Mutations affecting the BRCT domains of the breast cancer-associated tumor suppressor BRCA1 disrupt the recruitment of this protein to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). The molecular structures at DSBs recognized by BRCA1 are presently unknown. We report the interaction of the BRCA1 BRCT domain with RAP80, a ubiquitin-binding protein. RAP80 targets a complex containing the BRCA1-BARD1 (BRCA1-associated ring domain protein 1) E3 ligase and the deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB) BRCC36 to MDC1-gammaH2AX-dependent lysine(6)- and lysine(63)-linked ubiquitin polymers at DSBs. These events are required for cell cycle checkpoint and repair responses to ionizing radiation, implicating ubiquitin chain recognition and turnover in the BRCA1-mediated repair of DSBs.

DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) initiate reversible cellular checkpoint and repair activities. Whereas many of the activating events at DSBs have recently been elucidated, the mechanisms used to terminate responses at these sites are largely undefined. Here we report a pathway required to reverse RNF8-Ubc13 dependent ubiquitination events on chromatin flanking DSBs. Inhibition of the Rap80-BRCC36 de-ubiquitinating enzyme complex partially restored DSB-associated ubiquitin levels following RNF8 knockdown or proteasome inhibition. Similarly, BRCC36 knockdown or expression of a BRCC36 de-ubiquitinating enzyme-inactive mutant rescued both 53BP1 recruitment to DSBs and ionizing radiation-induced ␥H2AX ubiquitination following RNF8 depletion, and mitigated ionizing radiation sensitivity resulting from RNF8 deficiency. Thus, concomitant and opposing RNF8-Ubc13 ubiquitin ligase and Rap80-BRCC36 ubiquitin hydrolysis activities are responsible for determining steady-state ubiquitin levels at DNA DSBs. These findings reveal a Rap80-BRCC36 dependent pathway that is required for appropriate DSB recruitment and repair responses.BRCA1 ͉ DNA damage ͉ ubiquitin M ultiple, parallel signaling pathways converge upon DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) to initiate temporal and spatial coordination of checkpoint and repair responses. These DNA damage response activities are mediated in part by accumulation of DNA repair proteins at both chromatin and non-nucleosomal DNA regions flanking DSBs (1-3). Repair factor targeting occurs within minutes of DSB induction, providing strong evidence that molecular recognition events rapidly develop at sites of DNA damage (1,4,5). Following the resolution of DNA damage, repair proteins dissociate from DSBs, thus alleviating cell cycle checkpoint responses and allowing resumption of cell proliferation. It is unclear, however, if DSB termination and activation pathways occur simultaneously in an equilibrium process during the earliest stages of repair, or if DNA damage response resolution occurs in a step-wise manner subsequent to the completion of DNA repair.Some of the recruitment events at DSBs have recently been elucidated for the breast and ovarian cancer suppressor protein BRCA1 (Breast Cancer 1, early onset) and the checkpoint and repair protein 53BP1 (p53 Binding Protein 1) (6-12). Histone H2AX phosphorylation by the PI3K-like kinase members ATM (Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated) and DNA-PKcs (DNADependent Protein Kinase catalytic subunit) occurs at chromatin flanking DSBs to initiate a direct interaction between phosphorylated serine 139 of H2AX (␥H2AX) and the MDC1 (Mediator of DNA Damage Checkpoint Protein 1) protein (13-15). PI3K-like kinase phosphorylation of MDC1 (13, 16) creates a binding site for the E3 ubiquitin ligase RNF8 (Ring Finger 8). In conjunction with the E2 enzyme Ubc13 (ubiquitin-conjugating 13), RNF8 ubiquitinates histones H2A and H2AX in a K63-linked manner to create a docking site for DNA repair proteins to accumulate at DSBs (6-8, 17). These DSB chromatin-associated K63-link...