The origin recognition complex and Sir4 protein recruit Sir1p to yeast silent chromatin through independent interactions requiring a common Sir1p domain

Tissue-Specific DNA Replication Defects in Drosophila melanogaster Caused by a Meier-Gorlin Syndrome Mutation in Orc4

Meier-Gorlin syndrome is a rare recessive disorder characterized by a number of distinct tissue-specific developmental defects. Genes encoding members of the origin recognition complex (ORC) and additional proteins essential for DNA replication (CDC6, CDT1, GMNN, CDC45, MCM5, and DONSON) are mutated in individuals diagnosed with MGS. The essential role of ORC is to license origins during the G1 phase of the cell cycle, but ORC has also been implicated in several nonreplicative functions. Because of its essential role in DNA replication, ORC is required for every cell division during development. Thus, it is unclear how the Meier-Gorlin syndrome mutations in genes encoding ORC lead to the tissue-specific defects associated with the disease. To begin to address these issues, we used Cas9-mediated genome engineering to generate a Drosophila melanogaster model of individuals carrying a specific Meier-Gorlin syndrome mutation in ORC4 along with control strains. Together these strains provide the first metazoan model for an MGS mutation in which the mutation was engineered at the endogenous locus along with precisely defined control strains. Flies homozygous for the engineered MGS allele reach adulthood, but with several tissue-specific defects. Genetic analysis revealed that this Orc4 allele was a hypomorph. Mutant females were sterile, and phenotypic analyses suggested that defects in DNA replication was an underlying cause. By leveraging the well-studied Drosophila system, we provide evidence that a disease-causing mutation in Orc4 disrupts DNA replication, and we propose that in individuals with MGS defects arise preferentially in tissues with a high-replication demand.

Modulation of Gene Silencing by Cdc7p via H4 K16 Acetylation and Phosphorylation of Chromatin Assembly Factor CAF-1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

CAF-1 is an evolutionarily conserved H3/H4 histone chaperone that plays a key role in replication-coupled chromatin assembly and is targeted to the replication fork via interactions with PCNA, which, if disrupted, leads to epigenetic defects. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, when the silent mating-type locus HMR contains point mutations within the E silencer, Sir protein association and silencing is lost. However, mutation of CDC7, encoding an S-phase-specific kinase, or subunits of the H4 K16-specific acetyltransferase complex SAS-I, restore silencing to this crippled HMR, HMR a e** Here, we observed that loss of Cac1p, the largest subunit of CAF-1, also restores silencing at HMR a e**, and silencing in both cac1Δ and cdc7 mutants is suppressed by overexpression of SAS2 We demonstrate Cdc7p and Cac1p interact in vivo in S phase, but not in G1, consistent with observed cell cycle-dependent phosphorylation of Cac1p, and hypoacetylation of chromatin at H4 K16 in both cdc7 and cac1Δ mutants. Moreover, silencing at HMR a e** is restored in cells expressing cac1p mutants lacking Cdc7p phosphorylation sites. We also discovered that cac1Δ and cdc7-90 synthetically interact negatively in the presence of DNA damage, but that Cdc7p phosphorylation sites on Cac1p are not required for responses to DNA damage. Combined, our results support a model in which Cdc7p regulates replication-coupled histone modification via a CAC1-dependent mechanism involving H4 K16ac deposition, and thereby silencing, while CAF-1-dependent replication- and repair-coupled chromatin assembly per se are functional in the absence of phosphorylation of Cdc7p consensus sites on CAF-1.

Nonreplicative functions of the origin recognition complex

Origin recognition complex (ORC), a heteromeric six-subunit complex, is the central component of the eukaryotic pre-replication complex. Recent data from yeast, frogs, flies and mammals present compelling evidence that ORC and its individual subunits have nonreplicative functions as well. The majority of these functions, such as heterochromatin formation, chromosome condensation, and segregation are dependent on ORC-DNA interactions. Furthermore, ORC is involved in the control of cell division via its participation in centrosome duplication and cytokinesis. Recent findings have also demonstrated a direct interaction between ORC and mRNPs and highlighted an essential role of ORC in mRNA nuclear export. Along with the growth of evolutionary complexity of organisms, ORC complex functions become more elaborate and new functions of the ORC sub-complexes and individual subunits have emerged.

The Nuts and Bolts of Transcriptionally Silent Chromatin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Transcriptional silencing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae occurs at several genomic sites including the silent mating-type loci, telomeres, and the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) tandem array. Epigenetic silencing at each of these domains is characterized by the absence of nearly all histone modifications, including most prominently the lack of histone H4 lysine 16 acetylation. In all cases, silencing requires Sir2, a highly-conserved NAD(+)-dependent histone deacetylase. At locations other than the rDNA, silencing also requires additional Sir proteins, Sir1, Sir3, and Sir4 that together form a repressive heterochromatin-like structure termed silent chromatin. The mechanisms of silent chromatin establishment, maintenance, and inheritance have been investigated extensively over the last 25 years, and these studies have revealed numerous paradigms for transcriptional repression, chromatin organization, and epigenetic gene regulation. Studies of Sir2-dependent silencing at the rDNA have also contributed to understanding the mechanisms for maintaining the stability of repetitive DNA and regulating replicative cell aging. The goal of this comprehensive review is to distill a wide array of biochemical, molecular genetic, cell biological, and genomics studies down to the "nuts and bolts" of silent chromatin and the processes that yield transcriptional silencing.

Variants of the Sir4 Coiled-Coil Domain Improve Binding to Sir3 for Heterochromatin Formation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Heterochromatin formation in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is characterized by the assembly of the Silent Information Regulator (SIR) complex, which consists of the histone deacetylase Sir2 and the structural components Sir3 and Sir4, and binds to unmodified nucleosomes to provide gene silencing. Sir3 contains an AAA⁺ ATPase-like domain, and mutations in an exposed loop on the surface of this domain abrogate Sir3 silencing function in vivo, as well in vitro binding to the Sir2/Sir4 subcomplex. Here, we found that the removal of a single methyl group in the C-terminal coiled-coil domain (mutation T1314S) of Sir4 was sufficient to restore silencing at the silent mating-type loci HMR and HML to a Sir3 version with a mutation in this loop. Restoration of telomeric silencing required further mutations of Sir4 (E1310V and K1325R). Significantly, these mutations in Sir4 restored in vitro complex formation between Sir3 and the Sir4 coiled-coil, indicating that the improved affinity between Sir3 and Sir4 is responsible for the restoration of silencing. Altogether, these observations highlight remarkable properties of selected amino-acid changes at the Sir3-Sir4 interface that modulate the affinity of the two proteins.

Mechanisms and regulation of DNA replication initiation in eukaryotes

Cellular DNA replication is initiated through the action of multiprotein complexes that recognize replication start sites in the chromosome (termed origins) and facilitate duplex DNA melting within these regions. In a typical cell cycle, initiation occurs only once per origin and each round of replication is tightly coupled to cell division. To avoid aberrant origin firing and re-replication, eukaryotes tightly regulate two events in the initiation process: loading of the replicative helicase, MCM2-7, onto chromatin by the origin recognition complex (ORC), and subsequent activation of the helicase by its incorporation into a complex known as the CMG. Recent work has begun to reveal the details of an orchestrated and sequential exchange of initiation factors on DNA that give rise to a replication-competent complex, the replisome. Here, we review the molecular mechanisms that underpin eukaryotic DNA replication initiation - from selecting replication start sites to replicative helicase loading and activation - and describe how these events are often distinctly regulated across different eukaryotic model organisms.

