Role of Mismatch Repair in the Fidelity ofRAD51- andRAD59-Dependent Recombination inSaccharomyces cerevisiae

The decrease in Rad51 and DNA ligase IV nuclear protein expression in Msh2 knockdown HC11 cells induced the low CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knock-in efficiency at the β-casein gene locus

OBJECTIVE

Successful gene editing technology is crucial in molecular biology and related fields. An essential part of an efficient knock-in system is increasing homologous recombination (HR) efficiency in the double-strand break (DSB) repair pathways. Interestingly, HR is closely related to the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) pathway, whereby MMR-related gene Msh2 recognizes a mismatch of nucleotides in recombinant intermediates or gene conversion formed during HR. This study aimed to investigate how the knockdown of Msh2 affects HR-mediated knock-in efficiency at the mouse β-casein locus. Therefore, we investigated the effect of inhibiting Msh2 expression on the expression of the HR-related gene Rad51 and the key enzyme DNA ligase IV involved in non-homologous end joining (NHEJ).

METHODS

The knock-in vector targeting the mouse β-casein gene locus, programmed guide RNA, and Msh2 siRNA expression vector were co-transfected in HC11 cells, or only the Msh2 siRNA expression vector was transfected. Knock-in efficiency was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The mRNA and protein expression of Msh2, HR-related gene Rad51, and NHEJ-related gene DNA ligase IV were evaluated by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blot analysis.

RESULTS

The knock-in vector efficiency at the mouse β-casein gene locus significantly decreased upon Msh2 knockdown in HC11 mouse mammary epithelial cells (HC11 cell). Additionally, the knockdown of the DNA MMR-related gene Msh2 protein significantly downregulated the nuclear protein expression of the HR-related Rad51 and NHEJ-related DNA ligase IV genes.

CONCLUSION

The decreased Msh2 protein expression in the nucleus downregulated the Rad51 and ligase IV protein expressions. Consequently, reduced Rad51 expression results in decreased knock-in efficiency.

Resolution of sequence divergence for repeat-mediated deletions shows a polarity that is mediated by MLH1

Repeat-mediated deletions (RMDs) are a type of chromosomal rearrangement between two homologous sequences that causes loss of the sequence between the repeats, along with one of the repeats. Sequence divergence between repeats suppresses RMDs; the mechanisms of such suppression and of resolution of the sequence divergence remains poorly understood. We identified RMD regulators using a set of reporter assays in mouse cells that test two key parameters: repeat sequence divergence and the distances between one repeat and the initiating chromosomal break. We found that the mismatch repair factor MLH1 suppresses RMDs with sequence divergence in the same pathway as MSH2 and MSH6, and which is dependent on residues in MLH1 and its binding partner PMS2 that are important for nuclease activity. Additionally, we found that the resolution of sequence divergence in the RMD product has a specific polarity, where divergent bases that are proximal to the chromosomal break end are preferentially removed. Moreover, we found that the domain of MLH1 that forms part of the MLH1-PMS2 endonuclease is important for polarity of resolution of sequence divergence. We also identified distinctions between MLH1 versus TOP3α in regulation of RMDs. We suggest that MLH1 suppresses RMDs with sequence divergence, while also promoting directional resolution of sequence divergence in the RMD product.

The dark side of homology-directed repair

DNA double strand breaks (DSB) are cytotoxic lesions that can lead to genome rearrangements and genomic instability, which are hallmarks of cancer. The two main DSB repair pathways are non-homologous end joining and homologous recombination (HR). While HR is generally highly accurate, it has the potential for rearrangements that occur directly or through intermediates generated during the repair process. Whole genome sequencing of cancers has revealed numerous types of structural rearrangement signatures that are often indicative of repair mediated by sequence homology. However, it can be challenging to delineate repair mechanisms from sequence analysis of rearrangement end products from cancer genomes, or even model systems, because the same rearrangements can be generated by different pathways. Here, we review homology-directed repair pathways and their consequences. Exploring those pathways can lead to a greater understanding of rearrangements that occur in cancer cells.

Relationship between DNA mismatch repair and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knock-in in the bovine β-casein gene locus

Objective

Efficient gene editing technology is critical for successful knock-in in domestic animals. RAD51 recombinase (RAD51) gene plays an important role in strand invasion during homologous recombination (HR) in mammals, and is regulated by checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) and CHK2 genes, which are upstream elements of RAD51 recombinase (RAD51). In addition, mismatch repair (MMR) system is inextricably linked to HR-related pathways and regulates HR via heteroduplex rejection. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate whether clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated 9 (CRISPR/Cas9)-mediated knock-in efficiency of human lactoferrin (hLF) knock-in vector in the bovine β-casein gene locus can be increased by suppressing DNA MMR-related genes (MSH2, MSH3, MSH6, MLH1, and PMS2) and overexpressing DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair-related genes (RAD51, CHK1, CHK2).

