Annealing Helicase Research Articles

Cancer-associated SMARCAL1 loss-of-function mutations promote alternative lengthening of telomeres and tumorigenesis in telomerase-negative glioblastoma cells.

Telomere maintenance mechanisms are required to enable the replicative immortality of malignant cells. While most cancers activate the enzyme telomerase, a subset of cancers uses telomerase-independent mechanisms termed alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT). ALT occurs via homology-directed-repair mechanisms and is frequently associated with ATRX mutations. We previously showed that a subset of adult glioblastoma (GBM) patients with ATRX-expressing ALT-positive tumors harbored loss-of-function mutations in the SMARCAL1 gene, which encodes an annealing helicase involved in replication fork remodeling and the resolution of replication stress. However, the causative relationship between SMARCAL1 deficiency, tumorigenesis, and de novo telomere synthesis is not understood. We used a patient-derived ALT-positive GBM cell line with native SMARCAL1 deficiency to investigate the role of SMARCAL1 in ALT-mediated de novo telomere synthesis, replication stress, and gliomagenesis in vivo. Inducible rescue of SMARCAL1 expression suppresses ALT indicators and inhibits de novo telomere synthesis in GBM and osteosarcoma cells, suggesting that SMARCAL1 deficiency plays a functional role in ALT induction in cancers that natively lack SMARCAL1 function. SMARCAL1-deficient ALT-positive cells can be serially propagated in vivo in the absence of detectable telomerase activity, demonstrating that the SMARCAL1-deficient ALT phenotype maintains telomeres in a manner that promotes tumorigenesis. SMARCAL1 deficiency is permissive to ALT and promotes gliomagenesis. Inducible rescue of SMARCAL1 in ALT-positive cell lines permits the dynamic modulation of ALT activity, which will be valuable for future studies aimed at understanding the mechanisms of ALT and identifying novel anticancer therapeutics that target the ALT phenotype.

DNAR-08. THE ROLE OF SMARCAL1 AS A SYNTHETIC LETHAL VULNERABILITY IN ATRX-DEFICIENT GLIOMAS

Abstract Mechanisms to maintain telomere length over successive cell divisions are a requirement for cancer cell immortalization. Although many cancers maintain telomere length through the activation of telomerase, ~10-15% of human cancers use telomerase-independent mechanisms of telomere maintenance, termed Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT). In gliomas, the ALT phenotype is associated with loss-of-function mutations in the ATRX gene in IDH-mutant astrocytomas, adult and pediatric glioblastomas (GBM), high-grade astrocytomas with piloid features, and pleomorphic xanthoastrocytomas. In adult GBM, we previously identified a relatively rare subset of ALT-positive ATRX wildtype tumors that harbored loss-of-function mutations in the SMARCAL1 gene, and we found that loss of SMARCAL1 activity plays a causative role in the onset of ALT in these tumors. SMARCAL1 is an annealing helicase that localizes to sites of DNA damage and replication stress and catalyzes the reversal of stalled replication forks. To better understand the relationship between ATRX mutations, SMARCAL1 activity, and the ALT phenotype, we investigated the localization and function of SMARCAL1 in ALT-positive glioma cells and xenografts with native ATRX deficiency. We found that SMARCAL1 localizes to ALT-associated PML bodies in astrocytoma cell lines with concurrent ATRX and IDH1 mutations (derived from grade 3 and 4 tumors). Our data show that inducible suppression of SMARCAL1 via doxycycline-induced RNAi leads to increased DNA double-strand breaks, increased abundance of extrachromosomal telomeric repeats (c-circles), and increased sensitivity to irinotecan, a topoisomerase I inhibitor. In an orthotopic mouse model, SMARCAL1 depletion exhibited a chemosensitizing effect in combination with irinotecan against a patient-derived xenograft (astrocytoma, IDH-mutant Grade 4). Based on these data, we hypothesize that SMARCAL1 activity is critical for resolving ALT-associated replication stress in ATRX-deficient malignant gliomas. We therefore propose that SMARCAL1 functions as a synthetic lethal vulnerability in ATRX-deficient ALT-positive gliomas and that SMARCAL1 inhibition is a viable therapeutic strategy in these tumors.

