Checkpoints take the next step

In vitro spermatogenesis: Why meiotic checkpoints matter

Successful in vitro spermatogenesis would generate functional haploid spermatids, and thus, form the basis for novel approaches to treat patients with impaired spermatogenesis or develop alternative strategies for male fertility preservation. Several culture strategies, including cell cultures using various stem cells and ex vivo cultures of testicular tissue, have been investigated to recapitulate spermatogenesis in vitro. Although some studies have described complete meiosis and subsequent generation of functional spermatids, key meiotic events, such as chromosome synapsis and homologous recombination required for successful meiosis and faithful in vitro-derived gametes, are often not reported. To guarantee the generation of in vitro-formed spermatids without persistent DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and chromosomal aberrations, criteria to evaluate whether all meiotic events are completely executed in vitro need to be established. In vivo, these meiotic events are strictly monitored by meiotic checkpoints that eliminate aberrant spermatocytes. To establish criteria to evaluate in vitro meiosis, we review the meiotic events and checkpoints that have been investigated by previous in vitro spermatogenesis studies. We found that, although major meiotic events such as initiation of DSBs and recombination, complete chromosome synapsis, and XY-body formation can be achieved in vitro, crossover formation, chiasmata frequency, and checkpoint mechanisms have been mostly ignored. In addition, complete spermiogenesis, during which round spermatids differentiate into elongated spermatids, has not been achieved in vitro by various cell culture strategies. Finally, we discuss the implications of meiotic checkpoints for in vitro spermatogenesis protocols and future clinical use.

Elevated phosphorylation of Chk1 and decreased phosphorylation of Chk2 are associated with abrogation of G2/M checkpoint control during transformation of Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) cells by Malachite green

Malachite green (MG), consisting of green crystals with a metallic lustre, is highly soluble in water, cytotoxic to various mammalian cells and also acts as a liver tumor promoter. In view of its industrial importance and possible exposure to human beings, MG poses a potential environmental health hazard. We have earlier reported the malignant transformation of Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) cells in primary culture by MG. In this study, we have studied the ability of MG to cause DNA damage, cell cycle arrest in mimosine synchronised and the possible roles of Chk1, Chk2, Cdc2, Cdc25C, 14-3-3 and Cyclin B1 in control and MG transformed SHE cells in order to understand the differential mechanisms associated with G2/M checkpoint control. Exposure of MG to control and transformed cells causes DNA damage. Flow cytometric analysis of mimosine synchronised cells when exposed to MG showed an increase of G2/M phase in control cells whereas no such accumulation of cells at the G2/M phase was observed in response to MG in transformed cells. Western blots of phosphoactive forms of Chk1 and Chk2 cells showed opposing levels. Control cells treated with MG showed a decrease in Chk1 and increase in Chk2, whereas the transformed cells treated with MG showed an increase in Chk1 and decrease in Chk2. Also a decrease in Cdc25C, 14-3-3 and Cyclin B1 was observed in MG treated transformed cells, whereas MG treated control cells showed elevated levels. Stabilization of the proteins seems to be the possible mechanism. The present study indicates elevated phosphorylation of Chk1 and decreased phosphorylation of Chk2 and decreased levels of Cyclin B1 are the critical changes associated with abrogation of G2/M checkpoint control during transformation of SHE cells by MG.

Resveratrol downregulates the constitutional activation of nuclear factor-kappaB in multiple myeloma cells, leading to suppression of proliferation and invasion, arrest of cell cycle, and induction of apoptosis

Resveratrol has been proposed to act as a chemopreventive agent in numerous epidemiologic studies and has been shown to inhibit proliferation of various tumor cells in vitro. In the present study, we investigated the antitumor effects of resveratrol on multiple myeloma (MM) cells and the mechanisms involved. Our findings indicated that resveratrol inhibited proliferation of tumor cells in a dose- [corrected] dependent manner by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and [3H]thymidine incorporation assay. Resveratrol also enhanced the inhibitory effect of dexamethasone on the growth of MM cells by MTT assay. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that resveratrol arrested the cells at the G1 and S phases of the cell cycle. Because nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) plays a key role in cell survival and proliferation of human MM cells, we tested the effect of resveratrol on NF-kappaB expression by Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence. NF-kappaB was constitutively active in all human MM cell lines examined, and resveratrol down-regulated NF-kappaB expression in all cell lines. Resveratrol also down-regulated the expression of NF-kappaB-regulated gene products by Western blot analysis, gelatin zymography, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, including interleukin-6, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, XIAP, c-IAP, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), which modulates an array of signals controlling cellular survival and proliferation and tumor promotion. Indeed, annexin V-fluoroisothyocyanate and Transwell invasion analyses revealed that incubation of MM cells with resveratrol resulted in apoptotic cell death and inhibition of invasion. In conclusion, these data suggest that resveratrol is an effective in vitro inhibitor of NF-kappaB in human MM cells. Resveratrol plays a role in suppressing the proliferation of MM cells and induces apoptosis, thus providing the molecular basis for the treatment of MM patients with this compound.