Naumovozyma castellii: an alternative model for budding yeast molecular biology

Naumovozyma castellii (Saccharomyces castellii) is a member of the budding yeast family Saccharomycetaceae. It has been extensively used as a model organism for telomere biology research and has gained increasing interest as a budding yeast model for functional analyses owing to its amenability to genetic modifications. Owing to the suitable phylogenetic distance to S. cerevisiae, the whole genome sequence of N. castellii has provided unique data for comparative genomic studies, and it played a key role in the establishment of the timing of the whole genome duplication and the evolutionary events that took place in the subsequent genomic evolution of the Saccharomyces lineage. Here we summarize the historical background of its establishment as a laboratory yeast species, and the development of genetic and molecular tools and strains. We review the research performed on N. castellii, focusing on areas where it has significantly contributed to the discovery of new features of molecular biology and to the advancement of our understanding of molecular evolution. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Replication-dependent and independent mechanisms for the chromosome-coupled persistence of a selfish genome

The yeast 2-micron plasmid epitomizes the evolutionary optimization of selfish extra-chromosomal genomes for stable persistence without jeopardizing their hosts' fitness. Analyses of fluorescence-tagged single-copy reporter plasmids and/or the plasmid partitioning proteins in native and non-native hosts reveal chromosome-hitchhiking as the likely means for plasmid segregation. The contribution of the partitioning system to equal segregation is bipartite- replication-independent and replication-dependent. The former nearly eliminates 'mother bias' (preferential plasmid retention in the mother cell) according to binomial distribution, thus limiting equal segregation of a plasmid pair to 50%. The latter enhances equal segregation of plasmid sisters beyond this level, elevating the plasmid close to chromosome status. Host factors involved in plasmid partitioning can be functionally separated by their participation in the replication-independent and/or replication-dependent steps. In the hitchhiking model, random tethering of a pair of plasmids to chromosomes signifies the replication-independent component of segregation; the symmetric tethering of plasmid sisters to sister chromatids embodies the replication-dependent component. The 2-micron circle broadly resembles the episomes of certain mammalian viruses in its chromosome-associated propagation. This unifying feature among otherwise widely differing selfish genomes suggests their evolutionary convergence to the common logic of exploiting, albeit via distinct molecular mechanisms, host chromosome segregation machineries for self-preservation.

Identification of the Target of the Retrograde Response that Mediates Replicative Lifespan Extension in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The retrograde response signals mitochondrial status to the nucleus, compensating for accumulating mitochondrial dysfunction during Saccharomyces cerevisiae aging and extending replicative lifespan. The histone acetylase Gcn5 is required for activation of nuclear genes and lifespan extension in the retrograde response. It is part of the transcriptional coactivators SAGA and SLIK, but it is not known which of these complexes is involved. Genetic manipulation showed that these complexes perform interchangeably in the retrograde response. These results, along with the finding that the histone deacetylase Sir2 was required for a robust retrograde response informed a bioinformatics screen that reduced to four the candidate genes causal for longevity of the 410 retrograde response target genes. Of the four, only deletion of PHO84 suppressed lifespan extension. Retrograde-response activation of PHO84 displayed some preference for SAGA. Increased PHO84 messenger RNA levels from a second copy of the gene in cells in which the retrograde response is not activated achieved >80% of the lifespan extension observed in the retrograde response. Our studies resolve questions involving the roles of SLIK and SAGA in the retrograde response, pointing to the cooperation of these complexes in gene activation. They also finally pinpoint the gene that is both necessary and sufficient to extend replicative lifespan in the retrograde response. The finding that this gene is PHO84 opens up a new set of questions about the mechanisms involved, as this gene is known to have pleiotropic effects.

Evolution and Functional Trajectory of Sir1 in Gene Silencing

We used the budding yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Torulaspora delbrueckii to examine the evolution of Sir-based silencing, focusing on Sir1, silencers, the molecular topography of silenced chromatin, and the roles of SIR and RNA interference (RNAi) genes in T. delbrueckii. Chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by deep sequencing (ChIP-Seq) analysis of Sir proteins in T. delbrueckii revealed a different topography of chromatin at the HML and HMR loci than was observed in S. cerevisiae. S. cerevisiae Sir1, enriched at the silencers of HMLα and HMR A: , was absent from telomeres and did not repress subtelomeric genes. In contrast to S. cerevisiae SIR1's partially dispensable role in silencing, the T. delbrueckii SIR1 paralog KOS3 was essential for silencing. KOS3 was also found at telomeres with T. delbrueckii Sir2 (Td-Sir2) and Td-Sir4 and repressed subtelomeric genes. Silencer mapping in T. delbrueckii revealed single silencers at HML and HMR, bound by Td-Kos3, Td-Sir2, and Td-Sir4. The KOS3 gene mapped near HMR, and its expression was regulated by Sir-based silencing, providing feedback regulation of a silencing protein by silencing. In contrast to the prominent role of Sir proteins in silencing, T. delbrueckii RNAi genes AGO1 and DCR1 did not function in heterochromatin formation. These results highlighted the shifting role of silencing genes and the diverse chromatin architectures underlying heterochromatin.

Structural basis for allosteric stimulation of Sir2 activity by Sir4 binding

The budding yeast Sir2 (silent information regulator 2) protein is the founding member of the sirtuin family of NAD-dependent histone/protein deacetylases. Its function in transcriptional silencing requires both the highly conserved catalytic domain and a poorly understood N-terminal regulatory domain (Sir2N). We determined the structure of Sir2 in complex with a fragment of Sir4, a component of the transcriptional silencing complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The structure shows that Sir4 is anchored to Sir2N and contacts the interface between the Sir2N and the catalytic domains through a long loop. We discovered that the interaction between the Sir4 loop and the interdomain interface in Sir2 is critical for allosteric stimulation of the deacetylase activity of Sir2. These results bring to light the structure and function of the regulatory domain of Sir2, and the knowledge should be useful for understanding allosteric regulation of sirtuins in general.

Mechanisms and dynamics of heterochromatin formation during mammalian development: closed paths and open questions

Early embryonic development in mammals is characterized by major changes in the components of the chromatin and its remodeling. The embryonic chromatin and the nuclear organization in the mouse preimplantation embryo display particular features that are dramatically different from somatic cells. These include the highly specific organization of the pericentromeric heterochromatin within the nucleus and the suggested lack of conventional heterochromatin. We postulate that the plasticity of the cells in the early embryo relies on the distinctive heterochromatin features that prevail during early embryogenesis. Here, we review some of these features and discuss recent findings on the mechanisms driving heterochromatin formation after fertilization, in particular, the emerging role of RNA as a regulator of heterochromatic loci also in mammals. Finally, we believe that there are at least three major avenues that should be addressed in the coming years: (i) Is heterochromatin a driving force in development? (ii) Does it have a role in lineage allocation? (iii) How can heterochromatin "regulate" epigenetic reprogramming?

Structure and function of the BAH domain in chromatin biology

Proteins containing Bromo Adjacent Homology (BAH) domain are often associated with biological processes involving chromatin, and mutations in BAH domains have been found in human diseases. A number of structural and functional studies have revealed that the BAH domain plays diverse and versatile roles in chromatin biology, including protein-protein interactions, recognition of methylated histones and nucleosome binding. Here we review recent developments in structural studies of the BAH domain, and intend to place the structural results in the context of biological functions of the BAH domain-containing proteins. A converging theme from the structural studies appears that the predominantly β-sheet fold of the BAH domain serves as a scaffold, and function-specific structural features are incorporated at the loops connecting the β-strands and surface-exposed areas. The structures clearly specified regions critical for protein-protein interactions, located the position of methyllysine-binding site and implicated areas important for nucleosome binding. The structural results provided valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms of BAH domains in molecular recognitions, and the information should greatly facilitate mechanistic understanding of BAH domain proteins in chromatin biology.