Issue Highlights

IUBMB LifeVolume 72, Issue 10 p. 2064-2064 ISSUE HIGHLIGHTSFree Access Issue Highlights First published: 21 September 2020 https://doi.org/10.1002/iub.2382AboutSectionsPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat 2080 SMARCAL1, the annealing helicase and the transcriptional co-regulator Ritu Bansal, Saddam Hussain, Upasana Bedi Chanana, Deepa Bisht, Isha Goel and Rohini Muthuswami DNA damage response and repair pathways are integral for the maintenance of genomic stability. SMARCAL1 is one of the many proteins involved in this process. SMARCAL1 uses the energy stored in ATP to remodel DNA at the site of DNA damage. It also uses this energy to activate the expression of genes required for DNA damage response pathway. Mutations in SMARCAL1 causes an autosomal recessive disorder called SIOD. In this review, we discuss the biophysical, biochemical, and functional properties of SMARCAL1. Finally, we discuss how SMARCAL1 can be used as a drug target for cancer. 2146 Role of crosstalk between STAT3 and mTOR signaling in driving sensitivity to chemotherapy in osteosarcoma cell lines Yi-tian Wang, Fan Tang, Xin Hu, Chuan-xi Zheng, Tao-jun Gong, Yong Zhou, Yi Luo and Li Min STAT3 and mTOR signaling crosstalk is critical determinant of chemosensitivity of osteosarcoma cells to Rapamycin. Crosstalk between mTOR and STAT3 signaling pathways in osteosarcoma cells is important to maintain cell viability and define in vitro, as well as in vivo chemosensitivity to the mTOR inhibitor Rapamycin. Sensitivity of osteosarcoma cells to Rapamycin is dependent on the relative phosphorylation of STAT3 at Y705. REFERENCES 1Ritu Bansal, Saddam Hussain, Upasana Bedi Chanana, Deepa Bisht, Isha Goel and Rohini Muthuswami. SMARCAL1, the annealing helicase and the transcriptional co-regulator. e304518 IUBMB Life. 2020, 72, 2080– 2096. 2Yi-tian Wang, Fan Tang, Xin Hu, Chuan-xi Zheng, Tao-jun Gong, Yong Zhou, Yi Luo and Li Min. Role of crosstalk between STAT3 and mTOR signaling in driving sensitivity to chemotherapy in osteosarcoma cell lines. IUBMB Life. 2020, 72, 2146– 2153. Volume72, Issue10October 2020Pages 2064-2064 ReferencesRelatedInformation

Abstract 5821: The role of SMARCAL1 loss-of-function mutations in glioblastoma telomere maintenance

