Role of the checkpoint clamp in DNA damage response

From Processivity to Genome Maintenance: The Many Roles of Sliding Clamps

Sliding clamps play a pivotal role in the process of replication by increasing the processivity of the replicative polymerase. They also serve as an interacting platform for a plethora of other proteins, which have an important role in other DNA metabolic processes, including DNA repair. In other words, clamps have evolved, as has been correctly referred to, into a mobile "tool-belt" on the DNA, and provide a platform for several proteins that are involved in maintaining genome integrity. Because of the central role played by the sliding clamp in various processes, its study becomes essential and relevant in understanding these processes and exploring the protein as an important drug target. In this review, we provide an updated report on the functioning, interactions, and moonlighting roles of the sliding clamps in various organisms and its utilization as a drug target.

DNA binding by the Rad9A subunit of the Rad9-Rad1-Hus1 complex

The Rad9-Rad1-Hus1 checkpoint clamp activates the DNA damage response and promotes DNA repair. DNA loading on the central channel of the Rad9-Rad1-Hus1 complex is required to execute its biological functions. Because Rad9A has the highest DNA affinity among the three subunits, we determined the domains and functional residues of human Rad9A that are critical for DNA interaction. The N-terminal globular domain (residues 1–133) had 3.7-fold better DNA binding affinity than the C-terminal globular domain (residues 134–266) of Rad9A^1-266. Rad9A^1-266 binds DNA 16-, 60-, and 30-fold better than Rad9A^1-133, Rad9A^134-266, and Rad9A^94-266, respectively, indicating that different regions cooperatively contribute to DNA binding. We show that basic residues including K11, K15, R22, K78, K220, and R223 are important for DNA binding. The reductions on DNA binding of Ala substituted mutants of these basic residues show synergistic effect and are dependent on their residential Rad9A deletion constructs. Interestingly, deletion of a loop (residues 160–163) of Rad9A^94-266 weakens DNA binding activity by 4.1-fold as compared to wild-type (WT) Rad9A^94-266. Cellular sensitivity to genotoxin of rad9A knockout cells is restored by expressing WT-Rad9A^full. However, rad9A knockout cells expressing Rad9A mutants defective in DNA binding are more sensitive to H₂O₂ as compared to cells expressing WT-Rad9A^full. Only the rad9A knockout cells expressing loop-deleted Rad9A mutant are more sensitive to hydroxyurea than cells expressing WT-Rad9A. In addition, Rad9A-DNA interaction is required for DNA damage signaling activation. Our results indicate that DNA association by Rad9A is critical for maintaining cell viability and checkpoint activation under stress.

An ordered assembly of MYH glycosylase, SIRT6 protein deacetylase, and Rad9-Rad1-Hus1 checkpoint clamp at oxidatively damaged telomeres

In the base excision repair pathway, MYH/MUTYH DNA glycosylase prevents mutations by removing adenine mispaired with 8-oxoG, a frequent oxidative lesion. MYH glycosylase activity is enhanced by Rad9-Rad1-Hus1 (9-1-1) checkpoint clamp and SIRT6 histone/protein deacetylase. Here, we show that MYH, SIRT6, and 9-1-1 are recruited to confined oxidatively damaged regions on telomeres in mammalian cells. Using different knockout cells, we show that SIRT6 responds to damaged telomeres very early, and then recruits MYH and Hus1 following oxidative stress. However, the recruitment of Hus1 to damaged telomeres is partially dependent on SIRT6. The catalytic activities of SIRT6 are not important for SIRT6 response but are essential for MYH recruitment to damaged telomeres. Compared to wild-type MYH, the recruitment of hMYH^V315A mutant (defective in both SIRT6 and Hus1 interactions), but not hMYH^Q324H mutant (defective in Hus1 interaction only), to damaged telomeres is severely reduced. The formation of MYH/SIRT6/9-1-1 complex is of biological significance as interrupting their interactions can increase cell's sensitivity to H₂O₂ and/or elevate cellular 8-oxoG levels after H₂O₂ treatment. Our results establish that SIRT6 acts as an early sensor of BER enzymes and both SIRT6 and 9-1-1 serve critical roles in DNA repair to maintain telomere integrity.

