1
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Mullins EA, Salay LE, Durie CL, Bradley NP, Jackman JE, Ohi MD, Chazin WJ, Eichman BF. A mechanistic model of primer synthesis from catalytic structures of DNA polymerase α-primase. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024; 31:777-790. [PMID: 38491139 PMCID: PMC11102853 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01227-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
The mechanism by which polymerase α-primase (polα-primase) synthesizes chimeric RNA-DNA primers of defined length and composition, necessary for replication fidelity and genome stability, is unknown. Here, we report cryo-EM structures of Xenopus laevis polα-primase in complex with primed templates representing various stages of DNA synthesis. Our data show how interaction of the primase regulatory subunit with the primer 5' end facilitates handoff of the primer to polα and increases polα processivity, thereby regulating both RNA and DNA composition. The structures detail how flexibility within the heterotetramer enables synthesis across two active sites and provide evidence that termination of DNA synthesis is facilitated by reduction of polα and primase affinities for the varied conformations along the chimeric primer-template duplex. Together, these findings elucidate a critical catalytic step in replication initiation and provide a comprehensive model for primer synthesis by polα-primase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elwood A Mullins
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Lauren E Salay
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Clarissa L Durie
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Noah P Bradley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jane E Jackman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Melanie D Ohi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Walter J Chazin
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Brandt F Eichman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.
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2
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Manthei KA, Munson LM, Nandakumar J, Simmons LA. Structural and biochemical characterization of the mitomycin C repair exonuclease MrfB. Nucleic Acids Res 2024:gkae308. [PMID: 38661211 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Mitomycin C (MMC) repair factor A (mrfA) and factor B (mrfB), encode a conserved helicase and exonuclease that repair DNA damage in the soil-dwelling bacterium Bacillus subtilis. Here we have focused on the characterization of MrfB, a DEDDh exonuclease in the DnaQ superfamily. We solved the structure of the exonuclease core of MrfB to a resolution of 2.1 Å, in what appears to be an inactive state. In this conformation, a predicted α-helix containing the catalytic DEDDh residue Asp172 adopts a random coil, which moves Asp172 away from the active site and results in the occupancy of only one of the two catalytic Mg2+ ions. We propose that MrfB resides in this inactive state until it interacts with DNA to become activated. By comparing our structure to an AlphaFold prediction as well as other DnaQ-family structures, we located residues hypothesized to be important for exonuclease function. Using exonuclease assays we show that MrfB is a Mg2+-dependent 3'-5' DNA exonuclease. We show that Leu113 aids in coordinating the 3' end of the DNA substrate, and that a basic loop is important for substrate binding. This work provides insight into the function of a recently discovered bacterial exonuclease important for the repair of MMC-induced DNA adducts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly A Manthei
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Lia M Munson
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jayakrishnan Nandakumar
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Lyle A Simmons
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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3
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Alanazi AFR, Parkinson GN, Haider S. Structural Motifs at the Telomeres and Their Role in Regulatory Pathways. Biochemistry 2024; 63:827-842. [PMID: 38481135 PMCID: PMC10993422 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.4c00023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Telomeres are specialized structures, found at the ends of linear chromosomes in eukaryotic cells, that play a crucial role in maintaining the stability and integrity of genomes. They are composed of repetitive DNA sequences, ssDNA overhangs, and several associated proteins. The length of telomeres is linked to cellular aging in humans, and deficiencies in their maintenance are associated with various diseases. Key structural motifs at the telomeres serve to protect vulnerable chromosomal ends. Telomeric DNA also has the ability to form diverse complex DNA higher-order structures, including T-loops, D-loops, R-loops, G-loops, G-quadruplexes, and i-motifs, in the complementary C-rich strand. While many essential proteins at telomeres have been identified, the intricacies of their interactions and structural details are still not fully understood. This Perspective highlights recent advancements in comprehending the structures associated with human telomeres. It emphasizes the significance of telomeres, explores various telomeric structural motifs, and delves into the structural biology surrounding telomeres and telomerase. Furthermore, telomeric loops, their topologies, and the associated proteins that contribute to the safeguarding of telomeres are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abeer F R Alanazi
- UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, London WC1N 1AX, United Kingdom
| | - Gary N Parkinson
- UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, London WC1N 1AX, United Kingdom
| | - Shozeb Haider
- UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, London WC1N 1AX, United Kingdom
- UCL Centre for Advanced Research Computing, University College London, London WC1H 9RN, United Kingdom
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4
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Yin Z, Kilkenny ML, Ker DS, Pellegrini L. CryoEM insights into RNA primer synthesis by the human primosome. FEBS J 2024; 291:1813-1829. [PMID: 38335062 DOI: 10.1111/febs.17082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Eukaryotic DNA replication depends on the primosome - a complex of DNA polymerase alpha (Pol α) and primase - to initiate DNA synthesis by polymerisation of an RNA-DNA primer. Primer synthesis requires the tight coordination of primase and polymerase activities. Recent cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) analyses have elucidated the extensive conformational transitions required for RNA primer handover between primase and Pol α and primer elongation by Pol α. Because of the intrinsic flexibility of the primosome, however, structural information about the initiation of RNA primer synthesis is still lacking. Here, we capture cryoEM snapshots of the priming reaction to reveal the conformational trajectory of the human primosome that brings DNA primase subunits 1 and 2 (PRIM1 and PRIM2, respectively) together, poised for RNA synthesis. Furthermore, we provide experimental evidence for the continuous association of primase subunit PRIM2 with the RNA primer during primer synthesis, and for how both initiation and termination of RNA primer polymerisation are licenced by specific rearrangements of DNA polymerase alpha catalytic subunit (POLA1), the polymerase subunit of Pol α. Our findings fill a critical gap in our understanding of the conformational changes that underpin the synthesis of the RNA primer by the primosome. Together with existing evidence, they provide a complete description of the structural dynamics of the human primosome during DNA replication initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhan Yin
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, UK
| | | | - De-Sheng Ker
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, UK
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5
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Baranovskiy AG, Morstadt LM, Babayeva ND, Tahirov TH. Human primosome requires replication protein A when copying DNA with inverted repeats. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.11.584335. [PMID: 38559116 PMCID: PMC10979909 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.11.584335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The human primosome, a four-subunit complex of primase and DNA polymerase alpha (Polα), initiates DNA synthesis on both chromosome strands by generating chimeric RNA-DNA primers for loading DNA polymerases delta and epsilon (Polε). Replication protein A (RPA) tightly binds to single-stranded DNA strands, protecting them from nucleolytic digestion and unauthorized transactions. We report here that RPA plays a critical role for the human primosome during DNA synthesis across inverted repeats prone to hairpin formation. On other alternatively structured DNA forming a G-quadruplex, RPA provides no assistance for primosome. A stimulatory effect of RPA on DNA synthesis across hairpins was also observed for the catalytic domain of Polα but not of Polε. The important factors for an efficient hairpin bypass by primosome are the high affinity of RPA to DNA based on four DNA-binding domains and the interaction of the winged-helix-turn-helix domain of RPA with Polα. Binding studies indicate that this interaction stabilizes the RPA/Polα complex on the primed template. This work provides insight into a cooperative action of RPA and primosome on DNA, which is critical for DNA synthesis across inverted repeats.
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6
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Takai H, Aria V, Borges P, Yeeles JTP, de Lange T. CST-polymerase α-primase solves a second telomere end-replication problem. Nature 2024; 627:664-670. [PMID: 38418884 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07137-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Telomerase adds G-rich telomeric repeats to the 3' ends of telomeres1, counteracting telomere shortening caused by loss of telomeric 3' overhangs during leading-strand DNA synthesis ('the end-replication problem'2). Here we report a second end-replication problem that originates from the incomplete duplication of the C-rich telomeric repeat strand (C-strand) by lagging-strand DNA synthesis. This problem is resolved by fill-in synthesis mediated by polymerase α-primase bound to Ctc1-Stn1-Ten1 (CST-Polα-primase). In vitro, priming for lagging-strand DNA replication does not occur on the 3' overhang and lagging-strand synthesis stops in a zone of approximately 150 nucleotides (nt) more than 26 nt from the end of the template. Consistent with the in vitro data, lagging-end telomeres of cells lacking CST-Polα-primase lost 50-60 nt of telomeric CCCTAA repeats per population doubling. The C-strands of leading-end telomeres shortened by around 100 nt per population doubling, reflecting the generation of 3' overhangs through resection. The measured overall C-strand shortening in the absence of CST-Polα-primase fill-in is consistent with the combined effects of incomplete lagging-strand synthesis and 5' resection at the leading ends. We conclude that canonical DNA replication creates two telomere end-replication problems that require telomerase to maintain the G-rich strand and CST-Polα-primase to maintain the C-strand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Takai
- Laboratory for Cell Biology and Genetics, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Valentina Aria
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Pamela Borges
- Laboratory for Cell Biology and Genetics, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joseph T P Yeeles
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Titia de Lange
- Laboratory for Cell Biology and Genetics, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
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7
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Olson CL, Wuttke DS. Guardians of the Genome: How the Single-Stranded DNA-Binding Proteins RPA and CST Facilitate Telomere Replication. Biomolecules 2024; 14:263. [PMID: 38540683 PMCID: PMC10968030 DOI: 10.3390/biom14030263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomeres act as the protective caps of eukaryotic linear chromosomes; thus, proper telomere maintenance is crucial for genome stability. Successful telomere replication is a cornerstone of telomere length regulation, but this process can be fraught due to the many intrinsic challenges telomeres pose to the replication machinery. In addition to the famous "end replication" problem due to the discontinuous nature of lagging strand synthesis, telomeres require various telomere-specific steps for maintaining the proper 3' overhang length. Bulk telomere replication also encounters its own difficulties as telomeres are prone to various forms of replication roadblocks. These roadblocks can result in an increase in replication stress that can cause replication forks to slow, stall, or become reversed. Ultimately, this leads to excess single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) that needs to be managed and protected for replication to continue and to prevent DNA damage and genome instability. RPA and CST are single-stranded DNA-binding protein complexes that play key roles in performing this task and help stabilize stalled forks for continued replication. The interplay between RPA and CST, their functions at telomeres during replication, and their specialized features for helping overcome replication stress at telomeres are the focus of this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conner L. Olson
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Deborah S. Wuttke
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
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8
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Manthei KA, Munson LM, Nandakumar J, Simmons LA. Structural and biochemical characterization of the mitomycin C repair exonuclease MrfB. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.15.580553. [PMID: 38405983 PMCID: PMC10889028 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.15.580553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Mitomycin C (MMC) repair factor A (mrfA) and factor B (mrfB), encode a conserved helicase and exonuclease that repair DNA damage in the soil-dwelling bacterium Bacillus subtilis. Here we have focused on the characterization of MrfB, a DEDDh exonuclease in the DnaQ superfamily. We solved the structure of the exonuclease core of MrfB to a resolution of 2.1 Å, in what appears to be an inactive state. In this conformation, a predicted α-helix containing the catalytic DEDDh residue Asp172 adopts a random coil, which moves Asp172 away from the active site and results in the occupancy of only one of the two catalytic Mg2+ ions. We propose that MrfB resides in this inactive state until it interacts with DNA to become activated. By comparing our structure to an AlphaFold prediction as well as other DnaQ-family structures, we located residues hypothesized to be important for exonuclease function. Using exonuclease assays we show that MrfB is a Mg2+-dependent 3'-5' DNA exonuclease. We show that Leu113 aids in coordinating the 3' end of the DNA substrate, and that a basic loop is important for substrate binding. This work provides insight into the function of a recently discovered bacterial exonuclease important for the repair of MMC-induced DNA adducts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly A. Manthei
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Lia M. Munson
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Jayakrishnan Nandakumar
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Lyle A. Simmons
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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9
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Abe KM, Lim CJ. Small LEA proteins as an effective air-water interface protectant for fragile samples during cryo-EM grid plunge freezing. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.06.579238. [PMID: 38370693 PMCID: PMC10871254 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.06.579238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Sample loss due to air-water interface (AWI) interactions is a significant challenge during cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) sample grid plunge freezing. We report that small Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins, which naturally bind to AWI, can protect samples from AWI damage during plunge freezing. This protection is demonstrated with two LEA proteins from nematodes and tardigrades, which rescued the cryo-EM structural determination outcome of two fragile multisubunit protein complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn M. Abe
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Ci Ji Lim
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
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10
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Takai H, Aria V, Borges P, Yeeles JTP, de Lange T. CST-Polymeraseα-primase solves a second telomere end-replication problem. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.10.26.564248. [PMID: 37961611 PMCID: PMC10634868 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.26.564248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Telomerase adds G-rich telomeric repeats to the 3' ends of telomeres1, counteracting telomere shortening caused by loss of telomeric 3' overhangs during leading-strand DNA synthesis ("the end-replication problem"2). We report a second end-replication problem that originates from the incomplete duplication of the C-rich telomeric repeat strand by lagging-strand synthesis. This problem is solved by CST-Polymeraseα(Polα)-primase fill-in synthesis. In vitro, priming for lagging-strand DNA replication does not occur on the 3' overhang and lagging-strand synthesis stops in an ~150-nt zone more than 26 nt from the end of the template. Consistent with the in vitro data, lagging-end telomeres of cells lacking CST-Polα-primase lost ~50-60 nt of CCCTAA repeats per population doubling (PD). The C-strands of leading-end telomeres shortened by ~100 nt/PD, reflecting the generation of 3' overhangs through resection. The measured overall C-strand shortening in absence of CST-Polα-primase fill-in is consistent with the combined effects of incomplete lagging-strand synthesis and 5' resection at the leading-ends. We conclude that canonical DNA replication creates two telomere end-replication problems that require telomerase to maintain the G-strand and CST-Polα-primase to maintain the C-strand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Takai
