WRN helicase and mismatch repair complexes independently and synergistically disrupt cruciform DNA structures.

The Werner Syndrome helicase, WRN, is a promising therapeutic target in cancers with microsatellite instability (MSI). Long-term MSI leads to the expansion of TA nucleotide repeats proposed to form cruciform DNA structures, which in turn cause DNA breaks and cell lethality upon WRN downregulation. Here we employed biochemical assays to show that WRN helicase can efficiently and directly unfold cruciform structures, thereby preventing their cleavage by the SLX1-SLX4 structure-specific endonuclease. TA repeats are particularly prone to form cruciform structures, explaining why these DNA sequences are preferentially broken in MSI cells upon WRN downregulation. We further demonstrate that the activity of the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) complexes MutSα (MSH2-MSH6), MutSß (MSH2-MSH3), and MutLα (MLH1-PMS2) similarly decreases the level of DNA cruciforms, although the mechanism is different from that employed by WRN. When combined, WRN and MutLα exhibited higher than additive effects in in vitro cruciform processing, suggesting that WRN and the MMR proteins may cooperate. Our data explain how WRN and MMR defects cause genome instability in MSI cells with expanded TA repeats, and provide a mechanistic basis for their recently discovered synthetic-lethal interaction with promising applications in precision cancer therapy.

Double-stranded DNA binding function of RAD51 in DNA protection and its regulation by BRCA2.

RAD51 and the breast cancer suppressor BRCA2 have critical functions in DNA double-strand (dsDNA) break repair by homologous recombination and the protection of newly replicated DNA from nucleolytic degradation. The recombination function of RAD51 requires its binding to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), whereas binding to dsDNA is inhibitory. Using reconstituted MRE11-, EXO1-, and DNA2-dependent nuclease reactions, we show that the protective function of RAD51 unexpectedly depends on its binding to dsDNA. The BRC4 repeat of BRCA2 abrogates RAD51 binding to dsDNA and accordingly impairs the function of RAD51 in protection. The BRCA2 C-terminal RAD51-binding segment (TR2) acts in a dominant manner to overcome the effect of BRC4. Mechanistically, TR2 stabilizes RAD51 binding to dsDNA, even in the presence of BRC4, promoting DNA protection. Our data suggest that RAD51's dsDNA-binding capacity may have evolved together with its function in replication fork protection and provide a mechanistic basis for the DNA-protection function of BRCA2.

Strand annealing and motor driven activities of SMARCAL1 and ZRANB3 are stimulated by RAD51 and the paralog complex.

SMARCAL1, ZRANB3 and HLTF are required for the remodeling of replication forks upon stress to promote genome stability. RAD51, along with the RAD51 paralog complex, were also found to have recombination-independent functions in fork reversal, yet the underlying mechanisms remained unclear. Using reconstituted reactions, we build upon previous data to show that SMARCAL1, ZRANB3 and HLTF have unequal biochemical capacities, explaining why they have non-redundant functions. SMARCAL1 uniquely anneals RPA-coated ssDNA, which depends on its direct interaction with RPA, but not on ATP. SMARCAL1, along with ZRANB3, but not HLTF efficiently employ ATPase driven translocase activity to rezip RPA-covered bubbled DNA, which was proposed to mimic elements of fork reversal. In contrast, ZRANB3 and HLTF but not SMARCAL1 are efficient in branch migration that occurs downstream in fork remodeling. We also show that low concentrations of RAD51 and the RAD51 paralog complex, RAD51B-RAD51C-RAD51D-XRCC2 (BCDX2), directly stimulate the motor-driven activities of SMARCAL1 and ZRANB3 but not HLTF, and the interplay is underpinned by physical interactions. Our data provide a possible mechanism explaining previous cellular experiments implicating RAD51 and BCDX2 in fork reversal.

The effect of mutation in the stem of the MicroROSE thermometer on its thermosensing ability: insights from molecular dynamics simulation studies.