Methods

Bovine mammary epithelial (MAC-T) cells were transfected with a knock-in vector, RAD51, CHK1, or CHK2 overexpression vector and CRISPR/sgRNA expression vector to target the bovine β-casein gene locus, followed by treatment of the cells with CdCl₂ for 24 hours. After 3 days of CdCl₂ treatment, the knock-in efficiency was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The mRNA expression levels of DNA MMR-related and DNA DSB repair-related genes were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR).

Results

Treatment with CdCl₂ decreased the mRNA expression of RAD51 and MMR-related genes but did not increase the knock-in efficiency in MAC-T cells. Also, the overexpression of DNA DSB repair-related genes in MAC-T cells did not significantly affect the mRNA expression of MMR-related genes and failed to increase the knock-in efficiency.

Conclusion

Treatment with CdCl₂ inhibited the mRNA levels of RAD51 and DNA MMR-related genes in MAC-T cells. However, the function of MMR pathway in relation to HR may differ in various cell types or species.

A Rad51-independent pathway promotes single-strand template repair in gene editing

The Rad51/RecA family of recombinases perform a critical function in typical repair of double-strand breaks (DSBs): strand invasion of a resected DSB end into a homologous double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) template sequence to initiate repair. However, repair of a DSB using single stranded DNA (ssDNA) as a template, a common method of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing, is Rad51-independent. We have analyzed the genetic requirements for these Rad51-independent events in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by creating a DSB with the site-specific HO endonuclease and repairing the DSB with 80-nt single-stranded oligonucleotides (ssODNs), and confirmed these results by Cas9-mediated DSBs in combination with a bacterial retron system that produces ssDNA templates in vivo. We show that single strand template repair (SSTR), is dependent on Rad52, Rad59, Srs2 and the Mre11-Rad50-Xrs2 (MRX) complex, but unlike other Rad51-independent recombination events, independent of Rdh54. We show that Rad59 acts to alleviate the inhibition of Rad51 on Rad52's strand annealing activity both in SSTR and in single strand annealing (SSA). Gene editing is Rad51-dependent when double-stranded oligonucleotides of the same size and sequence are introduced as templates. The assimilation of mismatches during gene editing is dependent on the activity of Msh2, which acts very differently on the 3' side of the ssODN which can anneal directly to the resected DSB end compared to the 5' end. In addition DNA polymerase Polδ's 3' to 5' proofreading activity frequently excises a mismatch very close to the 3' end of the template. We further report that SSTR is accompanied by as much as a 600-fold increase in mutations in regions adjacent to the sequences directly undergoing repair. These DNA polymerase ζ-dependent mutations may compromise the accuracy of gene editing.

Role of the Srs2-Rad51 Interaction Domain in Crossover Control in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae Srs2, in addition to its well-documented antirecombination activity, has been proposed to play a role in promoting synthesis-dependent strand annealing (SDSA). Here we report the identification and characterization of an SRS2 mutant with a single amino acid substitution (srs2-F891A) that specifically affects the Srs2 pro-SDSA function. This residue is located within the Srs2-Rad51 interaction domain and embedded within a protein sequence resembling a BRC repeat motif. The srs2-F891A mutation leads to a complete loss of interaction with Rad51 as measured through yeast two-hybrid analysis and a partial loss of interaction as determined through protein pull-down assays with purified Srs2, Srs2-F891A, and Rad51 proteins. Even though previous work has shown that internal deletions of the Srs2-Rad51 interaction domain block Srs2 antirecombination activity in vitro, the Srs2-F891A mutant protein, despite its weakened interaction with Rad51, exhibits no measurable defect in antirecombination activity in vitro or in vivo Surprisingly, srs2-F891A shows a robust shift from noncrossover to crossover repair products in a plasmid-based gap repair assay, but not in an ectopic physical recombination assay. Our findings suggest that the Srs2 C-terminal Rad51 interaction domain is more complex than previously thought, containing multiple interaction sites with unique effects on Srs2 activity.

Chromatin Modifiers Alter Recombination Between Divergent DNA Sequences

Recombination between divergent DNA sequences is actively prevented by heteroduplex rejection mechanisms. In baker's yeast, such antirecombination mechanisms can be initiated by the recognition of DNA mismatches in heteroduplex DNA by MSH proteins, followed by recruitment of the Sgs1-Top3-Rmi1 helicase-topoisomerase complex to unwind the recombination intermediate. We previously showed that the repair/rejection decision during single-strand annealing recombination is temporally regulated by MSH (MutShomolog) protein levels and by factors that excise nonhomologous single-stranded tails. These observations, coupled with recent studies indicating that mismatch repair (MMR) factors interact with components of the histone chaperone machinery, encouraged us to explore roles for epigenetic factors and chromatin conformation in regulating the decision to reject vs. repair recombination between divergent DNA substrates. This work involved the use of an inverted repeat recombination assay thought to measure sister chromatid repair during DNA replication. Our observations are consistent with the histone chaperones CAF-1 and Rtt106, and the histone deacetylase Sir2, acting to suppress heteroduplex rejection and the Rpd3, Hst3, and Hst4 deacetylases acting to promote heteroduplex rejection. These observations, and double-mutant analysis, have led to a model in which nucleosomes located at DNA lesions stabilize recombination intermediates and compete with MMR factors that mediate heteroduplex rejection.

