Isabelle Callebaut

Artemis, a novel DNA double-strand break repair/V(D)J recombination protein, is mutated in human severe combined immune deficiency.

The V(D)J recombination process insures the somatic diversification of immunoglobulin and antigen T cell receptor encoding genes. This reaction is initiated by a DNA double-strand break (dsb), which is resolved by the ubiquitously expressed DNA repair machinery. Human T-B-severe combined immunodeficiency associated with increased cellular radiosensitivity (RS-SCID) is characterized by a defect in the V(D)J recombination leading to an early arrest of both B and T cell maturation. We previously mapped the disease-related locus to the short arm of chromosome 10. We herein describe the cloning of the gene encoding a novel protein involved in V(D)J recombination/DNA repair, Artemis, whose mutations cause human RS-SCID. Protein sequence analysis strongly suggests that Artemis belongs to the metallo-beta-lactamase superfamily.

Munc13-4 Is Essential for Cytolytic Granules Fusion and Is Mutated in a Form of Familial Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (FHL3)

Secretion of cytolytic granules content at the immunological synapse is a highly regulated process essential for lymphocyte cytotoxicity. This process requires the rapid transfer of perforin containing lytic granules to the target cell interface, followed by their docking and fusion with the plasma membrane. Defective cytotoxicity characterizes a genetically heterogeneous condition named familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (FHL), which can be associated with perforin deficiency. The locus of a perforin (+) FHL subtype (FHL3), observed in 10 patients, was mapped to 17q25. This region contains hMunc13-4, a member of the Munc13 family of proteins involved in vesicle priming function. HMunc13-4 mutations were shown to cause FHL3. HMunc13-4 deficiency results in defective cytolytic granule exocytosis, despite polarization of the secretory granules and docking with the plasma membrane. Expressed tagged hMunc13-4 localizes with cytotoxic granules at the immunological synapse. HMunc13-4 is therefore essential for the priming step of cytolytic granules secretion preceding vesicle membrane fusion.

From BRCA1 to RAP1: a widespread BRCT module closely associated with DNA repair.

Inherited mutations in BRCA1 predispose to breast and ovarian cancer, but the biological function of the BRCA1 protein has remained largely elusive. The recent correspondence of Koonin et al. [Koonin, E.V., Altschul, S.F. and Bork, P. (1996) Nature Genet. 13, 266–267] has emphasized the potential importance of the BRCA1 C‐terminal region for BRCA1‐mediated breast cancer suppression, as this domain shows similarities with the C‐terminal regions of a p53‐binding protein (53BP1), the yeast RAD9 protein involved in DNA repair, and two uncharacterized, hypothetical proteins (KIAA0170 and SPAC19G10.7). The highlighted domain has been suggested to be the result of an internal duplication, each of the tandem domains being designated as a ‘BRCT domain’ (for BRCA1 C‐terminus). Sequence analysis using hydrophobic cluster analysis reveals here the presence of 50 copies of the BRCT domain in 23 different proteins, including, in addition to BRCA1, 53BP1 and RAD9, XRCC1, RAD4, Ect2, REV1, Crb2, RAP1, terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferases (TdT) and three eukaryotic DNA ligases. Most of these proteins are known to be involved in DNA repair. The BRCT domain is not limited to the C‐termini of protein sequences and can be found in multiple copies or in a single copy as in RAP1 and TdT, suggesting that it could well constitute an autonomous folding unit of approx. 90–100 amino acids.

DECIPHERING PROTEIN SEQUENCE INFORMATION THROUGH HYDROPHOBIC CLUSTER ANALYSIS (HCA): CURRENT STATUS AND PERSPECTIVES

Abstract. Ten years after the idea of hydrophobic cluster analysis (HCA) was conceived and first pub lished, theoretical and practical experience has shown this unconventional method of protein sequence anal ysis to be particularly efficient and sensitive, especially with families of sequences sharing low levels of se quence identity. This extreme sensitivity has made it possible to predict the functions of genes whose se quence similarities are hardly if at all detectable by current one-dimensional (1D) methods alone, and of fers a new way to explore the enormous amount of data generated by genome sequencing. HCA also pro vides original tools to understand fundamental fea tures of protein stability and folding. Since the last review of HCA published in 1990 [1], significant im provements have been made and several new facets have been addressed. Here we wish to update and summarize this information.

