UV damage in DNA promotes nucleosome unwrapping

A predictive chromatin architecture nexus regulates transcription and DNA damage repair

Genomes are blueprints of life essential for an organism's survival, propagation, and evolutionary adaptation. Eukaryotic genomes comprise of DNA, core histones, and several other nonhistone proteins, packaged into chromatin in the tiny confines of nucleus. Chromatin structural organization restricts transcription factors to access DNA, permitting binding only after specific chromatin remodeling events. The fundamental processes in living cells, including transcription, replication, repair, and recombination, are thus regulated by chromatin structure through ATP-dependent remodeling, histone variant incorporation, and various covalent histone modifications including phosphorylation, acetylation, and ubiquitination. These modifications, particularly involving histone variant H2AX, furthermore play crucial roles in DNA damage responses by enabling repair protein's access to damaged DNA. Chromatin also stabilizes the genome by regulating DNA repair mechanisms while suppressing damage from endogenous and exogenous sources. Environmental factors such as ionizing radiations induce DNA damage, and if repair is compromised, can lead to chromosomal abnormalities and gene amplifications as observed in several tumor types. Consequently, chromatin architecture controls the genome fidelity and activity: it orchestrates correct gene expression, genomic integrity, DNA repair, transcription, replication, and recombination. This review considers connecting chromatin organization to functional outcomes impacting transcription, DNA repair and genomic integrity as an emerging grand challenge for predictive molecular cell biology.

DNA-translocation-independent role of INO80 remodeler in DNA damage repairs

Chromatin remodelers utilize ATP hydrolysis to reposition histone octamers on DNA, facilitating transcription by promoting histone displacements. Although their actions on chromatin with damaged DNA are assumed to be similar, the precise mechanisms by which they modulate damaged nucleosomes and their specific roles in DNA damage response (DDR) remain unclear. INO80-C, a versatile chromatin remodeler, plays a crucial role in the efficient repair of various types of damage. In this study, we have demonstrated that both abasic sites and UV-irradiation damage abolish the DNA translocation activity of INO80-C. Additionally, we have identified compromised ATP hydrolysis within the Ino80 catalytic subunit as the primary cause of the inhibition of DNA translocation, while its binding to damaged nucleosomes remains unaffected. Moreover, we have uncovered a novel function of INO80-C that operates independently of its DNA translocation activity, namely, its facilitation of apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) site cleavage by the AP-endonuclease 1 (APE1). Our findings provide valuable insights into the role of the INO80-C chromatin remodeler in DDR, thereby advancing our understanding of chromatin remodeling during DNA damage repairs.

A half century of exploring DNA excision repair in chromatin

DNA in eukaryotic cells is packaged into the compact and dynamic structure of chromatin. This packaging is a double-edged sword for DNA repair and genomic stability. Chromatin restricts the access of repair proteins to DNA lesions embedded in nucleosomes and higher order chromatin structures. However, chromatin also serves as a signaling platform in which post-translational modifications of histones and other chromatin-bound proteins promote lesion recognition and repair. Similarly, chromatin modulates the formation of DNA damage, promoting or suppressing lesion formation depending on the chromatin context. Therefore, the modulation of DNA damage and its repair in chromatin is crucial to our understanding of the fate of potentially mutagenic and carcinogenic lesions in DNA. Here, we survey many of the landmark findings on DNA damage and repair in chromatin over the last 50 years (i.e., since the beginning of this field), focusing on excision repair, the first repair mechanism studied in the chromatin landscape. For example, we highlight how the impact of chromatin on these processes explains the distinct patterns of somatic mutations observed in cancer genomes.

Genome-wide maps of rare and atypical UV photoproducts reveal distinct patterns of damage formation and mutagenesis in yeast chromatin

Ultraviolet (UV) light induces different classes of mutagenic photoproducts in DNA, namely cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs), 6-4 photoproducts (6-4PPs), and atypical thymine-adenine photoproducts (TA-PPs). CPD formation is modulated by nucleosomes and transcription factors (TFs), which has important ramifications for Ultraviolet (UV) mutagenesis. How chromatin affects the formation of 6-4PPs and TA-PPs is unclear. Here, we use UV damage endonuclease-sequencing (UVDE-seq) to map these UV photoproducts across the yeast genome. Our results indicate that nucleosomes, the fundamental building block of chromatin, have opposing effects on photoproduct formation. Nucleosomes induce CPDs and 6-4PPs at outward rotational settings in nucleosomal DNA but suppress TA-PPs at these settings. Our data also indicate that DNA binding by different classes of yeast TFs causes lesion-specific hotspots of 6-4PPs or TA-PPs. For example, DNA binding by the TF Rap1 generally suppresses CPD and 6-4PP formation but induces a TA-PP hotspot. Finally, we show that 6-4PP formation is strongly induced at the binding sites of TATA-binding protein (TBP), which is correlated with higher mutation rates in UV-exposed yeast. These results indicate that the formation of 6-4PPs and TA-PPs is modulated by chromatin differently than CPDs and that this may have important implications for UV mutagenesis.

Generation of Recombinant Nucleosomes Containing Site-Specific DNA Damage

Eukaryotic DNA exists in chromatin, where the genomic DNA is packaged into a fundamental repeating unit known as the nucleosome. In this chromatin environment, our genomic DNA is constantly under attack by exogenous and endogenous stressors that can lead to DNA damage. Importantly, this DNA damage must be repaired to prevent the accumulation of mutations and ensure normal cellular function. To date, most in-depth biochemical studies of DNA repair proteins have been performed in the context of free duplex DNA. However, chromatin can serve as a barrier that DNA repair enzymes must navigate in order find, access, and process DNA damage in the cell. To facilitate future studies of DNA repair in chromatin, we describe a protocol for generating nucleosome containing site-specific DNA damage that can be utilized for a variety of in vitro applications. This protocol describes several key steps including how to generate damaged DNA oligonucleotides, the expression and purification of recombinant histones, the refolding of histone complexes, and the reconstitution of nucleosomes containing site-specific DNA damage. These methods will enable researchers to generate nucleosomes containing site-specific DNA damage for extensive biochemical and structural studies of DNA repair in the nucleosome.

