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Results for “replication fork stability”

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PubMed1990

The mutational spectrum of single base-pair substitutions causing human genetic disease: patterns and predictions.

Reports of single base-pair substitutions that cause human genetic disease and that have been located and characterized in an unbiased fashion were collated; 32% of point mutations were CG----TG or CG----CA transitions consistent with a chemical model of mutation via methylation-mediated deamination. This represents a 12-fold higher frequency than that predicted from random expectation, confirming that CG dinucleotides are indeed hotspots of mutation causing human genetic disease. However, since CG also appears hypermutable irrespective of methylation-mediated deamination, a second mechanism may also be involved in generating CG mutations. The spectrum of point mutations occurring outwith CG dinucleotides is also non-random, at both the mono- and dinucleotide, levels. An intrinsic bias in clinical detection was excluded since frequencies of specific amino acid substitutions did not correlate with the 'chemical difference' between the amino acids exchanged. Instead, a strong correlation was observed with the mutational spectrum predicted from the experimentally measured mispairing frequencies of vertebrate DNA polymerases alpha and beta in vitro. This correlation appears to be independent of any difference in the efficiency of enzymatic proofreading/mismatch-repair mechanisms but is consistent with a physical model of mutation through nucleotide misincorporation as a result of transient misalignment of bases at the replication fork. This model is further supported by an observed correlation between dinucleotide mutability and stability, possibly because transient misalignment must be stabilized long enough for misincorporation to occur. Since point mutations in human genes causing genetic disease neither arise by random error nor are independent of their local sequence environment, predictive models may be considered. We present a computer model (MUTPRED) based upon empirical data; it is designed to predict the location of point mutations within gene coding regions causing human genetic disease. The mutational spectrum predicted for the human factor IX gene was shown to resemble closely the observed spectrum of point mutations causing haemophilia B. Further, the model was able to predict successfully the rank order of disease prevalence and/or mutation rates associated with various human autosomal dominant and sex-linked recessive conditions. Although still imperfect, this model nevertheless represents an initial attempt to relate the variable prevalence of human genetic disease to the mutability inherent in the nucleotide sequences of the underlying genes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

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↗

PubMed2024

FANCJ DNA helicase is recruited to the replisome by AND-1 to ensure genome stability.

FANCJ, a DNA helicase linked to Fanconi anemia and frequently mutated in cancers, counteracts replication stress by dismantling unconventional DNA secondary structures (such as G-quadruplexes) that occur at the DNA replication fork in certain sequence contexts. However, how FANCJ is recruited to the replisome is unknown. Here, we report that FANCJ directly binds to AND-1 (the vertebrate ortholog of budding yeast Ctf4), a homo-trimeric protein adaptor that connects the CDC45/MCM2-7/GINS replicative DNA helicase with DNA polymerase α and several other factors at DNA replication forks. The interaction between FANCJ and AND-1 requires the integrity of an evolutionarily conserved Ctf4-interacting protein (CIP) box located between the FANCJ helicase motifs IV and V. Disruption of the CIP box significantly reduces FANCJ association with the replisome, causing enhanced DNA damage, decreased replication fork recovery and fork asymmetry in cells unchallenged or treated with Pyridostatin, a G-quadruplex-binder, or Mitomycin C, a DNA inter-strand cross-linking agent. Cancer-relevant FANCJ CIP box variants display reduced AND-1-binding and enhanced DNA damage, a finding that suggests their potential role in cancer predisposition.

Humans↗

PubMed1989

DNA binding properties and replication activity of the T antigen related D2 phosphoprotein.

According to earlier genetic experiments, a region within the N-terminal 50-100 amino acids may be important for the replication function of T antigen, the initiator protein of simian virus 40 (SV40). We have investigated this possibility using the T antigen related D2 protein in several biochemical assay systems. D2 protein, a phosphoprotein coded for by the adeno-SV40 hybrid virus Ad2+D2, shares its 594 C-terminal amino acids with authentic T antigen and its 104 N-terminal amino acids with an adenovirus structural protein. We confirmed earlier studies showing that D2 protein appeared to bind well to specific binding sites in the SV40 origin of replication. We found, however, that D2 protein was rather inefficient, inducing the unwinding of the double-stranded origin region, and was much less active than authentic T antigen as an initiator of in vitro SV40 DNA replication. We interpret these findings to indicate that D2 protein molecules associate with the origin to form an aberrant complex that is quite inefficient, inducing DNA unwinding and the establishment of replication forks. The possibility that the N-terminus may be required for an optimal arrangement of T antigen at the origin was supported by results of dephosphorylation studies. Dephosphorylation of N-terminal phosphoamino acids had significant effects on the stability of D2 protein-origin complexes.

