-
Proceedings of the National Academy of... Sep 2023Isochromosomes are mirror-imaged chromosomes with simultaneous duplication and deletion of genetic material which may contain two centromeres to create isodicentric...
Isochromosomes are mirror-imaged chromosomes with simultaneous duplication and deletion of genetic material which may contain two centromeres to create isodicentric chromosomes. Although isochromosomes commonly occur in cancer and developmental disorders and promote genome instability, mechanisms that prevent isochromosomes are not well understood. We show here that the tumor suppressor and methyltransferase SETD2 is essential to prevent these errors. Using cellular and cytogenetic approaches, we demonstrate that loss of SETD2 or its epigenetic mark, histone H3 lysine 36 trimethylation (H3K36me3), results in the formation of isochromosomes as well as isodicentric and acentric chromosomes. These defects arise during DNA replication and are likely due to faulty homologous recombination by RAD52. These data provide a mechanism for isochromosome generation and demonstrate that SETD2 and H3K36me3 are essential to prevent the formation of this common mutable chromatin structure known to initiate a cascade of genomic instability in cancer.
Topics: Humans; Centromere; Chromosome Aberrations; Cytogenetics; DNA Replication; Genomic Instability; Isochromosomes
PubMed: 37722039
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2303752120 -
Molecular Cell Oct 2023Mitotic DNA synthesis (MiDAS) is an unusual form of DNA replication that occurs during mitosis. Initially, MiDAS was characterized as a process associated with... (Review)
Review
Mitotic DNA synthesis (MiDAS) is an unusual form of DNA replication that occurs during mitosis. Initially, MiDAS was characterized as a process associated with intrinsically unstable loci known as common fragile sites that occurs after cells experience DNA replication stress (RS). However, it is now believed to be a more widespread "salvage" mechanism that is called upon to complete the duplication of any under-replicated genomic region. Emerging data suggest that MiDAS is a DNA repair process potentially involving two or more pathways working in parallel or sequentially. In this review, we introduce the causes of RS, regions of the human genome known to be especially vulnerable to RS, and the strategies used to complete DNA replication outside of S phase. Additionally, because MiDAS is a prominent feature of aneuploid cancer cells, we will discuss how targeting MiDAS might potentially lead to improvements in cancer therapy.
Topics: Humans; S Phase; DNA Replication; DNA Repair; Mitosis; Virus Replication
PubMed: 37716351
DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.08.023 -
DNA Repair Jul 2021In every cell cycle, billions of nucleotides need to be duplicated within hours, with extraordinary precision and accuracy. The molecular mechanism by which cells... (Review)
Review
In every cell cycle, billions of nucleotides need to be duplicated within hours, with extraordinary precision and accuracy. The molecular mechanism by which cells regulate the replication event is very complicated, and the entire process begins way before the onset of S phase. During the G1 phase of the cell cycle, cells prepare by assembling essential replication factors to establish the pre-replicative complex at origins, sites that dictate where replication would initiate during S phase. During S phase, the replication process is tightly coupled with the DNA repair system to ensure the fidelity of replication. Defects in replication and any error must be recognized by DNA damage response and checkpoint signaling pathways in order to halt the cell cycle before cells are allowed to divide. The coordination of these processes throughout the cell cycle is therefore critical to achieve genomic integrity and prevent diseases. In this review, we focus on the current understanding of how the replication initiation events are regulated to achieve genome stability.
Topics: Animals; Cell Cycle; DNA Replication; Eukaryota; Genomic Instability; Humans; Replication Origin
PubMed: 33992866
DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2021.103131 -
Nature Jan 2024DNA replication enables genetic inheritance across the kingdoms of life. Replication occurs with a defined temporal order known as the replication timing (RT) programme,...