Acetylation of H3K56 orchestrates UV-responsive chromatin events that generate DNA accessibility during Nucleotide Excision Repair

Histone modifications have long been related to DNA damage response. Nucleotide excision repair pathway that removes helix-distorting lesions necessitates DNA accessibility through chromatin modifications. Previous studies have linked H3 tail residue acetylation to UV-induced NER. Here we present evidences that acetylation of H3K56 is crucial for early phases of NER. Using H3K56 mutants K56Q and K56R, which mimic acetylated and unacetylated lysines respectively, we show that recruitment of the repair factor Rad16, a Swi/Snf family member is dependent on H3K56 acetylation. With constitutive H3K56 acetylation, Rad16 recruitment became UV-independent. Furthermore, H3K56 acetylation promoted UV-induced hyperacetylation of H3K9 and H3K14. Importantly, constitutive H3K56 acetylation prominently increased chromatin accessibility. During NER, lack of H3K56 acetylation that effectively aborted H3 tail residue acetylation and Rad16 recruitment, thus failed to impart essential chromatin modulations. The NER-responsive oscillation of chromatin structure observed in wild type, was distinctly eliminated in absence of H3K56 acetylation. In vitro assay with wild type and H3K56 mutant cell extracts further indicated that absence of H3K56 acetylation negatively affected DNA relaxation during NER. Overall, H3K56 acetylation regulates Rad16 redistribution and UV-induced H3 tail residue hyperacetylation, and the resultant modification code promotes chromatin accessibility and recruitment of subsequent repair factors during NER.

Nucleotide excision repair leaves a mark on chromatin: DNA damage detection in nucleosomes

Global genome nucleotide excision repair (GG-NER) eliminates a broad spectrum of DNA lesions from genomic DNA. Genomic DNA is tightly wrapped around histones creating a barrier for DNA repair proteins to access DNA lesions buried in nucleosomal DNA. The DNA-damage sensors XPC and DDB2 recognize DNA lesions in nucleosomal DNA and initiate repair. The emerging view is that a tight interplay between XPC and DDB2 is regulated by post-translational modifications on the damage sensors themselves as well as on chromatin containing DNA lesions. The choreography between XPC and DDB2, their interconnection with post-translational modifications such as ubiquitylation, SUMOylation, methylation, poly(ADP-ribos)ylation, acetylation, and the functional links with chromatin remodelling activities regulate not only the initial recognition of DNA lesions in nucleosomes, but also the downstream recruitment and necessary displacement of GG-NER factors as repair progresses. In this review, we highlight how nucleotide excision repair leaves a mark on chromatin to enable DNA damage detection in nucleosomes.

Histone and Chromatin Dynamics Facilitating DNA repair

Our nuclear genomes are complexed with histone proteins to form nucleosomes, the repeating units of chromatin which function to package and limit unscheduled access to the genome. In response to helix-distorting DNA lesions and DNA double-strand breaks, chromatin is disassembled around the DNA lesion to facilitate DNA repair and it is reassembled after repair is complete to reestablish the epigenetic landscape and regulating access to the genome. DNA damage also triggers decondensation of the local chromatin structure, incorporation of histone variants and dramatic transient increases in chromatin mobility to facilitate the homology search during homologous recombination. Here we review the current state of knowledge of these changes in histone and chromatin dynamics in response to DNA damage, the molecular mechanisms mediating these dynamics, as well as their functional contributions to the maintenance of genome integrity to prevent human diseases including cancer.

Molecular dynamics simulations reveal how H3K56 acetylation impacts nucleosome structure to promote DNA exposure for lesion sensing

The first order of DNA packaging is the nucleosome with the DNA wrapped around the histone octamer. This leaves the nucleosomal DNA with access restrictions, which impose a significant barrier to repair of damaged DNA. The efficiency of DNA repair has been related to nucleosome structure and chromatin status, which is modulated in part by post-translational modifications (PTMs) of histones. Numerous studies have suggested a role for acetylation of lysine at position 56 of the H3 histone (H3K56ac) in various DNA transactions, including the response to DNA damage and its association with human cancer. Biophysical studies have revealed that H3K56ac increases DNA accessibility by facilitating spontaneous and transient unwrapping motions of the DNA ends. However, how this acetylation mark modulates nucleosome structure and dynamics to promote accessibility to the damaged DNA for repair factors and other proteins is still poorly understood. Here, we utilize approximately 5-6 microseconds of atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to delineate the impact of H3K56 acetylation on the nucleosome structure and dynamics, and to elucidate how these nucleosome properties are further impacted when a bulky benzo[a]pyrene-derived DNA lesion is placed near the acetylation site. Our findings reveal that H3K56ac alone induces considerable disturbance to the histone-DNA/histone-histone interactions, and amplifies the distortions imposed by the presence of the lesion. Our work highlights the important role of H3K56 acetylation in response to DNA damage and depicts how access to DNA lesions by the repair machinery can be facilitated within the nucleosome via a key acetylation event.

A chromatin scaffold for DNA damage recognition: how histone methyltransferases prime nucleosomes for repair of ultraviolet light-induced lesions

The excision of mutagenic DNA adducts by the nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway is essential for genome stability, which is key to avoiding genetic diseases, premature aging, cancer and neurologic disorders. Due to the need to process an extraordinarily high damage density embedded in the nucleosome landscape of chromatin, NER activity provides a unique functional caliper to understand how histone modifiers modulate DNA damage responses. At least three distinct lysine methyltransferases (KMTs) targeting histones have been shown to facilitate the detection of ultraviolet (UV) light-induced DNA lesions in the difficult to access DNA wrapped around histones in nucleosomes. By methylating core histones, these KMTs generate docking sites for DNA damage recognition factors before the chromatin structure is ultimately relaxed and the offending lesions are effectively excised. In view of their function in priming nucleosomes for DNA repair, mutations of genes coding for these KMTs are expected to cause the accumulation of DNA damage promoting cancer and other chronic diseases. Research on the question of how KMTs modulate DNA repair might pave the way to the development of pharmacologic agents for novel therapeutic strategies.

Histone H3 Lysine 56 Acetylation Enhances AP Endonuclease 1-Mediated Repair of AP Sites in Nucleosome Core Particles

Deciphering factors modulating DNA repair in chromatin is of great interest because nucleosomal positioning influences mutation rates. H3K56 acetylation (Ac) is implicated in chromatin landscape regulation, impacting genomic stability, yet the effect of H3K56Ac on DNA base excision repair (BER) remains unclear. We determined whether H3K56Ac plays a role in regulating AP site incision by AP endonuclease 1 (APE1), an early step in BER. Our in vitro studies of acetylated, well-positioned nucleosome core particles (H3K56Ac-601-NCPs) demonstrate APE1 strand incision is enhanced compared with that of unacetylated WT-601-NCPs. The high-mobility group box 1 protein enhances APE1 activity in WT-601-NCPs, but this effect is not observed in H3K56Ac-601-NCPs. Therefore, our results suggest APE1 activity on NCPs can be modulated by H3K56Ac.

