scholarly journals To Join or Not to Join: Decision Points Along the Pathway to Double-Strand Break Repair vs. Chromosome End Protection

Author(s):  
Stephanie M. Ackerson ◽  
Carlan Romney ◽  
P. Logan Schuck ◽  
Jason A. Stewart

The regulation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and telomeres are diametrically opposed in the cell. DSBs are considered one of the most deleterious forms of DNA damage and must be quickly recognized and repaired. Telomeres, on the other hand, are specialized, stable DNA ends that must be protected from recognition as DSBs to inhibit unwanted chromosome fusions. Decisions to join DNA ends, or not, are therefore critical to genome stability. Yet, the processing of telomeres and DSBs share many commonalities. Accordingly, key decision points are used to shift DNA ends toward DSB repair vs. end protection. Additionally, DSBs can be repaired by two major pathways, namely homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). The choice of which repair pathway is employed is also dictated by a series of decision points that shift the break toward HR or NHEJ. In this review, we will focus on these decision points and the mechanisms that dictate end protection vs. DSB repair and DSB repair choice.

2002 ◽  
Vol 22 (17) ◽  
pp. 6306-6317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuray Akyüz ◽  
Gisa S. Boehden ◽  
Silke Süsse ◽  
Andreas Rimek ◽  
Ute Preuss ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) arise spontaneously after the conversion of DNA adducts or single-strand breaks by DNA repair or replication and can be introduced experimentally by expression of specific endonucleases. Correct repair of DSBs is central to the maintenance of genomic integrity in mammalian cells, since errors give rise to translocations, deletions, duplications, and expansions, which accelerate the multistep process of tumor progression. For p53 direct regulatory roles in homologous recombination (HR) and in non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) were postulated. To systematically analyze the involvement of p53 in DSB repair, we generated a fluorescence-based assay system with a series of episomal and chromosomally integrated substrates for I-SceI meganuclease-triggered repair. Our data indicate that human wild-type p53, produced either stably or transiently in a p53-negative background, inhibits HR between substrates for conservative HR (cHR) and for gene deletions. NHEJ via microhomologies flanking the I-SceI cleavage site was also downregulated after p53 expression. Interestingly, the p53-dependent downregulation of homology-directed repair was maximal during cHR between sequences with short homologies. Inhibition was minimal during recombination between substrates that support reporter gene reconstitution by HR and NHEJ. p53 with a hotspot mutation at codon 281, 273, 248, 175, or 143 was severely defective in regulating DSB repair (frequencies elevated up to 26-fold). For the transcriptional transactivation-inactive variant p53(138V) a defect became apparent with short homologies only. These results suggest that p53 plays a role in restraining DNA exchange between imperfectly homologous sequences and thereby in suppressing tumorigenic genome rearrangements.


Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1506
Author(s):  
Angelos Papaspyropoulos ◽  
Nefeli Lagopati ◽  
Ioanna Mourkioti ◽  
Andriani Angelopoulou ◽  
Spyridon Kyriazis ◽  
...  

Protection of genome integrity is vital for all living organisms, particularly when DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) occur. Eukaryotes have developed two main pathways, namely Non-Homologous End Joining (NHEJ) and Homologous Recombination (HR), to repair DSBs. While most of the current research is focused on the role of key protein players in the functional regulation of DSB repair pathways, accumulating evidence has uncovered a novel class of regulating factors termed non-coding RNAs. Non-coding RNAs have been found to hold a pivotal role in the activation of DSB repair mechanisms, thereby safeguarding genomic stability. In particular, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have begun to emerge as new players with vast therapeutic potential. This review summarizes important advances in the field of lncRNAs, including characterization of recently identified lncRNAs, and their implication in DSB repair pathways in the context of tumorigenesis.


2007 ◽  
Vol 177 (2) ◽  
pp. 219-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naoya Uematsu ◽  
Eric Weterings ◽  
Ken-ichi Yano ◽  
Keiko Morotomi-Yano ◽  
Burkhard Jakob ◽  
...  

The DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKCS) plays an important role during the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). It is recruited to DNA ends in the early stages of the nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) process, which mediates DSB repair. To study DNA-PKCS recruitment in vivo, we used a laser system to introduce DSBs in a specified region of the cell nucleus. We show that DNA-PKCS accumulates at DSB sites in a Ku80-dependent manner, and that neither the kinase activity nor the phosphorylation status of DNA-PKCS influences its initial accumulation. However, impairment of both of these functions results in deficient DSB repair and the maintained presence of DNA-PKCS at unrepaired DSBs. The use of photobleaching techniques allowed us to determine that the kinase activity and phosphorylation status of DNA-PKCS influence the stability of its binding to DNA ends. We suggest a model in which DNA-PKCS phosphorylation/autophosphorylation facilitates NHEJ by destabilizing the interaction of DNA-PKCS with the DNA ends.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takaaki Yasuhara ◽  
Reona Kato ◽  
Motohiro Yamauchi ◽  
Yuki Uchihara ◽  
Lee Zou ◽  
...  

AbstractR-loops, consisting of ssDNA and DNA-RNA hybrids, are potentially vulnerable unless they are appropriately processed. Recent evidence suggests that R-loops can form in the proximity of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) within transcriptionally active regions. Yet, how the vulnerability of R-loops is overcome during DSB repair remains unclear. Here, we identify RAP80 as a factor suppressing the vulnerability of ssDNA in R-loops and chromosome translocations and deletions during DSB repair. Mechanistically, RAP80 prevents unscheduled nucleolytic processing of ssDNA in R-loops by CtIP. This mechanism promotes efficient DSB repair via transcription-associated end-joining dependent on BRCA1, Polθ, and LIG1/3. Thus, RAP80 suppresses the vulnerability of R-loops during DSB repair, thereby precluding genomic abnormalities in a critical component of the genome caused by deleterious R-loop processing.


Author(s):  
Roopa Thapar

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are deleterious lesions that are generated in response to ionizing radiation or replication fork collapse that can lead to genomic instability and cancer.  Eukaryotes have evolved two major pathways, namely homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) to repair DSBs.  Whereas the roles of protein-DNA interactions in HR and NHEJ have been fairly well defined, the functions of small and long non-coding RNAs and RNA-DNA hybrids in the DNA damage response is just beginning to be elucidated.  This review summarizes recent discoveries on the identification of non-coding RNAs and RNA-mediated regulation of DSB repair


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaocui Li ◽  
Xiaojuan Li ◽  
Chen Xie ◽  
Sihui Cai ◽  
Mengqiu Li ◽  
...  

AbstractAs a sensor of cytosolic DNA, the role of cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) in innate immune response is well established, yet how its functions in different biological conditions remain to be elucidated. Here, we identify cGAS as an essential regulator in inhibiting mitotic DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair and protecting short telomeres from end-to-end fusion independent of the canonical cGAS-STING pathway. cGAS associates with telomeric/subtelomeric DNA during mitosis when TRF1/TRF2/POT1 are deficient on telomeres. Depletion of cGAS leads to mitotic chromosome end-to-end fusions predominantly occurring between short telomeres. Mechanistically, cGAS interacts with CDK1 and positions them to chromosome ends. Thus, CDK1 inhibits mitotic non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) by blocking the recruitment of RNF8. cGAS-deficient human primary cells are defective in entering replicative senescence and display chromosome end-to-end fusions, genome instability and prolonged growth arrest. Altogether, cGAS safeguards genome stability by controlling mitotic DSB repair to inhibit mitotic chromosome end-to-end fusions, thus facilitating replicative senescence.


Author(s):  
Natalja Beying ◽  
◽  
Carla Schmidt ◽  
Holger Puchta ◽  
◽  
...  