A large number of bacteria have been found to govern virulence and heat shock responses using temperature sensing RNAs known as RNA thermometers (RNATs). They repress translation initiation by base pairing to the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence at low temperature. Increasing the temperature induces the RNA duplex to unfold and expose the SD sequence for translation. A prime example is the ROSE thermometer module known to regulate the production of the ROSE heat shock protein in Bradyrhizobium japonicum. The unfolding of a 29-nucleotide long MicroROSE RNA element which forms a critical component encompassing the SD sequence, and three mutants that differ from it by deletion of a guanine nucleotide or mutations near the SD and stem regions have been studied using high temperature molecular dynamics simulations. The simulations reveal the progressive manner in which a biologically functional RNA thermometer unfolds. Our simulations reveal that deletion of the highly conserved G10 residue, opposite to the SD region leads to the formation of a stable RNA helix that has lost its thermosensing ability. Mutations of bases A5 → U5 and U25 → A25 near the stem increase the thermosensing ability due to the allosteric effect which leads to a global destabilization effect on the structure. The temperature-dependant regulation of this thermometer has been investigated by estimation of differences in the unfolding paths by calculating individual residue fluctuation, stacking energy, the contact map plot and the lifetime dynamics plot of non-Watson-Crick hydrogen bonds at three different temperatures. Results reveal that partial unfolding at higher temperature starts from the hairpin tetra loop end and terminates at the stem region through the SD associated region. Two canonical hydrogen bonds between U9-A22 and four non-canonical hydrogen bonds between G10-G21 and U6-U24 around the internal loop play an important role in partial melting of the RNA helix. These results demonstrate how small alterations in RNA structure can regulate gene expression and illuminate the molecular basis of the function of an important bacterial regulatory motif.

SPRTN protease and checkpoint kinase 1 cross-activation loop safeguards DNA replication.

The SPRTN metalloprotease is essential for DNA-protein crosslink (DPC) repair and DNA replication in vertebrate cells. Cells deficient in SPRTN protease exhibit DPC-induced replication stress and genome instability, manifesting as premature ageing and liver cancer. Here, we provide a body of evidence suggesting that SPRTN activates the ATR-CHK1 phosphorylation signalling cascade during physiological DNA replication by proteolysis-dependent eviction of CHK1 from replicative chromatin. During this process, SPRTN proteolyses the C-terminal/inhibitory part of CHK1, liberating N-terminal CHK1 kinase active fragments. Simultaneously, CHK1 full length and its N-terminal fragments phosphorylate SPRTN at the C-terminal regulatory domain, which stimulates SPRTN recruitment to chromatin to promote unperturbed DNA replication fork progression and DPC repair. Our data suggest that a SPRTN-CHK1 cross-activation loop plays a part in DNA replication and protection from DNA replication stress. Finally, our results with purified components of this pathway further support the proposed model of a SPRTN-CHK1 cross-activation loop.

A three-in-one-bullet for oesophageal cancer: replication fork collapse, spindle attachment failure and enhanced radiosensitivity generated by a ruthenium(ii) metallo-intercalator.

Substitutionally inert ruthenium(ii) polypyridyl complexes have been developed as DNA intercalating agents yet cellular DNA damage responses to this binding modality are largely unexplored. Here, we show the nuclear-targeting complex [Ru(phen)2(tpphz)]2+ (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, tpphz = tetrapyridophenazine) generates rapid and pronounced stalling of replication fork progression in p53-deficient human oesophageal cancer cells. In response, replication stress and double-strand break (DSB) DNA damage response (DDR) pathways are activated and cell proliferation is inhibited by growth arrest. Moreover, mitotic progression is compromised by [Ru(phen)2(tpphz)]2+, where the generation of metaphase chromosome spindle attachment failure results in spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) activation. This dual mechanism of action results in preferential growth inhibition of rapidly-proliferating oesophageal cancer cells with elevated mitotic indices. In addition to these single-agent effects, [Ru(phen)2(tpphz)]2+ functions as a radiosensitizer with efficiency comparable to cisplatin, which occurs through a synergistic enhancement of DNA damage. These results establish that DNA replication is the target for [Ru(phen)2(tpphz)]2+ and provide the first experimental evidence that ruthenium-based intercalation targets multiple genome integrity pathways in cancer cells, thereby achieving enhanced selectivity compared to existing DNA-damaging agents such as cisplatin.