The SUMO E3 ligase Siz2 exerts a locus-dependent effect on gene silencing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the two silent mating-type loci and subtelomeric regions are subjected to a well-characterized form of gene silencing. Establishment of silencing involves the formation of a distinct chromatin state that is refractory to transcription. This structure is established by the action of silent information regulator proteins (Sir2, Sir3, and Sir4) that bind to nucleosomes and initiate the deacetylation of multiple lysine residues in histones H3 and H4. Sir2 protein is a conserved histone deacetylase that is critical for mating-type and telomeric silencing, as well as a Sir3/4-independent form of silencing observed within the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) repeat locus. We report here that sumoylation plays an important role in regulating gene silencing. We show that increased dosage of SIZ2, a SUMO (small ubiquitin-related modifier) ligase, is antagonistic to gene silencing and that this effect is enhanced by mutation of ESC1, whose product is involved in tethering telomeres to the nuclear periphery. We present evidence indicating that an elevated SIZ2 dosage causes reduced binding of Sir2 protein to telomeres. These data support the idea that sumoylation of specific substrates at the nuclear periphery regulates the availability of Sir2 protein at telomeres.

The origin recognition complex: a biochemical and structural view

The origin recognition complex (ORC) was first discovered in the baker's yeast in 1992. Identification of ORC opened up a path for subsequent molecular level investigations on how eukaryotic cells initiate and control genome duplication each cell cycle. Twenty years after the first biochemical isolation, ORC is now taking on a three-dimensional shape, although a very blurry shape at the moment, thanks to the recent electron microscopy and image reconstruction efforts. In this chapter, we outline the current biochemical knowledge about ORC from several eukaryotic systems, with emphasis on the most recent structural and biochemical studies. Despite many species-specific properties, an emerging consensus is that ORC is an ATP-dependent machine that recruits other key proteins to form pre-replicative complexes (pre-RCs) at many origins of DNA replication, enabling the subsequent initiation of DNA replication in S phase.

Palmitoylation controls the dynamics of budding-yeast heterochromatin via the telomere-binding protein Rif1

The posttranslational addition of palmitate to cysteines occurs ubiquitously in eukaryotic cells, where it functions in anchoring target proteins to membranes and in vesicular trafficking. Here we show that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae palmitoyltransferase Pfa4 enhanced heterochromatin formation at the cryptic mating-type loci HMR and HML via Rif1, a telomere regulatory protein. Acylated Rif1 was detected in extracts from wild-type but not pfa4Δ mutant cells. In a pfa4Δ mutant, Rif1-GFP dispersed away from foci positioned at the nuclear periphery into the nucleoplasm. Sir3-GFP distribution was also perturbed, indicating a change in the nuclear dynamics of heterochromatin proteins. Genetic analyses indicated that PFA4 functioned upstream of RIF1. Surprisingly, the pfa4Δ mutation had only mild effects on telomeric regulation, suggesting Rif1's roles at HM loci and telomeres were more complexly related than previously thought. These data supported a model in which Pfa4-dependent palmitoylation of Rif1 anchored it to the inner nuclear membrane, influencing its role in heterochromatin dynamics.

Reinventing heterochromatin in budding yeasts: Sir2 and the origin recognition complex take center stage

The transcriptional silencing of the cryptic mating-type loci in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is one of the best-studied models of repressive heterochromatin. However, this type of heterochromatin, which is mediated by the Sir proteins, has a distinct molecular composition compared to the more ubiquitous type of heterochromatin found in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, other fungi, animals, and plants and characterized by the presence of HP1 (heterochromatin protein 1). This review discusses how the loss of important heterochromatin proteins, including HP1, in the budding yeast lineage presented an evolutionary opportunity for the development and diversification of alternative varieties of heterochromatin, in which the conserved deacetylase Sir2 and the replication protein Orc1 play key roles. In addition, we highlight how this diversification has been facilitated by gene duplications and has contributed to adaptations in lifestyle.

Co-evolution of transcriptional silencing proteins and the DNA elements specifying their assembly

Co-evolution of transcriptional regulatory proteins and their sites of action has been often hypothesized but rarely demonstrated. Here we provide experimental evidence of such co-evolution in yeast silent chromatin, a finding that emerged from studies of hybrids formed between two closely related Saccharomyces species. A unidirectional silencing incompatibility between S. cerevisiae and S. bayanus led to a key discovery: asymmetrical complementation of divergent orthologs of the silent chromatin component Sir4. In S. cerevisiae/S. bayanus interspecies hybrids, ChIP-Seq analysis revealed a restriction against S. cerevisiae Sir4 associating with most S. bayanus silenced regions; in contrast, S. bayanus Sir4 associated with S. cerevisiae silenced loci to an even greater degree than did S. cerevisiae's own Sir4. Functional changes in silencer sequences paralleled changes in Sir4 sequence and a reduction in Sir1 family members in S. cerevisiae. Critically, species-specific silencing of the S. bayanus HMR locus could be reconstituted in S. cerevisiae by co-transfer of the S. bayanus Sir4 and Kos3 (the ancestral relative of Sir1) proteins. As Sir1/Kos3 and Sir4 bind conserved silencer-binding proteins, but not specific DNA sequences, these rapidly evolving proteins served to interpret differences in the two species' silencers presumably involving emergent features created by the regulatory proteins that bind sequences within silencers. The results presented here, and in particular the high resolution ChIP-Seq localization of the Sir4 protein, provided unanticipated insights into the mechanism of silent chromatin assembly in yeast.

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is required for cell cycle-regulated silent chromatin on replicated and nonreplicated genes

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, silent chromatin is formed at HMR upon the passage through S phase, yet neither the initiation of DNA replication at silencers nor the passage of a replication fork through HMR is required for silencing. Paradoxically, mutations in the DNA replication processivity factor, POL30, disrupt silencing despite this lack of requirement for DNA replication in the establishment of silencing. We tested whether pol30 mutants could establish silencing at either replicated or non-replicated HMR loci during S phase and found that pol30 mutants were defective in establishing silencing at HMR regardless of its replication status. Although previous studies tie the silencing defect of pol30 mutants to the chromatin assembly factors Asf1p and CAF-1, we found pol30 mutants did not exhibit a gross defect in packaging HMR into chromatin. Rather, the pol30 mutants exhibited defects in histone modifications linked to ASF1 and CAF-1-dependent pathways, including SAS-I- and Rtt109p-dependent acetylation events at H4-K16 and H3-K9 (plus H3-K56; Miller, A., Yang, B., Foster, T., and Kirchmaier, A. L. (2008) Genetics 179, 793-809). Additional experiments using FLIM-FRET revealed that Pol30p interacted with SAS-I and Rtt109p in the nuclei of living cells. However, these interactions were disrupted in pol30 mutants with defects linked to ASF1- and CAF-1-dependent pathways. Together, these results imply that Pol30p affects epigenetic processes by influencing the composition of chromosomal histone modifications.

