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Raimer Young HM, Hou PC, Bartosik AR, Atkin ND, Wang L, Wang Z, Ratan A, Zang C, Wang YH. DNA fragility at topologically associated domain boundaries is promoted by alternative DNA secondary structure and topoisomerase II activity. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:3837-3855. [PMID: 38452213 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) binding sites are hotspots of genome instability. Although many factors have been associated with CTCF binding site fragility, no study has integrated all fragility-related factors to understand the mechanism(s) of how they work together. Using an unbiased, genome-wide approach, we found that DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are enriched at strong, but not weak, CTCF binding sites in five human cell types. Energetically favorable alternative DNA secondary structures underlie strong CTCF binding sites. These structures coincided with the location of topoisomerase II (TOP2) cleavage complex, suggesting that DNA secondary structure acts as a recognition sequence for TOP2 binding and cleavage at CTCF binding sites. Furthermore, CTCF knockdown significantly increased DSBs at strong CTCF binding sites and at CTCF sites that are located at topologically associated domain (TAD) boundaries. TAD boundary-associated CTCF sites that lost CTCF upon knockdown displayed increased DSBs when compared to the gained sites, and those lost sites are overrepresented with G-quadruplexes, suggesting that the structures act as boundary insulators in the absence of CTCF, and contribute to increased DSBs. These results model how alternative DNA secondary structures facilitate recruitment of TOP2 to CTCF binding sites, providing mechanistic insight into DNA fragility at CTCF binding sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather M Raimer Young
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0733, USA
| | - Pei-Chi Hou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0733, USA
| | - Anna R Bartosik
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0733, USA
| | - Naomi D Atkin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0733, USA
| | - Lixin Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Zhenjia Wang
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0717, USA
| | - Aakrosh Ratan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0733, USA
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0717, USA
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- University of Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Center, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Chongzhi Zang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0733, USA
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0717, USA
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- University of Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Center, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Yuh-Hwa Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0733, USA
- University of Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Center, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
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Michel N, Young HMR, Atkin ND, Arshad U, Al-Humadi R, Singh S, Manukyan A, Gore L, Burbulis IE, Wang YH, McConnell MJ. Transcription-associated DNA DSBs activate p53 during hiPSC-based neurogenesis. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12156. [PMID: 35840793 PMCID: PMC9287420 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-16516-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons are overproduced during cerebral cortical development. Neural progenitor cells (NPCs) divide rapidly and incur frequent DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) throughout cortical neurogenesis. Although half of the neurons born during neurodevelopment die, many neurons with inaccurate DNA repair survive leading to brain somatic mosaicism. Recurrent DNA DSBs during neurodevelopment are associated with both gene expression level and gene length. We used imaging flow cytometry and a genome-wide DNA DSB capture approach to quantify and map DNA DSBs during human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-based neurogenesis. Reduced p53 signaling was brought about by knockdown (p53KD); p53KD led to elevated DNA DSB burden in neurons that was associated with gene expression level but not gene length in neural progenitor cells (NPCs). Furthermore, DNA DSBs incurred from transcriptional, but not replicative, stress lead to p53 activation in neurotypical NPCs. In p53KD NPCs, DNA DSBs accumulate at transcription start sites of genes that are associated with neurological and psychiatric disorders. These findings add to a growing understanding of how neuronal genome dynamics are engaged by high transcriptional or replicative burden during neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Michel
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia School of Medicine, 1340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, 1340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Heather M Raimer Young
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, 1340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Naomi D Atkin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, 1340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Umar Arshad
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, 1340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Reem Al-Humadi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, 1340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Sandeep Singh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, 1340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Arkadi Manukyan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, 1340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Lana Gore
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, 855 N. Wolfe St., Ste. 300, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Ian E Burbulis
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, 1340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
- Sede de la Patagonia, Facultad de Medicina y Ciencias, Universidad San Sebastián, Puerto Montt, Chile
| | - Yuh-Hwa Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, 1340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Michael J McConnell
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, 855 N. Wolfe St., Ste. 300, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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Atkin ND, Raimer HM, Wang Z, Zang C, Wang YH. Assessing acute myeloid leukemia susceptibility in rearrangement-driven patients by DNA breakage at topoisomerase II and CCCTC-binding factor/cohesin binding sites. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2021; 60:808-821. [PMID: 34405474 PMCID: PMC8511143 DOI: 10.1002/gcc.22993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
An initiating DNA double strand break (DSB) event precedes the formation of cancer-driven chromosomal abnormalities, such as gene rearrangements. Therefore, measuring DNA breaks at rearrangement-participating regions can provide a unique tool to identify and characterize susceptible individuals. Here, we developed a highly sensitive and low-input DNA break mapping method, the first of its kind for patient samples. We then measured genome-wide DNA breakage in normal cells of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with KMT2A (previously MLL) rearrangements, compared to that of nonfusion AML individuals, as a means to evaluate individual susceptibility to gene rearrangements. DNA breakage at the KMT2A gene region was significantly greater in fusion-driven remission individuals, as compared to nonfusion individuals. Moreover, we identified select topoisomerase II (TOP2)-sensitive and CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF)/cohesin-binding sites with preferential DNA breakage in fusion-driven patients. Importantly, measuring DSBs at these sites, in addition to the KMT2A gene region, provided greater predictive power when assessing individual break susceptibility. We also demonstrated that low-dose etoposide exposure further elevated DNA breakage at these regions in fusion-driven AML patients, but not in nonfusion patients, indicating that these sites are preferentially sensitive to TOP2 activity in fusion-driven AML patients. These results support that mapping of DSBs in patients enables discovery of novel break-prone regions and monitoring of individuals susceptible to chromosomal abnormalities, and thus cancer. This will build the foundation for early detection of cancer-susceptible individuals, as well as those preferentially susceptible to therapy-related malignancies caused by treatment with TOP2 poisons.
