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PubMed2026

CIZ1 regulates G1 length and the CDK threshold for initiation of DNA replication to prevent DNA replication stress.

Eukaryotic cell division is regulated by CDK activity that must reach critical CDK threshold levels to progress through cell cycle stages. In low-mitogen, low-CDK environments, cells exit the cell cycle into a non-proliferative quiescent state, G0, that plays essential roles in stem cell maintenance and cellular homeostasis. CIZ1 regulates cell cycle and epigenetic programmes, and CIZ1 ablation promotes genomic instability after release from quiescence. Here, we show that CIZ1 contributes to mechanisms that temporally regulate cell cycle transitions in post-quiescent cells. CIZ1-/- (CIZ1 KO) fibroblasts re-entering the cell cycle from quiescence have reduced G1 phase and cell cycle length, mediated by increased intracellular CDK activity and early restriction point bypass via G1/S cyclin overexpression. In addition, CIZ1-/- cells are deficient in cyclin A chromatin binding and require increased CDK activity to initiate DNA replication, leading to DNA replication stress. Importantly, ectopic expression of CIZ1 or addition of recombinant CIZ1 reinstates the CDK threshold for initiation of DNA replication, reversing DNA replication stress and increasing replication fork rates. These data suggest that in post-quiescent cells, CIZ1 determines the threshold CDK activity required for the G1/S transition to prevent DNA replication stress.

DNA Replication↗
PubMed2006

The Fanconi anemia pathway of genomic maintenance.

Fanconi anemia (FA), a recessive syndrome with both autosomal and X-linked inheritance, features diverse clinical symptoms, such as progressive bone marrow failure, hypersensitivity to DNA cross-linking agents, chromosomal instability and susceptibility to cancer. At least 12 genetic subtypes have been described (FA-A, B, C, D1, D2, E, F, G, I, J, L, M) and all except FA-I have been linked to a distinct gene. Most FA proteins form a complex that activates the FANCD2 protein via monoubiquitination, while FANCJ and FANCD1/BRCA2 function downstream of this step. The FA proteins typically lack functional domains, except for FANCJ/BRIP1 and FANCM, which are DNA helicases, and FANCL, which is probably an E3 ubiquitin conjugating enzyme. Based on the hypersensitivity to cross-linking agents, the FA proteins are thought to function in the repair of DNA interstrand cross-links, which block the progression of DNA replication forks. Here we present a hypothetical model, which not only describes the assembly of the FA pathway, but also positions this pathway in the broader context of DNA cross-link repair. Finally, the possible role for the FA pathway, in particular FANCF and FANCB, in the origin of sporadic cancer is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Lack of positional requirements for autonomously replicating sequence elements on artificial yeast chromosomes.

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, origins of replication (autonomously replicating sequences; ARSs), centromeres, and telomeres have been isolated and characterized. The identification of these structures allows the construction of artificial chromosomes in which the architecture of eukaryotic chromosomes may be studied. A common feature of most, and possibly all, natural yeast chromosomes is that they have an ARS within 2 kilobases of their physical ends. To study the effects of such telomeric ARSs on chromosome maintenance, we introduced artificial chromosomes of approximately 15 and 60 kilobases into yeast cells and analyzed the requirements for telomeric ARSs and the effects of ARS-free chromosomal arms on the stability of these molecules. We find that terminal blocks of telomeric repeats are sufficient to be recognized as telomeres. Moreover, artificial chromosomes containing telomere-associated Y' sequences and telomeric ARSs were no more stable during both mitosis and meiosis than artificial chromosomes lacking terminal ARSs, indicating that yeast-specific blocks of telomeric sequences are the only cis-acting requirement for a functional telomere during both mitotic growth and meiosis. The results also show that there is no requirement for an origin of replication on each arm of the artificial chromosomes, indicating that a replication fork may efficiently move through a functional centromere region.

Blotting, Southern↗
PubMed2024

FANCJ DNA helicase is recruited to the replisome by AND-1 to ensure genome stability.