Anticancer effect of curcumin on human B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

To explore the anticancer effect of curcumin on human B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and compare its effects on human B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cells and normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (NPBMNCs). MTT assay was used to study the effect of curcumin on the growth of Raji cells and NPBMNCs. The effect of curcumin on the apoptosis of Raji cells and NPBMNC were studied by flow cytometry and TDT-mediated dUTP nick and labeling (TUNEL). The effect of curcumin on the cell cycle of Raji cells were examined by propidium iodide staining flow cytometry. The results showed that curcumin strongly inhibited proliferation of Raji cells, 24 h IC50 for Raji cells was 22.8 +/- 1.82 micromol/L and curcumin induced Raji cell apoptosis in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Raji cells treated with curcumin showed G0/G1 or G2/M phase increase and S phase decrease. However, curcumin did not demonstrate apparent proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induction in NPBMNCs. It was concluded that curcumin is able to inhibit the proliferation of Raji cells by regulating the cell cycle and inducing the cell apoptosis. Morever, curcumin has low toxicity on NPBMNCs but can selectively induce apoptosis in Raji cells.

Improving the selectivity of cancer treatments by interfering with cell response pathways

The cellular response to the stress induced by treatment with anticancer agents is a key determinant of drug activity. A pivotal role in this response is played by checkpoint proteins that control the normal passage of cells through the cell cycle. There is evidence that cancer cells often have defects in one checkpoint control that makes them more vulnerable to inhibition of a second checkpoint, thereby enhancing the overall response to treatment. The G1 and G2 checkpoints are particularly crucial for the decision of a cell to arrest in the cell cycle after damage. The checkpoints are used to try to allow the repair of any damage, or to activate the apoptotic (programmed cell death) machinery. Inhibition of both G1 and G2 checkpoints in cancer cells is therefore likely to result in an induction of the death response in cancer cells. Similarly, an increasing knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that form the basis of apoptotic pathways has helped to define why cancer cells have a reduced propensity to undergo apoptosis following the activation of apoptotic inhibitory pathways or the inhibition of pro-apoptotic pathways. Therefore, the possibility to modulate these pathways is likely to result not only in the increased activity of anticancer agents, but also in an increase in their specificity.

Inactivation of Cdc7 kinase in mouse ES cells results in S-phase arrest and p53-dependent cell death

Cdc7-related kinases play essential roles in the initiation of yeast DNA replication. We show that mice lacking murine homologs of Cdc7 (muCdc7) genes die between E3.5 and E6.5. We have established a mutant embryonic stem (ES) cell line lacking the muCdc7 genes in the presence of a loxP-flanked transgene expressing muCdc7 cDNA. Upon removal of the transgene by Cre recombinase, mutant ES cells cease DNA synthesis, arresting growth with S-phase DNA content, and generate nuclear Rad51 foci, followed by cell death with concomitant increase in p53 protein levels. Inhibition of p53 leads to partial rescue of muCdc7(-/-) ES cells from cell death. muCdc7(-/-)p53(-/-) embryos survive up to E8.5, and their blastocysts generate inner cell mass of a significant size in vitro, whereas those of the muCdc7(-/-)p53(+/-) embryos undergoes complete degeneration. These results demonstrate that, in contrast to cell cycle arrest at the G(1)/S boundary observed in yeasts, loss of Cdc7 in ES cells results in rapid cessation of DNA synthesis within S phase, triggering checkpoint responses leading to recombinational repair and p53-dependent cell death.

The involvement of cell cycle checkpoint-mutations in the mutagenesis induced in Drosophila by a longer wavelength light band of solar UV

Solar ultraviolet radiation is considered to be injurious rather than necessary for most organisms living on the earth. It is reported that the risk of skin cancer in humans increases by the depletion of the ozone layer. We have examined the genotoxicity of solar ultraviolet, especially the longer wavelength light, using Drosophila. Recently, we have demonstrated that light of wavelength up to 340 nm is mutagenic on Drosophila larvae. Using an excision repair-deficient Drosophila strain (mus201), we have obtained results suggesting that the lesion caused in larvae by the 320 nm-light irradiation may be similar to the damage induced by irradiation at 310 nm, and that light of 330 and 340 nm may induce damage different from that induced by 310 and 320 nm-light. To examine the difference in DNA damage induced by light of a particular wavelength, we performed monochromatic irradiation on larvae of two Drosophila strains; one excision repair-deficient (mei-9) and another postreplication repair-deficient (mei-41). 310 and 320 nm-light was more mutagenic in the mei-9 strain than in mei-41, whereas 330 and 340 nm-light was more mutagenic in mei-41 than in mei-9. It is demonstrated that the mei-41 gene is a homologue of the human atm gene which is responsible for a cell cycle checkpoint. This result suggests that 310-320 nm-light induces DNA damage that is subject to nucleotide excision repair (NER) and that 330-360 nm-light causes damage to be recognized by the cell cycle checkpoint but it is not repairable by NER.

p53 down-regulates CHK1 through p21 and the retinoblastoma protein

Both fission yeast and mammalian cells require the function of the checkpoint kinase CHK1 for G2 arrest after DNA damage. The tumor suppressor p53, a well-studied stress response factor, has also been shown to play a role in DNA damage G2 arrest, although in a manner that is probably independent of CHK1. p53, however, can be phosphorylated and regulated by both CHK1 as well as another checkpoint kinase, hCds1 (also called CHK2). It was therefore of interest to determine whether reciprocally, p53 affects either CHK1 or CHK2. We found that induction of p53 either by diverse stress signals or ectopically using a tetracycline-regulated promoter causes a marked reduction in CHK1 protein levels. CHK1 downregulation by p53 occurs as a result of reduced CHK1 RNA accumulation, indicating that repression occurs at the level of transcription. Repression of CHK1 by p53 requires p21, since p21 alone is sufficient for this to occur and cells lacking p21 cannot downregulate CHK1. Interestingly, pRB is also required for CHK1 downregulation, suggesting the possible involvement of E2F-dependent transcription in the regulation of CHK1. Our results identify a new repression target of p53 and suggest that p53 and CHK1 play interdependent and complementary roles in regulating both the arrest and resumption of G2 after DNA damage.

