Summary The Mre11/Rad50/NBS1 (MRN) complex plays many roles in response to DNA double strand breaks (DSBs), but its functions in repair by non homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathways are poorly understood. We have investigated requirements for MRN in Class Switch Recombination (CSR), a programmed DNA rearrangement in B lymphocytes that requires NHEJ. To this end we have engineered mice that lack the entire MRN complex in B lymphocytes, or possess an intact complex harboring mutant Mre11 lacking DNA nuclease activities. MRN deficiency confers a striking defect in CSR, impacting both the Classic and Alternative NHEJ pathways. In contrast, absence of Mre11 nuclease activities causes a milder phenotype, revealing a separation of function within the complex. We propose a model in which MRN stabilizes distant breaks and processes DNA termini to facilitate repair by both the Classical and Alternative NHEJ pathways.

Homologous recombination (HR) facilitates accurate repair of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) during S and G2 phases of the cell cycle by using intact sister chromatids as sequence templates. HR capacity is maximized in S and G2 by Cyclin–Dependent Kinase (CDK) phosphorylation of CtIP, which subsequently interacts with BRCA1 and the Mre11–Rad50–NBS1 (MRN) complex. Here we show that Mre11 controls these events through a direct interaction with CDK2 that is required for CtIP phosphorylation and BRCA1 interaction in normally dividing cells. CDK2 binds the C–terminus of Mre11, which is absent in an inherited allele causing Ataxia–Telangiectasia Like Disorder. This newly uncovered role for Mre11 does not require ATM activation or nuclease activities. Therefore, functions of MRN are not restricted to DNA damage responses, but include regulating HR capacity during the normal mammalian cell cycle.

The MRE11/RAD50/NBS1 complex is the primary sensor rapidly recruited to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). MRE11 is known to be arginine methylated by PRMT1 within its glycine-arginine-rich (GAR) motif. In this study, we report a mouse knock-in allele of Mre11 that substitutes the arginines with lysines in the GAR motif and generates the MRE11 RK protein devoid of methylated arginines. The Mre11 RK/RK mice were hypersensitive to γ-irradiation (IR) and the cells from these mice displayed cell cycle checkpoint defects and chromosome instability. Moreover, the Mre11 RK/RK MEFs exhibited ATR/CHK1 signaling defects and impairment in the recruitment of RPA and RAD51 to the damaged sites. The M RK RN complex formed and localized to the sites of DNA damage and normally activated the ATM pathway in response to IR. The M RK RN complex exhibited exonuclease and DNA-binding defects in vitro responsible for the impaired DNA end resection and ATR activation observed in vivo in response to IR. Our findings provide genetic evidence for the critical role of the MRE11 GAR motif in DSB repair, and demonstrate a mechanistic link between post-translational modifications at the MRE11 GAR motif and DSB processing, as well as the ATR/ CHK1 checkpoint signaling.

BackgroundOvarian cancer is the 5th leading cause of cancer related deaths in women. Five-year survival rates for early stage disease are greater than 94%, however most women are diagnosed in advanced stage with 5 year survival less than 28%. Improved means for early detection and reliable patient monitoring are needed to increase survival.Methodology and Principal FindingsApplying mass spectrometry-based proteomics, we sought to elucidate an unanswered biomarker research question regarding ability to determine tumor burden detectable by an ovarian cancer biomarker protein emanating directly from the tumor cells. Since aggressive serous epithelial ovarian cancers account for most mortality, a xenograft model using human SKOV-3 serous ovarian cancer cells was established to model progression to disseminated carcinomatosis. Using a method for low molecular weight protein enrichment, followed by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry analysis, a human-specific peptide sequence of S100A6 was identified in sera from mice with advanced-stage experimental ovarian carcinoma. S100A6 expression was documented in cancer xenografts as well as from ovarian cancer patient tissues. Longitudinal study revealed that serum S100A6 concentration is directly related to tumor burden predictions from an inverse regression calibration analysis of data obtained from a detergent-supplemented antigen capture immunoassay and whole-animal bioluminescent optical imaging. The result from the animal model was confirmed in human clinical material as S100A6 was found to be significantly elevated in the sera from women with advanced stage ovarian cancer compared to those with early stage disease.ConclusionsS100A6 is expressed in ovarian and other cancer tissues, but has not been documented previously in ovarian cancer disease sera. S100A6 is found in serum in concentrations that correlate with experimental tumor burden and with clinical disease stage. The data signify that S100A6 may prove useful in detecting and/or monitoring ovarian cancer, when used in concert with other biomarkers.