Rapid desensitization of neonatal rat liver beta-adrenergic receptors. A role for beta-adrenergic receptor kinase.

Exposure of beta-adrenergic receptors (BAR) to agonists often leads to a rapid loss of receptor responsiveness. The proposed mechanisms of such rapid receptor desensitization include receptor phosphorylation by either cAMP-dependent protein kinase or the specific beta-adrenergic receptor kinase (BARK), leading to functional uncoupling from adenylyl cyclase and sequestration of the receptors away from the cell surface. To evaluate the physiological role of such mechanisms, we have investigated whether rapid regulation of BAR occurs in the neonatal rat liver immediately after birth, a physiological situation characterized by a dramatic but transient increase in plasma catecholamines. We have detected a rapid, transient uncoupling of liver plasma membrane BARs from adenylyl cyclase (corresponding to a desensitization of approximately 45%) within the first minutes of extrauterine life, followed by a transient sequestration of approximately 40% of the BARs away from the plasma membrane. In agreement with such pattern of desensitization, we have detected (by enzymatic and immunological assays) rapid changes in BARK specific activity in different neonatal rat liver subcellular fractions that take place within the same time frame of BAR uncoupling and sequestration. Our results provide new evidence on the potential role of BAR desensitization mechanisms in vivo and suggest that they are involved in modulating catecholamines actions at the moment of birth. Furthermore, our data indicate that in addition to its suggested role as a rapid modulator of adrenergic receptor function at synapse, rapid BARK-mediated receptor regulation may have functional relevance in other tissues in response to high circulating or local levels of agonists.

Fanconi anemia proteins FANCA, FANCC, and FANCG/XRCC9 interact in a functional nuclear complex.

Fanconi anemia (FA) is an autosomal recessive cancer susceptibility syndrome with at least eight complementation groups (A to H). Three FA genes, corresponding to complementation groups A, C, and G, have been cloned, but their cellular function remains unknown. We have previously demonstrated that the FANCA and FANCC proteins interact and form a nuclear complex in normal cells, suggesting that the proteins cooperate in a nuclear function. In this report, we demonstrate that the recently cloned FANCG/XRCC9 protein is required for binding of the FANCA and FANCC proteins. Moreover, the FANCG protein is a component of a nuclear protein complex containing FANCA and FANCC. The amino-terminal region of the FANCA protein is required for FANCG binding, FANCC binding, nuclear localization, and functional activity of the complex. Our results demonstrate that the three cloned FA proteins cooperate in a large multisubunit complex. Disruption of this complex results in the specific cellular and clinical phenotype common to most FA complementation groups.

Shortage of dNTPs underlies altered replication dynamics and DNA breakage in the absence of the APC/C cofactor Cdh1.

The APC/C-Cdh1 ubiquitin-ligase complex targets cell cycle regulators for proteosomal degradation and helps prevent tumor development and accumulation of chromosomal aberrations. Replication stress has been proposed to be the main driver of genomic instability in the absence of Cdh1, but the real contribution of APC/C-Cdh1 to efficient replication, especially in normal cells, remains unclear. Here we show that, in primary MEFs, acute depletion or permanent ablation of Cdh1 slowed down replication fork movement and increased origin activity. Partial inhibition of origin firing does not accelerate replication forks, suggesting that fork progression is intrinsically limited in the absence of Cdh1. Moreover, exogenous supply of nucleotide precursors, or ectopic overexpression of RRM2, the regulatory subunit of Ribonucleotide Reductase, restore replication efficiency, indicating that dNTP availability could be impaired upon Cdh1 loss. Indeed, we found reduced dNTP levels in Cdh1-deficient MEFs. Importantly, DNA breakage is also significantly alleviated by increasing intracellular dNTP pools, strongly suggesting that genomic instability is the result of aberrant replication. These observations highlight the relevance of APC/C-Cdh1 activity during G1 to ensure an adequate supply of dNTPs to the replisome, prevent replication stress and the resulting chromosomal breaks and, ultimately, suppress tumorigenesis.

A patient-derived mutant form of the Fanconi anemia protein, FANCA, is defective in nuclear accumulation.