Strategic role of the ubiquitin-dependent segregase p97 (VCP or Cdc48) in DNA replication.

Genome amplification (DNA synthesis) is one of the most demanding cellular processes in all proliferative cells. The DNA replication machinery (also known as the replisome) orchestrates genome amplification during S-phase of the cell cycle. Genetic material is particularly vulnerable to various events that can challenge the replisome during its assembly, activation (firing), progression (elongation) and disassembly from chromatin (termination). Any disturbance of the replisome leads to stalling of the DNA replication fork and firing of dormant replication origins, a process known as DNA replication stress. DNA replication stress is considered to be one of the main causes of sporadic cancers and other pathologies related to tissue degeneration and ageing. The mechanisms of replisome assembly and elongation during DNA synthesis are well understood. However, once DNA synthesis is complete, the process of replisome disassembly, and its removal from chromatin, remains unclear. In recent years, a growing body of evidence has alluded to a central role in replisome regulation for the ubiquitin-dependent protein segregase p97, also known as valosin-containing protein (VCP) in metazoans and Cdc48 in lower eukaryotes. By orchestrating the spatiotemporal turnover of the replisome, p97 plays an essential role in DNA replication. In this review, we will summarise our current knowledge about how p97 controls the replisome from replication initiation, to elongation and finally termination. We will also further examine the more recent findings concerning the role of p97 and how mutations in p97 cofactors, also known as adaptors, cause DNA replication stress induced genomic instability that leads to cancer and accelerated ageing. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive review concerning the mechanisms involved in the regulation of DNA replication by p97.

Effect of glycosylation on hydration behavior at the ice-binding surface of the Ocean Pout type III antifreeze protein: a molecular dynamics simulation.

Antifreeze proteins (AFPs), found in certain vertebrates, plants, fungi and bacteria have the ability to permit their survival in subzero environments by thermal hysteresis mechanism. However, the exact mechanism of ice growth inhibition is still not clearly understood. Here, four long explicit molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been carried out at two different temperatures (277 and 298 K) with and without glycan to study the conformational rigidity of the Ocean pout type III antifreeze protein in aqueous medium and the structural arrangements of water molecules hydrating its ice-binding surface. It is found that irrespective of the temperature the ice-binding surface (IBS) of the protein is relatively more rigid than its non ice-binding surface (NonIBS) in its native and glycosylated form. Hydrophilic residues N14, T18 and Q44 are essential to antifreeze activity. Radial distribution, density distribution function and nearest neighbor orientation plots with respect to individual two surfaces confirm that density of water molecule near these binding surface in native and glycosylated form are relatively more than the nonbinding surface. The glycosylated form shows a strong peak than the native one. From rotational auto correlation function of water molecules around ice-binding sites, it is prominent that with increase in temperature, strong interaction between the water oxygen and the hydrogen bond acceptor group on the protein-binding surface decreases. This provides a possible molecular reason behind the ice-binding activity of ocean pout at the prism plane of ice.

Metalloprotease SPRTN/DVC1 Orchestrates Replication-Coupled DNA-Protein Crosslink Repair.

The cytotoxicity of DNA-protein crosslinks (DPCs) is largely ascribed to their ability to block the progression of DNA replication. DPCs frequently occur in cells, either as a consequence of metabolism or exogenous agents, but the mechanism of DPC repair is not completely understood. Here, we characterize SPRTN as a specialized DNA-dependent and DNA replication-coupled metalloprotease for DPC repair. SPRTN cleaves various DNA binding substrates during S-phase progression and thus protects proliferative cells from DPC toxicity. Ruijs-Aalfs syndrome (RJALS) patient cells with monogenic and biallelic mutations in SPRTN are hypersensitive to DPC-inducing agents due to a defect in DNA replication fork progression and the inability to eliminate DPCs. We propose that SPRTN protease represents a specialized DNA replication-coupled DPC repair pathway essential for DNA replication progression and genome stability. Defective SPRTN-dependent clearance of DPCs is the molecular mechanism underlying RJALS, and DPCs are contributing to accelerated aging and cancer.

