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Purification and properties of a DNA ligase from a soluble DNA replication complex.

A DNA ligase has been purified from a subnuclear soluble replication complex isolated from adenovirus type 2-infected human KB cells. DNA ligase activity could not be demonstrated using an exogenous template until the complex was dissociated, suggesting that the ligase activity may be a component of the complex. The purified enzyme was free of endonuclease, exonuclease, 5'-nucleotidase, and phosphatase activities, and had a molecular weight of 105 000, as estimated by sedimentation in a glycerol gradient. The ligase requires ATP and a divalent cation for activity. The optimum of the reaction is at pH 7.8 in 50--100 mM Tris-HCl buffer and 10--20 mM MgCl2. Monovalent salts greatly stimulate ligase activity and the optimum was found at 150 mM. The reaction is very sensitive to high temperature; maximum activity was observed at 25--30 degrees C. ATP is the sole required cofactor and NAD, dATP and GTP could not replace the requirement for ATP. The Km for ATP is 60 microM. The Km for DNA is 250 microgram/ml or 1.6 nmol of terminal phosphate/ml and thus the enzyme shows relatively weak affinity for exogenous DNA. The maximum conversion of 32P into a phosphatase-resistant form is approximately 1.3% of the total, whereas T4 ligase, under the same conditions, can convert more than 25% of phosphate into a resistant form.

Adenoviruses, Human↗

Eukaryotic DNA ligases.

Recent studies on eukaryotic DNA ligases are briefly reviewed. The two distinguishable enzymes from mammalian cells, DNA ligase I and DNA ligase II, have been purified to homogeneity and characterized biochemically. Two distinct DNA ligases have also been identified in Drosophila melanogaster embryos. The genes encoding DNA ligases from Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and vaccinia virus have been cloned and sequenced. These 3 proteins exhibit about 30% amino acid sequence identity; the 2 yeast enzymes share 53% amino acid sequence identity or conserved changes. Altered DNA ligase I activity has been found in cell lines from patients with Bloom's syndrome, although a causal link between the enzyme deficiency and the disease has not yet been proven.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Phenotypic correction of a human cell line (46BR) with aberrant DNA ligase I activity.

Ligation of DNA after replication and repair is a prerequisite for the preservation of DNA and chromosome structure and function. Biochemical studies with Bloom's syndrome cells have revealed an abnormal DNA ligase I activity. However, genetic analysis has not revealed any differences in transcript levels or in the cDNA sequences of DNA ligase I between Bloom's syndrome and normal cells. Another human cell line, 46BR, derived from an immunodeficient patient, also has an abnormal DNA ligase I. This cell line has recently been demonstrated to harbour two different missense mutations, one at each allele of DNA ligase I. These mutations resulted in a decreased ability of partially purified cell extracts to form an enzyme-adenylate reaction intermediate. We show that 46BR hypersensitivity to an alkylating agent, ethyl methanesulphonate, and to the polyADP-ribose polymerase inhibitor 3-aminobenzamide, is rescued by transfection of wild-type DNA ligase I sequences. This provides additional genetic evidence that the defect in 46BR is at the DNA ligase I locus.

Benzamides↗

Post-translational chemical modification of E3 ligase for efficient target protein degradation.

Targeted protein degradation (TPD) has emerged as a powerful therapeutic strategy, with proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) leading efforts to address previously undruggable targets. However, PROTACs face challenges such as low bioavailability and poor pharmacokinetic properties which limit their biological applications. Here, we report a strategy termed post-translational chemical modification targeting chimera (PTcM-TAC), which integrates ligand-directed chemistry into the PROTAC framework to achieve sustained target protein degradation through covalent modification of E3 ligases. PTcM-TAC incorporates an electrophilic dibromophenyl benzoate warhead into the linker connecting the E3 ligase ligand and the protein-of-interest (POI) ligand, enabling selective transfer of the POI ligand onto the recruited E3 ligase while releasing the E3-binding moiety. Mechanistic studies, including LC-MS/MS peptide mapping, pull-down assays, and structural modeling, demonstrated site-selective modification of CRBN by the PTcM-TAC. The resulting ligand-labeled E3 ligase enables sustained pseudo-catalytic target recognition through a simplified binary interaction, thereby maintaining degradation activity even after compound washout. Furthermore, we successfully applied the PTcM-TAC strategy to another representative E3 ligase, von Hippel-Lindau (VHL), which exhibited substantially sustained degradation activity compared with conventional PROTACs. To our knowledge, PTcM-TAC represents the first ligand-directed chemical strategy that converts transient PROTAC-mediated ternary complex formation into binary target recognition via post-translational chemical modification of an E3 ligase. We believe that PTcM-TAC could provide a platform for next-generation targeted protein degraders to overcome the current limitation of PROTAC approach.

Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases↗

Absence of DNA ligase IV protein in XR-1 cells: evidence for stabilization by XRCC4.

XR-1 is a CHO mutant cell line defective in double strand break repair and V(D)J recombination. These defects are due to a deletion of the XRCC4 gene which encodes a 38-kDa nuclear phosphoprotein. Recent studies have shown that XRCC4 interacts with and enhances the activity of DNA ligase IV in vitro. In this study we investigate the effect of the absence of XRCC4 on the level of DNA ligase IV in XR-1 cells. Western blot analysis indicates that levels of DNA ligase IV protein are almost undetectable in these cells, however, introduction of the XRCC4 cDNA into XR-1 resulted in a return to wild type levels of the protein. Furthermore, analysis of DNA ligase IV mRNA showed equivalent levels in both XR-1 and XRCC4 transfected XR-1 indicating that the altered level of DNA ligase IV is not due to a change in the expression of the gene. These data strongly suggest that an important function of XRCC4 is to stabilize the DNA ligase IV protein.

Animals↗

Mammalian DNA double-strand break repair protein XRCC4 interacts with DNA ligase IV.

BACKGROUND: Mammalian cells deficient in the XRCC4 DNA repair protein are impaired in DNA double-strand break repair and are consequently hypersensitive to ionising radiation. These cells are also defective in site-specific V(D)J recombination, a process that generates the diversity of antigen receptor genes in the developing immune system. These features are shared by cells lacking components of the DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK). Although the XRCC4 gene has been cloned, the function(s) of XRCC4 in DNA end-joining has remained elusive. RESULTS: We found that XRCC4 is a nuclear phosphoprotein and was an effective substrate in vitro for DNA-PK. Human XRCC4 associated extremely tightly with another protein(s) even in the presence of 1 M NaCl. Co-immunoprecipitation and adenylylation assays demonstrated that this associated factor was the recently identified human DNA ligase IV. Consistent with this, XRCC4 and DNA ligase IV copurified exclusively and virtually quantitatively over a variety of chromatographic steps. Protein mapping studies revealed that XRCC4 interacted with ligase IV via the unique carboxy-terminal ligase IV extension that comprises two tandem BRCT (BRCA1 carboxyl terminus) homology motifs, which are also found in other DNA repair-associated factors and in the breast cancer susceptibility protein BRCA1. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide a function for the carboxy-terminal region of ligase IV and suggest that BRCT domains of other proteins may mediate contacts between DNA repair components. In addition, our data implicate mammalian ligase IV in V(D)J recombination and the repair of radiation-induced DNA damage, and provide a model for the potentiation of these processes by XRCC4.

Animals↗

Targeted disruption of the gene encoding DNA ligase IV leads to lethality in embryonic mice.

DNA ligase IV is the most recently identified member of a family of enzymes joining DNA strand breaks in mammalian cell nuclei [1] [2]. The enzyme occurs in a complex with the XRCC4 gene product [3], an interaction mediated via its unique carboxyl terminus [4] [5]. Cells lacking XRCC4 are hypersensitive to ionising radiation and defective in V(D)J recombination [3] [6], implicating DNA ligase IV in the pathway of nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) of DNA double-strand breaks mediated by XRCC4, the Ku70/80 heterodimer and the catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs) in mammalian cells (reviewed in [7]). The phenotype of a null mutant of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae DNA ligase IV homologue indicates that the enzyme is non-essential and functions in yeast NHEJ [8] [9] [10]. Unlike other mammalian DNA ligases for which cDNAs have been characterised, DNA ligase IV is encoded by an intronless gene (LIG4). Here, we show that targeted disruption of LIG4 in the mouse leads to lethality associated with extensive apoptotic cell death in the embryonic central nervous system. Thus, unlike Ku70/80 and DNA-PKcs [11] [12] [13] [14], DNA ligase IV has an essential function in early mammalian development.

Animals↗

DNA ligase I is an in vivo substrate of DNA-dependent protein kinase and is activated by phosphorylation in response to DNA double-strand breaks.

DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) phosphorylates several cellular proteins in vitro, but its cellular function and natural substrate(s) in vivo are not established. We reported activation of DNA ligase in cultured normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEK) on exposure to the DNA-damaging compound bis-(2-chloroethyl) sulfide. The activated enzyme was identified as DNA ligase I, and this activation was attributed to phosphorylation of the enzyme. Here, we show that the phosphorylation is mediated by DNA-PK and that DNA ligase I is one of its natural substrates in vivo. DNA ligase I phosphorylation-cum-activation is a response specific to DNA double-strand breaks. We also demonstrate that affinity-purified inactive DNA ligase I is phosphorylated and activated in vitro by HeLa Cell DNA-PK confirming the in vivo observations. The findings specify the roles of DNA-PK and DNA ligase I in mammalian DNA double-strand break repair.

Cells, Cultured↗

Cellular and biochemical impact of a mutation in DNA ligase IV conferring clinical radiosensitivity.

DNA ligase IV functions in DNA non-homologous end-joining, in V(D)J recombination, and during brain development. We previously reported a homozygous mutation (R278H) in DNA ligase IV in a developmentally normal leukemia patient who overresponded to radiotherapy. The impact of this hypomorphic mutation has been evaluated using cellular, biochemical, and structural approaches. Structural modeling using T7 DNA ligase predicts that the activity and conformational stability of the protein is likely to be impaired. We show that wild type DNA ligase IV-Xrcc4 is an efficient double-stranded ligase with distinct optimal requirements for adenylate complex formation versus rejoining. The mutation impairs the formation of an adenylate complex as well as reducing the rejoining activity. Additionally, it imparts temperature-sensitive activity to the protein consistent with the predictions of the structural modeling. At the cellular level, the mutation confers a unique V(D)J recombination phenotype affecting the fidelity of signal joint formation with little effect on the frequency of the reaction. These findings suggest that hypomorphic mutations in ligase IV may allow normal development but confer marked radiosensitivity.

Adenosine Monophosphate↗

Activation of UBC5 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme by the RING finger of ROC1 and assembly of active ubiquitin ligases by all cullins.

Protein ubiquitination plays an important role in regulating the abundance and conformation of a broad range of eukaryotic proteins. This process involves a cascade of enzymes including ubiquitin-activating enzymes (E1), ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2), and ubiquitin ligases (E3). E1 and E2 represent two families of structurally related proteins and are relatively well characterized. In contrast, the nature and mechanism of E3, proposed to contain activities in catalyzing isopeptide bond formation (ubiquitin ligation) and substrate targeting, remains inadequately understood. Two major families of E3 ubiquitin ligases, the HECT (for homologous to E6-AP C terminus) family and the RING family, have been identified that utilize distinct mechanisms in promoting isopeptide bond formation. Here, we showed that purified RING finger domain of ROC1, an essential subunit of SKP1-cullin/CDC53-F box protein ubiquitin ligases, was sufficient to activate UBCH5c to synthesize polyubiquitin chains. The sequence flanking the RING finger in ROC1 did not contribute to UBCH5c activation, but was required for binding with CUL1. We demonstrated that all cullins, through their binding with ROC proteins, constituted active ubiquitin ligases, suggesting the existence in vivo of a large number of cullin-RING ubiquitin ligases. These results are consistent with the notion that the RING finger domains allosterically activate E2. We suggest that RING-E2, rather than cullin-RING, constitutes the catalytic core of the ubiquitin ligase and that one major function of the cullin subunit is to assemble the RING-E2 catalytic core and substrates together.

Cell Cycle Proteins↗

DNA-dependent protein kinase and XRCC4-DNA ligase IV mobilization in the cell in response to DNA double strand breaks.

Repair of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) by the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway in mammals requires at least the DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) and the DNA ligase IV-XRCC4 protein complexes. DNA-PK comprises the Ku70/Ku80 heterodimer and the catalytic subunit DNA-PKcs. Here we report the first description of the nuclear mobilization of endogenous NHEJ proteins after exposure of human cells to double strand-breaking agents. DSB infliction specifically induced a dose- and time-dependent mobilization of Ku70/80, DNA-PKcs, XRCC4, and DNA ligase IV proteins from a soluble nucleoplasmic compartment to a less extractable nuclear fraction. XRCC4 recruitment was accompanied by its DNA-PK-dependent phosphorylation. The recruited proteins co-immunoprecipitated, indicating that they had assembled into complexes. However, DNA-PK was attached to chromatin, whereas XRCC4-ligase IV resisted solubilization by DNase I. The rates of appearance and dissolution of NHEJ proteins paralleled that of histone variant H2AX phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. We established that under conditions of genomic DSB infliction 1) Ku recruitment was not dependent on the co-recruitment of the other NHEJ proteins, 2) DNA-PKcs was physically required for the mobilization of the XRCC4-ligase IV complex, 3) DNA ligase IV was physically necessary for stable recruitment of XRCC4, and 4) phosphorylation of either H2AX or XRCC4 was unnecessary for DNA-PK or XRCC4-ligase IV recruitment. Altogether these results offer insights into the interplay between key NHEJ proteins during this repair process in the cell.

