem-based test: replication of mitochondrial DNA during the cell cycle.

    PubMed

    Sétáló, György

    2013-01-01

    Terms to be familiar with before you start to solve the test: cell cycle, generation time, S-phase, cell culture synchronization, isotopic pulse-chase labeling, density labeling, equilibrium density-gradient centrifugation, buoyant density, rate-zonal centrifugation, nucleoside, nucleotide, kinase enzymes, polymerization of nucleic acids, re-replication block, cell fractionation, Svedberg (sedimentation constant = [ S]), nuclear DNA, mitochondrial DNA, heavy and light mitochondrial DNA chains, heteroplasmy, mitochondrial diseases Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Structural Mechanism of Replication Stalling on a Bulky Amino-Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon DNA Adduct by a Y Family DNA Polymerase

    PubMed Central

    Kirouac, Kevin N.; Basu, Ashis K.; Ling, Hong

    2013-01-01

    Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their nitro derivatives are culprits of the detrimental health effects of environmental pollution. These hydrophobic compounds metabolize to reactive species and attach to DNA producing bulky lesions, such as N-[deoxyguanosine-8-yl]-1-aminopyrene (APG), in genomic DNA. The bulky adducts block DNA replication by high-fidelity polymerases and compromise replication fidelities and efficiencies by specialized lesion bypass polymerases. Here we present three crystal structures of the DNA polymerase Dpo4, a model translesion DNA polymerase of the Y family, in complex with APG-lesion-containing DNA in pre-insertion and extension stages. APG is captured in two conformations in the pre-insertion complex; one is highly exposed to the solvent, whereas the other is harbored in a shallow cleft between the finger and unique Y family little finger domain. In contrast, APG is in a single conformation at the extension stage, in which the pyrene ring is sandwiched between the little finger domain and a base from the turning back single-stranded template strand. Strikingly, a nucleotide intercalates the DNA helix to form a quaternary complex with Dpo4, DNA, and an incoming nucleotide, which stabilizes the distorted DNA structure at the extension stage. The unique APG DNA conformations in Dpo4 inhibit DNA translocation through the polymerase active site for APG bypass. We also modeled an insertion complex that illustrates a solvent-exposed pyrene ring contributing to an unstable insertion state. The structural work combined with our lesion replication assays provides a novel structural mechanism on bypass of DNA adducts containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon moieties. PMID:23876706

  4. Structural mechanism of replication stalling on a bulky amino-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon DNA adduct by a y family DNA polymerase.

    PubMed

    Kirouac, Kevin N; Basu, Ashis K; Ling, Hong

    2013-11-15

    Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their nitro derivatives are culprits of the detrimental health effects of environmental pollution. These hydrophobic compounds metabolize to reactive species and attach to DNA producing bulky lesions, such as N-[deoxyguanosine-8-yl]-1-aminopyrene (APG), in genomic DNA. The bulky adducts block DNA replication by high-fidelity polymerases and compromise replication fidelities and efficiencies by specialized lesion bypass polymerases. Here we present three crystal structures of the DNA polymerase Dpo4, a model translesion DNA polymerase of the Y family, in complex with APG-lesion-containing DNA in pre-insertion and extension stages. APG is captured in two conformations in the pre-insertion complex; one is highly exposed to the solvent, whereas the other is harbored in a shallow cleft between the finger and unique Y family little finger domain. In contrast, APG is in a single conformation at the extension stage, in which the pyrene ring is sandwiched between the little finger domain and a base from the turning back single-stranded template strand. Strikingly, a nucleotide intercalates the DNA helix to form a quaternary complex with Dpo4, DNA, and an incoming nucleotide, which stabilizes the distorted DNA structure at the extension stage. The unique APG DNA conformations in Dpo4 inhibit DNA translocation through the polymerase active site for APG bypass. We also modeled an insertion complex that illustrates a solvent-exposed pyrene ring contributing to an unstable insertion state. The structural work combined with our lesion replication assays provides a novel structural mechanism on bypass of DNA adducts containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon moieties. © 2013.

  5. Effect of 2',3'-dideoxythymidine-5'-triphosphate on HeLa cell in vitro DNA synthesis: evidence that DNA polymerase alpha is the only polymerase required for cellular DNA replication.

    PubMed Central

    Waqar, M A; Evans, M J; Huberman, J A

    1978-01-01

    We have studied the effects of the nucleotide analogue, 2',3'-dideoxythymidine-5'-triphosphate (ddTTP) on replicative DNA synthesis in HeLa cell lysates. As previously demonstrated (1), such lysates carry out extensive DNA synthesis in vitro, at rates and in a fashion similar to in vivo DNA replication. We report here that all aspects of DNA synthesis in such lysates (total dNTP incorporation, elongation of continuous nascent strands, and the initiation, elongation, and joining of Okazaki pieces) are only slightly inhibited by concentrations of ddTTP as high as 100-500 micrometer when the dTTP concentration is maintained at 10 micrometer. This finding is consistent with the report by Edenberg, Anderson, and DePamphilis (2) that all aspects of replicative in vitro simian virus 40 DNA synthesis are also resistant to ddTTP. We also find, in agreement with Edenberg, Anderson, and DePamphilis (2), that DNA synthesis catalyzed by DNA polymerases beta or gamma is easily inhibited by ddTTP, while synthesis catalyzed by DNA polymerase alpha is very resistant. These observations suggest that DNA polymerase alpha may be the only DNA polymerase required for all aspects of cellular DNA synthesis. PMID:673840

  6. Regulation of Small Mitochondrial DNA Replicative Advantage by Ribonucleotide Reductase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

    PubMed Central

    Bradshaw, Elliot; Yoshida, Minoru; Ling, Feng

    2017-01-01

    Small mitochondrial genomes can behave as selfish elements by displacing wild-type genomes regardless of their detriment to the host organism. In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, small hypersuppressive mtDNA transiently coexist with wild-type in a state of heteroplasmy, wherein the replicative advantage of the small mtDNA outcompetes wild-type and produces offspring without respiratory capacity in >95% of colonies. The cytosolic enzyme ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) catalyzes the rate-limiting step in dNTP synthesis and its inhibition has been correlated with increased petite colony formation, reflecting loss of respiratory function. Here, we used heteroplasmic diploids containing wild-type (rho+) and suppressive (rho−) or hypersuppressive (HS rho−) mitochondrial genomes to explore the effects of RNR activity on mtDNA heteroplasmy in offspring. We found that the proportion of rho+ offspring was significantly increased by RNR overexpression or deletion of its inhibitor, SML1, while reducing RNR activity via SML1 overexpression produced the opposite effects. In addition, using Ex Taq and KOD Dash polymerases, we observed a replicative advantage for small over large template DNA in vitro, but only at low dNTP concentrations. These results suggest that dNTP insufficiency contributes to the replicative advantage of small mtDNA over wild-type and cytosolic dNTP synthesis by RNR is an important regulator of heteroplasmy involving small mtDNA molecules in yeast. PMID:28717049

  7. Strand invasion structures in the inverted repeat of Candida albicans mitochondrial DNA reveal a role for homologous recombination in replication.

    PubMed

    Gerhold, Joachim M; Aun, Anu; Sedman, Tiina; Jõers, Priit; Sedman, Juhan

    2010-09-24

    Molecular recombination and transcription are proposed mechanisms to initiate mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication in yeast. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of mtDNA from the yeast Candida albicans. Two-dimensional agarose gel electrophoresis of mtDNA intermediates reveals no bubble structures diagnostic of specific replication origins, but rather supports recombination-driven replication initiation of mtDNA in yeast. Specific species of Y structures together with DNA copy number analyses of a C. albicans mutant strain provide evidence that a region in a mainly noncoding inverted repeat is predominantly involved in replication initiation via homologous recombination. Our further findings show that the C. albicans mtDNA forms a complex branched network that does not contain detectable amounts of circular molecules. We provide topological evidence for recombination-driven mtDNA replication initiation and introduce C. albicans as a suitable model organism to study wild-type mtDNA maintenance in yeast. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. TRAIP promotes DNA damage response during genome replication and is mutated in primordial dwarfism.

    PubMed

    Harley, Margaret E; Murina, Olga; Leitch, Andrea; Higgs, Martin R; Bicknell, Louise S; Yigit, Gökhan; Blackford, Andrew N; Zlatanou, Anastasia; Mackenzie, Karen J; Reddy, Kaalak; Halachev, Mihail; McGlasson, Sarah; Reijns, Martin A M; Fluteau, Adeline; Martin, Carol-Anne; Sabbioneda, Simone; Elcioglu, Nursel H; Altmüller, Janine; Thiele, Holger; Greenhalgh, Lynn; Chessa, Luciana; Maghnie, Mohamad; Salim, Mahmoud; Bober, Michael B; Nürnberg, Peter; Jackson, Stephen P; Hurles, Matthew E; Wollnik, Bernd; Stewart, Grant S; Jackson, Andrew P

    2016-01-01

    DNA lesions encountered by replicative polymerases threaten genome stability and cell cycle progression. Here we report the identification of mutations in TRAIP, encoding an E3 RING ubiquitin ligase, in patients with microcephalic primordial dwarfism. We establish that TRAIP relocalizes to sites of DNA damage, where it is required for optimal phosphorylation of H2AX and RPA2 during S-phase in response to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, as well as fork progression through UV-induced DNA lesions. TRAIP is necessary for efficient cell cycle progression and mutations in TRAIP therefore limit cellular proliferation, providing a potential mechanism for microcephaly and dwarfism phenotypes. Human genetics thus identifies TRAIP as a component of the DNA damage response to replication-blocking DNA lesions.