Replication stress as a source of telomere recombination during replicative senescence in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Replicative senescence is triggered by short unprotected telomeres that arise in the absence of telomerase. In addition, telomeres are known as difficult regions to replicate due to their repetitive G-rich sequence prone to secondary structures and tightly bound non-histone proteins. Here we review accumulating evidence that telomerase inactivation in yeast immediately unmasks the problems associated with replication stress at telomeres. Early after telomerase inactivation, yeast cells undergo successive rounds of stochastic DNA damages and become dependent on recombination for viability long before the bulk of telomeres are getting critically short. The switch from telomerase to recombination to repair replication stress-induced damage at telomeres creates telomere instability, which may drive further genomic alterations and prepare the ground for telomerase-independent immortalization observed in yeast survivors and in 15% of human cancer.

Understanding how mismatch repair proteins participate in the repair/anti-recombination decision

Mismatch repair (MMR) systems correct DNA mismatches that result from DNA polymerase misincorporation errors. Mismatches also appear in heteroduplex DNA intermediates formed during recombination between nearly identical sequences, and can be corrected by MMR or removed through an unwinding mechanism, known as anti-recombination or heteroduplex rejection. We review studies, primarily in baker's yeast, which support how specific factors can regulate the MMR/anti-recombination decision. Based on recent advances, we present models for how DNA structure, relative amounts of key repair proteins, the timely localization of repair proteins to DNA substrates and epigenetic marks can modulate this critical decision.

PCNA SUMOylation protects against PCNA polyubiquitination-mediated, Rad59-dependent, spontaneous, intrachromosomal gene conversion

Homologous recombination is crucial in both the maintenance of genome stability and the generation of genetic diversity. Recently, multiple aspects of the recombination machinery functioning at arrested DNA replication forks have been established, yet the roles of diverse modifications of PCNA, the key platform organizing the replication complex, in intrachromosomal recombination have not been comprehensively elucidated. Here, we report how PCNA SUMOylation and/or polyubiquitination affects recombination between direct repeats in S. cerevisiae. Our results show that these PCNA modifications primarily affect gene conversion, whereas their effect on the recombination-mediated deletion of intervening sequence is much less obvious. Siz1-dependent PCNA SUMOylation strongly limits Rad52/Rad51/Rad59-dependent gene conversion. A 5- to 10-fold increase in the frequency of such recombination events is observed in Siz1-defective strains, but this increase is fully suppressed when PCNA polyubiquitination is also compromised. PCNA polyubiquitination can stimulate gene conversion in both PCNA SUMOylation-proficient and SUMOylation-deficient strains. On the other hand, in PCNA polyubiquitination-deficient strains, the lack of PCNA SUMOylation does not affect GC levels. Therefore, we postulate that the antirecombinogenic activity of Siz1 mainly concerns recombination induced by PCNA polyubiquitination. In the absence of PCNA SUMOylation, the frequency of PCNA polyubiquitination-mediated gene conversion is not only increased, but it is also channeled into the Rad59-dependent pathway. Additionally, we show a weak inhibitory effect of Rad5 on Rad52/Rad59-directed single-strand annealing.

A Delicate Balance Between Repair and Replication Factors Regulates Recombination Between Divergent DNA Sequences in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Single-strand annealing (SSA) is an important homologous recombination mechanism that repairs DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) occurring between closely spaced repeat sequences. During SSA, the DSB is acted upon by exonucleases to reveal complementary sequences that anneal and are then repaired through tail clipping, DNA synthesis, and ligation steps. In baker's yeast, the Msh DNA mismatch recognition complex and the Sgs1 helicase act to suppress SSA between divergent sequences by binding to mismatches present in heteroduplex DNA intermediates and triggering a DNA unwinding mechanism known as heteroduplex rejection. Using baker's yeast as a model, we have identified new factors and regulatory steps in heteroduplex rejection during SSA. First we showed that Top3-Rmi1, a topoisomerase complex that interacts with Sgs1, is required for heteroduplex rejection. Second, we found that the replication processivity clamp proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is dispensable for heteroduplex rejection, but is important for repairing mismatches formed during SSA. Third, we showed that modest overexpression of Msh6 results in a significant increase in heteroduplex rejection; this increase is due to a compromise in Msh2-Msh3 function required for the clipping of 3' tails. Thus 3' tail clipping during SSA is a critical regulatory step in the repair vs. rejection decision; rejection is favored before the 3' tails are clipped. Unexpectedly, Msh6 overexpression, through interactions with PCNA, disrupted heteroduplex rejection between divergent sequences in another recombination substrate. These observations illustrate the delicate balance that exists between repair and replication factors to optimize genome stability.

