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At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Stress responses and replication of plasmids in bacterial cells.

Plasmids, DNA (or rarely RNA) molecules which replicate in cells autonomously (independently of chromosomes) as non-essential genetic elements, play important roles for microbes grown under specific environmental conditions as well as in scientific laboratories and in biotechnology. For example, bacterial plasmids are excellent models in studies on regulation of DNA replication, and their derivatives are the most commonly used vectors in genetic engineering. Detailed mechanisms of replication initiation, which is the crucial process for efficient maintenance of plasmids in cells, have been elucidated for several plasmids. However, to understand plasmid biology, it is necessary to understand regulation of plasmid DNA replication in response to different environmental conditions in which host cells exist. Knowledge of such regulatory processes is also very important for those who use plasmids as expression vectors to produce large amounts of recombinant proteins. Variable conditions in large-scale fermentations must influence replication of plasmid DNA in cells, thus affecting the efficiency of recombinant gene expression significantly. Contrary to extensively investigated biochemistry of plasmid replication, molecular mechanisms of regulation of plasmid DNA replication in response to various environmental stress conditions are relatively poorly understood. There are, however, recently published studies that add significant data to our knowledge on relations between cellular stress responses and control of plasmid DNA replication. In this review we focus on plasmids derived from bacteriophage lambda that are among the best investigated replicons. Nevertheless, recent results of studies on other plasmids are also discussed shortly.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

ORC and the intra-S-phase checkpoint: a threshold regulates Rad53p activation in S phase.

The intra-S-phase checkpoint in yeast responds to stalled replication forks by activating the ATM-like kinase Mec1 and the CHK2-related kinase Rad53, which in turn inhibit spindle elongation and late origin firing and lead to a stabilization of DNA polymerases at arrested forks. A mutation that destabilizes the second subunit of the Origin Recognition Complex, orc2-1, reduces the number of functional replication forks by 30% and severely compromises the activation of Rad53 by replication stress or DNA damage in S phase. We show that the restoration of the checkpoint response correlates in a dose-dependent manner with the restoration of pre-replication complex formation in G1. Other forms of DNA damage can compensate for the reduced level of fork-dependent signal in the orc2-1 mutant, yet even in wild-type cells, the amount of damage required for Rad53 activation is higher in S phase than in G2. Our data suggest the existence of an S-phase-specific threshold that may be necessary to allow cells to tolerate damage-like DNA structures present at normal replication forks.

Cell Cycle Proteins↗
PubMed2002

Mutations in DNA replication genes reduce yeast life span.

Surprisingly, the contribution of defects in DNA replication to the determination of yeast life span has never been directly investigated. We show that a replicative yeast helicase/nuclease, encoded by DNA2 and a member of the same helicase subfamily as the RecQ helicases, is required for normal life span. All of the phenotypes of old wild-type cells, for example, extended cell cycle time, age-related transcriptional silencing defects, and nucleolar reorganization, occur after fewer generations in dna2 mutants than in the wild type. In addition, the life span of dna2 mutants is extended by expression of an additional copy of SIR2 or by deletion of FOB1, which also increase wild-type life span. The ribosomal DNA locus and the nucleolus seem to be particularly sensitive to defects in dna2 mutants, although in dna2 mutants extrachromosomal ribosomal circles do not accumulate during the aging of a mother cell. Several other replication mutations, such as rad27 Delta, encoding the FEN-1 nuclease involved in several aspects of genomic stability, also show premature aging. We propose that replication fork failure due to spontaneous, endogenous DNA damage and attendant genomic instability may contribute to replicative senescence. This may imply that the genomic instability, segmental premature aging symptoms, and cancer predisposition associated with the human RecQ helicase diseases, such as Werner, Bloom, and Rothmund-Thomson syndromes, are also related to replicative stress.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed2006

Repeated phosphopeptide motifs in human Claspin are phosphorylated by Chk1 and mediate Claspin function.

Claspin is a checkpoint protein involved in ATR (ataxia telangiectasia mutated- and Rad3-related)-dependent Chk1 activation in Xenopus and human cells. In Xenopus, Claspin interacts with Chk1 after DNA damage through a region containing two highly conserved repeats, which becomes phosphorylated during the checkpoint response. Because this region is also conserved in human Claspin, we investigated the regulation and function of these potential phosphorylation sites in human Claspin. We found that Claspin is phosphorylated in vivo at Thr-916 in response to replication stress and UV damage. Mutation of these phosphorylation sites on Claspin inhibited Claspin-Chk1 interaction in vivo, impaired Chk1 activation, and induced premature chromatin condensation in cells, indicating a defect in replication checkpoint. In addition, we found that Thr-916 on Claspin is phosphorylated by Chk1, suggesting that Chk1 regulates Claspin during checkpoint response. These results together indicate that phosphorylation of Claspin repeats in human Claspin is important for Claspin function and the regulation of Claspin-Chk1 interaction in human cells.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed2004

Werner syndrome protein, the MRE11 complex and ATR: menage-à-trois in guarding genome stability during DNA replication?

The correct execution of the DNA replication process is crucially import for the maintenance of genome integrity of the cell. Several types of sources, both endogenous and exogenous, can give rise to DNA damage leading to the DNA replication fork arrest. The processes by which replication blockage is sensed by checkpoint sensors and how the pathway leading to resolution of stalled forks is activated are still not completely understood. However, recent emerging evidence suggests that one candidate for a sensor of replication stress is ATR and that, together with a member of RecQ family helicases, Werner syndrome protein (WRN) and MRE11 complex, can collaborate to promote the restarting of DNA synthesis through the resolution of stalled replication forks. Here, we discuss how WRN, the MRE11 complex and the ATR kinase could work together in response to replication blockage to avoid DNA replication fork collapse and genome instability.

DNA Damage↗
PubMed2025

Decoding nucleoside supplementation: how thymidine outperforms ribonucleosides in accelerating mammalian replication forks.

Disruptions in deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) supply impair DNA replication and lead to genomic instability. While exogenous ribonucleosides (rNuc) have been suggested to alleviate replication stress by increasing dNTP levels, their precise metabolic effects remain unclear. Here, we show that rNuc supplementation primarily elevates CTP and UTP levels, with only modest increases in dCTP, and has minimal impact on replication fork speed across multiple mammalian cell lines. In contrast, thymidine (dThd), either alone or in combination with rNuc-as in EmbryoMax Nucleosides-significantly increases dTTP and dGTP levels, leading to accelerated replication fork progression. Notably, dThd, rather than rNuc, drives fork acceleration and counteracts fork slowdown caused by elevated dUTP, consistent with primer extension assays showing that dUTP transiently inhibits Pol ϵ-mediated DNA synthesis at template adenines. These results clarify the distinct roles of nucleosides in nucleotide metabolism, providing a mechanistic basis for how dThd promotes fork progression and preserves genomic stability.

DNA Replication↗
PubMed2006

Suppression of spontaneous genome rearrangements in yeast DNA helicase mutants.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants lacking two of the three DNA helicases Sgs1, Srs2, and Rrm3 exhibit slow growth that is suppressed by disrupting homologous recombination. Cells lacking Sgs1 and Rrm3 accumulate gross-chromosomal rearrangements (GCRs) that are suppressed by the DNA damage checkpoint and by homologous recombination-defective mutations. In contrast, rrm3, srs2, and srs2 rrm3 mutants have wild-type GCR rates. GCR types in helicase double mutants include telomere additions, translocations, and broken DNAs healed by a complex process of hairpin-mediated inversion. Spontaneous activation of the Rad53 checkpoint kinase in the rrm3 mutant depends on the Mec3/Rad24 DNA damage sensors and results from activation of the Mec1/Rad9-dependent DNA damage response rather than the Mrc1-dependent replication stress response. Moreover, helicase double mutants accumulate Rad51-dependent Ddc2 foci, indicating the presence of recombination intermediates that are sensed by checkpoints. These findings demonstrate that different nonreplicative helicases function at the interface between replication and repair to maintain genome integrity.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed2002

Posttranscriptional regulation of the RAD5 DNA repair gene by the Dun1 kinase and the Pan2-Pan3 poly(A)-nuclease complex contributes to survival of replication blocks.

The yeast Dun1 kinase has complex checkpoint functions including DNA damage-dependent cell cycle arrest in G(2)/M, transcriptional induction of repair genes, and regulation of postreplicative DNA repair pathways. Here we report that the Dun1 forkhead-associated domain interacts with the Pan3 subunit of the poly(A)-nuclease complex and that dun1pan2 and dun1pan3 double mutants are dramatically hypersensitive to replicational stress. This phenotype was independent of the function of Dun1 in regulating deoxyribonucleotide levels as it was also observed in strains lacking the ribonucleotide reductase inhibitor Sml1. dun1pan2 mutants initially arrested normally in response to replication blocks but died in the presence of persistent replication blocks with considerably delayed kinetics compared with mutants lacking the Rad53 kinase, indicating that the double mutation does not compromise the intra-S phase checkpoint. Interestingly, the RAD5 gene involved in error-free postreplication repair pathways was specifically up-regulated in dun1pan2 double mutants. Moreover, inducible overexpression of RAD5 mimicked the double mutant phenotype by hypersensitizing dun1 mutants to replication blocks. The data indicate that Dun1 and Pan2-Pan3 cooperate to regulate the stoichiometry and thereby the activity of postreplication repair complexes, suggesting that posttranscriptional mechanisms complement the transcriptional response in the regulation of gene expression by checkpoint signaling pathways in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed2025

Measuring Cell Dimensions in Fission Yeast Using Machine Learning.

In fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe), cell length is a crucial indicator of cell cycle progression. Microscopy screens that examine the effect of agents or genotypes suspected of altering genomic or metabolic stability and thus cell size are crucial for studying disruptions to cell cycle dynamics. This method is based on using an automated cell segmentation algorithm to measure S. pombe cells imaged by brightfield (BF) microscopy methods. PhotoPhenosizer (PP) is a machine learning-based tool designed for automated cell measuring and dimensional analysis of morphology frequency distributions. Integration of this method into large-scale pipelines for tracking cell dimension change streamlines morphological measurements, which facilitates the examination of cellular responses to genomic and metabolic stresses. In this protocol, we use PP to observe the effect of genomic instability on cell size dynamics over a 12-day chronological lifespan assay. Our results show that relative to wild-type cells, a replication stress mutant shows larger cells during chronological aging in excess glucose media. Our results are consistent with activation of checkpoints that regulate cell morphology in response to DNA damage. This method's application highlights the relevance of its incorporation in experimental routines that require large-scale image processing and its adoption by users with routine needs in S. pombe molecular research projects.

Schizosaccharomyces↗
PubMed2004

Replication protein A (RPA) phosphorylation prevents RPA association with replication centers.

Mammalian replication protein A (RPA) undergoes DNA damage-dependent phosphorylation at numerous sites on the N terminus of the RPA2 subunit. To understand the functional significance of RPA phosphorylation, we expressed RPA2 variants in which the phosphorylation sites were converted to aspartate (RPA2(D)) or alanine (RPA2(A)). Although RPA2(D) was incorporated into RPA heterotrimers and supported simian virus 40 DNA replication in vitro, the RPA2(D) mutant was selectively unable to associate with replication centers in vivo. In cells containing greatly reduced levels of endogenous RPA2, RPA2(D) again did not localize to replication sites, indicating that the defect in supporting chromosomal DNA replication is not due to competition with the wild-type protein. Use of phosphospecific antibodies demonstrated that endogenous hyperphosphorylated RPA behaves similarly to RPA2(D). In contrast, under DNA damage or replication stress conditions, RPA2(D), like RPA2(A) and wild-type RPA2, was competent to associate with DNA damage foci as determined by colocalization with gamma-H2AX. We conclude that RPA2 phosphorylation prevents RPA association with replication centers in vivo and potentially serves as a marker for sites of DNA damage.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Synchronization in the cell cycle by inhibitors of DNA replication induces histone H2AX phosphorylation: an indication of DNA damage.

Several methods to synchronize cultured cells in the cell cycle are based on temporary inhibition of DNA replication. Previously it has been reported that cells synchronized this way exhibited significant growth imbalance and unscheduled expression of cyclins A and B1. We have now observed that HL-60 cells exposed to inhibitors of DNA replication (thymidine, aphidicolin and hydroxyurea), at concentrations commonly used to synchronize cell populations, had histone H2AX phosphorylated on Ser-139. This modification of H2AX, a marker of DNA damage (induction of DNA double-strand breaks; DSBs), was most pronounced in S-phase cells, and led to their apoptosis. Thus, to a large extent, synchronization was caused by selective kill of DNA replicating cells through induction of replication stress. In fact, similar synchronization has been achieved by exposure of cells to the DNA topoisomerase I inhibitor camptothecin, a cytotoxic drug known to target S-phase cells. A large proportion of the surviving cells 'synchronized' by DNA replication inhibitors at the G1/S boundary had phosphorylated histone H2AX. Inhibitors of DNA replication, thus, not only selectively kill DNA replicating cells, induce growth imbalance and alter the machinery regulating progression through the cycle, but they also cause DNA damage involving formation of DSBs in the surviving ('synchronized') cells. The above effects should be taken into account when interpreting data obtained with the use of cells synchronized by inhibitors of DNA replication.

Aphidicolin↗
PubMed2004

BRCA1 : BARD1 induces the formation of conjugated ubiquitin structures, dependent on K6 of ubiquitin, in cells during DNA replication and repair.

The N-terminus of the BRCA1 protein bears a RING finger domain that functions as an E3 ubiquitin ligase in vitro where it is able to catalyse the synthesis of monoubiquitin and polyubiquitin targeted proteins. This activity is greatly increased when BRCA1 is in a complex with its N-terminal binding partner BARD1. In this report we use an immunohistochemical approach to demonstrate the association of cellular BRCA1 with the end product of the ubiquitin conjugation and ligation pathway, conjugated ubiquitin. Association is apparent at DNA replication structures in S-phase and following treatment with hydroxyurea and also at sites of double strand break repair after exposure to ionizing radiation. Down-regulation of endogenous, cellular BRCA1 : BARD1 using siRNA results in abrogation of ubiquitin conjugation in these structures, suggesting that heterodimer activity is required for their formation. Conversely, ectopically expressed full-length BRCA1, but not BRCA1 bearing specific N-terminal amino acid substitutions, is able to cooperate with BARD1 to increase ubiquitin conjugation in cells. Conjugation of ubiquitin in foci is inhibited by the expression of ubiquitin bearing a lysine 6 mutation suggesting that the ubiquitin polymers formed at these sites are dependent on lysine-6 for linkage. Together these data demonstrate that BRCA1 directed ligation of ubiquitin occurs during S-phase and in response to replication stress and DNA damage and is therefore likely to be a significant aspect of BRCA1 cellular activity.

BRCA1 Protein↗
PubMed2003

Fragile sites: breaking up over a slowdown.

Common fragile sites are specific regions in the human genome that are particularly prone to genomic instability under conditions of replicative stress. Recent data suggest that these sites depend on the checkpoint kinase ATR to maintain their stability.

Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins↗
PubMed2003

Molecular basis for expression of common and rare fragile sites.

Fragile sites are specific loci that form gaps, constrictions, and breaks on chromosomes exposed to partial replication stress and are rearranged in tumors. Fragile sites are classified as rare or common, depending on their induction and frequency within the population. The molecular basis of rare fragile sites is associated with expanded repeats capable of adopting unusual non-B DNA structures that can perturb DNA replication. The molecular basis of common fragile sites was unknown. Fragile sites from R-bands are enriched in flexible sequences relative to nonfragile regions from the same chromosomal bands. Here we cloned FRA7E, a common fragile site mapped to a G-band, and revealed a significant difference between its flexibility and that of nonfragile regions mapped to G-bands, similar to the pattern found in R-bands. Thus, in the entire genome, flexible sequences might play a role in the mechanism of fragility. The flexible sequences are composed of interrupted runs of AT-dinucleotides, which have the potential to form secondary structures and hence can affect replication. These sequences show similarity to the AT-rich minisatellite repeats that underlie the fragility of the rare fragile sites FRA16B and FRA10B. We further demonstrate that the normal alleles of FRA16B and FRA10B span the same genomic regions as the common fragile sites FRA16C and FRA10E. Our results suggest that a shared molecular basis, conferred by sequences with a potential to form secondary structures that can perturb replication, may underlie the fragility of rare fragile sites harboring AT-rich minisatellite repeats and aphidicolin-induced common fragile sites.

Alleles↗
PubMed2006

The F-box protein Dia2 overcomes replication impedance to promote genome stability in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The maintenance of DNA replication fork stability under conditions of DNA damage and at natural replication pause sites is essential for genome stability. Here, we describe a novel role for the F-box protein Dia2 in promoting genome stability in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Like most other F-box proteins, Dia2 forms a Skp1-Cdc53/Cullin-F-box (SCF) E3 ubiquitin-ligase complex. Systematic analysis of genetic interactions between dia2Delta and approximately 4400 viable gene deletion mutants revealed synthetic lethal/synthetic sick interactions with a broad spectrum of DNA replication, recombination, checkpoint, and chromatin-remodeling pathways. dia2Delta strains exhibit constitutive activation of the checkpoint kinase Rad53 and elevated counts of endogenous DNA repair foci and are unable to overcome MMS-induced replicative stress. Notably, dia2Delta strains display a high rate of gross chromosomal rearrangements (GCRs) that involve the rDNA locus and an increase in extrachromosomal rDNA circle (ERC) formation, consistent with an observed enrichment of Dia2 in the nucleolus. These results suggest that Dia2 is essential for stable passage of replication forks through regions of damaged DNA and natural fragile regions, particularly the replication fork barrier (RFB) of rDNA repeat loci. We propose that the SCFDia2 ubiquitin ligase serves to modify or degrade protein substrates that would otherwise impede the replication fork in problematic regions of the genome.