  9. TRAIP promotes DNA damage response during genome replication and is mutated in primordial dwarfism

    PubMed Central

    Leitch, Andrea; Higgs, Martin R.; Bicknell, Louise S.; Yigit, Gökhan; Blackford, Andrew N.; Zlatanou, Anastasia; Mackenzie, Karen J.; Reddy, Kaalak; Halachev, Mihail; McGlasson, Sarah; Reijns, Martin A. M.; Fluteau, Adeline; Martin, Carol-Anne; Sabbioneda, Simone; Elcioglu, Nursel H.; Altmüller, Janine; Thiele, Holger; Greenhalgh, Lynn; Chessa, Luciana; Maghnie, Mohamad; Salim, Mahmoud; Bober, Michael B.; Nürnberg, Peter; Jackson, Stephen P.; Hurles, Matthew E.; Wollnik, Bernd; Stewart, Grant S.; Jackson, Andrew P.

    2015-01-01

    DNA lesions encountered by replicative polymerases threaten genome stability and cell cycle progression. Here we report the identification of mutations in TRAIP, encoding an E3 RING ubiquitin ligase, in patients with microcephalic primordial dwarfism/Seckel syndrome. We establish that TRAIP relocalizes to sites of DNA damage where it is required for optimal phosphorylation of H2AX and RPA2 during S-phase in response to UV irradiation, as well as fork progression through UV-induced DNA lesions. TRAIP is necessary for efficient cell cycle progression and mutations in TRAIP therefore limit cellular proliferation, providing a potential mechanism for microcephaly and dwarfism phenotypes. Human genetics thus identifies TRAIP as a novel component of the DNA damage response to replication-blocking DNA lesions. PMID:26595769

  10. The Fanconi Anemia Pathway in Replication Stress and DNA Crosslink Repair

    PubMed Central

    Jones, Mathew JK.; Huang, Tony T.

    2013-01-01

    Interstand crosslinks (ICLs) are DNA lesions where the bases of opposing DNA strands are covalently linked, inhibiting critical cellular processes such as transcription and replication. Chemical agents that generate ICLs cause chromosomal abnormalities including breaks, deletions and rearrangements, making them highly genotoxic compounds. This toxicity has proven useful for chemotherapeutic treatment against a wide variety of cancer types. The majority of our understanding of ICL repair in humans has been uncovered thorough analysis of the rare genetic disorder Fanconi anemia, in which patients are extremely sensitive to crosslinking agents. Here, we discuss recent insights into ICL repair gained through new ICL repair assays and highlight the role of the Fanconi Anemia repair pathway during replication stress. PMID:22744751

  11. A maize root tip system to study DNA replication programmes in somatic and endocycling nuclei during plant development.

    PubMed

    Bass, Hank W; Wear, Emily E; Lee, Tae-Jin; Hoffman, Gregg G; Gumber, Hardeep K; Allen, George C; Thompson, William F; Hanley-Bowdoin, Linda

    2014-06-01

    The progress of nuclear DNA replication is complex in both time and space, and may reflect several levels of chromatin structure and 3-dimensional organization within the nucleus. To understand the relationship between DNA replication and developmental programmes, it is important to examine replication and nuclear substructure in different developmental contexts including natural cell-cycle progressions in situ. Plant meristems offer an ideal opportunity to analyse such processes in the context of normal growth of an organism. Our current understanding of large-scale chromosomal DNA replication has been limited by the lack of appropriate tools to visualize DNA replication with high resolution at defined points within S phase. In this perspective, we discuss a promising new system that can be used to visualize DNA replication in isolated maize (Zea mays L.) root tip nuclei after in planta pulse labelling with the thymidine analogue, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU). Mixed populations of EdU-labelled nuclei are then separated by flow cytometry into sequential stages of S phase and examined directly using 3-dimensional deconvolution microscopy to characterize spatial patterns of plant DNA replication. Combining spatiotemporal analyses with studies of replication and epigenetic inheritance at the molecular level enables an integrated experimental approach to problems of mitotic inheritance and cellular differentiation. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  12. DNA replication stress: from molecular mechanisms to human disease.

    PubMed

    Muñoz, Sergio; Méndez, Juan

    2017-02-01

    The genome of proliferating cells must be precisely duplicated in each cell division cycle. Chromosomal replication entails risks such as the possibility of introducing breaks and/or mutations in the genome. Hence, DNA replication requires the coordinated action of multiple proteins and regulatory factors, whose deregulation causes severe developmental diseases and predisposes to cancer. In recent years, the concept of "replicative stress" (RS) has attracted much attention as it impinges directly on genomic stability and offers a promising new avenue to design anticancer therapies. In this review, we summarize recent progress in three areas: (1) endogenous and exogenous factors that contribute to RS, (2) molecular mechanisms that mediate the cellular responses to RS, and (3) the large list of diseases that are directly or indirectly linked to RS.

  13. H3K9me3 demethylase Kdm4d facilitates the formation of pre-initiative complex and regulates DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Wu, Rentian; Wang, Zhiquan; Zhang, Honglian; Gan, Haiyun; Zhang, Zhiguo

    2017-01-09

    DNA replication is tightly regulated to occur once and only once per cell cycle. How chromatin, the physiological substrate of DNA replication machinery, regulates DNA replication remains largely unknown. Here we show that histone H3 lysine 9 demethylase Kdm4d regulates DNA replication in eukaryotic cells. Depletion of Kdm4d results in defects in DNA replication, which can be rescued by the expression of H3K9M, a histone H3 mutant transgene that reverses the effect of Kdm4d on H3K9 methylation. Kdm4d interacts with replication proteins, and its recruitment to DNA replication origins depends on the two pre-replicative complex components (origin recognition complex [ORC] and minichromosome maintenance [MCM] complex). Depletion of Kdm4d impairs the recruitment of Cdc45, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and polymerase δ, but not ORC and MCM proteins. These results demonstrate a novel mechanism by which Kdm4d regulates DNA replication by reducing the H3K9me3 level to facilitate formation of pre-initiative complex. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  14. Bypass of a 5',8-cyclopurine-2'-deoxynucleoside by DNA polymerase β during DNA replication and base excision repair leads to nucleotide misinsertions and DNA strand breaks.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Zhongliang; Xu, Meng; Lai, Yanhao; Laverde, Eduardo E; Terzidis, Michael A; Masi, Annalisa; Chatgilialoglu, Chryssostomos; Liu, Yuan

    2015-09-01

    5',8-Cyclopurine-2'-deoxynucleosides including 5',8-cyclo-dA (cdA) and 5',8-cyclo-dG (cdG) are induced by hydroxyl radicals resulting from oxidative stress such as ionizing radiation. 5',8-cyclopurine-2'-deoxynucleoside lesions are repaired by nucleotide excision repair with low efficiency, thereby leading to their accumulation in the human genome and lesion bypass by DNA polymerases during DNA replication and base excision repair (BER). In this study, for the first time, we discovered that DNA polymerase β (pol β) efficiently bypassed a 5'R-cdA, but inefficiently bypassed a 5'S-cdA during DNA replication and BER. We found that cell extracts from pol β wild-type mouse embryonic fibroblasts exhibited significant DNA synthesis activity in bypassing a cdA lesion located in replication and BER intermediates. However, pol β knock-out cell extracts exhibited little DNA synthesis to bypass the lesion. This indicates that pol β plays an important role in bypassing a cdA lesion during DNA replication and BER. Furthermore, we demonstrated that pol β inserted both a correct and incorrect nucleotide to bypass a cdA at a low concentration. Nucleotide misinsertion was significantly stimulated by a high concentration of pol β, indicating a mutagenic effect induced by pol β lesion bypass synthesis of a 5',8-cyclopurine-2'-deoxynucleoside. Moreover, we found that bypass of a 5'S-cdA by pol β generated an intermediate that failed to be extended by pol β, resulting in accumulation of single-strand DNA breaks. Our study provides the first evidence that pol β plays an important role in bypassing a 5',8-cyclo-dA during DNA replication and repair, as well as new insight into mutagenic effects and genome instability resulting from pol β bypassing of a cdA lesion. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Timely binding of IHF and Fis to DARS2 regulates ATP–DnaA production and replication initiation

    PubMed Central

    Kasho, Kazutoshi; Fujimitsu, Kazuyuki; Matoba, Toshihiro; Oshima, Taku; Katayama, Tsutomu

    2014-01-01

    In Escherichia coli, the ATP-bound form of DnaA (ATP–DnaA) promotes replication initiation. During replication, the bound ATP is hydrolyzed to ADP to yield the ADP-bound form (ADP–DnaA), which is inactive for initiation. The chromosomal site DARS2 facilitates the regeneration of ATP–DnaA by catalyzing nucleotide exchange between free ATP and ADP bound to DnaA. However, the regulatory mechanisms governing this exchange reaction are unclear. Here, using in vitro reconstituted experiments, we show that two nucleoid-associated proteins, IHF and Fis, bind site-specifically to DARS2 to activate coordinately the exchange reaction. The regenerated ATP–DnaA was fully active in replication initiation and underwent DnaA–ATP hydrolysis. ADP–DnaA formed heteromultimeric complexes with IHF and Fis on DARS2, and underwent nucleotide dissociation more efficiently than ATP–DnaA. Consistently, mutant analyses demonstrated that specific binding of IHF and Fis to DARS2 stimulates the formation of ATP–DnaA production, thereby promoting timely initiation. Moreover, we show that IHF–DARS2 binding is temporally regulated during the cell cycle, whereas Fis only binds to DARS2 in exponentially growing cells. These results elucidate the regulation of ATP–DnaA and replication initiation in coordination with the cell cycle and growth phase. PMID:25378325

  16. Timely binding of IHF and Fis to DARS2 regulates ATP-DnaA production and replication initiation.

    PubMed

    Kasho, Kazutoshi; Fujimitsu, Kazuyuki; Matoba, Toshihiro; Oshima, Taku; Katayama, Tsutomu

    2014-12-01

    In Escherichia coli, the ATP-bound form of DnaA (ATP-DnaA) promotes replication initiation. During replication, the bound ATP is hydrolyzed to ADP to yield the ADP-bound form (ADP-DnaA), which is inactive for initiation. The chromosomal site DARS2 facilitates the regeneration of ATP-DnaA by catalyzing nucleotide exchange between free ATP and ADP bound to DnaA. However, the regulatory mechanisms governing this exchange reaction are unclear. Here, using in vitro reconstituted experiments, we show that two nucleoid-associated proteins, IHF and Fis, bind site-specifically to DARS2 to activate coordinately the exchange reaction. The regenerated ATP-DnaA was fully active in replication initiation and underwent DnaA-ATP hydrolysis. ADP-DnaA formed heteromultimeric complexes with IHF and Fis on DARS2, and underwent nucleotide dissociation more efficiently than ATP-DnaA. Consistently, mutant analyses demonstrated that specific binding of IHF and Fis to DARS2 stimulates the formation of ATP-DnaA production, thereby promoting timely initiation. Moreover, we show that IHF-DARS2 binding is temporally regulated during the cell cycle, whereas Fis only binds to DARS2 in exponentially growing cells. These results elucidate the regulation of ATP-DnaA and replication initiation in coordination with the cell cycle and growth phase. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  17. [Replication of Streptomyces plasmids: the DNA nucleotide sequence of plasmid pSB 24.2].