In genome engineering, after targeted induction of double strand breaks (DSBs) researchers take advantage of the organisms’ own repair mechanisms to induce different kinds of sequence changes into the genome. Therefore, understanding of the underlying mechanisms is essential. This chapter will review in detail the two main pathways of DSB repair in plant cells, non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR) and sum up what we have learned over the last decades about them. We summarize the different models that have been proposed and set these into relation with the molecular outcomes of different classes of DSB repair. Moreover, we describe the factors that have been identified to be involved in these pathways. Applying this knowledge of DSB repair should help us to improve the efficiency of different types of genome engineering in plants.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naihan Xu ◽  
Yuanzhi Lao ◽  
Yaou Zhang ◽  
David A. Gillespie

The Akt family of serine/threonine protein kinases are key regulators of multiple aspects of cell behaviour, including proliferation, survival, metabolism, and tumorigenesis. Growth-factor-activated Akt signalling promotes progression through normal, unperturbed cell cycles by acting on diverse downstream factors involved in controlling the G1/S and G2/M transitions. Remarkably, several recent studies have also implicated Akt in modulating DNA damage responses and genome stability. High Akt activity can suppress ATR/Chk1 signalling and homologous recombination repair (HRR) via direct phosphorylation of Chk1 or TopBP1 or, indirectly, by inhibiting recruitment of double-strand break (DSB) resection factors, such as RPA, Brca1, and Rad51, to sites of damage. Loss of checkpoint and/or HRR proficiency is therefore a potential cause of genomic instability in tumor cells with high Akt. Conversely, Akt is activated by DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in a DNA-PK- or ATM/ATR-dependent manner and in some circumstances can contribute to radioresistance by stimulating DNA repair by nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ). Akt therefore modifies both the response to and repair of genotoxic damage in complex ways that are likely to have important consequences for the therapy of tumors with deregulation of the PI3K-Akt-PTEN pathway.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena B. Rother ◽  
Stefania Pellegrino ◽  
Rebecca Smith ◽  
Marco Gatti ◽  
Cornelia Meisenberg ◽  
...  

AbstractChromatin structure is dynamically reorganized at multiple levels in response to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Yet, how the different steps of chromatin reorganization are coordinated in space and time to differentially regulate DNA repair pathways is insufficiently understood. Here, we identify the Chromodomain Helicase DNA Binding Protein 7 (CHD7), which is frequently mutated in CHARGE syndrome, as an integral component of the non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) DSB repair pathway. Upon recruitment via PARP1-triggered chromatin remodeling, CHD7 stimulates further chromatin relaxation around DNA break sites and brings in HDAC1/2 for localized chromatin de-acetylation. This counteracts the CHD7-induced chromatin expansion, thereby ensuring temporally and spatially controlled ‘chromatin breathing’ upon DNA damage, which we demonstrate fosters efficient and accurate DSB repair by controlling Ku and LIG4/XRCC4 activities. Loss of CHD7-HDAC1/2-dependent cNHEJ reinforces 53BP1 assembly at the damaged chromatin and shifts DSB repair to mutagenic NHEJ, revealing a backup function of 53BP1 when cNHEJ fails.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doraid T. Sadideen ◽  
Baowei Chen ◽  
Manal Basili ◽  
Montaser Shaheen

AbstractDNA double strand breaks (DSBs) are repair by homology-based repair or non-homologous end joining and multiple sub-pathways exist. 53BP1 is a key DNA double strand break repair protein that regulates repair pathway choice. It is key for joining DSBs during immunoglobulin heavy chain class switch recombination. Here we identify USP47 as a deubiquitylase that associates with and regulates 53BP1 function. USP47 loss results in 53BP1 instability in proteasome dependent manner, and defective 53BP1 ionizing radiation induced foci (IRIF). USP47 catalytic activity is required for maintaining 53BP1 protein level. Similar to 53BP1, USP47 depletion results in sensitivity to DNA DSB inducing agents and defective immunoglobulin CSR. Our findings establish a function for USP47 in DNA DSB repair at least partially through 53BP1.


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