The XRCC4 gene encodes a novel protein involved in DNA double-strand break repair and V(D)J recombination

Artemis, a novel DNA double-strand break repair/V(D)J recombination protein, is mutated in human severe combined immune deficiency

The V(D)J recombination process insures the somatic diversification of immunoglobulin and antigen T cell receptor encoding genes. This reaction is initiated by a DNA double-strand break (dsb), which is resolved by the ubiquitously expressed DNA repair machinery. Human T-B-severe combined immunodeficiency associated with increased cellular radiosensitivity (RS-SCID) is characterized by a defect in the V(D)J recombination leading to an early arrest of both B and T cell maturation. We previously mapped the disease-related locus to the short arm of chromosome 10. We herein describe the cloning of the gene encoding a novel protein involved in V(D)J recombination/DNA repair, Artemis, whose mutations cause human RS-SCID. Protein sequence analysis strongly suggests that Artemis belongs to the metallo-beta-lactamase superfamily.

DNA double-strand breaks trigger apoptosis in p53-deficient fibroblasts

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are induced by ionizing radiation (IR) and various radiomimetic agents directly, or indirectly as a consequence of DNA repair, recombination and replication of damaged DNA. They are ultimately involved in the generation of chromosomal aberrations and were reported to cause genomic instability, gene amplification and reproductive cell death. To address the question of whether DSBs act as a trigger of apoptosis, we induced DSBs by means of restriction enzyme electroporation and compared the effect with IR in mouse fibroblasts that differ in p53 status [wild-type (+/+) versus p53-deficient (-/-) cells]. We show that (i) electroporation of PVU:II is highly efficient in the induction of DSBs, (ii) electroporation of PVU:II increases the rate of apoptosis, but not of necrosis in p53-/- cells, (iii) treatment with gamma-rays induces both apoptosis and necrosis in p53-/- cells, (iv) the frequency of DSBs correlates with the yield of apoptosis and (v) both PVU:II and gamma-ray treatment reduce the level of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein in p53-/- cells whereas the level of Bax remains unaltered. Cells expressing wild-type p53 were more resistant than p53-deficient cells as to the induction of apoptosis and did not show Bcl-2 decline upon treatment with PVU:II and gamma-rays. The data provide evidence that blunt-ended DSBs induced by restriction enzyme PVU:II act as a highly efficient trigger of apoptosis, but not of necrosis. This process is related to Bcl-2 decline and does not require p53.

How to make ends meet in V(D)J recombination

In most vertebrate species analyzed so far, the diversity of soluble or membrane-bound antigen-receptors expressed by B and T lymphocytes is generated by V(D)J recombination. During this process, the coding regions for the variable domains of antigen-receptors are created by the joining of subexons that are randomly selected from arrays of tandemly repeated V, D (sometimes) and J gene segments. This involves the site-specific cleavage of chromosomal DNA by the lymphocyte-specific recombination-activating gene (RAG)-1/2 proteins, which appear to have originated from an ancient transposable element. The DNA double-strand breaks created by RAG proteins are subsequently processed and rejoined by components of the nonhomologous DNA end-joining pathway, which is conserved in all eukaryotic organisms - from unicellular yeast up to highly complex mammalian species.

Identification of a mutated DNA ligase IV gene in the X-ray-hypersensitive mutant SX10 of mouse FM3A cells

The mouse carcinoma cell line SX10 is a hypersensitive mutant to x-rays and bleomycin. An earlier complementation test suggests that SX10 would belong to x-ray-cross complementing group (XRCC) 4. However, in this study, a human XRCC4 expression vector failed to complement the SX10 phenotype. Consistent with the previous report, SX10 showed the same level of DNA-dependent protein kinase activity as the wild-type SR-1. We isolated and analyzed hybrids between SX10 and human diploid fibroblast cells and found that human chromosome 13 conferred the x-ray resistance to the hybrids, suggesting that a candidate gene would be located on this chromosome. Polymerase chain reaction analysis with these hybrids and x-ray-resistant transformants obtained by introducing human chromosomes into SX10 indicated that the mutant was likely to be defective in DNA ligase IV. Sequence analysis of the DNA ligase IV gene confirmed that a defect in SX10 was attributed to a transition of G to A at nucleotide position 1413 of the gene, leading to an amino acid substitution from Trp at residue 471 to a stop codon. Revertant clones (Rev1-3) derived from SX10 showed a restored x-ray resistance; Rev1 reverted to the original nucleotide G at position 1413, whereas Rev2 and Rev3 to C. Transfection of a mouse DNA ligase IV cDNA vector into SX10 restored the resistance to both x-rays and bleomycin. SX10 showed a reduced frequency of chromosomal integration of transfected DNA, but the revertants restored the frequency found in the wild-type cells. These results suggest a possible involvement of DNA ligase IV in the integration event of foreign DNA as well as a crucial role in DNA double-strand break repair.

Cytometric methods to analyze ionizing-radiation effects

Four cytometric assays for the assessment of radiation-induced DNA damage in individual cells are presented. Two of these, the alkaline and neutral comet assays, are useful for the detection of DNA damage due to very low radiation doses and promise to be useful for the quantitation of genomic damage after clinically or environmentally relevant exposures. The other two, the halo and halo-comet assays, reveal aspects of chromatin structure in the presence of DNA damage that reflect differences in intrinsic cellular radiosensitivity. Further development of these assays used alone, or in combination, should eventually lead to the definition of readily measurable cytometric parameters that will be useful as predictive markers for cellular responses to DNA damaging agents.

Wortmannin potentiates integrase-mediated killing of lymphocytes and reduces the efficiency of stable transduction by retroviruses

Retroviral infection induces integrase-dependent apoptosis in DNA-PK-deficient murine scid lymphocytes. Furthermore, the efficiency of stable transduction of reporter genes is reduced in adherent cell lines that are deficient in cellular DNA-repair proteins known to mediate nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ), such as DNA-PK and XRCC4 (R. Daniel, R. A. Katz, and A. M. Skalka, Science 284:644-647, 1999). Here we report that wortmannin, an irreversible inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3K)-related PKs, including the catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK(CS)) and ATM, sensitizes normal murine lymphocytes to retrovirus-mediated cell killing. We also show that the efficiency of stable transduction of reporter genes in human (HeLa) cells, mediated by either an avian sarcoma virus or a human immune deficiency virus type 1 vector, is reduced in the presence of wortmannin. The dose dependence of such reduction correlates with that for inhibition of PI-3K-related protein kinase activity in these cells. Results from wortmannin treatment of a panel of cell lines confirms that formation and/or survival of transductants is dependent on components of the NHEJ pathway. However, stable transduction is virtually abolished by wortmannin treatment of cells that lack ATM. These results suggest that ATM activity is required for the residual transduction observed in the NHEJ-deficient cells. Our studies support the hypothesis that DNA repair proteins of the NHEJ pathway and, in their absence, ATM are required to avoid integrase-mediated killing [corrected] and allow stable retroviral DNA transduction. The studies also suggest that cells can be sensitized to such killing and stable retroviral DNA integration blocked by drugs that inhibit cellular DNA repair pathways.