Abstract Malignant tumor cells overcome the restriction of progressive telomere shortening by employing telomere maintenance mechanisms (TMMs) to achieve replicative immortality. Over 80% of human cancers maintain telomere length using the enzyme telomerase, which uses an RNA template subunit. However, other cancers maintain their telomeres in a telomerase-independent manner, also known as Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT). Recently, we identified loss-of-function mutations in the SMARCAL1 gene as novel genetic alterations associated with the ALT phenotype in a subset of GBM that is wildtype for IDH1 and TERT promoter mutations. SMARCAL1 encodes an annealing helicase that localizes to sites of DNA damage and/or replication stress and resolves stalled replication fork structures to facilitate fork progression within difficult-to-replicate DNA sequences, such as telomeres. However, limited models are available to study the underlying mechanisms associated with SMARCAL1 deficiency and ALT induction, and tumorigenic patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of SMARCAL1 deficient GBM have yet to be established. In this study, we sought to generate an ALT-positive, SMARCAL1-deficient PDX by subcutaneously transplanting the D06MG cell line, which harbors a native SMARCAL1 loss-of-function mutation, into immune-compromised mice. Transplanted cells formed palpable subcutaneous tumors in nude mice within approximately 6 months. Tissue from these tumors was harvested, disaggregated, and intracranially transplanted into nude mice. Immune compromised mice bearing intracranial xenografts showed neurological symptoms due to tumor growth within three months. Cell lines were derived from PDX tissue for further characterization of telomere-related endpoints. PDX-derived D06MG cell lines maintained ALT status, as evidence by a lack of telomerase activity, presence of APBs (ALT-associated promyelocytic leukemia (PML) bodies), and extrachromosomal C-circles. PDX-derived D06MG cell lines were characterized relative to the parental cell line using SKY (spectral karyotyping) and RNA-seq analyses. SKY analysis revealed that, during the in vivo selection, a unique homogeneous subpopulation emerged, which remained genetically stable even after intracranial injection. The majority of PDX-derived cells are diploid and share similar chromosome aberrations. RNA-sequencing and pathway enrichment analyses revealed that several signal transduction pathways were upregulated in the D06MG PDX lines, while cytosolic DNA sensing pathways were partially suppressed. In summary, we have generated and characterized a PDX model of SMARCAL1-deficient GBM that maintains telomeres via the ALT pathway. Citation Format: Heng Liu, Cheng Xu, Lee H. Chen, Bill H. Diplas, Jinjie Ling, Paula K. Greer, Martin Roskoski, Stephen T. Keir, David M. Ashley, Hai Yan, Matthew S. Waitkus. The role of SMARCAL1 loss-of-function mutations in glioblastoma telomere maintenance [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 5821.

SMARCAL1, the annealing helicase and the transcriptional co-regulator.

The ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling proteins play an important role in DNA repair. The energy released by ATP hydrolysis is used for myriad functions ranging from nucleosome repositioning and nucleosome eviction to histone variant exchange. In addition, the distant member of the family, SMARCAL1, uses the energy to reanneal stalled replication forks in response to DNA damage. Biophysical studies have shown that this protein has the unique ability to recognize and bind specifically to DNA structures possessing double-strand to single-strand transition regions. Mutations in SMARCAL1 have been linked to Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia, an autosomal recessive disorder that exhibits variable penetrance and expressivity. It has long been hypothesized that the variable expressivity and pleiotropic phenotypes observed in the patients might be due to the ability of SMARCAL1 to co-regulate the expression of a subset of genes within the genome. Recently, the role of SMARCAL1 in regulating transcription has been delineated. In this review, we discuss the biophysical and functional properties of the protein that help it to transcriptionally co-regulate DNA damage response as well as to bind to the stalled replication fork and stabilize it, thus ensuring genomic stability. We also discuss the role of SMARCAL1 in cancer and the possibility of using this protein as a chemotherapeutic target.

SMARCAL1, roles and mechanisms in genome stability maintenance

SMARCAL1 is an ATP-driven DNA annealing helicase that is similar in structure to the chromatin regulators in the subfamily A group of the SWI/SNF-related matrix-associated actin-dependent chromatin regulators. SMARCAL1 catalyzes the formation of dsDNA by annealing the single-stranded binding protein RPA coated ssDNA with its complementary strand both in vitro and in vivo. In humans, different mutations of Smarcal1 gene are found to be closely related to different symptoms shown in individuals with Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia (SIOD). This paper reviews the recent research progress of SMARCAL1 functions in remodeling DNA replication forks at damaged DNA sites, working in classical non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) repair of DNA double-stranded breaks, and in maintaining chromosomal telomere integrity. The relationships between the mutations of Smarcal1 gene in different SIOD symptoms, and the possible involvements of SMARCAL1 in neuromuscular degenerative diseases associated with trinucleotide repeats expansions are also updated and discussed to better understand the roles and mechanisms of the annealing helicase in genome stability maintenance.

Annealing of Complementary DNA Sequences During Double-Strand Break Repair in Drosophila Is Mediated by the Ortholog of SMARCAL1.