FANCJ, a DNA helicase linked to Fanconi anemia and frequently mutated in cancers, counteracts replication stress by dismantling unconventional DNA secondary structures (such as G-quadruplexes) that occur at the DNA replication fork in certain sequence contexts. However, how FANCJ is recruited to the replisome is unknown. Here, we report that FANCJ directly binds to AND-1 (the vertebrate ortholog of budding yeast Ctf4), a homo-trimeric protein adaptor that connects the CDC45/MCM2-7/GINS replicative DNA helicase with DNA polymerase α and several other factors at DNA replication forks. The interaction between FANCJ and AND-1 requires the integrity of an evolutionarily conserved Ctf4-interacting protein (CIP) box located between the FANCJ helicase motifs IV and V. Disruption of the CIP box significantly reduces FANCJ association with the replisome, causing enhanced DNA damage, decreased replication fork recovery and fork asymmetry in cells unchallenged or treated with Pyridostatin, a G-quadruplex-binder, or Mitomycin C, a DNA inter-strand cross-linking agent. Cancer-relevant FANCJ CIP box variants display reduced AND-1-binding and enhanced DNA damage, a finding that suggests their potential role in cancer predisposition.

Humans↗
PubMed2004

Recombination repair pathway in the maintenance of chromosomal integrity against DNA interstrand crosslinks.

DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICL) present a major threat to cell viability and genome integrity. In eukaryotic cells, the ICLs have been suggested to be repaired by a complex process involving Xpf/Ercc1-mediated endonucleolytic incision and homologous recombination (HR). However, the entire feature of the ICL tolerating mechanism is still poorly understood. Here we studied chromosome aberrations (CA) and sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) by the use of the crosslinking agent mitomycin C (MMC), in chicken DT40 cells with the HR genes disrupted by targeted replacement. The disruption of the Rad54, Rad51B, Rad51C, Rad51D, Xrcc2 and Xrcc3 genes resulted in a dramatic reduction of spontaneous and MMC-induced SCEs. Interestingly, while HR-deficient cells were hypersensitive to cell killing by MMC, MMC-induced CAs were also suppressed in the HR-deficient cells except for Rad51D-, Xrcc2- and Xrcc3-deficient cells. These observations indicate that DNA double strand breaks (DSB) at stalled replication forks and those arising as repair intermediates present strong signals to cell death but can be tolerated by the HR repair pathway, where Rad54, Rad51B and Rad51C have an initiative role and repair can be completed by their paralogs Rad51D, Xrcc2 and Xrcc3. The impairment of the HR pathway, which otherwise leads to cell death, may be somewhat substituted by an alternative mechanism such as the Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 pathway, resulting in reduced frequencies of SCEs and CAs.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Checkpoint deficient rad53-11 yeast cannot accumulate dNTPs in response to DNA damage.

Deoxyribonucleotide pools are maintained at levels that support efficient and yet accurate DNA replication and repair. Rad53 is part of a protein kinase regulatory cascade that, conceptually, promotes dNTP accumulation in four ways: (1) it activates the transcription of ribonucleotide reductase subunits by inhibiting the Crt1 repressor; (2) it plays a role in relocalization of ribonucleotide reductase subunits RNR2 and RNR4 from nucleus to cytoplasm; (3) it antagonizes the action of Sml1, a protein that binds and inhibits ribonucleotide reductase; and (4) it blocks cell-cycle progression in response to DNA damage, thus preventing dNTP consumption through replication forks. Although several lines of evidence support the above modes of Rad53 action, an effect of a rad53 mutation on dNTP levels has not been directly demonstrated. In fact, in a previous study, a rad53-11 mutation did not result in lower dNTP levels in asynchronous cells or in synchronized cells that entered the S-phase in the presence of the RNR inhibitor hydroxyurea. These anomalies prompted us to investigate whether the rad53-11 mutation affected dNTP levels in cells exposed to a DNA-damaging dose of ethylmethyl sulfonate (EMS). Although dNTP levels increased by 2- to 3-fold in EMS treated wild-type cells, rad53-11 cells showed no such change. Thus, the results indicate that Rad53 checkpoint function is not required for dNTP pool maintenance in normally growing cells, but is required for dNTP pool expansion in cells exposed to DNA-damaging agents.

