Xiaoxia Dai

A quantitative assay for assessing the effects of DNA lesions on transcription

Most mammalian cells in nature are quiescent but actively transcribing mRNA for normal physiological processes; thus, it is important to investigate how endogenous and exogenous DNA damage compromises transcription in cells. Here we described a novel competitive transcription and adduct bypass (CTAB) assay to determine the effects of DNA lesions on the fidelity and efficiency of transcription. Using this strategy, we demonstrated that the oxidatively induced lesions 8,5′-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine (cdA) and 8,5′-cyclo-2′-deoxyguanosine (cdG), and methylglyoxal-induced N2-(1-carboxyethyl)-2′-deoxyguanosine (N2-CEdG) strongly inhibited transcription in vitro and in mammalian cells. In addition, cdA and cdG, but not N2-CEdG, induced transcriptional mutagenesis in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, when located on the template DNA strand, all examined lesions were primarily repaired by transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair (TC-NER) in mammalian cells. This newly developed CTAB assay should be generally applicable for quantitatively assessing how other DNA lesions impact DNA transcription in vitro and in cells.

Translesion Synthesis of 8,5'-Cyclopurine-2'-deoxynucleosides by DNA Polymerases η, ι, and ζ

Background: The 8,5′-cyclopurine-2′-deoxynucleosides (cPus) are important types of oxidative DNA damage. Results: cPus exhibit both inhibitory and mutagenic effects on replication; polymerases (Pols) η, ι, and ζ are involved in translesion synthesis of these lesions. Conclusion: Pols η, ι, and ζ cooperatively promote translesion synthesis across cPu lesions. Significance: This work revealed the effects of cPus on DNA replication in mammalian cells. Reactive oxygen species can give rise to a battery of DNA damage products including the 8,5′-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine (cdA) and 8,5′-cyclo-2′-deoxyguanosine (cdG) tandem lesions. The 8,5′-cyclopurine-2′-deoxynucleosides are quite stable lesions and are valid and reliable markers of oxidative DNA damage. However, it remains unclear how these lesions compromise DNA replication in mammalian cells. Previous in vitro biochemical assays have suggested a role for human polymerase (Pol) η in the insertion step of translesion synthesis (TLS) across the (5′S) diastereomers of cdA and cdG. Using in vitro steady-state kinetic assay, herein we showed that human Pol ι and a two-subunit yeast Pol ζ complex (REV3/REV7) could function efficiently in the insertion and extension steps, respectively, of TLS across S-cdA and S-cdG; human Pol κ and Pol η could also extend past these lesions, albeit much less efficiently. Results from a quantitative TLS assay showed that, in human cells, S-cdA and S-cdG inhibited strongly DNA replication and induced substantial frequencies of mutations at the lesion sites. Additionally, Pol η, Pol ι, and Pol ζ, but not Pol κ, had important roles in promoting replication through S-cdA and S-cdG in human cells. Based on these results, we propose a model for TLS across S-cdA and S-cdG in human cells, where Pol η and/or Pol ι carries out nucleotide insertion opposite the lesion, whereas Pol ζ executes the extension step.

Identification of Novel α-N-Methylation of CENP-B That Regulates Its Binding to the Centromeric DNA

The eukaryotic centromere is an essential chromatin region required for accurate segregation of sister chromatids during cell division. Centromere protein B (CENP-B) is a highly conserved protein which can bind to the 17-bp CENP-B box on the centromeric DNA. In this study, we found that CENP-B could be α-N-methylated in human cells. We also showed that the level of the α-N-methylation was stimulated in cells in response to a variety of extracellular stimuli, including increased cell density, heat shock, and arsenite treatment, although the methylation level was not altered upon metaphase arrest. We identified N-terminal RCC1 methyltransferase (NRMT) as a major enzyme required for the CENP-B methylation. Additionally, we found that chromatin-bound CENP-B was primarily trimethylated and α-N-trimethylation could enhance CENP-Bs binding to CENP-B box in cells. Our study also expands the function of protein α-N-methylation that has been known for decades and whose function remains largely unexplored.

5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine Induced Growth Inhibition of Leukemia Cells through Modulating Endogenous Cholesterol Biosynthesis

