Behavior of replication origins in Eukaryota - spatio-temporal dynamics of licensing and firing

A novel oral inhibitor for one-carbon metabolism and checkpoint kinase 1 inhibitor as a rational combination treatment for breast cancer

Patients with triple-negative breast cancer have a poor prognosis as only a few efficient targeted therapies are available. Cancer cells are characterized by their unregulated proliferation and require large amounts of nucleotides to replicate their DNA. One-carbon metabolism contributes to purine and pyrimidine nucleotide synthesis by supplying one carbon atom. Although mitochondrial one-carbon metabolism has recently been focused on as an important target for cancer treatment, few specific inhibitors have been reported. In this study, we aimed to examine the effects of DS18561882 (DS18), a novel, orally active, specific inhibitor of methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (MTHFD2), a mitochondrial enzyme involved in one-carbon metabolism. Treatment with DS18 led to a marked reduction in cancer-cell proliferation; however, it did not induce cell death. Combinatorial treatment with DS18 and inhibitors of checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1), an activator of the S phase checkpoint pathway, efficiently induced apoptotic cell death in breast cancer cells and suppressed tumorigenesis in a triple-negative breast cancer patient-derived xenograft model. Mechanistically, MTHFD2 inhibition led to cell cycle arrest and slowed nucleotide synthesis. This finding suggests that DNA replication stress occurs due to nucleotide shortage and that the S-phase checkpoint pathway is activated, leading to cell-cycle arrest. Combinatorial treatment with both inhibitors released cell-cycle arrest, but induced accumulation of DNA double-strand breaks, leading to apoptotic cell death. Collectively, a combination of MTHFD2 and Chk1 inhibitors would be a rational treatment option for patients with triple-negative breast cancer.

Hydroxyurea-The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Hydroxyurea (HU) is mostly referred to as an inhibitor of ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) and as the agent that is commonly used to arrest cells in the S-phase of the cycle by inducing replication stress. It is a well-known and widely used drug, one which has proved to be effective in treating chronic myeloproliferative disorders and which is considered a staple agent in sickle anemia therapy and—recently—a promising factor in preventing cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease. The reversibility of HU-induced replication inhibition also makes it a common laboratory ingredient used to synchronize cell cycles. On the other hand, prolonged treatment or higher dosage of hydroxyurea causes cell death due to accumulation of DNA damage and oxidative stress. Hydroxyurea treatments are also still far from perfect and it has been suggested that it facilitates skin cancer progression. Also, recent studies have shown that hydroxyurea may affect a larger number of enzymes due to its less specific interaction mechanism, which may contribute to further as-yet unspecified factors affecting cell response. In this review, we examine the actual state of knowledge about hydroxyurea and the mechanisms behind its cytotoxic effects. The practical applications of the recent findings may prove to enhance the already existing use of the drug in new and promising ways.

Analysis of Host Jejunum Transcriptome and Associated Microbial Community Structure Variation in Young Calves with Feed-Induced Acidosis

Diet-induced acidosis imposes a health risk to young calves. In this study, we aimed to investigate the host jejunum transcriptome changes, along with its microbial community variations, using our established model of feed-induced ruminal acidosis in young calves. Eight bull calves were randomly assigned to two diet treatments beginning at birth (a starch-rich diet, Aci; a control diet, Con). Whole-transcriptome RNA sequencing was performed on the jejunum tissues collected at 17 weeks of age. Ribosomal RNA reads were used for studying microbial community structure variations in the jejunum. A total of 853 differentially expressed genes were identified (402 upregulated and 451 downregulated) between the two groups. The cell cycle and the digestion and absorption of protein in jejunal tissue were affected by acidosis. Compared to the control, genera of Campylobacter, Burkholderia, Acidaminococcus, Corynebacterium, and Olsenella significantly increased in abundance in the Aci group, while Lachnoclostridium and Ruminococcus were significantly lower in the Aci group. Expression changes in the AXL gene were associated with the abundance variations of a high number of genera in jejunum. Our study provided a snapshot of the transcriptome changes in the jejunum and its associated meta-transcriptome changes in microbial communities in young calves with feed-induced acidosis.