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MESH Headings
- Binding Sites/genetics
- CCCTC-Binding Factor/blood
- CCCTC-Binding Factor/genetics
- Cell Cycle Proteins/blood
- Cell Cycle Proteins/genetics
- Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans/blood
- Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans/genetics
- Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone/blood
- Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone/genetics
- Chromosome Aberrations
- DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded/drug effects
- DNA Repair/genetics
- DNA Topoisomerases, Type II/blood
- DNA Topoisomerases, Type II/genetics
- DNA-Binding Proteins/blood
- DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics
- Etoposide/pharmacology
- Female
- Gene Rearrangement/genetics
- Genome, Human/genetics
- HeLa Cells
- Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase/blood
- Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase/genetics
- Humans
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/blood
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/genetics
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/pathology
- Male
- Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein/blood
- Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein/genetics
- Oncogene Proteins, Fusion/genetics
- Poly-ADP-Ribose Binding Proteins/blood
- Poly-ADP-Ribose Binding Proteins/genetics
- Cohesins
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi D. Atkin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22908-0733, USA
| | - Heather M. Raimer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22908-0733, USA
| | - Zhenjia Wang
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22908-0733, USA
| | - Chongzhi Zang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22908-0733, USA
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22908-0733, USA
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22908-0733, USA
| | - Yuh-Hwa Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22908-0733, USA
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Atkin ND, Raimer HM, Wang YH. Broken by the Cut: A Journey into the Role of Topoisomerase II in DNA Fragility. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:E791. [PMID: 31614754 PMCID: PMC6826763 DOI: 10.3390/genes10100791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2019] [Revised: 10/05/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA topoisomerase II (TOP2) plays a critical role in many processes such as replication and transcription, where it resolves DNA structures and relieves torsional stress. Recent evidence demonstrated the association of TOP2 with topologically associated domains (TAD) boundaries and CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) binding sites. At these sites, TOP2 promotes interactions between enhancers and gene promoters, and relieves torsional stress that accumulates at these physical barriers. Interestingly, in executing its enzymatic function, TOP2 contributes to DNA fragility through re-ligation failure, which results in persistent DNA breaks when unrepaired or illegitimately repaired. Here, we discuss the biological processes for which TOP2 is required and the steps at which it can introduce DNA breaks. We describe the repair processes that follow removal of TOP2 adducts and the resultant broken DNA ends, and present how these processes can contribute to disease-associated mutations. Furthermore, we examine the involvement of TOP2-induced breaks in the formation of oncogenic translocations of leukemia and papillary thyroid cancer, as well as the role of TOP2 and proteins which repair TOP2 adducts in other diseases. The participation of TOP2 in generating persistent DNA breaks and leading to diseases such as cancer, could have an impact on disease treatment and prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi D Atkin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.
| | - Heather M Raimer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Yuh-Hwa Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.
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Szlachta K, Thys RG, Atkin ND, Pierce LCT, Bekiranov S, Wang YH. Alternative DNA secondary structure formation affects RNA polymerase II promoter-proximal pausing in human. Genome Biol 2018; 19:89. [PMID: 30001206 PMCID: PMC6042338 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-018-1463-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alternative DNA secondary structures can arise from single-stranded DNA when duplex DNA is unwound during DNA processes such as transcription, resulting in the regulation or perturbation of these processes. We identify sites of high propensity to form stable DNA secondary structure across the human genome using Mfold and ViennaRNA programs with parameters for analyzing DNA. RESULTS The promoter-proximal regions of genes with paused transcription are significantly and energetically more favorable to form DNA secondary structure than non-paused genes or genes without RNA polymerase II (Pol II) binding. Using Pol II ChIP-seq, GRO-seq, NET-seq, and mNET-seq data, we arrive at a robust set of criteria for Pol II pausing, independent of annotation, and find that a highly stable secondary structure is likely to form about 10-50 nucleotides upstream of a Pol II pausing site. Structure probing data confirm the existence of DNA secondary structures enriched at the promoter-proximal regions of paused genes in human cells. Using an in vitro transcription assay, we demonstrate that Pol II pausing at HSPA1B, a human heat shock gene, is affected by manipulating DNA secondary structure upstream of the pausing site. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate alternative DNA secondary structure formation as a mechanism for how GC-rich sequences regulate RNA Pol II promoter-proximal pausing genome-wide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karol Szlachta
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, 1340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, VA, 22908-0733, USA
| | - Ryan G Thys
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, 1340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, VA, 22908-0733, USA
| | - Naomi D Atkin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, 1340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, VA, 22908-0733, USA
| | | | - Stefan Bekiranov
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, 1340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, VA, 22908-0733, USA.
| | - Yuh-Hwa Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, 1340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, VA, 22908-0733, USA.
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