The conserved bromo-adjacent homology domain of yeast Orc1 functions in the selection of DNA replication origins within chromatin

The origin recognition complex (ORC) binds to the specific positions on chromosomes that serve as DNA replication origins. Although ORC is conserved from yeast to humans, the DNA sequence elements that specify ORC binding are not. In particular, metazoan ORC shows no obvious DNA sequence specificity, whereas yeast ORC binds to a specific DNA sequence within all yeast origins. Thus, whereas chromatin must play an important role in metazoan ORC's ability to recognize origins, it is unclear whether chromatin plays a role in yeast ORC's recognition of origins. This study focused on the role of the conserved N-terminal bromo-adjacent homology domain of yeast Orc1 (Orc1BAH). Recent studies indicate that BAH domains are chromatin-binding modules. We show that the Orc1BAH domain was necessary for ORC's stable association with yeast chromosomes, and was physiologically relevant to DNA replication in vivo. This replication role was separable from the Orc1BAH domain's previously defined role in transcriptional silencing. Genome-wide analyses of ORC binding in ORC1 and orc1bahDelta cells revealed that the Orc1BAH domain contributed to ORC's association with most yeast origins, including a class of origins highly dependent on the Orc1BAH domain for ORC association (orc1bahDelta-sensitive origins). Orc1bahDelta-sensitive origins required the Orc1BAH domain for normal activity on chromosomes and plasmids, and were associated with a distinct local nucleosome structure. These data provide molecular insights into how the Orc1BAH domain contributes to ORC's selection of replication origins, as well as new tools for examining conserved mechanisms governing ORC's selection of origins within eukaryotic chromosomes.

The origin recognition complex interacts with a subset of metabolic genes tightly linked to origins of replication

The origin recognition complex (ORC) marks chromosomal sites as replication origins and is essential for replication initiation. In yeast, ORC also binds to DNA elements called silencers, where its primary function is to recruit silent information regulator (SIR) proteins to establish transcriptional silencing. Indeed, silencers function poorly as chromosomal origins. Several genetic, molecular, and biochemical studies of HMR-E have led to a model proposing that when ORC becomes limiting in the cell (such as in the orc2-1 mutant) only sites that bind ORC tightly (such as HMR-E) remain fully occupied by ORC, while lower affinity sites, including many origins, lose ORC occupancy. Since HMR-E possessed a unique non-replication function, we reasoned that other tight sites might reveal novel functions for ORC on chromosomes. Therefore, we comprehensively determined ORC “affinity” genome-wide by performing an ORC ChIP–on–chip in ORC2 and orc2-1 strains. Here we describe a novel group of orc2-1–resistant ORC–interacting chromosomal sites (ORF–ORC sites) that did not function as replication origins or silencers. Instead, ORF–ORC sites were comprised of protein-coding regions of highly transcribed metabolic genes. In contrast to the ORC–silencer paradigm, transcriptional activation promoted ORC association with these genes. Remarkably, ORF–ORC genes were enriched in proximity to origins of replication and, in several instances, were transcriptionally regulated by these origins. Taken together, these results suggest a surprising connection among ORC, replication origins, and cellular metabolism.

Chromosomes must be replicated prior to cell division. The process of duplication of each eukaryotic chromosome starts at discrete sites called origins of replication. An evolutionarily conserved Origin Recognition Complex (ORC) binds origins and helps make them replication-competent. ORC also binds another class of chromosomal sites that primarily function not as origins but as “silencers.” Silencers serve as starting points for the formation of silent chromatin, a special structure that represses local gene transcription in a promoter-independent fashion. One yeast silencer studied in great detail was found to bind ORC in vitro and in vivo with high affinity (“tightly”). On the other hand, several replication origins were found to bind ORC with lower affinity (“loosely”). We performed a genome-wide comparison of ORC affinity and found a novel class of high-affinity ORC–binding sites. Surprisingly, this class consisted neither of origins nor of silencers but of highly expressed genes involved in various metabolic processes. Transcriptional activation helped target ORC to these sites. These genes were frequently found near origins of replication, and in several instances their transcription was affected by deletion of the nearby origin. These results may shed light on a new molecular mechanism connecting nutrient status and cell division.

Expanded roles of the origin recognition complex in the architecture and function of silenced chromatin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The silenced chromatin at the cryptic mating-type loci (HML and HMR) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae requires a cell cycle event between early S phase and G(2)/M phase to achieve repression. Although DNA replication per se is not essential for silencing, mutations in many of the proteins involved in DNA replication affect silencing. Each of the four silencers, which flank the silenced loci, includes an origin recognition complex (ORC) binding site (ACS). ORC directly interacted with Sir1 and recruits Sir1 to the silencers. This study describes additional roles for ORC in the architecture of silenced chromatin. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis, we found that ORC physically interacts throughout the internal regions of HMR as well as with silencers. This interaction depended on the presence of Sir proteins and, in part, on the HMR-I silencer. ORC remained associated with the internal regions of HMR even when these regions were recombinationally separated from the silencers. Moreover, ORC could be recruited to the silencers lacking an ACS through its Sir1 interaction.

Elaboration, diversification and regulation of the Sir1 family of silencing proteins in Saccharomyces

Heterochromatin renders domains of chromosomes transcriptionally silent and, due to clonal variation in its formation, can generate heritably distinct populations of genetically identical cells. Saccharomyces cerevisiae's Sir1 functions primarily in the establishment, but not the maintenance, of heterochromatic silencing at the HMR and HML loci. In several Saccharomyces species, we discovered multiple paralogs of Sir1, called Kos1-Kos4 (Kin of Sir1). The Kos and Sir1 proteins contributed partially overlapping functions to silencing of both cryptic mating loci in S. bayanus. Mutants of these paralogs reduced silencing at HML more than at HMR. Most genes of the SIR1 family were located near telomeres, and at least one paralog was regulated by telomere position effect. In S. cerevisiae, Sir1 is recruited to the silencers at HML and HMR via its ORC interacting region (OIR), which binds the bromo adjacent homology (BAH) domain of Orc1. Zygosaccharomyces rouxii, which diverged from Saccharomyces after the appearance of the silent mating cassettes, but before the whole-genome duplication, contained an ortholog of Kos3 that was apparently the archetypal member of the family, with only one OIR. In contrast, a duplication of this domain was present in all orthologs of Sir1, Kos1, Kos2, and Kos4. We propose that the functional specialization of Sir3, itself a paralog of Orc1, as a silencing protein was facilitated by the tandem duplication of the OIR domain in the Sir1 family, allowing distinct Sir1-Sir3 and Sir1-Orc1 interactions through OIR-BAH domain interactions.

Phylogenetic conservation and homology modeling help reveal a novel domain within the budding yeast heterochromatin protein Sir1

The yeast Sir1 protein's ability to bind and silence the cryptic mating-type locus HMRa requires a protein-protein interaction between Sir1 and the origin recognition complex (ORC). A domain within the C-terminal half of Sir1, the Sir1 ORC interaction region (Sir1OIR), and the conserved bromo-adjacent homology (BAH) domain within Orc1, the largest subunit of ORC, mediate this interaction. The structure of the Sir1OIR-Orc1BAH complex is known. Sir1OIR and Orc1BAH interacted with a high affinity in vitro, but the Sir1OIR did not inhibit Sir1-dependent silencing when overproduced in vivo, suggesting that other regions of Sir1 helped it bind HMRa. Comparisons of diverged Sir1 proteins revealed two highly conserved regions, N1 and N2, within Sir1's poorly characterized N-terminal half. An N-terminal portion of Sir1 (residues 27 to 149 [Sir1(27-149)]) is similar in sequence to the Sir1OIR; homology modeling predicted a structure for Sir1(27-149) in which N1 formed a submodule similar to the known Orc1BAH-interacting surface on Sir1. Consistent with these findings, two-hybrid assays indicated that the Sir1 N terminus could interact with BAH domains. Amino acid substitutions within or near N1 or N2 reduced full-length Sir1's ability to bind and silence HMRa and to interact with Orc1BAH in a two-hybrid assay. Purified recombinant Sir1 formed a large protease-resistant structure within which the Sir1OIR domain was protected, and Orc1BAH bound Sir1OIR more efficiently than full-length Sir1 in vitro. Thus, the Sir1 N terminus exhibited both positive and negative roles in the formation of a Sir1-ORC silencing complex. This functional duality might contribute to Sir1's selectivity for silencer-bound ORCs in vivo.

