Project description:CRY1 is a circadian clock core component. Data in our laboratory has linked this factor with controlling the activity of the DNA double strand break repair protein CtIP, affecting the process of DNA end resection. By using ChIP-seq approaches in the DiVA cell system, we can show that the absence of CRY1 increases DNA end resection, measured as the accumulation of RPA at the sites of cleavage of the enzyme AsiSI. Furthermore, this is due to an increase in the accumulation of the resection factor CtIP.
Project description:DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair by homologous recombination is confined to the S and G2 phases of the cell cycle partly due to 53BP1 antagonizing DNA end resection in G1 phase and non-cycling quiescent (G0) cells where DSBs must be repaired by non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). Unexpectedly, we uncovered extensive MRE11- and CtIP-dependent DNA end resection at DSBs in G0 mammalian cells. A whole genome CRISPR/Cas9 screen revealed the DNA-dependent kinase (DNA-PK) complex as a key factor in promoting DNA end resection in G0 cells. In agreement, depletion of FBXL12, which promotes ubiquitylation and removal of the KU70/KU80 subunits of DNA-PK from DSBs, promotes even more extensive resection in G0 cells. In contrast, a requirement for DNA-PK in promoting DNA end resection in cycling cells at the G1 or G2 phase cells was not observed. Our findings establish that DNA-PK uniquely promotes DNA end resection in G0, but not in G1 or G2 phase cells, and has important implications for DNA DSB repair in quiescent cells.
Project description:DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair by homologous recombination is confined to the S and G2 phases of the cell cycle partly due to 53BP1 antagonizing DNA end resection in G1 phase and non-cycling quiescent (G0) cells where DSBs must be repaired by non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). Unexpectedly, we uncovered extensive MRE11- and CtIP-dependent DNA end resection at DSBs in G0 mammalian cells. A whole genome CRISPR/Cas9 screen revealed the DNA-dependent kinase (DNA-PK) complex as a key factor in promoting DNA end resection in G0 cells. In agreement, depletion of FBXL12, which promotes ubiquitylation and removal of the KU70/KU80 subunits of DNA-PK from DSBs, promotes even more extensive resection in G0 cells. In contrast, a requirement for DNA-PK in promoting DNA end resection in cycling cells at the G1 or G2 phase cells was not observed. Our findings establish that DNA-PK uniquely promotes DNA end resection in G0, but not in G1 or G2 phase cells, and has important implications for DNA DSB repair in quiescent cells.
Project description:Sterile alpha motif and HD domain-containing protein 1 (SAMHD1) has a dNTPase-independent function in promoting DNA end resection to facilitate DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair by homologous recombination (HR); however, it is not known if upstream signaling events govern this activity. Here, we show that SAMHD1 is deacetylated by the SIRT1 sirtuin deacetylase, facilitating its binding with ssDNA at DSBs, to promote DNA end resection and HR. SIRT1 complexes with and deacetylates SAMHD1 at conserved lysine 354 (K354) specifically in response to DSBs. K354 deacetylation by SIRT1 promotes DNA end resection and HR but not SAMHD1 tetramerization or dNTPase activity. Mechanistically, K354 deacetylation by SIRT1 promotes SAMHD1 recruitment to DSBs and binding to ssDNA at DSBs, which in turn facilitates CtIP ssDNA binding, leading to promotion of genome integrity. Our findings define a mechanism governing the dNTPase-independent resection function of SAMHD1 by SIRT1 deacetylation in promoting HR and genome stability.
Project description:DNA–RNA hybrids triggered by double-strand breaks (DSBs) are crucial intermediates during DSB repair, and their timely resolution requires numbers of RNA helicases, including DEAD box 1 (DDX1). However, how these helicases are recruited to DSB-induced hybrids in time remains largely unclear. Here, we revealed that squamous cell carcinoma antigen recognized by T cells 3 (SART3) promotes DDX1 binding to DNA–RNA hybrids at DSBs for optimal homologous recombination (HR) repair. SART3 itself can associate with DNA–RNA hybrids and PAR chains, and is recruited to DSBs in both PARylation- and hybrid-dependent fashion. SART3 also associates with DDX1 and is necessary for DDX1 enrichment at DSBs. The defective SART3-DDX1 association observed in cells expressing the cancer-associated variant SART3-R836W not only abrogates the accumulation of DDX1 at DSBs, but also impairs hybrid removal and HR efficiency, leading to hypersensitivity of tumor cells to drug treatments. Interestingly, beyond impairing hybrid removal through DDX1, SART3 loss also inhibits DNA end resection, causing a more profound DSB repair defect and chemosensitivity. The stimulatory role of SART3 in end resection is mediated by its function to enhance USP15-BARD1 association and BRCA1-BARD1 retention. Together, our study reveals a previously unknown role of SART3 in DSB repair, rendering SART3 a promising target for cancer therapy.