Analysis of fission yeast primase defines the checkpoint responses to aberrant S phase initiation

To investigate the checkpoint response to aberrant initiation, we analyzed the cell cycle checkpoint response induced by mutations of Schizosaccharomyces pombe DNA primase. DNA primase has two subunits, Spp1 and Spp2 (S. pombe primases 1 and 2). Spp1 is the catalytic subunit that synthesizes the RNA primer, which is then extended by DNA polymerase alpha (Polalpha) to synthesize an initiation DNA structure, and this catalytic function of Polalpha is a prerequisite for generating the S-M phase checkpoint. Here we show that Spp2 is required for coupling the function of Spp1 to Polalpha. Thermosensitive mutations of spp2(+) destabilize the Polalpha-primase complex, resulting in an allele-specific S phase checkpoint defect. The mutant exhibiting a more severe checkpoint defect also has a higher extent of Polalpha-primase complex instability and deficiency in the hydroxyurea-induced Cds1-mediated intra-S phase checkpoint response. However, this mutant is able to activate the Cds1 response to S phase arrest induced by temperature. These findings suggest that the Cds1 response to the S-phase arrest signal(s) induced by a initiation mutant is different from that induced by hydroxyurea. Interestingly, a polalphats mutant with a defective S-M phase checkpoint and an spp2 mutant with an intact checkpoint have a similar Polalpha-primase complex stability, and the Cds1 response induced by hydroxyurea or by the mutant arrests at the restrictive temperature. Thus, the Cds1-mediated intra-S phase checkpoint response induced by hydroxyurea can also be distinguished from the S-M phase checkpoint response that requires the initiation DNA synthesis by Polalpha.

ATM mutations in patients with ataxia telangiectasia screened by a hierarchical strategy

ATM has been identified as a gene that is responsible for ataxia telangiectasia (AT), a pleiotropic disorder of autosomal recessive inheritance. While many mutations of this gene in AT patients of various ethnicities have been reported, data on Japanese patients are scarce. In this report, we present the results of a thorough survey of ATM mutations in 14 unrelated AT patients, with an emphasis on Japanese subjects. We used a hierarchical strategy in which we extensively analyzed the entire coding region of the cDNA. In the first stage, point mutations were sought by PCR-SSCP in short patches. In the second and third stages, the products of medium- and long-patch PCR, each covering the entire region, were examined by agarose gel electrophoresis to search for length changes. We found a total of 15 mutations (including 12 new) and 4 polymorphisms. Abnormal splicing of ATM was frequent among Japanese, and no hotspot was obvious, suggesting no strong founder effects in this ethnic group. Eleven patients carried either one homozygous or two compound heterozygous mutations, one patient carried only one detectable heterozygous mutation, and no mutation was found in two patients. Overall, mutations were found in at least 75% of the different ATM alleles examined. Possible reasons for the inability to detect mutations in some patients are discussed.

Aberrant cell cycle checkpoint function and early embryonic death in Chk1−/− mice

The recent discovery of checkpoint kinases has suggested the conservation of checkpoint mechanisms between yeast and mammals. In yeast, the protein kinase Chk1 is thought to mediate signaling associated with the DNA damage checkpoint of the cell cycle. However, the function of Chk1 in mammals has remained unknown. Targeted disruption of Chk1 in mice showed thatChk1−/− embryos exhibit gross morphologic abnormalities in nuclei as early as the blastocyst stage. In culture, Chk1−/− blastocysts showed a severe defect in outgrowth of the inner cell mass and died of apoptosis. DNA replication block and DNA damage failed to arrest the cell cycle before initiation of mitosis inChk1−/− embryos. These results may indicate that Chk1 is indispensable for cell proliferation and survival through maintaining the G2 checkpoint in mammals.

An integration of old and new perspectives of mammalian meiotic sterility

The many events of meiotic prophase can now be viewed as a series of specialized incidents that are monitored by meiotic checkpoints, some of which are similar to their mitotic counterparts, and some of which are probably unique to meiosis. This shift in perspective means that meiotic sterility in mammals must be reexamined and viewed as the result of errors subject to meiotic checkpoint controls. Like their mitotic counterparts, the meiotic checkpoints detect defects and halt normal progression until these mistakes can be repaired. Some of these checkpoints utilize mitotic checkpoint proteins, others may involve meiotic-specific proteins, or splice forms. If repair is impossible, the checkpoints then either trigger immediate apoptosis or cause an arrest of meiotic progression followed by eventual cell death. If a sufficient number of spermatocytes are involved, either alternative results in sterility. Identification of these meiotic checkpoints and delineation of the signal transduction cascades involved has only just begun. While yeast, or other model organisms, may provide clues to some of these pathways, others appears to have arisen during vertebrate evolution. The study of mammalian meiosis has entered a new era and the foundations are being laid for a growing understanding of the many problems that may contribute to sterility.