Fanconi anemia (FA) is an autosomal recessive cancer susceptibility syndrome with at least eight complementation groups (A-H). Three FA genes, corresponding to complementation groups A, C, and G, have been cloned, but the function of the encoded FA proteins remains unknown. We recently demonstrated that the FANCA and FANCC proteins bind and form a nuclear complex. In the current study, we identified a homozygous mutation in the FANCA gene (3329A>C) in an Egyptian FA patient from a consanguineous family. This mutant FANCA allele is predicted to encode a mutant FANCA protein, FANCA(H1110P), in which histidine 1110 is changed to proline. Initially, we characterized the FANCA(H1110P) protein, expressed in an Epstein Barr virus (EBV)-immortalized lymphoblast line derived from the patient. Unlike wild-type FANCA protein expressed in normal lymphoblasts, FANCA(H1110P) was not phosphorylated and failed to bind to FANCC. To test directly the effect of this mutation on FANCA function, we used retroviral-mediated transduction to express either wild-type FANCA or FANCA(H1110P) protein in the FA-A fibroblast line, GM6914. Unlike wild-type FANCA, the mutant protein failed to complement the mitomycin C sensitivity of these cells. In addition, the FANCA(H1110P) protein was defective in nuclear accumulation in the transduced cells. The characteristics of this mutant protein underscore the importance of FANCA phosphorylation, FANCA/FANCC binding, and nuclear accumulation in the function of the FA pathway.

Rapid agonist-induced beta-adrenergic receptor kinase translocation in C6 glioma cells.

Exposure of C6 glioma cells to 1 microM isoproterenol leads to fast desensitization of the beta-adrenergic receptor/adenylyl cyclase system and transient receptor sequestration. It also triggers a very rapid and transient translocation to the plasma membrane of beta-adrenergic receptor kinase (beta ARK), a specific cytoplasmic kinase that phosphorylates only the agonist-occupied form of several G protein-coupled receptors. beta ARK-mediated receptor phosphorylation appears to be a suitable mechanism for the rapid regulation of adrenergic receptor function in the nervous tissue.

Post-transcriptional induction of beta 1-adrenergic receptor by retinoic acid, but not triiodothyronine, in C6 glioma cells expressing thyroid hormone receptors.

Thyroid hormone (triiodothyronine; T3) has been shown to control the expression of beta 1-adrenergic receptors (beta 1-AR) in cardiac myocytes, but not in C6 glioma cells. This cell specificity has been attributed to low expression of T3 receptors and high expression of the c-erbA alpha 2 splice variant that interferes with the action of T3. To check this hypothesis we have expressed the c-erbA/thyroid hormone receptor (TR) alpha 1 gene in C6 glioma cells and investigated their response to thyroid hormone. Cells expressing TR alpha 1, but not wild-type cells, were responsive to T3 as shown by increased expression of mitochrondrial hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA synthase after T3 exposure. However, T3 had no effect on beta 1-AR gene expression in either set of cells. The beta 1-AR mRNA concentrations were, however, altered by retinoic acid (RA) treatment. Retinoic acid caused a rapid up-regulation of beta 1-AR mRNA levels that was blocked by cycloheximide. Retinoic acid did not increase the beta 1-AR gene transcription rate in run-on experiments. These results indicate an indirect post-transcriptional effect of RA. Control of beta 1-AR expression in C6 cells is also exerted at the translational level, because there was no correlation between mRNA and protein induction, as determined by radioligand binding studies. We conclude that lack of responsiveness of the beta 1-AR gene in C6 cells to T3 is not due to high expression of c-erbA alpha 2 but to undefined cell-specific factors.

[Analysis of surgical treatment for nonmelanoma skin cancer performed by dermatologists in a public hospital: clinical-pathological correlation, use of hospital resources, and waiting list time from diagnosis]. / Análisis del tratamiento quirúrgico del cáncer cutáneo no melanoma cuando es realizado por dermatólogos en un hospital público: correlación anatomoclínica, empleo de recursos hospitalarios y tiempo de espera desde el diagnóstico.