Hypertonic treatment inhibits radiation-induced nuclear translocation of the Ku proteins G22p1 (Ku70) and Xrcc5 (Ku80) in rat fibroblasts

The effects of X irradiation and hypertonic treatment with 0.5 M NaCl on the subcellular localization of the Ku proteins G22p1 (also known as Ku70) and Xrcc5 (also known as Ku80) in rat fibroblasts with normal radiosensitivity were examined using confocal laser microscopy and immunoblotting. Although these proteins were observed mainly in the nuclei of human fibroblasts, approximately 80% of the intensities of immunofluorescence from both G22p1 and Xrcc5 was observed in the cytoplasm of rat fibroblasts. When the rat cells were X-irradiated with 4 Gy, the intensities of the fluorescence derived from G22p1 and Xrcc5 in the nuclei increased from 20% to 50% of the total cellular fluorescence intensity at 20 min postirradiation. No significant differences were observed between the total intensities of the cellular fluorescence from the proteins in unirradiated and irradiated rat fibroblasts. The results showed that the proteins were translocated from the cytoplasm to the nucleus in the rat cells after X irradiation. The nuclear translocation of the proteins from the cytoplasm was inhibited by hypertonic treatment of the cells with 0.5 M NaCl for 20 min, which inhibits the fast repair process of potentially lethal damage (PLD). When the rat cells were treated with 0.5 M NaCl immediately after X irradiation, the repair of DNA DSBs was inhibited. The surviving fraction was approximately 60% of that of irradiated cells that were not treated with 0.5 M NaCl. The surviving fraction increased with incubation time in the growth medium before treatment with NaCl. The proportions of the intensities of fluorescence from G22p1 in the nuclei of X-irradiated cells also increased from 20% to 50% with increasing interval between X irradiation and treatment with NaCl. These results suggest that nuclear translocation of G22p1 and Xrcc5 is important for the fast repair process of PLD in rat cells.

Human DNA repair genes

DNA repair systems are essential for the maintenance of genome integrity. Consequently, the disregulation of repair genes can be expected to be associated with significant, detrimental health effects, which can include an increased prevalence of birth defects, an enhancement of cancer risk, and an accelerated rate of aging. Although original insights into DNA repair and the genes responsible were largely derived from studies in bacteria and yeast, well over 125 genes directly involved in DNA repair have now been identified in humans, and their cDNA sequence established. These genes function in a diverse set of pathways that involve the recognition and removal of DNA lesions, tolerance to DNA damage, and protection from errors of incorporation made during DNA replication or DNA repair. Additional genes indirectly affect DNA repair, by regulating the cell cycle, ostensibly to provide an opportunity for repair or to direct the cell to apoptosis. For about 70 of the DNA repair genes listed in Table I, both the genomic DNA sequence and the cDNA sequence and chromosomal location have been elucidated. In 45 cases single-nucleotide polymorphisms have been identified and, in some cases, genetic variants have been associated with specific disorders. With the accelerating rate of gene discovery, the number of identified DNA repair genes and sequence variants is quickly rising. This report tabulates the current status of what is known about these genes. The report is limited to genes whose function is directly related to DNA repair.

Irradiation promotes V(D)J joining and RAG-dependent neoplastic transformation in SCID T-cell precursors

Defects in the nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) pathway of double-stranded DNA break repair severely impair V(D)J joining and selectively predispose mice to the development of lymphoid neoplasia. This connection was first noted in mice with the severe combined immune deficient (SCID) mutation in the DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK). SCID mice spontaneously develop thymic lymphoma with low incidence and long latency. However, we and others showed that low-dose irradiation of SCID mice dramatically increases the frequency and decreases the latency of thymic lymphomagenesis, but irradiation does not promote the development of other tumors. We have used this model to explore the mechanistic basis by which defects in NHEJ confer selective and profound susceptibility to lymphoid oncogenesis. Here, we show that radiation quantitatively and qualitatively improves V(D)J joining in SCID cells, in the absence of T-cell receptor-mediated cellular selection. Furthermore, we show that the lymphocyte-specific endonuclease encoded by the recombinase-activating genes (RAG-1 and RAG-2) is required for radiation-induced thymic lymphomagenesis in SCID mice. Collectively, these data suggest that irradiation induces a DNA-PK-independent NHEJ pathway that facilitates V(D)J joining, but also promotes oncogenic misjoining of RAG-1/2-induced breaks in SCID T-cell precursors.

The scid recombination-inducible cell line: a model to study DNA-PK-independent V(D)J recombination

To investigate the molecular mechanisms of the variable (diversity) joining (V(D)J) recombination process at an endogenous gene locus, recombination-inducible cell lines were made from both bcl-2-bearing severe combined immune deficiency (scid) homozygous and scid heterozyous (s/ + ) mice by transforming pre-B cells with the temperature-sensitive Abelson murine leukemia virus (ts-Ab-MLV). These transformants can be induced to undergo immunoglobulin light-chain gene rearrangements by incubating them at the non-permissive temperature. In the case of transformed scid cells, a significant amount of hairpin coding ends are accumulated during recombination induction, but few coding joints are generated. After being shifted to the permissive temperature. however, these cells are capable of opening hairpin ends and forming coding joints. Thus, ts-Ab-MLV transformed scid cells can be readily manipulated for both recombination cleavage and end resolution. However, unlike the rapid coding joint formation in s/ + cells that have the catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs), the process for resolving coding ends in scid cells is slow and error prone, and also appears to be correlated with a reduction in the RAG1/2 expression. Apparently, this process is mediated by a DNA-PK-independent pathway. The fact that the activity of this pathway can be manipulated in vitro makes it possible to delineate the mechanisms in end opening, processing and joining. Therefore, these ts-Ab-MLV transformed scid cell lines offer a model to study the molecular nature as well as the regulation of the DNA-PK-independent pathway in coding end resolution.