Multiple defects of cell cycle checkpoints in U937-ASPI3K, an U937 cell mutant stably expressing anti-sense ATM gene cDNA

(Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated gene (ATM) functions in control of cell cycle checkpoints in responding to DNA damage and protects cells from undergoing apoptosis. Knock-out within tumor cells of endogenous ATM will achieve therapeutic benefits and enable a better understanding of the decisive mechanisms of cell death or survival in response to DNA damaging agents.) In present paper, we sought to characterize the cell cycle checkpoint profiles in U937-ASPI3K, a U937 cell mutant that was previously established with endogenous ATM knock-out phenotype. Synchronized U937-ASPI3K was exposed to 137Cs irradiation, G1, S, G2/M cell cycle checkpoint profiles were evaluated by determining cell cycle kinetics, p53/p21 protein, cyclin dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) and p34CDC2 kinase activity in response to irradiation. U937-ASPI3K exhibited multiple defects in cell cycle checkpoints as defined by failing to arrest cells upon irradiation. The accumulation of cellular p53/p21 protein and inhibition of CDK kinase was also abolished in U937-ASPI3K. It was concluded that the stable expression of anti-sense PI3K cDNA fragment completely abolished multiple cell cycle checkpoints in U937-ASPI3K, and hence U937-ASPI3K with an AT-like phenotype could serves as a valuable model system for investigating the signal transduction pathway in responding to DNA damaging-based cancer therapy.

Heterozygous germ line hCHK2 mutations in Li-Fraumeni syndrome

The hCHK2 gene encodes the human homolog of the yeast Cds1 and Rad53 G2 checkpoint kinases, whose activation in response to DNA damage prevents cellular entry into mitosis. Here, it is shown that heterozygous germ line mutations in hCHK2 occur in Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a highly penetrant familial cancer phenotype usually associated with inherited mutations in the TP53 gene. These observations suggest that hCHK2 is a tumor suppressor gene conferring predisposition to sarcoma, breast cancer, and brain tumors, and they also provide a link between the central role of p53 inactivation in human cancer and the well-defined G2 checkpoint in yeast.

A quantitative analysis of the kinetics of the G(2) DNA damage checkpoint system

A detailed model of the G(2) DNA damage checkpoint (G2DDC) system is presented that includes complex regulatory networks of the mitotic kinase Cdc2, phosphatase Cdc25, Wee1 kinase, and damage signal transduction pathways involving Chk1 and p53. Assumptions on the kinetic equations of the G2DDC are made, and computer simulations are carried out to demonstrate how the various subsystems operate to delay or arrest cell cycle progression. The detailed model could be used to explain various experiments relevant to G2DDC reported recently, including the nuclear export of 14-3-3-bound Cdc25, the down-regulation of cyclin B1 expression by p53, the effect of Chk1 and p53 on Cdc25 levels, and Wee1 degradation. It also is shown that, under certain conditions, p53 is necessary to sustain a G(2) arrest.

Molecular cloning and tissue-specific expression of the mutator2 gene (mu2) in Drosophila melanogaster

We present here the molecular cloning and characterization of the mutator2 (mu2) gene of Drosophila melanogaster together with further genetic analyses of its mutant phenotype. mu2 functions in oogenesis during meiotic recombination, during repair of radiation damage in mature oocytes, and in proliferating somatic cells, where mu2 mutations cause an increase in somatic recombination. Our data show that mu2 represents a novel component in the processing of double strand breaks (DSBs) in female meiosis. mu2 does not code for a DNA repair enzyme because mu2 mutants are not hypersensitive to DSB-inducing agents. We have mapped and cloned the mu2 gene and rescued the mu2 phenotype by germ-line transformation with genomic DNA fragments containing the mu2 gene. Sequencing its cDNA demonstrates that mu2 encodes a novel 139-kD protein, which is highly basic in the carboxy half and carries three nuclear localization signals and a helix-loop-helix domain. Consistent with the sex-specific mutant phenotype, the gene is expressed in ovaries but not in testes. During oogenesis its RNA is rapidly transported from the nurse cells into the oocyte where it accumulates specifically at the anterior margin. Expression is also prominent in diploid proliferating cells of larval somatic tissues. Our genetic and molecular data are consistent with the model that mu2 encodes a structural component of the oocyte nucleus. The MU2 protein may be involved in controlling chromatin structure and thus may influence the processing of DNA DSBs.

Cell-cycle-dependent and ATM-independent expression of human Chk1 kinase

Checkpoint genes cause cell cycle arrest when DNA is damaged or DNA replication is blocked. Although a human homolog of Chk1 (hChk1) has recently been reported to be involved in the DNA damage checkpoint through phosphorylation of Cdc25A, B, and C, it is not known at which phase(s) of the cell cycle hChk1 functions and how hChk1 causes cell cycle arrest in response to DNA damage. In the present study, we demonstrate that in normal human fibroblasts (MJ90), hChk1 is expressed specifically at the S to M phase of the cell cycle at both the RNA and protein levels and that it is localized to the nucleus at this time. hChk1 activity, as determined by phosphorylation of Cdc25C, is readily detected at the S to M phase of the cell cycle, and DNA damage induced by UV or ionizing radiation does not enhance the expression of hChk1 or its activity. Furthermore, hChk1 exists in an active form at the S to M phase in fibroblasts derived from patients with ataxia telangiectasia (AT) which lack the functional AT mutated (ATM) gene product, suggesting that hChk1 expression is independent of functional ATM. Taken together with the findings that phosphorylation of Cdc25C on serine 216 is increased at the S to M phase, it is suggested that at this particular phase of the cell cycle, even in the absence of DNA damage, hChk1 phosphorylates Cdc25C on serine 216, which is considered to be a prerequisite for the G2/M checkpoint. Thus, hChk1 may play an important role in keeping Cdc25C prepared for responding to DNA damage by phosphorylating its serine residue at 216 during the S to M phase.

