Katsunori Sugimoto

S-phase checkpoint proteins Tof1 and Mrc1 form a stable replication-pausing complex

The checkpoint regulatory mechanism has an important role in maintaining the integrity of the genome. This is particularly important in S phase of the cell cycle, when genomic DNA is most susceptible to various environmental hazards. When chemical agents damage DNA, activation of checkpoint signalling pathways results in a temporary cessation of DNA replication. A replication-pausing complex is believed to be created at the arrested forks to activate further checkpoint cascades, leading to repair of the damaged DNA. Thus, checkpoint factors are thought to act not only to arrest replication but also to maintain a stable replication complex at replication forks. However, the molecular mechanism coupling checkpoint regulation and replication arrest is unknown. Here we demonstrate that the checkpoint regulatory proteins Tof1 and Mrc1 interact directly with the DNA replication machinery in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. When hydroxyurea blocks chromosomal replication, this assembly forms a stable pausing structure that serves to anchor subsequent DNA repair events.

Role of a Complex Containing Rad17, Mec3, and Ddc1 in the Yeast DNA Damage Checkpoint Pathway

ABSTRACT Genetic analysis has suggested that RAD17,RAD24, MEC3, and DDC1 play similar roles in the DNA damage checkpoint control in budding yeast. These genes are required for DNA damage-induced Rad53 phosphorylation and considered to function upstream of RAD53 in the DNA damage checkpoint pathway. Here we identify Mec3 as a protein that associates with Rad17 in a two-hybrid screen and demonstrate that Rad17 and Mec3 interact physically in vivo. The amino terminus of Rad17 is required for its interaction with Mec3, and the protein encoded by therad17-1 allele, containing a missense mutation at the amino terminus, is defective for its interaction with Mec3 in vivo. Ddc1 interacts physically and cosediments with both Rad17 and Mec3, indicating that these three proteins form a complex. On the other hand, Rad24 is not found to associate with Rad17, Mec3, and Ddc1.DDC1 overexpression can partially suppress the phenotypes of the rad24Δ mutation: sensitivity to DNA damage, defect in the DNA damage checkpoint and decrease in DNA damage-induced phosphorylation of Rad53. Taken together, our results suggest that Rad17, Mec3, and Ddc1 form a complex which functions downstream of Rad24 in the DNA damage checkpoint pathway.

Requirement of the Mre11 Complex and Exonuclease 1 for Activation of the Mec1 Signaling Pathway

ABSTRACT The large protein kinases, ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and ATM-Rad3-related (ATR), orchestrate DNA damage checkpoint pathways. In budding yeast, ATM and ATR homologs are encoded by TEL1 and MEC1, respectively. The Mre11 complex consists of two highly related proteins, Mre11 and Rad50, and a third protein, Xrs2 in budding yeast or Nbs1 in mammals. The Mre11 complex controls the ATM/Tel1 signaling pathway in response to double-strand break (DSB) induction. We show here that the Mre11 complex functions together with exonuclease 1 (Exo1) in activation of the Mec1 signaling pathway after DNA damage and replication block. Mec1 controls the checkpoint responses following UV irradiation as well as DSB induction. Correspondingly, the Mre11 complex and Exo1 play an overlapping role in activation of DSB- and UV-induced checkpoints. The Mre11 complex and Exo1 collaborate in producing long single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) tails at DSB ends and promote Mec1 association with the DSBs. The Ddc1-Mec3-Rad17 complex associates with sites of DNA damage and modulates the Mec1 signaling pathway. However, Ddc1 association with DSBs does not require the function of the Mre11 complex and Exo1. Mec1 controls checkpoint responses to stalled DNA replication as well. Accordingly, the Mre11 complex and Exo1 contribute to activation of the replication checkpoint pathway. Our results provide a model in which the Mre11 complex and Exo1 cooperate in generating long ssDNA tracts and thereby facilitate Mec1 association with sites of DNA damage or replication block.

