A proper DNA damage response (DDR) is essential to maintain genome integrity and prevent tumorigenesis. DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are the most toxic DNA lesion and their repair is orchestrated by the ATM kinase. ATM is activated via the MRE11–RAD50–NBS1 (MRN) complex along with its autophosphorylation at S1981 and acetylation at K3106. Activated ATM rapidly phosphorylates a vast number of substrates in local chromatin, providing a scaffold for the assembly of higher-order complexes that can repair damaged DNA. While reversible ubiquitination has an important role in the DSB response, modification of the newly identified ubiquitin-like protein ubiquitin-fold modifier 1 and the function of UFMylation in the DDR is largely unknown. Here, we found that MRE11 is UFMylated on K282 and this UFMylation is required for the MRN complex formation under unperturbed conditions and DSB-induced optimal ATM activation, homologous recombination-mediated repair and genome integrity. A pathogenic mutation MRE11(G285C) identified in uterine endometrioid carcinoma exhibited a similar cellular phenotype as the UFMylation-defective mutant MRE11(K282R). Taken together, MRE11 UFMylation promotes ATM activation, DSB repair and genome stability, and potentially serves as a therapeutic target.

CLASPIN is an essential mediator in the DNA replication checkpoint, responsible for ATR (ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein)-dependent activation of CHK1 (checkpoint kinase 1). Here we found a dynamic signaling pathway that regulates CLASPIN turn over. Under unperturbed conditions, the E3 ubiquitin ligase HERC2 regulates the stability of the deubiquitinating enzyme USP20 by promoting ubiquitination-mediated proteasomal degradation. Under replication stress, ATR-mediated phosphorylation of USP20 results in the disassociation of HERC2 from USP20. USP20 in turn deubiquitinates K48-linked-polyubiquitinated CLASPIN, stabilizing CLASPIN and ultimately promoting CHK1 phosphorylation and CHK1-directed checkpoint activation. Inhibition of USP20 expression promotes chromosome instability and xenograft tumor growth. Taken together, our findings demonstrated a novel function of HERC2/USP20 in coordinating CHK1 activation by modulating CLASPIN stability, which ultimately promotes genome stability and suppresses tumor growth.

MDC1 is a key mediator of the DNA-damage response in mammals with several phosphorylation-dependent protein interaction domains. The function of its N-terminal forkhead-associated (FHA) domain remains elusive. Here, we show with structural, biochemical and cellular data that the FHA domain mediates phosphorylation-dependent dimerization of MDC1 in response to DNA damage. Crystal structures of the FHA domain reveal a face-to-face dimer with pseudo-dyad symmetry. We found that the FHA domain recognizes phosphothreonine 4 (pT4) at the N-terminus of MDC1 and determined its crystal structure in complex with a pT4 peptide. Biochemical analysis further revealed that in the dimer, the FHA domain binds in trans to pT4 from the other subunit, which greatly stabilizes the otherwise unstable dimer. We show that T4 is phosphorylated primarily by ATM upon DNA damage. MDC1 mutants with the FHA domain deleted or impaired in its ability to dimerize formed fewer foci at DNA-damage sites, but the localization defect was largely rescued by an artificial dimerization module, suggesting that dimerization is the primary function of the MDC1 FHA domain. Our results suggest a novel mechanism for the regulation of MDC1 function through T4 phosphorylation and FHA-mediated dimerization.

Proper DNA damage response is essential for the maintenance of genome integrity. The E3 ligase RNF168 deficiency fully prevents both the initial recruitment and retention of 53BP1 at sites of DNA damage. In response to DNA damage, RNF168-dependent recruitment of the lysine-specific demethylase LSD1 to the site of DNA damage promotes local H3K4me2 demethylation and ubiquitination of H2A/H2AX, facilitating 53BP1 recruitment to sites of DNA damage. Alternatively, RNF168-mediated K63-linked ubiquitylation of 53BP1 is required for the initial recruitment of 53BP1 to sites of DNA damage and for its function in repair. We demonstrated here that phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of LSD1 at S131 and S137 was mediated by casein kinase 2 (CK2) and wild-type p53-induced phosphatase 1 (WIP1), respectively. LSD1, RNF168 and 53BP1 interacted with each other directly. CK2-mediated phosphorylation of LSD1 exhibited no impact on its interaction with 53BP1, but promoted its interaction with RNF168 and RNF168-dependent 53BP1 ubiquitination and subsequent recruitment to the DNA damage sites. Furthermore, overexpression of phosphorylation-defective mutants failed to restore LSD1 depletion-induced cellular sensitivity to DNA damage. Taken together, our results suggest that LSD1 phosphorylation modulated by CK2/WIP1 regulates RNF168-dependent 53BP1 recruitment directly in response to DNA damage and cellular sensitivity to DNA damaging agents.

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In , genome stability depends on RNases H1 and H2, which remove ribonucleotides from DNA and eliminate RNA-DNA hybrids (R-loops). In, RNase H enzymes were reported to process RNA-DNA hybrids produced at a double-strand break (DSB) generated by I-PpoI meganuclease. However, it is unclear if RNase H is generally required for efficient DSB repair in fission yeast, or whether it has other genome protection roles. Here, we show that cells, which lack the RNase H enzymes, accumulate R-loops and activate DNA damage checkpoints. Their viability requires critical DSB repair proteins and Mus81, which resolves DNA junctions formed during repair of broken replication forks. "Dirty" DSBs generated by ionizing radiation, as well as a "clean" DSB at a broken replication fork, are efficiently repaired in the absence of RNase H. RNA-DNA hybrids are not detected at a reparable DSB formed by fork collapse. We conclude that unprocessed R-loops collapse replication forks in cells, but RNase H is not generally required for efficient DSB repair.

Body weight is an important economic trait for sheep and it is vital for their successful production and breeding. Therefore, identifying the genomic regions and biological pathways that contribute to understanding variability in body weight traits is significant for selection purposes. In this study, the genome-wide associations of birth, weaning, yearling, and adult weights of 460 fine-wool sheep were determined using resequencing technology. The results showed that 113 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) reached the genome-wide significance levels for the four body weight traits and 30 genes were annotated effectively, including AADACL3, VGF, NPC1, and SERPINA12. The genes annotated by these SNPs significantly enriched 78 gene ontology terms and 25 signaling pathways, and were found to mainly participate in skeletal muscle development and lipid metabolism. These genes can be used as candidate genes for body weight in sheep, and provide useful information for the production and genomic selection of Chinese fine-wool sheep.

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