Instabilities in phosphorylation-dephosphorylation cascades and cell cycle checkpoints

The G2-M checkpoint in the cell cycle is identified with a set of phosphorylation-dephosphorylation (PD) cycles involving Cdc25 and the maturation-promoting factor (MPF); these PD cycles are coupled in a way that generates an instability. This instability arises out of a transcritical bifurcation which could be exploited by the G2 DNA damage checkpoint pathway in order to arrest or delay entry into mitosis. The coupling between PD cycles involving Wee1 and MPF does not lead to an instability and therefore Wee1 may not be a crucial target of the checkpoint pathway. A set of PD cycles exhibiting transcritical bifurcation also possesses the integrative ability of a checkpoint for 'checking' that prerequisites are satisfied prior to the next cell cycle event. Such a set of coupled PD cycles is suggested to be a core mechanism of cell cycle checkpoints.

Phosphoinositide kinases

Phosphatidylinositol, a component of eukaryotic cell membranes, is unique among phospholipids in that its head group can be phosphorylated at multiple free hydroxyls. Several phosphorylated derivatives of phosphatidylinositol, collectively termed phosphoinositides, have been identified in eukaryotic cells from yeast to mammals. Phosphoinositides are involved in the regulation of diverse cellular processes, including proliferation, survival, cytoskeletal organization, vesicle trafficking, glucose transport, and platelet function. The enzymes that phosphorylate phosphatidylinositol and its derivatives are termed phosphoinositide kinases. Recent advances have challenged previous hypotheses about the substrate selectivity of different phosphoinositide kinase families. Here we re-examine the pathways of phosphoinositide synthesis and the enzymes involved.

The Xenopus Chk1 protein kinase mediates a caffeine-sensitive pathway of checkpoint control in cell-free extracts

We have analyzed the role of the protein kinase Chk1 in checkpoint control by using cell-free extracts from Xenopus eggs. Recombinant Xenopus Chk1 (Xchk1) phosphorylates the mitotic inducer Cdc25 in vitro on multiple sites including Ser-287. The Xchk1-catalyzed phosphorylation of Cdc25 on Ser-287 is sufficient to confer the binding of 14-3-3 proteins. Egg extracts from which Xchk1 has been removed by immunodepletion are strongly but not totally compromised in their ability to undergo a cell cycle delay in response to the presence of unreplicated DNA. Cdc25 in Xchk1-depleted extracts remains bound to 14-3-3 due to the action of a distinct Ser-287-specific kinase in addition to Xchk1. Xchk1 is highly phosphorylated in the presence of unreplicated or damaged DNA, and this phosphorylation is abolished by caffeine, an agent which attenuates checkpoint control. The checkpoint response to unreplicated DNA in this system involves both caffeine-sensitive and caffeine-insensitive steps. Our results indicate that caffeine disrupts the checkpoint pathway containing Xchk1.

Specific mismatch recognition in heteroduplex intermediates by p53 suggests a role in fidelity control of homologous recombination

We demonstrate that wild-type p53 inhibits homologous recombination. To analyze DNA substrate specificities in this process, we designed recombination experiments such that coinfection of simian virus 40 mutant pairs generated heteroduplexes with distinctly unpaired regions. DNA exchanges producing single C-T and A-G mismatches were inhibited four- to sixfold more effectively than DNA exchanges producing G-T and A-C single-base mispairings or unpaired regions of three base pairs comprising G-T/A-C mismatches. p53 bound specifically to three-stranded DNA substrates, mimicking early recombination intermediates. The KD values for the interactions of p53 with three-stranded substrates displaying differently paired and unpaired regions reflected the mismatch base specificities observed in recombination assays in a qualitative and quantitative manner. On the basis of these results, we would like to advance the hypothesis that p53, like classical mismatch repair factors, checks the fidelity of homologous recombination processes by specific mismatch recognition.

Mutational effect of fission yeast polalpha on cell cycle events

Polalpha is the principal DNA polymerase for initiation of DNA replication and also functions in postinitiation DNA synthesis. In this study, we investigated the cell cycle responses induced by mutations in polalpha+. Germinating spores carrying either a deletion of polalpha+ (polalphaDelta) or a structurally intact but catalytically dead polalpha mutation proceed to inappropriate mitosis with no DNA synthesis. This suggests that the catalytic function, and not the physical presence of Polalpha, is required to generate the signal that prevents the cells from entering mitosis prematurely. Cells with a polalphats allele arrest the cell cycle near the hydroxyurea arrest point, but, surprisingly, polalphats in cdc20 (polepsilon mutant) background arrested with a cdc phenoytpe, not a polalphats-like phenotype. At 25 degrees C, replication perturbation caused by polalphats alleles induces Cds1 kinase activity and requires the checkpoint Rads, Cds1, and Rqh1, but not Chk1, to maintain cell viability. At 36 degrees C, replication disruption caused by polalphats alleles induces the phosphorylation of Chk1; however, mutant cells arrest with heterogeneous cell sizes with a population of the cells entering aberrant mitosis. Together, our results indicate that the initiation DNA structure synthesized by Polalpha is required to bring about the S phase to mitosis checkpoint, whereas replication defects of different severity caused by polalphats mutations induce differential downstream kinase responses.