Nucleotide Excision Repair and Impact of Site-Specific 5',8-Cyclopurine and Bulky DNA Lesions on the Physical Properties of Nucleosomes

The nonbulky 5',8-cyclopurine DNA lesions (cP) and the bulky, benzo[ a]pyrene diol epoxide-derived stereoisomeric cis- and trans- N2-guanine adducts (BPDE-dG) are good substrates of the human nucleotide excision repair (NER) mechanism. These DNA lesions were embedded at the In or Out rotational settings near the dyad axis in nucleosome core particles reconstituted either with native histones extracted from HeLa cells (HeLa-NCP) or with recombinant histones (Rec-NCP). The cP lesions are completely resistant to NER in human HeLa cell extracts. The BPDE-dG adducts are also NER-resistant in Rec-NCPs but are good substrates of NER in HeLa-NCPs. The four BPDE-dG adduct samples are excised with different efficiencies in free DNA, but in HeLa-NCPs, the efficiencies are reduced by a common factor of 2.2 ± 0.2 relative to the NER efficiencies in free DNA. The NER response of the BPDE-dG adducts in HeLa-NCPs is not directly correlated with the observed differences in the thermodynamic destabilization of HeLa-NCPs, the Förster resonance energy transfer values, or hydroxyl radical footprint patterns and is weakly dependent on the rotational settings. These and other observations suggest that NER is initiated by the binding of the DNA damage-sensing NER factor XPC-RAD23B to a transiently opened BPDE-modified DNA sequence that corresponds to the known footprint of XPC-DNA-RAD23B complexes (≥30 bp). These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that post-translational modifications and the dimensions and properties of the DNA lesions are the major factors that have an impact on the dynamics and initiation of NER in nucleosomes.

Solar UV damage to cellular DNA: from mechanisms to biological effects

Solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation generates bulky photodimers at di-pyrimidine sites that pose stress to cells and organisms by hindering DNA replication and transcription. In addition, solar UV also induces various types of oxidative DNA lesions and single strand DNA breaks. Relieving toxicity and maintenance of genomic integrity are of clinical importance in relation to erythema/edema and diseases such as cancer, neurodegeneration and premature ageing, respectively. Following solar UV radiation, a network of DNA damage response mechanisms triggers a signal transduction cascade to regulate various genome-protection pathways including DNA damage repair, cell cycle control, apoptosis, transcription and chromatin remodeling. The effects of UVC and UVB radiation on cellular DNA are predominantly accounted for by the formation of photodimers at di-pyrimidine sites. These photodimers are mutagenic: UVC, UVB and also UVA radiation induce a broadly similar pattern of transition mutations at di-pyrimidine sites. The mutagenic potency of solar UV is counteracted by efficient repair of photodimers involving global genome nucleotide excision repair (GG-NER) and transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair (TC-NER); the latter is a specialized repair pathway to remove transcription-blocking photodimers and restore UV-inhibited transcription. On the molecular level these processes are facilitated and regulated by various post-translational modifications of NER factors and the chromatin substrate. Inherited defects in NER are manifested in different diseases including xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), Cockayne syndrome (CS), UV sensitive syndrome (UVsS) and the photosensitive form of trichothiodystrophy (TTD). XP patients are prone to sunlight-induced skin cancer. UVB irradiated XP and CS knockout mouse models unveiled that only TC-NER counteracts erythema/edema, whereas both GG-NER and TC-NER protect against UVB-induced cancer. Additionally, UVA radiation induces mutations characterized by oxidation-linked signature at non-di-pyrimidine sites. The biological relevance of oxidation damage is demonstrated by the cancer susceptibility of UVB-irradiated mice deficient in repair of oxidation damage, i.e., 8-oxoguanine.

A cassette of basic amino acids in histone H2B regulates nucleosome dynamics and access to DNA damage

Nucleosome dynamics, such as spontaneous DNA unwrapping, are postulated to have a critical role in regulating the access of DNA repair machinery to DNA lesions within nucleosomes. However, the specific histone domains that regulate nucleosome dynamics and the impact of such changes in intrinsic nucleosome dynamics on DNA repair are not well understood. Previous studies identified a highly conserved region in the N-terminal tail of histone H2B known as the histone H2Brepression (or HBR) domain, which has a significant influence on gene expression, chromatin assembly, and DNA damage formation and repair. However, the molecular mechanism(s) that may account for these observations are limited. In this study, we characterized the stability and dynamics of ΔHBR mutant nucleosome core particles (NCPs) in vitro by restriction enzyme accessibility (REA), FRET, and temperature-induced sliding of histone octamers. Our results indicate that ΔHBR-NCPs are more dynamic, with a larger steady-state fraction of the NCP population occupying the unwrapped state than for WT-NCPs. Additionally, ΔHBR-histone octamers are more susceptible to temperature-induced sliding on DNA than WT histone octamers. Furthermore, we show that the activity of base excision repair enzymes at uracil lesions and single nucleotide gaps is enhanced in a site-specific manner in ΔHBR-NCPs. This enhanced activity correlates well with regions exhibiting increased DNA unwrapping. Finally, removal of the HBR domain is not sufficient to completely alleviate the structural constraints imposed by histone octamers on the activity of base excision repair enzymes.

Unencumbered Pol β lyase activity in nucleosome core particles

Packaging of DNA into the nucleosome core particle (NCP) is considered to exert constraints to all DNA-templated processes, including base excision repair where Pol β catalyzes two key enzymatic steps: 5'-dRP lyase gap trimming and template-directed DNA synthesis. Despite its biological significance, knowledge of Pol β activities on NCPs is still limited. Here, we show that removal of the 5'-dRP block by Pol β is unaffected by NCP constraints at all sites tested and is even enhanced near the DNA ends. In contrast, strong inhibition of DNA synthesis is observed. These results indicate 5'-dRP gap trimming proceeds unperturbed within the NCP; whereas, gap filling is strongly limited. In the absence of additional factors, base excision repair in NCPs will stall at the gap-filling step.

Autophagic UVRAG Promotes UV-Induced Photolesion Repair by Activation of the CRL4(DDB2) E3 Ligase

UV-induced DNA damage, a major risk factor for skin cancers, is primarily repaired by nucleotide excision repair (NER). UV radiation resistance-associated gene (UVRAG) is a tumor suppressor involved in autophagy. It was initially isolated as a cDNA partially complementing UV sensitivity in xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), but this was not explored further. Here we show that UVRAG plays an integral role in UV-induced DNA damage repair. It localizes to photolesions and associates with DDB1 to promote the assembly and activity of the DDB2-DDB1-Cul4A-Roc1 (CRL4(DDB2)) ubiquitin ligase complex, leading to efficient XPC recruitment and global genomic NER. UVRAG depletion decreased substrate handover to XPC and conferred UV-damage hypersensitivity. We confirmed the importance of UVRAG for UV-damage tolerance using a Drosophila model. Furthermore, increased UV-signature mutations in melanoma correlate with reduced expression of UVRAG. Our results identify UVRAG as a regulator of CRL4(DDB2)-mediated NER and suggest that its expression levels may influence melanoma predisposition.