    PubMed

    Bolotin, A P; Sorokin, A V; Aleksandrov, N N; Danilenko, V N; Kozlov, Iu I

    1985-11-01

    The nucleotide sequence of DNA in plasmid pSB 24.2, a natural deletion derivative of plasmid pSB 24.1 isolated from S. cyanogenus was studied. The plasmid amounted by its size to 3706 nucleotide pairs. The G-C composition was equal to 73 per cent. The analysis of the DNA structure in plasmid pSB 24.2 revealed the protein-encoding sequence of DNA, the continuity of which was significant for replication of the plasmid containing more than 1300 nucleotide pairs. The analysis also revealed two A-T-rich areas of DNA, the G-C composition of which was less than 55 per cent and a DNA area with a branched pin structure. The results may be of value in investigation of plasmid replication in actinomycetes and experimental cloning of DNA with this plasmid as a vector.

  18. Suppression of the Escherichia coli dnaA46 mutation by changes in the activities of the pyruvate-acetate node links DNA replication regulation to central carbon metabolism.

    PubMed

    Tymecka-Mulik, Joanna; Boss, Lidia; Maciąg-Dorszyńska, Monika; Matias Rodrigues, João F; Gaffke, Lidia; Wosinski, Anna; Cech, Grzegorz M; Szalewska-Pałasz, Agnieszka; Węgrzyn, Grzegorz; Glinkowska, Monika

    2017-01-01

    To ensure faithful transmission of genetic material to progeny cells, DNA replication is tightly regulated, mainly at the initiation step. Escherichia coli cells regulate the frequency of initiation according to growth conditions. Results of the classical, as well as the latest studies, suggest that the DNA replication in E. coli starts at a predefined, constant cell volume per chromosome but the mechanisms coordinating DNA replication with cell growth are still not fully understood. Results of recent investigations have revealed a role of metabolic pathway proteins in the control of cell division and a direct link between metabolism and DNA replication has also been suggested both in Bacillus subtilis and E. coli cells. In this work we show that defects in the acetate overflow pathway suppress the temperature-sensitivity of a defective replication initiator-DnaA under acetogenic growth conditions. Transcriptomic and metabolic analyses imply that this suppression is correlated with pyruvate accumulation, resulting from alterations in the pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) activity. Consequently, deletion of genes encoding the pyruvate dehydrogenase subunits likewise resulted in suppression of the thermal-sensitive growth of the dnaA46 strain. We propose that the suppressor effect may be directly related to the PDH complex activity, providing a link between an enzyme of the central carbon metabolism and DNA replication.

  19. Mechanism of inhibition of adenovirus DNA replication by the acyclic nucleoside triphosphate analogue (S)-HPMPApp: influence of the adenovirus DNA binding protein.

    PubMed Central

    Mul, Y M; van Miltenburg, R T; De Clercq, E; van der Vliet, P C

    1989-01-01

    The acyclic adenosine analogue (S)-9-(3-hydroxy-2-phosphonylmethoxypropyl)adenine [S]-HPMPA) is a potent and selective inhibitor of adenovirus (Ad) replication in cell culture. We studied the mechanism of inhibition using a reconstituted in vitro DNA replication system. The diphosphoryl derivative (S)-HPMPApp, but not (S)-HPMPA, inhibited the DNA replication of origin containing fragments strongly. The inhibitory effect was exerted at the level of elongation, while initiation was resistant to the drug. Remarkably, the elongation of short strands was only slightly impaired, while inhibition was maximal upon synthesis of long DNA fragments. (S)-HPMPApp appeared to be competitive with dATP, suggesting that the Ad DNA polymerase is the prime target for the drug. We purified the Ad DNA polymerase in complex to the precursor terminal protein to homogeneity from cells infected with overproducing recombinant vaccinia viruses. Employing gapped DNA or poly(dT).oligo(dA) templates, only a weak inhibition was observed. However, inhibition was strongly enhanced in the presence of the adenovirus DNA binding protein (DBP). We interpret this to mean that the increased processivity of the polymerization reaction in the presence of DBP leads to increased drug sensitivity. Images PMID:2587248

  20. The DnaK Chaperone Uses Different Mechanisms To Promote and Inhibit Replication of Vibrio cholerae Chromosome 2

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jha, Jyoti K.; Li, Mi; Ghirlando, Rodolfo

    Replication of Vibrio cholerae chromosome 2 (Chr2) depends on molecular chaperone DnaK to facilitate binding of the initiator (RctB) to the replication origin. The binding occurs at two kinds of site, 12-mers and 39-mers, which promote and inhibit replication, respectively. Here we show that DnaK employs different mechanisms to enhance the two kinds of binding. We found that mutations inrctBthat reduce DnaK binding also reduce 12-mer binding and initiation. The initiation defect is suppressed by second-site mutations that increase 12-mer binding only marginally. Instead, they reduce replication inhibitory mechanisms: RctB dimerization and 39-mer binding. One suppressing change was in amore » dimerization domain which is folded similarly to the initiator of an iteron plasmid—the presumed progenitor of Chr2. In plasmids, DnaK promotes initiation by reducing dimerization. A different mutation was in the 39-mer binding domain of RctB and inactivated it, indicating an alternative suppression mechanism. Paradoxically, although DnaK increases 39-mer binding, the increase was also achieved by inactivating the DnaK binding site of RctB. This result suggests that the site inhibits the 39-mer binding domain (via autoinhibition) when prevented from binding DnaK. Taken together, our results reveal an important feature of the transition from plasmid to chromosome: the Chr2 initiator retains the plasmid-like dimerization domain and its control by chaperones but uses the chaperones in an unprecedented way to control the inhibitory 39-mer binding. IMPORTANCE The capacity of proteins to undergo remodeling provides opportunities to control their function. However, remodeling remains a poorly understood aspect of the structure-function paradigm due to its dynamic nature. Here we have studied remodeling of the initiator of replication ofVibrio choleraeChr2 by the molecular chaperone, DnaK. We show that DnaK binds to a site on the Chr2 initiator (RctB) that promotes initiation by

  1. H2AX phosphorylation and DNA damage kinase activity are dispensable for herpes simplex virus replication.

    PubMed

    Botting, Carolyn; Lu, Xu; Triezenberg, Steven J

    2016-01-27

    Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) can establish both lytic and latent infections in humans. The phosphorylation of histone H2AX, a common marker of DNA damage, during lytic infection by HSV-1 is well established. However, the role(s) of H2AX phosphorylation in lytic infection remain unclear. Following infection of human foreskin fibroblasts by HSV-1 or HSV-2, we assayed the phosphorylation of H2AX in the presence of inhibitors of transcription, translation, or viral DNA replication, or in the presence of inhibitors of ATM and ATR kinases (KU-55933 and VE-821, respectively). We also assayed viral replication in fibroblasts in the presence of the kinase inhibitors or siRNAs specific for ATM and ATR, as well as in cell lines deficient for either ATR or ATM. The expression of viral immediate-early and early proteins (including the viral DNA polymerase), but not viral DNA replication or late protein expression, were required for H2AX phosphorylation following HSV-1 infection. Inhibition of ATM kinase activity prevented HSV-stimulated H2AX phosphorylation but had only a minor effect on DNA replication and virus yield in HFF cells. These results differ from previous reports of a dramatic reduction in viral yield following chemical inhibition of ATM in oral keratinocytes or following infection of ATM(-/-) cells. Inhibition of the closely related kinase ATR (whether by chemical inhibitor or siRNA disruption) had no effect on H2AX phosphorylation and reduced viral DNA replication only moderately. During infection by HSV-2, H2AX phosphorylation was similarly dispensable but was dependent on both ATM activity and viral DNA replication. H2AX phosphorylation represents a cell type-specific and virus type-specific host response to HSV infection with little impact on viral infection.

  2. A journey through the microscopic ages of DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Reinhart, Marius; Cardoso, M Cristina

    2017-05-01

    Scientific discoveries and technological advancements are inseparable but not always take place in a coherent chronological manner. In the next, we will provide a seemingly unconnected and serendipitous series of scientific facts that, in the whole, converged to unveil DNA and its duplication. We will not cover here the many and fundamental contributions from microbial genetics and in vitro biochemistry. Rather, in this journey, we will emphasize the interplay between microscopy development culminating on super resolution fluorescence microscopy (i.e., nanoscopy) and digital image analysis and its impact on our understanding of DNA duplication. We will interlace the journey with landmark concepts and experiments that have brought the cellular DNA replication field to its present state.

