scholarly journals A role for RNA and DNA:RNA hybrids in the modulation of DNA repair by homologous recombination

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppina D’Alessandro ◽  
Marek Adamowicz ◽  
Donna Whelan ◽  
Sean Michael Howard ◽  
Corey Winston Jones-Weinert ◽  
...  

AbstractDNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are toxic DNA lesions which, if not properly repaired, may lead to genomic instability, cell death and senescence. Damage-induced long non-coding RNAs (dilncRNAs) are transcribed from broken DNA ends and contribute to DNA damage response (DDR) signaling. Here we show that dilncRNAs play a role in DSB repair by homologous recombination (HR) by contributing to the recruitment of the HR proteins BRCA1, BRCA2, and RAD51, without affecting DNA-end resection. In S/G2-phase cells, dilncRNAs pair to the resected DNA ends and form DNA:RNA hybrids, which are recognized by BRCA1 and promote its recruitment to DSBs. We also show that RNase H2 is in a complex with the HR proteins BRCA1, PALB2, BRCA2, and RAD51, and that it localizes to DSBs in the S/G2 cell-cycle phase. BRCA2 controls DNA:RNA hybrid levels at DSBs by mediating RNase H2 recruitment and, therefore, hybrids degradation. These results demonstrate that regulated DNA:RNA hybrid levels at DSBs contribute to HR-mediated repair.

eLife ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo-Ruei Chen ◽  
Yinan Wang ◽  
Anthony Tubbs ◽  
Dali Zong ◽  
Faith C Fowler ◽  
...  

DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair by homologous recombination (HR) is thought to be restricted to the S- and G2- phases of the cell cycle in part due to 53BP1 antagonizing DNA end resection in G1-phase and non-cycling quiescent (G0) cells. Here, we show that LIN37, a component of the DREAM transcriptional repressor, functions in a 53BP1-independent manner to prevent DNA end resection and HR in G0 cells. Loss of LIN37 leads to the expression of HR proteins, including BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, and RAD51, and promotes DNA end resection in G0 cells even in the presence of 53BP1. In contrast to 53BP1-deficiency, DNA end resection in LIN37-deficient G0 cells depends on BRCA1 and leads to RAD51 filament formation and HR. LIN37 is not required to protect DNA ends in cycling cells at G1-phase. Thus, LIN37 regulates a novel 53BP1-independent cell phase-specific DNA end protection pathway that functions uniquely in quiescent cells.


2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (17) ◽  
pp. 9160-9179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soon Young Hwang ◽  
Mi Ae Kang ◽  
Chul Joon Baik ◽  
Yejin Lee ◽  
Ngo Thanh Hang ◽  
...  

Abstract The pleiotropic CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) plays a role in homologous recombination (HR) repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). However, the precise mechanistic role of CTCF in HR remains largely unclear. Here, we show that CTCF engages in DNA end resection, which is the initial, crucial step in HR, through its interactions with MRE11 and CtIP. Depletion of CTCF profoundly impairs HR and attenuates CtIP recruitment at DSBs. CTCF physically interacts with MRE11 and CtIP and promotes CtIP recruitment to sites of DNA damage. Subsequently, CTCF facilitates DNA end resection to allow HR, in conjunction with MRE11–CtIP. Notably, the zinc finger domain of CTCF binds to both MRE11 and CtIP and enables proficient CtIP recruitment, DNA end resection and HR. The N-terminus of CTCF is able to bind to only MRE11 and its C-terminus is incapable of binding to MRE11 and CtIP, thereby resulting in compromised CtIP recruitment, DSB resection and HR. Overall, this suggests an important function of CTCF in DNA end resection through the recruitment of CtIP at DSBs. Collectively, our findings identify a critical role of CTCF at the first control point in selecting the HR repair pathway.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (10) ◽  
pp. 5485-5498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Michael Howard ◽  
Ilaria Ceppi ◽  
Roopesh Anand ◽  
Roger Geiger ◽  
Petr Cejka

Abstract DNA double-strand breaks are repaired by end-joining or homologous recombination. A key-committing step of recombination is DNA end resection. In resection, phosphorylated CtIP first promotes the endonuclease of MRE11–RAD50–NBS1 (MRN). Subsequently, CtIP also stimulates the WRN/BLM–DNA2 pathway, coordinating thus both short and long-range resection. The structure of CtIP differs from its orthologues in yeast, as it contains a large internal unstructured region. Here, we conducted a domain analysis of CtIP to define the function of the internal region in DNA end resection. We found that residues 350–600 were entirely dispensable for resection in vitro. A mutant lacking these residues was unexpectedly more efficient than full-length CtIP in DNA end resection and homologous recombination in vivo, and consequently conferred resistance to lesions induced by the topoisomerase poison camptothecin, which require high MRN–CtIP-dependent resection activity for repair. This suggested that the internal CtIP region, further mapped to residues 550–600, may mediate a negative regulatory function to prevent over resection in vivo. The CtIP internal deletion mutant exhibited sensitivity to other DNA-damaging drugs, showing that upregulated resection may be instead toxic under different conditions. These experiments together identify a region within the central CtIP domain that negatively regulates DNA end resection.