BACKGROUND: Nonmelanoma skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in humans. It can be treated by a variety of specialists and using different techniques, surgical excision being the procedure associated with the lowest rates of recurrence. No studies have been published addressing differences in the management of surgical treatment for nonmelanoma skin cancer according to the specialties involved. OBJECTIVES: To assess the preoperative diagnostic accuracy and the use of health care resources when surgical treatment of nonmelanoma skin cancer is done by dermatologists belonging to the Spanish national health service. METHODS: A prospective observational study was carried out over a period of 36 months using data corresponding to all patients diagnosed with nonmelanoma skin cancer and treated surgically in the Dermatology Department of Complejo Hospitalario de Burgos, Spain. Data were analyzed for clinical-pathological correlation, complexity of the intervention, use of health care resources, and time elapsed between clinical diagnosis and surgery. RESULTS: The study included 448 patients and 521 skin lesions suspected to be nonmelanoma skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma). Diagnosis was exclusively clinical in 487 tumors and a clinical-pathological correlation of 84.39% was observed. Surgery was performed with local anesthesia in 96.42% of patients, although 111 (21.29%) required complex surgical repair. In 349 patients (77.90%) the procedure was performed on an outpatient basis, 73 (16.29%) required a short stay in the surgical day care unit, and 26 (5.80%) required hospital admission. The mean (SD) delay from clinical diagnosis to surgery was 68.44 (42.22) days, with a median delay of 60 days. CONCLUSIONS: Dermatology specialists are highly qualified to diagnose malignant skin tumors and accurately identify those patients requiring surgery. Dermatological surgeons use minimal health care resources, shorten the overall length of the process, and help to control overall health care costs for cancer.

The molecular and cellular biology of Fanconi anemia.

Fanconi anemia is a rare autosomal recessive disease characterized by multiple congenital abnormalities, bone marrow failure, and cancer susceptibility. The mean age of onset of anemia is 8 years, and the mean survival is 16 years. Death usually results from complications of bone marrow failure. Considerable progress in Fanconi anemia research has resulted from the recent identification and cloning of three Fanconi anemia genes. The current review describes the structure and function of the Fanconi anemia genes and describes the role of the encoded Fanconi anemia proteins in a cellular pathway controlling chromosome stability.

Folding a WD repeat propeller. Role of highly conserved aspartic acid residues in the G protein beta subunit and Sec13.

The beta subunit of the heterotrimeric G proteins that transduce signals across the plasma membrane is made up of an amino-terminal alpha-helical segment followed by seven repeating units called WD (Trp-Asp) repeats that occur in about 140 different proteins. The seven WD repeats in Gbeta, the only WD repeat protein whose crystal structure is known, form seven antiparallel beta sheets making up the blades of a toroidal propeller structure (Wall, M. A., Coleman, D. E., Lee, E., Iniguez-Lluhi, J. A., Posner, B. A., Gilman, A. G., and Sprang, S. R. (1995) Cell 83, 1047-1058; Sondek, J., Bohm, A., Lambright, D. G., Hamm, H. E., and Sigler, P. B. (1996) Nature 379, 369-374). It is likely that all proteins with WD repeats form a propeller structure. Alignment of the sequence of 918 unique WD repeats reveals that 85% of the repeats have an aspartic acid (D) residue (not the D of WD) in the turn connecting beta strands b and c of each putative propeller blade. We mutated each of these conserved Asp residues to Gly individually and in pairs in Gbeta and in Sec13, a yeast WD repeat protein involved in vesicular traffic, and then analyzed the ability of the mutant proteins to fold in vitro and in COS-7 cells. In vitro, most single mutant Gbeta subunits fold into Gbetagamma dimers more slowly than wild type to a degree that varies with the blade. In contrast, all single mutants form normal amounts of Gbetagamma in COS-7 cells, although some dimers show subtle local distortions of structure. Most double mutants assemble poorly in both systems. We conclude that the conserved Asp residues are not equivalent and not all are essential for the folding of the propeller structure. Some may affect the folding pathway or the affinity for chaperonins. Mutations of the conserved Asp in Sec13 affect folding equally in vitro and in COS-7 cells. The repeats that most affected folding were not at the same position in Sec13 and Gbeta. Our finding, both in Gbeta and in Sec13, that no mutation of the conserved Asp entirely prevents folding suggests that there is no obligatory folding order for each repeat and that the folding order is probably not the same for different WD repeat proteins, or even necessarily constant for the same protein.

The fanconi anemia proteins FANCA and FANCG stabilize each other and promote the nuclear accumulation of the Fanconi anemia complex.