  3. Single Cell Analysis of Human RAD18-Dependent DNA Post-Replication Repair by Alkaline Bromodeoxyuridine Comet Assay

    PubMed Central

    Mórocz, Mónika; Gali, Himabindu; Raskó, István; Downes, C. Stephen; Haracska, Lajos

    2013-01-01

    Damage to DNA can block replication progression resulting in gaps in the newly synthesized DNA. Cells utilize a number of post-replication repair (PRR) mechanisms such as the RAD18 controlled translesion synthesis or template switching to overcome the discontinuities formed opposite the DNA lesions and to complete DNA replication. Gaining more insights into the role of PRR genes promotes better understanding of DNA damage tolerance and of how their malfunction can lead to increased genome instability and cancer. However, a simple and efficient method to characterise gene specific PRR deficiencies at a single cell level has not been developed. Here we describe the so named BrdU comet PRR assay to test the contribution of human RAD18 to PRR at a single cell level, by which we kinetically characterized the consequences of the deletion of human RAD18 on the replication of UV-damaged DNA. Moreover, we demonstrate the capability of our method to evaluate PRR at a single cell level in unsynchronized cell population. PMID:23936422

  4. DNA Sequences Proximal to Human Mitochondrial DNA Deletion Breakpoints Prevalent in Human Disease Form G-quadruplexes, a Class of DNA Structures Inefficiently Unwound by the Mitochondrial Replicative Twinkle Helicase*

    PubMed Central

    Bharti, Sanjay Kumar; Sommers, Joshua A.; Zhou, Jun; Kaplan, Daniel L.; Spelbrink, Johannes N.; Mergny, Jean-Louis; Brosh, Robert M.

    2014-01-01

    Mitochondrial DNA deletions are prominent in human genetic disorders, cancer, and aging. It is thought that stalling of the mitochondrial replication machinery during DNA synthesis is a prominent source of mitochondrial genome instability; however, the precise molecular determinants of defective mitochondrial replication are not well understood. In this work, we performed a computational analysis of the human mitochondrial genome using the “Pattern Finder” G-quadruplex (G4) predictor algorithm to assess whether G4-forming sequences reside in close proximity (within 20 base pairs) to known mitochondrial DNA deletion breakpoints. We then used this information to map G4P sequences with deletions characteristic of representative mitochondrial genetic disorders and also those identified in various cancers and aging. Circular dichroism and UV spectral analysis demonstrated that mitochondrial G-rich sequences near deletion breakpoints prevalent in human disease form G-quadruplex DNA structures. A biochemical analysis of purified recombinant human Twinkle protein (gene product of c10orf2) showed that the mitochondrial replicative helicase inefficiently unwinds well characterized intermolecular and intramolecular G-quadruplex DNA substrates, as well as a unimolecular G4 substrate derived from a mitochondrial sequence that nests a deletion breakpoint described in human renal cell carcinoma. Although G4 has been implicated in the initiation of mitochondrial DNA replication, our current findings suggest that mitochondrial G-quadruplexes are also likely to be a source of instability for the mitochondrial genome by perturbing the normal progression of the mitochondrial replication machinery, including DNA unwinding by Twinkle helicase. PMID:25193669

  5. [Mechanistic modelling allows to assess pathways of DNA lesion interactions underlying chromosome aberration formation].

    PubMed

    Eĭdel'man, Iu A; Slanina, S V; Sal'nikov, I V; Andreev, S G

    2012-12-01

    The knowledge of radiation-induced chromosomal aberration (CA) mechanisms is required in many fields of radiation genetics, radiation biology, biodosimetry, etc. However, these mechanisms are yet to be quantitatively characterised. One of the reasons is that the relationships between primary lesions of DNA/chromatin/chromosomes and dose-response curves for CA are unknown because the pathways of lesion interactions in an interphase nucleus are currently inaccessible for direct experimental observation. This article aims for the comparative analysis of two principally different scenarios of formation of simple and complex interchromosomal exchange aberrations: by lesion interactions at chromosome territories' surface vs. in the whole space of the nucleus. The analysis was based on quantitative mechanistic modelling of different levels of structures and processes involved in CA formation: chromosome structure in an interphase nucleus, induction, repair and interactions of DNA lesions. It was shown that the restricted diffusion of chromosomal loci, predicted by computational modelling of chromosome organization, results in lesion interactions in the whole space of the nucleus being impossible. At the same time, predicted features of subchromosomal dynamics agrees well with in vivo observations and does not contradict the mechanism of CA formation at the surface of chromosome territories. On the other hand, the "surface mechanism" of CA formation, despite having certain qualities, proved to be insufficient to explain high frequency of complex exchange aberrations observed by mFISH technique. The alternative mechanism, CA formation on nuclear centres is expected to be sufficient to explain frequent complex exchanges.

  6. Uracil recognition by replicative DNA polymerases is limited to the archaea, not occurring with bacteria and eukarya.

    PubMed

    Wardle, Josephine; Burgers, Peter M J; Cann, Isaac K O; Darley, Kate; Heslop, Pauline; Johansson, Erik; Lin, Li-Jung; McGlynn, Peter; Sanvoisin, Jonathan; Stith, Carrie M; Connolly, Bernard A

    2008-02-01

    Family B DNA polymerases from archaea such as Pyrococcus furiosus, which live at temperatures approximately 100 degrees C, specifically recognize uracil in DNA templates and stall replication in response to this base. Here it is demonstrated that interaction with uracil is not restricted to hyperthermophilic archaea and that the polymerase from mesophilic Methanosarcina acetivorans shows identical behaviour. The family B DNA polymerases replicate the genomes of archaea, one of the three fundamental domains of life. This publication further shows that the DNA replicating polymerases from the other two domains, bacteria (polymerase III) and eukaryotes (polymerases delta and epsilon for nuclear DNA and polymerase gamma for mitochondrial) are also unable to recognize uracil. Uracil occurs in DNA as a result of deamination of cytosine, either in G:C base-pairs or, more rapidly, in single stranded regions produced, for example, during replication. The resulting G:U mis-pairs/single stranded uracils are promutagenic and, unless repaired, give rise to G:C to A:T transitions in 50% of the progeny. The confinement of uracil recognition to polymerases of the archaeal domain is discussed in terms of the DNA repair pathways necessary for the elimination of uracil.

  7. Molecular mechanism of DNA replication-coupled inactivation of the initiator protein in Escherichia coli: interaction of DnaA with the sliding clamp-loaded DNA and the sliding clamp-Hda complex.

    PubMed

    Su'etsugu, Masayuki; Takata, Makoto; Kubota, Toshio; Matsuda, Yusaku; Katayama, Tsutomu

    2004-06-01

    In Escherichia coli, the ATP-DnaA protein initiates chromosomal replication. After the DNA polymerase III holoenzyme is loaded on to DNA, DnaA-bound ATP is hydrolysed in a manner depending on Hda protein and the DNA-loaded form of the DNA polymerase III sliding clamp subunit, which yields ADP-DnaA, an inactivated form for initiation. This regulatory DnaA-inactivation represses extra initiation events. In this study, in vitro replication intermediates and structured DNA mimicking replicational intermediates were first used to identify structural prerequisites in the process of DnaA-ATP hydrolysis. Unlike duplex DNA loaded with sliding clamps, primer RNA-DNA heteroduplexes loaded with clamps were not associated with DnaA-ATP hydrolysis, and duplex DNA provided in trans did not rescue this defect. At least 40-bp duplex DNA is competent for the DnaA-ATP hydrolysis when a single clamp was loaded. The DnaA-ATP hydrolysis was inhibited when ATP-DnaA was tightly bound to a DnaA box-bearing oligonucleotide. These results imply that the DnaA-ATP hydrolysis involves the direct interaction of ATP-DnaA with duplex DNA flanking the sliding clamp. Furthermore, Hda protein formed a stable complex with the sliding clamp. Based on these, we suggest a mechanical basis in the DnaA-inactivation that ATP-DnaA interacts with the Hda-clamp complex with the aid of DNA binding. Copyright Blackwell Publishing Limited

  8. Detection of human cytomegalovirus DNA replication in non-permissive Vero and 293 cells.

    PubMed

    Ellsmore, Victoria; Reid, G Gordon; Stow, Nigel D

    2003-03-01

    Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) displays an exceptionally restricted host range in tissue culture with human fibroblasts being the principal fully permissive system. Nevertheless, immediate early (IE) proteins are expressed following infection of many non-permissive cell types of human, simian and murine origin, and viral origin-dependent DNA synthesis has been reconstituted by transfection of plasmids into Vero cells, a non-permissive line from African green monkey. We have examined the accumulation of HCMV strain AD169 DNA, and the replication of transfected HCMV origin-containing plasmids, in infected Vero and human embryonic kidney 293 cells, which were previously reported to express the major IE protein in a small proportion of infected cells but to be non-permissive for viral DNA synthesis. In Vero cells accumulation of origin-containing plasmid but not viral DNA occurred, whilst in 293 cells both DNAs accumulated. Immunofluorescence experiments indicated that following infection with 3 p.f.u. per cell, a small fraction of both cell types expressed the UL44 DNA replication protein. Neither cell line, however, supported the generation of infectious progeny virus. These results suggest that IE proteins expressed in Vero and 293 cells can induce the synthesis of early proteins capable of functioning in viral DNA replication, but there is a failure in later events on the pathway to infectious virus production. This provides further support for transfected Vero cells being a valid system in which to study HCMV DNA synthesis, and suggests that 293 cells may also prove useful in similar experiments.

  9. p21 differentially regulates DNA replication and DNA-repair-associated processes after UV irradiation.

    PubMed

    Soria, Gaston; Speroni, Juliana; Podhajcer, Osvaldo L; Prives, Carol; Gottifredi, Vanesa

    2008-10-01

    Although p21 upregulation is required to block cell-cycle progression following many types of genotoxic insult, UV irradiation triggers p21 proteolysis. The significance of the increased p21 turnover is unclear and might be associated with DNA repair. While the role of p21 in nucleotide excision repair (NER) remains controversial, recent reports have explored its effect on translesion DNA synthesis (TLS), a process that avoids replication blockage during S phase. Herein, we analyze the effect of p21 on different PCNA-driven processes including DNA replication, NER and TLS. Whereas only the CDK-binding domain of p21 is required for cell-cycle arrest in unstressed cells, neither the CDK-binding nor the PCNA-binding domain of p21 is able to block early and late steps of NER. Intriguingly, through its PCNA-binding domain, p21 inhibits the interaction of the TLS polymerase, pol eta (pol eta), with PCNA and impairs the assembly of pol eta foci after UV. Moreover, this obstruction correlates with accumulation of phosphorylated H2AX and increased apoptosis. By showing that p21 is a negative regulator of PCNA-pol eta interaction, our data unveil a link between efficient TLS and UV-induced degradation of p21.