A ruthenium polypyridyl intercalator stalls DNA replication forks, radiosensitizes human cancer cells and is enhanced by Chk1 inhibition.

Ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes can intercalate DNA with high affinity and prevent cell proliferation; however, the direct impact of ruthenium-based intercalation on cellular DNA replication remains unknown. Here we show the multi-intercalator [Ru(dppz)2(PIP)](2+) (dppz = dipyridophenazine, PIP = 2-(phenyl)imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) immediately stalls replication fork progression in HeLa human cervical cancer cells. In response to this replication blockade, the DNA damage response (DDR) cell signalling network is activated, with checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) activation indicating prolonged replication-associated DNA damage, and cell proliferation is inhibited by G1-S cell-cycle arrest. Co-incubation with a Chk1 inhibitor achieves synergistic apoptosis in cancer cells, with a significant increase in phospho(Ser139) histone H2AX (γ-H2AX) levels and foci indicating increased conversion of stalled replication forks to double-strand breaks (DSBs). Normal human epithelial cells remain unaffected by this concurrent treatment. Furthermore, pre-treatment of HeLa cells with [Ru(dppz)2(PIP)](2+) before external beam ionising radiation results in a supra-additive decrease in cell survival accompanied by increased γ-H2AX expression, indicating the compound functions as a radiosensitizer. Together, these results indicate ruthenium-based intercalation can block replication fork progression and demonstrate how these DNA-binding agents may be combined with DDR inhibitors or ionising radiation to achieve more efficient cancer cell killing.

Dynamics simulation of soybean agglutinin (SBA) dimer reveals the impact of glycosylation on its enhanced structural stability.

The legume lectins are widely used as a model system for studying protein-carbohydrate and protein-protein interactions. They exhibit a fascinating quaternary structure variation. Recently, it has become clear that lectins exist as oligomers. Soybean agglutinin is a tetrameric legume lectin, each of whose subunits are glycosylated. In the present study we explore the main origin for the stability of soybean agglutinin dimer. In order to understand the role of glycosylation on the dimeric interface, we have carried out normal (298K), high temperatures (380K, 500K) long explicit solvent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and compared the structural and conformational changes between the glycosylated and non-glycosylated dimers. The study reveals that the high degree of stability at normal temperature is mostly contributed by interfacial ionic interactions (~200 kcal/mol) between polar residues like Lys, Arg, Asp, Thr, Ser, Asn and Gln (62%). It maintains its overall folded conformation due to high subunit interactions at the non-canonical interface. Mainly five important hydrogen bonds between CO of one ß sheet of one subunit with the N-H of other ß strand of the other subunit help to maintain the structural integrity. Ten inter subunit salt-bridge interactions between Arg 185-Asp192, Lys 163-Asp169, Asp 169-Lys 163 and Asp 192-Arǵ 185 at non-canonical interface appear to be important to maintain the three dimensional structure of SBA dimer. Moreover, our simulation results revealed that increase in vibrational entropy could decrease the free energy and contribute to the glycan-induced stabilization by ~45 kcal/mol at normal temperature.

Chromatin-associated degradation is defined by UBXN-3/FAF1 to safeguard DNA replication fork progression.

The coordinated activity of DNA replication factors is a highly dynamic process that involves ubiquitin-dependent regulation. In this context, the ubiquitin-directed ATPase CDC-48/p97 recently emerged as a key regulator of chromatin-associated degradation in several of the DNA metabolic pathways that assure genome integrity. However, the spatiotemporal control of distinct CDC-48/p97 substrates in the chromatin environment remained unclear. Here, we report that progression of the DNA replication fork is coordinated by UBXN-3/FAF1. UBXN-3/FAF1 binds to the licensing factor CDT-1 and additional ubiquitylated proteins, thus promoting CDC-48/p97-dependent turnover and disassembly of DNA replication factor complexes. Consequently, inactivation of UBXN-3/FAF1 stabilizes CDT-1 and CDC-45/GINS on chromatin, causing severe defects in replication fork dynamics accompanied by pronounced replication stress and eventually resulting in genome instability. Our work identifies a critical substrate selection module of CDC-48/p97 required for chromatin-associated protein degradation in both Caenorhabditis elegans and humans, which is relevant to oncogenesis and aging.

