Cell cycle regulated DNA methyltransferase: fluorescent tracking of a DNA strand-separation mechanism and identification of the responsible protein motif

DNA adenine methylation by Caulobacter crescentus Cell Cycle Regulated Methyltransferase (CcrM) is an important epigenetic regulator of gene expression. The recent CcrM-DNA cocrystal structure shows the CcrM dimer disrupts four of the five base pairs of the (5′-GANTC-3′) recognition site. We developed a fluorescence-based assay by which Pyrrolo-dC tracks the strand separation event. Placement of Pyrrolo-dC within the DNA recognition site results in a fluorescence increase when CcrM binds. Non-cognate sequences display little to no fluorescence changes, showing that strand separation is a specificity determinant. Conserved residues in the C-terminal segment interact with the phospho-sugar backbone of the non-target strand. Replacement of these residues with alanine results in decreased methylation activity and changes in strand separation. The DNA recognition mechanism appears to occur with the Type II M.HinfI DNA methyltransferase and an ortholog of CcrM, BabI, but not with DNA methyltransferases that lack the conserved C-terminal segment. The C-terminal segment is found broadly in N4/N6-adenine DNA methyltransferases, some of which are human pathogens, across three Proteobacteria classes, three other phyla and in Thermoplasma acidophilum, an Archaea. This Pyrrolo-dC strand separation assay should be useful for the study of other enzymes which likely rely on a strand separation mechanism.

Structure of HIRAN domain of human HLTF bound to duplex DNA provides structural basis for DNA unwinding to initiate replication fork regression

Replication fork regression is a mechanism to rescue a stalled fork by various replication stresses, such as DNA lesions. Helicase-like transcription factor, a SNF2 translocase, plays a central role in the fork regression and its N-terminal domain, HIRAN (HIP116 and Rad5 N-terminal), binds the 3’-hydroxy group of single-stranded DNA. Furthermore, HIRAN is supposed to bind double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and involved in strand separation in the fork regression, whereas structural basis for mechanisms underlying dsDNA binding and strand separation by HIRAN are still unclear. Here, we report the crystal structure of HIRAN bound to duplex DNA. The structure reveals that HIRAN binds the 3’-hydroxy group of DNA and unexpectedly unwinds three nucleobases of the duplex. Phe-142 is involved in the dsDNA binding and the strand separation. In addition, the structure unravels the mechanism underlying sequence-independent recognition for purine bases by HIRAN, where the N-glycosidic bond adopts syn conformation. Our findings indicate direct involvement of HIRAN in the fork regression by separating of the daughter strand from the parental template.

Statistical mechanics of a double-stranded rod model for DNA melting and elasticity

The double-helical topology of DNA observed at room temperature in the absence of any external loads can be disrupted by increasing the bath temperature or by applying tensile forces, leading to spontaneous strand separation known as DNA melting.

Cryo-EM Structure of the Fork Protection Complex Bound to CMG at a Replication Fork

The eukaryotic replisome, organized around the Cdc45-MCM-GINS (CMG) helicase, orchestrates chromosome replication. Multiple factors associate directly with CMG including Ctf4 and the heterotrimeric fork protection complex (Csm3/Tof1 and Mrc1), that have important roles including aiding normal replication rates and stabilizing stalled forks. How these proteins interface with CMG to execute these functions is poorly understood. Here we present 3-3.5 Å resolution cryo-EM structures comprising CMG, Ctf4, Csm3/Tof1 and Mrc1 at a replication fork. The structures provide high-resolution views of CMG:DNA interactions, revealing the mechanism of strand separation. Furthermore, they illustrate the topology of Mrc1 in the replisome and show Csm3/Tof1 ‘grips’ duplex DNA ahead of CMG via a network of interactions that are important for efficient replication fork pausing. Our work reveals how four highly conserved replisome components collaborate with CMG to facilitate replisome progression and maintain genome stability.

DNA unwinding mechanism of a eukaryotic replicative CMG helicase

ABSTRACTHigh-resolution structures have not been reported for replicative helicases at a replication fork at atomic resolution, a prerequisite to understand the unwinding mechanism. The eukaryotic replicative CMG helicase contains a Mcm2-7 motor ring, with the N-tier ring in front and the C-tier motor ring behind. The N-tier ring is structurally divided into a zinc finger (ZF) sub-ring followed by the OB fold ring. Here we report the cryo-EM structure of CMG on forked DNA at 3.9 Å, revealing that parental DNA enters the ZF sub-ring and strand separation occurs at the bottom of the ZF sub-ring, where the lagging strand is blocked and diverted sideways by OB hairpin-loops of Mcm3, Mcm4, Mcm6, and Mcm7. Thus, instead of employing a separation pin, unwinding is achieved via a “dam-and-diversion tunnel” for steric exclusion unwinding. The C-tier motor ring contains spirally configured PS1 and H2I loops of Mcms 2, 3, 5, 6 that translocate on the spirally-configured leading strand, and thereby pull the preceding DNA segment through the diversion tunnel for strand separation.