  10. Photosensitized UVA-Induced Cross-Linking between Human DNA Repair and Replication Proteins and DNA Revealed by Proteomic Analysis

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    Long wavelength ultraviolet radiation (UVA, 320–400 nm) interacts with chromophores present in human cells to induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) that damage both DNA and proteins. ROS levels are amplified, and the damaging effects of UVA are exacerbated if the cells are irradiated in the presence of UVA photosensitizers such as 6-thioguanine (6-TG), a strong UVA chromophore that is extensively incorporated into the DNA of dividing cells, or the fluoroquinolone antibiotic ciprofloxacin. Both DNA-embedded 6-TG and ciprofloxacin combine synergistically with UVA to generate high levels of ROS. Importantly, the extensive protein damage induced by these photosensitizer+UVA combinations inhibits DNA repair. DNA is maintained in intimate contact with the proteins that effect its replication, transcription, and repair, and DNA–protein cross-links (DPCs) are a recognized reaction product of ROS. Cross-linking of DNA metabolizing proteins would compromise these processes by introducing physical blocks and by depleting active proteins. We describe a sensitive and statistically rigorous method to analyze DPCs in cultured human cells. Application of this proteomics-based analysis to cells treated with 6-TG+UVA and ciprofloxacin+UVA identified proteins involved in DNA repair, replication, and gene expression among those most vulnerable to cross-linking under oxidative conditions. PMID:27654267

  11. Xenopus origin recognition complex (ORC) initiates DNA replication preferentially at sequences targeted by Schizosaccharomyces pombe ORC

    PubMed Central

    Kong, Daochun; Coleman, Thomas R.; DePamphilis, Melvin L.

    2003-01-01

    Budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) origin recognition complex (ORC) requires ATP to bind specific DNA sequences, whereas fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe) ORC binds to specific, asymmetric A:T-rich sites within replication origins, independently of ATP, and frog (Xenopus laevis) ORC seems to bind DNA non-specifically. Here we show that despite these differences, ORCs are functionally conserved. Firstly, SpOrc1, SpOrc4 and SpOrc5, like those from other eukaryotes, bound ATP and exhibited ATPase activity, suggesting that ATP is required for pre-replication complex (pre-RC) assembly rather than origin specificity. Secondly, SpOrc4, which is solely responsible for binding SpORC to DNA, inhibited up to 70% of XlORC-dependent DNA replication in Xenopus egg extract by preventing XlORC from binding to chromatin and assembling pre-RCs. Chromatin-bound SpOrc4 was located at AT-rich sequences. XlORC in egg extract bound preferentially to asymmetric A:T-sequences in either bare DNA or in sperm chromatin, and it recruited XlCdc6 and XlMcm proteins to these sequences. These results reveal that XlORC initiates DNA replication preferentially at the same or similar sites to those targeted in S.pombe. PMID:12840006

  12. Calcein represses human papillomavirus 16 E1-E2 mediated DNA replication via blocking their binding to the viral origin of replication.

    PubMed

    Das, Dipon; Smith, Nathan W; Wang, Xu; Richardson, Stacie L; Hartman, Matthew C T; Morgan, Iain M

    2017-08-01

    Human papillomaviruses are causative agents in several human diseases ranging from genital warts to ano-genital and oropharyngeal cancers. Currently only symptoms of HPV induced disease are treated; there are no antivirals available that directly target the viral life cycle. Previously, we determined that the cellular protein TopBP1 interacts with the HPV16 replication/transcription factor E2. This E2-TopBP1 interaction is essential for optimal E1-E2 DNA replication and for the viral life cycle. The drug calcein disrupts the interaction of TopBP1 with itself and other host proteins to promote cell death. Here we demonstrate that calcein blocks HPV16 E1-E2 DNA replication via blocking the viral replication complex forming at the origin of replication. This occurs at non-toxic levels of calcein and demonstrates specificity as it does not block the ability of E2 to regulate transcription. We propose that calcein or derivatives could be developed as an anti-HPV therapeutic. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Inhibition of Cell Division and DNA Replication Impair Mouse-Naïve Pluripotency Exit.

    PubMed

    Waisman, Ariel; Vazquez Echegaray, Camila; Solari, Claudia; Cosentino, María Soledad; Martyn, Iain; Deglincerti, Alessia; Ozair, Mohammad Zeeshan; Ruzo, Albert; Barañao, Lino; Miriuka, Santiago; Brivanlou, Ali; Guberman, Alejandra

    2017-09-01

    The cell cycle has gained attention as a key determinant for cell fate decisions, but the contribution of DNA replication and mitosis in stem cell differentiation has not been extensively studied. To understand if these processes act as "windows of opportunity" for changes in cell identity, we established synchronized cultures of mouse embryonic stem cells as they exit the ground state of pluripotency. We show that initial transcriptional changes in this transition do not require passage through mitosis and that conversion to primed pluripotency is linked to lineage priming in the G1 phase. Importantly, we demonstrate that impairment of DNA replication severely blocks transcriptional switch to primed pluripotency, even in the absence of p53 activity induced by the DNA damage response. Our data suggest an important role for DNA replication during mouse embryonic stem cell differentiation, which could shed light on why pluripotent cells are only receptive to differentiation signals during G1, that is, before the S phase. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Preparation and use of Xenopus egg extracts to study DNA replication and chromatin associated proteins

    PubMed Central

    Gillespie, Peter J.; Gambus, Agnieszka; Blow, J. Julian

    2012-01-01

    The use of cell-free extracts prepared from eggs of the South African clawed toad, Xenopus laevis, has led to many important discoveries in cell cycle research. These egg extracts recapitulate the key nuclear transitions of the eukaryotic cell cycle in vitro under apparently the same controls that exist in vivo. DNA added to the extract is first assembled into a nucleus and is then efficiently replicated. Progression of the extract into mitosis then allows the separation of paired sister chromatids. The Xenopus cell-free system is therefore uniquely suited to the study of the mechanisms, dynamics and integration of cell cycle regulated processes at a biochemical level. In this article we describe methods currently in use in our laboratory for the preparation of Xenopus egg extracts and demembranated sperm nuclei for the study of DNA replication in vitro. We also detail how DNA replication can be quantified in this system. In addition, we describe methods for isolating chromatin and chromatin-bound protein complexes from egg extracts. These recently developed and revised techniques provide a practical starting point for investigating the function of proteins involved in DNA replication. PMID:22521908

  15. Dissecting DNA damage response pathways by analyzing protein localization and abundance changes during DNA replication stress

    PubMed Central

    Tkach, Johnny M.; Yimit, Askar; Lee, Anna Y.; Riffle, Michael; Costanzo, Michael; Jaschob, Daniel; Hendry, Jason A.; Ou, Jiongwen; Moffat, Jason; Boone, Charles; Davis, Trisha N.; Nislow, Corey; Brown, Grant W.

    2012-01-01

    Re-localization of proteins is a hallmark of the DNA damage response. We use high-throughput microscopic screening of the yeast GFP fusion collection to develop a systems-level view of protein re-organization following drug-induced DNA replication stress. Changes in protein localization and abundance reveal drug-specific patterns of functional enrichments. Classification of proteins by sub-cellular destination allows the identification of pathways that respond to replication stress. We analyzed pairwise combinations of GFP fusions and gene deletion mutants to define and order two novel DNA damage responses. In the first, Cmr1 forms subnuclear foci that are regulated by the histone deacetylase Hos2 and are distinct from the typical Rad52 repair foci. In a second example, we find that the checkpoint kinases Mec1/Tel1 and the translation regulator Asc1 regulate P-body formation. This method identifies response pathways that were not detected in genetic and protein interaction screens, and can be readily applied to any form of chemical or genetic stress to reveal cellular response pathways. PMID:22842922

  16. Theoretical models for the regulation of DNA replication in fast-growing bacteria

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Creutziger, Martin; Schmidt, Mischa; Lenz, Peter

    2012-09-01

    Growing in always changing environments, Escherichia coli cells are challenged by the task to coordinate growth and division. In particular, adaption of their growth program to the surrounding medium has to guarantee that the daughter cells obtain fully replicated chromosomes. Replication is therefore to be initiated at the right time, which is particularly challenging in media that support fast growth. Here, the mother cell initiates replication not only for the daughter but also for the granddaughter cells. This is possible only if replication occurs from several replication forks that all need to be correctly initiated. Despite considerable efforts during the last 40 years, regulation of this process is still unknown. Part of the difficulty arises from the fact that many details of the relevant molecular processes are not known. Here, we develop a novel theoretical strategy for dealing with this general problem: instead of analyzing a single model, we introduce a wide variety of 128 different models that make different assumptions about the unknown processes. By comparing the predictions of these models we are able to identify the key quantities that allow the experimental discrimination of the different models. Analysis of these quantities yields that out of the 128 models 94 are not consistent with available experimental data. From the remaining 34 models we are able to conclude that mass growth and DNA replication need either to be truly coupled, by coupling DNA replication initiation to the event of cell division, or to the amount of accumulated mass. Finally, we make suggestions for experiments to further reduce the number of possible regulation scenarios.

  17. Replication protein A: directing traffic at the intersection of replication and repair.

    PubMed

    Oakley, Greg G; Patrick, Steve M

    2010-06-01

    Since the initial discovery of replication protein A (RPA) as a DNA replication factor, much progress has been made on elucidating critical roles for RPA in other DNA metabolic pathways. RPA has been shown to be required for DNA replication, DNA repair, DNA recombination, and the DNA damage response pathway with roles in checkpoint activation. This review summarizes the current understanding of RPA structure, phosphorylation and protein-protein interactions in mediating these DNA metabolic processes.

