Project description:Single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) widely exists as intermediates in DNA metabolic pathways. The ssDNA binding protein, RPA, not only protects the integrity of ssDNA, but also directs the downstream factor that signals or repairs the ssDNA intermediate. However, it remains unclear how these enzymes/factors out-compete RPA and access to ssDNA. Using the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as a model system, we discovered that Dna2, a key nuclease in DNA replication and repair, employs a bimodal interface to act with RPA both in cis and in trans. The cis-action renders RPA a processive unit for Dna2-catalyzed ssDNA digestion, where RPA actively delivers its bound ssDNA to Dna2. The trans-action mediated by an acidic patch from Dna2, on the other hand, enables Dna2 to operatie with a sub-optimal amount of RPA or to overcome DNA secondary structures. Genetically, this trans-action mode is not required for cell viability, but indispensable for successful DSB repair.
Project description:Background: Chromatin remodeling complexes facilitate the access of enzymes that mediate transcription, replication or repair of DNA by modulating nucleosome position and/or composition. Ino80 is the DNA-dependent Snf2-like ATPase subunit of a complex whose nucleosome remodeling activity requires actin-related proteins, Arp4, Arp5 and Arp8, as well as two RuvB-like DNA helicase subunits. Budding yeast mutants deficient for Ino80 function are not only hypersensitive to reagents that induce DNA double strand breaks, but also to those that impair replication fork progression. Results: To understand why ino80 mutants are sensitive to agents that perturb DNA replication, we used chromatin immunoprecipitation to map the binding sites of the Ino80 chromatin remodeling complex on four budding yeast chromosomes. We found that Ino80 and Arp5 binding sites coincide with origins of DNA replication and tRNA genes. In addition, Ino80 was bound at 67% of the promoters of genes that are sensitive to ino80 mutation. When replication forks were arrested near origins in the presence of hydroxyurea (HU), the presence of the Ino80 complex at stalled forks and at unfired origins increased dramatically. Importantly, the resumption of DNA replication after release from a HU block was impaired in the absence of Ino80 activity. Mutant cells accumulated double-strand breaks as they attempted to restart replication. Consistently, ino80-deficient cells, although proficient for checkpoint activation, delay recovery from the checkpoint response. Conclusions: The Ino80 chromatin remodeling complex is enriched at stalled replication forks where it promotes the resumption of replication upon recovery from fork arrest. Keywords: ChIP-chip