scholarly journals Caught in the act: structural dynamics of replication origin activation and fork progression

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 1057-1066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob S. Lewis ◽  
Alessandro Costa

This review discusses recent advances in single-particle cryo-EM and single-molecule approaches used to visualise eukaryotic DNA replication reactions reconstituted in vitro. We comment on the new challenges facing structural biologists, as they turn to describing the dynamic cascade of events that lead to replication origin activation and fork progression.

eLife ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorraine De Jesus Kim ◽  
Larry J Friedman ◽  
Marko Looke ◽  
Christian K Ramsoomair ◽  
Jeff Gelles ◽  
...  

The committed step of eukaryotic DNA replication occurs when the pairs of Mcm2-7 replicative helicases that license each replication origin are activated. Helicase activation requires the recruitment of Cdc45 and GINS to Mcm2-7, forming Cdc45-Mcm2-7-GINS complexes (CMGs). Using single-molecule biochemical assays to monitor CMG formation, we found that Cdc45 and GINS are recruited to loaded Mcm2-7 in two stages. Initially, Cdc45, GINS, and likely additional proteins are recruited to unstructured Mcm2-7 N-terminal tails in a Dbf4-dependent kinase (DDK)-dependent manner, forming Cdc45-tail-GINS intermediates (CtGs). DDK phosphorylation of multiple phosphorylation sites on the Mcm2‑7 tails modulates the number of CtGs formed per Mcm2-7. In a second, inefficient event, a subset of CtGs transfer their Cdc45 and GINS components to form CMGs. Importantly, higher CtG multiplicity increases the frequency of CMG formation. Our findings reveal molecular mechanisms sensitizing helicase activation to DDK levels with implications for control of replication origin efficiency and timing.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongzheng Li ◽  
Boxin Xue ◽  
Mengling Zhang ◽  
Liwei Zhang ◽  
Yingping Hou ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Metazoan cells only utilize a small subset of the potential DNA replication origins to duplicate the whole genome in each cell cycle. Origin choice is linked to cell growth, differentiation, and replication stress. Although various genetic and epigenetic signatures have been linked to the replication efficiency of origins, there is no consensus on how the selection of origins is determined. Results We apply dual-color stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) super-resolution imaging to map the spatial distribution of origins within individual topologically associating domains (TADs). We find that multiple replication origins initiate separately at the spatial boundary of a TAD at the beginning of the S phase. Intriguingly, while both high-efficiency and low-efficiency origins are distributed homogeneously in the TAD during the G1 phase, high-efficiency origins relocate to the TAD periphery before the S phase. Origin relocalization is dependent on both transcription and CTCF-mediated chromatin structure. Further, we observe that the replication machinery protein PCNA forms immobile clusters around TADs at the G1/S transition, explaining why origins at the TAD periphery are preferentially fired. Conclusion Our work reveals a new origin selection mechanism that the replication efficiency of origins is determined by their physical distribution in the chromatin domain, which undergoes a transcription-dependent structural re-organization process. Our model explains the complex links between replication origin efficiency and many genetic and epigenetic signatures that mark active transcription. The coordination between DNA replication, transcription, and chromatin organization inside individual TADs also provides new insights into the biological functions of sub-domain chromatin structural dynamics.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
pp. 2057-2069
Author(s):  
Rebeca Bocanegra ◽  
G.A. Ismael Plaza ◽  
Carlos R. Pulido ◽  
Borja Ibarra

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (22) ◽  
pp. 12751-12777
Author(s):  
Cathia Rausch ◽  
Patrick Weber ◽  
Paulina Prorok ◽  
David Hörl ◽  
Andreas Maiser ◽  
...  

Abstract To ensure error-free duplication of all (epi)genetic information once per cell cycle, DNA replication follows a cell type and developmental stage specific spatio-temporal program. Here, we analyze the spatio-temporal DNA replication progression in (un)differentiated mouse embryonic stem (mES) cells. Whereas telomeres replicate throughout S-phase, we observe mid S-phase replication of (peri)centromeric heterochromatin in mES cells, which switches to late S-phase replication upon differentiation. This replication timing reversal correlates with and depends on an increase in condensation and a decrease in acetylation of chromatin. We further find synchronous duplication of the Y chromosome, marking the end of S-phase, irrespectively of the pluripotency state. Using a combination of single-molecule and super-resolution microscopy, we measure molecular properties of the mES cell replicon, the number of replication foci active in parallel and their spatial clustering. We conclude that each replication nanofocus in mES cells corresponds to an individual replicon, with up to one quarter representing unidirectional forks. Furthermore, with molecular combing and genome-wide origin mapping analyses, we find that mES cells activate twice as many origins spaced at half the distance than somatic cells. Altogether, our results highlight fundamental developmental differences on progression of genome replication and origin activation in pluripotent cells.


2005 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 2614-2619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takashi Sera

ABSTRACT Prevention of virus infections is a major objective in agriculture and human health. One attractive approach to the prevention is inhibition of virus replication. To demonstrate this concept in vivo, an artificial zinc finger protein (AZP) targeting the replication origin of the Beet severe curly top virus (BSCTV), a model DNA virus, was created. In vitro DNA binding assays indicated that the AZP efficiently blocked binding of the viral replication protein (Rep), which initiates virus replication, to the replication origin. All of the transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing the AZP showed phenotypes strongly resistant to virus infection, and 84% of the transgenic plants showed no symptom. Southern blot analysis demonstrated that BSCTV replication was completely suppressed in the transgenic plants. Since the mechanism of viral DNA replication is well conserved among plants and mammals, this approach could be applied not only to agricultural crop protection but also to the prevention of virus infections in humans.


Nanophotonics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 1993-2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chenshuo Ma ◽  
Chunyan Shan ◽  
Kevin Park ◽  
Aaron T. Mok ◽  
Paul J. Antonick ◽  
...  

AbstractUpconverting luminescent nanoparticles are photostable, nonblinking, and low chemically toxic fluorophores that are emerging as promising fluorescent probes at the single molecule level. High luminescence intensity upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have previously been achieved by doping with high amounts of rare-earth ions using high excitation power (>2.5 MW/cm2). However, such particles are inadequate for in vitro live-cell imaging and single-particle tracking, as high excitation power can cause photodamage. Here, we compared UCNP luminescence intensities with different dopant concentrations and presented more efficient (about seven times) UCNPs at low excitation power by increasing the concentrations of Yb3+ and Tm3+ dopants (NaYF4: 60% Yb3+, 8% Tm3+) and adding a core-shell structure.


2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 1720-1725 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blanca Gómez-Escoda ◽  
Pei-Yun Jenny Wu

The accurate duplication and transmission of genetic information is critical for cell growth and proliferation, and this is ensured in part by the multi-layered regulation of DNA synthesis. One of the key steps in this process is the selection and activation of the sites of replication initiation, or origins, across the genome. Interestingly, origin usage changes during development and in different pathologies, suggesting an integral interplay between the establishment of replication initiation along the chromosomes and cellular function. The present review discusses how the spatiotemporal organization of replication origin activation may play crucial roles in the control of biological events.


2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 1436-1453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire M. Mulvey ◽  
Slavica Tudzarova ◽  
Mark Crawford ◽  
Gareth H. Williams ◽  
Kai Stoeber ◽  
...  

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