- Laboratory for Cell Biology and Genetics, Rockefeller University, New York, USA
| | - Valentina Aria
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2, 0QH
| | - Pamela Borges
- Laboratory for Cell Biology and Genetics, Rockefeller University, New York, USA
| | - Joseph T. P. Yeeles
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2, 0QH
| | - Titia de Lange
- Laboratory for Cell Biology and Genetics, Rockefeller University, New York, USA
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11
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Nasheuer HP, Meaney AM, Hulshoff T, Thiele I, Onwubiko NO. Replication Protein A, the Main Eukaryotic Single-Stranded DNA Binding Protein, a Focal Point in Cellular DNA Metabolism. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:588. [PMID: 38203759 PMCID: PMC10779431 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Replication protein A (RPA) is a heterotrimeric protein complex and the main single-stranded DNA (ssDNA)-binding protein in eukaryotes. RPA has key functions in most of the DNA-associated metabolic pathways and DNA damage signalling. Its high affinity for ssDNA helps to stabilise ssDNA structures and protect the DNA sequence from nuclease attacks. RPA consists of multiple DNA-binding domains which are oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide-binding (OB)-folds that are responsible for DNA binding and interactions with proteins. These RPA-ssDNA and RPA-protein interactions are crucial for DNA replication, DNA repair, DNA damage signalling, and the conservation of the genetic information of cells. Proteins such as ATR use RPA to locate to regions of DNA damage for DNA damage signalling. The recruitment of nucleases and DNA exchange factors to sites of double-strand breaks are also an important RPA function to ensure effective DNA recombination to correct these DNA lesions. Due to its high affinity to ssDNA, RPA's removal from ssDNA is of central importance to allow these metabolic pathways to proceed, and processes to exchange RPA against downstream factors are established in all eukaryotes. These faceted and multi-layered functions of RPA as well as its role in a variety of human diseases will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heinz Peter Nasheuer
- Centre for Chromosome Biology, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Biochemistry, University of Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
| | - Anna Marie Meaney
- Centre for Chromosome Biology, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Biochemistry, University of Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
| | - Timothy Hulshoff
- Molecular Systems Physiology Group, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
| | - Ines Thiele
- Molecular Systems Physiology Group, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
| | - Nichodemus O. Onwubiko
- Centre for Chromosome Biology, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Biochemistry, University of Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
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12
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Cordoba JJ, Mullins EA, Salay LE, Eichman BF, Chazin WJ. Flexibility and Distributive Synthesis Regulate RNA Priming and Handoff in Human DNA Polymerase α-Primase. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:168330. [PMID: 37884206 PMCID: PMC10872500 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
DNA replication in eukaryotes relies on the synthesis of a ∼30-nucleotide RNA/DNA primer strand through the dual action of the heterotetrameric polymerase α-primase (pol-prim) enzyme. Synthesis of the 7-10-nucleotide RNA primer is regulated by the C-terminal domain of the primase regulatory subunit (PRIM2C) and is followed by intramolecular handoff of the primer to pol α for extension by ∼20 nucleotides of DNA. Here, we provide evidence that RNA primer synthesis is governed by a combination of the high affinity and flexible linkage of the PRIM2C domain and the surprisingly low affinity of the primase catalytic domain (PRIM1) for substrate. Using a combination of small angle X-ray scattering and electron microscopy, we found significant variability in the organization of PRIM2C and PRIM1 in the absence and presence of substrate, and that the population of structures with both PRIM2C and PRIM1 in a configuration aligned for synthesis is low. Crosslinking was used to visualize the orientation of PRIM2C and PRIM1 when engaged by substrate as observed by electron microscopy. Microscale thermophoresis was used to measure substrate affinities for a series of pol-prim constructs, which showed that the PRIM1 catalytic domain does not bind the template or emergent RNA-primed templates with appreciable affinity. Together, these findings support a model of RNA primer synthesis in which generation of the nascent RNA strand and handoff of the RNA-primed template from primase to polymerase α is mediated by the high degree of inter-domain flexibility of pol-prim, the ready dissociation of PRIM1 from its substrate, and the much higher affinity of the POLA1cat domain of polymerase α for full-length RNA-primed templates.
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Affiliation(s)
- John J Cordoba
- Chemical and Physical Biology Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Elwood A Mullins
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Lauren E Salay
- Chemical and Physical Biology Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Brandt F Eichman
- Chemical and Physical Biology Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Walter J Chazin
- Chemical and Physical Biology Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
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13
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Jaiswal RK, Lei KH, Chastain M, Wang Y, Shiva O, Li S, You Z, Chi P, Chai W. CaMKK2 and CHK1 phosphorylate human STN1 in response to replication stress to protect stalled forks from aberrant resection. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7882. [PMID: 38036565 PMCID: PMC10689503 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43685-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Keeping replication fork stable is essential for safeguarding genome integrity; hence, its protection is highly regulated. The CTC1-STN1-TEN1 (CST) complex protects stalled forks from aberrant MRE11-mediated nascent strand DNA degradation (NSD). However, the activation mechanism for CST at forks is unknown. Here, we report that STN1 is phosphorylated in its intrinsic disordered region. Loss of STN1 phosphorylation reduces the replication stress-induced STN1 localization to stalled forks, elevates NSD, increases MRE11 access to stalled forks, and decreases RAD51 localization at forks, leading to increased genome instability under perturbed DNA replication condition. STN1 is phosphorylated by both the ATR-CHK1 and the calcium-sensing kinase CaMKK2 in response to hydroxyurea/aphidicolin treatment or elevated cytosolic calcium concentration. Cancer-associated STN1 variants impair STN1 phosphorylation, conferring inability of fork protection. Collectively, our study uncovers that CaMKK2 and ATR-CHK1 target STN1 to enable its fork protective function, and suggests an important role of STN1 phosphorylation in cancer development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rishi Kumar Jaiswal
- Department of Cancer Biology, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Kai-Hang Lei
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Megan Chastain
- Office of Research, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
| | - Yuan Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Olga Shiva
- Office of Research, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
| | - Shan Li
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Zhongsheng You
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Peter Chi
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Weihang Chai
- Department of Cancer Biology, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA.