Cell Cycle↗
PubMed2006

Checkpoint functions are required for normal S-phase progression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae RCAF- and CAF-I-defective mutants.

The chromatin-assembly factor I (CAF-I) and the replication-coupling assembly factor (RCAF) complexes function in chromatin assembly during DNA replication and repair and play a role in the maintenance of genome stability. Here, we have investigated their role in checkpoints and S-phase progression. FACS analysis of mutants lacking Asf1 or Cac1 as well as various checkpoint proteins indicated that normal rates of S-phase progression in asf1 mutants have a strong requirement for replication checkpoint proteins, whereas normal S-phase progression in cac1 mutants has only a weak requirement for either replication or DNA-damage checkpoint proteins. Furthermore, asf1 mutants had high levels of Ddc2.GFP foci that were further increased in asf1 dun1 double mutants consistent with a requirement for checkpoint proteins in S-phase progression in asf1 mutants, whereas cac1 mutants had much lower levels of Ddc2.GFP foci that were not increased by a dun1 mutation. Our data suggest that RCAF defects lead to unstable replication forks that are then stabilized by replication checkpoint proteins, whereas CAF-I defects likely cause different types of DNA damage.

Cell Cycle Proteins↗
PubMed2006

Homologous recombination is required for genome stability in the absence of DOG-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans.

In C. elegans, DOG-1 prevents deletions that initiate in polyG/polyC tracts (G/C tracts), most likely by unwinding secondary structures that can form in G/C tracts during lagging-strand DNA synthesis. We have used the dog-1 mutant to assay the in vivo contribution of various repair genes to the maintenance of G/C tracts. Here we show that DOG-1 and the BLM ortholog, HIM-6, act synergistically during replication; simultaneous loss of function of both genes results in replicative stress and an increase in the formation of small deletions that initiate in G/C tracts. Similarly, we demonstrate that the C. elegans orthologs of the homologous recombination repair genes BARD1, RAD51, and XPF and the trans-lesion synthesis polymerases poleta and polkappa contribute to the prevention of deletions in dog-1 mutants. Finally, we provide evidence that the small deletions generated in the dog-1 background are not formed through homologous recombination, nucleotide excision repair, or nonhomologous end-joining mechanisms, but appear to result from a mutagenic repair mechanism acting at G/C tracts. Our data support the hypothesis that absence of DOG-1 leads to replication fork stalling that can be repaired by deletion-free or deletion-prone mechanisms.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

The vertebrate Hef ortholog is a component of the Fanconi anemia tumor-suppressor pathway.

The helicase-associated endonuclease for fork-structured DNA (Hef) is an archaeabacterial protein that processes blocked replication forks. Here we have isolated the vertebrate Hef ortholog and investigated its molecular function. Disruption of this gene in chicken DT40 cells results in genomic instability and sensitivity to DNA cross-links. The similarity of this phenotype to that of cells lacking the Fanconi anemia-related (FA) tumor-suppressor genes led us to investigate whether Hef functions in this pathway. Indeed, we found a genetic interaction between the FANCC and Hef genes. In addition, Hef is a component of the FA nuclear protein complex that facilitates its DNA damage-inducible chromatin localization and the monoubiquitination of the FA protein FANCD2. Notably, Hef interacts directly with DNA structures that are intermediates in DNA replication. This discovery sheds light on the origins, regulation and molecular function of the FA tumor-suppressor pathway in the maintenance of genome stability.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed2006

Concerted action of plasmid maintenance functions: partition complexes create a requirement for dimer resolution.