Apoptotic repair of genotoxic tissue damage and the role of p53 gene

The spontaneous mutation rate per replication per genome is nearly invariant in microbes; however, the rate of spontaneous genomic mutations in higher eukaryotes is much higher. Furthermore, the mutation rates per locus per generation among Drosophila, mice and humans are similar, despite the large differences in generation time. A simple explanation for these findings is that mice and humans have a specific antimutagenic mechanism that is lacking in Drosophila. I propose that apoptotic repair-deletion of genotoxic damage-bearing cells-operates in mammalian germ cells and that it works more accurately in humans than in mice because of a slower rate of cell turnover and a longer generation time. It has been a long-standing puzzle that germline mutation frequencies decrease markedly as the dose-rate of radiation is lowered in mice but not in Drosophila. This can be readily explained by p53-dependent apoptotic repair, because the p53 gene is absent from the genome of Drosophila. Fetuses of p53+/+ mice have proficient apoptotic repair capacity for X-ray-induced teratogenic damage, but p53-null fetuses completely lack this capacity. Further, I propose that the primary role of the p53 gene is to guard germ cells and embryos from genotoxic damage. This implies that the tumour suppressor function of the p53 gene results from p53-dependent apoptotic deletion of cells with genotoxic damage. The reasoning behind this proposal is given by reviewing reports that Drosophila larvae are insensitive to tumour formation after irradiation. Finally, I discuss the genetic effects of radiation in humans.

Apoptosis and the cell cycle

Apoptosis is a genetically controlled response by which eukaryotic cells undergo programmed cell death. This phenomenon plays a major role in developmental pathways (1), provides a homeostatic balance of cell populations, and is deregulated in many diseases including cancer. Control of cell number is determined by an intricate balance of cell death and cell proliferation. Accumulation of cells through suppression of death can contribute to cancer and to persistent viral infections, while excessive death can result in impaired development and in degenerative diseases. Identification of genes that control cell death, and understanding of the impact of apoptosis in both development and disease has advanced our knowledge of apoptosis in the past few years. There appears to be a linkage between apoptosis and cell cycle control mechanisms. Elucidating the mechanisms that link cell cycle control with apoptosis will be of key importance in understanding tumour progression and designing new models of effective tumour therapy.

Components of the Ku-dependent non-homologous end-joining pathway are involved in telomeric length maintenance and telomeric silencing

In the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, genes in close proximity to telomeres are subject to transcriptional silencing through the process of telomere position effect (TPE). Here, we show that the protein Ku, previously implicated in DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair and in telomeric length maintenance, is also essential for telomeric silencing. Furthermore, using an in vivo plasmid rejoining assay, we demonstrate that SIR2, SIR3 and SIR4, three genes shown previously to function in TPE, are essential for Ku-dependent DSB repair. As is the case for Ku-deficient strains, residual repair operating in the absence of the SIR gene products ensues through an error-prone DNA repair pathway that results in terminal deletions. To identify novel components of the Ku-associated DSB repair pathway, we have tested several other candidate genes for their involvement in DNA DSB repair, telomeric maintenance and TPE. We show that TEL1, a gene required for telomeric length maintenance, is not required for either DNA DSB repair or TPE. However, RAD50, MRE11 and XRS2 function both in Ku-dependent DNA DSB repair and in telomeric length maintenance, although they have no major effects on TPE. These data provide important insights into DNA DSB repair and the linkage of this process to telomere length homeostasis and transcriptional silencing.

Disruption of the G1/S transition in human papillomavirus type 16 E7-expressing human cells is associated with altered regulation of cyclin E

The development of neoplasia frequently involves inactivation of the p53 and retinoblastoma (Rb) tumor suppressor pathways and disruption of cell cycle checkpoints that monitor the integrity of replication and cell division. The human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) oncoproteins, E6 and E7, have been shown to bind p53 and Rb, respectively. To further delineate the mechanisms by which E6 and E7 affect cell cycle control, we examined various aspects of the cell cycle machinery. The low-risk HPV-6 E6 and E7 proteins did not cause any significant change in the levels of cell cycle proteins analyzed. HPV-16 E6 resulted in very low levels of p53 and p21 and globally elevated cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) activity. In contrast, HPV-16 E7 had a profound effect on several aspects of the cell cycle machinery. A number of cyclins and CDKs were elevated, and despite the elevation of the levels of at least two CDK inhibitors, p21 and p16, CDK activity was globally increased. Most strikingly, cyclin E expression was deregulated both transcriptionally and posttranscriptionally and persisted at high levels in S and G2/M. Transit through G1 was shortened by the premature activation of cyclin E-associated kinase activity. Elevation of cyclin E levels required both the CR1 and CR2 domains of E7. These data suggest that cyclin E may be a critical target of HPV-16 E7 in the disruption of G1/S cell cycle progression and that the ability of E7 to regulate cyclin E involves activities in addition to the release of E2F.