DNA replication enables genetic inheritance across the kingdoms of life. Replication occurs with a defined temporal order known as the replication timing (RT) programme, leading to organization of the genome into early- or late-replicating regions. RT is cell-type specific, is tightly linked to the three-dimensional nuclear organization of the genome and is considered an epigenetic fingerprint. In spite of its importance in maintaining the epigenome, the developmental regulation of RT in mammals in vivo has not been explored. Here, using single-cell Repli-seq, we generated genome-wide RT maps of mouse embryos from the zygote to the blastocyst stage. Our data show that RT is initially not well defined but becomes defined progressively from the 4-cell stage, coinciding with strengthening of the A and B compartments. We show that transcription contributes to the precision of the RT programme and that the difference in RT between the A and B compartments depends on RNA polymerase II at zygotic genome activation. Our data indicate that the establishment of nuclear organization precedes the acquisition of defined RT features and primes the partitioning of the genome into early- and late-replicating domains. Our work sheds light on the establishment of the epigenome at the beginning of mammalian development and reveals the organizing principles of genome organization.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Blastocyst; Chromatin; DNA Replication Timing; Epigenome; Genome; RNA Polymerase II; Zygote; Embryo, Mammalian
PubMed: 38123678
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06872-1 -
Current Opinion in Structural Biology Oct 2023Members of the primase-polymerase (Prim-Pol) superfamily are found in all domains of life and play diverse roles in genome stability, including primer synthesis during... (Review)
Review
Members of the primase-polymerase (Prim-Pol) superfamily are found in all domains of life and play diverse roles in genome stability, including primer synthesis during DNA replication, lesion repair and damage tolerance. This review focuses primarily on Prim-Pol members capable of de novo primer synthesis that have experimentally derived structural models available. We discuss the mechanism of DNA primer synthesis initiation by Prim-Pol catalytic domains, based on recent structural and functional studies. We also describe a general model for primer initiation that also includes the ancillary domains/subunits, which stimulate the initiation of primer synthesis.
Topics: DNA Primase; DNA Replication; Catalytic Domain
PubMed: 37459807
DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102652 -
Genes May 2020DNA Helicase B (HELB) is a conserved helicase in higher eukaryotes with roles in the initiation of DNA replication and in the DNA damage and replication stress... (Review)
Review
DNA Helicase B (HELB) is a conserved helicase in higher eukaryotes with roles in the initiation of DNA replication and in the DNA damage and replication stress responses. HELB is a predominately nuclear protein in G phase where it is involved in initiation of DNA replication through interactions with DNA topoisomerase 2-binding protein 1 (TOPBP1), cell division control protein 45 (CDC45), and DNA polymerase α-primase. HELB also inhibits homologous recombination by reducing long-range end resection. After phosphorylation by cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) at the G to S transition, HELB is predominately localized to the cytosol. However, this cytosolic localization in S phase is not exclusive. HELB has been reported to localize to chromatin in response to replication stress and to localize to the common fragile sites 16D (FRA16D) and 3B (FRA3B) and the rare fragile site XA (FRAXA) in S phase. In addition, HELB is phosphorylated in response to ionizing radiation and has been shown to localize to chromatin in response to various types of DNA damage, suggesting it has a role in the DNA damage response.
Topics: Carrier Proteins; Cell Cycle Proteins; Chromatin; Chromosome Fragile Sites; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2; DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded; DNA Damage; DNA Helicases; DNA Polymerase I; DNA Primase; DNA Replication; DNA-Binding Proteins; Eukaryota; G1 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints; Genome, Human; Homologous Recombination; Humans; Nuclear Proteins; Phosphorylation; S Phase
PubMed: 32455610
DOI: 10.3390/genes11050578 -
Biochemical Society Transactions Jun 2020DNA replication is a complex process that needs to be executed accurately before cell division in order to maintain genome integrity. DNA replication is divided into... (Review)
Review
DNA replication is a complex process that needs to be executed accurately before cell division in order to maintain genome integrity. DNA replication is divided into three main stages: initiation, elongation and termination. One of the key events during initiation is the assembly of the replicative helicase at origins of replication, and this mechanism has been very well described over the last decades. In the last six years however, researchers have also focused on deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying the disassembly of the replicative helicase during termination. Similar to replisome assembly, the mechanism of replisome disassembly is strictly regulated and well conserved throughout evolution, although its complexity increases in higher eukaryotes. While budding yeast rely on just one pathway for replisome disassembly in S phase, higher eukaryotes evolved an additional mitotic pathway over and above the default S phase specific pathway. Moreover, replisome disassembly has been recently found to be a key event prior to the repair of certain DNA lesions, such as under-replicated DNA in mitosis and inter-strand cross-links (ICLs) in S phase. Although replisome disassembly in human cells has not been characterised yet, they possess all of the factors involved in these pathways in model organisms, and de-regulation of many of them are known to contribute to tumorigenesis and other pathological conditions.