Antigens, Viral, Tumor↗

PubMed2024

RAD51 separation of function mutation disables replication fork maintenance but preserves DSB repair.

Homologous recombination (HR) protects replication forks (RFs) and repairs DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Within HR, BRCA2 regulates RAD51 via two interaction regions: the BRC repeats to form filaments on single-stranded DNA and exon 27 (Ex27) to stabilize the filament. Here, we identified a RAD51 S181P mutant that selectively disrupted the RAD51-Ex27 association while maintaining interaction with BRC repeat and proficiently forming filaments capable of DNA binding and strand invasion. Interestingly, RAD51 S181P was defective for RF protection/restart but proficient for DSB repair. Our data suggest that Ex27-mediated stabilization of RAD51 filaments is required for the protection of RFs, while it seems dispensable for the repair of DSBs.

Genetics↗

PubMed2026

The role of CHAMP1 in chromatin-mediated DNA damage repair.

Defects in the replication stress response are major drivers of cancer development and present key targetable vulnerabilities that can be exploited for anti-cancer therapy. Recent studies have identified CHAMP1 as a novel DNA damage repair factor with roles in double-strand break repair and the replication stress response. Mutations in CHAMP1 are associated with the neurodevelopmental disorder CHAMP1 Syndrome. More recently, children with CHAMP1 Syndrome have developed leukemia, suggesting that CHAMP1 mutations are a potential cancer risk factor. CHAMP1 is part of two DNA damage repair complexes: CHAMP1-POGZ-REV7 (Complex I) and CHAMP1-POGZ-HP1α (Complex II). Complex I promotes homologous recombination by removing the Shieldin complex from the ends of double strand breaks and allowing DSB end resection to occur. Complex II enriches heterochromatin content through the recruitment of the methyltransferase SETDB1 to DNA damage sites. Increased heterochromatin at stalled forks is associated with proper fork stability and restart, demonstrating the importance of CHAMP1 in maintaining genomic integrity. Loss of CHAMP1 leads to increased sensitivity to DNA damaging agents and increased dependence on other DNA damage repair pathways, such as the DNA damage checkpoint and the Fanconi Anemia pathway. CHAMP1 is overexpressed in breast and ovarian cancer cells with high levels of replication stress, providing a molecular mechanism for the tolerance of replication stress. These new findings on the relationship of CHAMP1 with well-established DNA damage repair pathways, suggest that targeting CHAMP1 could present a new synthetic lethality opportunity for cancer cells with high levels of replication stress.

CHAMP1↗

PubMed2015

NUCKS1 is a novel RAD51AP1 paralog important for homologous recombination and genome stability.

NUCKS1 (nuclear casein kinase and cyclin-dependent kinase substrate 1) is a 27 kD chromosomal, vertebrate-specific protein, for which limited functional data exist. Here, we demonstrate that NUCKS1 shares extensive sequence homology with RAD51AP1 (RAD51 associated protein 1), suggesting that these two proteins are paralogs. Similar to the phenotypic effects of RAD51AP1 knockdown, we find that depletion of NUCKS1 in human cells impairs DNA repair by homologous recombination (HR) and chromosome stability. Depletion of NUCKS1 also results in greatly increased cellular sensitivity to mitomycin C (MMC), and in increased levels of spontaneous and MMC-induced chromatid breaks. NUCKS1 is critical to maintaining wild type HR capacity, and, as observed for a number of proteins involved in the HR pathway, functional loss of NUCKS1 leads to a slow down in DNA replication fork progression with a concomitant increase in the utilization of new replication origins. Interestingly, recombinant NUCKS1 shares the same DNA binding preference as RAD51AP1, but binds to DNA with reduced affinity when compared to RAD51AP1. Our results show that NUCKS1 is a chromatin-associated protein with a role in the DNA damage response and in HR, a DNA repair pathway critical for tumor suppression.

Cell Line↗

PubMed2026

R-loops and D-loops: a delicate balance in genomic stability and instability.