The Ku complex in silencing the cryptic mating-type loci of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Sir1 establishes transcriptional silencing at the cryptic mating-type loci HMR and HML (HM loci) by recruiting the three other Sir proteins, Sir2, -3, and -4, that function directly in silenced chromatin. However, SIR1-independent mechanisms also contribute to recruiting the Sir2-4 proteins to the HM loci. A screen to elucidate SIR1-independent mechanisms that establish HMR silencing identified a mutation in YKU80. The role for Ku in silencing both HMR and HML was masked by SIR1. Ku's role in silencing the HM loci was distinct from its shared role with the nuclear architecture protein Esc1 in tethering the HM loci and telomeres to the nuclear periphery. The ability of high-copy SIR4 to rescue HMR silencing defects in sir1Delta cells required Ku, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) experiments provided evidence that Ku contributed to Sir4's physical association with the HM loci in vivo. Additional ChIP experiments provided evidence that Ku functioned directly at the HM loci. Thus Ku and Sir1 had overlapping roles in silencing the HM loci.

Structural and functional studies of the Rap1 C-terminus reveal novel separation-of-function mutants

The yeast Rap1 protein plays an important role in transcriptional silencing and in telomere length homeostasis. Rap1 mediates silencing at the HM loci and at telomeres by recruiting the Sir3 and Sir4 proteins to chromatin via a Rap1 C-terminal domain, which also recruits the telomere length regulators, Rif1 and Rif2. We report the 1.85 A resolution crystal structure of the Rap1 C-terminus, which adopts an all-helical fold with no structural homologues. The structure was used to engineer surface mutations in Rap1, and the effects of these mutations on silencing and telomere length regulation were assayed in vivo. Our surprising finding was that there is no overlap between mutations affecting mating-type and telomeric silencing, suggesting that Rap1 plays distinct roles in silencing at the silent mating-type loci and telomeres. We also found novel Rap1 phenotypes and new separation-of-function mutants, which provide new tools for studying Rap1 function. Yeast two-hybrid studies were used to determine how specific mutations affect recruitment of Sir3, Rif1, and Rif2. A comparison of the yeast two-hybrid and functional data reveals patterns of protein interactions that correlate with each Rap1 phenotype. We find that Sir3 interactions are important for telomeric silencing, but not mating type silencing, and that Rif1 and Rif2 interactions are important in different subsets of telomeric length mutants. Our results show that the role of Rap1 in silencing differs between the HM loci and the telomeres and offer insight into the interplay between HM silencing, telomeric silencing, and telomere length regulation. These findings suggest a model in which competition and multiple recruitment events modulate silencing and telomere length regulation.

Synthetic lethal screens identify gene silencing processes in yeast and implicate the acetylated amino terminus of Sir3 in recognition of the nucleosome core

Dot1 methylates histone H3 lysine 79 (H3K79) on the nucleosome core and is involved in Sir protein-mediated silencing. Previous studies suggested that H3K79 methylation within euchromatin prevents nonspecific binding of the Sir proteins, which in turn facilitates binding of the Sir proteins in unmethylated silent chromatin. However, the mechanism by which the Sir protein binding is influenced by this modification is unclear. We performed genome-wide synthetic genetic array (SGA) analysis and identified interactions of DOT1 with SIR1 and POL32. The synthetic growth defects found by SGA analysis were attributed to the loss of mating type identity caused by a synthetic silencing defect. By using epistasis analysis, DOT1, SIR1, and POL32 could be placed in different pathways of silencing. Dot1 shared its silencing phenotypes with the NatA N-terminal acetyltransferase complex and the conserved N-terminal bromo adjacent homology (BAH) domain of Sir3 (a substrate of NatA). We classified all of these as affecting a common silencing process, and we show that mutations in this process lead to nonspecific binding of Sir3 to chromatin. Our results suggest that the BAH domain of Sir3 binds to histone H3K79 and that acetylation of the BAH domain is required for the binding specificity of Sir3 for nucleosomes unmethylated at H3K79.

The silent information regulator 3 protein, SIR3p, binds to chromatin fibers and assembles a hypercondensed chromatin architecture in the presence of salt

The telomeres and mating-type loci of budding yeast adopt a condensed, heterochromatin-like state through recruitment of the silent information regulator (SIR) proteins SIR2p, SIR3p, and SIR4p. In this study we characterize the chromatin binding determinants of recombinant SIR3p and identify how SIR3p mediates chromatin fiber condensation in vitro. Purified full-length SIR3p was incubated with naked DNA, nucleosome core particles, or defined nucleosomal arrays, and the resulting complexes were analyzed by electrophoretic shift assays, sedimentation velocity, and electron microscopy. SIR3p bound avidly to all three types of templates. SIR3p loading onto its nucleosomal sites in chromatin produced thickened condensed fibers that retained a beaded morphology. At higher SIR3p concentrations, individual nucleosomal arrays formed oligomeric suprastructures bridged by SIR3p oligomers. When condensed SIR3p-bound chromatin fibers were incubated in Mg(2+), they folded and oligomerized even further to produce hypercondensed higher-order chromatin structures. Collectively, these results define how SIR3p may function as a chromatin architectural protein and provide new insight into the interplay between endogenous and protein-mediated chromatin fiber condensation pathways.

Incorporating biochemical information and backbone flexibility in RosettaDock for CAPRI rounds 6-12

In CAPRI rounds 6-12, RosettaDock successfully predicted 2 of 5 unbound-unbound targets to medium accuracy. Improvement over the previous method was achieved with computational mutagenesis to select decoys that match the energetics of experimentally determined hot spots. In the case of Target 21, Orc1/Sir1, this resulted in a successful docking prediction where RosettaDock alone or with simple site constraints failed. Experimental information also helped limit the interacting region of TolB/Pal, producing a successful prediction of Target 26. In addition, we docked multiple loop conformations for Target 20, and we developed a novel flexible docking algorithm to simultaneously optimize backbone conformation and rigid-body orientation to generate a wide diversity of conformations for Target 24. Continued challenges included docking of homology targets that differ substantially from their template (sequence identity <50%) and accounting for large conformational changes upon binding. Despite a larger number of unbound-unbound and homology model binding targets, Rounds 6-12 reinforced that RosettaDock is a powerful algorithm for predicting bound complex structures, especially when combined with experimental data.