Targeting BRCA1 and BRCA2 Deficiencies with G-Quadruplex-Interacting Compounds.

G-quadruplex (G4)-forming genomic sequences, including telomeres, represent natural replication fork barriers. Stalled replication forks can be stabilized and restarted by homologous recombination (HR), which also repairs DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) arising at collapsed forks. We have previously shown that HR facilitates telomere replication. Here, we demonstrate that the replication efficiency of guanine-rich (G-rich) telomeric repeats is decreased significantly in cells lacking HR. Treatment with the G4-stabilizing compound pyridostatin (PDS) increases telomere fragility in BRCA2-deficient cells, suggesting that G4 formation drives telomere instability. Remarkably, PDS reduces proliferation of HR-defective cells by inducing DSB accumulation, checkpoint activation, and deregulated G2/M progression and by enhancing the replication defect intrinsic to HR deficiency. PDS toxicity extends to HR-defective cells that have acquired olaparib resistance through loss of 53BP1 or REV7. Altogether, these results highlight the therapeutic potential of G4-stabilizing drugs to selectively eliminate HR-compromised cells and tumors, including those resistant to PARP inhibition.

Impact of glycosylation on stability, structure and unfolding of soybean agglutinin (SBA): an insight from thermal perturbation molecular dynamics simulations.

Glycosylation has been recognized as one of the most prevalent and complex post-translational modifications of proteins involving numerous enzymes and substrates. Its effect on the protein conformational transitions is not clearly understood yet. In this study, we have examined the effect of glycosylation on protein stability using molecular dynamics simulation of legume lectin soybean agglutinin (SBA). Its glycosylated moiety consists of high mannose type N-linked glycan (Man9GlcNAc2). To unveil the structural perturbations during thermal unfolding of these two forms, we have studied and compared them to the experimental results. From the perspective of dynamics, our simulations revealed that the nonglycosylated monomeric form is less stable than corresponding glycosylated form at normal and elevated temperatures. Moreover, at elevated temperature thermal destabilization is more prominent in solvent exposed loops, turns and ends of distinct ß sheets. SBA maintains it folded structure due to some important saltbridges, hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions within the protein. The reducing terminal GlcNAc residues interact with the protein residues VAL161, PRO182 and SER225 via hydrophobic and via hydrogen bonding with ASN 9 and ASN 75. Our simulations also revealed that single glycosylation (ASN75) has no significant effect on corresponding cis peptide angle orientation. This atomistic description might have important implications for understanding the functionality and stability of Soybean agglutinin.

Determinants of prakriti, the human constitution types of Indian traditional medicine and its correlation with contemporary science.

BACKGROUND: Constitutional type of an individual or prakriti is the basic clinical denominator in Ayurveda, which defines physical, physiological, and psychological traits of an individual and is the template for individualized diet, lifestyle counseling, and treatment. The large number of phenotype description by prakriti determination is based on the knowledge and experience of the assessor, and hence subject to inherent variations and interpretations. OBJECTIVE: In this study we have attempted to relate dominant prakriti attribute to body mass index (BMI) of individuals by assessing an acceptable tool to provide the quantitative measure to the currently qualitative ayurvedic prakriti determination. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study is cross sectional, multicentered, and prakriti assessment of a total of 3416 subjects was undertaken. Healthy male, nonsmoking, nonalcoholic volunteers between the age group of 20-30 were screened for their prakriti after obtaining written consent to participate in the study. The prakriti was determined on the phenotype description of ayurvedic texts and simultaneously by the use of a computer-aided prakriti assessment tool. Kappa statistical analysis was employed to validate the prakriti assessment and Chi-square, Cramer's V test to determine the relatedness in the dominant prakriti to various attributes. RESULTS: We found 80% concordance between ayurvedic physician and software in predicting the prakriti of an individual. The kappa value of 0.77 showed moderate agreement in prakriti assessment. We observed a significant correlations of dominant prakriti to place of birth and BMI with Chi-square, P < 0.01 (Cramer's V-value of 0.156 and 0.368, respectively). CONCLUSION: The present study attempts to integrate knowledge of traditional ayurvedic concepts with the contemporary science. We have demonstrated analysis of prakriti classification and its association with BMI and place of birth with the implications to one of the ways for human classification.