An evolutionary model identifies the main evolutionary biases for the evolution of genome-replication profiles

Recent results comparing the temporal program of genome replication of yeast species belonging to the Lachancea clade support the scenario that the evolution of the replication timing program could be mainly driven by correlated acquisition and loss events of active replication origins. Using these results as a benchmark, we develop an evolutionary model defined as birth-death process for replication origins and use it to identify the evolutionary biases that shape the replication timing profiles. Comparing different evolutionary models with data, we find that replication origin birth and death events are mainly driven by two evolutionary pressures, the first imposes that events leading to higher double-stall probability of replication forks are penalized, while the second makes less efficient origins more prone to evolutionary loss. This analysis provides an empirically grounded predictive framework for quantitative evolutionary studies of the replication timing program.

Hydroxyurea and Caffeine Impact pRb-like Protein-Dependent Chromatin Architecture Profiles in Interphase Cells of Vicia faba

The survival of cells depends on their ability to replicate correctly genetic material. Cells exposed to replication stress can experience a number of problems that may lead to deregulated proliferation, the development of cancer, and/or programmed cell death. In this article, we have induced prolonged replication arrest via hydroxyurea (HU) treatment and also premature chromosome condensation (PCC) by co-treatment with HU and caffeine (CF) in the root meristem cells of Vicia faba. We have analyzed the changes in the activities of retinoblastoma-like protein (RbS807/811ph). Results obtained from the immunocytochemical detection of RbS807/811ph allowed us to distinguish five unique activity profiles of pRb. We have also performed detailed 3D modeling using Blender 2.9.1., based on the original data and some final conclusions. 3D models helped us to visualize better the events occurring within the nuclei and acted as a high-resolution aid for presenting the results. We have found that, despite the decrease in pRb activity, its activity profiles were mostly intact and clearly recognizable, with some local alterations that may correspond to the increased demand in transcriptional activity. Our findings suggest that Vicia faba’s ability to withstand harsh environments may come from its well-developed and highly effective response to replication stress.

Histones on fire: the effect of Dun1 and Mrc1 on origin firing and replication of hyper-acetylated genomes

As cells replicate their DNA, there is a need to synthesize new histones with which to wrap it. Newly synthesized H3 histones that are incorporated into the assembling chromatin behind the replication fork are acetylated at lysine 56. The acetylation is removed by two deacetylases, Hst3 and Hst4. This process is tightly regulated and any perturbation leads to genomic instability and replicative stress. We recently showed that Dun1, a kinase implicated mainly in the regulation of dNTPs, is vital in cells with hyper-acetylation, to counteract Rad53's inhibition on late-firing origins of replication. Our work showed that ∆hst3 ∆hst4 cells depend on late origin firing for survival, and are unable to prevent Rad53's inhibition when Dun1 is inactive. Thus, our work describes a role for Dun1 that is independent on its known function as a regulator of dNTP levels. Here we show that Mrc1 (Claspin in mammals), a protein that moves with the replicating fork and participates in both replication and checkpoint functions, plays also an essential role in the absence of H3K56Ac deacetylation. The sum of the results shown here and in our recent publication suggests that dormant origins are also utilized in these cells, making Mrc1, which regulates firing from these origins, also essential when histone H3 is hyper-acetylated. Thus, cells suffering from hyper-acetylation of H3K56 experience replication stress caused by a combination of prone-to-collapse forks and limited replication tracts. This combination makes both Dun1 and Mrc1, each acting on different targets, essential for viability.

A novel role for Dun1 in the regulation of origin firing upon hyper-acetylation of H3K56

During DNA replication newly synthesized histones are incorporated into the chromatin of the replicating sister chromatids. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae new histone H3 molecules are acetylated at lysine 56. This modification is carefully regulated during the cell cycle, and any disruption of this process is a source of genomic instability. Here we show that the protein kinase Dun1 is necessary in order to maintain viability in the absence of the histone deacetylases Hst3 and Hst4, which remove the acetyl moiety from histone H3. This lethality is not due to the well-characterized role of Dun1 in upregulating dNTPs, but rather because Dun1 is needed in order to counteract the checkpoint kinase Rad53 (human CHK2) that represses the activity of late firing origins. Deletion of CTF18, encoding the large subunit of an alternative RFC-like complex (RLC), but not of components of the Elg1 or Rad24 RLCs, is enough to overcome the dependency of cells with hyper-acetylated histones on Dun1. We show that the detrimental function of Ctf18 depends on its interaction with the leading strand polymerase, Polε. Our results thus show that the main problem of cells with hyper-acetylated histones is the regulation of their temporal and replication programs, and uncover novel functions for the Dun1 protein kinase and the Ctf18 clamp loader.