Rad59-facilitated acquisition of Y' elements by short telomeres delays the onset of senescence

Telomerase-negative yeasts survive via one of the two Rad52-dependent recombination pathways, which have distinct genetic requirements. Although the telomere pattern of type I and type II survivors is well characterized, the mechanistic details of short telomere rearrangement into highly evolved pattern observed in survivors are still missing. Here, we analyze immediate events taking place at the abruptly shortened VII-L and native telomeres. We show that short telomeres engage in pairing with internal Rap1-bound TG_1–3-like tracts present between subtelomeric X and Y′ elements, which is followed by BIR-mediated non-reciprocal translocation of Y′ element and terminal TG_1–3 repeats from the donor end onto the shortened telomere. We found that choice of the Y′ donor was not random, since both engineered telomere VII-L and native VI-R acquired Y′ elements from partially overlapping sets of specific chromosome ends. Although short telomere repair was associated with transient delay in cell divisions, Y′ translocation on native telomeres did not require Mec1-dependent checkpoint. Furthermore, the homeologous pairing between the terminal TG_1–3 repeats at VII-L and internal repeats on other chromosome ends was largely independent of Rad51, but instead it was facilitated by Rad59 that stimulates Rad52 strand annealing activity. Therefore, Y′ translocation events taking place during presenescence are genetically separable from Rad51-dependent Y′ amplification process that occurs later during type I survivor formation. We show that Rad59-facilitated Y′ translocations on X-only telomeres delay the onset of senescence while preparing ground for type I survivor formation.

In humans, telomerase is expressed in the germline and stem, but is repressed in somatic cells, which limits replicative lifespan of the latter. To unleash cell proliferation, telomerase is reactivated in most human cancers, but some cancer cells employ alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) based on homologous recombination (HR) to escape senescence. Recombination-based telomere maintenance similar to ALT was originally discovered in budding yeast deficient in telomerase activity. Two types of telomere arrangement that depend on two genetically distinct HR pathways (RAD51- and RAD59-dependent) were identified in post-senescent survivors, but the transition to telomere maintenance by HR is poorly understood. Here, we show that one of the earliest steps of short telomere rearrangement in telomerase-negative yeast is directly related to the “short telomere rescue pathway” proposed 20 years ago by Lundblad and Blackburn, which culminates in the acquisition of subtelomeric Y′ element by shortened telomere. We found that this telomere rearrangement depends on Rad52 strand annealing activity stimulated by Rad59, thus it is distinct from Rad51-dependent Y′ amplification process observed in type I survivors. We show that continuous repair of critically short telomeres in telomerase-negative cells delays the onset of senescence and prepares the ground for telomere maintenance by HR.

Frequent Interchromosomal Template Switches during Gene Conversion in S. cerevisiae

Although repair of double-strand breaks (DSBs) by gene conversion is the most accurate way to repair such lesions, in budding yeast there is a 1,000-fold increase in accompanying mutations, including interchromosomal template switches (ICTS) involving highly mismatched (homeologous) ectopic sequences. Although such events are rare and appear at a rate of 2 × 10(-7) when template jumps occur between 71% identical sequences, they are surprisingly frequent (0.3% of all repair events) when the second template is identical to the first, revealing the remarkable instability of repair DNA synthesis. With homeologous donors, ICTS uses microhomologies as small as 2 bp. Cells lacking mismatch repair proteins Msh6 and Mlh1 form chimeric recombinants with two distinct patches of microhomology, implying that these proteins are crucial for strand discrimination of heteroduplex DNA formed during ICTS. We identify the chromatin remodeler Rdh54 as the first protein required for template switching that does not affect simple gene conversion.

Structural, molecular and cellular functions of MSH2 and MSH6 during DNA mismatch repair, damage signaling and other noncanonical activities

The field of DNA mismatch repair (MMR) has rapidly expanded after the discovery of the MutHLS repair system in bacteria. By the mid 1990s yeast and human homologues to bacterial MutL and MutS had been identified and their contribution to hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC; Lynch syndrome) was under intense investigation. The human MutS homologue 6 protein (hMSH6), was first reported in 1995 as a G:T binding partner (GTBP) of hMSH2, forming the hMutSα mismatch-binding complex. Signal transduction from each DNA-bound hMutSα complex is accomplished by the hMutLα heterodimer (hMLH1 and hPMS2). Molecular mechanisms and cellular regulation of individual MMR proteins are now areas of intensive research. This review will focus on molecular mechanisms associated with mismatch binding, as well as emerging evidence that MutSα, and in particular, MSH6, is a key protein in MMR-dependent DNA damage response and communication with other DNA repair pathways within the cell. MSH6 is unstable in the absence of MSH2, however it is the DNA lesion-binding partner of this heterodimer. MSH6, but not MSH2, has a conserved Phe-X-Glu motif that recognizes and binds several different DNA structural distortions, initiating different cellular responses. hMSH6 also contains the nuclear localization sequences required to shuttle hMutSα into the nucleus. For example, upon binding to O(6)meG:T, MSH6 triggers a DNA damage response that involves altered phosphorylation within the N-terminal disordered domain of this unique protein. While many investigations have focused on MMR as a post-replication DNA repair mechanism, MMR proteins are expressed and active in all phases of the cell cycle. There is much more to be discovered about regulatory cellular roles that require the presence of MutSα and, in particular, MSH6.