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14
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Cai SW, Takai H, Walz T, de Lange T. POT1 recruits and regulates CST-Polα/Primase at human telomeres. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.08.539880. [PMID: 37215005 PMCID: PMC10197580 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.08.539880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Telomere maintenance requires extension of the G-rich telomeric repeat strand by telomerase and fill-in synthesis of the C-rich strand by Polα/Primase. Telomeric Polα/Primase is bound to Ctc1-Stn1-Ten1 (CST), a single-stranded DNA-binding complex. Like mutations in telomerase, mutations affecting CST-Polα/Primase result in pathological telomere shortening and cause a telomere biology disorder, Coats plus (CP). We determined cryogenic electron microscopy structures of human CST bound to the shelterin heterodimer POT1/TPP1 that reveal how CST is recruited to telomeres by POT1. Phosphorylation of POT1 is required for CST recruitment, and the complex is formed through conserved interactions involving several residues mutated in CP. Our structural and biochemical data suggest that phosphorylated POT1 holds CST-Polα/Primase in an inactive auto-inhibited state until telomerase has extended the telomere ends. We propose that dephosphorylation of POT1 releases CST-Polα/Primase into an active state that completes telomere replication through fill-in synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah W. Cai
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Genetics, The Rockefeller University; New York, NY, USA
- Laboratory of Molecular Electron Microscopy, The Rockefeller University; New York, NY, USA
| | - Hiroyuki Takai
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Genetics, The Rockefeller University; New York, NY, USA
| | - Thomas Walz
- Laboratory of Molecular Electron Microscopy, The Rockefeller University; New York, NY, USA
| | - Titia de Lange
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Genetics, The Rockefeller University; New York, NY, USA
- Lead contact
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15
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He Q, Lim CJ. Models for human telomere C-strand fill-in by CST-Polα-primase. Trends Biochem Sci 2023; 48:860-872. [PMID: 37586999 PMCID: PMC10528720 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2023.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Telomere maintenance is essential for the genome integrity of eukaryotes, and this function is underpinned by the two-step telomeric DNA synthesis process: telomere G-overhang extension by telomerase and complementary strand fill-in by DNA polymerase alpha-primase (polα-primase). Compared to the telomerase step, the telomere C-strand fill-in mechanism is less understood. Recent studies have provided new insights into how telomeric single-stranded DNA-binding protein CTC1-STN1-TEN1 (CST) and polα-primase coordinate to synthesize the telomeric C-strand for telomere overhang fill-in. Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of CST-polα-primase complexes have provided additional insights into how they assemble at telomeric templates and de novo synthesize the telomere C-strand. In this review, we discuss how these latest findings coalesce with existing understanding to develop a human telomere C-strand fill-in mechanism model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qixiang He
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Ci Ji Lim
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
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16
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Zabrady K, Li AWH, Doherty AJ. Mechanism of primer synthesis by Primase-Polymerases. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2023; 82:102652. [PMID: 37459807 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Members of the primase-polymerase (Prim-Pol) superfamily are found in all domains of life and play diverse roles in genome stability, including primer synthesis during DNA replication, lesion repair and damage tolerance. This review focuses primarily on Prim-Pol members capable of de novo primer synthesis that have experimentally derived structural models available. We discuss the mechanism of DNA primer synthesis initiation by Prim-Pol catalytic domains, based on recent structural and functional studies. We also describe a general model for primer initiation that also includes the ancillary domains/subunits, which stimulate the initiation of primer synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Zabrady
- Genome Damage and Stability Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RQ, UK. https://twitter.com/@KZabrady
| | - Arthur W H Li
- Genome Damage and Stability Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RQ, UK
| | - Aidan J Doherty
- Genome Damage and Stability Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RQ, UK.
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17
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Mullins EA, Salay LE, Durie CL, Bradley NP, Jackman JE, Ohi MD, Chazin WJ, Eichman BF. A mechanistic model of primer synthesis from catalytic structures of DNA polymerase α-primase. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.16.533013. [PMID: 36993335 PMCID: PMC10055150 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.16.533013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The mechanism by which polymerase α-primase (polα-primase) synthesizes chimeric RNA-DNA primers of defined length and composition, necessary for replication fidelity and genome stability, is unknown. Here, we report cryo-EM structures of polα-primase in complex with primed templates representing various stages of DNA synthesis. Our data show how interaction of the primase regulatory subunit with the primer 5'-end facilitates handoff of the primer to polα and increases polα processivity, thereby regulating both RNA and DNA composition. The structures detail how flexibility within the heterotetramer enables synthesis across two active sites and provide evidence that termination of DNA synthesis is facilitated by reduction of polα and primase affinities for the varied conformations along the chimeric primer/template duplex. Together, these findings elucidate a critical catalytic step in replication initiation and provide a comprehensive model for primer synthesis by polα-primase.
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18
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Hara T, Nakaoka H, Miyoshi T, Ishikawa F. The CST complex facilitates cell survival under oxidative genotoxic stress. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0289304. [PMID: 37590191 PMCID: PMC10434909 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Genomic DNA is constantly exposed to a variety of genotoxic stresses, and it is crucial for organisms to be equipped with mechanisms for repairing the damaged genome. Previously, it was demonstrated that the mammalian CST (CTC1-STN1-TEN1) complex, which was originally identified as a single-stranded DNA-binding trimeric protein complex essential for telomere maintenance, is required for survival in response to hydroxyurea (HU), which induces DNA replication fork stalling. It is still unclear, however, how the CST complex is involved in the repair of diverse types of DNA damage induced by oxidizing agents such as H2O2. STN1 knockdown (KD) sensitized HeLa cells to high doses of H2O2. While H2O2 induced DNA strand breaks throughout the cell cycle, STN1 KD cells were as resistant as control cells to H2O2 treatment when challenged in the G1 phase of the cell cycle, but they were sensitive when exposed to H2O2 in S/G2/M phase. STN1 KD cells showed a failure of DNA synthesis and RAD51 foci formation upon H2O2 treatment. Chemical inhibition of RAD51 in shSTN1 cells did not exacerbate the sensitivity to H2O2, implying that the CST complex and RAD51 act in the same pathway. Collectively, our results suggest that the CST complex is required for maintaining genomic stability in response to oxidative DNA damage, possibly through RAD51-dependent DNA repair/protection mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomohiko Hara
- Department of Gene Mechanisms, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Radiation Biology Center, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hidenori Nakaoka
- Department of Gene Mechanisms, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Radiation Biology Center, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tomoicihiro Miyoshi
- Department of Gene Mechanisms, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Radiation Biology Center, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Laboratory for Retrotransposon Dynamics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Fuyuki Ishikawa
- Department of Gene Mechanisms, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Radiation Biology Center, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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19
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Jones ML, Aria V, Baris Y, Yeeles JTP. How Pol α-primase is targeted to replisomes to prime eukaryotic DNA replication. Mol Cell 2023; 83:2911-2924.e16. [PMID: 37506699 PMCID: PMC10501992 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.06.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