Fanconi anemia (FA) is an autosomal recessive cancer susceptibility syndrome with 8 complementation groups. Four of the FA genes have been cloned, and at least 3 of the encoded proteins, FANCA, FANCC, and FANCG/XRCC9, interact in a multisubunit protein complex. The FANCG protein binds directly to the amino terminal nuclear localization sequence (NLS) of FANCA, suggesting that FANCG plays a role in regulating FANCA nuclear accumulation. In the current study the functional consequences of FANCG/FANCA binding were examined. Correction of an FA-G cell line with the FANCG complementary DNA (cDNA) resulted in FANCA/FANCG binding, prolongation of the cellular half-life of FANCA, and an increase in the nuclear accumulation of the FA protein complex. Similar results were obtained upon correction of an FA-A cell line, with a reciprocal increase in the half-life of FANCG. Patient-derived mutant forms of FANCA, containing an intact NLS sequence but point mutations in the carboxy-terminal leucine zipper region, bound FANCG in the cytoplasm. The mutant forms failed to translocate to the nucleus of transduced cells, thereby suggesting a model of coordinated binding and nuclear translocation. These results demonstrate that the FANCA/FANCG interaction is required to maintain the cellular levels of both proteins. Moreover, at least one function of FANCG and FANCA is to regulate the nuclear accumulation of the FA protein complex. Failure to accumulate the nuclear FA protein complex results in the characteristic spectrum of clinical and cellular abnormalities observed in FA.

Intersubunit surfaces in G protein alpha beta gamma heterotrimers. Analysis by cross-linking and mutagenesis of beta gamma.

Heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide binding proteins (G proteins) are made up of alpha, beta, and gamma subunits, the last two forming a very tight complex. Stimulation of cell surface receptors promotes dissociation of alpha from the beta gamma dimer, which, in turn, allows both components to interact with intracellular enzymes or ion channels and modulate their activity. At present, little is known about the conformation of the beta gamma dimer or about the areas of beta gamma that interact with alpha. Direct information on the orientation of protein surfaces can be obtained from the analysis of chemically cross-linked products. Previous work in this laboratory showed that 1,6-bismaleimidohexane, which reacts with cysteine residues, specifically cross-links alpha to beta and beta to gamma (Yi, F., Denker, B. M., and Neer, E. J. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 3900-3906). To identify the residues in beta and gamma involved in cross-linking to each other or to alpha, we have mutated the cysteines in beta 1, gamma 2, and gamma 3 and analyzed the mutated proteins by in vitro translation in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate. All the mutants were able to form beta gamma dimers that could interact with the alpha subunit. We found that 1,6-bismaleimidohexane can cross-link beta 1 to gamma 3 but not to gamma 2. The cross-link goes from Cys25 in beta 1 to Cys30 in gamma 3. This cysteine is absent from any of the other known gamma isoforms and therefore confers a distinctive property to gamma 3. The beta subunit in the beta 1 gamma 2 dimer can be cross-linked to an unidentified protein in the rabbit reticulocyte lysate, generating a product slightly larger than cross-linked beta 1 gamma 3. The beta subunit can also be cross-linked to alpha, giving rise to two products on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, both of which were previously shown to be formed by cross-linking beta to Cys215 in alpha o (Thomas, T. C., Schmidt, C. J., and Neer, E. J. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90, 10295-10299). Mutation of Cys204 in beta 1 abolished one of these two products, whereas mutation of Cys271 abolished the other. Because both alpha-beta cross-linked products are formed in approximately equal amounts, Cys204 and Cys271 in beta are equally accessible from Cys215 in alpha o. Our findings begin to define intersubunit surfaces, and they pose structural constraints upon any model of the beta gamma dimer.

Association of the regulatory beta-adrenergic receptor kinase with rat liver microsomal membranes.

beta-Adrenergic receptor kinase (beta ARK) is a regulatory enzyme involved in the modulation of beta-adrenergic and other G protein-coupled receptors. It has been described that beta ARK is a cytosolic protein that transiently translocates to the plasma membrane in order to specifically phosphorylate agonist-occupied receptors. In this report, we used beta ARK-specific antibodies to demonstrate that a significant amount of this kinase is present in rat liver microsomal membranes. beta ARK seems to be peripherally associated with the cytosolic side of microsomal membranes since it can be stripped from the membranes by mild salt treatment. Cell-free association experiments indicate that the interaction of beta ARK is reversible, saturable, and strongly inhibited by protease or heat treatment of the microsomes, thus suggesting that beta ARK interacts with a protein component of the microsomal membrane. Gradient fractionation studies indicate that the highest beta ARK-specific activity co-migrates with endoplasmic reticulum enzymatic markers. Furthermore, indirect immunofluorescence and immunogold electron microscopy experiments performed in cultured cells using affinity-purified anti-beta ARK antibodies are consistent with this subcellular localization pattern. Taken together, our data suggest that several beta ARK pools (i.e. microsome-bound, plasma membrane-bound, and cytosolic) may exist inside the cell. Such results are in line with recent reports showing that proteins involved in plasma membrane signal transduction, such as heterotrimeric G proteins, are also associated with membranes of different intracellular organelles.