  18. Modulation of mutagenesis in eukaryotes by DNA replication fork dynamics and quality of nucleotide pools

    PubMed Central

    Waisertreiger, Irina S.-R.; Liston, Victoria G.; Menezes, Miriam R.; Kim, Hyun-Min; Lobachev, Kirill S.; Stepchenkova, Elena I.; Tahirov, Tahir H.; Rogozin, Igor B.; Pavlov, Youri. I.

    2014-01-01

    The rate of mutations in eukaryotes depends on a plethora of factors and is not immediately derived from the fidelity of DNA polymerases (Pols). Replication of chromosomes containing the anti-parallel strands of duplex DNA occurs through the copying of leading and lagging strand templates by a trio of Pols α, δ and ε, with the assistance of Pol ζ and Y-family Pols at difficult DNA template structures or sites of DNA damage. The parameters of the synthesis at a given location are dictated by the quality and quantity of nucleotides in the pools, replication fork architecture, transcription status, regulation of Pol switches, and structure of chromatin. The result of these transactions is a subject of survey and editing by DNA repair. PMID:23055184

  19. Examining a DNA Replication Requirement for Bacteriophage λ Red- and Rac Prophage RecET-Promoted Recombination in Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Thomason, Lynn C; Costantino, Nina; Court, Donald L

    2016-09-13

    Recombineering, in vivo genetic engineering with bacteriophage homologous recombination systems, is a powerful technique for making genetic modifications in bacteria. Two systems widely used in Escherichia coli are the Red system from phage λ and RecET from the defective Rac prophage. We investigated the in vivo dependence of recombineering on DNA replication of the recombining substrate using plasmid targets. For λ Red recombination, when DNA replication of a circular target plasmid is prevented, recombination with single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides is greatly reduced compared to that under replicating conditions. For RecET recombination, when DNA replication of the targeted plasmid is prevented, the recombination frequency is also reduced, to a level identical to that seen for the Red system in the absence of replication. The very low level of oligonucleotide recombination observed in the absence of any phage recombination functions is the same in the presence or absence of DNA replication. In contrast, both the Red and RecET systems recombine a nonreplicating linear dimer plasmid with high efficiency to yield a circular monomer. Therefore, the DNA replication requirement is substrate dependent. Our data are consistent with recombination by both the Red and RecET systems occurring predominately by single-strand annealing rather than by strand invasion. Bacteriophage homologous recombination systems are widely used for in vivo genetic engineering in bacteria. Single- or double-stranded linear DNA substrates containing short flanking homologies to chromosome targets are used to generate precise and accurate genetic modifications when introduced into bacteria expressing phage recombinases. Understanding the molecular mechanism of these recombination systems will facilitate improvements in the technology. Here, two phage-specific systems are shown to require exposure of complementary single-strand homologous targets for efficient recombination; these single

  20. Interaction of the Retinoblastoma Protein with Orc1 and Its Recruitment to Human Origins of DNA Replication

    PubMed Central

    Mendoza-Maldonado, Ramiro; Paolinelli, Roberta; Galbiati, Laura; Giadrossi, Sara; Giacca, Mauro

    2010-01-01

    Background The retinoblastoma protein (Rb) is a crucial regulator of cell cycle progression by binding with E2F transcription factor and repressing the expression of a variety of genes required for the G1-S phase transition. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we show that Rb and E2F1 directly participate in the control of initiation of DNA replication in human HeLa, U2OS and T98G cells by specifically binding to origins of DNA replication in a cell cycle regulated manner. We show that, both in vitro and inside the cells, the largest subunit of the origin recognition complex (Orc1) specifically binds hypo-phosphorylated Rb and that this interaction is competitive with the binding of Rb to E2F1. The displacement of Rb-bound Orc1 by E2F1 at origins of DNA replication marks the progression of the G1 phase of the cell cycle toward the G1-S border. Conclusions/Significance The participation of Rb and E2F1 in the formation of the multiprotein complex that binds origins of DNA replication in mammalian cells appears to represent an effective mechanism to couple the expression of genes required for cell cycle progression to the activation of DNA replication. PMID:21085491

  1. BRCA1 is Required for Post-replication Repair After UV-induced DNA Damage

    PubMed Central

    Pathania, Shailja; Nguyen, Jenna; Hill, Sarah J.; Scully, Ralph; Feunteun, Jean; Livingston, David M.

    2011-01-01

    BRCA1 contributes to the response to UV irradiation. Utilizing its BRCT motifs, it is recruited during S/G2 to UV-damaged sites in a DNA replication-dependent, but nucleotide excision repair- independent manner. More specifically, at UV- stalled replication forks, it promotes photoproduct excision, suppression of translesion synthesis, and the localization and activation of replication factor C complex (RFC) subunits. The last function, in turn, triggers post-UV checkpoint activation and post- replicative repair. These BRCA1 functions differ from those required for DSBR. PMID:21963239

  2. Human parvovirus B19: a mechanistic overview of infection and DNA replication

    PubMed Central

    Luo, Yong; Qiu, Jianming

    2015-01-01

    Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) is a human pathogen that belongs to genus Erythroparvovirus of the Parvoviridae family, which is composed of a group of small DNA viruses with a linear single-stranded DNA genome. B19V mainly infects human erythroid progenitor cells and causes mild to severe hematological disorders in patients. However, recent clinical studies indicate that B19V also infects nonerythroid lineage cells, such as myocardial endothelial cells, and may be associated with other disease outcomes. Several cell culture systems, including permissive and semipermissive erythroid lineage cells, nonpermissive human embryonic kidney 293 cells and recently reported myocardial endothelial cells, have been used to study the mechanisms underlying B19V infection and B19V DNA replication. This review aims to summarize recent advances in B19V studies with a focus on the mechanisms of B19V tropism specific to different cell types and the cellular pathways involved in B19V DNA replication including cellular signaling transduction and cell cycle arrest. PMID:26097496

  3. H4K20me0 marks post-replicative chromatin and recruits the TONSL₋MMS22L DNA repair complex

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Saredi, Giulia; Huang, Hongda; Hammond, Colin M.

    Here, we report that after DNA replication, chromosomal processes including DNA repair and transcription take place in the context of sister chromatids. While cell cycle regulation can guide these processes globally, mechanisms to distinguish pre- and post-replicative states locally remain unknown. In this paper we reveal that new histones incorporated during DNA replication provide a signature of post-replicative chromatin, read by the human TONSL–MMS22L 1, 2, 3, 4 homologous recombination complex. We identify the TONSL ankyrin repeat domain (ARD) as a reader of histone H4 tails unmethylated at K20 (H4K20me0), which are specific to new histones incorporated during DNA replicationmore » and mark post-replicative chromatin until the G2/M phase of the cell cycle. Accordingly, TONSL–MMS22L binds new histones H3–H4 both before and after incorporation into nucleosomes, remaining on replicated chromatin until late G2/M. H4K20me0 recognition is required for TONSL–MMS22L binding to chromatin and accumulation at challenged replication forks and DNA lesions. Consequently, TONSL ARD mutants are toxic, compromising genome stability, cell viability and resistance to replication stress. Finally, together, these data reveal a histone-reader-based mechanism for recognizing the post-replicative state, offering a new angle to understand DNA repair with the potential for targeted cancer therapy.« less

  4. Reactive oxygen species regulate DNA copy number in isolated yeast mitochondria by triggering recombination-mediated replication.

    PubMed

    Hori, Akiko; Yoshida, Minoru; Shibata, Takehiko; Ling, Feng

    2009-02-01

    Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) encodes proteins that are essential for cellular ATP production. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are respiratory byproducts that damage mtDNA and other cellular components. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the oxidized base excision-repair enzyme Ntg1 introduces a double-stranded break (DSB) at the mtDNA replication origin ori5; this DSB initiates the rolling-circle mtDNA replication mediated by the homologous DNA pairing protein Mhr1. Thus, ROS may play a role in the regulation of mtDNA copy number. Here, we show that the treatment of isolated mitochondria with low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide increased mtDNA copy number in an Ntg1- and Mhr1-dependent manner. This treatment elevated the DSB levels at ori5 of hypersuppressive [rho(-)] mtDNA only if Ntg1 was active. In vitro Ntg1-treatment of hypersuppressive [rho(-)] mtDNA extracted from hydrogen peroxide-treated mitochondria revealed increased oxidative modifications at ori5 loci. We also observed that purified Ntg1 created breaks in single-stranded DNA harboring oxidized bases, and that ori5 loci have single-stranded character. Furthermore, chronic low levels of hydrogen peroxide increased in vivo mtDNA copy number. We therefore propose that ROS act as a regulator of mtDNA copy number, acting through the Mhr1-dependent initiation of rolling-circle replication promoted by Ntg1-induced DSB in the single-stranded regions at ori5.

  5. Establishment of a promoter-based chromatin architecture on recently replicated DNA can accommodate variable inter-nucleosome spacing.