Crystal structure of the Xrcc4 DNA repair protein and implications for end joining

XRCC4 is essential for carrying out non-homologous DNA end joining (NHEJ) in all eukaryotes and, in particular, V(D)J recombination in vertebrates. Xrcc4 protein forms a complex with DNA ligase IV that rejoins two DNA ends in the last step of V(D)J recombination and NHEJ to repair double strand breaks. XRCC4-defective cells are extremely sensitive to ionizing radiation, and disruption of the XRCC4 gene results in embryonic lethality in mice. Here we report the crystal structure of a functional fragment of Xrcc4 at 2.7 A resolution. Xrcc4 protein forms a strikingly elongated dumb-bell-like tetramer. Each of the N-terminal globular head domains consists of a beta-sandwich and a potentially DNA-binding helix- turn-helix motif. The C-terminal stalk comprising a single alpha-helix >120 A in length is partly incorporated into a four-helix bundle in the Xrcc4 tetramer and partly involved in interacting with ligase IV. The Xrcc4 structure suggests a possible mode of coupling ligase IV association with DNA binding for effective ligation of DNA ends.

Signal joint formation is also impaired in DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit knockout cells

The effort to elucidate the mechanism of V(D)J recombination has given rise to a dispute as to whether DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) contributes to signal joint formation (sjf). Observations reported to date are confusing. Analyses using DNA-PKcs-deficient cells could not conclude the requirement of DNA-PKcs for sjf, because sjf can be formed by end-joining activities which are diverse among cells other than those participating in V(D)J recombination. Here, we observed V(D)J recombination in DNA-PKcs knockout cells and showed that both signal and coding joint formation were clearly impaired in the cells. Subsequently, to directly demonstrate the requirement of DNA-PKcs for sjf, we introduced full-length cDNA of DNA-PKcs into the knockout cells. Furthermore, several mutant DNA-PKcs cDNA constructs designed from mutant cell lines (irs-20, V3, murine scid, and SX9) were also introduced into the cells to obtain further evidence indicating the involvement of DNA-PKcs in sjf. We found as a result that the full-length cDNA complemented the aberrant sjf and that the mutant cDNAs constructs also partially complemented it. Lastly, we looked at whether the kinase activity of DNA-PKcs is necessary for sjf and, as a result, demonstrated a close relationship between them. Our observations clearly indicate that the DNA-PKcs controls not only coding joint formation but also the sjf in V(D)J recombination through its kinase activity.

Telomere dysfunction impairs DNA repair and enhances sensitivity to ionizing radiation

Telomeres are specialized nucleoprotein complexes that serve as protective caps of linear eukaryotic chromosomes. Loss of telomere function is associated with rampant genetic instability and loss of cellular viability and renewal potential. The telomere also participates in processes of chromosomal repair, as evidenced by the 'capture' or de novo synthesis of telomere repeats at double-stranded breaks and by the capacity of yeast telomeres to serve as repositories of essential components of the DNA repair machinery, particularly those involved in non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ). Here we used the telomerase-deficient mouse, null for the essential telomerase RNA gene (Terc), to assess the role of telomerase and telomere function on the cellular and organismal response to ionizing radiation. Although the loss of telomerase activity per se had no discernable impact on the response to ionizing radiation, the emergence of telomere dysfunction in late-generation Terc-/- mice imparted a radiosensitivity syndrome associated with accelerated mortality. On the cellular level, the gastrointestinal crypt stem cells and primary thymocytes showed increased rates of apoptosis, and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) showed diminished dose-dependent clonogenic survival. The radiosensitivity of telomere dysfunctional cells correlated with delayed DNA break repair kinetics, persistent chromosomal breaks and cytogenetic profiles characterized by complex chromosomal aberrations and massive fragmentation. Our findings establish a intimate relationship between functionally intact telomeres and the genomic, cellular and organismal response to ionizing radiation.

Cleavage and phosphorylation of XRCC4 protein induced by X-irradiation

We report the p35 and p60 forms of XRCC4 protein, appearing in human leukemia MOLT-4 or U937 cells following X-irradiation or hyperthermia. p35 appeared in conjunction with the cleavage of DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) and the fragmentation of internucleosomal DNA, and was suppressed by Ac-DEVD-CHO. p35 was also produced in vitro by treating MOLT-4 cell lysate with recombinant caspases, suggesting that p35 was a caspase-cleaved fragment of XRCC4 in apoptotic cell death. p60 was sensitive to treatment with phosphatase or wortmannin and was undetectable in M059J cells deficient in DNA-PKcs. However, p60 was found in ataxia-telangiectasia cells after irradiation. These results indicated p60 as a phosphorylated form of XRCC4, requiring DNA-PKcs but not ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM).

Both V(D)J recombination and radioresistance require DNA-PK kinase activity, though minimal levels suffice for V(D)J recombination

DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) is utilized in both DNA double-strand break repair (DSBR) and V(D)J recombination, but the mechanism by which this multiprotein complex participates in these processes is unknown. To evaluate the importance of DNA-PK-mediated protein phosphorylation in DSBR and V(D)J recombination, we assessed the effects of the phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase inhibitor wortmannin on the repair of ionizing radiation-induced DNA double-strand breaks and V(D)J recombination in the V(D)J recombinase inducible B cell line HDR37. Wortmannin radiosensitized HDR37, but had no affect on V(D)J recombination despite a marked reduction in DNA-PK activity. On the other hand, studies with mammalian expression vectors for wild-type human DNA-PK catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) and a kinase domain mutant demonstrated that only the kinase active form of DNA-PKcs can reconstitute DSBR and V(D)J recombination in a DNA-PKcs-deficient cell line (Sf19), implying that DNA-PKcs kinase activity is essential for both DSBR and V(D)J recombination. These apparently contradictory results were reconciled by analyses of cell lines varying in their expression of recombinant wild-type human DNA-PKcs. These studies establish that minimal DNA-PKcs protein levels are sufficient to support V(D)J recombination, but insufficient to confer resistance to ionizing radiation.