Long telomeres produced by telomerase-resistant recombination are established from a single source and are subject to extreme sequence scrambling

Considerable evidence now supports the idea that the moderate telomere lengthening produced by recombinational telomere elongation (RTE) in a Kluyveromyces lactis telomerase deletion mutant occurs through a roll-and-spread mechanism. However, it is unclear whether this mechanism can account for other forms of RTE that produce much longer telomeres such as are seen in human alternative lengthening of telomere (ALT) cells or in the telomerase-resistant type IIR “runaway” RTE such as occurs in the K. lactis stn1-M1 mutant. In this study we have used mutationally tagged telomeres to examine the mechanism of RTE in an stn1-M1 mutant both with and without telomerase. Our results suggest that the establishment stage of the mutant state in newly generated stn1-M1 ter1-Δ mutants surprisingly involves a first stage of sudden telomere shortening. Our data also show that, as predicted by the roll-and-spread mechanism, all lengthened telomeres in a newly established mutant cell commonly emerge from a single telomere source. However, in sharp contrast to the RTE of telomerase deletion survivors, we show that the RTE of stn1-M1 ter1-Δ cells produces telomeres whose sequences undergo continuous intense scrambling via recombination. While telomerase was not necessary for the long telomeres in stn1-M1 cells, its presence during their establishment was seen to interfere with the amplification of repeats via recombination, a result consistent with telomerase retaining its ability to add repeats during active RTE. Finally, we observed that the presence of active mismatch repair or telomerase had important influences on telomeric amplification and/or instability.

Indefinite growth of tumor cells requires a mechanism to maintain telomeres. While most cancers use telomerase for this, some maintain long and heterogeneous telomeres using a recombination-dependent mechanism termed alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT). What causes ALT and how their long and heterogeneous telomeres form and are maintained are not well understood. In this study, we use mutationally tagged telomeric repeats to probe the mechanisms by which highly elongated telomeres are generated by recombination in an ALT–like yeast mutant. Our data show that most or all lengthened telomeres in a newly established mutant cell are commonly generated by amplifying sequence from a single telomere source. This is consistent with the roll-and-spread model, which proposes that a single circle of telomeric DNA can be the ultimate source of all newly amplified telomeres. Other evidence showed that the telomeres of the mutant are exceptionally dynamic. Rapid terminal deletions preceded telomere elongation at the establishment of the mutant state. Also, patterns of telomeric repeats present in long telomeres became rapidly scrambled. These findings may have implications for the establishment and maintenance of long telomeres in human ALT cells.

Fusion of nearby inverted repeats by a replication-based mechanism leads to formation of dicentric and acentric chromosomes that cause genome instability in budding yeast

Large-scale changes (gross chromosomal rearrangements [GCRs]) are common in genomes, and are often associated with pathological disorders. We report here that a specific pair of nearby inverted repeats in budding yeast fuse to form a dicentric chromosome intermediate, which then rearranges to form a translocation and other GCRs. We next show that fusion of nearby inverted repeats is general; we found that many nearby inverted repeats that are present in the yeast genome also fuse, as does a pair of synthetically constructed inverted repeats. Fusion occurs between inverted repeats that are separated by several kilobases of DNA and share >20 base pairs of homology. Finally, we show that fusion of inverted repeats, surprisingly, does not require genes involved in double-strand break (DSB) repair or genes involved in other repeat recombination events. We therefore propose that fusion may occur by a DSB-independent, DNA replication-based mechanism (which we term "faulty template switching"). Fusion of nearby inverted repeats to form dicentrics may be a major cause of instability in yeast and in other organisms.

Deinococcus radiodurans: what belongs to the survival kit?

Deinococcus radiodurans, one of the most radioresistant organisms known to date, is able to repair efficiently hundreds of DNA double- and single-strand breaks as well as other types of DNA damages promoted by ionizing or ultraviolet radiation. We review recent discoveries concerning several aspects of radioresistance and survival under high genotoxic stress. We discuss different hypotheses and possibilities that have been suggested to contribute to radioresistance and propose that D. radiodurans combines a variety of physiological tools that are tightly coordinated. A complex network of regulatory proteins may be discovered in the near future that might allow further understanding of radioresistance.