Within the cell’s nucleus the DNA is wrapped around proteins called histones. Upon DNA replication, newly synthesized H3 histones are acetylated at lysine 56. This acetylation is significant for the cell because when it is not removed in a timely manner it leads to genomic instability. We have investigated the source of this instability and discovered that the kinase Dun1, usually implicated in the regulation of dNTPs, the building blocks of DNA, has a novel, dNTP-independent, essential role when histones are hyper-acetylated. The essential role of Dun1 is in the regulation of the temporal program of DNA replication. Thus, our results uncover what the main defect is in cells unable to regulate the acetylation of histones, while revealing new functions for well-characterized proteins with roles in genome stability maintenance.

Kinetics of DNA Repair in Vicia faba Meristem Regeneration Following Replication Stress

The astonishing survival abilities of Vicia faba, one the earliest domesticated plants, are associated, among other things, to the highly effective replication stress response system which ensures smooth cell division and proper preservation of genomic information. The most crucial pathway here seems to be the ataxia telangiectasia-mutated kinase (ATM)/ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related kinase (ATR)-dependent replication stress response mechanism, also present in humans. In this article, we attempted to take an in-depth look at the dynamics of regeneration from the effects of replication inhibition and cell cycle checkpoint overriding causing premature chromosome condensation (PCC) in terms of DNA damage repair and changes in replication dynamics. We were able to distinguish a unique behavior of replication factors at the very start of the regeneration process in the PCC-induced cells. We extended the experiment and decided to profile the changes in replication on the level of a single replication cluster of heterochromatin (both alone and with regard to its position in the nucleus), including the mathematical profiling of the size, activity and shape. The results obtained during these experiments led us to the conclusion that even “chaotic” events are dealt with in a proper degree of order.

Working on Genomic Stability: From the S-Phase to Mitosis

Fidelity in chromosome duplication and segregation is indispensable for maintaining genomic stability and the perpetuation of life. Challenges to genome integrity jeopardize cell survival and are at the root of different types of pathologies, such as cancer. The following three main sources of genomic instability exist: DNA damage, replicative stress, and chromosome segregation defects. In response to these challenges, eukaryotic cells have evolved control mechanisms, also known as checkpoint systems, which sense under-replicated or damaged DNA and activate specialized DNA repair machineries. Cells make use of these checkpoints throughout interphase to shield genome integrity before mitosis. Later on, when the cells enter into mitosis, the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) is activated and remains active until the chromosomes are properly attached to the spindle apparatus to ensure an equal segregation among daughter cells. All of these processes are tightly interconnected and under strict regulation in the context of the cell division cycle. The chromosomal instability underlying cancer pathogenesis has recently emerged as a major source for understanding the mitotic processes that helps to safeguard genome integrity. Here, we review the special interconnection between the S-phase and mitosis in the presence of under-replicated DNA regions. Furthermore, we discuss what is known about the DNA damage response activated in mitosis that preserves chromosomal integrity.

Segmental aneuploidy in human blastocysts: a qualitative and quantitative overview

BACKGROUND

Microarray-based and next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have revealed that segmental aneuploidy is frequently present in human oocytes, cleavage-stage embryos and blastocysts. However, very little research has analyzed the type, size, chromosomal distribution and topography of the chromosomal segments at the different stages of development.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study of 822 PGT-A (preimplantation genetic test for aneuploidies) performed on trophectoderm samples from 3565 blastocysts biopsied between January 2016 and April 2017. The cycles in question had been initiated for varying clinical indications. Samples were analyzed by next generation sequencing-based technology. Segmental aneuploidies were evaluated when fragment size was > 5 Mb. Blastocysts presenting a single segmental aneuploidy (SSA), without any additional whole-chromosome gain/loss, were statistically analyzed for incidence, type, size and chromosomal emplacement. Segment sizes relative to the whole chromosome or arm (chromosome- and arm-ratios) were also studied.

RESULTS

8.4% (299/3565) of blastocysts exhibited segmental aneuploidy for one or more chromosomes, some of which were associated with whole-chromosome aneuploidy while others were not. Nearly half of them (4.5%: 159/3565 of blastocysts) exhibited pure-SSA, meaning that a single chromosome was affected by a SSA. Segments were more frequent in medium-sized metacentric or submetacentric chromosomes and particularly in q-chrmosome arms, variables that were related to trophectoderm quality. SSA size was related to a greater extent to chromosome number and the arm affected than it was to SSA type. In absolute values (Mb), SSA size was larger in large chromosomes. However, the SSA:chromosome ratio was constant across all chromosomes and never exceeded 50% of the chromosome.