R-loops and D-loops are three-stranded nucleic acid structures that have emerged as central regulators of genome stability, gene expression, and DNA metabolism. R-loops form co-transcriptionally or post-transcriptionally when nascent RNA re-anneals with the template DNA strand, generating an RNA: DNA hybrid that displaces the non-template strand into a single-stranded state. These structures are enriched at CpG island promoters, transcription termination sites, and immunoglobulin class-switch regions, where they coordinate transcription regulation, chromatin remodeling, and DNA damage signaling. D-loops are formed when a single-stranded DNA segment pairs with one strand of a duplex and displaces the other, arising through context-dependent mechanisms that include RAD51- or DMC1-mediated strand invasion in homologous recombination, shelterin-assisted invasion at telomeres, and replication-coupled strand displacement at the mitochondrial DNA origin. They serve as indispensable intermediates in double-strand break repair, telomere maintenance, and mitochondrial DNA replication. Recent cryo-electron microscopy studies have resolved the stepwise RAD51-mediated strand exchange mechanism at near-atomic resolution, substantially advancing structural understanding of D-loop biogenesis. Despite their differences in molecular composition, both structures remodel Watson-Crick base pairing and, when dysregulated, are associated with replication fork stalling, transcription-replication conflicts, and aberrant recombination. This review systematically compares the structural features, formation mechanisms, regulatory networks, and biological functions of R-loops and D-loops, with emphasis on their convergent roles in safeguarding genome integrity. We further discuss rapidly evolving detection technologies and emerging therapeutic strategies targeting these structures in cancer and neurodegeneration, identifying key unresolved questions for future investigation.

Genomic Instability↗

PubMed1990

Patterns of strongly protein-associated simian virus 40 DNA replication intermediates resulting from exposures to specific topoisomerase poisons.

Exposure of infected CV-1 cells to specific type I and type II topoisomerase poisons caused strong protein association with distinct subsets of simian virus 40 (SV40) DNA replication intermediates. On the basis of the known specificity and mechanisms of action of these drugs, the proteins involved are assumed to be the respective topoisomerases. Camptothecin, a topoisomerase I poison, caused strong protein association with form II (relaxed circular) and form III (linear) viral genomes and replication intermediates having broken DNA replication forks but not with form I (superhelical) viral DNA or normal late replication intermediates which were present. In contrast, type II topoisomerase poisons caused completely replicated forms and late viral replication forms to be tightly bound to protein--some to a greater extent than others. Different type II topoisomerase inhibitors caused distinctive patterns of protein association with the replication intermediates present. Both intercalating and nonintercalating type II topoisomerase poisons caused a small amount of form I (superhelical) SV40 DNA to be protein-associated in vivo. The protein complex with form I viral DNA was entirely drug-dependent and strong, but apparently noncovalent. The protein associated with form I DNA may represent a drug-stabilized "topological complex" between type II topoisomerase and SV40 DNA.

Animals↗

PubMed1975

The deoxyribonucleic acid unwinding protein of Escherichia coli. Properties and functions in replication.

The DNA unwinding protein of Escherichia coli (Sigal, N., Delius, H., Kornberg, T., Gefter, M., and Alberts, B. (1972) Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 69, 3537-3541) has been purified to homogeneity by a simple procedure which utilizes its stability to heating. The protein is an asymmetric tetramer of 18,500 dalton subunits which binds preferentially to single-stranded DNA at a ratio of one protein molecule per 32 nucleotides. Binding to DNA is complete in less than 10 s at 0 degrees while release of the protein from single-stranded DNA is relatively slow even at 37 degrees. A simple functional assay for unwinding protein depends on its essential role in the conversion of phage G4 single-stranded DNA to the replicative form. Unwinding protein stimulates initiation of replication of all single-stranded phage DNAs. Approximately 300 copies of unwinding protein are present per cell, as estimated by antibody titration, an amount sufficient to cover substantial lengths of DNA in several replicating forks.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed2026

Cohesin promotes genomic stability by suppressing unequal sister chromatid exchange.

The protein complex cohesin plays critical roles in genomic stability by tethering together sister chromatids at their pericentric regions and along their arms from S phase until anaphase. Cohesin-mediated pericentric cohesion prevents aneuploidy by ensuring bipolar attachment of sister kinetochores. Arm cohesion prevents loss of heterozygosity by biasing DNA repair via recombination between sister chromatids rather than between homologs. Here, we investigate in yeast whether cohesin also enhances genomic stability by suppressing unequal sister chromatid exchange (USCE) between repetitive sequences. In wild-type cells, the USCE rate between repeats 4kb apart (proximal) was 15X higher than repeats 68kb apart (distal). The USCE between distal repeats but not proximal repeats increased 4 to 7-fold in mutants with altered cohesin subunits or auxiliary factors. The level of increased distal USCE corresponded with reduced arm cohesion, reduced density of cohesion arm sites, and higher sister loci mobility. Our results suggest that high density of arm cohesion sites confines repair of DNA damage to local sequences. When the density of cohesion sites decreases, sister chromatid sequences are less confined, thereby enhancing distal repeat interactions and USCE. Another set of mutations disrupted both DNA replication and cohesin loading at the replication fork during S phase. Remarkably, distal USCE in these mutants increased approximately 100-fold and was 6-fold more likely than proximal USCE. This preferential hyperdistal USCE can be explained by an aberrant sister-chromatid structure that is normally prevented by proper coupling of cohesin function and replication.

Journal Article↗