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) pose a serious threat to genomic integrity. If unrepaired, they can lead to chromosome fragmentation and cell death. If repaired incorrectly, they can cause mutations and chromosome rearrangements. DSBs are repaired using end-joining or homology-directed repair strategies, with the predominant form of homology-directed repair being synthesis-dependent strand annealing (SDSA). SDSA is the first defense against genomic rearrangements and information loss during DSB repair, making it a vital component of cell health and an attractive target for chemotherapeutic development. SDSA has also been proposed to be the primary mechanism for integration of large insertions during genome editing with CRISPR/Cas9. Despite the central role for SDSA in genome stability, little is known about the defining step: annealing. We hypothesized that annealing during SDSA is performed by the annealing helicase SMARCAL1, which can anneal RPA-coated single DNA strands during replication-associated DNA damage repair. We used unique genetic tools in Drosophila melanogaster to test whether the fly ortholog of SMARCAL1, Marcal1, mediates annealing during SDSA. Repair that requires annealing is significantly reduced in Marcal1 null mutants in both synthesis-dependent and synthesis-independent (single-strand annealing) assays. Elimination of the ATP-binding activity of Marcal1 also reduced annealing-dependent repair, suggesting that the annealing activity requires translocation along DNA. Unlike the null mutant, however, the ATP-binding defect mutant showed reduced end joining, shedding light on the interaction between SDSA and end-joining pathways.

Ligand-induced conformation changes drive ATP hydrolysis and function in SMARCAL1.

Mutations and deletions in SMARCAL1, an SWI2/SNF2 protein, cause Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia (SIOD). SMARCAL1 preferentially binds to DNA molecules possessing double-stranded to single-stranded transition regions and mediates annealing helicase activity. The protein is critical for alleviating replication stress and maintaining genome integrity. In this study, we have analysed the ATPase activity of three mutations – A468P, I548N and S579L – present in SIOD patients. These mutations are present in RecA-like domain I of the protein. Analysis using active DNA-dependent ATPase A domain (ADAAD), an N-terminal deleted construct of bovine SMARCAL1, showed that all three mutants were unable to hydrolyse ATP. Conformational studies indicated that the α-helix and β-sheet content of the mutant proteins was altered compared to the wild-type protein. Molecular simulation studies confirmed that major structural changes had occurred in the mutant proteins. These changes included alteration of a loop region connecting motif Ia and II. As motif Ia has been implicated in DNA binding, ligand binding studies were done using fluorescence spectroscopy. These studies revealed that the Kd for protein-DNA interaction in the presence of ATP was indeed altered in the case of mutant proteins compared to the wild-type. Finally, in vivo studies were done to complement the in vitro and in silico studies. The results from these experiments demonstrate that mutations in human SMARCAL1 that result in loss in ATPase activity lead to increased replication stress and therefore possibly manifestation of SIOD.

The annealing helicase and branch migration activities of Drosophila HARP.

HARP (SMARCAL1, MARCAL1) is an annealing helicase that functions in the repair and restart of damaged DNA replication forks through its DNA branch migration and replication fork regression activities. HARP is conserved among metazoans. HARP from invertebrates differs by the absence of one of the two HARP-specific domain repeats found in vertebrates. The annealing helicase and branch migration activity of invertebrate HARP has not been documented. We found that HARP from Drosophila melanogaster retains the annealing helicase activity of human HARP, the ability to disrupt D-loops and to branch migrate Holliday junctions, but fails to regress model DNA replication fork structures. A comparison of human and Drosophila HARP on additional substrates revealed that both HARPs are competent in branch migrating a bidirectional replication bubble composed of either DNA:DNA or RNA:DNA hybrid. Human, but not Drosophila, HARP is also capable of regressing a replication fork structure containing a highly stable poly rG:dC hybrid. Persistent RNA:DNA hybrids in vivo can lead to replication fork arrest and genome instability. The ability of HARP to strand transfer hybrids may signify a hybrid removal function for this enzyme, in vivo.