CONCLUSIONS

SSA frequency is chromosome- and topographically dependent, and its incidence is not related to clinical or embryological factors, but rather to trophectoderm quality. SSA might be originated by chromosome instability in response to chromothripsis, bias introduced by the biopsy and/or iatrogenic effects.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Retrospectively registered.

The demethylase NMAD-1 regulates DNA replication and repair in the Caenorhabditis elegans germline

The biological roles of nucleic acid methylation, other than at the C5-position of cytosines in CpG dinucleotides, are still not well understood. Here, we report genetic evidence for a critical role for the putative DNA demethylase NMAD-1 in regulating meiosis in C. elegans. nmad-1 mutants have reduced fertility. They show defects in prophase I of meiosis, which leads to reduced embryo production and an increased incidence of males due to defective chromosomal segregation. In nmad-1 mutant worms, nuclear staging beginning at the leptotene and zygotene stages is disorganized, the cohesin complex is mislocalized at the diplotene and diakinesis stages, and chromosomes are improperly condensed, fused, or lost by the end of diakinesis. RNA sequencing of the nmad-1 germline revealed reduced induction of DNA replication and DNA damage response genes during meiosis, which was coupled with delayed DNA replication, impaired DNA repair and increased apoptosis of maturing oocytes. To begin to understand how NMAD-1 regulates DNA replication and repair, we used immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry to identify NMAD-1 binding proteins. NMAD-1 binds to multiple proteins that regulate DNA repair and replication, including topoisomerase TOP-2 and co-localizes with TOP-2 on chromatin. Moreover, the majority of TOP-2 binding to chromatin depends on NMAD-1. These results suggest that NMAD-1 functions at DNA replication sites to regulate DNA replication and repair during meiosis.

Errors in meiosis are the leading cause of miscarriages, as well as developmental and intellectual disabilities. We have identified that NMAD-1, an enzyme which removes methyl moieties from nucleic acids, is essential for appropriate DNA damage response, DNA replication and meiosis in the nematode C. elegans. We have cytologically and genetically characterized the defects which occur due to deletion of NMAD-1 in the C. elegans germline. Additionally, we have begun to determine molecularly how NMAD-1 can regulate DNA replication, by demonstrating that NMAD-1 binds to components of the DNA replication machinery and is required for their appropriate localization to DNA. Characterizing how epigenetic modifications and the corresponding enzymes that add or remove epigenetic modifications can control the fundamental process of meiosis will have broad implications for understanding and eventually correcting errors in meiosis that disrupt normal development.

Post-Translational Modifications of the Mini-Chromosome Maintenance Proteins in DNA Replication

The eukaryotic mini-chromosome maintenance (MCM) complex, composed of MCM proteins 2-7, is the core component of the replisome that acts as the DNA replicative helicase to unwind duplex DNA and initiate DNA replication. MCM10 tightly binds the cell division control protein 45 homolog (CDC45)/MCM2-7/ DNA replication complex Go-Ichi-Ni-San (GINS) (CMG) complex that stimulates CMG helicase activity. The MCM8-MCM9 complex may have a non-essential role in activating the pre-replicative complex in the gap 1 (G1) phase by recruiting cell division cycle 6 (CDC6) to the origin recognition complex (ORC). Each MCM subunit has a distinct function achieved by differential post-translational modifications (PTMs) in both DNA replication process and response to replication stress. Such PTMs include phosphorylation, ubiquitination, small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO)ylation, O-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc)ylation, and acetylation. These PTMs have an important role in controlling replication progress and genome stability. Because MCM proteins are associated with various human diseases, they are regarded as potential targets for therapeutic development. In this review, we summarize the different PTMs of the MCM proteins, their involvement in DNA replication and disease development, and the potential therapeutic implications.

