scholarly journals Dynamics of DNA replication during male gametogenesis in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holly Matthews ◽  
Jennifer McDonald ◽  
Francis Isidore G. Totanes ◽  
Catherine J Merrick

Malaria parasites undergo a single phase of sexual reproduction in their complex lifecycle, during which they cycle between mosquito and vertebrate hosts. Sexual reproduction occurs only at the point when parasites move into the mosquito host. It involves specialised, sexually committed cells called gametocytes, which develop very rapidly into mature gametes and then mate inside the mosquito midgut. The gamete development process is unique, involving unprecedentedly fast replication and cell division to produce male gametes. A single male gametocyte replicates its ~23Mb genome three times over to produce 8 genomes, segregates these into newly-assembled flagellated gamete cells and releases them to seek out female gametes, all within ~15 minutes. Here, for the first time, we use fluorescent labelling of de novo DNA synthesis to follow this process at the whole-cell and single-molecule levels, yielding several novel observations. Firstly, we confirm that no DNA replication occurs before gametogenesis is triggered, although the origin recognition complex protein Orc1 is abundant even in immature gametocytes. Secondly, between repeated rounds of DNA replication there is no detectable karyokinesis - in contrast to the repeated replicative rounds that occur in asexual schizonts. Thirdly, cytokinesis is clearly uncoupled from DNA replication, and can occur even if replication fails, implying a lack of cell cycle checkpoints. Finally the single-molecule dynamics of DNA replication are entirely different from those in asexual schizonts.

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (11) ◽  
pp. 4973-4982 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Kelly ◽  
A. John Callegari

Each genomic locus in a eukaryotic cell has a distinct average time of replication during S phase that depends on the spatial and temporal pattern of replication initiation events. Replication timing can affect genomic integrity because late replication is associated with an increased mutation rate. For most eukaryotes, the features of the genome that specify the location and timing of initiation events are unknown. To investigate these features for the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, we developed an integrative model to analyze large single-molecule and global genomic datasets. The model provides an accurate description of the complex dynamics of S. pombe DNA replication at high resolution. We present evidence that there are many more potential initiation sites in the S. pombe genome than previously identified and that the distribution of these sites is primarily determined by two factors: the sequence preferences of the origin recognition complex (ORC), and the interference of transcription with the assembly or stability of prereplication complexes (pre-RCs). We suggest that in addition to directly interfering with initiation, transcription has driven the evolution of the binding properties of ORC in S. pombe and other eukaryotic species to target pre-RC assembly to regions of the genome that are less likely to be transcribed.


1999 ◽  
Vol 112 (12) ◽  
pp. 2011-2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Rowles ◽  
S. Tada ◽  
J.J. Blow

During late mitosis and early G1, a series of proteins are assembled onto replication origins that results in them becoming ‘licensed’ for replication in the subsequent S phase. In Xenopus this first involves the assembly onto chromatin of the Xenopus origin recognition complex XORC, and then XCdc6, and finally the RLF-M component of the replication licensing system. In this paper we examine changes in the way that XORC associates with chromatin in the Xenopus cell-free system as origins become licensed. Restricting the quantity of XORC on chromatin reduced the extent of replication as expected if a single molecule of XORC is sufficient to specify a single replication origin. During metaphase, XOrc1 associated only weakly with chromatin. In early interphase, XOrc1 formed a strong complex with chromatin, as evidenced by its resistance to elution by 200 mM salt, and this state persisted when XCdc6 was assembled onto the chromatin. As a consequence of origins becoming licensed the association of XOrc1 and XCdc6 with chromatin was destabilised, and XOrc1 became susceptible to removal from chromatin by exposure to either high salt or high Cdk levels. At this stage the essential function for XORC and XCdc6 in DNA replication had already been fulfilled. Since high Cdk levels are required for the initiation of DNA replication, this ‘licensing-dependent origin inactivation’ may contribute to mechanisms that prevent re-licensing of replication origins once S phase has started.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Humberto Sánchez ◽  
Kaley McCluskey ◽  
Theo van Laar ◽  
Edo van Veen ◽  
Filip M. Asscher ◽  
...  