Choreography of parental histones in damaged chromatin

In the cell nucleus, DNA repair machineries operate on a chromatin substrate, whose integrity is key for preserving cell functions and identity. Yet, it is still unclear how the epigenetic information conveyed by chromatin is maintained during the DNA repair process. We recently characterized the dynamics of parental histones coupled to UV-C damage repair in human cells, providing insights into how the pre-damage chromatin state may be restored. Here, we summarize our main findings and discuss them in the context of epigenome maintenance following DNA damage. We further address the mechanistic aspects of repair-coupled histone dynamics and develop working hypotheses regarding their functional relevance in the cellular response to genotoxic stress.

UV-Induced DNA Damage and Mutagenesis in Chromatin

UV radiation induces photolesions that distort the DNA double helix and, if not repaired, can cause severe biological consequences, including mutagenesis or cell death. In eukaryotes, both the formation and repair of UV damage occur in the context of chromatin, in which genomic DNA is packaged with histones into nucleosomes and higher order chromatin structures. Here, we review how chromatin impacts the formation of UV photoproducts in eukaryotic cells. We describe the initial discovery that nucleosomes and other DNA binding proteins induce characteristic "photofootprints" during the formation of UV photoproducts. We also describe recent progress in genomewide methods for mapping UV damage, which echoes early biochemical studies, and highlights the role of nucleosomes and transcription factors in UV damage formation and repair at unprecedented resolution. Finally, we discuss our current understanding of how the distribution and repair of UV-induced DNA damage influence mutagenesis in human skin cancers.

A basic domain in the histone H2B N-terminal tail is important for nucleosome assembly by FACT

Nucleosome assembly in vivo requires assembly factors, such as histone chaperones, to bind to histones and mediate their deposition onto DNA. In yeast, the essential histone chaperone FACT (FAcilitates Chromatin Transcription) functions in nucleosome assembly and H2A–H2B deposition during transcription elongation and DNA replication. Recent studies have identified candidate histone residues that mediate FACT binding to histones, but it is not known which histone residues are important for FACT to deposit histones onto DNA during nucleosome assembly. In this study, we report that the histone H2B repression (HBR) domain within the H2B N-terminal tail is important for histone deposition by FACT. Deletion of the HBR domain causes significant defects in histone occupancy in the yeast genome, particularly at HBR-repressed genes, and a pronounced increase in H2A–H2B dimers that remain bound to FACT in vivo. Moreover, the HBR domain is required for purified FACT to efficiently assemble recombinant nucleosomes in vitro. We propose that the interaction between the highly basic HBR domain and DNA plays an important role in stabilizing the nascent nucleosome during the process of histone H2A–H2B deposition by FACT.

Site-specific Acetylation of Histone H3 Decreases Polymerase β Activity on Nucleosome Core Particles in Vitro

Histone posttranslational modifications have been associated with changes in chromatin structure necessary for transcription, replication, and DNA repair. Acetylation is one of the most studied and best characterized histone posttranslational modifications, but it is not known if histone acetylation modulates base excision repair of DNA lesions in chromatin. To address this question, we generated nucleosome core particles (NCPs) containing site-specifically acetylated H3K14 or H3K56 and measured repair of uracil and single-nucleotide gaps. We find that H3K56Ac and H3K14Ac do not significantly contribute to removal of uracils by uracil DNA glycosylase regardless of the translational or rotational position of the lesions within NCPs. In repair of single-nucleotide gaps, however, the presence of H3K56Ac or H3K14Ac in NCPs decreases the gap-filling activity of DNA polymerase β near the dyad center, with H3K14Ac exhibiting stronger inhibition. To a lesser extent, H3K56Ac induces a similar effect near the DNA ends. Moreover, using restriction enzyme accessibility, we detect no changes in NCP structure or dynamics between H3K14Ac-NCPs and WT-NCPs containing single-nucleotide gaps. Thus, acetylation at H3K56 and H3K14 in nucleosomes may promote alternative gap-filling pathways by inhibiting DNA polymerase β activity.

Facilitation of base excision repair by chromatin remodeling

Base Excision Repair (BER) is a conserved, intracellular DNA repair system that recognizes and removes chemically modified bases to insure genomic integrity and prevent mutagenesis. Aberrant BER has been tightly linked with a broad spectrum of human pathologies, such as several types of cancer, neurological degeneration, developmental abnormalities, immune dysfunction and aging. In the cell, BER must recognize and remove DNA lesions from the tightly condensed, protein-coated chromatin. Because chromatin is necessarily refractory to DNA metabolic processes, like transcription and replication, the compaction of the genomic material is also inhibitory to the repair systems necessary for its upkeep. Multiple ATP-dependent chromatin remodelling (ACR) complexes play essential roles in modulating the protein-DNA interactions within chromatin, regulating transcription and promoting activities of some DNA repair systems, including double-strand break repair and nucleotide excision repair. However, it remains unclear how BER operates in the context of chromatin, and if the chromatin remodelling processes that govern transcription and replication also actively regulate the efficiency of BER. In this review we highlight the emerging role of ACR in regulation of BER.

Structural basis of pyrimidine-pyrimidone (6-4) photoproduct recognition by UV-DDB in the nucleosome

UV-DDB, an initiation factor for the nucleotide excision repair pathway, recognizes 6–4PP lesions through a base flipping mechanism. As genomic DNA is almost entirely accommodated within nucleosomes, the flipping of the 6–4PP bases is supposed to be extremely difficult if the lesion occurs in a nucleosome, especially on the strand directly contacting the histone surface. Here we report that UV-DDB binds efficiently to nucleosomal 6–4PPs that are rotationally positioned on the solvent accessible or occluded surface. We determined the crystal structures of nucleosomes containing 6–4PPs in these rotational positions, and found that the 6–4PP DNA regions were flexibly disordered, especially in the strand exposed to the solvent. This characteristic of 6–4PP may facilitate UV-DDB binding to the damaged nucleosome. We present the first atomic-resolution pictures of the detrimental DNA cross-links of neighboring pyrimidine bases within the nucleosome, and provide the mechanistic framework for lesion recognition by UV-DDB in chromatin.