Mutation in bone morphogenetic protein receptor-IB is associated with increased ovulation rate in Booroola Mérino ewes

Ewes from the Booroola strain of Australian Mérino sheep are characterized by high ovulation rate and litter size. This phenotype is due to the action of the FecBB allele of a major gene named FecB, as determined by statistical analysis of phenotypic data. By genetic analysis of 31 informative half-sib families from heterozygous sires, we showed that the FecB locus is situated in the region of ovine chromosome 6 corresponding to the human chromosome 4q22–23 that contains the bone morphogenetic protein receptor IB (BMPR-IB) gene encoding a member of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) receptor family. A nonconservative substitution (Q249R) in the BMPR-IB coding sequence was found to be associated fully with the hyperprolificacy phenotype of Booroola ewes. In vitro, ovarian granulosa cells from FecBB/FecBB ewes were less responsive than granulosa cells from FecB+/FecB+ ewes to the inhibitory effect on steroidogenesis of GDF-5 and BMP-4, natural ligands of BMPR-IB. It is suggested that in FecBB/FecBB ewes, BMPR-IB would be inactivated partially, leading to an advanced differentiation of granulosa cells and an advanced maturation of ovulatory follicles.

Molecular Organization of a Zinc Binding N-Terminal Modulatory Domain in a NMDA Receptor Subunit

Ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) bind agonists in a domain that has been crystallized and shown to have a bilobed structure. Eukaryotic iGluRs also possess a second extracellular N-terminal domain related to the bacterial periplasmic binding protein LIVBP. In NMDA receptors, the high-affinity Zn inhibition is eliminated by mutations in the LIVBP-like domain of the NR2A subunit. Using LIVBP structure, we have modeled this domain as two lobes connected by a hinge and show that six residues controlling Zn inhibition form two clusters facing each other across a central cleft. Upon Zn binding the two lobes close tightly around the divalent cation. Thus, the extracellular region of NR2A consists of a tandem of Venus flytrap domains, one binding the agonist and the other a modulatory ligand. Such a functional organization may apply to other eukaryotic iGluRs.

The BAH (bromo-adjacent homology) domain: a link between DNA methylation, replication and transcriptional regulation

Using sensitive methods of sequence analysis including hydrophobic cluster analysis, we report here a hitherto undescribed family of modules, the BAH (bromo‐adjacent homology) family, which includes proteins such as eukaryotic DNA (cytosine‐5) methyltransferases, the origin recognition complex 1 (Orc1) proteins, as well as several proteins involved in transcriptional regulation. The BAH domain appears to act as a protein‐protein interaction module specialized in gene silencing, as suggested for example by its interaction within yeast Orc1p with the silent information regulator Sir1p. The BAH module might therefore play an important role by linking DNA methylation, replication and transcriptional regulation.

Atomic model of human cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator: Membrane-spanning domains and coupling interfaces

Abstract.We describe herein an atomic model of the outward-facing three-dimensional structure of the membrane-spanning domains (MSDs) and nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs) of human cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), based on the experimental structure of the bacterial transporter Sav1866. This model, which is in agreement with previous experimental data, highlights the role of some residues located in the transmembrane passages and directly involved in substrate translocation and of some residues within the intracellular loops (ICL1–ICL4) making MSD/NBD contacts. In particular, our model reveals that D173 ICL1 and N965 ICL3 likely interact with the bound nucleotide and that an intricate H-bond network (involving especially the ICL4 R1070 and the main chain of NBD1 F508) may stabilize the interface between MSD2 and the NBD1F508 region. These observations allow new insights into the ATP-binding sites asymmetry and into the molecular consequences of the F508 deletion, which is the most common cystic fibrosis mutation.

Molecular models of the open and closed states of the whole human CFTR protein

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), involved in cystic fibrosis (CF), is a chloride channel belonging to the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily. Using the experimental structure of Sav1866 as template, we previously modeled the human CFTR structure, including membrane-spanning domains (MSD) and nucleotide-binding domains (NBD), in an outward-facing conformation (open channel state). Here, we constructed a model of the CFTR inward-facing conformation (closed channel) on the basis of the recent corrected structures of MsbA and compared the structural features of those two states of the channel. Interestingly, the MSD:NBD coupling interfaces including F508 (ΔF508 being the most common CF mutation) are mainly left unchanged. This prediction, completed by the modeling of the regulatory R domain, is supported by experimental data and provides a molecular basis for a better understanding of the functioning of CFTR, especially of the structural features that make CFTR the unique channel among the ABC transporters.

Cernunnos Interacts with the XRCC4·DNA-ligase IV Complex and Is Homologous to the Yeast Nonhomologous End-joining Factor Nej1

DNA double strand breaks are considered as the most harmful DNA lesions and are repaired by either homologous recombination or nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ). A new NHEJ factor, Cernunnos, has been identified, the defect of which leads to a severe immunodeficiency condition associated with microcephaly and other developmental defects in humans. This presentation is reminiscent to that of DNA-ligase IV deficiency and suggests a possible interplay between Cernunnos and the XRCC4·DNA-ligase IV complex. We show here that Cernunnos physically interacts with the XRCC4·DNA-ligase IV complex. Moreover, a combination of sensitive methods of sequence analysis revealed that Cernunnos can be associated with the XRCC4 family of proteins and that it corresponds to the genuine homolog of the yeast Nej1 protein. Altogether these results shed new lights on the last step, the DNA religation, of the NHEJ pathway.