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Mirceta M, Shum N, Schmidt MHM, Pearson CE. Fragile sites, chromosomal lesions, tandem repeats, and disease. Front Genet 2022; 13:985975. [PMID: 36468036 PMCID: PMC9714581 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.985975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Expanded tandem repeat DNAs are associated with various unusual chromosomal lesions, despiralizations, multi-branched inter-chromosomal associations, and fragile sites. Fragile sites cytogenetically manifest as localized gaps or discontinuities in chromosome structure and are an important genetic, biological, and health-related phenomena. Common fragile sites (∼230), present in most individuals, are induced by aphidicolin and can be associated with cancer; of the 27 molecularly-mapped common sites, none are associated with a particular DNA sequence motif. Rare fragile sites ( ≳ 40 known), ≤ 5% of the population (may be as few as a single individual), can be associated with neurodevelopmental disease. All 10 molecularly-mapped folate-sensitive fragile sites, the largest category of rare fragile sites, are caused by gene-specific CGG/CCG tandem repeat expansions that are aberrantly CpG methylated and include FRAXA, FRAXE, FRAXF, FRA2A, FRA7A, FRA10A, FRA11A, FRA11B, FRA12A, and FRA16A. The minisatellite-associated rare fragile sites, FRA10B, FRA16B, can be induced by AT-rich DNA-ligands or nucleotide analogs. Despiralized lesions and multi-branched inter-chromosomal associations at the heterochromatic satellite repeats of chromosomes 1, 9, 16 are inducible by de-methylating agents like 5-azadeoxycytidine and can spontaneously arise in patients with ICF syndrome (Immunodeficiency Centromeric instability and Facial anomalies) with mutations in genes regulating DNA methylation. ICF individuals have hypomethylated satellites I-III, alpha-satellites, and subtelomeric repeats. Ribosomal repeats and subtelomeric D4Z4 megasatellites/macrosatellites, are associated with chromosome location, fragility, and disease. Telomere repeats can also assume fragile sites. Dietary deficiencies of folate or vitamin B12, or drug insults are associated with megaloblastic and/or pernicious anemia, that display chromosomes with fragile sites. The recent discovery of many new tandem repeat expansion loci, with varied repeat motifs, where motif lengths can range from mono-nucleotides to megabase units, could be the molecular cause of new fragile sites, or other chromosomal lesions. This review focuses on repeat-associated fragility, covering their induction, cytogenetics, epigenetics, cell type specificity, genetic instability (repeat instability, micronuclei, deletions/rearrangements, and sister chromatid exchange), unusual heritability, disease association, and penetrance. Understanding tandem repeat-associated chromosomal fragile sites provides insight to chromosome structure, genome packaging, genetic instability, and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mila Mirceta
- Program of Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Program of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Natalie Shum
- Program of Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Program of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Monika H. M. Schmidt
- Program of Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Program of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Christopher E. Pearson
- Program of Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Program of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Gerbault-Seureau M, Fuchs J, Dutrillaux B. High BrdU Sensitivity of Passeriformes Chromosomes: Conservation of BrdU-Sensitive Fragile Sites on Their Z Chromosomes during Evolution. Cytogenet Genome Res 2019; 157:158-165. [PMID: 30974432 DOI: 10.1159/000499590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Amongst 15 bird species, representative of 7 orders, recurrent breakages evocating the presence of fragile sites were detected in the chromosomes of the 5 species belonging to Passeriformes. These breaks appeared when 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) was added to the cell culture medium at a dose inefficient for inducing chromosome structure alterations in other birds and mammals. They involved, similarly in male and female, 3 loci on the Z chromosome of 3 Turdus species (Turdidae). Labeling by BrdU antibody confirmed the correlation between BrdU incorporation into DNA and breakage, especially around and in the sites of breakage. Thus, 3 BrdU-sensitive fragile sites were present in the Z chromosomes of these birds. Three fragile sites were also detected at different locations in the Z chromosomes of the European robin (Erithacus rubecula, Muscicapidae), suggesting that a structural rearrangement occurred during the evolution of Turdidae and Muscicapidae. Chromosome banding confirmed this interpretation. Finally, in the more distantly related species Parus major (Paridae), the almost acrocentric Z chromosome displayed a single BrdU-sensitive fragile site in its short arm, and the W appeared to be pulverized by BrdU incorporation. Although it cannot be excluded that the BrdU-sensitive fragile sites may be involved in rearrangements, their conservation in many species, and possibly all Passeriformes, provides evidence that they do not constitute a pejorative character during evolution.
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Feng W, Chakraborty A. Fragility Extraordinaire: Unsolved Mysteries of Chromosome Fragile Sites. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2017; 1042:489-526. [PMID: 29357071 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-10-6955-0_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Chromosome fragile sites are a fascinating cytogenetic phenomenon now widely implicated in a slew of human diseases ranging from neurological disorders to cancer. Yet, the paths leading to these revelations were far from direct, and the number of fragile sites that have been molecularly cloned with known disease-associated genes remains modest. Moreover, as more fragile sites were being discovered, research interests in some of the earliest discovered fragile sites ebbed away, leaving a number of unsolved mysteries in chromosome biology. In this review we attempt to recount some of the early discoveries of fragile sites and highlight those phenomena that have eluded intense scrutiny but remain extremely relevant in our understanding of the mechanisms of chromosome fragility. We then survey the literature for disease association for a comprehensive list of fragile sites. We also review recent studies addressing the underlying cause of chromosome fragility while highlighting some ongoing debates. We report an observed enrichment for R-loop forming sequences in fragile site-associated genes than genomic average. Finally, we will leave the reader with some lingering questions to provoke discussion and inspire further scientific inquiries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyi Feng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
| | - Arijita Chakraborty
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
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Georgakilas AG, Tsantoulis P, Kotsinas A, Michalopoulos I, Townsend P, Gorgoulis VG. Are common fragile sites merely structural domains or highly organized "functional" units susceptible to oncogenic stress? Cell Mol Life Sci 2014; 71:4519-44. [PMID: 25238782 PMCID: PMC4232749 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-014-1717-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2014] [Accepted: 08/28/2014] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Common fragile sites (CFSs) are regions of the genome with a predisposition to DNA double-strand breaks in response to intrinsic (oncogenic) or extrinsic replication stress. CFS breakage is a common feature in carcinogenesis from its earliest stages. Given that a number of oncogenes and tumor suppressors are located within CFSs, a question that emerges is whether fragility in these regions is only a structural “passive” incident or an event with a profound biological effect. Furthermore, there is sparse evidence that other elements, like non-coding RNAs, are positioned with them. By analyzing data from various libraries, like miRbase and ENCODE, we show a prevalence of various cancer-related genes, miRNAs, and regulatory binding sites, such as CTCF within CFSs. We propose that CFSs are not only susceptible structural domains, but highly organized “functional” entities that when targeted, severe repercussion for cell homeostasis occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandros G Georgakilas
- Physics Department, School of Applied Mathematical and Physical Sciences, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), Zografou, 15780, Athens, Greece
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