In vitro chromatin templates to study nucleotide excision repair

In eukaryotic cells, DNA associates with histones and exists in the form of a chromatin hierarchy. Thus, it is generally believed that many eukaryotic cellular DNA processing events such as replication, transcription, recombination and DNA repair are influenced by the packaging of DNA into chromatin. This mini-review covers the current knowledge of DNA damage and repair in chromatin based on in vitro studies. Specifically, nucleosome assembly affects DNA damage formation in both random sequences and sequences with strong nucleosome-positioning signals such as 5S rDNA. At least three systems have been used to analyze the effect of nucleosome folding on nucleotide excision repair (NER) in vitro: (a) human cell extracts that have to rely on labeling of repair synthesis to monitor DNA repair, due to very low repair efficacy; (b) Xenopus oocyte nuclear extracts, that have very robust DNA repair efficacy, have been utilized to follow direct removal of DNA damage; (c) six purified human DNA repair factors (RPA, XPA, XPC, TFIIH, XPG, and XPF-ERCC1) that have been used to reconstitute excision repair in vitro. In general, the results have shown that nucleosome folding inhibits NER and, therefore, its activity must be enhanced by chromatin remodeling factors like SWI/SNF. In addition, binding of transcription factors such as TFIIIA to the 5S rDNA promoter also modulates NER efficacy.

Design, synthesis, and characterization of nucleosomes containing site-specific DNA damage

How DNA damaged is formed, recognized, and repaired in chromatin is an area of intense study. To better understand the structure activity relationships of damaged chromatin, mono and dinucleosomes containing site-specific damage have been prepared and studied. This review will focus on the design, synthesis, and characterization of model systems of damaged chromatin for structural, physical, and enzymatic studies.

Chromatin dynamics after DNA damage: The legacy of the access-repair-restore model

Eukaryotic genomes are packaged into chromatin, which is the physiological substrate for all DNA transactions, including DNA damage and repair. Chromatin organization imposes major constraints on DNA damage repair and thus undergoes critical rearrangements during the repair process. These rearrangements have been integrated into the "access-repair-restore" (ARR) model, which provides a molecular framework for chromatin dynamics in response to DNA damage. Here, we take a historical perspective on the elaboration of this model and describe the molecular players involved in damaged chromatin reorganization in human cells. In particular, we present our current knowledge of chromatin assembly coupled to DNA damage repair, focusing on the role of histone variants and their dedicated chaperones. Finally, we discuss the impact of chromatin rearrangements after DNA damage on chromatin function and epigenome maintenance.

Differences in the Access of Lesions to the Nucleotide Excision Repair Machinery in Nucleosomes

In nucleosomes, the access of DNA lesions to nucleotide excision repair is hindered by histone proteins. However, evidence that the nature of the DNA lesions may play a role in facilitating access is emerging, but these phenomena are not well-understood. We have used molecular dynamics simulations to elucidate the structural, dynamic, and energetic properties of the R and S 5'-8-cyclo-2'-dG and the (+)-cis-anti-B[a]P-dG lesions in a nucleosome. Our results show that the (+)-cis-anti-B[a]P-dG adduct is more dynamic and more destabilizing than the smaller and more constrained 5',8-cyclo-2'-dG lesions, suggesting more facile access to the more bulky (+)-cis-anti-B[a]P-dG lesion.

Insight in the multilevel regulation of NER

Nucleotide excision repair (NER) is a key component of the DNA damage response (DDR) and it is essential to safeguard genome integrity against genotoxic insults. The regulation of NER is primarily mediated by protein post-translational modifications (PTMs). The NER machinery removes a wide spectrum of DNA helix distorting lesions, including those induced by solar radiation, through two sub-pathways: global genome nucleotide excision repair (GG-NER) and transcription coupled nucleotide excision repair (TC-NER). Severe clinical consequences associated with inherited NER defects, including premature ageing, neurodegeneration and extreme cancer-susceptibility, underscore the biological relevance of NER. In the last two decades most of the core NER machinery has been elaborately described, shifting attention to molecular mechanisms that either facilitate NER in the context of chromatin or promote the timely and accurate interplay between NER factors and various post-translational modifications. In this review, we summarize and discuss the latest findings in NER. In particular, we focus on emerging factors and novel molecular mechanisms by which NER is regulated.

Single-molecule analysis reveals human UV-damaged DNA-binding protein (UV-DDB) dimerizes on DNA via multiple kinetic intermediates

How human DNA repair proteins survey the genome for UV-induced photoproducts remains a poorly understood aspect of the initial damage recognition step in nucleotide excision repair (NER). To understand this process, we performed single-molecule experiments, which revealed that the human UV-damaged DNA-binding protein (UV-DDB) performs a 3D search mechanism and displays a remarkable heterogeneity in the kinetics of damage recognition. Our results indicate that UV-DDB examines sites on DNA in discrete steps before forming long-lived, nonmotile UV-DDB dimers (DDB1-DDB2)2 at sites of damage. Analysis of the rates of dissociation for the transient binding molecules on both undamaged and damaged DNA show multiple dwell times over three orders of magnitude: 0.3-0.8, 8.1, and 113-126 s. These intermediate states are believed to represent discrete UV-DDB conformers on the trajectory to stable damage detection. DNA damage promoted the formation of highly stable dimers lasting for at least 15 min. The xeroderma pigmentosum group E (XP-E) causing K244E mutant of DDB2 found in patient XP82TO, supported UV-DDB dimerization but was found to slide on DNA and failed to stably engage lesions. These findings provide molecular insight into the loss of damage discrimination observed in this XP-E patient. This study proposes that UV-DDB recognizes lesions via multiple kinetic intermediates, through a conformational proofreading mechanism.

DNA damage may drive nucleosomal reorganization to facilitate damage detection

One issue in genome maintenance is how DNA repair proteins find lesions at rates that seem to exceed diffusion-limited search rates. We propose a phenomenon where DNA damage induces nucleosomal rearrangements which move lesions to potential rendezvous points in the chromatin structure. These rendezvous points are the dyad and the linker DNA between histones, positions in the chromatin which are more likely to be accessible by repair proteins engaged in a random search. The feasibility of this mechanism is tested by considering the statistical mechanics of DNA containing a single lesion wrapped onto the nucleosome. We consider lesions which make the DNA either more flexible or more rigid by modeling the lesion as either a decrease or an increase in the bending energy. We include this energy in a partition function model of nucleosome breathing. Our results indicate that the steady state for a breathing nucleosome will most likely position the lesion at the dyad or in the linker, depending on the energy of the lesion. A role for DNA binding proteins and chromatin remodelers is suggested based on their ability to alter the mechanical properties of the DNA and DNA-histone binding, respectively. We speculate that these positions around the nucleosome potentially serve as rendezvous points where DNA lesions may be encountered by repair proteins which may be sterically hindered from searching the rest of the nucleosomal DNA. The strength of the repositioning is strongly dependent on the structural details of the DNA lesion and the wrapping and breathing of the nucleosome. A more sophisticated evaluation of this proposed mechanism will require detailed information about breathing dynamics, the structure of partially wrapped nucleosomes, and the structural properties of damaged DNA.