AbstractDNA replication in eukaryotes initiates at many origins distributed across each chromosome. Origins are bound by the origin recognition complex (ORC), which, with Cdc6 and Cdt1, recruits and loads the Mcm2-7 (MCM) helicase as an inactive double hexamer during G1 phase. The replisome assembles at the activated helicase in S phase. Although the outline of replisome assembly is understood, little is known about the dynamics of individual proteins on DNA and how these contribute to proper complex formation. Here we show, using single-molecule optical trapping and confocal microscopy, that yeast ORC is a mobile protein that diffuses rapidly along DNA. Origin recognition halts this search process. Recruitment of MCM molecules in an ORC- and Cdc6-dependent fashion results in slow-moving ORC-MCM intermediates and MCMs that rapidly scan the DNA. Following ATP hydrolysis, salt-stable loading of MCM single and double hexamers was seen, both of which exhibit salt-dependent mobility. Our results demonstrate that effective helicase loading relies on an interplay between protein diffusion and origin recognition, and suggest that MCM is stably loaded onto DNA in multiple forms.


eLife ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sumanprava Giri ◽  
Vasudha Aggarwal ◽  
Julien Pontis ◽  
Zhen Shen ◽  
Arindam Chakraborty ◽  
...  

Heterochromatic domains are enriched with repressive histone marks, including histone H3 lysine 9 methylation, written by lysine methyltransferases (KMTs). The pre-replication complex protein, origin recognition complex-associated (ORCA/LRWD1), preferentially localizes to heterochromatic regions in post-replicated cells. Its role in heterochromatin organization remained elusive. ORCA recognizes methylated H3K9 marks and interacts with repressive KMTs, including G9a/GLP and Suv39H1 in a chromatin context-dependent manner. Single-molecule pull-down assays demonstrate that ORCA-ORC (Origin Recognition Complex) and multiple H3K9 KMTs exist in a single complex and that ORCA stabilizes H3K9 KMT complex. Cells lacking ORCA show alterations in chromatin architecture, with significantly reduced H3K9 di- and tri-methylation at specific chromatin sites. Changes in heterochromatin structure due to loss of ORCA affect replication timing, preferentially at the late-replicating regions. We demonstrate that ORCA acts as a scaffold for the establishment of H3K9 KMT complex and its association and activity at specific chromatin sites is crucial for the organization of heterochromatin structure.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sai Li ◽  
Michael R. Wasserman ◽  
Olga Yurieva ◽  
Lu Bai ◽  
Michael E. O’Donnell ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTSaccharomyces cerevisiae has been a faithful guide for study of eukaryotic DNA replication, as the numerous initiation and elongation proteins are conserved from yeast to human. However, there is a gap in our knowledge of why yeast uses a consensus DNA sequence at replication origins, while higher eukaryotes do not. The current study closes this gap. By direct single-molecule visualization, we show that the Origin Recognition Complex (ORC) searches for and stably binds nucleosomes, and that nucleosomes funtionalize ORC to load MCM helicase onto DNA, regardless of DNA sequence. Furthermore, we discover that ORC can remodel nucleosomes and expel H2A-H2B histone dimers, a heretofore unexpected function. Thus ORC helps create a chromatin environment permissive to origin function. The finding that ORC binding to nucleosomes leads to MCM loading at any DNA sequence is likely to generalize, and that higher eukaryotes follow this same paradigm for origin selection


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 89-92
Author(s):  
Muhammad Amir ◽  
Sabeera Afzal ◽  
Alia Ishaq