Carboxy terminal region of the Fanconi anemia protein, FANCG/XRCC9, is required for functional activity.

Fanconi anemia (FA) is an autosomal recessive cancer susceptibility syndrome with eight complementation groups. Four of the FA genes have been cloned, and at least three of the encoded proteins, FANCA, FANCC, and FANCG/XRCC9, interact in a nuclear complex, required for the maintenance of normal chromosome stability. In the current study, mutant forms of the FANCA and FANCG proteins have been generated and analyzed with respect to protein complex formation, nuclear translocation, and functional activity. The results demonstrate that the amino terminal two-thirds of FANCG (FANCG amino acids 1-428) binds to the amino terminal nuclear localization signal (NLS) of the FANCA protein. On the basis of 2-hybrid analysis, the FANCA/FANCG binding is a direct protein-protein interaction. Interestingly, a truncated mutant form of the FANCG protein, lacking the carboxy terminus, binds in a complex with FANCA and translocates to the nucleus; however, this mutant protein fails to bind to FANCC and fails to correct the mitomycin C sensitivity of an FA-G cell line. Taken together, these results demonstrate that binding of FANCG to the amino terminal FANCA NLS sequence is necessary but not sufficient for the functional activity of FANCG. Additional amino acid sequences at the carboxy terminus of FANCG are required for the binding of FANCC in the complex. (Blood. 2000;96:1625-1632)

High affinity binding of beta-adrenergic receptor kinase to microsomal membranes. Modulation of the activity of bound kinase by heterotrimeric G protein activation.

The beta-adrenergic receptor kinase (beta ARK) modulates beta-adrenergic and other G protein-coupled receptors by rapidly phosphorylating agonist-occupied receptors at the plasma membrane. We have recently shown that beta ARK also associates with intracellular microsomal membranes both "in vitro" and "in situ" (García-Higuera, I., Penela, P., Murga, C., Egea, G., Bonay, P., Benovic, J. L., and Mayor, F., Jr. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 1348-1355), thus suggesting a complex modulation of the subcellular distribution of beta ARK. In this report, we used recombinant [35S]methionine-labeled beta ARK to show that this kinase interacts rapidly with a high affinity binding site (Kd of 20 +/- 1 nM) present in salt-stripped rat liver microsomal membranes. Although beta ARK binding is not modulated by membrane preincubation with G protein activators, the activity of bound beta ARK toward rhodopsin or a synthetic peptide substrate was markedly enhanced upon stimulation of the endogenous heterotrimeric G proteins present in the microsomal membranes by AIF4- or mastoparan/guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio)triphosphate, thus strongly suggesting a functional link between these proteins and membrane-associated beta ARK. Interestingly, beta ARK association with microsomal membranes is not significantly affected by a fusion protein derived from the carboxyl terminus of beta ARK1 (the proposed location of the beta gamma subunit binding site), whereas it is markedly inhibited by fusion proteins corresponding to the amino-terminal region of the kinase. The main determinants of binding appear to be localized to an approximately 60-amino acid residue stretch (residues 88 to 145). Our results further indicate a functional relationship between beta ARK and heterotrimeric G proteins in different intracellular organelles, and suggest that additional proteins may be involved in modulating the cellular localization of the kinase through a new targeting domain of beta ARK.

A cytoplasmic serine protein kinase binds and may regulate the Fanconi anemia protein FANCA.

Fanconi anemia (FA) is an autosomal recessive disease with congenital anomalies, bone marrow failure, and susceptibility to leukemia. Patient cells show chromosome instability and hypersensitivity to DNA cross-linking agents. At least 8 complementation groups (A-G) have been identified and 6 FA genes (for subtypes A, C, D2, E, F, and G) have been cloned. Increasing evidence indicates that a protein complex assembly of multiple FA proteins, including FANCA and FANCG, plays a crucial role in the FA pathway. Previously, it was reported that FANCA was phosphorylated in lymphoblasts from normal controls, whereas the phosphorylation was defective in those derived from patients with FA of multiple complementation groups. The present study examined phosphorylation of FANCA ectopically expressed in FANCA(-) cells. Several patient-derived mutations abrogated in vivo phosphorylation of FANCA in this system, suggesting that FANCA phosphorylation is associated with its function. In vitro phosphorylation studies indicated that a physiologic protein kinase for FANCA (FANCA-PK) forms a complex with the substrate. Furthermore, at least a part of FANCA-PK as well as phosphorylated FANCA were included in the FANCA/FANCG complex. Thus, FANCA-PK appears to be another component of the FA protein complex and may regulate function of FANCA. FANCA-PK was characterized as a cytoplasmic serine kinase sensitive to wortmannin. Identification of the protein kinase is expected to elucidate regulatory mechanisms that control the FA pathway.