During eukaryotic DNA replication, Pol α-primase generates primers at replication origins to start leading-strand synthesis and every few hundred nucleotides during discontinuous lagging-strand replication. How Pol α-primase is targeted to replication forks to prime DNA synthesis is not fully understood. Here, by determining cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of budding yeast and human replisomes containing Pol α-primase, we reveal a conserved mechanism for the coordination of priming by the replisome. Pol α-primase binds directly to the leading edge of the CMG (CDC45-MCM-GINS) replicative helicase via a complex interaction network. The non-catalytic PRIM2/Pri2 subunit forms two interfaces with CMG that are critical for in vitro DNA replication and yeast cell growth. These interactions position the primase catalytic subunit PRIM1/Pri1 directly above the exit channel for lagging-strand template single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), revealing why priming occurs efficiently only on the lagging-strand template and elucidating a mechanism for Pol α-primase to overcome competition from RPA to initiate primer synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan L Jones
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Valentina Aria
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Yasemin Baris
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
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20
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Barbour AT, Wuttke DS. RPA-like single-stranded DNA-binding protein complexes including CST serve as specialized processivity factors for polymerases. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2023; 81:102611. [PMID: 37245465 PMCID: PMC10524659 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres and other single-stranded regions of the genome require specialized management to maintain stability and for proper progression of DNA metabolism pathways. Human Replication Protein A and CTC1-STN1-TEN1 are structurally similar heterotrimeric protein complexes that have essential ssDNA-binding roles in DNA replication, repair, and telomeres. Yeast and ciliates have related ssDNA-binding proteins with strikingly conserved structural features to these human heterotrimeric protein complexes. Recent breakthrough structures have extended our understanding of these commonalities by illuminating a common mechanism used by these proteins to act as processivity factors for their partner polymerases through their ability to manage ssDNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra T Barbour
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Bouder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Deborah S Wuttke
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Bouder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
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21
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Cordoba JJ, Mullins EA, Salay LE, Eichman BF, Chazin WJ. Flexibility and distributive synthesis regulate RNA priming and handoff in human DNA polymerase α-primase. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.01.551538. [PMID: 37577606 PMCID: PMC10418221 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.01.551538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
DNA replication in eukaryotes relies on the synthesis of a ~30-nucleotide RNA/DNA primer strand through the dual action of the heterotetrameric polymerase α-primase (pol-prim) enzyme. Synthesis of the 7-10-nucleotide RNA primer is regulated by the C-terminal domain of the primase regulatory subunit (PRIM2C) and is followed by intramolecular handoff of the primer to pol α for extension by ~20 nucleotides of DNA. Here we provide evidence that RNA primer synthesis is governed by a combination of the high affinity and flexible linkage of the PRIM2C domain and the low affinity of the primase catalytic domain (PRIM1) for substrate. Using a combination of small angle X-ray scattering and electron microscopy, we found significant variability in the organization of PRIM2C and PRIM1 in the absence and presence of substrate, and that the population of structures with both PRIM2C and PRIM1 in a configuration aligned for synthesis is low. Crosslinking was used to visualize the orientation of PRIM2C and PRIM1 when engaged by substrate as observed by electron microscopy. Microscale thermophoresis was used to measure substrate affinities for a series of pol-prim constructs, which showed that the PRIM1 catalytic domain does not bind the template or emergent RNA-primed templates with appreciable affinity. Together, these findings support a model of RNA primer synthesis in which generation of the nascent RNA strand and handoff of the RNA-primed template from primase to polymerase α is mediated by the high degree of inter-domain flexibility of pol-prim, the ready dissociation of PRIM1 from its substrate, and the much higher affinity of the POLA1cat domain of polymerase α for full-length RNA-primed templates.
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Affiliation(s)
- John J. Cordoba
- Chemical and Physical Biology Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Elwood A. Mullins
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Lauren E. Salay
- Chemical and Physical Biology Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Brandt F. Eichman
- Chemical and Physical Biology Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Walter J. Chazin
- Chemical and Physical Biology Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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22
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Bainbridge L, Zabrady K, Doherty A. Primase-polymerases: how to make a primer from scratch. Biosci Rep 2023; 43:BSR20221986. [PMID: 37358261 PMCID: PMC10345425 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20221986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023] Open
Abstract
To pass on genetic information to the next generation, cells must faithfully replicate their genomes to provide copies for each daughter cell. To synthesise these duplicates, cells employ specialised enzymes called DNA polymerases, which rapidly and accurately replicate nucleic acid polymers. However, most polymerases lack the ability to directly initiate DNA synthesis and required specialised replicases called primases to make short polynucleotide primers, from which they then extend. Replicative primases (eukaryotes and archaea) belong to a functionally diverse enzyme superfamily known as Primase-Polymerases (Prim-Pols), with orthologues present throughout all domains of life. Characterised by a conserved catalytic Prim-Pol domain, these enzymes have evolved various roles in DNA metabolism, including DNA replication, repair, and damage tolerance. Many of these biological roles are fundamentally underpinned by the ability of Prim-Pols to generate primers de novo. This review examines our current understanding of the catalytic mechanisms utilised by Prim-Pols to initiate primer synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lewis J. Bainbridge
- Genome Damage and Stability Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RQ, U.K
| | - Katerina Zabrady
- Genome Damage and Stability Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RQ, U.K
| | - Aidan J. Doherty
- Genome Damage and Stability Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RQ, U.K
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23
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Abstract
It has been known for decades that telomerase extends the 3' end of linear eukaryotic chromosomes and dictates the telomeric repeat sequence based on the template in its RNA. However, telomerase does not mitigate sequence loss at the 5' ends of chromosomes, which results from lagging strand DNA synthesis and nucleolytic processing. Therefore, a second enzyme is needed to keep telomeres intact: DNA polymerase α/Primase bound to Ctc1-Stn1-Ten1 (CST). CST-Polα/Primase maintains telomeres through a fill-in reaction that replenishes the lost sequences at the 5' ends. CST not only serves to maintain telomeres but also determines their length by keeping telomerase from overelongating telomeres. Here we discuss recent data on the evolution, structure, function, and recruitment of mammalian CST-Polα/Primase, highlighting the role of this complex and telomere length control in human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah W Cai
- Laboratory for Cell Biology and Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Titia de Lange
- Laboratory for Cell Biology and Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
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24
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Lue NF, Autexier C. Orchestrating nucleic acid-protein interactions at chromosome ends: telomerase mechanisms come into focus. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2023; 30:878-890. [PMID: 37400652 PMCID: PMC10539978 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-023-01022-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Telomerase is a special reverse transcriptase ribonucleoprotein dedicated to the synthesis of telomere repeats that protect chromosome ends. Among reverse transcriptases, telomerase is unique in using a stably associated RNA with an embedded template to synthesize a specified sequence. Moreover, it is capable of iteratively copying the same template region (repeat addition processivity) through multiple rounds of RNA-DNA unpairing and reannealing, that is, the translocation reaction. Biochemical analyses of telomerase over the past 3 decades in protozoa, fungi and mammals have identified structural elements that underpin telomerase mechanisms and have led to models that account for the special attributes of telomerase. Notably, these findings and models can now be interpreted and adjudicated through recent cryo-EM structures of Tetrahymena and human telomerase holoenzyme complexes in association with substrates and regulatory proteins. Collectively, these structures reveal the intricate protein-nucleic acid interactions that potentiate telomerase's unique translocation reaction and clarify how this enzyme reconfigures the basic reverse transcriptase scaffold to craft a polymerase dedicated to the synthesis of telomere DNA. Among the many new insights is the resolution of the telomerase 'anchor site' proposed more than 3 decades ago. The structures also highlight the nearly universal conservation of a protein-protein interface between an oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide-binding (OB)-fold regulatory protein and the telomerase catalytic subunit, which enables spatial and temporal regulation of telomerase function in vivo. In this Review, we discuss key features of the structures in combination with relevant functional analyses. We also examine conserved and divergent aspects of telomerase mechanisms as gleaned from studies in different model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neal F Lue