The evolution of the temporal program of genome replication

Genome replication is highly regulated in time and space, but the rules governing the remodeling of these programs during evolution remain largely unknown. We generated genome-wide replication timing profiles for ten Lachancea yeasts, covering a continuous evolutionary range from closely related to more divergent species. We show that replication programs primarily evolve through a highly dynamic evolutionary renewal of the cohort of active replication origins. We found that gained origins appear with low activity yet become more efficient and fire earlier as they evolutionarily age. By contrast, origins that are lost comprise the complete range of firing strength. Additionally, they preferentially occur in close vicinity to strong origins. Interestingly, despite high evolutionary turnover, active replication origins remain regularly spaced along chromosomes in all species, suggesting that origin distribution is optimized to limit large inter-origin intervals. We propose a model on the evolutionary birth, death, and conservation of active replication origins.

Temporal programs of genome replication show different levels of conservation between closely or distantly related species. Here, the authors generate genome-wide replication timing profiles for ten yeast species, and analyze their evolutionary dynamics.

An interplay between multiple sirtuins promotes completion of DNA replication in cells with short telomeres

The evolutionarily-conserved sirtuin family of histone deacetylases regulates a multitude of DNA-associated processes. A recent genome-wide screen conducted in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae identified Yku70/80, which regulate nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) and telomere structure, as being essential for cell proliferation in the presence of the pan-sirtuin inhibitor nicotinamide (NAM). Here, we show that sirtuin-dependent deacetylation of both histone H3 lysine 56 and H4 lysine 16 promotes growth of yku70Δ and yku80Δ cells, and that the NAM sensitivity of these mutants is not caused by defects in DNA double-strand break repair by NHEJ, but rather by their inability to maintain normal telomere length. Indeed, our results indicate that in the absence of sirtuin activity, cells with abnormally short telomeres, e.g., yku70/80Δ or est1/2Δ mutants, present striking defects in S phase progression. Our data further suggest that early firing of replication origins at short telomeres compromises the cellular response to NAM- and genotoxin-induced replicative stress. Finally, we show that reducing H4K16ac in yku70Δ cells limits activation of the DNA damage checkpoint kinase Rad53 in response to replicative stress, which promotes usage of translesion synthesis and S phase progression. Our results reveal a novel interplay between sirtuin-mediated regulation of chromatin structure and telomere-regulating factors in promoting timely completion of S phase upon replicative stress.

Regulation of Replication Origins

In eukaryotes, genome duplication starts concomitantly at many replication initiation sites termed replication origins. The replication initiation program is spatially and temporally coordinated to ensure accurate, efficient DNA synthesis that duplicates the entire genome while maintaining other chromatin-dependent functions. Unlike in prokaryotes, not all potential replication origins in eukaryotes are needed for complete genome duplication during each cell cycle. Instead, eukaryotic cells vary the use of initiation sites so that only a fraction of potential replication origins initiate replication each cell cycle. Flexibility in origin choice allows each eukaryotic cell type to utilize different initiation sites, corresponding to unique nuclear DNA packaging patterns. These patterns coordinate replication with gene expression and chromatin condensation. Budding yeast replication origins share a consensus sequence that marks potential initiation sites. Metazoan origins, on the other hand, lack a consensus sequence. Rather, they are associated with a collection of structural features, chromatin packaging features, histone modifications, transcription, and DNA-DNA/DNA-protein interactions. These features confer cell type-specific replication and expression and play an essential role in maintaining genomic stability.

Replication origins: determinants or consequences of nuclear organization?

Chromosome replication, gene expression and chromatin assembly all occur on the same template, necessitating a tight spatial and temporal coordination to maintain genomic stability. The distribution of replication initiation events is responsive to local and global changes in chromatin structure and is affected by transcriptional activity. Concomitantly, replication origin sequences, which determine the locations of replication initiation events, can affect chromatin structure and modulate transcriptional efficiency. The flexibility observed in the replication initiation landscape might help achieve complete and accurate genome duplication while coordinating the DNA replication program with transcription and other nuclear processes in a cell-type specific manner. This review discusses the relationships among replication origin distribution, local and global chromatin structures and concomitant nuclear metabolic processes.

Histone demethylases in chromatin biology and beyond

Histone methylation plays fundamental roles in regulating chromatin‐based processes. With the discovery of histone demethylases over a decade ago, it is now clear that histone methylation is dynamically regulated to shape the epigenome and regulate important nuclear processes including transcription, cell cycle control and DNA repair. In addition, recent observations suggest that these enzymes could also have functions beyond their originally proposed role as histone demethylases. In this review, we focus on recent advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underpin the role of histone demethylases in a wide variety of normal cellular processes.