Antigens, Nuclear↗

Analysis of DNA ligase IV mutations found in LIG4 syndrome patients: the impact of two linked polymorphisms.

LIG4 syndrome patients have hypomorphic mutations in DNA ligase IV. Although four of the five identified patients display immunodeficiency and developmental delay, one patient was developmentally normal. The developmentally normal patient had the same homozygous mutation (R278H) in DNA ligase IV as one of the more severely affected patients, who additionally had two linked polymorphisms. Here, we examine the impact of the mutations and polymorphisms identified in the LIG4 syndrome patients. Examination of recombinant mutant proteins shows that the severity of the clinical features correlates with the level of residual ligase activity. The polymorphisms decrease the activity of DNA ligase IV by approximately 2-fold. When combined with the otherwise mild R278H mutation, the activity is reduced to a level similar to other LIG4 patients who display immunodeficiency and developmental delay. This demonstrates how coupling of a mutation and polymorphism can have a marked impact on protein function and provides an example where a polymorphism may have influenced clinical outcome. Analysis of additional mutational changes in LIG4 syndrome (R580X, R814X and G469E) have led to the identification of a nuclear localization signal in DNA ligase IV and sites impacting upon DNA ligase IV adenylation.

Animals↗

Mismatch and blunt to protruding-end joining by DNA ligases.

A nuclear DNA ligase activity from immature chicken erythrocytes, and to a lesser extent T4-induced DNA ligase, can join cohesive-ends (3 and 5-nucleotides long) having one of the mismatches, A/A, T/T, C/C, G/G, at the middle position. The rate of ligation depends on the length and stability of the mispaired intermediate (G/G, T/T greater than A/A, C/C). When the non-complementary overhanging-ends are short (i.e. 1-nucleotide) both ligases catalyze the joining of the single-stranded protruding-end with a blunt-end. This reaction occurs at low but significant rates compared to blunt-end ligation. The chicken ligase has lower flush-end joining activity than T4 DNA ligase, but it is more permissive since it joins C/C or A/A mismatched-ends, whereas the prokaryotic ligase does not. Possible biological implications of the reactions are discussed. We have also found that BstEII easily cleaves at sites harboring a C/C or a G/G mismatch at the center of its recognition sequence, whereas AvaII (T/T or A/A), HinfI (G/G) and DdeI (G/G) do not.

Animals↗

In vitro mutagenesis and functional expression in Escherichia coli of a cDNA encoding the catalytic domain of human DNA ligase I.

Human cDNAs encoding fragments of DNA ligase I, the major replicative DNA ligase in mammalian cells, have been expressed as lacZ fusion proteins in Escherichia coli. A cDNA encoding the carboxyl-terminal catalytic domain of human DNA ligase I was able to complement a conditional-lethal DNA ligase mutation in E. coli as measured by growth of the mutant strain at the non-permissive temperature. Targeted deletions of the amino and carboxyl termini of the catalytic domain identified a minimum size necessary for catalytic function and a maximum size for optimal complementing activity in E. coli. The human cDNA was subjected to systematic site-directed mutagenesis in vitro and mutant polypeptides assayed for functional expression in the E. coli DNA ligase mutant. Such functional analysis of the active site of DNA ligase I identified specific residues required for the formation of an enzyme-adenylate reaction intermediate.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Purification and characterization of DNA ligase I from the trypanosomatid Crithidia fasciculata.

