Atsuhiko Fukuto

Nap1 stimulates homologous recombination by RAD51 and RAD54 in higher-ordered chromatin containing histone H1

Homologous recombination plays essential roles in mitotic DNA double strand break (DSB) repair and meiotic genetic recombination. In eukaryotes, RAD51 promotes the central homologous-pairing step during homologous recombination, but is not sufficient to overcome the reaction barrier imposed by nucleosomes. RAD54, a member of the ATP-dependent nucleosome remodeling factor family, is required to promote the RAD51-mediated homologous pairing in nucleosomal DNA. In higher eukaryotes, most nucleosomes form higher-ordered chromatin containing the linker histone H1. However, the mechanism by which RAD51/RAD54-mediated homologous pairing occurs in higher-ordered chromatin has not been elucidated. In this study, we found that a histone chaperone, Nap1, accumulates on DSB sites in human cells, and DSB repair is substantially decreased in Nap1-knockdown cells. We determined that Nap1 binds to RAD54, enhances the RAD54-mediated nucleosome remodeling by evicting histone H1, and eventually stimulates the RAD51-mediated homologous pairing in higher-ordered chromatin containing histone H1.

Structural Basis for Ubiquitin Recognition by Ubiquitin-Binding Zinc Finger of FAAP20

Several ubiquitin-binding zinc fingers (UBZs) have been reported to preferentially bind K63-linked ubiquitin chains. In particular, the UBZ domain of FAAP20 (FAAP20-UBZ), a member of the Fanconi anemia core complex, seems to recognize K63-linked ubiquitin chains, in order to recruit the complex to DNA interstrand crosslinks and mediate DNA repair. By contrast, it is reported that the attachment of a single ubiquitin to Rev1, a translesion DNA polymerase, increases binding of Rev1 to FAAP20. To clarify the specificity of FAAP20-UBZ, we determined the crystal structure of FAAP20-UBZ in complex with K63-linked diubiquitin at 1.9 Å resolution. In this structure, FAAP20-UBZ interacts only with one of the two ubiquitin moieties. Consistently, binding assays using surface plasmon resonance spectrometry showed that FAAP20-UBZ binds ubiquitin and M1-, K48- and K63-linked diubiquitin chains with similar affinities. Residues in the vicinity of Ala168 within the α-helix and the C-terminal Trp180 interact with the canonical Ile44-centered hydrophobic patch of ubiquitin. Asp164 within the α-helix and the C-terminal loop mediate a hydrogen bond network, which reinforces ubiquitin-binding of FAAP20-UBZ. Mutations of the ubiquitin-interacting residues disrupted binding to ubiquitin in vitro and abolished the accumulation of FAAP20 to DNA damage sites in vivo. Finally, structural comparison among FAAP20-UBZ, WRNIP1-UBZ and RAD18-UBZ revealed distinct modes of ubiquitin binding. UBZ family proteins could be divided into at least three classes, according to their ubiquitin-binding modes.

Coordinated Regulation of TIP60 and Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase 1 in Damaged-Chromatin Dynamics.

ABSTRACT The dynamic exchange of histones alleviates the nucleosome barrier and simultaneously facilitates various aspects of cellular DNA metabolism, such as DNA repair and transcription. In response to DNA damage, the acetylation of Lys5 in the histone variant H2AX, catalyzed by TIP60, plays a key role in promoting histone exchange; however, the detailed molecular mechanism still is unclear. Here, we show that the TIP60 complex includes poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1). PARP-1 is required for the rapid exchange of H2AX on chromatin at DNA damage sites. It is known that PARP-1 binds dynamically to damaged chromatin and is crucial for the subsequent recruitment of other repair factors, and its auto-poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation is required for the dynamics. We also show that the acetylation of histone H2AX at Lys5 by TIP60, but not the phosphorylation of H2AX, is required for the ADP-ribosylation activity of PARP-1 and its dynamic binding to damaged chromatin. Our results indicate the reciprocal regulation of K5 acetylation of H2AX and PARP-1, which could modulate the chromatin structure to facilitate DNA metabolism at damage sites. This could explain the rather undefined roles of PARP-1 in various DNA damage responses.

SUMO modification system facilitates the exchange of histone variant H2A.Z-2 at DNA damage sites

ABSTRACT Histone exchange and histone post-translational modifications play important roles in the regulation of DNA metabolism, by re-organizing the chromatin configuration. We previously demonstrated that the histone variant H2A.Z-2 is rapidly exchanged at damaged sites after DNA double strand break induction in human cells. In yeast, the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) modification of H2A.Z is involved in the DNA damage response. However, whether the SUMO modification regulates the exchange of human H2A.Z-2 at DNA damage sites remains unclear. Here, we show that H2A.Z-2 is SUMOylated in a damage-dependent manner, and the SUMOylation of H2A.Z-2 is suppressed by the depletion of the SUMO E3 ligase, PIAS4. Moreover, PIAS4 depletion represses the incorporation and eviction of H2A.Z-2 at damaged sites. These findings demonstrate that the PIAS4-mediated SUMOylation regulates the exchange of H2A.Z-2 at DNA damage sites.

Relaxed Chromatin Formation and Weak Suppression of Homologous Pairing by the Testis-Specific Linker Histone H1T

Linker histones bind to nucleosomes and compact polynucleosomes into a higher-order chromatin configuration. Somatic and germ cell-specific linker histone subtypes have been identified and may have distinct functions. In this study, we reconstituted polynucleosomes containing human histones H1.2 and H1T, as representative somatic and germ cell-specific linker histones, respectively, and found that H1T forms less compacted chromatin, as compared to H1.2. An in vitro homologous pairing assay revealed that H1T weakly inhibited RAD51/RAD54-mediated homologous pairing in chromatin, although the somatic H1 subtypes, H1.0, H1.1, H1.2, H1.3, H1.4, and H1.5, substantially suppressed it. An in vivo recombination assay revealed that H1T overproduction minimally affected the recombination frequency, but significant suppression was observed when H1.2 was overproduced in human cells. These results suggested that the testis-specific linker histone, H1T, possesses a specific function to produce the chromatin architecture required for proper chromosome regulation, such as homologous recombination.

hCAS/CSE1L regulates RAD51 distribution and focus formation for homologous recombinational repair

Homologous recombinational repair (HR) is one of the major repair systems for DNA double‐strand breaks. RAD51 is a key molecule in HR, and the RAD51 concentration in the cell nucleus increases after DNA damage induction. However, the mechanism that regulates the intracellular distribution of RAD51 is still unclear. Here, we show that hCAS/CSE1L associates with RAD51 in human cells. We found that hCAS/CSE1L negatively regulates the nuclear protein level of RAD51 under normal conditions. hCAS/CSE1L is also required to repress the DNA damage‐induced focus formation of RAD51. Moreover, we show that hCAS/CSE1L plays roles in the regulation of the HR activity and in chromosome stability. These findings suggest that hCAS/CSE1L is responsible for controlling the HR activity by directly interacting with RAD51.