5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR), a nucleoside analog that can inhibit DNA cytosine methylation, possesses potent antitumorigenic activities for myeloid disorders. Although 5-Aza-CdR is known to be incorporated into DNA and inhibit DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferases, the precise mechanisms underlying the drugs antineoplastic activity remain unclear. Here we utilized a mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomic method to analyze the 5-Aza-CdR-induced perturbation of protein expression in Jurkat-T cells at the global proteome scale. Among the ∼2780 quantified proteins, 188 exhibited significant alteration in expression levels upon a 24-hr treatment with 5 μm 5-Aza-CdR. In particular, we found that drug treatment led to substantially reduced expression of farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FDPS) and farnesyl diphosphate farnesyltransferase (FDFT1), two important enzymes involved in de novo cholesterol synthesis. Consistent with this finding, 5-Aza-CdR treatment of leukemia (Jurkat-T, K562 and HL60) and melanoma (WM-266–4) cells led to a marked decrease in cellular cholesterol content and pronounced growth inhibition, which could be rescued by externally added cholesterol. Exposure of these cells to 5-Aza-CdR also led to epigenetic reactivation of dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) gene. Additionally, suppression of DPP4 expression with siRNA induced elevated protein levels of FDPS and FDFT1, and increased cholesterol biosynthesis in WM-266–4 cells. Together, the results from the present study revealed, for the first time, that 5-Aza-CdR exerts its cytotoxic effects in leukemia and melanoma cells through epigenetic reactivation of DPP4 gene and the resultant inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis in these cells.

α-N-Methylation of Damaged DNA-binding Protein 2 (DDB2) and Its Function in Nucleotide Excision Repair

Background: Because its N terminus adopts an APK motif, DDB2 might be α-N-methylated. Results: We examined the nature of DDB2 α-N-methylation, the enzyme involved in this methylation and its function in DNA repair. Conclusion: DDB2 could be α-N-methylated by NRMT, and this methylation facilitated the recruitment of DDB2 to DNA damage foci. Significance: This work expands the function of protein α-N-methylation to DNA repair. DDB2 exhibits a high affinity toward UV-damaged DNA, and it is involved in the initial steps of global genome nucleotide excision repair. Mutations in the DDB2 gene cause the genetic complementation group E of xeroderma pigmentosum, an autosomal recessive disease manifested clinically by hypersensitivity to sunlight exposure and an increased predisposition to skin cancer. Here we found that, in human cells, the initiating methionine residue in DDB2 was removed and that the N-terminal alanine could be methylated on its α-amino group in human cells, with trimethylation being the major form. We also demonstrated that the α-N-methylation of DDB2 is catalyzed by the N-terminal RCC1 methyltransferase. In addition, a methylation-defective mutant of DDB2 displayed diminished nuclear localization and was recruited at a reduced efficiency to UV-induced cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer foci. Moreover, loss of this methylation conferred compromised ATM (ataxia telangiectasia mutated) activation, decreased efficiency in cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer repair, and elevated sensitivity of cells toward UV light exposure. Our study provides new knowledge about the posttranslational regulation of DDB2 and expands the biological functions of protein α-N-methylation to DNA repair.

Effects of 6-Thioguanine and S6-Methylthioguanine on Transcription in vitro and in Human Cells

Background: Thiopurine prodrugs can result in the formation of S6-methylthioguanine (S6mG) and 6-thioguanine (SG) in DNA. Results: We examined how SG and S6mG affect DNA transcription in vitro and in human cells. Conclusion: S6mG, but not SG, causes a strong mutagenic and inhibitory effects on transcription. Significance: This work provides new knowledge that S6mG-mediated transcriptional alternations might contribute to thiopurine-induced cytoxicity and potential therapy-related cancers. Thiopurine drugs are extensively used as chemotherapeutic agents in clinical practice, even though there is concern about the risk of therapy-related cancers. It has been previously suggested that the cytotoxicity of thiopurine drugs involves their metabolic activation, the resultant generation of 6-thioguanine (SG) and S6-methylthioguanine (S6mG) in DNA, and the futile mismatch repair triggered by replication-induced SG:T and S6mG:T mispairs. Disruption of transcription is known to be one of the major consequences of DNA damage induced by many antiviral and antitumor agents; however, it remains undefined how SG and S6mG compromise the efficiency and fidelity of transcription. Using our recently developed competitive transcription and adduct bypass assay, herein we examined the impact of SG and S6mG on transcription in vitro and in human cells. Our results revealed that, when situated on the transcribed strand, S6mG exhibited both inhibitory and mutagenic effects during transcription mediated by single-subunit T7 RNA polymerase or multisubunit human RNA polymerase II in vitro and in human cells. Moreover, we found that the impact of S6mG on transcriptional efficiency and fidelity is modulated by the transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair capacity. In contrast, SG did not considerably compromise the efficiency or fidelity of transcription, and it was a poor substrate for NER. We propose that S6mG might contribute, at least in part, to thiopurine-mediated cytotoxicity through inhibition of transcription and to potential therapy-related carcinogenesis via transcriptional mutagenesis.