Partition of prokaryotic DNA requires formation of specific protein-centromere complexes, but an excess of the protein can disrupt segregation. The mechanisms underlying this destabilization are unknown. We have found that destabilization by the F plasmid partition protein, SopB, of plasmids carrying the F centromere, sopC, results from the capacity of the SopB-sopC partition complex to stimulate plasmid multimerization. Mutant SopBs unable to destabilize failed to increase multimerization. Stability of wild-type mini-F, whose ResD/rfsF site-specific recombination system enables it to resolve multimers to monomers, was barely affected by excess SopB. Destabilization of plasmids lacking the rfsF site was suppressed by recF, recO and recR, but not by recB, mutant alleles, indicating that multimerization is initiated from single-strand gaps. SopB did not alter the amounts or distribution of replication intermediates, implying that SopB-DNA complexes do not create single-strand gaps by blocking replication forks. Rather, the results are consistent with SopB-DNA complexes channelling gapped molecules into the RecFOR recombination pathway. We suggest that extended SopB-DNA complexes increase the likelihood of recombination between sibling plasmids by keeping them in close contact prior to SopA-mediated segregation. These results cast plasmid site-specific resolution in a new role - compensation for untoward consequences of partition complex formation.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed2000

Mcm10 and the MCM2-7 complex interact to initiate DNA synthesis and to release replication factors from origins.

MCM2-7, a complex of six subunits, is an essential component of the prereplication chromatin that is assembled at Saccharomyces cerevisiae replication origins during G(1) phase. It is also believed to be the processive helicase at growing forks. To elucidate the action of MCM2-7 during the transition from initiation to elongation replication, we have focused our studies on Mcm10, a replication initiation protein that physically interacts with members of the MCM2-7 complex. We show that Mcm10 is a chromatin-associated protein that mediates the association of the MCM2-7 complex with replication origins. Furthermore, diminished interaction between Mcm10 and Mcm7, a subunit of the MCM2-7 complex, by a mutation in either Mcm10 or Mcm7 inhibits replication initiation. Surprisingly, a double mutant containing both the mcm10-1 and mcm7-1 (cdc47-1) alleles restores interaction between Mcm10 and Mcm7 and corrects all of the defects exhibited by each of the single mutants, including the stalling of replication forks at replication origins typically seen in mcm10-1 cells. This mutual compensation of defects between two independently isolated mutations is allele specific. These results suggest that Mcm10, like Mcm7, is a critical component of the prereplication chromatin and that interaction between Mcm10 and Mcm7 is required for proper replication initiation and prompt release of origin-bound factors.

Alleles↗
PubMed1999

Competence for assembly of sister chromatid cores is progressively acquired during S phase in mammalian cells.

Condensed sister chromatids possess a protein scaffold or axial core to which loops of chromatin are attached. The sister cores are believed to be dynamic frameworks that function in the organization and condensation of chromatids. Chromosome structural proteins are implicated in the establishment of sister chromatid cohesion and in the maintenance of epigenetic phenomena. Both processes of templating are tightly linked to DNA replication itself. It is a question whether the structural basis of sister chromatid cores is templated during S phase. As cells proceed through the cell cycle, chromatid cores undergo changes in their protein composition. Cytologically, cores are first visualized at the start of prometaphase. Still, core assembly can be induced in G1 and G2 when interphase cells are fused with mitotic cells. In this study, we asked if chromatid cores are similarly able to assemble in S-phase cells. We find that the ability to assemble cores is transiently lost during local replication, then regained in chromosome regions shortly after they have been replicated. We propose that core templating occurs coincident with DNA replication and that the competence for the assembly of the sister chromatid cores is acquired shortly after passage of replication forks.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Biochemical analysis of human Dna2.