Accumulation of the cyclobutane thymine dimer in defined sequences of free and nucleosomal DNA

Photochemical cyclobutane dimerization of adjacent thymines generates the major lesion in DNA caused by exposure to sunlight. Not all nucleotide sequences and structures are equally susceptible to this reaction or its potential to create mutations. Photostationary levels of the cyclobutane thymine dimer have now been quantified in homogenous samples of DNA reconstituted into nucleosome core particles to examine the basis for previous observations that such structures could induce a periodicity in dimer yield when libraries of heterogeneous sequences were used. Initial rate studies did not reveal a similar periodicity when a homogenous core particle was analyzed, but this approach examined only formation of this photochemically reversible cyclobutane dimer. Photostationary levels result from competition between dimerization and reversion and, as described in this study, still express none of the periodicity within two alternative core particles that was evident in heterogeneous samples. Such periodicity likely arises from only a limited set of sequences and structural environments that are not present in the homogeneous and well-characterized assemblies available to date.

Histone H3 lysine 14 (H3K14) acetylation facilitates DNA repair in a positioned nucleosome by stabilizing the binding of the chromatin Remodeler RSC (Remodels Structure of Chromatin)

Histone H3 acetylation is induced by UV damage in yeast and may play an important role in regulating the repair of UV photolesions in nucleosome-loaded genomic loci. However, it remains elusive how H3 acetylation facilitates repair. We generated a strongly positioned nucleosome containing homogeneously acetylated H3 at Lys-14 (H3K14ac) and investigated possible mechanisms by which H3K14 acetylation modulates repair. We show that H3K14ac does not alter nucleosome unfolding dynamics or enhance the repair of UV-induced cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers by UV photolyase. Importantly, however, nucleosomes with H3K14ac have a higher affinity for purified chromatin remodeling complex RSC (Remodels the Structure of Chromatin) and show greater cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer repair compared with unacetylated nucleosomes. Our study indicates that, by anchoring RSC, H3K14 acetylation plays an important role in the unfolding of strongly positioned nucleosomes during repair of UV damage.

High-resolution characterization of CPD hotspot formation in human fibroblasts

Repair of DNA lesions must occur within the chromatin landscape and is associated with alterations in histone modifications and nucleosome rearrangement. To directly associate these chromatin features with DNA damage and repair, it is necessary to be able to map DNA adducts. We have developed a cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD)-specific immunoprecipitation method and mapped ultraviolet damage hotspots across human chromosomes 1 and 6. CPD hotspots occur almost equally in genic and intergenic regions. However, these hotspots are significantly more prevalent adjacent to repeat elements, especially Alu repeats. Nucleosome mapping studies indicate that nucleosomes are consistently positioned at Alu elements where CPD hotspots form, but by 2 h post-irradiation, these same regions are significantly depleted of nucleosomes. These results indicate that nucleosomes associated with hotspots of CPD formation are readily rearranged, potentially making them accessible to DNA repair machinery. Our results represent the first chromosome scale map of ultraviolet-induced DNA lesions in the human genome, and reveal the sequence features and dynamic chromatin changes associated with CPD hotspots.

The structural location of DNA lesions in nucleosome core particles determines accessibility by base excision repair enzymes

BACKGROUND

Base excision repair is hindered by nucleosomes.

RESULTS

Outwardly oriented uracils near the nucleosome center are efficiently cleaved; however, polymerase β is strongly inhibited at these sites.

CONCLUSION

The histone octamer presents different levels of constraints on BER, dependent on the structural requirements for enzyme activity.

SIGNIFICANCE

Chromatin remodeling is necessary to prevent accumulation of aborted intermediates in nucleosomes. Packaging of DNA into chromatin affects accessibility of DNA regulatory factors involved in transcription, replication, and repair. Evidence suggests that even in the nucleosome core particle (NCP), accessibility to damaged DNA is hindered by the presence of the histone octamer. Base excision repair is the major pathway in mammalian cells responsible for correcting a large number of chemically modified bases. We have measured the repair of site-specific uracil and single nucleotide gaps along the surface of the NCP. Our results indicate that removal of DNA lesions is greatly dependent on their rotational and translational positioning in NCPs. Significantly, the rate of uracil removal with outwardly oriented DNA backbones is 2-10-fold higher than those with inwardly oriented backbones. In general, uracils with inwardly oriented backbones farther away from the dyad center of the NCP are more accessible than those near the dyad. The translational positioning of outwardly oriented gaps is the key factor driving gap filling activity. An outwardly oriented gap near the DNA ends exhibits a 3-fold increase in gap filling activity as compared with one near the dyad with the same rotational orientation. Near the dyad, uracil DNA glycosylase/APE1 removes an outwardly oriented uracil efficiently; however, polymerase β activity is significantly inhibited at this site. These data suggest that the hindrance presented by the location of a DNA lesion is dependent on the structural requirements for enzyme catalysis. Therefore, remodeling at DNA damage sites in NCPs is critical for preventing accumulation of aborted intermediates and ensuring completion of base excision repair.

H2A.Z nucleosome positioning has no impact on genetic variation in Drosophila genome

Nucleosome occupancy results in complex sequence variation rate heterogeneity by either increasing mutation rate or inhibiting DNA repair in yeast, fish, and human. H2A.Z nucleosome is extensively involved in gene transcription activation and regulation. To test whether H2A.Z nucleosome has the similar impact on sequence variability in the Drosophila genome, we profiled the H2A.Z nucleosome occupancy and sequence variation rate at gene ends and splicing sites. Consistent with previous studies, H2A.Z nucleosome positioning helps to demarcate the borders of exons. Nucleosome occupancy is anticorrelated with sequence divergence rate in the regions flanking transcription start sites and splicing sites. However, there is no rate heterogeneity between the linker DNA and H2A.Z nucleosomal DNA regardless of nucleosome occupancy, fuzziness, positioning in promoter, coding, and intergenic regions, young or old genes. But the rate at intergenic nucleosomes and the flanking linker regions is higher than that at the genic counterparts. Further analyses found that the high sequence divergence rate in the promoter regions that are usually nucleosome depleted regions may be likely resulted from the high mutation rate in the enriched tandem repeats. Interestingly, within nucleosomes spanning splicing sites, sequence variability of nucleosomal DNA significantly increases from the end within exons to the other end protruding into introns. The relaxed functional constraint in introns contributes to the high rate of nucleosomal DNA residing in introns while the strict functional constraint in exons maintains the low rate of nucleosomal DNA residing in exons. Taken together, H2A.Z nucleosome occupancy has no effect on sequence variability of Drosophila genome, which is likely determined by local sequence composition and the concomitant selection pressure.

