scholarly journals Programmed phosphorylation of histone H2AX precedes a phase of DNA double-strand break-independent synapsis in mouse meiosis

Reproduction ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 144 (6) ◽  
pp. 699-712 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josefa Blanco-Rodríguez

Accurate homologue synapsis during meiosis is essential for faithful chromosome segregation and formation of viable gametes. The finding ofSpo11-dependent gamma-H2AX (γH2AX) formation during leptotene and data on mutant mice have led to the notion that synapsis in mammals depends on meiotic DNA double-stranded break (DSB) repair. A second wave of ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and Rad3-related (ATR)-dependent γH2AX formation has been observed inAtm-null mice during zygotene, suggesting that this wave of phosphorylation also occurs in normal mice. Here I aimed to confirm and to analyse in deep this wave of phosphorylation. Immunostaining of spread spermatocytes shows that γH2AX accumulates on the short last axis stretches to pair. This accumulation appears within all the nuclei undergoing a specific step of late zygotene and disappears from every spermatocyte immediately after pairing completion. This γH2AX signal co-localises with ATR, isSpo11-independent and does not co-localise with free DNA 3′-end labelling. I conclude that ATR/γH2AX asynapsis signalling at the end of zygotene belongs to a physiologically programmed pathway operating at a specific meiotic step, and I propose that this pathway is involved in the triggering of a phase of DSB-independent chromosome pairing that leads to synapsis completion in normal mouse meiosis.

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (114) ◽  
pp. 20150679 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip J. Murray ◽  
Bart Cornelissen ◽  
Katherine A. Vallis ◽  
S. Jon Chapman

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are formed as a result of genotoxic insults, such as exogenous ionizing radiation, and are among the most serious types of DNA damage. One of the earliest molecular responses following DSB formation is the phosphorylation of the histone H2AX, giving rise to γ H2AX. Many copies of γ H2AX are generated at DSBs and can be detected in vitro as foci using well-established immuno-histochemical methods. It has previously been shown that anti- γ H2AX antibodies, modified by the addition of the cell-penetrating peptide TAT and a fluorescent or radionuclide label, can be used to visualize and quantify DSBs in vivo . Moreover, when labelled with a high amount of the short-range, Auger electron-emitting radioisotope, 111 In, the amount of DNA damage within a cell can be increased, leading to cell death. In this report, we develop a mathematical model that describes how molecular processes at individual sites of DNA damage give rise to quantifiable foci. Equations that describe stochastic mean behaviours at individual DSB sites are derived and parametrized using population-scale, time-series measurements from two different cancer cell lines. The model is used to examine two case studies in which the introduction of an antibody (anti- γ H2AX-TAT) that targets a key component in the DSB repair pathway influences system behaviour. We investigate: (i) how the interaction between anti- γ H2AX-TAT and γ H2AX effects the kinetics of H2AX phosphorylation and DSB repair and (ii) model behaviour when the anti- γ H2AX antibody is labelled with Auger electron-emitting 111 In and can thus instigate additional DNA damage. This work supports the conclusion that DSB kinetics are largely unaffected by the introduction of the anti- γ H2AX antibody, a result that has been validated experimentally, and hence the hypothesis that the use of anti- γ H2AX antibody to quantify DSBs does not violate the image tracer principle. Moreover, it provides a novel model of DNA damage accumulation in the presence of Auger electron-emitting 111 In that is supported qualitatively by the available experimental data.


2007 ◽  
Vol 178 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jung-Ae Kim ◽  
Michael Kruhlak ◽  
Farokh Dotiwala ◽  
André Nussenzweig ◽  
James E. Haber

Double-strand break (DSB) damage in yeast and mammalian cells induces the rapid ATM (ataxia telangiectasia mutated)/ATR (ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3 related)-dependent phosphorylation of histone H2AX (γ-H2AX). In budding yeast, a single endonuclease-induced DSB triggers γ-H2AX modification of 50 kb on either side of the DSB. The extent of γ-H2AX spreading does not depend on the chromosomal sequences. DNA resection after DSB formation causes the slow, progressive loss of γ-H2AX from single-stranded DNA and, after several hours, the Mec1 (ATR)-dependent spreading of γ-H2AX to more distant regions. Heterochromatic sequences are only weakly modified upon insertion of a 3-kb silent HMR locus into a γ-H2AX–covered region. The presence of heterochromatin does not stop the phosphorylation of chromatin more distant from the DSB. In mouse embryo fibroblasts, γ-H2AX distribution shows that γ-H2AX foci increase in size as chromatin becomes more accessible. In yeast, we see a high level of constitutive γ-H2AX in telomere regions in the absence of any exogenous DNA damage, suggesting that yeast chromosome ends are transiently detected as DSBs.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Chien Chuang ◽  
Gerald R. Smith

Appropriate DNA double-strand-break (DSB) and crossover distributions are required for proper meiotic chromosome segregation. Schizosaccharomyces pombe linear element proteins (LinEs) determine DSB hotspots; LinE-bound hotspots form 3D clusters over ∼200 kb chromosomal regions. Here, we investigated LinE configurations and distributions in live cells using super-resolution fluorescence microscopy. We found LinEs form two chromosomal structures, dot-like and linear structures, in both zygotic and azygotic meiosis. Dot-like LinE structures appeared around the time of meiotic DNA replication, underwent dotty-to-linear-to-dotty configurational transitions, and disassembled before the first meiotic division. DSB formation and repair did not detectably influence LinE structure formation, but failure of DSB formation delayed disassembly. Recombination-deficient LinE missense mutants formed dot-like but not linear LinE structures. Our quantitative study reveals a transient form of LinE structures and suggests a novel role for LinE proteins in regulating meiotic events, such as DSB repair. We discuss the relation of LinEs and the synaptonemal complex in other species.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazumasa Takemoto ◽  
Naoki Tani ◽  
Yuki Takada-Horisawa ◽  
Sayoko Fujimura ◽  
Nobuhiro Tanno ◽  
...  