Yeast Dna2 helicase/nuclease is essential for DNA replication and assists FEN1 nuclease in processing a subset of Okazaki fragments that have long single-stranded 5' flaps. It is also involved in the maintenance of telomeres. DNA2 is a gene conserved in eukaryotes, and a putative human ortholog of yeast DNA2 (ScDNA2) has been identified. Little is known about the role of human DNA2 (hDNA2), although complementation experiments have shown that it can function in yeast to replace ScDNA2. We have now characterized the biochemical properties of hDna2. Recombinant hDna2 has single-stranded DNA-dependent ATPase and DNA helicase activity. It also has 5'-3' nuclease activity with preference for single-stranded 5' flaps adjacent to a duplex DNA region. The nuclease activity is stimulated by RPA and suppressed by steric hindrance at the 5' end. Moreover, hDna2 shows strong 3'-5' nuclease activity. This activity cleaves single-stranded DNA in a fork structure and, like the 5'-3' activity, is suppressed by steric hindrance at the 3'-end, suggesting that the 3'-5' nuclease requires a 3' single-stranded end for activation. These biochemical specificities are very similar to those of the ScDna2 protein, but suggest that the 3'-5' nuclease activity may be more important than previously thought.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed2006

Eukaryotic DNA replication in a chromatin context.

There has been remarkable progress in the last 20 years in defining the molecular mechanisms that regulate initiation of DNA synthesis in eukaryotic cells. Replication origins in the DNA nucleate the ordered assembly of protein factors to form a prereplication complex (preRC) that is poised for DNA synthesis. Transition of the preRC to an active initiation complex is regulated by cyclin-dependent kinases and other signaling molecules, which promote further protein assembly and activate the mini chromosome maintenance helicase. We will review these mechanisms and describe the state of knowledge about the proteins involved. However, we will also consider an additional layer of complexity. The DNA in the cell is packaged with histone proteins into chromatin. Chromatin structure provides an additional layer of heritable information with associated epigenetic modifications. Thus, we will begin by describing chromatin structure, and how the cell generally controls access to the DNA. Access to the DNA requires active chromatin remodeling, specific histone modifications, and regulated histone deposition. Studies in transcription have revealed a variety of mechanisms that regulate DNA access, and some of these are likely to be shared with DNA replication. We will briefly describe heterochromatin as a model for an epigenetically inherited chromatin state. Next, we will describe the mechanisms of replication initiation and how these are affected by constraints of chromatin. Finally, chromatin must be reassembled with appropriate modifications following passage of the replication fork, and our third major topic will be the reassembly of chromatin and its associated epigenetic marks. Thus, in this chapter, we seek to bring together the studies of replication initiation and the studies of chromatin into a single holistic narrative.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Subcellular localization of the Bacillus subtilis structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) protein.

The Bacillus subtilis structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) protein is a member of a large family of proteins involved in chromosome organization. We found that SMC is a moderately abundant protein ( approximately 1000 dimers per cell). In vivo cross-linking and immunoprecipitation assays revealed that SMC binds to many regions on the chromosome. Visualization of SMC in live cells using a fusion to the green fluorescent protein (GFP) and in fixed cells using immunofluorescence microscopy indicated that a portion of SMC localizes as discrete foci in positions similar to that of the DNA replication machinery (replisome). When visualized simultaneously, SMC and the replisome were often in similar regions of the cell but did not always co-localize. Persistence of SMC foci did not depend on ongoing replication, but did depend on ScpA and ScpB, two proteins thought to interact with SMC. Our results indicate that SMC is bound to many sites on the chromosome and a concentration of SMC is localized near replication forks, perhaps there to bind and organize newly replicated DNA.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗
PubMed2006

The replicative polymerases PolC and DnaE are required for theta replication of the Bacillus subtilis plasmid pBS72.