Sequence divergence impedes crossover more than noncrossover events during mitotic gap repair in yeast

Homologous recombination between dispersed repeated sequences is important in shaping eukaryotic genome structure, and such ectopic interactions are affected by repeat size and sequence identity. A transformation-based, gap-repair assay was used to examine the effect of 2% sequence divergence on the efficiency of mitotic double-strand break repair templated by chromosomal sequences in yeast. Because the repaired plasmid could either remain autonomous or integrate into the genome, the effect of sequence divergence on the crossover-noncrossover (CO-NCO) outcome was also examined. Finally, proteins important for regulating the CO-NCO outcome and for enforcing identity requirements during recombination were examined by transforming appropriate mutant strains. Results demonstrate that the basic CO-NCO outcome is regulated by the Rad1-Rad10 endonuclease and the Sgs1 and Srs2 helicases, that sequence divergence impedes CO to a much greater extent than NCO events, that an intact mismatch repair system is required for the discriminating identical and nonidentical repair templates, and that the Sgs1 and Srs2 helicases play additional, antirecombination roles when the interacting sequences are not identical.

Rad51 protein controls Rad52-mediated DNA annealing

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Rad52 protein plays an essential role in the repair of DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs). Rad52 and its orthologs possess the unique capacity to anneal single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) complexed with its cognate ssDNA-binding protein, RPA. This annealing activity is used in multiple mechanisms of DSB repair: single-stranded annealing, synthesis-dependent strand annealing, and cross-over formation. Here we report that the S. cerevisiae DNA strand exchange protein, Rad51, prevents Rad52-mediated annealing of complementary ssDNA. Efficient inhibition is ATP-dependent and involves a specific interaction between Rad51 and Rad52. Free Rad51 can limit DNA annealing by Rad52, but the Rad51 nucleoprotein filament is even more effective. We also discovered that the budding yeast Rad52 paralog, Rad59 protein, partially restores Rad52-dependent DNA annealing in the presence of Rad51, suggesting that Rad52 and Rad59 function coordinately to enhance recombinational DNA repair either by directing the processed DSBs to repair by DNA strand annealing or by promoting second end capture to form a double Holliday junction. This regulation of Rad52-mediated annealing suggests a control function for Rad51 in deciding the recombination path taken for a processed DNA break; the ssDNA can be directed to either Rad51-mediated DNA strand invasion or to Rad52-mediated DNA annealing. This channeling determines the nature of the subsequent repair process and is consistent with the observed competition between these pathways in vivo.

Role of proliferating cell nuclear antigen interactions in the mismatch repair-dependent processing of mitotic and meiotic recombination intermediates in yeast

The mismatch repair (MMR) system is critical not only for the repair of DNA replication errors, but also for the regulation of mitotic and meiotic recombination processes. In a manner analogous to its ability to remove replication errors, the MMR system can remove mismatches in heteroduplex recombination intermediates to generate gene conversion events. Alternatively, such mismatches can trigger an MMR-dependent antirecombination activity that blocks the completion of recombination, thereby limiting interactions between diverged sequences. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the MMR proteins Msh3, Msh6, and Mlh1 interact with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and mutations that disrupt these interactions result in a mutator phenotype. In addition, some mutations in the PCNA-encoding POL30 gene increase mutation rates in an MMR-dependent manner. In the current study, pol30, mlh1, and msh6 mutants were used to examine whether MMR-PCNA interactions are similarly important during mitotic and meiotic recombination. We find that MMR-PCNA interactions are important for repairing mismatches formed during meiotic recombination, but play only a relatively minor role in regulating the fidelity of mitotic recombination.

Mutations affecting a putative MutLalpha endonuclease motif impact multiple mismatch repair functions

Mutations in DNA mismatch repair (MMR) lead to increased mutation rates and higher recombination between similar, but not identical sequences, as well as resistance to certain DNA methylating agents. Recently, a component of human MMR machinery, MutLalpha, has been shown to display a latent endonuclease activity. The endonuclease active site appears to include a conserved motif, DQHA(X)(2)E(X)(4)E, within the COOH-terminus of human PMS2. Substitution of the glutamic acid residue (E705) abolished the endonuclease activity and mismatch-dependent excision in vitro. Previously, we showed that the PMS2-E705K mutation and the corresponding mutation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae were both recessive loss of function alleles for mutation avoidance in vivo. Here, we show that mutations impacting this endonuclease motif also significantly affect MMR-dependent suppression of homeologous recombination in yeast and responses to S(n)1-type methylating agents in both yeast and mammalian cells. Thus, our in vivo results suggest that the endonuclease activity of MutLalpha is important not only in MMR-dependent mutation avoidance but also for recombination and damage response functions.