Topics: Animals; Caenorhabditis elegans; Cell Cycle; Cell Cycle Proteins; Cell Survival; DNA; DNA Replication; Genome; Humans; Minichromosome Maintenance Complex Component 7; Mitosis; Neoplasms; Protein Interaction Mapping; Replication Origin; S Phase; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Saccharomycetales; Ubiquitin; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; Ubiquitination; Xenopus laevis
PubMed: 32490508
DOI: 10.1042/BST20190363 -
Nucleus (Austin, Tex.) Dec 2023In eukaryotic genomes, hundreds to thousands of potential start sites of DNA replication named origins are dispersed across each of the linear chromosomes. During... (Review)
Review
In eukaryotic genomes, hundreds to thousands of potential start sites of DNA replication named origins are dispersed across each of the linear chromosomes. During S-phase, only a subset of origins is selected in a stochastic manner to assemble bidirectional replication forks and initiate DNA synthesis. Despite substantial progress in our understanding of this complex process, a comprehensive 'identity code' that defines origins based on specific nucleotide sequences, DNA structural features, the local chromatin environment, or 3D genome architecture is still missing. In this article, we review the genetic and epigenetic features of replication origins in yeast and metazoan chromosomes and highlight recent insights into how this flexibility in origin usage contributes to nuclear organization, cell growth, differentiation, and genome stability.
Topics: Animals; Replication Origin; DNA Replication; Chromatin; DNA; Saccharomyces cerevisiae
PubMed: 37469113
DOI: 10.1080/19491034.2023.2229642 -
EMBO Reports Nov 2023DONSON is one of 13 genes mutated in a form of primordial microcephalic dwarfism known as Meier-Gorlin syndrome. The other 12 encode components of the CDC45-MCM-GINS...
DONSON is one of 13 genes mutated in a form of primordial microcephalic dwarfism known as Meier-Gorlin syndrome. The other 12 encode components of the CDC45-MCM-GINS helicase, around which the eukaryotic replisome forms, or are factors required for helicase assembly during DNA replication initiation. A role for DONSON in CDC45-MCM-GINS assembly was unanticipated, since DNA replication initiation can be reconstituted in vitro with purified proteins from budding yeast, which lacks DONSON. Using mouse embryonic stem cells as a model for the mammalian helicase, we show that DONSON binds directly but transiently to CDC45-MCM-GINS during S-phase and is essential for chromosome duplication. Rapid depletion of DONSON leads to the disappearance of the CDC45-MCM-GINS helicase from S-phase cells and our data indicate that DONSON is dispensable for loading of the MCM2-7 helicase core onto chromatin during G1-phase, but instead is essential for CDC45-MCM-GINS assembly during S-phase. These data identify DONSON as a missing link in our understanding of mammalian chromosome duplication and provide a molecular explanation for why mutations in human DONSON are associated with Meier-Gorlin syndrome.
Topics: Mice; Animals; Humans; Cell Cycle Proteins; Chromosome Duplication; Cell Cycle; DNA Replication; Minichromosome Maintenance Proteins; Mammals
PubMed: 37781960
DOI: 10.15252/embr.202357677 -
Molecular Cell Nov 2023The MCM motor of the replicative helicase is loaded onto origin DNA as an inactive double hexamer before replication initiation. Recruitment of activators GINS and Cdc45...
The MCM motor of the replicative helicase is loaded onto origin DNA as an inactive double hexamer before replication initiation. Recruitment of activators GINS and Cdc45 upon S-phase transition promotes the assembly of two active CMG helicases. Although work with yeast established the mechanism for origin activation, how CMG is formed in higher eukaryotes is poorly understood. Metazoan Downstream neighbor of Son (DONSON) has recently been shown to deliver GINS to MCM during CMG assembly. What impact this has on the MCM double hexamer is unknown. Here, we used cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) on proteins isolated from replicating Xenopus egg extracts to identify a double CMG complex bridged by a DONSON dimer. We find that tethering elements mediating complex formation are essential for replication. DONSON reconfigures the MCM motors in the double CMG, and primordial dwarfism patients' mutations disrupting DONSON dimerization affect GINS and MCM engagement in human cells and DNA synthesis in Xenopus egg extracts.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Cell Cycle Proteins; Cryoelectron Microscopy; DNA; DNA Helicases; DNA Replication; Minichromosome Maintenance Proteins; Nuclear Proteins; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Enzyme Activation
PubMed: 37820732
DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.09.029