Folding of proteins with WD-repeats: comparison of six members of the WD-repeat superfamily to the G protein beta subunit.

The family of WD-repeat proteins comprises over 30 different proteins that share a highly conserved repeating motif [Neer, E. J., Schmidt, C. J., Nambudripad, R., & Smith, T. F. (1994) Nature 371, 297-300]. Members of this family include the signal-transducing G protein beta subunit, as well as other proteins that regulate signal transduction, transcription, pre-mRNA splicing, cytoskeletal organization, and vesicular fusion. The crystal structure of one WD-repeat protein (G beta) has now been solved (Wall et al., 1995; Sondek et al, 1996) and reveals that the seven repeating units form a circular, propeller-like structure with seven blades each made up of four beta strands. It is very likely that all WD-repeat proteins form a similar structure. If so, it will be possible to use information about important surface regions of one family member to predict properties of another. If WD proteins form structures similar to G beta, their hydrodynamic properties should be those of compact, globular proteins, and they should be resistant to cleavage by trypsin. However, the only studied example of a WD-repeat protein, G beta, synthesized in vitro in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate, is unable to fold into a native structure without its partner protein G gamma. The non-WD-repeat amino terminal alpha helix of G beta does not inhibit folding because G beta does not fold even when this region is removed. It is not known whether all WD-repeat proteins are unable to fold when synthesized in an in vitro system. We synthesized seven members of the family in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate, determined their Stokes radius, sedimentation coefficient, and frictional ratio, and assayed their stability to trypsin. Our working definition of folding was that the proteins from globular, trypsin-resistant structures because, except for G beta gamma, their functions are not known or cannot be assayed in reticulocyte lysates. We chose proteins that include amino and carboxyl extensions as well as proteins that are made up entirely of WD-repeats. We show that unlike G beta, several proteins with WD-repeats are able to fold into globular proteins in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate. One protein, beta Trcp, formed large aggregates like G beta, suggesting that it may also require a partner protein. Despite the presence of many potential tryptic cleavage sites, all of the proteins that did fold gave stable large products on tryptic proteolysis, as predicted on the basis of the structure of G beta. These studies suggest that other WD-repeat proteins are likely to form propeller structures similar to G beta.

Interaction of the Fanconi anemia proteins and BRCA1 in a common pathway.

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a human autosomal recessive cancer susceptibility disorder characterized by cellular sensitivity to mitomycin C and ionizing radiation. Although six FA genes (for subtypes A, C, D2, E, F, and G) have been cloned, their relationship to DNA repair remains unknown. In the current study, we show that a nuclear complex containing the FANCA, FANCC, FANCF, and FANCG proteins is required for the activation of the FANCD2 protein to a monoubiquitinated isoform. In normal (non-FA) cells, FANCD2 is monoubiquitinated in response to DNA damage and is targeted to nuclear foci (dots). Activated FANCD2 protein colocalizes with the breast cancer susceptibility protein, BRCA1, in ionizing radiation-induced foci and in synaptonemal complexes of meiotic chromosomes. The FANCD2 protein, therefore, provides the missing link between the FA protein complex and the cellular BRCA1 repair machinery. Disruption of this pathway results in the cellular and clinical phenotype common to all FA subtypes.

Complementation analysis in Fanconi anemia: assignment of the reference FA-H patient to group A.

Fanconi anemia (FA) is an autosomal recessive disorder with diverse clinical symptoms and extensive genetic heterogeneity. Of eight FA genes that have been implicated on the basis of complementation studies, four have been identified and two have been mapped to different loci; the status of the genes supposed to be defective in groups B and H is uncertain. Here we present evidence indicating that the patient who has been the sole representative of the eighth complementation group (FA-H) in fact belongs to group FA-A. Previous exclusion from group A was apparently based on phenotypic reversion to wild-type rather than on genuine complementation in fusion hybrids. To avoid the pitfall of reversion, future assignment of patients with FA to new complementation groups should conform with more-stringent criteria. A new group should be based on at least two patients with FA whose cell lines are excluded from all known groups and that fail to complement each other in fusion hybrids, or, if only one such cell line were available, on a new complementing gene that carries pathogenic mutations in this cell line. On the basis of these criteria, the current number of complementation groups in FA is seven.