An Arabidopsis MLH1 mutant exhibits reproductive defects and reveals a dual role for this gene in mitotic recombination

The eukaryotic DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system contributes to maintaining genome integrity and DNA sequence fidelity in at least two important ways: by correcting errors arising during DNA replication, and also by preventing recombination events between divergent sequences. This study aimed to investigate the role of one key MMR gene in recombination. We obtained a mutant line in which the AtMLH1 gene has been disrupted by the insertion of a T-DNA within the coding region. Transcript analysis indicated that no full-length transcript was produced in mutant plants. The loss of a functional AtMLH1 gene led to a significant reduction in fertility in both homozygotes and heterozygotes, and we observed a strong bias against transmission of the mutant allele. To investigate the role of AtMLH1 in mitotic recombination, the mutant was crossed to a series of recombination reporter lines. A strong decrease (72%) in the frequency of homologous recombination was observed in the mutant. However, the decline in recombination due to homeology was less severe in the Atmlh1 mutant than in a wild-type control. These data demonstrate a dual role for AtMLH1 in recombination: it is both required for recombination and acts to limit recombination between diverged sequences.

Oligonucleotide transformation of yeast reveals mismatch repair complexes to be differentially active on DNA replication strands

Transformation of both prokaryotes and eukaryotes with single-stranded oligonucleotides can transfer sequence information from the oligonucleotide to the chromosome. We have studied this process using oligonucleotides that correct a -1 frameshift mutation in the LYS2 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We demonstrate that transformation by oligonucleotides occurs preferentially on the lagging strand of replication and is strongly inhibited by the mismatch-repair system. These results are consistent with a mechanism in which oligonucleotides anneal to single-stranded regions of DNA at a replication fork and serve as primers for DNA synthesis. Because the mispairs the primers create are efficiently removed by the mismatch-repair system, single-stranded oligonucleotides can be used to probe mismatch-repair function in a chromosomal context. Removal of mispairs created by annealing of the single-stranded oligonucleotides to the chromosomal DNA is as expected, with 7-nt loops being recognized solely by MutS beta and 1-nt loops being recognized by both MutS alpha and MutS beta. We also find evidence for Mlh1-independent repair of 7-nt, but not 1-nt, loops. Unexpectedly, we find a strand asymmetry of mismatch-repair function; transformation is blocked more efficiently by MutS alpha on the lagging strand of replication, whereas MutS beta does not show a significant strand bias. These results suggest an inherent strand-related difference in how the yeast MutS alpha and MutS beta complexes access and/or repair mismatches that arise in the context of DNA replication.

Trypanosoma brucei homologous recombination is dependent on substrate length and homology, though displays a differential dependence on mismatch repair as substrate length decreases

Homologous recombination functions universally in the maintenance of genome stability through the repair of DNA breaks and in ensuring the completion of replication. In some organisms, homologous recombination can perform more specific functions. One example of this is in antigenic variation, a widely conserved mechanism for the evasion of host immunity. Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of sleeping sickness in Africa, undergoes antigenic variation by periodic changes in its variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) coat. VSG switches involve the activation of VSG genes, from an enormous silent archive, by recombination into specialized expression sites. These reactions involve homologous recombination, though they are characterized by an unusually high rate of switching and by atypical substrate requirements. Here, we have examined the substrate parameters of T. brucei homologous recombination. We show, first, that the reaction is strictly dependent on substrate length and that it is impeded by base mismatches, features shared by homologous recombination in all organisms characterized. Second, we identify a pathway of homologous recombination that acts preferentially on short substrates and is impeded to a lesser extent by base mismatches and the mismatch repair machinery. Finally, we show that mismatches during T. brucei recombination may be repaired by short-patch mismatch repair.

Control of translocations between highly diverged genes by Sgs1, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae homolog of the Bloom's syndrome protein

Sgs1 is a RecQ family DNA helicase required for genome stability in Saccharomyces cerevisiae whose human homologs BLM, WRN, and RECQL4 are mutated in Bloom's, Werner, and Rothmund Thomson syndromes, respectively. Sgs1 and mismatch repair (MMR) are inhibitors of recombination between similar but divergent (homeologous) DNA sequences. Here we show that SGS1, but not MMR, is critical for suppressing spontaneous, recurring translocations between diverged genes in cells with mutations in the genes encoding the checkpoint proteins Mec3, Rad24, Rad9, or Rfc5, the chromatin assembly factors Cac1 or Asf1, and the DNA helicase Rrm3. The S-phase checkpoint kinase and telomere maintenance factor Tel1, a homolog of the human ataxia telangiectasia (ATM) protein, prevents these translocations, whereas the checkpoint kinase Mec1, a homolog of the human ATM-related protein, and the Rad53 checkpoint kinase are not required. The translocation structures observed suggest involvement of a dicentric intermediate and break-induced replication with multiple cycles of DNA template switching.

DNA annealing mediated by Rad52 and Rad59 proteins

In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the RAD52 gene is essential for all homologous recombination events and its homologue, the RAD59 gene, is important for those that occur independently of RAD51. Both Rad52 and Rad59 proteins can anneal complementary single-stranded (ss) DNA. We quantitatively examined the ssDNA annealing activity of Rad52 and Rad59 proteins and found significant differences in their biochemical properties. First, and most importantly, they differ in their ability to anneal ssDNA that is complexed with replication protein A (RPA). Rad52 can anneal an RPA-ssDNA complex, but Rad59 cannot. Second, Rad59-promoted DNA annealing follows first-order reaction kinetics, whereas Rad52-promoted annealing follows second-order reaction kinetics. Last, Rad59 enhances Rad52-mediated DNA annealing at increased NaCl concentrations, both in the absence and presence of RPA. These results suggest that Rad59 performs different functions in the recombination process, and should be more accurately viewed as a Rad52 paralogue.