DNA double-strand break repair in cell-free extracts from Ku80-deficient cells: implications for Ku serving as an alignment factor in non-homologous DNA end joining

Non-homologous DNA end joining (NHEJ) is considered the major pathway of double-strand break (DSB) repair in mammalian cells and depends, among other things, on the DNA end-binding Ku70/80 hetero-dimer. To investigate the function of Ku in NHEJ we have compared the ability of cell-free extracts from wild-type CHO-K1 cells, Ku80-deficient xrs6 cells and Ku80-cDNA-complemented xrs6 cells (xrs6-Ku80) to rejoin different types of DSB in vitro. While the two Ku80-proficient extracts were highly efficient and accurate in rejoining all types of DNA ends, the xrs6 extract displayed strongly decreased NHEJ efficiency and accuracy. The lack of accuracy is most evident in non-homologous terminus configurations containing 3'-overhangs that abut a 5'-overhang or blunt end. While the sequences of the 3'-overhangs are mostly preserved by fill-in DNA synthesis in the Ku80-proficient extracts, they are always completely lost in the xrs6 extract so that, instead, small deletions displaying microhomology patches at their breakpoints arise. In summary, our results are consistent with previous results from Ku-deficient yeast strains and indicate that Ku may serve as an alignment factor that not only increases NHEJ efficiency but also accuracy. Furthermore, a secondary NHEJ activity is present in the absence of Ku which is error-prone and possibly assisted by base pairing interactions.

Ku autoantigen: a multifunctional DNA-binding protein

Ku is a heterodimeric protein composed of approximately 70- and approximately 80-kDa subunits (Ku70 and Ku80) originally identified as an autoantigen recognized by the sera of patients with autoimmune diseases. Ku has high binding affinity for DNA ends and that is why originally it was known as a DNA end binding protein, but now it is known to also bind the DNA structure at nicks, gaps, hairpins, as well as the ends of telomeres. It has been reported also to bind with sequence specificity to DNA and with weak affinity to RNA. Ku is an abundant nuclear protein and is present in vertebrates, insects, yeast, and worms. Ku contains ssDNA-dependent ATPase and ATP-dependent DNA helicase activities. It is the regulatory subunit of the DNA-dependent protein kinase that phosphorylates many proteins, including SV-40 large T antigen, p53, RNA-polymerase II, RP-A, topoisomerases, hsp90, and many transcription factors such as c-Jun, c-Fos, oct-1, sp-1, c-Myc, TFIID, and many more. It seems to be a multifunctional protein that has been implicated to be involved directly or indirectly in many important cellular metabolic processes such as DNA double-strand break repair, V(D)J recombination of immunoglobulins and T-cell receptor genes, immunoglobulin isotype switching, DNA replication, transcription regulation, regulation of heat shock-induced responses, regulation of the precise structure of telomeric termini, and it also plays a novel role in G2 and M phases of the cell cycle. The mechanism underlying the regulation of all the diverse functions of Ku is still obscure.

Comparison of repair of DNA double-strand breaks in identical sequences in primary human fibroblast and immortal hamster-human hybrid cells harboring a single copy of human chromosome 11

We have optimized a pulsed-field gel electrophoresis assay that measures induction and repair of double-strand breaks (DSBs) in specific regions of the genome (Löbrich et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92, 12050-12054, 1995). The increased sensitivity resulting from these improvements makes it possible to analyze the size distribution of broken DNA molecules immediately after the introduction of DSBs and after repair incubation. This analysis shows that the distribution of broken DNA pieces after exposure to sparsely ionizing radiation is consistent with the distribution expected from randomly induced DSBs. It is apparent from the distribution of rejoined DNA pieces after repair incubation that DNA ends continue to rejoin between 3 and 24 h postirradiation and that some of these rejoining events are in fact misrejoining events, since novel restriction fragments both larger and smaller than the original fragment are generated after repair. This improved assay was also used to study the kinetics of DSB rejoining and the extent of misrejoining in identical DNA sequences in human GM38 cells and human-hamster hybrid A(L) cells containing a single human chromosome 11. Despite the numerous differences between these cells, which include species and tissue of origin, levels of TP53, expression of telomerase, and the presence or absence of a homologous chromosome for the restriction fragments examined, the kinetics of rejoining of radiation-induced DSBs and the extent of misrejoining were similar in the two cell lines when studied in the G(1) phase of the cell cycle. Furthermore, DSBs were removed from the single-copy human chromosome in the hamster A(L) cells with similar kinetics and misrejoining frequency as at a locus on this hybrid's CHO chromosomes.

[Can gene transfer be used to modify the response to radiotherapy?]

Several recent studies suggest that gene transfer can be combined with irradiation to increase anti-tumor efficacy. Among genes of particular interest to be used in this combined approach are those involved in the regulation of radiation-induced lethality (apoptosis, DNA repair). Some additional aspects appear to be relatively specific to these combinations, such as the type of vector to be used (anaerobic bacteria) or the type of promoter (radio-inducible promoters). The first results obtained in mice bearing human xenograft tumors, combining gene transfer and irradiation, are encouraging, but no clinical study has been performed so far. Finally it should be pointed out, in this area as well as in cancer gene therapy in general, that progress in gene vectorisation is mandatory to optimize gene distribution within the tumor.

The DNA-bending protein, HMG1, is required for correct cleavage of 23 bp recombination signal sequences by recombination activating gene proteins in vitro

DNA-bending proteins are known to facilitate the in vitro V(D)J joining of antigen receptor genes. Here we report that the high-mobility group protein, HMG1, is necessary for the correct nicking of the 23 bp recombination signal sequence (23-RSS) by the recombination [corrected] activating gene (RAG) proteins, RAG1 and RAG2. Without HMG1, the mouse Jkappa1 23-RSS was recognized as if it were the 12-RSS and nicked at a site 12 + 7 nucleotides away from the 9mer signal, even though no 7mer-like sequence was evident at the cryptic nicking site. When increased amounts of HMG1 were added, the 23-RSS substrate was nicked correctly at a site 23 + 7 nucleotides from the 9mer, and nicking at the cryptic site disappeared. Unlike the 23-RSS, the 12-RSS did not require HMG1 for correct nicking, although HMG1 was found to increase the interaction between RSS and RAG proteins. Modification-interference assays demonstrated that HMG1 caused changes in the interaction between the 23-RSS and RAG proteins specifically at the 7mer and the cryptic nicking site.