UVB irradiation does not directly induce detectable changes of DNA methylation in human keratinocytes

Unprotected exposure to UVB radiation from the sun and the resulting DNA damage are thought to be responsible for physiological changes in the skin and for a variety of skin cancers, including basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma. Although the mutagenic effects of UVB have been well documented and studied mechanistically, there is only limited information as to whether UV light may also be responsible for inducing epigenetic changes in the genome of exposed cells. DNA methylation is a stable epigenetic modification involved in gene control. To study the effects of UVB radiation on DNA methylation, we repeatedly exposed normal human keratinocytes to a UVB light source. After a recovery period, we analyzed global DNA methylation patterns in the irradiated and control cells using the methylated-CpG island recovery assay (MIRA) method in combination with high-resolution microarrays. Bioinformatics analysis revealed only a limited number of possible differences between UVB-exposed and control cells. However, these minor apparent changes could not be independently confirmed by bisulfite sequencing-based approaches. This study reveals that UVB irradiation of keratinocytes has no recognizable global effect on DNA methylation patterns and suggests that changes in DNA methylation, as observed in skin cancers, are not immediate consequences of human exposure to solar UVB irradiation.

Chromatin dynamics during nucleotide excision repair: histones on the move

It has been a long-standing question how DNA damage repair proceeds in a nuclear environment where DNA is packaged into chromatin. Several decades of analysis combining in vitro and in vivo studies in various model organisms ranging from yeast to human have markedly increased our understanding of the mechanisms underlying chromatin disorganization upon damage detection and re-assembly after repair. Here, we review the methods that have been developed over the years to delineate chromatin alterations in response to DNA damage by focusing on the well-characterized Nucleotide Excision Repair (NER) pathway. We also highlight how these methods have provided key mechanistic insight into histone dynamics coupled to repair in mammals, raising new issues about the maintenance of chromatin integrity. In particular, we discuss how NER factors and central players in chromatin dynamics such as histone modifiers, nucleosome remodeling factors, and histone chaperones function to mobilize histones during repair.

Polycistronic coexpression and nondenaturing purification of histone octamers

Histone octamers are the basic building blocks of chromatin and are platforms for diverse genetic mechanisms. We report a simple method for preparing recombinant histone octamers by overexpressing all four histones from a single polycistronic vector followed by standard chromatography under native conditions. This approach reduces the time needed for the octamer preparation to a single day and should be applicable to making a variety of unmodified and modified histone octamers.

Monoubiquitinated histone H2A destabilizes photolesion-containing nucleosomes with concomitant release of UV-damaged DNA-binding protein E3 ligase

How the nucleotide excision repair (NER) machinery gains access to damaged chromatinized DNA templates and how the chromatin structure is modified to promote efficient repair of the non-transcribed genome remain poorly understood. The UV-damaged DNA-binding protein complex (UV-DDB, consisting of DDB1 and DDB2, the latter of which is mutated in xeroderma pigmentosum group E patients, is a substrate-recruiting module of the cullin 4B-based E3 ligase complex, DDB1-CUL4B^DDB2. We previously reported that the deficiency of UV-DDB E3 ligases in ubiquitinating histone H2A at UV-damaged DNA sites in the xeroderma pigmentosum group E cells contributes to the faulty NER in these skin cancer-prone patients. Here, we reveal the mechanism by which monoubiquitination of specific H2A lysine residues alters nucleosomal dynamics and subsequently initiates NER. We show that DDB1-CUL4B^DDB2 E3 ligase specifically binds to mononucleosomes assembled with human recombinant histone octamers and nucleosome-positioning DNA containing cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers or 6-4 photoproducts photolesions. We demonstrate functionally that ubiquitination of H2A Lys-119/Lys-120 is necessary for destabilization of nucleosomes and concomitant release of DDB1-CUL4B^DDB2 from photolesion-containing DNA. Nucleosomes in which these lysines are replaced with arginines are resistant to such structural changes, and arginine mutants prevent the eviction of H2A and dissociation of polyubiquitinated DDB2 from UV-damaged nucleosomes. The partial eviction of H3 from the nucleosomes is dependent on ubiquitinated H2A Lys-119/Lys-120. Our results provide mechanistic insight into how post-translational modification of H2A at the site of a photolesion initiates the repair process and directly affects the stability of the human genome.

ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling in the DNA-damage response

The integrity of DNA is continuously challenged by metabolism-derived and environmental genotoxic agents that cause a variety of DNA lesions, including base alterations and breaks. DNA damage interferes with vital processes such as transcription and replication, and if not repaired properly, can ultimately lead to premature aging and cancer. Multiple DNA pathways signaling for DNA repair and DNA damage collectively safeguard the integrity of DNA. Chromatin plays a pivotal role in regulating DNA-associated processes, and is itself subject to regulation by the DNA-damage response. Chromatin influences access to DNA, and often serves as a docking or signaling site for repair and signaling proteins. Its structure can be adapted by post-translational histone modifications and nucleosome remodeling, catalyzed by the activity of ATP-dependent chromatin-remodeling complexes. In recent years, accumulating evidence has suggested that ATP-dependent chromatin-remodeling complexes play important, although poorly characterized, roles in facilitating the effectiveness of the DNA-damage response. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the involvement of ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling in three major DNA repair pathways: nucleotide excision repair, homologous recombination, and non-homologous end-joining. This shows that a surprisingly large number of different remodeling complexes display pleiotropic functions during different stages of the DNA-damage response. Moreover, several complexes seem to have multiple functions, and are implicated in various mechanistically distinct repair pathways.

The molecular basis of CRL4DDB2/CSA ubiquitin ligase architecture, targeting, and activation

The DDB1-CUL4-RBX1 (CRL4) ubiquitin ligase family regulates a diverse set of cellular pathways through dedicated substrate receptors (DCAFs). The DCAF DDB2 detects UV-induced pyrimidine dimers in the genome and facilitates nucleotide excision repair. We provide the molecular basis for DDB2 receptor-mediated cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer recognition in chromatin. The structures of the fully assembled DDB1-DDB2-CUL4A/B-RBX1 (CRL4(DDB2)) ligases reveal that the mobility of the ligase arm creates a defined ubiquitination zone around the damage, which precludes direct ligase activation by DNA lesions. Instead, the COP9 signalosome (CSN) mediates the CRL4(DDB2) inhibition in a CSN5 independent, nonenzymatic, fashion. In turn, CSN inhibition is relieved upon DNA damage binding to the DDB2 module within CSN-CRL4(DDB2). The Cockayne syndrome A DCAF complex crystal structure shows that CRL4(DCAF(WD40)) ligases share common architectural features. Our data support a general mechanism of ligase activation, which is induced by CSN displacement from CRL4(DCAF) on substrate binding to the DCAF.