Chl12 (Ctf18) Forms a Novel Replication Factor C-Related Complex and Functions Redundantly with Rad24 in the DNA Replication Checkpoint Pathway

ABSTRACT RAD24 has been identified as a gene essential for the DNA damage checkpoint in budding yeast. Rad24 is structurally related to subunits of the replication factor C (RFC) complex, and forms an RFC-related complex with Rfc2, Rfc3, Rfc4, and Rfc5. Therad24Δ mutation enhances the defect ofrfc5-1 in the DNA replication block checkpoint, implicating RAD24 in this checkpoint.CHL12 (also called CTF18) encodes a protein that is structurally related to the Rad24 and RFC proteins. We show here that although neither chl12Δ norrad24Δ single mutants are defective, chl12Δ rad24Δ double mutants become defective in the replication block checkpoint. We also show that Chl12 interacts physically with Rfc2, Rfc3, Rfc4, and Rfc5 and forms an RFC-related complex which is distinct from the RFC and RAD24 complexes. Our results suggest that Chl12 forms a novel RFC-related complex and functions redundantly with Rad24 in the DNA replication block checkpoint.

Rfc5, a replication factor C component, is required for regulation of Rad53 protein kinase in the yeast checkpoint pathway.

The RFC5 gene encodes a small subunit of replication factor C (RFC) complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We have previously shown that a temperature-sensitive (ts) rfc5-1 mutation is impaired in the S-phase checkpoint. In this report, we show that the rfc5-1 mutation is sensitive to DNA-damaging agents. RFC5 is necessary for slowing the S-phase progression in response to DNA damage. The phosphorylation of the essential central transducer, Rad53 protein kinase, is reduced in response to DNA damage in rfc5-1 mutants during the S phase. Furthermore, the inducibility of RNR3 transcription in response to DNA damage is dependent on RFC5. It has been shown that phosphorylation of Rad53 is controlled by Mec1 and Tel1, members of the subfamily of ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinases. We also demonstrate that overexpression of TEL1 suppresses the ts growth defect and DNA damage sensitivity of rfc5-1 mutants and restores phosphorylation of Rad53 and RNR3 induction in response to DNA damage in rfc5-1. Our results, together with the observation that overexpression of RAD53 suppresses the defects of the rfc5-1 mutation, suggest that Rfc5 is part of a mechanism transducing the DNA damage signal to the activation of the central transducer Rad53.

Rif1 and Rif2 Inhibit Localization of Tel1 to DNA Ends

Chromosome ends, known as telomeres, have to be distinguished from DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) that activate the DNA-damage checkpoint. In budding yeast, the ATM homolog Tel1 associates preferentially with short telomeres and promotes telomere addition. Here, we show that the telomeric proteins Rif1 and Rif2 attenuate Tel1 recruitment to DNA ends through distinct mechanisms. Both Rif1 and Rif2 inhibit the localization of Tel1, but not the Mre11-Rad50-Xrs2 (MRX) complex, to adjacent DNA ends. Rif1 function is weaker at short telomeric repeats compared with Rif2 function and is partly dependent on Rif2. Rif2 competes with Tel1 for binding to the C terminus of Xrs2. Once Tel1 is delocalized, MRX does not associate efficiently with Rap1-covered DNA ends. These results reveal a mechanism by which telomeric DNA sequences mask DNA ends from Tel1 recognition for the regulation of telomere length.

Clamp and clamp loader structures of the human checkpoint protein complexes, Rad9‐1‐1 and Rad17‐RFC

Background: We have reported that protein imaging by transmission electron microscope observation based on low‐angle platinum shadowing can reproduce characteristic ring structures of the replication clamp, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and the clamp loader protein, replication factor C (RFC). The checkpoint protein complexes, Rad9‐Hus1‐Rad1 (Rad9‐1‐1) and Rad17‐RFCs2‐5 (Rad17‐RFC), have been predicted to function as novel clamp and clamp loader proteins, respectively, due to their amino acid sequence similarities with PCNA and RFC.