The anaphase inhibitor of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Pds1p is a target of the DNA damage checkpoint pathway

Inhibition of DNA replication and physical DNA damage induce checkpoint responses that arrest cell cycle progression at two different stages. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the execution of both checkpoint responses requires the Mec1 and Rad53 proteins. This observation led to the suggestion that these checkpoint responses are mediated through a common signal transduction pathway. However, because the checkpoint-induced arrests occur at different cell cycle stages, the downstream effectors mediating these arrests are likely to be distinct. We have previously shown that the S. cerevisiae protein Pds1p is an anaphase inhibitor and is essential for cell cycle arrest in mitosis in the presence DNA damage. Herein we show that DNA damage, but not inhibition of DNA replication, induces the phosphorylation of Pds1p. Analyses of Pds1p phosphorylation in different checkpoint mutants reveal that in the presence of DNA damage, Pds1p is phosphorylated in a Mec1p- and Rad9p-dependent but Rad53p-independent manner. Our data place Pds1p and Rad53p on parallel branches of the DNA damage checkpoint pathway. We suggest that Pds1p is a downstream target of the DNA damage checkpoint pathway and that it is involved in implementing the DNA damage checkpoint arrest specifically in mitosis.

Nuclear and non-nuclear targets of genotoxic agents in the induction of gene expression. Shared principles in yeast, rodents, man and plants

The interplay between environmental cues and the genetic response is decisive for the development, health and well-being of an organism. For some environmental factors a narrow margin separates beneficial and toxic impacts. With the increasing exposure to UV-B this dichotomy has reached public attention. This review will be concerned with the mechanisms that mediate a cellular genetic response to noxious agents. The toxic stimuli find access to the regulatory network inside cells by interacting at several points with cellular molecules - a process that converts the 'outside information' into 'cellular language'. As a consequence of such interactions, many adverse agents cause massive signal transduction and changes of gene expression. There is an interesting conservation of the mechanisms from yeast to man. An understanding of the genetic programs and of their phenotypic consequences is lagging behind.

DNA replication and order of cell cycle events: a role for protein isoprenylation?

When the aya1+ gene is mutated, Schizosaccharomyces pombe cells become unable to react appropriately to a delay in DNA replication. Instead of stalling the cell cycle to allow completion of DNA synthesis, they proceed unperturbed towards mitosis and attempt to segregate the still unreplicated chromosomes. As a result, the genetic material segregates unevenly and the nuclei assume a mitotic catastrophe phenotype, characterized by torn chromosomes (cut), anucleated cells and scattered chromosomes. Interestingly, the aya1 phenotype can be suppressed by overexpression of either the catalytic subunit of S. pombe DNA polymerase alpha or of a novel protein called hur1 +p. The latter bears significant homology to the core of the human Rab escort protein, which belongs to a family of factors necessary to the post-translational isoprenylation of proteins like Ras, Rab and lamin B. When isoprenylation is chemically inhibited with R-limonene (a monoterpene derived from orange rind), wild type S. pombe cells become insensitive to an S phase delay, in a manner strongly reminiscent of aya1 mutants. Moreover, overexpression of hur1 +p in wild type cells rescues the failing checkpoint function. We propose that there is a strong correlation between the aya1 phenotype, S-M phase checkpoint function, and isoprenylation events in fission yeast.

Reconstitution of a MEC1-independent checkpoint in yeast by expression of a novel human fork head cDNA

A novel human cDNA, CHES1 (checkpoint suppressor 1), has been isolated by suppression of the mec1-1 checkpoint mutation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. CHES1 suppresses a number of DNA damage-activated checkpoint mutations in S. cerevisiae, including mec1, rad9, rad24, dun1, and rad53. CHES1 suppression of sensitivity to DNA damage is specific for checkpoint-defective strains, in contrast to DNA repair-defective strains. Presence of CHES1 but not a control vector resulted in G2 delay after UV irradiation in checkpoint-defective strains, with kinetics, nuclear morphology, and cycloheximide resistance similar to those of a wild-type strain. CHES1 can also suppress the lethality, UV sensitivity, and G2 checkpoint defect of a mec1 null mutation. In contrast to this activity, CHES1 had no measurable effect on the replication checkpoint as assayed by hydroxyurea sensitivity of a mec1 strain. Sequence analysis demonstrates that CHES1 is a novel member of the fork head/Winged Helix family of transcription factors. Suppression of the checkpoint-defective phenotype requires a 200-amino-acid domain in the carboxy terminus of the protein which is distinct from the DNA binding site. Analysis of CHES1 activity is most consistent with activation of an alternative MEC1-independent checkpoint pathway in budding yeast.