The Transcriptional Response to DNA-Double-Strand Breaks in Physcomitrella patens

The model bryophyte Physcomitrella patens is unique among plants in supporting the generation of mutant alleles by facile homologous recombination-mediated gene targeting (GT). Reasoning that targeted transgene integration occurs through the capture of transforming DNA by the homology-dependent pathway for DNA double-strand break (DNA-DSB) repair, we analysed the genome-wide transcriptomic response to bleomycin-induced DNA damage and generated mutants in candidate DNA repair genes. Massively parallel (Illumina) cDNA sequencing identified potential participants in gene targeting. Transcripts encoding DNA repair proteins active in multiple repair pathways were significantly up-regulated. These included Rad51, CtIP, DNA ligase 1, Replication protein A and ATR in homology-dependent repair, Xrcc4, DNA ligase 4, Ku70 and Ku80 in non-homologous end-joining and Rad1, Tebichi/polymerase theta, PARP in microhomology-mediated end-joining. Differentially regulated cell-cycle components included up-regulated Rad9 and Hus1 DNA-damage-related checkpoint proteins and down-regulated D-type cyclins and B-type CDKs, commensurate with the imposition of a checkpoint at G2 of the cell cycle characteristic of homology-dependent DNA-DSB repair. Candidate genes, including ATP-dependent chromatin remodelling helicases associated with repair and recombination, were knocked out and analysed for growth defects, hypersensitivity to DNA damage and reduced GT efficiency. Targeted knockout of PpCtIP, a cell-cycle activated mediator of homology-dependent DSB resection, resulted in bleomycin-hypersensitivity and greatly reduced GT efficiency.

The checkpoint clamp protein Rad9 facilitates DNA-end resection and prevents alternative non-homologous end joining

DNA damage activates the cell cycle checkpoint to regulate cell cycle progression. The checkpoint clamp (Rad9-Hus1-Rad1 complex) is recruited to damage sites, and is required for checkpoint activation. While functions of the checkpoint clamp in checkpoint activation have been well studied, its functions in DNA repair regulation remain elusive. Here we show that Rad9 is required for efficient homologous recombination (HR), and facilitates DNA-end resection. The role of Rad9 in homologous recombination is independent of its function in checkpoint activation, and this function is important for preventing alternative non-homologous end joining (altNHEJ). These findings reveal novel function of the checkpoint clamp in HR.

Association of the Rad9-Rad1-Hus1 checkpoint clamp with MYH DNA glycosylase and DNA

Cell cycle checkpoints provide surveillance mechanisms to activate the DNA damage response, thus preserving genomic integrity. The heterotrimeric Rad9-Rad1-Hus1 (9-1-1) clamp is a DNA damage response sensor and can be loaded onto DNA. 9-1-1 is involved in base excision repair (BER) by interacting with nearly every enzyme in BER. Here, we show that individual 9-1-1 components play distinct roles in BER directed by MYH DNA glycosylase. Analyses of Hus1 deletion mutants revealed that the interdomain connecting loop (residues 134-155) is a key determinant of MYH binding. Both the N-(residues 1-146) and C-terminal (residues 147-280) halves of Hus1, which share structural similarity, can interact with and stimulate MYH. The Hus1(K136A) mutant retains physical interaction with MYH but cannot stimulate MYH glycosylase activity. The N-terminal domain, but not the C-terminal half of Hus1 can also bind DNA with moderate affinity. Intact Rad9 expressed in bacteria binds to and stimulates MYH weakly. However, Rad9(1-266) (C-terminal truncated Rad9) can stimulate MYH activity and bind DNA with high affinity, close to that displayed by heterotrimeric 9(1-266)-1-1 complexes. Conversely, Rad1 has minimal roles in stimulating MYH activity or binding to DNA. Finally, we show that preferential recruitment of 9(1-266)-1-1 to 5'-recessed DNA substrates is an intrinsic property of this complex and is dependent on complex formation. Together, our findings provide a mechanistic rationale for unique contributions by individual 9-1-1 subunits to MYH-directed BER based on subunit asymmetry in protein-protein interactions and DNA binding events.