2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 285-307
Author(s):  
Petr Cejka ◽  
Lorraine S. Symington

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are cytotoxic lesions that threaten genome integrity and cell viability. Typically, cells repair DSBs by either nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) or homologous recombination (HR). The relative use of these two pathways depends on many factors, including cell cycle stage and the nature of the DNA ends. A critical determinant of repair pathway selection is the initiation of 5′→3′ nucleolytic degradation of DNA ends, a process referred to as DNA end resection. End resection is essential to create single-stranded DNA overhangs, which serve as the substrate for the Rad51 recombinase to initiate HR and are refractory to NHEJ repair. Here, we review recent insights into the mechanisms of end resection, how it is regulated, and the pathological consequences of its dysregulation.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Palermo ◽  
Eva Malacaria ◽  
Massimo Sanchez ◽  
Annapaola Franchitto ◽  
Pietro Pichierri

ABSTRACTReplication-dependent DNA double-strand breaks are harmful lesions preferentially repaired by homologous recombination, a process that requires processing of DNA ends to allow RAD51-mediated strand invasion. End-resection and subsequent repair are two intertwined processes, but the mechanism underlying their execution is still poorly appreciated. The WRN helicase is one of the crucial factors for the end-resection and is instrumental to select the proper repair pathway. Here, we reveal that ordered phosphorylation of WRN by the CDK1, ATM and ATR kinases define a complex regulatory layer that is essential for correct long-range end-resection connecting it to repair by homologous recombination. We establish that long-range end-resection requires an ATM-dependent phosphorylation of WRN at Ser1058 and that phosphorylation at Ser1141, together with dephosphorylation at the CDK1 site Ser1133, is needed to conclude long-range end-resection and support RAD51-dependent repair. Collectively, our findings suggest that regulation of WRN by multiple kinases functions as molecular switch to allow a timely execution of end-resection and repair at replication-dependent DNA double-strand breaks.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Pilar Sanchez-Bailon ◽  
Soo-Youn Choi ◽  
Elizabeth R. Dufficy ◽  
Karan Sharma ◽  
Gavin S. McNee ◽  
...  

AbstractCross-talk between distinct protein post-translational modifications is critical for an effective DNA damage response. Arginine methylation plays an important role in maintaining genome stability, but how this modification integrates with other enzymatic activities is largely unknown. Here, we identify the deubiquitylating enzyme USP11 as a previously uncharacterised PRMT1 substrate, and demonstrate that the methylation of USP11 promotes DNA end-resection and the repair of DNA double strand breaks (DSB) by homologous recombination (HR), an event that is independent from another USP11-HR activity, the deubiquitylation of PALB2. We also show that PRMT1 is a ubiquitylated protein that it is targeted for deubiquitylation by USP11, which regulates the ability of PRMT1 to bind to and methylate MRE11. Taken together, our findings reveal a specific role for USP11 during the early stages of DSB repair, which is mediated through its ability to regulate the activity of the PRMT1-MRE11 pathway.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo-Ruei Chen ◽  
Yinan Wang ◽  
Anthony Tubbs ◽  
Dali Zong ◽  
Faith Fowler ◽  
...  

DNA double strand break (DSB) repair by homologous recombination (HR) is thought to be restricted to the S- and G2- phases of the cell cycle in part due to 53BP1 antagonizing DNA end resection in G1-phase and non-cycling quiescent (G0) cells. Here, we show that LIN37, a component of the DREAM transcriptional repressor, functions in a 53BP1-independent manner to prevent DNA end resection and HR in G0 cells. Loss of LIN37 leads to expression of HR proteins, including BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2 and RAD51, and DNA end resection in G0 cells even in the presence of 53BP1. In contrast to 53BP1-deficiency, DNA end resection in LIN37-deficient G0 cells depends on BRCA1 and leads to RAD51 filament formation and HR. LIN37 is not required to protect DNA ends in cycling cells at G1-phase. Thus, LIN37 regulates a novel 53BP1-independent cell phase-specific DNA end protection pathway that functions uniquely in quiescent cells.


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