The SKE-DOCK server and human teams based on a combined method of shape complementarity and free energy estimation

We participated in rounds 6-12 of the critical assessment of predicted interaction (CAPRI) contest as the SKE-DOCK server and human teams. The SKE-DOCK server is based on simple geometry docking and a knowledge base scoring function. The procedure is summarized in the following three steps: (1) protein docking according to shape complementarity, (2) evaluating complex models, and (3) repacking side-chain of models. The SKE-DOCK server did not make use of biological information. On the other hand, the human team tried various intervention approaches. In this article, we describe in detail the processes of the SKE-DOCK server, together with results and reasons for success and failure. Good predicted models were obtained for target 25 by both the SKE-DOCK server and human teams. When the modeled receptor proteins were superimposed on the experimental structures, the smallest Ligand-rmsd values corresponding to the rmsd between the model and experimental structures were 3.307 and 3.324 A, respectively. Moreover, the two teams obtained 4 and 2 acceptable models for target 25. The overall result for both the SKE-DOCK server and human teams was medium accuracy for one (Target 25) out of nine targets.

Docking of protein molecular surfaces with evolutionary trace analysis

We have developed a new method to predict protein- protein complexes based on the shape complementarity of the molecular surfaces, along with sequence conservation obtained by evolutionary trace (ET) analysis. The docking is achieved by optimization of an object function that evaluates the degree of shape complementarity weighted by the conservation of the interacting residues. The optimization is carried out using a genetic algorithm in combination with Monte Carlo sampling. We applied this method to CAPRI targets and evaluated the performance systematically. Consequently, our method could achieve native-like predictions in several cases. In addition, we have analyzed the feasibility of the ET method for docking simulations, and found that the conservation information was useful only in a limited category of proteins (signal related proteins and enzymes).

Conversion of a replication origin to a silencer through a pathway shared by a Forkhead transcription factor and an S phase cyclin

Silencing of the mating-type locus HMR in Saccharomyces cerevisiae requires DNA elements called silencers. To establish HMR silencing, the origin recognition complex binds the HMR-E silencer and recruits the silent information regulator (Sir)1 protein. Sir1 in turn helps establish silencing by stabilizing binding of the other Sir proteins, Sir2-4. However, silencing is semistable even in sir1Delta cells, indicating that SIR1-independent establishment mechanisms exist. Furthermore, the requirement for SIR1 in silencing a sensitized version of HMR can be bypassed by high-copy expression of FKH1 (FKH1(hc)), a conserved forkhead transcription factor, or by deletion of the S phase cyclin CLB5 (clb5Delta). FKH1(hc) caused only a modest increase in Fkh1 levels but effectively reestablished Sir2-4 chromatin at HMR as determined by Sir3-directed chromatin immunoprecipitation. In addition, FKH1(hc) prolonged the cell cycle in a manner distinct from deletion of its close paralogue FKH2, and it created a cell cycle phenotype more reminiscent to that caused by a clb5Delta. Unexpectedly, and in contrast to SIR1, both FKH1(hc) and clb5Delta established silencing at HMR using the replication origins, ARS1 or ARSH4, as complete substitutes for HMR-E (HMRDeltaE::ARS). HMRDeltaE::ARS1 was a robust origin in CLB5 cells. However, initiation by HMRDeltaE::ARS1 was reduced by clb5Delta or FKH1(hc), whereas ARS1 at its native locus was unaffected. The CLB5-sensitivity of HMRDeltaE::ARS1 did not result from formation of Sir2-4 chromatin because sir2Delta did not rescue origin firing in clb5Delta cells. These and other data supported a model in which FKH1 and CLB5 modulated Sir2-4 chromatin and late-origin firing through opposing regulation of a common pathway.

Yeast two-hybrid analysis of the origin recognition complex of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: interaction between subunits and identification of binding proteins

Origin recognition complex (ORC), a six-protein complex (Orc1p-6p), is the most likely initiator of chromosomal DNA replication in eukaryotes. Although ORC of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been studied extensively from biochemical and genetic perspectives, its quaternary structure remains unknown. Previous studies suggested that ORC has functions other than DNA replication, such as gene silencing, but the molecular mechanisms of these functions have not been determined. In this study, we used yeast two-hybrid analysis to examine the interaction between ORC subunits and to search for ORC-binding proteins. As well as the known Orc4p-Orc5p interaction, we revealed strong interactions between Orc2p and Ord3p (2p-3p), Orc2p and Ord5p (2p-5p), Orc2p and Ord6p (2p-6p) and Orc3p and Ord6p (3p-6p) and weaker interactions between Orc1p and Ord4p (1p-4p), Orc3p and Ord4p (3p-4p), Orc2p and Ord3p (3p-5p) and Orc5p and Ord3p (5p-6p). These results suggest that 2p-3p-6p may form a core complex. Orc2p and Orc6p are phosphorylated in vivo, regulating initiation of DNA replication. However, replacing the phosphorylated amino acid residues with others that cannot be phosphorylated, or that mimic phosphorylation, did not affect subunit interactions. We also identified several proteins that interact with ORC subunits; Sir4p and Mad1p interact with Orc2p; Cac1p and Ykr077wp with Orc3p; Rrm3p and Swi6p with Orc5p; and Mih1p with Orc6p. We discuss roles of these interactions in functions of ORC.

RosettaDock in CAPRI rounds 6-12

A challenge in protein-protein docking is to account for the conformational changes in the monomers that occur upon binding. The RosettaDock method, which incorporates sidechain flexibility but keeps the backbone fixed, was found in previous CAPRI rounds (4 and 5) to generate docking models with atomic accuracy, provided that conformational changes were mainly restricted to protein sidechains. In the recent rounds of CAPRI (6-12), large backbone conformational changes occur upon binding for several target complexes. To address these challenges, we explicitly introduced backbone flexibility in our modeling procedures by combining rigid-body docking with protein structure prediction techniques such as modeling variable loops and building homology models. Encouragingly, using this approach we were able to correctly predict a significant backbone conformational change of an interface loop for Target 20 (12 A rmsd between those in the unbound monomer and complex structures), but accounting for backbone flexibility in protein-protein docking is still very challenging because of the significantly larger conformational space, which must be surveyed. Motivated by these CAPRI challenges, we have made progress in reformulating RosettaDock using a "fold-tree" representation, which provides a general framework for treating a wide variety of flexible-backbone docking problems.

The many faces of the origin recognition complex

The hetero-hexameric origin recognition complex (ORC) is well known for its separable roles in DNA replication and heterochromatin assembly. However, ORC and its individual subunits have been implicated in diverse cellular activities in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Some of ORC's implied functions, such as cell cycle checkpoint control and mitotic chromosome assembly, may be indirectly related to its roles in replication control and/or heterochromatin assembly. Other suggested roles in ribosomal biogenesis and in centrosome and kinetochore function are based on localization/interaction data and are as yet inconclusive. However, recent findings directly link ORC to sister chromatin cohesion, cytokinesis and neural dendritic branching.

Multiple functions of the origin recognition complex

The origin recognition complex (ORC), a heteromeric six-subunit protein, is a central component for eukaryotic DNA replication. The ORC binds to DNA at replication origin sites in an ATP-dependent manner and serves as a scaffold for the assembly of other key initiation factors. Sequence rules for ORC-DNA binding appear to vary widely. In budding yeast the ORC recognizes specific ori elements, however, in higher eukaryotes origin site selection does not appear to depend on the specific DNA sequence. In metazoans, during cell cycle progression, one or more of the ORC subunits can be modified in such a way that ORC activity is inhibited until mitosis is complete and a nuclear membrane is assembled. In addition to its well-documented role in the initiation of DNA replication, the ORC is also involved in other cell functions. Some of these activities directly link cell cycle progression with DNA replication, while other functions seem distinct from replication. The function of ORCs in the establishment of transcriptionally repressed regions is described for many species and may be a conserved feature common for both unicellular eukaryotes and metazoans. ORC subunits were found at centrosomes, at the cell membranes, at the cytokinesis furrows of dividing cells, as well as at the kinetochore. The exact mechanism of these localizations remains to be determined, however, latest results support the idea that ORC proteins participate in multiple aspects of the chromosome inheritance cycle. In this review, we discuss the participation of ORC proteins in various cell functions, in addition to the canonical role of ORC in initiating DNA replication.

