Dataset Information

Effect of Hydroxymethylcytosine on the Structure and Stability of Holliday Junctions.

ABSTRACT: 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) is an epigenetic marker that has recently been shown to promote homologous recombination (HR). In this study, we determine the effects of 5hmC on the structure, thermodynamics, and conformational dynamics of the Holliday junction (the four-stranded DNA intermediate associated with HR) in its native stacked-X form. The hydroxymethyl and the control methyl substituents are placed in the context of an amphimorphic GxCC trinucleotide core sequence (where xC is C, 5hmC, or the methylated 5mC), which is part of a sequence also recognized by endonuclease G to promote HR. The hydroxymethyl group of the 5hmC junction adopts two distinct rotational conformations, with an in-base-plane form being dominant over the competing out-of-plane rotamer that has typically been seen in duplex structures. The in-plane rotamer is seen to be stabilized by a more stable intramolecular hydrogen bond to the junction backbone. Stabilizing hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) formed by the hydroxyl substituent in 5hmC or from a bridging water in the 5mC structure provide approximately 1.5-2 kcal/mol per interaction of stability to the junction, which is mostly offset by entropy compensation, thereby leaving the overall stability of the G5hmCC and G5mCC constructs similar to that of the GCC core. Thus, both methyl and hydroxymethyl modifications are accommodated without disrupting the structure or stability of the Holliday junction. Both 5hmC and 5mC are shown to open the structure to make the junction core more accessible. The overall consequences of incorporating 5hmC into a DNA junction are thus discussed in the context of the specificity in protein recognition of the hydroxymethyl substituent through direct and indirect readout mechanisms.

SUBMITTER: Vander Zanden CM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5258817 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Effect of Hydroxymethylcytosine on the Structure and Stability of Holliday Junctions.

Vander Zanden Crystal M CM Rowe Rhianon K RK Broad Amanda J AJ Robertson Adam B AB Ho P Shing PS

Biochemistry 20161005 41

5-Hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) is an epigenetic marker that has recently been shown to promote homologous recombination (HR). In this study, we determine the effects of 5hmC on the structure, thermodynamics, and conformational dynamics of the Holliday junction (the four-stranded DNA intermediate associated with HR) in its native stacked-X form. The hydroxymethyl and the control methyl substituents are placed in the context of an amphimorphic GxCC trinucleotide co ...[more]

PMID: 27653243

Similar Datasets

Project description:The Holliday junction (HJ), or four-way junction, is a central intermediate state of DNA for homologous genetic recombination and other genetic processes such as replication and repair. Branch migration is the process by which the exchange of homologous DNA regions occurs, and it can be spontaneous or driven by proteins. Unfolding of the HJ is required for branch migration. Our previous single-molecule fluorescence studies led to a model according to which branch migration is a stepwise process consisting of consecutive migration and folding steps. Folding of the HJ in one of the folded conformations terminates the branch migration phase. At the same time, in the unfolded state HJ rapidly migrates over entire homology region of the HJ in one hop. This process can be affected by irregularities in the DNA double helical structure, so mismatches almost terminate a spontaneous branch migration. Single-stranded breaks or nicks are the most ubiquitous defects in the DNA helix; however, to date, their effect on the HJ branch migration has not been studied. In addition, although nicked HJs are specific substrates for a number of enzymes involved in DNA recombination and repair, the role of this substrate specificity remains unclear. Our main goal in this work was to study the effect of nicks on the efficiency of HJ branch migration and the dynamics of the HJ. To accomplish this goal, we applied two single-molecule methods: atomic force microscopy and fluorescence resonance energy transfer. The atomic force microscopy data show that the nick does not prevent branch migration, but it does decrease the probability that the HJ will pass the DNA lesion. The single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer approaches were instrumental in detailing the effects of nicks. These studies reveal a dramatic change of the HJ dynamics. The nick changes the structure and conformational dynamics of the junctions, leading to conformations with geometries that are different from those for the intact HJ. On the basis of these data, we propose a model of branch migration in which the propensity of the junction to unfold decreases the lifetimes of folded states, thereby increasing the frequency of junction fluctuations between the folded states.

Dataset Information

Effect of Hydroxymethylcytosine on the Structure and Stability of Holliday Junctions.

Publications

Effect of Hydroxymethylcytosine on the Structure and Stability of Holliday Junctions.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets