Genome duplication inLeishmania majorrelies on DNA replication outside S phase

Abstract

Once every cell cycle, DNA replication takes place to allow cells to duplicate their genome and segregate the two resulting copies into offspring cells. In eukaryotes, the number of DNA replication initiation loci, termed origins, is proportional to chromosome size. However, previous studies have suggested that in Leishmania, a group of single-celled eukaryotic parasites, DNA replication starts from just a single origin per chromosome, which is predicted to be insufficient to secure complete genome duplication within S phase.Here, we show that the paucity of origins activated in early S phase is balanced by DNA synthesis activity outside S phase. Simultaneous recruitment of acetylated histone H3 (AcH3), modified base J and the kinetochore factor KKT1 is exclusively found at the origins used in early S phase, while subtelomeric DNA replication can only be linked to AcH3 and displays persistent activity through the cell cycle, including in G2/M and G1 phases. We also show that subtelomeric DNA replication, unlike replication from the previously mapped origins, is sensitive to hydroxyurea and dependent on subunits of the 9-1-1 complex.Our work indicates that Leishmania genome transmission relies on an unconventional DNA replication programme, which may have implications for genome stability in this important parasite. sequence read depth in the former relative to the latter. As result, DNA synthesis very late in S-phase, or that occurs outside of S-phase, would escape detection. To test this, we modified the MFA-seq approach in order that DNA content enrichment could be calculated in replicating cells relative to naturally occurring non-replicative cells. Mapping origins of replication by calculating DNA enrichment in exponentially growing cells versus cells in a stationary state has been used successfully in bacteria (42) and yeast (43). Thus, we reasoned that L. major in stationary phase could also serve as a non-replicative control for normalization in MFA-seq analysis compared with cells that are growing exponentially. To test this, we used flow cytometry to compare DNA content of exponentially growing and stationary phase cells and, in addition, compared the capacity of the two cell populations to incorporate the thymidine analogue 5-ethynyl-2'deoxyuridine (EdU; Fig. 1A,B). Flow cytometry showed that the proportion of cells in S phase (with DNA content between 1C and 2C) was substantially lower in a population of stationary cells compared with exponentially growing cells (Fig. 1A). Concomitantly, stationary phase cells, unlike exponentially growing cells, failed to incorporate EdU, even upon relatively long periods of incubation ( Fig. 1B). Thus, L. major cells in stationary phase do not perform any detectable DNA synthesis and were therefore deemed suitable to be used as the non-replicative sample in MFA-seq analysis.Next, we compared MFA-seq profiles using read depth ratios from FACS-sorted early S (ES) and G2 cells, and from exponentially growing cells (EXP) and stationary (STA) cells (Fig. 1C). As reported ...

R-loops acted on by RNase H1 are a determinant of chromosome length-associated DNA replication timing and genome stability inLeishmania

“…To test this prediction, we performed MFA-seq analysis in uninduced and induced RNase H1-HA Flox cells at passage 2, as well as in the KO cells, allowing us to compare the short- and long-term effects of RNase H1 loss. The MFA-seq profile in uninduced RNase H1-HA Flox cells corresponded with previous reports 81, 125 , with a single pronounced peak in each chromosome that overlapped with an SSR (Fig. 4H).…”

“…Since the distribution of R-loops and RNase H1 has parallels with chromosome size-dependent timing of L. major DNA replication 125 (Fig. 2 and Fig.…”