A novel mutant allele of Schizosaccharomyces pombe rad26 defective in monitoring S-phase progression to prevent premature mitosis

A semipermissive growth condition was defined for a Schizosaccharomyces pombe strain carrying a thermosensitive allele of DNA polymerase delta (pol delta ts03). Under this condition, DNA polymerase delta is semidisabled and causes a delay in S-phase progression. Using a genetic strategy, we have isolated a panel of mutants that enter premature mitosis when DNA replication is incomplete but which are not defective for arrest in G2/M following DNA damage. We characterized the aya14 mutant, which enters premature mitosis when S phase is arrested by genetic or chemical means. However, this mutant is sensitive to neither UV nor gamma irradiation. Two genomic clones, rad26+ and cds1+, were found to suppress the hydroxyurea sensitivity of the aya14 mutant. Genetic analysis indicates that aya14 is a novel allele of the cell cycle checkpoint gene rad26+, which we have named rad26.a14. cds1+ is a suppressor which suppresses the S-phase feedback control defect of rad26.a14 when S phase is inhibited by either hydroxyurea or cdc22, but it does not suppress the defect when S phase is arrested by a mutant DNA polymerase. Analyses of rad26.a14 in a variety of cdc mutant backgrounds indicate that strains containing rad26.a14 bypass S-phase arrest but not G1 or late S/G2 arrest. A model of how Rad26 monitors S-phase progression to maintain the dependency of cell cycle events and coordinates with other rad/hus checkpoint gene products in responding to radiation damage is proposed.

Evidence for DNA-PK-dependent and -independent DNA double-strand break repair pathways in mammalian cells as a function of the cell cycle

Mice homozygous for the scid (severe combined immune deficiency) mutation are defective in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and are consequently very X-ray sensitive and defective in the lymphoid V(D)J recombination process. Recently, a strong candidate for the scid gene has been identified as the catalytic subunit of the DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) complex. Here, we show that the activity of the DNA-PK complex is regulated in a cell cycle-dependent manner, with peaks of activity found at the G1/early S phase and again at the G2 phase in wild-type cells. Interestingly, only the deficit of the G1/early S phase DNA-PK activity correlated with an increased hypersensitivity to X-irradiation and a DNA DSB repair deficit in synchronized scid pre-B cells. Finally, we demonstrate that the DNA-PK activity found at the G2 phase may be required for exit from a DNA damage-induced G2 checkpoint arrest. These observations suggest the presence of two pathways (DNA-PK-dependent and -independent) of illegitimate mammalian DNA DSB repair and two distinct roles (DNA DSB repair and G2 checkpoint traversal) for DNA-PK in the cellular response to ionizing radiation.

Association of BRCA1 with Rad51 in mitotic and meiotic cells

BRCA1 immunostaining reveals discrete, nuclear foci during S phase of the cell cycle. Human Rad51, a homolog of bacterial RecA, behaves similarly. The two proteins were found to colocalize in vivo and to coimmunoprecipitate. BRCA1 residues 758-1064 alone formed Rad51-containing complexes in vitro. Rad51 is also specifically associated with developing synaptonemal complexes in meiotic cells, and BRCA1 and Rad51 were both detected on asynapsed (axial) elements of human synaptonemal complexes. These findings suggest a functional interaction between BRCA1 and Rad51 in the meiotic and mitotic cell cycles, which, in turn, suggests a role for BRCA1 in the control of recombination and of genome integrity.

RAD9 and DNA polymerase epsilon form parallel sensory branches for transducing the DNA damage checkpoint signal in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In response to DNA damage and replication blocks, yeast cells arrest at distinct points in the cell cycle and induce the transcription of genes whose products facilitate DNA repair. Examination of the inducibility of RNR3 in response to UV damage has revealed that the various checkpoint genes can be arranged in a pathway consistent with their requirement to arrest cells at different stages of the cell cycle. While RAD9, RAD24, and MEC3 are required to activate the DNA damage checkpoint when cells are in G1 or G2, POL2 is required to sense UV damage and replication blocks when cells are in S phase. The phosphorylation of the essential central transducer, Rad53p, is dependent on POL2 and RAD9 in response to UV damage, indicating that RAD53 functions downstream of both these genes. Mutants defective for both pathways are severely deficient in Rad53p phosphorylation and RNR3 induction and are significantly more sensitive to DNA damage and replication blocks than single mutants alone. These results show that POL2 and RAD9 function in parallel branches for sensing and transducing the UV DNA damage signal. Each of these pathways subsequently activates the central transducers Mec1p/Esr1p/Sad3p and Rad53p/Mec2p/Sad1p, which are required for both cell-cycle arrest and transcriptional responses.

The Atr and Atm protein kinases associate with different sites along meiotically pairing chromosomes

A number of cell-cycle checkpoint genes have been shown to play important roles in meiosis. We have characterized the human and mouse counterpart of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe Rad3 protein, named Atr (for ataxia-telangiectasia- and rad3-related), and the protein that is mutated in ataxia-telangiectasia, Atm. We demonstrate that ATR mRNA and protein are expressed in human and mouse testis. More detailed analysis of specific cells in seminiferous tubules shows localization of Atr to the nuclei of cells in the process of meiosis I. Using immunoprecipitation and immunoblot analysis, we show that Atr and Atm proteins are approximately 300 and 350 kD relative molecular mass, respectively, and further demonstrate that both proteins have associated protein kinase activity. Further, we demonstrate that Atr and Atm interact directly with meiotic chromosomes and show complementary localization patterns on synapsing chromosomes. Atr is found at sites along unpaired or asynapsed chromosomal axes, whereas Atm is found along synapsed chromosomal axes. This is the first demonstration of a nuclear association of Atr and Atm proteins with meiotic chromosomes and suggests a direct role for these proteins in recognizing and responding to DNA strand interruptions that occur during meiotic recombination.