Bone marrow transplantation in Schimke immuno‐osseous dysplasia

Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia (SIOD, OMIM 242900) is a rare autosomal recessive multisystem childhood disorder characterized by short stature, renal failure, T-cell immunodeficiency, and hypersensitivity to genotoxic agents. SIOD is associated with biallelic mutations in SMARCAL1 (SWI/SNF-related matrix-associated actin-dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily a-like 1), which encodes a DNA stress response enzyme with annealing helicase activity. Two features of SIOD causing much morbidity and mortality are bone marrow failure and T-cell deficiency with the consequent opportunistic infections. To address the safety and efficacy of bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in SIOD, we reviewed the outcomes of the only five SIOD patients known to us in whom bone marrow or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has been attempted. We find that only one patient survived the transplantation procedure and that the existing indicators of a good prognosis for bone marrow transplantation were not predictive in this small cohort. Given these observations, we also discuss some considerations for the poor outcomes.

Schimke immunoosseous dysplasia associated with undifferentiated carcinoma and a novel SMARCAL1 mutation in a child

Schimke Immunoosseous Dysplasia (SIOD) is a rare, autosomal recessive disorder of childhood with classical features of spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia, renal failure, and T cell immunodeficiency. SIOD has been associated with several malignancies, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma and osteosarcoma. About half of SIOD patients have biallelic mutations in SMARCAL1 (SWI/SNF-related matrix-associated actin-dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily a-like 1). This gene encodes an annealing helicase and replication stress response protein that localizes to damage-stalled DNA replication forks. We report a child with SIOD and a novel S859P missense mutation in SMARCAL1 who developed undifferentiated carcinoma of the sinus.

Targeting SMARCAL1 as a novel strategy for cancer therapy

SMARCAL1 is a SNF2 chromatin-remodeling protein with ATP-dependent annealing helicase activity. Recent studies have shown that SMARCAL1 is involved in DNA damage repair and cell cycle progression. Deficiency of SMARCAL1 enhances the anticancer activity of chemotherapy agents and reverses cancer cell resistance to these agents. Therefore, targeting SMARCAL1 is an attractive therapeutic approach for cancers with defects in DNA damage repair or cell cycle checkpoints. Here, we review advances in our understanding of the biochemical and cellular functions of SMARCAL1 made over the recent years and discuss the rationale for development of SMARCAL1 inhibitors as novel anticancer therapies.

Dental Abnormalities in Schimke Immuno-osseous Dysplasia

Described for the first time in 1971, Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia (SIOD) is an autosomal-recessive multisystem disorder that is caused by bi-allelic mutations of SMARCAL1, which encodes a DNA annealing helicase. To define better the dental anomalies of SIOD, we reviewed the records from SIOD patients with identified bi-allelic SMARCAL1 mutations, and we found that 66.0% had microdontia, hypodontia, or malformed deciduous and permanent molars. Immunohistochemical analyses showed expression of SMARCAL1 in all developing teeth, raising the possibility that the malformations are cell-autonomous consequences of SMARCAL1 deficiency. We also found that stimulation of cultured skin fibroblasts from SIOD patients with the tooth morphogens WNT3A, BMP4, and TGFβ1 identified altered transcriptional responses, raising the hypothesis that the dental malformations arise in part from altered responses to developmental morphogens. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic study of the dental anomalies associated with SIOD.

Penetrance of biallelic SMARCAL1 mutations is associated with environmental and genetic disturbances of gene expression

Biallelic mutations of the DNA annealing helicase SMARCAL1 (SWI/SNF-related, matrix-associated, actin-dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily a-like 1) cause Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia (SIOD, MIM 242900), an incompletely penetrant autosomal recessive disorder. Using human, Drosophila and mouse models, we show that the proteins encoded by SMARCAL1 orthologs localize to transcriptionally active chromatin and modulate gene expression. We also show that, as found in SIOD patients, deficiency of the SMARCAL1 orthologs alone is insufficient to cause disease in fruit flies and mice, although such deficiency causes modest diffuse alterations in gene expression. Rather, disease manifests when SMARCAL1 deficiency interacts with genetic and environmental factors that further alter gene expression. We conclude that the SMARCAL1 annealing helicase buffers fluctuations in gene expression and that alterations in gene expression contribute to the penetrance of SIOD.

