Interaction of human HelQ with DNA polymerase delta halts DNA synthesis and stimulates DNA single-strand annealing.

DNA strand breaks are repaired by DNA synthesis from an exposed DNA end paired with a homologous DNA template. DNA polymerase delta (Pol δ) catalyses DNA synthesis in multiple eukaryotic DNA break repair pathways but triggers genome instability unless its activity is restrained. We show that human HelQ halts DNA synthesis by isolated Pol δ and Pol δ-PCNA-RPA holoenzyme. Using novel HelQ mutant proteins we identify that inhibition of Pol δ is independent of DNA binding, and maps to a 70 amino acid intrinsically disordered region of HelQ. Pol δ and its POLD3 subunit robustly stimulated DNA single-strand annealing by HelQ, and POLD3 and HelQ interact physically via the intrinsically disordered HelQ region. This data, and inability of HelQ to inhibit DNA synthesis by the POLD1 catalytic subunit of Pol δ, reveal a mechanism for limiting DNA synthesis and promoting DNA strand annealing during human DNA break repair, which centres on POLD3.

Nrf2 in Cancer, Detoxifying Enzymes and Cell Death Programs.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in cell proliferation and differentiation. They are also by-products of aerobic living conditions. Their inherent reactivity poses a threat for all cellular components. Cells have, therefore, evolved complex pathways to sense and maintain the redox balance. Among them, Nrf2 (Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2) plays a crucial role: it is activated under oxidative conditions and is responsible for the expression of the detoxification machinery and antiapoptotic factors. It is, however, a double edge sword: whilst it prevents tumorigenesis in healthy cells, its constitutive activation in cancer promotes tumour growth and metastasis. In addition, recent data have highlighted the importance of Nrf2 in evading programmed cell death. In this review, we will focus on the activation of the Nrf2 pathway in the cytoplasm, the molecular basis underlying Nrf2 binding to the DNA, and the dysregulation of this pathway in cancer, before discussing how Nrf2 contributes to the prevention of apoptosis and ferroptosis in cancer and how it is likely to be linked to detoxifying enzymes containing selenium.

The HelQ human DNA repair helicase utilizes a PWI-like domain for DNA loading through interaction with RPA, triggering DNA unwinding by the HelQ helicase core.

Genome instability is a characteristic enabling factor for carcinogenesis. HelQ helicase is a component of human DNA maintenance systems that prevent or reverse genome instability arising during DNA replication. Here, we provide details of the molecular mechanisms that underpin HelQ function-its recruitment onto ssDNA through interaction with replication protein A (RPA), and subsequent translocation of HelQ along ssDNA. We describe for the first time a functional role for the non-catalytic N-terminal region of HelQ, by identifying and characterizing its PWI-like domain. We present evidence that this domain of HelQ mediates interaction with RPA that orchestrates loading of the helicase domains onto ssDNA. Once HelQ is loaded onto the ssDNA, ATP-Mg2+ binding in the catalytic site activates the helicase core and triggers translocation along ssDNA as a dimer. Furthermore, we identify HelQ-ssDNA interactions that are critical for the translocation mechanism. Our data are novel and detailed insights into the mechanisms of HelQ function relevant for understanding how human cells avoid genome instability provoking cancers, and also how cells can gain resistance to treatments that rely on DNA crosslinking agents.

Identification of Escherichia coli ygaQ and rpmG as novel mitomycin C resistance factors implicated in DNA repair.

Using the ASKA (A Complete Set of Escherichia coli K-12 ORF Archive) library for genome-wide screening of E. coli proteins we identified that expression of ygaQ and rpmG promotes mitomycin C resistance (MMC(R)). YgaQ mediated MMC(R) was independent of homologous recombination involving RecA or RuvABC, but required UvrD. YgaQ is an uncharacterized protein homologous with α-amylases that we identified to have nuclease activity directed to ssDNA of 5' flaps. Nuclease activity was inactivated by mutation of two amino acid motifs, which also abolished MMC(R). RpmG is frequently annotated as a bacterial ribosomal protein, although forms an operon with MutM glycosylase and a putative deubiquitinating (DUB) enzyme, YicR. RpmG associated MMC(R) was dependent on MutM. MMC(R) from RpmG resembles DNA repair phenotypes reported for 'idiosyncratic ribosomal proteins' in eukaryotes.