53BP1 governs a specialized, context-specific branch of the classical non-homologous end joining DNA double-strand break repair pathway. Mice lacking 53bp1 (also known as Trp53bp1) are immunodeficient owing to a complete loss of immunoglobulin class-switch recombination, and reduced fidelity of long-range V(D)J recombination. The 53BP1-dependent pathway is also responsible for pathological joining events at dysfunctional telomeres, and its unrestricted activity in Brca1-deficient cellular and tumour models causes genomic instability and oncogenesis. Cells that lack core non-homologous end joining proteins are profoundly radiosensitive, unlike 53BP1-deficient cells, which suggests that 53BP1 and its co-factors act on specific DNA substrates. Here we show that 53BP1 cooperates with its downstream effector protein REV7 to promote non-homologous end joining during class-switch recombination, but REV7 is not required for 53BP1-dependent V(D)J recombination. We identify shieldin-a four-subunit putative single-stranded DNA-binding complex comprising REV7, c20orf196 (SHLD1), FAM35A (SHLD2) and FLJ26957 (SHLD3)-as the factor that explains this specificity. Shieldin is essential for REV7-dependent DNA end-protection and non-homologous end joining during class-switch recombination, and supports toxic non-homologous end joining in Brca1-deficient cells, yet is dispensable for REV7-dependent interstrand cross-link repair. The 53BP1 pathway therefore comprises distinct double-strand break repair activities within chromatin and single-stranded DNA compartments, which explains both the immunological differences between 53bp1- and Rev7- deficient mice and the context specificity of the pathway.
Protein ubiquitination at sites of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) by RNF168 recruits BRCA1 and 53BP1 1,2 , mediators of the homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) DSB repair pathways, respectively 3 . While NHEJ relies on 53BP1 binding directly to ubiquitinated Lysine 15 on H2A-type histones (H2AK15ub) 4,5 -an RNF168dependent modification 6 -how RNF168 promotes BRCA1 recruitment and function remains unclear. Here, we identify a tandem BRCT domain-associated ubiquitin-dependent recruitment motif (BUDR) in BARD1 -BRCA1's obligate partner proteinthat by engaging H2AK15ub, recruits BRCA1 to DSBs. BARD1 BUDR disruption compromises HR and renders cells hypersensitive to PARP inhibition and cisplatin. We further show that BARD1 binds nucleosomes through multivalent interactions: coordinated binding of H2AK15ub and unmethylated H4 Lys20 (H4K20me0) by its adjacent BUDR and ankyrin repeat domains, respectively, provides high-affinity recognition of DNA lesions in replicated chromatin and promotes HR activities of the BRCA1-BARD1 complex. Finally, genetic epistasis experiments confirm that the need for BARD1-chromatin binding activities can be entirely relieved upon deletion of RNF168 or 53BP1. Thus, our results demonstrate that by sensing DNA damagedependent and post-replication histone PTM states, BRCA1-BARD1 complexes coordinate 53BP1 pathway antagonization with HR promotion, establishing a simple paradigm for the governance of DSB repair pathway choice.
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