Transcriptional inhibition and mutagenesis induced by N-nitroso compound-derived carboxymethylated thymidine adducts in DNA

N-nitroso compounds represent a common type of environmental and endogenous DNA-damaging agents. After metabolic activation, many N-nitroso compounds are converted into a diazoacetate intermediate that can react with nucleobases to give carboxymethylated DNA adducts such as N3-carboxymethylthymidine (N3-CMdT) and O4-carboxymethylthymidine (O4-CMdT). In this study, we constructed non-replicative plasmids carrying a single N3-CMdT or O4-CMdT, site-specifically positioned in the transcribed strand, to investigate how these lesions compromise the flow of genetic information during transcription. Our results revealed that both N3-CMdT and O4-CMdT substantially inhibited DNA transcription mediated by T7 RNA polymerase or human RNA polymerase II in vitro and in human cells. In addition, we found that N3-CMdT and O4-CMdT were miscoding lesions and predominantly directed the misinsertion of uridine and guanosine, respectively. Our results also suggested that these carboxymethylated thymidine lesions may constitute efficient substrates for transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair in human cells. These findings provided important new insights into the biological consequences of the carboxymethylated DNA lesions in living cells.

Arsenite binds to the RING finger domains of RNF20-RNF40 histone E3 ubiquitin ligase and inhibits DNA double-strand break repair.

Arsenic is a widespread environmental contaminant. However, the exact molecular mechanisms underlying the carcinogenic effects of arsenic remain incompletely understood. Core histones can be ubiquitinated by RING finger E3 ubiquitin ligases, among which the RNF20-RNF40 heterodimer catalyzes the ubiquitination of histone H2B at lysine 120. This ubiquitination event is important for the formation of open and biochemically accessible chromatin fiber that is conducive for DNA repair. Herein, we found that arsenite could bind directly to the RING finger domains of RNF20 and RNF40 in vitro and in cells, and treatment with arsenite resulted in substantially impaired H2B ubiquitination in multiple cell lines. Exposure to arsenite also diminished the recruitment of BRCA1 and RAD51 to laser-induced DNA double-strand break (DSB) sites, compromised DNA DSB repair in human cells, and rendered cells sensitive toward a radiomimetic agent, neocarzinostatin. Together, the results from the present study revealed, for the first time, that arsenite may exert its carcinogenic effect by targeting cysteine residues in the RING finger domains of histone E3 ubiquitin ligase, thereby altering histone epigenetic mark and compromising DNA DSB repair. Our results also suggest arsenite as a general inhibitor for RING finger E3 ubiquitin ligases.

Effects of Tet-mediated Oxidation Products of 5-Methylcytosine on DNA Transcription in vitro and in Mammalian Cells

5-methylcytosine (5-mC) is a well-characterized epigenetic regulator in mammals. Recent studies showed that Ten-eleven translocation (Tet) proteins can catalyze the stepwise oxidation of 5-mC to produce 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-HmC), 5-formylcytosine (5-FoC) and 5-carboxylcytosine (5-CaC). The exciting discovery of these novel cytosine modifications has stimulated substantial research interests about their roles in epigenetic regulation. Here we systematically examined the effects of the oxidized 5-mC derivatives on the efficiency and fidelity of DNA transcription using a recently developed competitive transcription and adduct bypass assay. Our results showed that, when located on the transcribed strand, 5-FoC and 5-CaC exhibited marginal mutagenic and modest inhibitory effects on DNA transcription mediated by single-subunit T7 RNA polymerase or multi-subunit human RNA polymerase II in vitro and in human cells. 5-HmC displayed relatively milder blocking effects on transcription, and no mutant transcript could be detectable for 5-HmC in vitro or in cells. The lack of considerable mutagenic effects of the oxidized 5-mC derivatives on transcription was in agreement with their functions in epigenetic regulation. The modest blocking effects on transcription suggested that 5-FoC and 5-CaC may function in transcriptional regulation. These findings provided new evidence for the potential functional interplay between cytosine methylation status and transcription.

Transcriptional bypass of regioisomeric ethylated thymidine lesions by T7 RNA polymerase and human RNA polymerase II

Alkylative damage to DNA can be induced by environmental chemicals, endogenous metabolites and some commonly prescribed chemotherapeutic agents. The regioisomeric N3-, O2- and O4-ethylthymidine (N3-, O2- and O4-EtdT, respectively) represent an important class of ethylated DNA lesions. Using nonreplicative double-stranded vectors containing an N3-EtdT, O2-EtdT or O4-EtdT at a defined site in the template strand, herein we examined the effects of these lesions on DNA transcription mediated by single-subunit T7 RNA polymerase or multisubunit human RNA polymerase II in vitro and in human cells. We found that O4-EtdT is highly mutagenic and exclusively induces the misincorporation of guanine opposite the lesion, whereas N3-EtdT and O2-EtdT display promiscuous miscoding properties during transcription. In addition, N3-EtdT and O2-EtdT were found to inhibit strongly DNA transcription in vitro and in certain human cells. Moreover, N3-EtdT, but not O2-EtdT or O4-EtdT, is an efficient substrate for transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair. These findings provide new important insights into how these alkylated DNA lesions compromise the flow of genetic information, which may help to understand the risk of these lesions in living cells.