Abstract 3927: Distinct roles of hMLH1-hMRE11 in homologous recombination and heteroduplex DNA repair at a single chromosomal locus

Abstract

Increasing evidence indicates that the mismatch repair protein hMLH1 and DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair protein hMRE11 play multifunctional roles in various processes of DNA repair and damage response in human cells. Our previous studies have revealed a physical interaction between these two proteins and have suggested a role for hMRE11 in heteroduplex DNA repair and hMLH1-dependent DNA damage-induced G2 arrest. Here, we analyzed the effects of hMLH1-hMRE11 on homologous recombinational repair of an induced DSB and consequential heteroduplex repair at a single chromosomal locus by a newly developed reporter system. The results of these studies indicate that hMLH1 and hMRE11 display a synergistic anti-recombination effect and the hMLH1-mediated anti-recombination is at least partially dependent on its interaction with hMRE11, whereas the repair of heteroduplex DNA requires functional hMLH1 and hMRE11. Consistent with these results, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis of the reporter locus demonstrates that DSB triggers the loading of hMLH1 and hMRE11 proteins to both the proximal region and the site containing heteroduplex DNA. However, in contrast to the proximal regions, loading of hMLH1-hMRE11 at the site of heteroduplex DNA also requires hMSH2, suggesting the involvement of DNA mismatch repair. In summary, our studies have provided evidence to suggest that, in addition to DNA damage response, hMLH1-hMRE11 are involved in at least two other DNA damage repair processes: anti-recombination and heteroduplex DNA repair. Our results implicate that mutations impairing the hMLH1-hMRE11 interaction might promote spontaneous chromosomal recombination between ectopic repetitive sequences and thereby increasing gene conversion and genomic instability. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3927.