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Chantal Autexier
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital and Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology and Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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25
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Yuan Z, Georgescu R, Li H, O'Donnell ME. Molecular choreography of primer synthesis by the eukaryotic Pol α-primase. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3697. [PMID: 37344454 PMCID: PMC10284912 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39441-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The eukaryotic polymerase α (Pol α) synthesizes an RNA-DNA hybrid primer of 20-30 nucleotides. Pol α is composed of Pol1, Pol12, Primase 1 (Pri1), and Pri2. Pol1 and Pri1 contain the DNA polymerase and RNA primase activities, respectively. It has been unclear how Pol α hands over an RNA primer from Pri1 to Pol1 for DNA primer extension, and how the primer length is defined. Here we report the cryo-EM analysis of yeast Pol α in the apo, primer initiation, primer elongation, RNA primer hand-off from Pri1 to Pol1, and DNA extension states, revealing a series of very large movements. We reveal a critical point at which Pol1-core moves to take over the 3'-end of the RNA from Pri1. DNA extension is limited by a spiral motion of Pol1-core. Since both Pri1 and Pol1-core are flexibly attached to a stable platform, primer growth produces stress that limits the primer length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuanning Yuan
- Department of Structural Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Roxana Georgescu
- DNA Replication Laboratory and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Huilin Li
- Department of Structural Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
| | - Michael E O'Donnell
- DNA Replication Laboratory and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
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26
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Wang H, Ma T, Zhang X, Chen W, Lan Y, Kuang G, Hsu SJ, He Z, Chen Y, Stewart J, Bhattacharjee A, Luo Z, Price C, Feng X. CTC1 OB-B interaction with TPP1 terminates telomerase and prevents telomere overextension. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:4914-4928. [PMID: 37021555 PMCID: PMC10250220 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
CST (CTC1-STN1-TEN1) is a telomere associated complex that binds ssDNA and is required for multiple steps in telomere replication, including termination of G-strand extension by telomerase and synthesis of the complementary C-strand. CST contains seven OB-folds which appear to mediate CST function by modulating CST binding to ssDNA and the ability of CST to recruit or engage partner proteins. However, the mechanism whereby CST achieves its various functions remains unclear. To address the mechanism, we generated a series of CTC1 mutants and studied their effect on CST binding to ssDNA and their ability to rescue CST function in CTC1-/- cells. We identified the OB-B domain as a key determinant of telomerase termination but not C-strand synthesis. CTC1-ΔB expression rescued C-strand fill-in, prevented telomeric DNA damage signaling and growth arrest. However, it caused progressive telomere elongation and the accumulation of telomerase at telomeres, indicating an inability to limit telomerase action. The CTC1-ΔB mutation greatly reduced CST-TPP1 interaction but only modestly affected ssDNA binding. OB-B point mutations also weakened TPP1 association, with the deficiency in TPP1 interaction tracking with an inability to limit telomerase action. Overall, our results indicate that CTC1-TPP1 interaction plays a key role in telomerase termination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Tengfei Ma
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaotong Zhang
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yina Lan
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Guotao Kuang
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shih-Jui Hsu
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Zibin He
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuxi Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jason Stewart
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | | | - Zhenhua Luo
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Carolyn Price
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Xuyang Feng
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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27
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Olson CL, Barbour AT, Wieser TA, Wuttke DS. RPA engages telomeric G-quadruplexes more effectively than CST. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:5073-5086. [PMID: 37140062 PMCID: PMC10250233 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
G-quadruplexes (G4s) are a set of stable secondary structures that form within guanine-rich regions of single-stranded nucleic acids that pose challenges for DNA maintenance. The G-rich DNA sequence at telomeres has a propensity to form G4s of various topologies. The human protein complexes Replication Protein A (RPA) and CTC1-STN1-TEN1 (CST) are implicated in managing G4s at telomeres, leading to DNA unfolding and allowing telomere replication to proceed. Here, we use fluorescence anisotropy equilibrium binding measurements to determine the ability of these proteins to bind various telomeric G4s. We find that the ability of CST to specifically bind G-rich ssDNA is substantially inhibited by the presence of G4s. In contrast, RPA tightly binds telomeric G4s, showing negligible changes in affinity for G4 structure compared to linear ssDNAs. Using a mutagenesis strategy, we found that RPA DNA-binding domains work together for G4 binding, and simultaneous disruption of these domains reduces the affinity of RPA for G4 ssDNA. The relative inability of CST to disrupt G4s, combined with the greater cellular abundance of RPA, suggests that RPA could act as a primary protein complex responsible for resolving G4s at telomeres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conner L Olson
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO80309, USA
| | - Alexandra T Barbour
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO80309, USA
| | - Thomas A Wieser
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO80309, USA
| | - Deborah S Wuttke
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO80309, USA
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28
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Yuan Z, Georgescu R, Li H, O'Donnell ME. Molecular choreography of primer synthesis by the eukaryotic Pol α-primase. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.03.539257. [PMID: 37205351 PMCID: PMC10187153 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.03.539257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The eukaryotic polymerase α (Pol α) is a dual-function DNA polymerase/primase complex that synthesizes an RNA-DNA hybrid primer of 20-30 nucleotides for DNA replication. Pol α is composed of Pol1, Pol12, Primase 1 (Pri1), and Pri2, with Pol1 and Pri1 containing the DNA polymerase activity and RNA primase activity, respectively, whereas Pol12 and Pri2 serve a structural role. It has been unclear how Pol α hands over an RNA primer made by Pri1 to Pol1 for DNA primer extension, and how the primer length is defined, perhaps due to the difficulty in studying the highly mobile structure. Here we report a comprehensive cryo-EM analysis of the intact 4-subunit yeast Pol α in the apo, primer initiation, primer elongation, RNA primer hand-off from Pri1 to Pol1, and DNA extension states in a 3.5 Å - 5.6 Å resolution range. We found that Pol α is a three-lobed flexible structure. Pri2 functions as a flexible hinge that holds together the catalytic Pol1-core, and the noncatalytic Pol1 CTD that binds to Pol 12 to form a stable platform upon which the other components are organized. In the apo state, Pol1-core is sequestered on the Pol12-Pol1-CTD platform, and Pri1 is mobile perhaps in search of a template. Upon binding a ssDNA template, a large conformation change is induced that enables Pri1 to perform RNA synthesis, and positions Pol1-core to accept the future RNA primed site 50 Å upstream of where Pri1 binds. We reveal in detail the critical point at which Pol1-core takes over the 3'-end of the RNA from Pri1. DNA primer extension appears limited by the spiral motion of Pol1-core while Pri2-CTD stably holds onto the 5' end of the RNA primer. Since both Pri1 and Pol1-core are attached via two linkers to the platform, primer growth will produce stress within this "two-point" attachment that may limit the length of the RNA-DNA hybrid primer. Hence, this study reveals the large and dynamic series of movements that Pol α undergoes to synthesize a primer for DNA replication.