SummaryMeiotic recombination is critical for genetic exchange and generation of chiasmata that ensures faithful chromosome segregation during meiosis I. Meiotic recombination is initiated by DNA double-strand break (DSB) followed by multiple processes of DNA repair. The exact mechanisms how recombinases localize to DSB remained elusive. Here we show that C19orf57/4930432K21Rik/BRME1 is a new player for meiotic recombination in mice. C19orf57/4930432K21Rik/BRME1 associates with ssDNA binding proteins, BRCA2 and MEILB2/HSF2BP, critical recruiters of recombinases onto DSB sites. Disruption of C19orf57/4930432K21Rik/BRME1 shows severe impact on DSB repair and male fertility. Remarkably, removal of single stranded DNA (ssDNA) binding proteins from DSB sites is delayed, and reciprocally the loading of RAD51 and DMC1 onto resected ssDNA is impaired in Brme1 KO spermatocytes. We propose that C19orf57/4930432K21Rik/BRME1 modulates localization of recombinases to meiotic DSB sites through the interaction with the BRCA2-MEILB2/HSF2BP complex during meiotic recombination.


Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eirini Terpsi Vitti ◽  
Andrzej Kacperek ◽  
Jason L. Parsons

The response of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) to radiotherapy depends on human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV) status, and where improved outcome and survival is observed in HPV-positive disease. However, strategies to further radiosensitise the tumours, particularly relatively radioresistant HPV-negative HNSCC, are actively being sought. The impact of targeting the major protein kinases involved in the signaling of DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair, namely ataxia telangiectasia-mutated (ATM), ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR), and the catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-Pkcs), on the radiosensitisation of HNSCC cells was examined. The response to both conventional photon radiotherapy, but also proton beam therapy, was analysed by clonogenic assays and 3D spheroid growth. We observed that inhibition of ATM, ATR, and particularly DNA-Pkcs, caused a significant reduction in HNSCC cell survival post-irradiation with both photons and protons, with less of an impact on the most radiosensitive HPV-positive cell line. The inhibition of DNA-Pkcs and, to a lesser extent ATM, in combination with radiation was also more effective at inhibiting the growth of 3D spheroids derived from relatively radioresistant HPV-negative HNSCC. Similar effects of the inhibitors were observed comparing photon and proton irradiation, demonstrating the potential for targeting DSB repair as an effective combination treatment for HNSCC.


2006 ◽  
Vol 282 (9) ◽  
pp. 6582-6587 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin P. C. Chen ◽  
Naoya Uematsu ◽  
Junya Kobayashi ◽  
Yaniv Lerenthal ◽  
Andrea Krempler ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 406-416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Su Chen ◽  
Chen Wang ◽  
Luxi Sun ◽  
Da-Liang Wang ◽  
Lu Chen ◽  
...  

Efficient DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair is critical for the maintenance of genome stability. Unrepaired or misrepaired DSBs cause chromosomal rearrangements that can result in severe consequences, such as tumorigenesis. RAD6 is an E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme that plays a pivotal role in repairing UV-induced DNA damage. Here, we present evidence that RAD6 is also required for DNA DSB repair via homologous recombination (HR) by specifically regulating the degradation of heterochromatin protein 1α (HP1α). Our study indicates that RAD6 physically interacts with HP1α and ubiquitinates HP1α at residue K154, thereby promoting HP1α degradation through the autophagy pathway and eventually leading to an open chromatin structure that facilitates efficient HR DSB repair. Furthermore, bioinformatics studies have indicated that the expression of RAD6 and HP1α exhibits an inverse relationship and correlates with the survival rate of patients.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takaaki Yasuhara ◽  
Reona Kato ◽  
Motohiro Yamauchi ◽  
Yuki Uchihara ◽  
Lee Zou ◽  
...  

AbstractR-loops, consisting of ssDNA and DNA-RNA hybrids, are potentially vulnerable unless they are appropriately processed. Recent evidence suggests that R-loops can form in the proximity of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) within transcriptionally active regions. Yet, how the vulnerability of R-loops is overcome during DSB repair remains unclear. Here, we identify RAP80 as a factor suppressing the vulnerability of ssDNA in R-loops and chromosome translocations and deletions during DSB repair. Mechanistically, RAP80 prevents unscheduled nucleolytic processing of ssDNA in R-loops by CtIP. This mechanism promotes efficient DSB repair via transcription-associated end-joining dependent on BRCA1, Polθ, and LIG1/3. Thus, RAP80 suppresses the vulnerability of R-loops during DSB repair, thereby precluding genomic abnormalities in a critical component of the genome caused by deleterious R-loop processing.


Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 1370
Author(s):  
Atsushi Shibata ◽  
Penny A. Jeggo

Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) is a central kinase that activates an extensive network of responses to cellular stress via a signaling role. ATM is activated by DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) and by oxidative stress, subsequently phosphorylating a plethora of target proteins. In the last several decades, newly developed molecular biological techniques have uncovered multiple roles of ATM in response to DNA damage—e.g., DSB repair, cell cycle checkpoint arrest, apoptosis, and transcription arrest. Combinational dysfunction of these stress responses impairs the accuracy of repair, consequently leading to dramatic sensitivity to ionizing radiation (IR) in ataxia telangiectasia (A-T) cells. In this review, we summarize the roles of ATM that focus on DSB repair.


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