A DNA ligase has been purified approximately 5000-fold, to near homogeneity, from the trypanosomatid Crithidia fasciculata. The purified enzyme contains polypeptides with molecular masses of 84 and 80 kDa as estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Both polypeptides formed enzyme-adenylate complexes in the absence of DNA, contained an epitope that is highly conserved between human and bovine DNA ligase I and yeast and vaccinia virus DNA ligases, and were identified in fresh lysates of C. fasciculata by antibodies raised against the purified protein. Hydrodynamic measurements indicate that the enzyme is an asymmetric protein of approximately 80 kDa. The purified DNA ligase can join oligo(dT) annealed to poly(dA), but not oligo(dT) annealed to poly(rA), and can ligate blunt-ended DNA fragments. The enzyme has a low Km for ATP of 0.3 microM. The DNA ligase absolutely requires ATP and Mg2+, and is inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide and by KCI. Substrate specificity, Km for ATP, and the conserved epitope all suggest that the purified enzyme is the trypanosome homologue of DNA ligase I.

Animals↗

Characterization of an ATP-dependent DNA ligase encoded by Haemophilus influenzae.

We report that Haemophilus influenzae encodes a 268 amino acid ATP-dependent DNA ligase. The specificity of Haemophilus DNA ligase was investigated using recombinant protein produced in Escherichia coli. The enzyme catalyzed efficient strand joining on a singly nicked DNA in the presence of magnesium and ATP (Km = 0.2 microM). Other nucleoside triphosphates or deoxynucleoside triphosphates could not substitute for ATP. Haemophilus ligase reacted with ATP in the absence of DNA substrate to form a covalent ligase-adenylate intermediate. This nucleotidyl transferase reaction required a divalent cation and was specific for ATP. The Haemophilus enzyme is the first example of an ATP-dependent DNA ligase encoded by a eubacterial genome. It is also the smallest member of the covalent nucleotidyl transferase superfamily, which includes the bacteriophage and eukaryotic ATP-dependent polynucleotide ligases and the GTP-dependent RNA capping enzymes.

Adenine↗

Mitochondrial DNA ligase III function is independent of Xrcc1.

Hamster EM9 cells, which lack Xrcc1 protein, have reduced levels of DNA ligase III and are defective in nuclear base excision repair. The Xrcc1 protein stabilizes DNA ligase III and may even play a direct role in catalyzing base excision repair. Since DNA ligase III is also thought to function in mitochondrial base excision repair, it seemed likely that mitochondrial DNA ligase III function would also be dependent upon Xrcc1. However, several lines of evidence indicate that this is not the case. First, western blot analysis failed to detect Xrcc1 protein in mitochondrial extracts. Second, DNA ligase III levels present in mitochondrial protein extracts from EM9 cells were indistinguishable from those seen in similar extracts from wild-type (AA8) cells. Third, the mitochondrial DNA content of both cell lines was identical. Fourth, EM9 cells displayed no defect in their ability to repair spontaneous mitochondrial DNA damage. Fifth, while EM9 cells were far more sensitive to the cytotoxic effects of ionizing radiation due to a defect in nuclear DNA repair, there was no apparent difference in the ability of EM9 and AA8 cells to restore their mitochondrial DNA to pre-irradiation levels. Thus, mitochondrial DNA ligase III function is independent of the Xrcc1 protein.

Animals↗

A newly identified DNA ligase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae involved in RAD52-independent repair of DNA double-strand breaks.

Eukaryotic DNA ligases are ATP-dependent DNA strand-joining enzymes that participate in DNA replication, repair, and recombination. Whereas mammalian cells contain several different DNA ligases, encoded by at least three distinct genes, only one DNA ligase has been detected previously in either budding yeast or fission yeast. Here, we describe a newly identified nonessential Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene that encodes a DNA ligase distinct from the CDC9 gene product. This DNA ligase shares significant amino acid sequence homology with human DNA ligase IV; accordingly, we designate the yeast gene LIG4. Recombinant LIG4 protein forms a covalent enzyme-AMP complex and can join a DNA single-strand break in a DNA/RNA hybrid duplex, the preferred substrate in vitro. Disruption of the LIG4 gene causes only marginally increased cellular sensitivity to several DNA damaging agents, and does not further sensitize cdc9 or rad52 mutant cells. In contrast, lig4 mutant cells have a 1000-fold reduced capacity for correct recircularization of linearized plasmids by illegitimate end-joining after transformation. Moreover, homozygous lig4 mutant diploids sporulate less efficiently than isogenic wild-type cells, and show retarded progression through meiotic prophase I. Spore viability is normal, but lig4 mutants appear to produce a higher proportion of tetrads with only three viable spores. The mutant phenotypes are consistent with functions of LIG4 in an illegitimate DNA end-joining pathway and ensuring efficient meiosis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