Spreading of silent chromatin: inaction at a distance

One of the oldest unsolved problems in genetics is the observation that gene silencing can 'spread' along a chromosome. Although spreading has been widely perceived as a process of long-range assembly of heterochromatin proteins, such 'oozing' might not apply in most cases. Rather, long-range silencing seems to be a dynamic process, involving local diffusion of histone-modifying enzymes from source binding sites to low-affinity sites nearby. Discontinuous silencing might reflect looping interactions, whereas the spreading of continuous silencing might be driven by the processive movement of RNA or DNA polymerases. We review the evidence for the spreading of silencing in many contexts and organisms and conclude that multiple mechanisms have evolved that silence genes at a distance.

Impact of nonsense-mediated mRNA decay on the global expression profile of budding yeast

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is a eukaryotic mechanism of RNA surveillance that selectively eliminates aberrant transcripts coding for potentially deleterious proteins. NMD also functions in the normal repertoire of gene expression. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, hundreds of endogenous RNA Polymerase II transcripts achieve steady-state levels that depend on NMD. For some, the decay rate is directly influenced by NMD (direct targets). For others, abundance is NMD-sensitive but without any effect on the decay rate (indirect targets). To distinguish between direct and indirect targets, total RNA from wild-type (Nmd⁺) and mutant (Nmd⁻) strains was probed with high-density arrays across a 1-h time window following transcription inhibition. Statistical models were developed to describe the kinetics of RNA decay. 45% ± 5% of RNAs targeted by NMD were predicted to be direct targets with altered decay rates in Nmd⁻ strains. Parallel experiments using conventional methods were conducted to empirically test predictions from the global experiment. The results show that the global assay reliably distinguished direct versus indirect targets. Different types of targets were investigated, including transcripts containing adjacent, disabled open reading frames, upstream open reading frames, and those prone to out-of-frame initiation of translation. Known targeting mechanisms fail to account for all of the direct targets of NMD, suggesting that additional targeting mechanisms remain to be elucidated. 30% of the protein-coding targets of NMD fell into two broadly defined functional themes: those affecting chromosome structure and behavior and those affecting cell surface dynamics. Overall, the results provide a preview for how expression profiles in multi-cellular eukaryotes might be impacted by NMD. Furthermore, the methods for analyzing decay rates on a global scale offer a blueprint for new ways to study mRNA decay pathways in any organism where cultured cell lines are available.

Genes determine the structure of proteins through transcription and translation in which an RNA copy of the gene is made (mRNA) and then translated to make the protein. Cellular protein levels reflect the relative rates of mRNA synthesis and degradation, which are subject to multiple layers of controls. Mechanisms also exist to ensure the quality of each mRNA. One quality control mechanism called nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) triggers the rapid degradation of mRNAs containing coding errors that would otherwise lead to the production of non-functional or potentially deleterious proteins. NMD occurs in yeasts, plants, flies, worms, mice, and humans. In humans, NMD affects the etiology of genetic disorders by affecting the expression of genes that carry disease-causing mutations. Besides quality assurance, NMD plays another role in gene expression by controlling the abundance of hundreds of normal mRNAs that are devoid of coding errors. In this paper, the authors used DNA arrays to monitor the relative decay rates of all mRNAs in budding yeast and found a subset where decay rates were dependent on NMD. Many of the corresponding proteins perform related functional roles affecting both the structure and behavior of chromosomes and the structure and integrity of the cell surface.

Bypassing the catalytic activity of SIR2 for SIR protein spreading in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Sir protein spreading along chromosomes and silencing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae requires the NAD+-dependent histone deacetylase activity of Sir2p. We tested whether this requirement could be bypassed at the HM loci and telomeres in cells containing a stably expressed, but catalytically inactive mutant of Sir2p, sir2-345p, plus histone mutants that mimic the hypoacetylated state normally created by Sir2p. Sir protein spreading was rescued in sir2-345 mutants expressing histones in which key lysine residues in their N-termini had been mutated to arginine. Mating in these mutants was also partially restored upon overexpression of Sir3p. Together, these results indicate that histone hypoacetylation is sufficient for Sir protein spreading in the absence of production of 2'-O-acetyl-ADP ribose by sir2p and Sir2p's enzymatic function for silencing can be bypassed in a subset of cells in a given population. These results also provide genetic evidence for the existence of additional critical substrates of Sir2p for silencing in vivo.

Structure of the Sir3 protein bromo adjacent homology (BAH) domain from S. cerevisiae at 1.95 A resolution

Sir3p is a silent-information-regulator (SIR) protein required for the assembly of a transcriptionally "silent" chromatin structure at telomeres and the cryptic HM mating-type loci in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Sir3p contains a putative "bromo adjacent homology" (BAH) domain at its N terminus that shares strong sequence similarity with the BAH domain of a subunit of the origin recognition complex (ORC), Orc1p. The Orc1p-BAH domain forms a well-defined complex with the ORC interaction region (OIR) of another Sir protein, Sir1p, which targets formation of silent chromatin to the HM-loci. Interestingly, despite sequence similarity of the Sir3p and Orc1p BAH domains and Sir3p's established importance in silencing, Sir3p does not bind the Sir1p-OIR. Here we report the 1.95 A resolution crystal structure of the Sir3p-BAH domain. The structure reveals two key features that can account for Sir3p-BAH domain's inability to interact with Sir1p. First, several Orc1p-BAH domain residues known to directly contact Sir1p are altered in the Sir3p-BAH domain. Second, a critical OIR-binding pocket present on the surface of the Orc1p-BAH domain is "filled" in the Sir3p-BAH domain structure, potentially making it inaccessible to Sir1p. These findings imply that the Sir3p-BAH domain structure has evolved for functions distinct from those of the Orc1p-BAH domain.

The nuclear GTPase Gsp1p can affect proper telomeric function through the Sir4 protein inSaccharomyces cerevisiae

The small Ras-like GTPase Ran/Gsp1p is a highly conserved nuclear protein required for the nucleocytoplasmic trafficking of macromolecules. Recent findings suggest that the Ran/Gsp1p pathway may have additional roles in several aspects of nuclear structure and function, including spindle assembly, nuclear envelope formation, nuclear pore complex assembly and RNA processing. Here, we provide evidence that Gsp1p can regulate telomeric function in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We show that overexpression of PRP20, encoding the Gsp1p GDP/GTP nuclear exchange factor, specifically weakens telomeric silencing without detectably affecting nucleocytoplasmic transport. In addition to this silencing defect, we show that Rap1p and Sir3p delocalize from their normal telomeric foci. Interestingly, Gsp1p was found to interact genetically and physically with the telomeric component Sir4p. Taken together, these results suggest that the GSP1 pathway could regulate proper telomeric function in yeast through Sir4p.