Interplay of p53 and DNA-repair protein XRCC4 in tumorigenesis, genomic stability and development

XRCC4 is a non-homologous end-joining protein employed in DNA double strand break repair and in V(D)J recombination. In mice, XRCC4-deficiency causes a pleiotropic phenotype, which includes embryonic lethality and massive neuronal apoptosis. When DNA damage is not repaired, activation of the cell cycle checkpoint protein p53 can lead to apoptosis. Here we show that p53-deficiency rescues several aspects of the XRCC4-deficient phenotype, including embryonic lethality, neuronal apoptosis, and impaired cellular proliferation. However, there was no significant rescue of impaired V(D)J recombination or lymphocyte development. Although p53-deficiency allowed postnatal survival of XRCC4-deficient mice, they routinely succumbed to pro-B-cell lymphomas which had chromosomal translocations linking amplified c-myc oncogene and IgH locus sequences. Moreover, even XRCC4-deficient embryonic fibroblasts exhibited marked genomic instability including chromosomal translocations. Our findings support a crucial role for the non-homologous end-joining pathway as a caretaker of the mammalian genome, a role required both for normal development and for suppression of tumours.

Metabolism of recombination coding ends in scid cells

V(D)J recombination cleavage generates two types of dsDNA breaks: blunt signal ends and covalently sealed hairpin coding ends. Although signal ends can be directly ligated to form signal joints, hairpin coding ends need to be opened and subsequently processed before being joined. However, the underlying mechanism of coding end resolution remains undefined. The current study attempts to delineate this process by analyzing various structures of coding ends made in situ from recombination-inducible pre-B cell lines of both normal and scid mice. These cell lines were derived by transformation of B cell precursors with the temperature-sensitive Abelson murine leukemia virus. Our kinetic analysis revealed that under conditions permissive to scid transformants, hairpin coding ends could be nicked to generate 3' overhangs and then processed into blunt ends. The final joining of these blunt ends followed the same kinetics as signal joint formation. The course of this process is in sharp contrast to coding end resolution in scid heterozygous transformants that express the catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase, in which hairpin end opening, processing, and joining proceeded very rapidly and appeared to be closely linked. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the opening of hairpin ends in scid cells could be manipulated by different culture conditions, which ultimately influenced not only the level and integrity of the newly formed coding joints, but also the extent of microhomology at the coding junctions. These results are discussed in the context of scid leaky recombination.

Chromosome breaks and genomic instability

Tumorigenesis is known to result from multiple genetic changes. Although endogenous and environmental insults can damage DNA, cellular mechanisms exist to repair various forms of damage or to kill those cells irreparably damaged. Hence, the accumulation of numerous genetic changes that would lead to cancer in normal cells is extremely rare. Nevertheless, disruption of a DNA repair pathway has the potential to expedite tumorigenesis by resulting in a cell that is hypermutable. Multiple pathways exist to repair the various forms of DNA damage that can cause mutagenesis. Recent studies have demonstrated a key role for homologous recombination in DNA repair, in particular in the repair chromosomal double-strand breaks. This review summarizes those studies and discusses how disruption of homologous recombination pathways can create genetic instability.

Neonatal lethality with abnormal neurogenesis in mice deficient in DNA polymerase beta

DNA polymerase beta (Polbeta) has been implicated in base excision repair in mammalian cells. However, the physiological significance of this enzyme in the body remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that mice carrying a targeted disruption of the Polbeta gene showed growth retardation and died of a respiratory failure immediately after the birth. Histological examination of the embryos revealed defective neurogenesis characterized by apoptotic cell death in the developing central and peripheral nervous systems. Extensive cell death occurred in newly generated post-mitotic neuronal cells and was closely associated with the period between onset and cessation of neurogenesis. These findings indicate that Polbeta plays an essential role in neural development.

The catalytic subunit DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs) facilitates recovery from radiation-induced inhibition of DNA replication

Exposure of cells to ionizing radiation inhibits DNA replication in a dose-dependent manner. The dose response is biphasic and the initial steep component reflects inhibition of replicon initiation thought to be mediated by activation of the S-phase checkpoint. In mammalian cells, inhibition of replicon initiation requires the ataxia telagiectasia mutated ( ATM ) gene, a member of the phosphatidyl inositol kinase-like (PIKL) family of protein kinases. We studied the effect on replicon initiation of another member of the PI-3 family of protein kinases, the catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs) by measuring either total DNA synthesis, or size distribution of nascent DNA using alkaline sucrose gradient centrifugation. Exposure of human cells proficient in DNA-PKcs (HeLa or M059-K) to 10 Gy inhibited replicon initiation in a time-dependent manner. Inhibition was at a maximum 1 h after irradiation and recovered at later times. Similar treatment of human cells deficient in DNA-PKcs (M059-J) inhibited replicon initiation to a similar level and with similar kinetics; however, no evidence for recovery, or only limited recovery, was observed for up to 8 h after irradiation. In addition a defect was observed in the maturation of nascent DNA. Similarly, a Chinese hamster cell line deficient in DNA-PKcs (irs-20) showed little evidence for recovery of DNA replication inhibition up to 6 h after irradiation, whereas the parental CHO cells showed significant recovery and an irs-20 derivative expressing the human DNA-PKcs complete recovery within 4 h. Normal kinetics of recovery were observed in xrs-5 cells, deficient in Ku80; in 180BR cells, deficient in DNA ligase IV; as well as XR-1 cells, deficient in XRCC4, an accessory factor of DNA ligase IV. Since all these cell lines share the DNA double strand break rejoining defect of M059-J and irs20 cells, the lack of recovery of DNA replication in the latter cells may not be attributed entirely to the prolonged presence of unrepaired DNA dsb. We propose that DNA-PKcs, in addition to its functions in the rejoining of DNA dsb and in DNA replication, also operates in a pathway that in normal cells facilitates recovery of DNA replication after irradiation.

