Project description:Class Switch Recombination (CSR) is a B cell specific genomic alteration induced by activation induced cytidine deaminase (AID)-dependent DNA break, followed by repair and recombination at the immunoglobulin heavy-chain locus. The involvement of several chromatin-associated factors in promoting AID-induced DNA break formation has been reported. However, the involvement of chromatin adaptors at the repair phase of CSR remains unknown. Here, we provide evidence that acetylated histone reader Brd4 is critical to the repair and recombination step of CSR. Brd4 was recruited to the AID-induced DNA break region, and depletion of Brd4 from the S region chromatin by knockdown or a chemical inhibitor JQ1 causes CSR impairment without affecting AID-induced DNA break generation. Such inhibition of Brd4 suppressed the accumulation of 53BP1 and UNG at the cleaved S regions, perturbed switch donor-switch acceptor microhomology length and reduced Igh/c-myc translocation. We conclude that Brd4 serves as a histone-reader platform required for the recruitment of CSR repair components. Brd4 were depleted from the chromatin by either siRNA treatment or JQ1 (40nM) addition in CH12F3-2A cells in the presence of CIT stimulation. RNA from each samples were extracted and relative difference in transcript level were compared with control RNAi- and DMSO-treated, CIT-stimulated samples.
Project description:Class Switch Recombination (CSR) is a B cell specific genomic alteration induced by activation induced cytidine deaminase (AID)-dependent DNA break, followed by repair and recombination at the immunoglobulin heavy-chain locus. The involvement of several chromatin-associated factors in promoting AID-induced DNA break formation has been reported. However, the involvement of chromatin adaptors at the repair phase of CSR remains unknown. Here, we provide evidence that acetylated histone reader Brd4 is critical to the repair and recombination step of CSR. Brd4 was recruited to the AID-induced DNA break region, and depletion of Brd4 from the S region chromatin by knockdown or a chemical inhibitor JQ1 causes CSR impairment without affecting AID-induced DNA break generation. Such inhibition of Brd4 suppressed the accumulation of 53BP1 and UNG at the cleaved S regions, perturbed switch donor-switch acceptor microhomology length and reduced Igh/c-myc translocation. We conclude that Brd4 serves as a histone-reader platform required for the recruitment of CSR repair components.
Project description:Class switch recombination generates antibody distinct isotypes critical to a robust adaptive immune system and defects are associated with auto-immune disorders and lymphomagenesis. Transcription is required during class switch to recruit the cytidine deaminase AID—an essential step for the formation of DNA doublestrand breaks—and strongly induces the formation of R loops within the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus. However, the impact of R loops on double-strand break formation and repair during class switch recombination remains unclear. Here we report that cells lacking two enzymes involved in R loop removal— Senataxin and RNase H2—exhibit increased R loop formation and genome instability at the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus without impacting class switch recombination efficiency, transcriptional activity, or AID recruitment. Senataxin and RNase H2-deficient cells also exhibit increased insertion mutations at switch junctions, a hallmark of alternative end joining. Importantly, these phenotypes were not observed in cells lacking Senataxin or RNase H2B alone. We propose that Senataxin acts redundantly with RNase H2 to mediate timely R loop removal, promoting efficient repair while suppressing AID-dependent genome instability and insertional mutagenesis.
Project description:Programmed genetic rearrangements in lymphocytes require transcription at antigen receptor genes to promote accessibility for initiating double-strand break (DSB) formation critical for DNA recombination and repair. Here we show that activated B cells deficient in the PTIP component of the MLL3 (mixed-lineage leukemia 3) /MLL4 complex display impaired histone methylation (H3K4me3) and transcription initiation of downstream switch regions at the immunoglobulin heavy-chain (Igh) locus leading to defective immunoglobulin class-switching. We also show that PTIP accumulation at DSBs contributes to class-switch recombination (CSR) and genome stability independently from Igh switch transcription. These results demonstrate that PTIP promotes specific chromatin changes that control the accessibility of the Igh locus to CSR, and suggest a non-redundant role for the MLL3/MLL4 complex in altering antibody effector function. Genome-wide analysis of histone modifications, PTIP, and Pol II in PTIP-WT and PTIP-KO mouse activated B cells.