Overlapping contributions of Msh1p and putative recombination proteins Cce1p, Din7p, and Mhr1p in large-scale recombination and genome sorting events in the mitochondrial genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The mechanisms that govern mutation avoidance in the mitochondrial genome, though believed to be numerous, are poorly understood. The identification of individual genes has implicated mismatch repair and several recombination pathways in maintaining the fidelity and structural stability of mitochondrial DNA. However, the majority of genes in these pathways have not been identified and the interactions between different pathways have not been extensively studied. Additionally, the multicopy presence of the mitochondrial genome affects the occurrence and persistence of mutant phenotypes, making mitochondrial DNA transmission and sorting important factors affecting mutation accumulation. We present new evidence that the putative recombination genes CCE1, DIN7, and MHR1 have overlapping function with the mismatch repair homolog MSH1 in point mutation avoidance and suppression of aberrant recombination events. In addition, we demonstrate a novel role for Msh1p in mtDNA transmission, a role not predicted by studies of its nuclear homologs.

Site-specific base changes in the coding or promoter region of the human beta- and gamma-globin genes by single-stranded oligonucleotides

SSOs (single-stranded oligonucleotides) can mediate site-specific alteration of base-pairs in episomal and chromosomal target genes in mammalian cells. The TNE (targeted nucleotide exchange) can result in either repair or mutation of a gene sequence and is mediated through endogenous DNA repair pathway(s). Thus the approach provides a technique for the treatment of monogenic disorders associated with specific point mutations such as SCD (sickle cell disease). We studied the potential application of SSOs for SCD by introducing either an A to T substitution at the sixth codon of the human beta-globin gene (sickle locus) or a C to G mutation at -202 of the Ggamma-globin gene promoter region. The latter TNE is an alternative strategy to ameliorate the clinical manifestations of sickle cell anaemia by re-activating fetal haemoglobin gene expression in adult erythrocytes. A sensitive and valid PCR assay system was developed, which allows detection of point mutations as low as 0.01% at these sites. Using this system, TNE between 0.01 and 0.1% at the sickle locus or gamma-globin gene promoter region was detected after transfection with SSOs in cultured human cell lines. TNE in the Ggamma-globin promoter region exhibited varying degrees of strand bias that was dependent on SSO design and the cell's DNA mismatch repair activity. The results suggest that the endogenous DNA repair machinery may permit SSO correction of the sickle defect by modification of the beta- and/or gamma-globin genes.

Examination of the roles of Sgs1 and Srs2 helicases in the enforcement of recombination fidelity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Mutation in SGS1, which encodes the yeast homolog of the human Bloom helicase, or in mismatch repair (MMR) genes confers defects in the suppression of mitotic recombination between similar but nonidentical (homeologous) sequences. Mutational analysis of SGS1 suggests that the helicase activity is required for the suppression of both homologous and homeologous recombination and that the C-terminal 200 amino acids may be required specifically for the suppression of homeologous recombination. To clarify the mechanism by which the Sgs1 helicase enforces the fidelity of recombination, we examined the phenotypes associated with SGS1 deletion in MMR-defective and recombination-defective backgrounds. Deletion of SGS1 caused no additional loss of recombination fidelity above that associated with MMR defects, indicating that the suppression of homeologous recombination by Sgs1 may be dependent on MMR. However, the phenotype of the sgs1 rad51 mutant suggests a MMR-independent role of Sgs1 in the suppression of RAD51-independent recombination. While homologous recombination levels increase in sgs1Delta and in srs2Delta strains, the suppression of homeologous recombination was not relaxed in the srs2 mutant. Thus, although both Sgs1 and Srs2 limit the overall level of mitotic recombination, there are distinct differences in the roles of these helicases with respect to enforcement of recombination fidelity.

Recombination proteins in yeast

The process of homologous recombination promotes error-free repair of double-strand breaks and is essential for meiosis. Central to the process of homologous recombination are the RAD52 group genes (RAD50, RAD51, RAD52, RAD54, RDH54/TID1, RAD55, RAD57, RAD59, MRE11, and XRS2), most of which were identified by their requirement for the repair of ionizing radiation-induced DNA damage in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The Rad52 group proteins are highly conserved among eukaryotes. Recent studies showing defects in homologous recombination and double-strand break repair in several human cancer-prone syndromes have emphasized the importance of this repair pathway in maintaining genome integrity. Herein, we review recent genetic, biochemical, and structural analyses of the genes and proteins involved in recombination.