Helicase dissociation and annealing of RNA-DNA hybrids by Escherichia coli Cas3 protein

CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat)/Cas (CRISPR-associated) is a nucleic acid processing system in bacteria and archaea that interacts with mobile genetic elements. CRISPR DNA and RNA sequences are processed by Cas proteins: in Escherichia coli K-12, one CRISPR locus links to eight cas genes (cas1, 2, 3 and casABCDE), whose protein products promote protection against phage. In the present paper, we report that purified E. coli Cas3 catalyses ATP-independent annealing of RNA with DNA forming R-loops, hybrids of RNA base-paired into duplex DNA. ATP abolishes Cas3 R-loop formation and instead powers Cas3 helicase unwinding of the invading RNA strand of a model R-loop substrate. R-loop formation by Cas3 requires magnesium as a co-factor and is inactivated by mutagenesis of a conserved amino acid motif. Cells expressing the mutant Cas3 protein are more sensitive to plaque formation by the phage λvir. A complex of CasABCDE ('Cascade') also promotes R-loop formation and we discuss possible overlapping roles of Cas3 and Cascade in E. coli, and the apparently antagonistic roles of Cas3 catalysing RNA-DNA annealing and ATP-dependent helicase unwinding.

The HARP domain dictates the annealing helicase activity of HARP/SMARCAL1

Mutations in HepA-related protein (HARP, or SMARCAL1) cause Schimke immunoosseous dysplasia (SIOD). HARP has ATP-dependent annealing helicase activity, which helps to stabilize stalled replication forks and facilitate DNA repair during replication. Here, we show that the conserved tandem HARP (2HP) domain dictates this annealing helicase activity. Furthermore, chimeric proteins generated by fusing the 2HP domain of HARP with the SNF2 domain of BRG1 or HELLS show annealing helicase activity in vitro and, when targeted to replication forks, mimic the functions of HARP in vivo. We propose that the HARP domain endows HARP with this ATP-driven annealing helicase activity.

Annealing Helicase HARP: A Single Molecule Study

HepA related protein (HARP) is an annealing helicase capable of rewinding complementary ssDNA stabilized by the single stranded (ss) DNA-binding protein Replication Protein A (RPA) [1]. Mutations in HARP ATPase are responsible for Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia (SIOD). Recent reports show that HARP is recruited to sites of DNA damage via a binding interaction with RPA and, put HARP functionally at the replication fork under circumstances of replicative stress [2].Here, we use a magnetic-tweezers single-molecule assay to study mechanistic aspects of HARP annealing-helicase activity. In a first step of the single-molecule assay, hRPA-stabilized bubbles of ssDNA are formed in a dsDNA molecule via hRPA-induced unwinding of dsDNA. hRPA locally unwinds double stranded DNA by binding and stabilizing bubbles of ssDNA, a process that relies on torsional energy present in the DNA [3]. Subsequently, we use the hRPA-stabilized bubbles of ssDNA as a starting substrate for studying the annealing helicase activity of HARP. We find that HARP is capable of complete rewinding of hRPA-bound bubbles of ssDNA. We confirm that the annealing helicase activity is ATP-dependent. The recorded reaction rates are proportional to [HARP] and sensitive to [KCL] with slower reactions occurring at higher [KCl]. Our results suggest that HARP, rather than actively displacing hRPA, functions as a ratchet that displaces hRPA by preventing rebinding of dissociated hRPA DNA-binding domains.[1] T. Yusufzai et al. Science (2008).[2] R. Driscoll et al Genes & Dev (2009).[3] I. De Vlaminck et al., Nucleic Acids Research (2010).