Epigenetic regulation of genomic integrity

Inefficient and inaccurate repair of DNA damage is the principal cause of DNA mutations, chromosomal aberrations, and carcinogenesis. Numerous multiple-step DNA repair pathways exist whose deployment depends on the nature of the DNA lesion. Common to all eukaryotic DNA repair pathways is the need to unravel the compacted chromatin structure to facilitate access of the repair machinery to the DNA and restoration of the original chromatin state afterward. Accordingly, our cells utilize a plethora of coordinated mechanisms to locally open up the chromatin structure to reveal the underlying DNA sequence and to orchestrate the efficient and accurate repair of DNA lesions. Here we review changes to the chromatin structure that are intrinsic to the DNA damage response and the available mechanistic insight into how these chromatin changes facilitate distinct stages of the DNA damage repair pathways to maintain genomic stability.

Widespread signatures of recent selection linked to nucleosome positioning in the human lineage

In this study we investigated the strengths and modes of selection associated with nucleosome positioning in the human lineage through the comparison of interspecies and intraspecies rates of divergence. We identify significant evidence for both positive and negative selection linked to human nucleosome positioning for the first time, implicating a widespread and important role for DNA sequence in the location of well-positioned nucleosomes. Selection appears to be acting on particular base substitutions to maintain optimum GC compositions in core and linker regions, with, e.g., unexpectedly elevated rates of C→T substitutions during recent human evolution at linker regions 60-90 bp from the nucleosome dyad but significant depletion of the same substitutions within nucleosome core regions. These patterns are strikingly consistent with the known relationships between genomic sequence composition and nucleosome assembly. By stratifying nucleosomes according to the GC content of their genomic neighborhood, we also show that the strength and direction of selection detected is dictated by local GC content. Intriguingly these signatures of selection are not restricted to nucleosomes in close proximity to exons, suggesting the correct positioning of nucleosomes is not only important in and around coding regions. This analysis provides strong evidence that the genomic sequences associated with nucleosomes are not evolving neutrally, and suggests that underlying DNA sequence is an important factor in nucleosome positioning. Recent signatures of selection linked to genomic features as ubiquitous as the nucleosome have important implications for human genome evolution and disease.

Nucleotide excision repair in chromatin: damage removal at the drop of a HAT

In an earlier review of our understanding of the mechanism of nucleotide excision repair (NER) we examined the process with respect to how it occurs in chromatin [1]. We described how much of our mechanistic understanding of NER was derived from biochemical studies that analysed the repair reaction in DNA substrates not representative of that which exists in the living cell. We pointed out that our efforts to understand how NER operates in chromatin had been hampered in part because of the well-known inhibition of NER that occurs when DNA is assembled into nucleosomes and used as the substrate to examine the repair reaction in vitro. Despite this technical bottleneck, we summarized the biochemical, genetic and cell-based studies which have provided insights into the molecular mechanism of NER in the cellular context. More recently, we revisited the topic of how UV induced DNA damage is repaired in chromatin. In this review we examined the commonly held view that depicts a struggle in which the DNA repair machinery battles to overcome the inhibitory effect of chromatin during the repair process. We suggested that in this interpretation of events, the DNA repair mechanisms might be described as 'tilting at windmills': fighting an imaginary foe [2]. We surmised that this scenario was overly simplistic, and we described an emerging picture in which the DNA repair process and chromatin remodeling were mechanistically linked and were in fact functioning cooperatively to organize the efficient removal of DNA damage from the genome. Here we discuss the latest findings, which contribute to the idea that DNA damage induced changes to chromatin represent an important way in which the DNA repair process is initiated and organized throughout the genome to promote the efficient removal of damage in response to UV radiation.

Detecting UV-lesions in the genome: The modular CRL4 ubiquitin ligase does it best!

The DDB1-DDB2-CUL4-RBX1 complex serves as the primary detection device for UV-induced lesions in the genome. It simultaneously functions as a CUL4 type E3 ubiquitin ligase. We review the current understanding of this dual function ubiquitin ligase and damage detection complex. The DDB2 damage binding module is merely one of a large family of possible DDB1-CUL4 associated factors (DCAF), most of which are substrate receptors for other DDB1-CUL4 complexes. DDB2 and the Cockayne-syndrome A protein (CSA) function in nucleotide excision repair, whereas the remaining receptors operate in a wide range of other biological pathways. We will examine the modular architecture of DDB1-CUL4 in complex with DDB2, CSA and CDT2 focusing on shared architectural, targeting and regulatory principles.

Open, repair and close again: chromatin dynamics and the response to UV-induced DNA damage

Due to its link with human pathologies, including cancer, the mechanism of Nucleotide Excision Repair (NER) has been extensively studied. Most of the pathway and players have been defined using in vitro reconstitution experiments. However, in vivo, the NER machinery must deal with the presence of organized chromatin, which in some regions, such as heterochromatin, is highly condensed but still susceptible to DNA damage. A series of events involving different chromatin-remodeling factors and histone-modifying enzymes target chromatin regions that contain DNA lesions. CPDs change the structure of the nucleosome, allowing access to factors that can recognize the lesion. Next, DDB1-DDB2 protein complexes, which mono-ubiquitinate histones H2A, H3, and H4, recognize nucleosomes containing DNA lesions. The ubiquitinated nucleosome facilitates the recruitment of ATP-dependent chromatin-remodeling factors and the XPC-HR23B-Centrin 2 complex to the target region. Different ATP-dependent chromatin-remodeling factors, such as SWI/SNF and INO80, have been identified as having roles in the UV irradiation response prior to the action of the NER machinery. Subsequently, remodeling of the nucleosome allows enzymatic reactions by histone-modifying factors that may acetylate, methylate or demethylate specific histone residues. Intriguingly, some of these histone modifications are dependent on p53. These histone modifications and the remodeling of the nucleosome allow the entrance of TFIIH, XPC and other NER factors that remove the damaged strand; then, gap-filling DNA synthesis and ligation reactions are carried out after excision of the oligonucleotide with the lesion. Finally, after DNA repair, the initial chromatin structure has to be reestablished. Therefore, factors that modulate chromatin dynamics contribute to the NER mechanism, and they are significant in the future design of treatments for human pathologies related to genome instability and the appearance of drug-resistant tumors.