    PubMed

    Fennessy, Ross T; Owen-Hughes, Tom

    2016-09-06

    Nucleosomes, the fundamental subunits of eukaryotic chromatin, are organized with respect to transcriptional start sites. A major challenge to the persistence of this organization is the disassembly of nucleosomes during DNA replication. Here, we use complimentary approaches to map the locations of nucleosomes on recently replicated DNA. We find that nucleosomes are substantially realigned with promoters during the minutes following DNA replication. As a result, the nucleosomal landscape is largely re-established before newly replicated chromosomes are partitioned into daughter cells and can serve as a platform for the re-establishment of gene expression programmes. When the supply of histones is disrupted through mutation of the chaperone Caf1, a promoter-based architecture is generated, but with increased inter-nucleosomal spacing. This indicates that the chromatin remodelling enzymes responsible for spacing nucleosomes are capable of organizing nucleosomes with a range of different linker DNA lengths. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  6. The human GINS complex associates with Cdc45 and MCM and is essential for DNA replication

    PubMed Central

    Aparicio, Tomás; Guillou, Emmanuelle; Coloma, Javier; Montoya, Guillermo; Méndez, Juan

    2009-01-01

    The GINS complex, originally discovered in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Xenopus laevis, binds to DNA replication origins shortly before the onset of S phase and travels with the replication forks after initiation. In this study we present a detailed characterization of the human GINS (hGINS) homolog. Using new antibodies that allow the detection of endogenous hGINS in cells and tissues, we have examined its expression, abundance, subcellular localization and association with other DNA replication proteins. Expression of hGINS is restricted to actively proliferating cells. During the S phase, hGINS becomes part of a Cdc45–MCM–GINS (CMG) complex that is assembled on chromatin. Down-regulation of hGINS destabilizes CMG, causes a G1–S arrest and slows down ongoing DNA replication, effectively blocking cell proliferation. Our data support the notion that hGINS is an essential component of the human replisome. PMID:19223333

  7. Crystallization and preliminary X-ray characterization of the eukaryotic replication terminator Reb1-Ter DNA complex.

    PubMed

    Jaiswal, Rahul; Singh, Samarendra K; Bastia, Deepak; Escalante, Carlos R

    2015-04-01

    The Reb1 protein from Schizosaccharomyces pombe is a member of a family of proteins that control programmed replication termination and/or transcription termination in eukaryotic cells. These events occur at naturally occurring replication fork barriers (RFBs), where Reb1 binds to termination (Ter) DNA sites and coordinates the polar arrest of replication forks and transcription approaching in opposite directions. The Reb1 DNA-binding and replication-termination domain was expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized in complex with a 26-mer DNA Ter site. Batch crystallization under oil was required to produce crystals of good quality for data collection. Crystals grew in space group P2₁, with unit-cell parameters a = 68.9, b = 162.9, c = 71.1 Å, β = 94.7°. The crystals diffracted to a resolution of 3.0 Å. The crystals were mosaic and required two or three cycles of annealing. This study is the first to yield structural information about this important family of proteins and will provide insights into the mechanism of replication and transcription termination.

  8. Genome-Wide Analysis of the Core DNA Replication Machinery in the Higher Plants Arabidopsis and Rice1[W][OA

    PubMed Central

    Shultz, Randall W.; Tatineni, Vinaya M.; Hanley-Bowdoin, Linda; Thompson, William F.

    2007-01-01

    Core DNA replication proteins mediate the initiation, elongation, and Okazaki fragment maturation functions of DNA replication. Although this process is generally conserved in eukaryotes, important differences in the molecular architecture of the DNA replication machine and the function of individual subunits have been reported in various model systems. We have combined genome-wide bioinformatic analyses of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and rice (Oryza sativa) with published experimental data to provide a comprehensive view of the core DNA replication machinery in plants. Many components identified in this analysis have not been studied previously in plant systems, including the GINS (go ichi ni san) complex (PSF1, PSF2, PSF3, and SLD5), MCM8, MCM9, MCM10, NOC3, POLA2, POLA3, POLA4, POLD3, POLD4, and RNASEH2. Our results indicate that the core DNA replication machinery from plants is more similar to vertebrates than single-celled yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), suggesting that animal models may be more relevant to plant systems. However, we also uncovered some important differences between plants and vertebrate machinery. For example, we did not identify geminin or RNASEH1 genes in plants. Our analyses also indicate that plants may be unique among eukaryotes in that they have multiple copies of numerous core DNA replication genes. This finding raises the question of whether specialized functions have evolved in some cases. This analysis establishes that the core DNA replication machinery is highly conserved across plant species and displays many features in common with other eukaryotes and some characteristics that are unique to plants. PMID:17556508

  9. Low template STR typing: effect of replicate number and consensus method on genotyping reliability and DNA database search results.

    PubMed

    Benschop, Corina C G; van der Beek, Cornelis P; Meiland, Hugo C; van Gorp, Ankie G M; Westen, Antoinette A; Sijen, Titia

    2011-08-01

    To analyze DNA samples with very low DNA concentrations, various methods have been developed that sensitize short tandem repeat (STR) typing. Sensitized DNA typing is accompanied by stochastic amplification effects, such as allele drop-outs and drop-ins. Therefore low template (LT) DNA profiles are interpreted with care. One can either try to infer the genotype by a consensus method that uses alleles confirmed in replicate analyses, or one can use a statistical model to evaluate the strength of the evidence in a direct comparison with a known DNA profile. In this study we focused on the first strategy and we show that the procedure by which the consensus profile is assembled will affect genotyping reliability. In order to gain insight in the roles of replicate number and requested level of reproducibility, we generated six independent amplifications of samples of known donors. The LT methods included both increased cycling and enhanced capillary electrophoresis (CE) injection [1]. Consensus profiles were assembled from two to six of the replications using four methods: composite (include all alleles), n-1 (include alleles detected in all but one replicate), n/2 (include alleles detected in at least half of the replicates) and 2× (include alleles detected twice). We compared the consensus DNA profiles with the DNA profile of the known donor, studied the stochastic amplification effects and examined the effect of the consensus procedure on DNA database search results. From all these analyses we conclude that the accuracy of LT DNA typing and the efficiency of database searching improve when the number of replicates is increased and the consensus method is n/2. The most functional number of replicates within this n/2 method is four (although a replicate number of three suffices for samples showing >25% of the alleles in standard STR typing). This approach was also the optimal strategy for the analysis of 2-person mixtures, although modified search strategies may be

  10. Chromosomal aberrations and DNA damage in human populations exposed to the processing of electronics waste.

    PubMed

    Liu, Qiang; Cao, Jia; Li, Ke Qiu; Miao, Xu Hong; Li, Guang; Fan, Fei Yue; Zhao, Yong Cheng

    2009-05-01

    It has been known that the pollutants of electronic wastes (E-wastes) can lead to severe pollution to the environment. It has been reported that about 50% to 80% of E-wastes from developed countries are exported to Asia and Africa. It has become a major global environmental problem to deal with 'E-wastes'. E-waste recycling has remained primitive in Jinghai, China. This not only produces enormous environmental pollution but also can bring about toxic or genotoxic effects on the human body, threatening the health of both current residents and future generations living in the local environment. The concentration of lead in the blood of children in the E-waste polluted area in China is higher than that of the control area. But little is known about the cytogenetic effect to human beings caused by the pollution of E-wastes. In the present study, experiments have been performed to investigate the genetics of permanent residents of three villages with numerous E-waste disposal sites and to analyze the harmful effects of exposure to E-wastes. In total, 171 villagers (exposed group) were randomly selected from permanent residents of three villages located in Jinghai County of Tianjin, China, where there has been massive disposal of E-wastes. Thirty villagers were selected from the neighboring towns without E-waste disposal sites to serve as controls. Chromosomal aberrations and cytokinesis blocking micronucleus were performed to detect the cytogenetic effect, dic + r (dicentric and ring chromosome), monomer, fragments (acentric fragments, minute chromosomes, and acentric rings), translocation, satellite, quadriradial, total aberrations, and micronuclear rate were scored for each subject. DNA damage was detected using comet assay; the DNA percentage in the comet tail (TDNA%), tail moment (TM), and Olive tail moment (OTM) were recorded to describe DNA damage to lymphocytes. The total chromosome aberration rates (5.50%) and micronuclear rates (16.99%) of the exposure group

  11. Silencing of the pentose phosphate pathway genes influences DNA replication in human fibroblasts.

    PubMed

    Fornalewicz, Karolina; Wieczorek, Aneta; Węgrzyn, Grzegorz; Łyżeń, Robert

    2017-11-30

    Previous reports and our recently published data indicated that some enzymes of glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle can affect the genome replication process by changing either the efficiency or timing of DNA synthesis in human normal cells. Both these pathways are connected with the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP pathway). The PPP pathway supports cell growth by generating energy and precursors for nucleotides and amino acids. Therefore, we asked if silencing of genes coding for enzymes involved in the pentose phosphate pathway may also affect the control of DNA replication in human fibroblasts. Particular genes coding for PPP pathway enzymes were partially silenced with specific siRNAs. Such cells remained viable. We found that silencing of the H6PD, PRPS1, RPE genes caused less efficient enterance to the S phase and decrease in efficiency of DNA synthesis. On the other hand, in cells treated with siRNA against G6PD, RBKS and TALDO genes, the fraction of cells entering the S phase was increased. However, only in the case of G6PD and TALDO, the ratio of BrdU incorporation to DNA was significantly changed. The presented results together with our previously published studies illustrate the complexity of the influence of genes coding for central carbon metabolism on the control of DNA replication in human fibroblasts, and indicate which of them are especially important in this process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Phosphorylated RPA recruits PALB2 to stalled DNA replication forks to facilitate fork recovery

    PubMed Central

    Murphy, Anar K.; Fitzgerald, Michael; Ro, Teresa; Kim, Jee Hyun; Rabinowitsch, Ariana I.; Chowdhury, Dipanjan; Schildkraut, Carl L.