Mutations in SPRTN cause early onset hepatocellular carcinoma, genomic instability and progeroid features.

Age-related degenerative and malignant diseases represent major challenges for health care systems. Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying carcinogenesis and age-associated pathologies is thus of growing biomedical relevance. We identified biallelic germline mutations in SPRTN (also called C1orf124 or DVC1) in three patients from two unrelated families. All three patients are affected by a new segmental progeroid syndrome characterized by genomic instability and susceptibility toward early onset hepatocellular carcinoma. SPRTN was recently proposed to have a function in translesional DNA synthesis and the prevention of mutagenesis. Our in vivo and in vitro characterization of identified mutations has uncovered an essential role for SPRTN in the prevention of DNA replication stress during general DNA replication and in replication-related G2/M-checkpoint regulation. In addition to demonstrating the pathogenicity of identified SPRTN mutations, our findings provide a molecular explanation of how SPRTN dysfunction causes accelerated aging and susceptibility toward carcinoma.

Short term exercise induces PGC-1α, ameliorates inflammation and increases mitochondrial membrane proteins but fails to increase respiratory enzymes in aging diabetic hearts.

PGC-1α, a transcriptional coactivator, controls inflammation and mitochondrial gene expression in insulin-sensitive tissues following exercise intervention. However, attributing such effects to PGC-1α is counfounded by exercise-induced fluctuations in blood glucose, insulin or bodyweight in diabetic patients. The goal of this study was to investigate the role of PGC-1α on inflammation and mitochondrial protein expressions in aging db/db mice hearts, independent of changes in glycemic parameters. In 8-month-old db/db mice hearts with diabetes lasting over 22 weeks, short-term, moderate-intensity exercise upregulated PGC-1α without altering body weight or glycemic parameters. Nonetheless, such a regimen lowered both cardiac (macrophage infiltration, iNOS and TNFα) and systemic (circulating chemokines and cytokines) inflammation. Curiously, such an anti-inflammatory effect was also linked to attenuated expression of downstream transcription factors of PGC-1α such as NRF-1 and several respiratory genes. Such mismatch between PGC-1α and its downstream targets was associated with elevated mitochondrial membrane proteins like Tom70 but a concurrent reduction in oxidative phosphorylation protein expressions in exercised db/db hearts. As mitochondrial oxidative stress was predominant in these hearts, in support of our in vivo data, increasing concentrations of H2O2 dose-dependently increased PGC-1α expression while inhibiting expression of inflammatory genes and downstream transcription factors in H9c2 cardiomyocytes in vitro. We conclude that short-term exercise-induced oxidative stress may be key in attenuating cardiac inflammatory genes and impairing PGC-1α mediated gene transcription of downstream transcription factors in type 2 diabetic hearts at an advanced age.

Role of p97/VCP (Cdc48) in genome stability.

Ubiquitin-dependent molecular chaperone p97, also known as valosin-containing protein (VCP) or Cdc48, is an AAA ATPase involved in protein turnover and degradation. p97 converts its own ATPase hydrolysis into remodeling activity on a myriad of ubiquitinated substrates from different cellular locations and pathways. In this way, p97 mediates extraction of targeted protein from cellular compartments or protein complexes. p97-dependent protein extraction from various cellular environments maintains cellular protein homeostasis. In recent years, p97-dependent protein extraction from chromatin has emerged as an essential evolutionarily conserved process for maintaining genome stability. Inactivation of p97 segregase activity leads to accumulation of ubiquitinated substrates on chromatin, consequently leading to protein-induced chromatin stress (PICHROS). PICHROS directly and negatively affects multiple DNA metabolic processes, including replication, damage responses, mitosis, and transcription, leading to genotoxic stress and genome instability. By summarizing and critically evaluating recent data on p97 function in various chromatin-associated protein degradation processes, we propose establishing p97 as a genome caretaker.