Structural model of the mAb 806-EGFR complex using computational docking followed by computational and experimental mutagenesis

In this work, we combined computational protein-protein docking with computational and experimental mutagenesis to predict the structure of the complex formed by monoclonal antibody 806 (mAb 806) and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). We docked mAb 806, an antitumor antibody, to its epitope of EGFR residues 287-302. Potential mAb 806-EGFR orientations were generated, and computational mutagenesis was used to filter them according to their agreement with experimental mutagenesis data. Further computational mutagenesis suggested additional mutations, which were tested to arrive at a final structure that was most consistent with experimental mutagenesis data. We propose that this is the EGFR-mAb 806 structure, in which mAb 806 binds to an untethered form of the receptor, consistent with published experimental results. The steric hindrance created by the antibody near the EGFR dimer interface interferes with receptor dimerization, and we postulate this as the structural origin for the antitumor effect of mAb 806.

Chromatin architectural proteins

The accessibility of eukaryotic DNA is dependent upon the hierarchical level of chromatin organization. These include (1) intra-nucleosome interactions, (2) inter-nucleosome interactions and (3) the influence of non-histone chromatin architectural proteins. There appears to be interplay between all these levels, in that one level can override another or that two or more can act in concert. In the first level, the stability of the nucleosome itself is dependent on the number and type of contacts between the core histones and the surrounding DNA, as well as protein-protein interactions within the core histone octamer. Core histone variants, post-translational modifications of the histones, and linker histones binding to the DNA all influence the organization and stability of the nucleosome. When nucleosomes are placed end-to-end in linear chromatin arrays, the second level of organization is revealed. The amino terminal tails of the histone proteins make contacts with adjacent and distant nucleosomes, both within the fiber and between different fibers. The third level of organization is imposed upon these 'intrinsic' constraints, and is due to the influence of chromatin binding proteins that alter the architecture of the underlying fiber. These chromatin architectural proteins can, in some cases, bypass intrinsic constraints and impart their own topological affects, resulting in truly unique, supra-molecular assemblages that undoubtedly influence the accessibility of the underlying DNA. In this review we will provide a brief summary of what has been learned about the intrinsic dynamics of chromatin fibers, and survey the biology and architectural affects of the handful of chromatin architectural proteins that have been identified and characterized. These proteins are likely only a small subset of the architectural proteins encoded within the eukaryotic genome. We hope that an increased understanding and appreciation of the contribution of these proteins to genome accessibility will hasten the identification and characterization of more of these important regulatory factors.

Tolerance of Sir1p/origin recognition complex-dependent silencing for enhanced origin firing at HMRa

The HMR-E silencer is a DNA element that directs the formation of silent chromatin at the HMRa locus in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Sir1p is one of four Sir proteins required for silent chromatin formation at HMRa. Sir1p functions by binding the origin recognition complex (ORC), which binds to HMR-E, and recruiting the other Sir proteins (Sir2p to -4p). ORCs also bind to hundreds of nonsilencer positions distributed throughout the genome, marking them as replication origins, the sites for replication initiation. HMR-E also acts as a replication origin, but compared to many origins in the genome, it fires extremely inefficiently and late during S phase. One postulate to explain this observation is that ORC's role in origin firing is incompatible with its role in binding Sir1p and/or the formation of silent chromatin. Here we examined a mutant HMR-E silencer and fusions between robust replication origins and HMR-E for HMRa silencing, origin firing, and replication timing. Origin firing within HMRa and from the HMR-E silencer itself could be significantly enhanced, and the timing of HMRa replication during an otherwise normal S phase advanced, without a substantial reduction in SIR1-dependent silencing. However, although the robust origin/silencer fusions silenced HMRa quite well, they were measurably less effective than a comparable silencer containing HMR-E's native ORC binding site.

Structure and function of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sir3 BAH domain

Previous work has shown that the N terminus of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sir3 protein is crucial for the function of Sir3 in transcriptional silencing. Here, we show that overexpression of N-terminal fragments of Sir3 in strains lacking the full-length protein can lead to some silencing of HML and HMR. Sir3 contains a BAH (bromo-adjacent homology) domain at its N terminus. Overexpression of this domain alone can lead to silencing as long as Sir1 is overexpressed and Sir2 and Sir4 are present. Overexpression of the closely related Orc1 BAH domain can also silence in the absence of any Sir3 protein. A previously characterized hypermorphic sir3 mutation, D205N, greatly improves silencing by the Sir3 BAH domain and allows it to bind to DNA and oligonucleosomes in vitro. A previously uncharacterized region in the Sir1 N terminus is required for silencing by both the Sir3 and Orc1 BAH domains. The structure of the Sir3 BAH domain has been determined. In the crystal, the molecule multimerizes in the form of a left-handed superhelix. This superhelix may be relevant to the function of the BAH domain of Sir3 in silencing.

High-resolution protein-protein docking

The high-resolution prediction of protein-protein docking can now create structures with atomic-level accuracy. This progress arises from both improvements in the rapid sampling of conformations and increased accuracy of binding free energy calculations. Consequently, the quality of models submitted to the blind prediction challenge CAPRI (Critical Assessment of PRedicted Interactions) has steadily increased, including complexes predicted from homology structures of one binding partner and complexes with atomic accuracy at the interface. By exploiting experimental information, docking has created model structures for real applications, even when confronted with challenges such as moving backbones and uncertain monomer structures. Work remains to be done in docking large or flexible proteins, ranking models consistently, and producing models accurate enough to allow computational design of higher affinities or specificities.

Cell cycle requirements in assembling silent chromatin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The establishment of silencing at the silent mating-type locus, HMR, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae requires that yeast pass through S phase of the cell cycle, yet requires neither the initiation of DNA replication at the locus destined to become silenced nor the passage of a replication fork through that locus. We tested whether this S-phase requirement reflects a window within the cell cycle permissive for recruitment of Sir proteins to HMR. The S-phase-restricted event necessary for silencing occurred after recruitment of Sir proteins to HMR. Moreover, cells arrested in early S phase formed silent chromatin at HMR, provided HMR was on a nonreplicating template. Replicating templates required a later step for silencing. These results provide temporal resolution of discrete steps in the formation of silent chromatin and suggest that more than one cell cycle-regulated event may be necessary for the establishment of silencing.

Eukaryotic DNA Replication in a Chromatin Context

There has been remarkable progress in the last 20 years in defining the molecular mechanisms that regulate initiation of DNA synthesis in eukaryotic cells. Replication origins in the DNA nucleate the ordered assembly of protein factors to form a prereplication complex (preRC) that is poised for DNA synthesis. Transition of the preRC to an active initiation complex is regulated by cyclin-dependent kinases and other signaling molecules, which promote further protein assembly and activate the mini chromosome maintenance helicase. We will review these mechanisms and describe the state of knowledge about the proteins involved. However, we will also consider an additional layer of complexity. The DNA in the cell is packaged with histone proteins into chromatin. Chromatin structure provides an additional layer of heritable information with associated epigenetic modifications. Thus, we will begin by describing chromatin structure, and how the cell generally controls access to the DNA. Access to the DNA requires active chromatin remodeling, specific histone modifications, and regulated histone deposition. Studies in transcription have revealed a variety of mechanisms that regulate DNA access, and some of these are likely to be shared with DNA replication. We will briefly describe heterochromatin as a model for an epigenetically inherited chromatin state. Next, we will describe the mechanisms of replication initiation and how these are affected by constraints of chromatin. Finally, chromatin must be reassembled with appropriate modifications following passage of the replication fork, and our third major topic will be the reassembly of chromatin and its associated epigenetic marks. Thus, in this chapter, we seek to bring together the studies of replication initiation and the studies of chromatin into a single holistic narrative.