Induction of light chain replacement in human plasma cells by caffeine is independent from both the upregulation of RAG protein expression and germ line transcription

When some human plasma cell lines are cultured with concanavalin A, the original light chain is replaced with another light chain which results from secondary VJ recombination (light chain shifting). We examined various intracellular factors involved in the induction of light chain shifting. Light chain shifting can be induced upon treatment with agents with phosphatase inhibitory activity such as caffeine and okadaic acid. Although the plasma cells used express both RAG-1 and RAG-2, the expression level of these proteins was not affected by caffeine or okadaic acid. Transcription of the germ line locus, which correlates to the locus activation for rearrangement, is also not influenced by phosphatase inhibition. However, the amount of signal broken-ended DNA intermediates generated during V(D)J rearrangement was shown to increase upon caffeine or okadaic acid treatment. The inhibitory activity of caffeine on phosphatase was the same as okadaic acid. However, caffeine exhibited much higher activity for VJ coding joint formation than okadaic acid. Therefore, although phosphatase inhibition might act, in part, on a mechanism by which V(D)J recombinase activity is regulated within the human plasma cells, other factor(s) are probably also involved in the process.

Analyses of TCRB rearrangements substantiate a profound deficit in recombination signal sequence joining in SCID foals: implications for the role of DNA-dependent protein kinase in V(D)J recombination

We reported previously that the genetic SCID disease observed in Arabian foals is explained by a defect in V(D)J recombination that profoundly affects both coding and signal end joining. As in C.B-17 SCID mice, the molecular defect in SCID foals is in the catalytic subunit of the DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKCS); however, in SCID mice, signal end resolution remains relatively intact. Moreover, recent reports indicate that mice that completely lack DNA-PKCS also generate signal joints at levels that are indistinguishable from those observed in C.B-17 SCID mice, eliminating the possibility that a partially active version of DNA-PKCS facilitates signal end resolution in SCID mice. We have analyzed TCRB rearrangements and find that signal joints are reduced by approximately 4 logs in equine SCID thymocytes as compared with normal horse thymocytes. A potential explanation for the differences between SCID mice and foals is that the mutant DNA-PKCS allele in SCID foals inhibits signal end resolution. We tested this hypothesis using DNA-PKCS expression vectors; in sum, we find no evidence of a dominant-negative effect by the mutant protein. These and other recent data are consistent with an emerging consensus: that in normal cells, DNA-PKCS participates in both coding and signal end resolution, but in the absence of DNA-PKCS an undefined end joining pathway (which is variably expressed in different species and cell types) can facilitate imperfect signal and coding end joining.

DNA damage-induced cell cycle checkpoints and DNA strand break repair in development and tumorigenesis

Several newly identified tumor suppressor genes including ATM, NBS1, BRCA1 and BRCA2 are involved in DNA double-strand break repair (DSBR) and DNA damage-induced checkpoint activation. Many of the gene products involved in checkpoint control and DSBR have been studied in great detail in yeast. In addition to evolutionarily conserved proteins such as Chk1 and Chk2, studies in mammalian cells have identified novel proteins such as p53 in executing checkpoint control. DSBR proteins including Mre11, Rad50, Rad51, Rad54, and Ku are present in yeast and in mammals. Many of the tumor suppressor gene products interact with these repair proteins as well as checkpoint regulators, thus providing a biochemical explanation for the pleiotropic phenotypes of mutant cells. This review focuses on the proteins mediating G1/S, S, and G2/M checkpoint control in mammalian cells. In addition, mammalian DSBR proteins and their activities are discussed. An intricate network among DNA damage signal transducers, cell cycle regulators and the DSBR pathways is illustrated. Mouse knockout models for genes involved in these processes have provided valuable insights into their function, establishing genomic instability as a major contributing factor in tumorigenesis.

Transposition mediated by RAG1 and RAG2 and the evolution of the adaptive immune system

The RAG1 and RAG2 proteins together initiate V(D)J recombination by performing cleavage of chromosomal DNA adjacent to antigen receptor gene segments. Like the adaptive immune system itself, RAG1 and RAG2 are found only in jawed vertebrates. The hypothesis that RAG1 and RAG2 arose in evolution as components of a transposable element has received dramatic support from our recent finding that the RAG proteins are a fully functional transposase in vitro. This result strongly suggests that antigen receptor genes acquired their unusual structure as a consequence of the insertion of a transposable element into an ancestral receptor gene by RAG1 and RAG2 approx 450 million years ago.

Megabase chromatin domains involved in DNA double-strand breaks in vivo

The loss of chromosomal integrity from DNA double-strand breaks introduced into mammalian cells by ionizing radiation results in the specific phosphorylation of histone H2AX on serine residue 139, yielding a specific modified form named gamma-H2AX. An antibody prepared to the unique region of human gamma-H2AX shows that H2AX homologues are phosphorylated not only in irradiated mammalian cells but also in irradiated cells from other species, including Xenopus laevis, Drosophila melanogaster, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The antibody reveals that gamma-H2AX appears as discrete nuclear foci within 1 min after exposure of cells to ionizing radiation. The numbers of these foci are comparable to the numbers of induced DNA double-strand breaks. When DNA double-strand breaks are introduced into specific partial nuclear volumes of cells by means of a pulsed microbeam laser, gamma-H2AX foci form at these sites. In mitotic cells from cultures exposed to nonlethal amounts of ionizing radiation, gamma-H2AX foci form band-like structures on chromosome arms and on the end of broken arms. These results offer direct visual confirmation that gamma-H2AX forms en masse at chromosomal sites of DNA double-strand breaks. The results further suggest the possible existence of units of higher order chromatin structure involved in monitoring DNA integrity.

RAG and RAG defects

Products of the recombination-activating gene (RAG) play a crucial role in lymphoid cell development. During the past year, the functional properties of RAG protein domains have been better defined. Some mutations that alter the amino acid sequence of RAG1 or RAG2 have been shown to disturb B cell generation and to partially disturb T cell generation, resulting in Omenn syndrome in humans; moreover, peripheral re-expression of RAGs indicates their role in lymphoid cell homeostasis.

Modulation of Terminal Deoxynucleotidyltransferase Activity by the DNA-Dependent Protein Kinase

Rare Ig and TCR coding joints can be isolated from mice that have a targeted deletion in the gene encoding the 86-kDa subunit of the Ku heterodimer, the regulatory subunit of the DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK). However in the coding joints isolated from Ku86−/− animals, there is an extreme paucity of N regions (the random nucleotides added during V(D)J recombination by the enzyme TdT). This finding is consistent with a decreased frequency of coding joints containing N regions isolated from C.B-17 SCID mice that express a truncated form of the catalytic subunit of the DNA-PK (DNA-PKCS). This finding suggests an unexpected role for DNA-PK in addition of N nucleotides to coding ends during V(D)J recombination. In this report, we establish that TdT forms a stable complex with DNA-PK. Furthermore, we show that DNA-PK modulates TdT activity in vitro by limiting both the length and composition of nucleotide additions.