Molecular Cooperation between the Werner Syndrome Protein and Replication Protein A in Relation to Replication Fork Blockage

The premature aging and cancer-prone disease Werner syndrome is caused by loss of function of the RecQ helicase family member Werner syndrome protein (WRN). At the cellular level, loss of WRN results in replication abnormalities and chromosomal aberrations, indicating that WRN plays a role in maintenance of genome stability. Consistent with this notion, WRN possesses annealing, exonuclease, and ATPase-dependent helicase activity on DNA substrates, with particularly high affinity for and activity on replication and recombination structures. After certain DNA-damaging treatments, WRN is recruited to sites of blocked replication and co-localizes with the human single-stranded DNA-binding protein replication protein A (RPA). In this study we examined the physical and functional interaction between WRN and RPA specifically in relation to replication fork blockage. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated that damaging treatments that block DNA replication substantially increased association between WRN and RPA in vivo, and a direct interaction between purified WRN and RPA was confirmed. Furthermore, we examined the combined action of RPA (unmodified and hyperphosphorylation mimetic) and WRN on model replication fork and gapped duplex substrates designed to bind RPA. Even with RPA bound stoichiometrically to this gap, WRN efficiently catalyzed regression of the fork substrate. Further analysis showed that RPA could be displaced from both substrates by WRN. RPA displacement by WRN was independent of its ATPase- and helicase-dependent remodeling of the fork. Taken together, our results suggest that, upon replication blockage, WRN and RPA functionally interact and cooperate to help properly resolve replication forks and maintain genome stability.

Lack of IL-7 Receptor Alpha Chain (CD127) Expression In T Cells Is a Hallmark of T-Cell Immunodeficiency In Schimke Immuno-Osseous Dysplasia (SIOD)

AbstractAbstract 2767Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia (SIOD) is an autosomal recessive, incompletely penetrant, childhood disorder associated with biallelic loss-of-function mutations of SMARCAL1 (swi/snf-related matrix-associated actin-dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily-a-like-1) gene. The SMARCAL1 gene encodes for the DNA annealing helicase although it is unknown why this impairment results in skeletal dysplasia, renal dysfunction, and T-cell lymphopenia. The representation of T-cell subsets in SIOD patients is further characterized by a high proportion of memory (CD45RA−CD45RO+) T cells, however, the etiology of T-cell immunodeficiency has not been elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that T cells in individuals affected by SIOD express markedly reduced surface levels of IL-7 receptor alpha chain (CD127) as compared to their unaffected sibling or normal individuals. In contrast, the alpha-chain component of the IL-2 receptor (CD25) was expressed normally. This reduction in IL-7 receptor alpha chain was observed in all T-cell subsets including naïve T cells. This suggests that the origin of the IL-7 receptor alpha chain deficiency is likely intrathymic, rather than occurring after emigration to the periphery. In addition, T cells from SIOD patients were less responsive to stimulation with IL-7, indicating a loss of functional receptor. From these observations, we propose the lack of functional IL-7 receptor expression in T cells, and possibly their earlier progenitors, may have restricted T-cell development in SIOD patients. The mechanism for reduced IL-7 receptor expression is currently under investigation. Disclosures:No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Annealing helicase 2 (AH2), a DNA-rewinding motor with an HNH motif

The structure and integrity of DNA is of considerable biological and biomedical importance, and it is therefore critical to identify and to characterize enzymes that alter DNA structure. DNA helicases are ATP-driven motor proteins that unwind DNA. Conversely, HepA-related protein (HARP) protein (also known as SMARCAL1 and DNA-dependent ATPase A) is an annealing helicase that rewinds DNA in an ATP-dependent manner. To date, HARP is the only known annealing helicase. Here we report the identification of a second annealing helicase, which we term AH2, for annealing helicase 2. Like HARP, AH2 catalyzes the ATP-dependent rewinding of replication protein A (RPA)-bound complementary single-stranded DNA, but does not exhibit any detectable helicase activity. Unlike HARP, however, AH2 lacks a conserved RPA-binding domain and does not interact with RPA. In addition, AH2 contains an HNH motif, which is commonly found in bacteria and fungi and is often associated with nuclease activity. AH2 appears to be the only vertebrate protein with an HNH motif. Contrary to expectations, purified AH2 does not exhibit nuclease activity, but it remains possible that AH2 contains a latent nuclease that is activated under specific conditions. These structural and functional differences between AH2 and HARP suggest that different annealing helicases have distinct functions in the cell.