Project description:Programmed genetic rearrangements in lymphocytes require transcription at antigen receptor genes to promote accessibility for initiating double-strand break (DSB) formation critical for DNA recombination and repair. Here we show that activated B cells deficient in the PTIP component of the MLL3 (mixed-lineage leukemia 3) /MLL4 complex display impaired histone methylation (H3K4me3) and transcription initiation of downstream switch regions at the immunoglobulin heavy-chain (Igh) locus leading to defective immunoglobulin class-switching. We also show that PTIP accumulation at DSBs contributes to class-switch recombination (CSR) and genome stability independently from Igh switch transcription. These results demonstrate that PTIP promotes specific chromatin changes that control the accessibility of the Igh locus to CSR, and suggest a non-redundant role for the MLL3/MLL4 complex in altering antibody effector function.
Project description:BRD4 functions as an epigenetic reader and plays a crucial role in regulating transcription and genome stability. Dysregulation of BRD4 is frequently observed in various human cancers. However, the molecular details of BRD4 regulation remain largely unknown. Here, we report that PRMT2- and PRMT4-mediated arginine methylation is pivotal for BRD4-dependent transcription, DNA repair, and tumor growth. Specifically, PRMT2/4 interact with and methylates BRD4 at R179, R181, and R183. This arginine methylation selectively controls a transcriptional program by promoting BRD4 enrichment at the hyper-acetylated chromatin regions. Moreover, BRD4 arginine methylation is induced by DNA damage and thereby promotes its binding to chromatin for DNA repair. Deficiency in BRD4 arginine methylation significantly suppresses tumor growth and sensitizes cells to BET inhibitors and DNA damaging agents. Therefore, our findings reveal an arginine methylation-dependent regulatory mechanism of BRD4 function and highlight targeting PRMT2/4 for better anti-tumor effect of BET inhibitors and DNA damaging agents.
Project description:53BP1 governs a specialized, context-specific branch of the classical non-homologous end joining DNA double-strand break repair pathway. Mice lacking 53bp1 (also known as Trp53bp1) are immunodeficient owing to a complete loss of immunoglobulin class-switch recombination, and reduced fidelity of long-range V(D)J recombination. The 53BP1-dependent pathway is also responsible for pathological joining events at dysfunctional telomeres, and its unrestricted activity in Brca1-deficient cellular and tumour models causes genomic instability and oncogenesis. Cells that lack core non-homologous end joining proteins are profoundly radiosensitive, unlike 53BP1-deficient cells, which suggests that 53BP1 and its co-factors act on specific DNA substrates. Here we show that 53BP1 cooperates with its downstream effector protein REV7 to promote non-homologous end joining during class-switch recombination, but REV7 is not required for 53BP1-dependent V(D)J recombination. We identify shieldin—a four-subunit putative single-stranded DNA-binding complex comprising REV7, c20orf196 (SHLD1), FAM35A (SHLD2) and FLJ26957 (SHLD3)— as the factor that explains this specificity. Shieldin is essential for REV7-dependent DNA end-protection and non-homologous end joining during class-switch recombination, and supports toxic non-homologous end joining in Brca1-deficient cells, yet is dispensable for REV7-dependent interstrand cross-link repair. The 53BP1 pathway therefore comprises distinct double-strand break repair activities within chromatin and single-stranded DNA compartments, which explains both the immunological differences between 53bp1- and Rev7- deficient mice and the context specificity of the pathway.
Project description:BRD4 functions as an epigenetic reader and plays a crucial role in regulating transcription and genome stability. Dysregulation of BRD4 is frequently observed in various human cancers. However, the molecular details of BRD4 regulation remain largely unknown. Here, we report that PRMT2- and PRMT4-mediated arginine methylation is pivotal for BRD4-dependent transcription, DNA repair, and tumor growth. Specifically, PRMT2/4 interact with and methylates BRD4 at R179, R181, and R183. This arginine methylation selectively controls a transcriptional program by promoting BRD4 enrichment at the hyper-acetylated chromatin regions. Moreover, BRD4 arginine methylation is induced by DNA damage and thereby promotes its binding to chromatin for DNA repair. Deficiency in BRD4 arginine methylation significantly suppresses tumor growth and sensitizes cells to BET inhibitors and DNA damaging agents. Therefore, our findings reveal an arginine methylation-dependent regulatory mechanism of BRD4 function and highlight targeting PRMT2/4 for better anti-tumor effect of BET inhibitors and DNA damaging agents.