Functional and Physical Interaction between Rad24 and Rfc5 in the Yeast Checkpoint Pathways

ABSTRACT The RFC5 gene encodes a small subunit of replication factor C (RFC) complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and has been shown to be required for the checkpoints which respond to replication block and DNA damage. Here we describe the isolation ofRAD24, known to play a role in the DNA damage checkpoint, as a dosage-dependent suppressor of rfc5-1. RAD24overexpression suppresses the sensitivity of rfc5-1 cells to DNA-damaging agents and the defect in DNA damage-induced Rad53 phosphorylation. Rad24, like Rfc5, is required for the regulation of Rad53 phosphorylation in response to DNA damage. The Rad24 protein, which is structurally related to the RFC subunits, interacts physically with RFC subunits Rfc2 and Rfc5 and cosediments with Rfc5. Although therad24Δ mutation alone does not cause a defect in the replication block checkpoint, it does enhance the defect inrfc5-1 mutants. Furthermore, overexpression ofRAD24 suppresses the rfc5-1 defect in the replication block checkpoint. Taken together, our results demonstrate a physical and functional interaction between Rad24 and Rfc5 in the checkpoint pathways.

Rfc5, in cooperation with rad24, controls DNA damage checkpoints throughout the cell cycle in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

ABSTRACT RAD24 and RFC5 are required for DNA damage checkpoint control in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Rad24 is structurally related to replication factor C (RFC) subunits and associates with RFC subunits Rfc2, Rfc3, Rfc4, and Rfc5. rad24Δ mutants are defective in all the G1-, S-, and G2/M-phase DNA damage checkpoints, whereas the rfc5-1 mutant is impaired only in the S-phase DNA damage checkpoint. Both the RFC subunits and Rad24 contain a consensus sequence for nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) binding. To determine whether the NTP-binding motif is important for Rad24 function, we mutated the conserved lysine115 residue in this motif. The rad24-K115E mutation, which changes lysine to glutamate, confers a complete loss-of-function phenotype, while the rad24-K115R mutation, which changes lysine to arginine, shows no apparent phenotype. Although neitherrfc5-1 nor rad24-K115R single mutants are defective in the G1- and G2/M-phase DNA damage checkpoints, rfc5-1 rad24-K115R double mutants become defective in these checkpoints. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments revealed that Rad24K115R fails to interact with the RFC proteins in rfc5-1 mutants. Together, these results indicate that RFC5, like RAD24, functions in all the G1-, S- and G2/M-phase DNA damage checkpoints and suggest that the interaction of Rad24 with the RFC proteins is essential for DNA damage checkpoint control.

ATR Homolog Mec1 Controls Association of DNA Polymerase ζ-Rev1 Complex with Regions near a Double-Strand Break

DNA polymerase zeta (Polzeta) and Rev1 contribute to the bypassing of DNA lesions, termed translesion DNA synthesis (TLS). Polzeta consists of two subunits, one encoded by REV3 (the catalytic subunit) and the other encoded by REV7. Rev1 acts as a deoxycytidyl transferase, inserting dCMP opposite lesions. Polzeta and Rev1 have been shown to operate in the same TLS pathway in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here, we show that budding yeast Polzeta and Rev1 form a complex and associate together with double-strand breaks (DSBs). As a component of the Polzeta-Rev1 complex, Rev1 plays a noncatalytic role in the association with DSBs. In budding yeast, the ATR-homolog Mec1 plays a central role in the DNA-damage checkpoint response. We further show that Mec1-dependent phosphorylation promotes the Polzeta-Rev1 association with DSBs. Rev1 association with DSBs requires neither the function of the Rad24 checkpoint-clamp loader nor the Rad6-Rad18-mediated ubiquitination of PCNA. Our results reveal a novel role of Mec1 in the localization of the Polzeta-Rev1 complex to DNA lesions and highlight a linkage of TLS polymerases to the checkpoint response.