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29
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Nasheuer HP, Onwubiko NO. Lagging Strand Initiation Processes in DNA Replication of Eukaryotes-Strings of Highly Coordinated Reactions Governed by Multiprotein Complexes. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14051012. [PMID: 37239371 DOI: 10.3390/genes14051012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In their influential reviews, Hanahan and Weinberg coined the term 'Hallmarks of Cancer' and described genome instability as a property of cells enabling cancer development. Accurate DNA replication of genomes is central to diminishing genome instability. Here, the understanding of the initiation of DNA synthesis in origins of DNA replication to start leading strand synthesis and the initiation of Okazaki fragment on the lagging strand are crucial to control genome instability. Recent findings have provided new insights into the mechanism of the remodelling of the prime initiation enzyme, DNA polymerase α-primase (Pol-prim), during primer synthesis, how the enzyme complex achieves lagging strand synthesis, and how it is linked to replication forks to achieve optimal initiation of Okazaki fragments. Moreover, the central roles of RNA primer synthesis by Pol-prim in multiple genome stability pathways such as replication fork restart and protection of DNA against degradation by exonucleases during double-strand break repair are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heinz Peter Nasheuer
- Centre for Chromosome Biology, Arts & Science Building, Main Concourse, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Biochemistry, University of Galway, Distillery Road, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
| | - Nichodemus O Onwubiko
- Centre for Chromosome Biology, Arts & Science Building, Main Concourse, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Biochemistry, University of Galway, Distillery Road, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
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30
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Madru C, Martínez-Carranza M, Laurent S, Alberti AC, Chevreuil M, Raynal B, Haouz A, Le Meur RA, Delarue M, Henneke G, Flament D, Krupovic M, Legrand P, Sauguet L. DNA-binding mechanism and evolution of replication protein A. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2326. [PMID: 37087464 PMCID: PMC10122647 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38048-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Replication Protein A (RPA) is a heterotrimeric single stranded DNA-binding protein with essential roles in DNA replication, recombination and repair. Little is known about the structure of RPA in Archaea, the third domain of life. By using an integrative structural, biochemical and biophysical approach, we extensively characterize RPA from Pyrococcus abyssi in the presence and absence of DNA. The obtained X-ray and cryo-EM structures reveal that the trimerization core and interactions promoting RPA clustering on ssDNA are shared between archaea and eukaryotes. However, we also identified a helical domain named AROD (Acidic Rpa1 OB-binding Domain), and showed that, in Archaea, RPA forms an unanticipated tetrameric supercomplex in the absence of DNA. The four RPA molecules clustered within the tetramer could efficiently coat and protect stretches of ssDNA created by the advancing replisome. Finally, our results provide insights into the evolution of this primordial replication factor in eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clément Madru
- Architecture and Dynamics of Biological Macromolecules, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, UMR 3528, Paris, France
| | - Markel Martínez-Carranza
- Architecture and Dynamics of Biological Macromolecules, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, UMR 3528, Paris, France
| | - Sébastien Laurent
- Univ Brest, Ifremer, CNRS, Biologie et Ecologie des Ecoystèmes marins profonds (BEEP), F-29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Alessandra C Alberti
- Architecture and Dynamics of Biological Macromolecules, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, UMR 3528, Paris, France
| | - Maelenn Chevreuil
- Molecular Biophysics Platform, C2RT, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, UMR 3528, Paris, France
| | - Bertrand Raynal
- Molecular Biophysics Platform, C2RT, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, UMR 3528, Paris, France
| | - Ahmed Haouz
- Crystallography Platform, C2RT, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, UMR 3528, Paris, France
| | - Rémy A Le Meur
- Biological NMR Platform & HDX, C2RT, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, UMR 3528, Paris, France
| | - Marc Delarue
- Architecture and Dynamics of Biological Macromolecules, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, UMR 3528, Paris, France
| | - Ghislaine Henneke
- Univ Brest, Ifremer, CNRS, Biologie et Ecologie des Ecoystèmes marins profonds (BEEP), F-29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Didier Flament
- Univ Brest, Ifremer, CNRS, Biologie et Ecologie des Ecoystèmes marins profonds (BEEP), F-29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Mart Krupovic
- Archaeal Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, UMR 6047, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Legrand
- Architecture and Dynamics of Biological Macromolecules, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, UMR 3528, Paris, France
- Synchrotron SOLEIL, HelioBio group, L'Orme des Merisiers, 91190, Saint-Aubin, France
| | - Ludovic Sauguet
- Architecture and Dynamics of Biological Macromolecules, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, UMR 3528, Paris, France.
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31
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Human primase hangs on the primer-template and Polα to facilitate primer termination. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2023; 30:575-576. [PMID: 37081321 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-023-00972-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
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32
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He Q, Baranovskiy AG, Morstadt LM, Lisova AE, Babayeva ND, Lusk BL, Lim CJ, Tahirov TH. Structures of human primosome elongation complexes. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2023; 30:579-583. [PMID: 37069376 PMCID: PMC10268227 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-023-00971-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
The synthesis of RNA-DNA primer by primosome requires coordination between primase and DNA polymerase α subunits, which is accompanied by unknown architectural rearrangements of multiple domains. Using cryogenic electron microscopy, we solved a 3.6 Å human primosome structure caught at an early stage of RNA primer elongation with deoxynucleotides. The structure confirms a long-standing role of primase large subunit and reveals new insights into how primosome is limited to synthesizing short RNA-DNA primers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qixiang He
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Andrey G Baranovskiy
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Lucia M Morstadt
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Alisa E Lisova
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Nigar D Babayeva
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Benjamin L Lusk
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Ci Ji Lim
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Tahir H Tahirov
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
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33
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Coloma J, Gonzalez-Rodriguez N, Balaguer FA, Gmurczyk K, Aicart-Ramos C, Nuero ÓM, Luque-Ortega JR, Calugaru K, Lue NF, Moreno-Herrero F, Llorca O. Molecular architecture and oligomerization of Candida glabrata Cdc13 underpin its telomeric DNA-binding and unfolding activity. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:668-686. [PMID: 36629261 PMCID: PMC9881146 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac1261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The CST complex is a key player in telomere replication and stability, which in yeast comprises Cdc13, Stn1 and Ten1. While Stn1 and Ten1 are very well conserved across species, Cdc13 does not resemble its mammalian counterpart CTC1 either in sequence or domain organization, and Cdc13 but not CTC1 displays functions independently of the rest of CST. Whereas the structures of human CTC1 and CST have been determined, the molecular organization of Cdc13 remains poorly understood. Here, we dissect the molecular architecture of Candida glabrata Cdc13 and show how it regulates binding to telomeric sequences. Cdc13 forms dimers through the interaction between OB-fold 2 (OB2) domains. Dimerization stimulates binding of OB3 to telomeric sequences, resulting in the unfolding of ssDNA secondary structure. Once bound to DNA, Cdc13 prevents the refolding of ssDNA by mechanisms involving all domains. OB1 also oligomerizes, inducing higher-order complexes of Cdc13 in vitro. OB1 truncation disrupts these complexes, affects ssDNA unfolding and reduces telomere length in C. glabrata. Together, our results reveal the molecular organization of C. glabrata Cdc13 and how this regulates the binding and the structure of DNA, and suggest that yeast species evolved distinct architectures of Cdc13 that share some common principles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Coloma