Plasmids are the tools of choice for studying bacterial functions involved in DNA maintenance. Here a genetic study on the replication of a novel, low-copy-number, Bacillus subtilis plasmid, pBS72, is reported. The results show that two plasmid elements, the initiator protein RepA and an iteron-containing origin, and at least nine host-encoded replication proteins, the primosomal proteins DnaB, DnaC, DnaD, DnaG and DnaI, the DNA polymerases DnaE and PolC, and the polymerase cofactors DnaN and DnaX, are required for pBS72 replication. On the contrary, the cellular initiators DnaA and PriA, the helicase PcrA and DNA polymerase I are dispensable. From this, it is inferred that pBS72 replication is of the theta type and is initiated by an original mechanism. Indirect evidence suggests that during this process the DnaC helicase might be delivered to the plasmid origin by the weakly active DnaD pathway stimulated by a predicted interaction between DnaC and a domain of RepA homologous to the major DnaC-binding domain of the cellular initiator DnaA. The plasmid pBS72 replication fork appears to require the same functions as the bacterial chromosome and the unrelated plasmid pAMbeta1. Most importantly, this replication machinery contains the two type C polymerases, PolC and DnaE. As the mechanism of initiation of the three genomes is substantially different, this suggests that both type C polymerases might be required in any Cairns replication in B. subtilis and presumably in other bacteria encoding PolC and DnaE.

Bacillus subtilis↗
PubMed2005

Defective DNA single-strand break repair in spinocerebellar ataxia with axonal neuropathy-1.

Spinocerebellar ataxia with axonal neuropathy-1 (SCAN1) is a neurodegenerative disease that results from mutation of tyrosyl phosphodiesterase 1 (TDP1). In lower eukaryotes, Tdp1 removes topoisomerase 1 (top1) peptide from DNA termini during the repair of double-strand breaks created by collision of replication forks with top1 cleavage complexes in proliferating cells. Although TDP1 most probably fulfils a similar function in human cells, this role is unlikely to account for the clinical phenotype of SCAN1, which is associated with progressive degeneration of post-mitotic neurons. In addition, this role is redundant in lower eukaryotes, and Tdp1 mutations alone confer little phenotype. Moreover, defects in processing or preventing double-strand breaks during DNA replication are most probably associated with increased genetic instability and cancer, phenotypes not observed in SCAN1 (ref. 8). Here we show that in human cells TDP1 is required for repair of chromosomal single-strand breaks arising independently of DNA replication from abortive top1 activity or oxidative stress. We report that TDP1 is sequestered into multi-protein single-strand break repair (SSBR) complexes by direct interaction with DNA ligase IIIalpha and that these complexes are catalytically inactive in SCAN1 cells. These data identify a defect in SSBR in a neurodegenerative disease, and implicate this process in the maintenance of genetic integrity in post-mitotic neurons.

Axons↗
PubMed2005

DNA binding and helicase actions of mouse MCM4/6/7 helicase.

Helicases play central roles in initiation and elongation of DNA replication. We previously reported that helicase and ATPase activities of the mammalian Mcm4/6/7 complex are activated specifically by thymine-rich single-stranded DNA. Here, we examined its substrate preference and helicase actions using various synthetic DNAs. On a bubble substrate, Mcm4/6/7 makes symmetric dual contacts with the 5'-proximal 25 nt single-stranded segments adjacent to the branch points, presumably generating double hexamers. Loss of thymine residues from one single-strand results in significant decrease of unwinding efficacy, suggesting that concurrent bidirectional unwinding by a single double hexameric Mcm4/6/7 may play a role in efficient unwinding of the bubble. Mcm4/6/7 binds and unwinds various fork and extension structures carrying a single-stranded 3'-tail DNA. The extent of helicase activation depends on the sequence context of the 3'-tail, and the maximum level is achieved by DNA with 50% or more thymine content. Strand displacement by Mcm4/6/7 is inhibited, as the GC content of the duplex region increases. Replacement of cytosine-guanine pairs with cytosine-inosine pairs in the duplex restored unwinding, suggesting that mammalian Mcm4/6/7 helicase has difficulties in unwinding stably base-paired duplex. Taken together, these findings reveal important features on activation and substrate preference of the eukaryotic replicative helicase.

Animals↗