Cell Cycle↗
PubMed2004

Loss of rereplication control in Saccharomyces cerevisiae results in extensive DNA damage.

To maintain genome stability, the entire genome of a eukaryotic cell must be replicated once and only once per cell cycle. In many organisms, multiple overlapping mechanisms block rereplication, but the consequences of deregulating these mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we show that disrupting these controls in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae rapidly blocks cell proliferation. Rereplicating cells activate the classical DNA damage-induced checkpoint response, which depends on the BRCA1 C-terminus checkpoint protein Rad9. In contrast, Mrc1, a checkpoint protein required for recognition of replication stress, does not play a role in the response to rereplication. Strikingly, rereplicating cells accumulate subchromosomal DNA breakage products. These rapid and severe consequences suggest that even limited and sporadic rereplication could threaten the genome with significant damage. Hence, even subtle disruptions in the cell cycle regulation of DNA replication may predispose cells to the genomic instability associated with tumorigenesis.

Cell Cycle Proteins↗
PubMed2006

Mgs1 and Rad18/Rad5/Mms2 are required for survival of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants with novel temperature/cold sensitive alleles of the DNA polymerase delta subunit, Pol31.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae DNA polymerase delta (Pol delta) is a heterotrimeric enzyme consisting of Pol3 (the catalytic subunit), Pol31 and Pol32. New pol31 alleles were constructed by introducing mutations into conserved amino acid residues in all 10 identified regions of Pol31. Six novel temperature-sensitive (ts) or cold-sensitive (cs) alleles, carrying mutations in regions III, IV, VII, VIII or IX, conferred a range of defects in the response to replication stress or DNA damage. Deletion of SGS1, RAD52, SRS2, MRC1 or RAD24 had a deleterious effect only in combination with those pol31 alleles that had a phenotype as single mutants, suggesting a requirement for recombination and checkpoint functions in processing the DNA lesions or structures that form as a consequence of replication with a defective Pol delta. In contrast, deletion of POL32 negatively affected the growth of almost all pol31 mutants, suggesting an important role for all conserved amino acids of Pol31 in maintaining the integrity of Pol delta complex structurally, at least in the absence of the third subunit. Surprisingly, deletions of RAD18 and MGS1 aggravated the temperature sensitivity conferred by most ts or cs alleles and specifically suppressed the hys2-1 and hys2-1-like mutations of POL31. Deletion of RAD5 or MMS2 had an effect on pol31 ts/cs mutants similar to that of RAD18, whereas deletion of RAD30 or REV3 had no effect. We propose that Rad18/Rad5/Mms2 and Mgs1 are required to promote replication when forks are destabilized or stalled due to defects in Pol delta. These data are consistent with the biochemical activity of the human Mgs1 orthologue, which binds and stimulates Pol deltain vitro. We also demonstrate that Mgs1 interacts physically with Pol31 in vivo. Moreover, regions I and VII of Pol31, which are specifically sensitive to high levels of Mgs1 and PCNA, could be sites of interaction.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed2004

A novel protein activity mediates DNA binding of an ATR-ATRIP complex.

The function of the ATR (ataxia-telangiectasia mutated and Rad3-related)-ATRIP (ATR-interacting protein) protein kinase complex is central to the cellular response to replication stress and DNA damage. In order to better understand the function of this complex, we have studied its interaction with DNA. We find that both ATR and ATRIP associate with chromatin in vivo, and they exist as a large molecular weight complex that can bind single-stranded (ss)DNA cellulose in vitro. Although replication protein A (RPA) is sufficient for the recruitment of ATRIP to ssDNA, we show that a distinct ATR-ATRIP complex is able to bind to DNA with lower affinity in the absence of RPA. In this latter complex, we show that neither ATR nor ATRIP are able to bind DNA individually, nor do they bind DNA in a cooperative manner. However, the addition of HeLa nuclear extract is able to reconstitute the DNA binding of both ATR and ATRIP, suggesting the requirement for an additional protein activity. We also show that ATR is necessary for ATRIP to bind DNA in this low affinity mode and to form a large DNA binding complex. These observations suggest that there are at least two in vitro ATR-ATRIP DNA binding complexes, one which binds DNA with high affinity in an RPA-dependent manner and a second, which binds DNA with lower affinity in an RPA-independent manner but which requires an as of yet unidentified protein.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