Polymerases were revealed first in 1970s. Most important to the modest perception the enzyme responsible for nuclear DNA replication that was pol , for DNA repair pol and for mitochondrial DNA replication pol  DNA construction and renovation done by DNA polymerases, so directing both the constancy and discrepancy of genetic information. Replication of genome initiate with DNA template-dependent fusion of small primers of RNA. This preliminary phase in replication of DNA demarcated as de novo primer synthesis which is catalyzed by specified polymerases known as primases. Sixteen diverse DNA-synthesizing enzymes about human perspective are devoted to replication, reparation, mutilation lenience, and inconsistency of nuclear DNA. But in dissimilarity, merely one DNA polymerase has been called in mitochondria. It has been suggest that PrimPol is extremely acting the roles by re-priming DNA replication in mitochondria to permit an effective and appropriate way replication to be accomplished. Investigations from a numeral of test site have significantly amplified our appreciative of the role, recruitment and regulation of the enzyme during DNA replication. Though, we are simply just start to increase in value the versatile roles that play PrimPol in eukaryote.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tara Al Zubaidi ◽  
O. H. Fiete Gehrisch ◽  
Marie-Michelle Genois ◽  
Qi Liu ◽  
Shan Lu ◽  
...  

AbstractMutant KRAS is a common tumor driver and frequently confers resistance to anti-cancer treatments such as radiation. DNA replication stress in these tumors may constitute a therapeutic liability but is poorly understood. Here, using single-molecule DNA fiber analysis, we first characterized baseline replication stress in a panel of unperturbed isogenic and non-isogenic cancer cell lines. Correlating with the observed enhanced replication stress we found increased levels of cytosolic double-stranded DNA in KRAS mutant compared to wild-type cells. Yet, despite this phenotype replication stress-inducing agents failed to selectively impact KRAS mutant cells, which were protected by CHK1. Similarly, most exogenous stressors studied did not differentially augment cytosolic DNA accumulation in KRAS mutant compared to wild-type cells. However, we found that proton radiation was able to slow fork progression and preferentially induce fork stalling in KRAS mutant cells. Proton treatment also partly reversed the radioresistance associated with mutant KRAS. The cellular effects of protons in the presence of KRAS mutation clearly contrasted that of other drugs affecting replication, highlighting the unique nature of the underlying DNA damage caused by protons. Taken together, our findings provide insight into the replication stress response associated with mutated KRAS, which may ultimately yield novel therapeutic opportunities.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
pp. 2057-2069
Author(s):  
Rebeca Bocanegra ◽  
G.A. Ismael Plaza ◽  
Carlos R. Pulido ◽  
Borja Ibarra

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (22) ◽  
pp. 12751-12777
Author(s):  
Cathia Rausch ◽  
Patrick Weber ◽  
Paulina Prorok ◽  
David Hörl ◽  
Andreas Maiser ◽  
...  

Abstract To ensure error-free duplication of all (epi)genetic information once per cell cycle, DNA replication follows a cell type and developmental stage specific spatio-temporal program. Here, we analyze the spatio-temporal DNA replication progression in (un)differentiated mouse embryonic stem (mES) cells. Whereas telomeres replicate throughout S-phase, we observe mid S-phase replication of (peri)centromeric heterochromatin in mES cells, which switches to late S-phase replication upon differentiation. This replication timing reversal correlates with and depends on an increase in condensation and a decrease in acetylation of chromatin. We further find synchronous duplication of the Y chromosome, marking the end of S-phase, irrespectively of the pluripotency state. Using a combination of single-molecule and super-resolution microscopy, we measure molecular properties of the mES cell replicon, the number of replication foci active in parallel and their spatial clustering. We conclude that each replication nanofocus in mES cells corresponds to an individual replicon, with up to one quarter representing unidirectional forks. Furthermore, with molecular combing and genome-wide origin mapping analyses, we find that mES cells activate twice as many origins spaced at half the distance than somatic cells. Altogether, our results highlight fundamental developmental differences on progression of genome replication and origin activation in pluripotent cells.


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