- Correspondence may also be addressed to Javier Coloma. Tel: +34 91 732 8000 (Ext 3033);
| | | | - Francisco A Balaguer
- Department of Macromolecular Structures, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Karolina Gmurczyk
- Department of Macromolecular Structures, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Clara Aicart-Ramos
- Department of Macromolecular Structures, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Óscar M Nuero
- Molecular Interactions Facility, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Román Luque-Ortega
- Molecular Interactions Facility, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Kimberly Calugaru
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, W. R. Hearst Microbiology Research Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Neal F Lue
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, W. R. Hearst Microbiology Research Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Oscar Llorca
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +34 91 732 8000 (Ext 3000);
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34
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Liu N, Wang HW. Better Cryo-EM Specimen Preparation: How to Deal with the Air-Water Interface? J Mol Biol 2022; 435:167926. [PMID: 36563741 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is now one of the most powerful and widely used methods to determine high-resolution structures of macromolecules. A major bottleneck of cryo-EM is to prepare high-quality vitrified specimen, which still faces many practical challenges. During the conventional vitrification process, macromolecules tend to adsorb at the air-water interface (AWI), which is known unfriendly to biological samples. In this review, we outline the nature of AWI and the problems caused by it, such as unpredictable or uneven particle distribution, protein denaturation, dissociation of complex and preferential orientation. We review and discuss the approaches and underlying mechanisms to deal with AWI: 1) Additives, exemplified by detergents, forming a protective layer at AWI and thus preserving the native folds of target macromolecules. 2) Fast vitrification devices based on the idea to freeze in-solution macromolecules before their touching of AWI. 3) Thin layer of continuous supporting films to adsorb macromolecules, and when functionalized with affinity ligands, to specifically anchor the target particles away from the AWI. Among these supporting films, graphene, together with its derivatives, with negligible background noise and mechanical robustness, has emerged as a new generation of support. These strategies have been proven successful in various cases and enable us a better handling of the problems caused by the AWI in cryo-EM specimen preparation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Hong-Wei Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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35
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Lisova AE, Baranovskiy AG, Morstadt LM, Babayeva ND, Tahirov T. Human DNA polymerase α has a strong mutagenic potential at the initial steps of DNA synthesis. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:12266-12273. [PMID: 36454017 PMCID: PMC9757036 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac1101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA polymerase α (Polα) is essential for DNA replication initiation and makes a notable contribution to genome mutagenesis. The activity and fidelity of Polα during the early steps of DNA replication have not been well studied. Here we show that at the beginning of DNA synthesis, when extending the RNA primer received from primase, Polα is more mutagenic than during the later DNA elongation steps. Kinetic and binding studies revealed substantially higher activity and affinity to the template:primer when Polα interacts with ribonucleotides of a chimeric RNA-DNA primer. Polα activity greatly varies during first six steps of DNA synthesis, and the bias in the rates of correct and incorrect dNTP incorporation leads to impaired fidelity, especially upon the second step of RNA primer extension. Furthermore, increased activity and stability of Polα/template:primer complexes containing RNA-DNA primers result in higher efficiency of mismatch extension.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lucia M Morstadt
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Nigar D Babayeva
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Tahir H Tahirov
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +1 402 559 7608; Fax: +1 402 559 3739;
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36
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Soman A, Korolev N, Nordenskiöld L. Telomeric chromatin structure. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2022; 77:102492. [PMID: 36335846 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2022.102492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic DNA is packaged into nucleosomes, which further condenses into chromosomes. The telomeres, which form the protective end-capping of chromosomes, play a pivotal role in ageing and cancer. Recently, significant advances have been made in understanding the nucleosomal and telomeric chromatin structure at the molecular level. In addition, recent studies shed light on the nucleosomal organisation at telomeres revealing its ultrastructural organisation, the atomic structure at the nucleosome level, its dynamic properties, and higher-order packaging of telomeric chromatin. Considerable advances have furthermore been made in understanding the structure, function and organisation of shelterin, telomerase and CST complexes. Here we discuss these recent advances in the organisation of telomeric nucleosomes and chromatin and highlight progress in the structural understanding of shelterin, telomerase and CST complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aghil Soman
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Nikolay Korolev
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Lars Nordenskiöld
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore; NTU Institute of Structural Biology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
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37
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Olson CL, Barbour AT, Wuttke DS. Filling in the blanks: how the C-strand catches up to the G-strand at replicating telomeres using CST. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2022; 29:730-733. [PMID: 35948770 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-022-00818-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Conner L Olson
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Alexandra T Barbour
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Deborah S Wuttke
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
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38
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Zaug AJ, Goodrich KJ, Song JJ, Sullivan AE, Cech TR. Reconstitution of a telomeric replicon organized by CST. Nature 2022; 608:819-825. [PMID: 35831508 PMCID: PMC9402439 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04930-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Telomeres, the natural ends of linear chromosomes, comprise repeat-sequence DNA and associated proteins1. Replication of telomeres allows continued proliferation of human stem cells and immortality of cancer cells2. This replication requires telomerase3 extension of the single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) of the telomeric G-strand ((TTAGGG)n); the synthesis of the complementary C-strand ((CCCTAA)n) is much less well characterized. The CST (CTC1–STN1–TEN1) protein complex, a DNA polymerase α-primase accessory factor4,5, is known to be required for telomere replication in vivo6–9, and the molecular analysis presented here reveals key features of its mechanism. We find that human CST uses its ssDNA-binding activity to specify the origins for telomeric C-strand synthesis by bound Polα-primase. CST-organized DNA polymerization can copy a telomeric DNA template that folds into G-quadruplex structures, but the challenges presented by this template probably contribute to telomere replication problems observed in vivo. Combining telomerase, a short telomeric ssDNA primer and CST–Polα–primase gives complete telomeric DNA replication, resulting in the same sort of ssDNA 3′ overhang found naturally on human telomeres. We conclude that the CST complex not only terminates telomerase extension10,11 and recruits Polα–primase to telomeric ssDNA4,12,13 but also orchestrates C-strand synthesis. Because replication of the telomere has features distinct from replication of the rest of the genome, targeting telomere-replication components including CST holds promise for cancer therapeutics. The Polα–primase-associated CST complex organizes telomeric C-strand DNA synthesis, and, in combination with telomerase, it carries out complete replication of the single-stranded DNA overhang found at human telomeres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur J Zaug
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.,BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Karen J Goodrich
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.,BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Jessica J Song
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Ashley E Sullivan
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Thomas R Cech
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA. .,BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA. .,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
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