Identification of a defect in DNA ligase IV in a radiosensitive leukaemia patient

The major mechanism for the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in mammalian cells is non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ), a process that involves the DNA-dependent protein kinase [1] [2], XRCC4 and DNA ligase IV [3] [4] [5] [6]. Rodent cells and mice defective in these components are radiation-sensitive and defective in V(D)J-recombination, showing that NHEJ also functions to rejoin DSBs introduced during lymphocyte development [7] [8]. 180BR is a radiosensitive cell line defective in DSB repair, which was derived from a leukaemia patient who was highly sensitive to radiotherapy [9] [10] [11]. We have identified a mutation within a highly conserved motif encompassing the active site in DNA ligase IV from 180BR cells. The mutated protein is severely compromised in its ability to form a stable enzyme-adenylate complex, although residual activity can be detected at high ATP concentrations. Our results characterize the first patient with a defect in an NHEJ component and suggest that a significant defect in NHEJ that leads to pronounced radiosensitivity is compatible with normal human viability and does not cause any major immune dysfunction. The defect, however, may confer a predisposition to leukaemia.

Disruption of mRad50 causes embryonic stem cell lethality, abnormal embryonic development, and sensitivity to ionizing radiation

The Mre11/Rad50 protein complex functions in diverse aspects of the cellular response to double-strand breaks (DSBs), including the detection of DNA damage, the activation of cell cycle checkpoints, and DSB repair. Whereas genetic analyses in Saccharomyces cerevisiae have provided insight regarding DSB repair functions of this highly conserved complex, the implication of the human complex in Nijmegen breakage syndrome reveals its role in cell cycle checkpoint functions. We established mRad50 mutant mice to examine the role of the mammalian Mre11/Rad50 protein complex in the DNA damage response. Early embryonic cells deficient in mRad50 are hypersensitive to ionizing radiation, consistent with a role for this complex in the repair of ionizing radiation-induced DSBs. However, the null mrad50 mutation is lethal in cultured embryonic stem cells and in early developing embryos, indicating that the mammalian Mre11/Rad50 protein complex mediates functions in normally growing cells that are essential for viability.

DNA-PK, the DNA-activated protein kinase, is differentially expressed in normal and malignant human tissues

DNA-PK is a nuclear, serine/threonine protein kinase required for repairing DNA double-strand breaks and for V(D)J recombination. To determine the distribution of DNA-PK in human tissues, we assayed paraffin-embedded sections of normal and cancerous tissues for DNA-PKcs and Ku80 by immunohistochemistry. We also assayed for Brca2, a human tumor suppressor gene that is implicated in the repair of DNA strand-breaks. Brca2 was strongly expressed in epithelial cells of the breast, endometrium, and thymus, in tingible body macrophages of follicular germinal centers of lymphoid tissue, and in reticuloendothelial cells in the spleen. DNA-PKcs and Ku80 expression was usually parallel, but both were expressed in a highly cell- and tissue-specific manner. The highest levels were observed in spermatogenic cells (but not in spermatozoa), and in neurons and glial cells of the central and autonomic nervous system. Neither protein was consistently expressed in liver nor in resting mammary epithelium, but lactating breast epithelium was strongly positive for DNA-PKcs and Ku80. In contrast to established human cell cultures, expression between cells in the same tissue was highly selective in the epidermis, exocrine pancreas, renal glomeruli, the red pulp of the spleen, and within cellular compartments of tonsils, lymph nodes, and thymus. Most cancerous tissues were consistently positive for DNA-PKcs and Ku80, except invasive carcinoma of the breast. DNA-PKcs, Ku80, and Ku70 mRNAs were expressed in all normal tissues with relatively little variation in levels. Our results suggest that the apparent absence of DNA-PKcs and Ku80 from some cells or tissues is a consequence of post-transcriptional mechanisms that regulate protein levels.

Nbs1 potentiates ATP-driven DNA unwinding and endonuclease cleavage by the Mre11/Rad50 complex

The Nijmegen breakage syndrome gene product (Nbs1) was shown recently to associate in vivo with the Mre11 and Rad50 proteins, which play pivotal roles in eukaryotic DNA double-strand break repair, meiotic recombination, and telomere maintenance. We show in this work that the triple complex of recombinant Nbs1, Mre11, and Rad50 proteins binds cooperatively to DNA and forms a distinct protein-DNA species. The Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 complex displays several enzymatic activities that are not seen without Nbs1, including partial unwinding of a DNA duplex and efficient cleavage of fully paired hairpins. Unwinding and hairpin cleavage are both increased by the presence of ATP. On nonhairpin DNA ends, ATP controls a switch in endonuclease specificity that allows Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 to cleave a 3'-protruding strand at a double-/single-strand transition. Mutational analysis demonstrates that Rad50 is responsible for ATP binding by the complex, but the ATP-dependent activities are expressed only with Nbs1 present.

Ku, a DNA repair protein with multiple cellular functions?

The Ku protein binds to DNA ends and other types of discontinuity in double-stranded DNA. It is a tightly associated heterodimer of approximately 70 kDa and approximately 80 kDa subunits that together with the approximately 470 kDa catalytic subunit, DNA-PKcs, form the DNA-dependent protein kinase. This enzyme is involved in repairing DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) caused, for example, by physiological oxidation reactions, V(D)J recombination, ionizing radiation and certain chemotherapeutic drugs. The Ku-dependent repair process, called illegitimate recombination or nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ), appears to be the main DNA DSB repair mechanism in mammalian cells. Ku itself is probably involved in stabilizing broken DNA ends, bringing them together and preparing them for ligation. Ku also recruits DNA-PKcs to the DSB, activating its kinase function. Targeted disruption of the genes encoding Ku70 and Ku80 has identified significant differences between Ku-deficient mice and DNA-PKcs-deficient mice. Although all three gene products are clearly involved in repairing ionizing radiation-induced damage and in V(D)J recombination, Ku-knockout mice are small, and their cells fail to proliferate in culture and show signs of premature senescence. Recent findings have implicated yeast Ku in telomeric structure in addition to NHEJ. Some of the phenotypes of the Ku-knockout mice may indicate a similar role for Ku at mammalian telomeres.