Project description:Double-strand break (DSB) repair choice is greatly influenced by the initial processing of DNA ends. 53BP1 limits the formation of recombinogenic single strand DNA (ssDNA) in BRCA1-deficient cells leading to defects in homologous recombination (HR). However, the exact mechanisms by which 53BP1 inhibits DSB resection remain unclear. Previous studies have identified two potential pathways: protection against exonucleases presumably through the Shieldin (SHLD) complex binding to ssDNA, and localized DNA synthesis through the (CTC1-STN1-TEN1) CST and DNA polymerase alpha (Polα) to counteract resection. We present evidence here that 53BP1-mediated exonuclease protection plays a more significant role than CST/Polα synthesis in countering hyper-resection at DSBs in G1 phase. Using a combinatorial approach of END-seq, SAR-seq, and RPA ChIP-seq, we directly assessed the extent of resection, DNA synthesis, and ssDNA, respectively, at AsiSI-induced DSBs. We show that in the presence of 53BP1, Polα-dependent DNA synthesis reduces the fraction of resected DSBs and the resection lengths. However, in the absence of 53BP1, Polα activity is sustained on ssDNA yet does not substantially counter resection. In contrast, Exo1 nuclease activity is essential for hyperresection in the absence of 53BP1. Thus, 53BP1 inhibits resection mainly through end-protection rather than by promoting fill-in.
Project description:To generate antibodies with different effector functions, B cells undergo Immunoglobulin class switch recombination (CSR). The ligation step of CSR is usually mediated by the classical non-homologous end-joining (cNHEJ) pathway. In cNHEJ-deficient cells, a remarkable ~25% CSR can be achieved by the alternative end-joining (A-EJ) pathway that preferentially uses microhomology (MH) at the junctions. While A-EJ mediated repair of endonuclease generated breaks requires DNA end-resection, we show that CtIP-mediated DNA end-resection is dispensable for A-EJ-mediated CSR using cNHEJ-deficient B cells. High-throughput sequencing analyses revealed that loss of ATM/ATR phosphorylation of CtIP at T855 or ATM kinase inhibition suppress resection without altering the MH-pattern of the A-EJ-mediated switch junctions. Moreover, we found that ATM kinase promotes Alt-EJ mediated CSR by suppressing inter-chromosomal translocations independent of end-resection. Finally, temperol analyses reveal that MHs are enriched in early internal deletions even in cNHEJ-proficient B cells. Thus, we propose that repetitive IgH switch regions represent favoriate substrates for MH-mediated end-joining contributing to the robustness and resection-indepndence of A-EJ-mediated CSR.
Project description:Most DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are harmful to genome integrity. However, some forms of DSBs are essential to biological processes, such as meiotic recombination and V(D)J recombination. DSBs are also required for programmed DNA elimination (PDE) in ciliates and nematodes. In nematodes, the DSBs are healed with telomere addition. While telomere addition sites have been well-characterized, little is known regarding the DSBs that fragment nematode chromosomes. Here, we used embryos from the nematode Ascaris to study the timing of PDE breaks and examine the DSBs and their end processing. Using END-seq, we characterize the DSB ends and demonstrate that DNA breaks are introduced before mitosis, followed by extensive end resection. The resection profile is unique for each break site, and the resection generates 3’ overhangs before the addition of telomeres. Interestingly, telomere healing occurs much more frequently on retained DSB ends than on eliminated ends. This biased repair of the DSB in Ascaris is likely due to the sequestration of the eliminated DNA into micronuclei, preventing their ends from telomere healing. Additional DNA breaks occur within the eliminated DNA in both Ascaris and Parascaris, ensuring chromosomal breakage and providing a fail-safe mechanism for nematode PDE.