    2014-01-01

    Phosphorylation of replication protein A (RPA) by Cdk2 and the checkpoint kinase ATR (ATM and Rad3 related) during replication fork stalling stabilizes the replisome, but how these modifications safeguard the fork is not understood. To address this question, we used single-molecule fiber analysis in cells expressing a phosphorylation-defective RPA2 subunit or lacking phosphatase activity toward RPA2. Deregulation of RPA phosphorylation reduced synthesis at forks both during replication stress and recovery from stress. The ability of phosphorylated RPA to stimulate fork recovery is mediated through the PALB2 tumor suppressor protein. RPA phosphorylation increased localization of PALB2 and BRCA2 to RPA-bound nuclear foci in cells experiencing replication stress. Phosphorylated RPA also stimulated recruitment of PALB2 to single-strand deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in a cell-free system. Expression of mutant RPA2 or loss of PALB2 expression led to significant DNA damage after replication stress, a defect accentuated by poly-ADP (adenosine diphosphate) ribose polymerase inhibitors. These data demonstrate that phosphorylated RPA recruits repair factors to stalled forks, thereby enhancing fork integrity during replication stress. PMID:25113031

  13. Phosphorylated RPA recruits PALB2 to stalled DNA replication forks to facilitate fork recovery.

    PubMed

    Murphy, Anar K; Fitzgerald, Michael; Ro, Teresa; Kim, Jee Hyun; Rabinowitsch, Ariana I; Chowdhury, Dipanjan; Schildkraut, Carl L; Borowiec, James A

    2014-08-18

    Phosphorylation of replication protein A (RPA) by Cdk2 and the checkpoint kinase ATR (ATM and Rad3 related) during replication fork stalling stabilizes the replisome, but how these modifications safeguard the fork is not understood. To address this question, we used single-molecule fiber analysis in cells expressing a phosphorylation-defective RPA2 subunit or lacking phosphatase activity toward RPA2. Deregulation of RPA phosphorylation reduced synthesis at forks both during replication stress and recovery from stress. The ability of phosphorylated RPA to stimulate fork recovery is mediated through the PALB2 tumor suppressor protein. RPA phosphorylation increased localization of PALB2 and BRCA2 to RPA-bound nuclear foci in cells experiencing replication stress. Phosphorylated RPA also stimulated recruitment of PALB2 to single-strand deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in a cell-free system. Expression of mutant RPA2 or loss of PALB2 expression led to significant DNA damage after replication stress, a defect accentuated by poly-ADP (adenosine diphosphate) ribose polymerase inhibitors. These data demonstrate that phosphorylated RPA recruits repair factors to stalled forks, thereby enhancing fork integrity during replication stress. © 2014 Murphy et al.

  14. Deficiency of the Arabidopsis Helicase RTEL1 Triggers a SOG1-Dependent Replication Checkpoint in Response to DNA Cross-Links

    PubMed Central

    Hu, Zhubing; Cools, Toon; Kalhorzadeh, Pooneh; Heyman, Jefri; De Veylder, Lieven

    2015-01-01

    To maintain genome integrity, DNA replication is executed and regulated by a complex molecular network of numerous proteins, including helicases and cell cycle checkpoint regulators. Through a systematic screening for putative replication mutants, we identified an Arabidopsis thaliana homolog of human Regulator of Telomere Length 1 (RTEL1), which functions in DNA replication, DNA repair, and recombination. RTEL1 deficiency retards plant growth, a phenotype including a prolonged S-phase duration and decreased cell proliferation. Genetic analysis revealed that rtel1 mutant plants show activated cell cycle checkpoints, specific sensitivity to DNA cross-linking agents, and increased homologous recombination, but a lack of progressive shortening of telomeres, indicating that RTEL1 functions have only been partially conserved between mammals and plants. Surprisingly, RTEL1 deficiency induces tolerance to the deoxynucleotide-depleting drug hydroxyurea, which could be mimicked by DNA cross-linking agents. This resistance does not rely on the essential replication checkpoint regulator WEE1 but could be blocked by a mutation in the SOG1 transcription factor. Taken together, our data indicate that RTEL1 is required for DNA replication and that its deficiency activates a SOG1-dependent replication checkpoint. PMID:25595823

  15. Set2 Methyltransferase Facilitates DNA Replication and Promotes Genotoxic Stress Responses through MBF-Dependent Transcription.

    PubMed

    Pai, Chen-Chun; Kishkevich, Anastasiya; Deegan, Rachel S; Keszthelyi, Andrea; Folkes, Lisa; Kearsey, Stephen E; De León, Nagore; Soriano, Ignacio; de Bruin, Robertus Antonius Maria; Carr, Antony M; Humphrey, Timothy C

    2017-09-12

    Chromatin modification through histone H3 lysine 36 methylation by the SETD2 tumor suppressor plays a key role in maintaining genome stability. Here, we describe a role for Set2-dependent H3K36 methylation in facilitating DNA replication and the transcriptional responses to both replication stress and DNA damage through promoting MluI cell-cycle box (MCB) binding factor (MBF)-complex-dependent transcription in fission yeast. Set2 loss leads to reduced MBF-dependent ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) expression, reduced deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) synthesis, altered replication origin firing, and a checkpoint-dependent S-phase delay. Accordingly, prolonged S phase in the absence of Set2 is suppressed by increasing dNTP synthesis. Furthermore, H3K36 is di- and tri-methylated at these MBF gene promoters, and Set2 loss leads to reduced MBF binding and transcription in response to genotoxic stress. Together, these findings provide new insights into how H3K36 methylation facilitates DNA replication and promotes genotoxic stress responses in fission yeast. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. p53-Mediated Cellular Response to DNA Damage in Cells with Replicative Hepatitis B Virus

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Puisieux, Alain; Ji, Jingwei; Guillot, Celine; Legros, Yann; Soussi, Thierry; Isselbacher, Kurt; Ozturk, Mehmet

    1995-02-01

    Wild-type p53 acts as a tumor suppressor gene by protecting cells from deleterious effects of genotoxic agents through the induction of a G_1/S arrest or apoptosis as a response to DNA damage. Transforming proteins of several oncogenic DNA viruses inactivate tumor suppressor activity of p53 by blocking this cellular response. To test whether hepatitis B virus displays a similar effect, we studied the p53-mediated cellular response to DNA damage in 2215 hepatoma cells with replicative hepatitis B virus. We demonstrate that hepatitis B virus replication does not interfere with known cellular functions of p53 protein.

  17. Nucleoprotein Complexes Containing Replicating Simian Virus 40 DNA: Comparison with Polyoma Nucleoprotein Complexes

    PubMed Central

    Hall, Mark R.; Meinke, William; Goldstein, David A.

    1973-01-01

    Procedures for isolating nucleoprotein complexes containing replicating polyoma DNA from infected mouse cells were used to prepare short-lived nucleoprotein complexes (r-SV40 complexes) containing replicating simian virus 40 (SV40) DNA from infected monkey cells. Like the polyoma complexes, r-SV40 complexes were only partially released from nuclei by cell lysis but could be extracted from nuclei by prolonged treatment with solutions containing Triton X-100. r-SV40 complexes sedimented faster than complexes containing SV40 supercoiled DNA (SV40 complex) in sucrose gradients, and both types of SV40 nucleoprotein complexes sedimented ahead of polyoma complexes containing supercoiled polyoma DNA (py complex). The sedimentation rates of py complex and SV40 complex were 56 and 61S, respectively, based on the sedimentation rate of the mouse large ribosomal subunit as a marker. r-SV40 complexes sedimented as multiple peaks between 56 and 75S. Sedimentation and buoyant density measurements indicated that protein is bound to all forms of SV40 DNA at about the same ratio of protein to DNA (1-2/1) as was reported for polyoma nucleoproteins. PMID:4359958

  18. Interaction of the replication terminator protein of Bacillus subtilis with DNA probed by NMR spectroscopy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hastings, Adam F.; Otting, Gottfried; Folmer, Rutger H.A.

    2005-09-23

    Termination of DNA replication in Bacillus subtilis involves the polar arrest of replication forks by a specific complex formed between the dimeric 29 kDa replication terminator protein (RTP) and DNA terminator sites. We have used NMR spectroscopy to probe the changes in {sup 1}H-{sup 15}N correlation spectra of a {sup 15}N-labelled RTP.C110S mutant upon the addition of a 21 base pair symmetrical DNA binding site. Assignment of the {sup 1}H-{sup 15}N correlations was achieved using a suite of triple resonance NMR experiments with {sup 15}N,{sup 13}C,70% {sup 2}H enriched protein recorded at 800 MHz and using TROSY pulse sequences. Perturbationsmore » to {sup 1}H-{sup 15}N spectra revealed that the N-termini, {alpha}3-helices and several loops are affected by the binding interaction. An analysis of this data in light of the crystallographically determined apo- and DNA-bound forms of RTP.C110S revealed that the NMR spectral perturbations correlate more closely to protein structural changes upon complex formation rather than to interactions at the protein-DNA interface.« less

  19. Amplified Self-replication of DNA Origami Nanostructures through Multi-cycle Fast-annealing Process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Feng; Zhuo, Rebecca; He, Xiaojin; Sha, Ruojie; Seeman, Nadrian; Chaikin, Paul

    We have developed a non-biological self-replication process using templated reversible association of components and irreversible linking with annealing and UV cycles. The current method requires a long annealing time, up to several days, to achieve the specific self-assembly of DNA nanostructures. In this work, we accomplished the self-replication with a shorter time and smaller replication rate per cycle. By decreasing the ramping time, we obtained the comparable replication yield within 90 min. Systematic studies show that the temperature and annealing time play essential roles in the self-replication process. In this manner, we can amplify the self-replication process to a factor of 20 by increasing the number of cycles within the same amount of time.

  20. Human RECQL5: guarding the crossroads of DNA replication and transcription and providing backup capability.

    PubMed

    Popuri, Venkateswarlu; Tadokoro, Takashi; Croteau, Deborah L; Bohr, Vilhelm A

    2013-01-01

    DNA helicases are ubiquitous enzymes that catalyze unwinding of duplex DNA and function in all metabolic processes in which access to single-stranded DNA is required, including DNA replication, repair, recombination and RNA transcription. RecQ helicases are a conserved family of DNA helicases that display highly specialized and vital roles in the maintenance of genome stability. Mutations in three of the five human RecQ helicases, BLM, WRN and RECQL4 are associated with the genetic disorders Bloom syndrome, Werner syndrome and Rothmund-Thomson syndrome that are characterized by chromosomal instability, premature aging and predisposition to cancer. The biological role of human RECQL5 is only partially understood and RECQL5 has not yet been associated with any human disease. Illegitimate recombination and replication stress are hallmarks of human cancers and common instigators for genomic instability and cell death. Recql5 knockout mice are cancer prone and show increased chromosomal instability. Recql5-deficient mouse embryonic fibroblasts are sensitive to camptothecin and display elevated levels of sister chromatid exchanges. Unlike other human RecQ helicases, RECQL5 is recruited to single-stranded DNA breaks and is also proposed to play an essential role in RNA transcription. Here, we review the established roles of RECQL5 at the cross roads of DNA replication, recombination and transcription, and propose that human RECQL5 provides important backup functions in the absence of other DNA helicases.