Southwestern Athabaskan (Navajo and Apache) genetic diseases

PURPOSE

Four apparently unique disorders are known among the Southwestern Athabasan Amerindians, i.e., the Navajo and Apache; they are Athabaskan severe combined immunodeficiency, Navajo neuropathy, Navajo poikiloderma, and Athabaskan brainstem dysgenesis. This study reviews background information on Athabaskan groups and clinical descriptions of these recessive disorders.

METHODS

The major clinical findings of these four disorders are reviewed. In addition, the findings of epidemiological surveys are included where available.

RESULTS

Although the importance of genetic bottlenecks in increasing the frequency of rare, sometimes unique, autosomal recessive disorders is known for a number of populations, similar phenomena among Native Americans seem to be less well known.

CONCLUSION

As many more Native Americans move off the Reservation, the awareness of susceptibility to particular genetic diseases needs to be more widely disseminated.

A role for DNA-PK in retroviral DNA integration

Retroviral DNA integration is catalyzed by the viral protein integrase. Here, it is shown that DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), a host cell protein, also participates in the reaction. DNA-PK-deficient murine scid cells infected with three different retroviruses showed a substantial reduction in retroviral DNA integration and died by apoptosis. Scid cell killing was not observed after infection with an integrase-defective virus, suggesting that abortive integration is the trigger for death in these DNA repair-deficient cells. These results suggest that the initial events in retroviral integration are detected as DNA damage by the host cell and that completion of the integration process requires the DNA-PK-mediated repair pathway.

DNA binding of Xrcc4 protein is associated with V(D)J recombination but not with stimulation of DNA ligase IV activity

Mammalian cells are protected from the effects of DNA double-strand breaks by end-joining repair. Cells lacking the Xrcc4 protein are hypersensitive to agents that induce DNA double-strand breaks, and are unable to complete V(D)J recombination. The residual repair of broken DNA ends in XRCC4-deficient cells requires short sequence homologies, thus possibly implicating Xrcc4 in end alignment. We show that Xrcc4 binds DNA, and prefers DNA with nicks or broken ends. Xrcc4 also binds to DNA ligase IV and enhances its joining activity. This stimulatory effect is shown to occur at the adenylation of the enzyme. DNA binding of Xrcc4 is correlated with its complementation of the V(D)J recombination defects in XRCC4-deficient cells, but is not required for stimulation of DNA ligase IV. Thus, the ability of Xrcc4 to bind to DNA suggests functions independent of DNA ligase IV.

Nucleotide pool imbalance and adenosine deaminase deficiency induce alterations of N-region insertions during V(D)J recombination

Template-independent nucleotide additions (N regions) generated at sites of V(D)J recombination by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) increase the diversity of antigen receptors. Two inborn errors of purine metabolism, deficiencies of adenosine deaminase (ADA) and purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP), result in defective lymphoid development and aberrant pools of 2'-deoxynucleotides that are substrates for TdT in lymphoid precursors. We have asked whether selective increases in dATP or dGTP pools result in altered N regions in an extrachromosomal substrate transfected into T-cell or pre-B-cell lines. Exposure of the transfected cells to 2'-deoxyadenosine and an ADA inhibitor increased the dATP pool and resulted in a marked increase in A-T insertions at recombination junctions, with an overall decreased frequency of V(D)J recombination. Sequence analysis of VH-DH-JH junctions from the IgM locus in B-cell lines from ADA-deficient patients demonstrated an increase in A-T insertions equivalent to that found in the transfected cells. In contrast, elevation of dGTP pools, as would occur in PNP deficiency, did not alter the already rich G-C content of N regions. We conclude that the frequency of V(D)J recombination and the composition of N-insertions are influenced by increases in dATP levels, potentially leading to alterations in antigen receptors and aberrant lymphoid development. Alterations in N-region insertions may contribute to the B-cell dysfunction associated with ADA deficiency.

Serum starvation induced secondary V lambda J lambda rearrangement in a human plasma B cell line

HB4C5 is a human antibody producing plasma B cell line that expresses the recombination activating gene-1 (RAG-1) and RAG-2 constitutively, but undergoes few secondary immunoglobulin gene rearrangements when cultured in fetal bovine serum-containing medium. Here, we found that depletion of serum from the culture media induces secondary VlambdaJlambda rearrangement in this cell line. To investigate the induction mechanism of secondary VlambdaJlambda rearrangement, we assessed the expression levels of RAG-1 and RAG-2 products, Vlambda germline transcription level and the amount of Vlambda signal broken ends (SBE) in HB4C5 cells cultured in serum-supplemented or serum-free medium. Western-blot analysis showed that the expression level for the RAG-1 and RAG-2 proteins was not affected by the serum depletion. Vlambda germline transcript was found to be constitutively expressed in HB4C5 cell line and this transcription level was not affected by the lack of serum. On the other hand, the amount of Vlambda SBE was shown to be increased in HB4C5 cells cultured in serum-free medium, suggesting that this increased formation of Vlambda SBE at least partly contributed to the enhanced occurrence of secondary VlambdaJlambda rearrangement in HB4C5 cells cultured in the serum-free condition. These results indicate that expression of RAG proteins and Vlambda germline transcription is not enough to undergo secondary VlambdaJlambda rearrangement in this cell line.

Double strand break rejoining by the Ku-dependent mechanism of non-homologous end-joining

The DNA-dependent protein kinase functions in the repair of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) and in V(D)J recombination. To gain insight into the function of DNA-PK in this process we have carried out a mutation analysis of Ku80 and DNA-PKcs. Mutations at multiple sites within the N-terminal two thirds of Ku80 result in loss of Ku70/80 interaction, loss of DNA end-binding activity and inability to complement Ku80 defective cell lines. In contrast, mutations in the carboxy terminal region of the protein do not impair DNA end-binding activity but decrease the ability of Ku to activate DNA-PK. To gain insight into important functional domains within DNA-PKcs, we have analysed defective mutants, including the mouse scid cell line, and the rodent mutants, irs-20 and V-3. Mutational changes in the carboxy terminal region have been identified in all cases. Our results strongly suggest that the C-terminus of DNA-PKcs is required for kinase activity.