The MPH1 gene from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, encoding a member of the DEAH family of proteins, had been identified by virtue of the spontaneous mutator phenotype of respective deletion mutants. Genetic analysis suggested that MPH1 functions in a previously uncharacterized DNA repair pathway that protects the cells from damage-induced mutations. We have now analyzed genetic interactions of mph1 with a variety of mutants from different repair systems with respect to spontaneous mutation rates and sensitivities to different DNA-damaging agents. The dependence of the mph1 mutator phenotype on REV3 and REV1 and the synergy with mutations in base and nucleotide excision repair suggest an involvement of MPH1 in error-free bypass of lesions. However, although we observed an unexpected partial suppression of the mph1 mutator phenotype by rad5, genetic interactions with other mutations in postreplicative repair imply that MPH1 does not belong to this pathway. Instead, mutations from the homologous recombination pathway were found to be epistatic to mph1 with respect to both spontaneous mutation rates and damage sensitivities. Determination of spontaneous mitotic recombination rates demonstrated that mph1 mutants are not deficient in homologous recombination. On the contrary, in an sgs1 background we found a pronounced hyperrecombination phenotype. Thus, we propose that MPH1 is involved in a branch of homologous recombination that is specifically dedicated to error-free bypass.

The MPH1 (mutator pHenotype 1) gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was identified on the basis of elevated spontaneous mutation rates of haploid cells deleted for this gene. Further studies showed that MPH1 functions to channel DNA lesions into an error-free DNA repair pathway. The Mph1 protein contains the seven conserved motifs of the superfamily 2 (SF2) family of nucleic acid unwinding enzymes. Genetic analyses have found epistasis of the mph1 deletion with mutations in the RAD52 gene group that mediates homologous recombination and DNA repair by homologous recombination. To begin dissecting the biochemical functions of the MPH1-encoded product, we have expressed it in yeast cells and purified it to near homogeneity. We show that Mph1 has a robust ATPase function that requires single-stranded DNA for activation. Consistent with its homology to members of the SF2 helicase family, we find a DNA helicase activity in Mph1. We present data to demonstrate that the Mph1 DNA helicase activity is fueled by ATP hydrolysis and has a 3 to 5 polarity with respect to the DNA strand on which this protein translocates. The DNA helicase activity of Mph1 is enhanced by the heterotrimeric single-stranded DNA binding protein replication protein A. These results, thus, establish Mph1 as an ATP-dependent DNA helicase, and the availability of purified Mph1 should facilitate efforts at deciphering the role of this protein in homologous recombination and mutation avoidance.DNA helicases are involved in essentially all the metabolic pathways that entail melting of the DNA double helix, such as DNA replication, homologous recombination (HR), 1 and DNA repair reactions (1, 2). These enzymes invariably possess the ability to hydrolyze a nucleoside triphosphate (most often ATP) when DNA (in general ssDNA) is present, and they are capable of utilizing the free energy derived from the nucleotide hydrolytic reaction to translocate on the DNA. Upon encountering a duplex region, the base pairing in the DNA is disrupted to result in the separation of DNA strands. Certain DNA helicase enzymes, e.g. those that belong to the RecQ helicase family, are specific for DNA structures that arise during homologous recombination and when replication forks stall (1, 2). Interestingly, the translocase activity of some helicases enables them to dislodge proteins from their path of movement, and this property of the helicase enzymes in question is believed to be germane for their biological roles (3-6).A number of DNA helicases, including the yeast Srs2 and Sgs1 proteins and the human BLM and WRN proteins, play roles in modulating homologous recombination efficiency and outcome, preventing replication fork demise, and the general maintenance of the genome (1, 2, 7). In humans, inactivation of the BLM and WRN helicases can lead to Bloom syndrome and Werner syndrome, which are marked by cancer predisposition. These findings aptly underscore the importance for delineating the functions of DNA helicases in homologous recombination and related processes.The Saccharomy...

In yeast as in human, DNA helicases play critical roles in assisting replication fork progression. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae MPH1 gene, homologue of human FANCM, has been involved in homologous recombination and DNA repair. We describe a synthetic growth defect of an mph1 deletion if combined with an srs2 deletion that can result -depending on the genetic background -in synthetic lethality. The lethality is suppressed by mutations in homologous recombination (rad51, rad52, rad55, rad57 ) and in the DNA damage checkpoint (rad9, rad24, rad17 ). Importantly, rad54 and mph1, epistatic for damage sensitivity, are subadditive for spontaneous mutator phenotype. Therefore, Mph1 could be placed at the Rad51-mediated strand invasion process, with a function distinct from Rad54. Moreover, siz1 mutation is viable with mph1 and additive for DNA damage sensitivity. mph1 srs2 double mutants, isolated in a background where they are viable, are synergistically sensitive to DNA damage. Moderate overexpression of SGS1 partially suppresses this sensitivity. Finally, we observe an epistatic relationship in terms of sensitivity to camptothecin of mms4 or mus81 to mph1. Overall, our results support a role of Mph1 in assisting replication progression. We propose two models for the resumption of DNA synthesis under replicative stress where Mph1 is placed at the sister chromatid interaction step.

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