The human MOF gene encodes a protein that specifically acetylates histone H4 at lysine 16 (H4K16ac). Here we show that reduced levels of H4K16ac correlate with a defective DNA damage response (DDR) and double-strand break (DSB) repair to ionizing radiation (IR). The defect, however, is not due to altered expression of proteins involved in DDR. Abrogation of IR-induced DDR by MOF depletion is inhibited by blocking H4K16ac deacetylation. MOF was found to be associated with the DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs), a protein involved in nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) repair. ATM-dependent IR-induced phosphorylation of DNA-PKcs was also abrogated in MOF-depleted cells. Our data indicate that MOF depletion greatly decreased DNA double-strand break repair by both NHEJ and homologous recombination (HR). In addition, MOF activity was associated with general chromatin upon DNA damage and colocalized with the synaptonemal complex in male meiocytes. We propose that MOF, through H4K16ac (histone code), has a critical role at multiple stages in the cellular DNA damage response and DSB repair.

DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair via the homologous recombination pathway is a multi-stage process, which results in repair of the DSB without loss of genetic information or fidelity. One essential step in this process is the generation of extended single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) regions at the break site. This ssDNA serves to induce cell cycle checkpoints and is required for Rad51 mediated strand invasion of the sister chromatid. Here, we show that human Exonuclease 1 (Exo1) is required for the normal repair of DSBs by HR. Cells depleted of Exo1 show chromosomal instability and hypersensitivity to ionising radiation (IR) exposure. We find that Exo1 accumulates rapidly at DSBs and is required for the recruitment of RPA and Rad51 to sites of DSBs, suggesting a role for Exo1 in ssDNA generation. Interestingly, the phosphorylation of Exo1 by ATM appears to regulate the activity of Exo1 following resection, allowing optimal Rad51 loading and the completion of HR repair. These data establish a role for Exo1 in resection of DSBs in human cells, highlighting the critical requirement of Exo1 for DSB repair via HR and thus the maintenance of genomic stability.

Nuclear factor-erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a key transcriptional regulator for antioxidant and anti-inflammation enzymes that binds to its endogenous inhibitor protein, Kelch-like ECH (erythroid cell-derived protein with CNC homology)-associated protein 1, in the cytoplasm under normal conditions. Various endogenous or environmental oxidative stresses, such as ionizing radiation (IR), can disrupt the Nrf2–Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 complex. This allows Nrf2 to translocate from the cytoplasm into the nucleus to induce transcription of heme oxygenase-1 and other cytoprotective enzymes through binding to antioxidant responsive elements. However, how Nrf2 protects cells from IR-induced damage remains unclear. Here, we report that Nrf2 activation by the synthetic triterpenoids, bardoxolone methyl (BARD) and 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9 (11)-dien-28-oic acid–ethyl amide, protects colonic epithelial cells against IR-induced damage, in part, by enhancing signaling of the DNA damage response. Pretreatment with BARD reduced the frequency of both G1 and S/G2 chromosome aberrations and enhanced the disappearance of repairosomes (C-terminal binding protein interacting protein, Rad51, and p53 binding protein-1 foci) after IR. BARD protected cells from IR toxicity in a Nrf2-dependent manner. The p53 binding protein-1 promoter contains three antioxidant responsive elements in which Nrf2 directly binds following BARD treatment. In addition, 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9 (11)-dien-28-oic acid–ethyl amide provided before exposure to a lethal dose of whole-body irradiation protected WT mice from DNA damage and acute gastrointestinal toxicity, which resulted in improved overall survival. These results demonstrate that Nrf2 activation by synthetic triterpenoids is a promising candidate target to protect the gastrointestinal tract against acute IR in vitro and in vivo.

The S-phase checkpoint in mitosis, activated by DNA damage, maintains genome stability by allowing the cell time to repair the damage before it progresses through the cell cycle. Liu et al. now report that the MLL (mixed lineage leukaemia) gene, frequently translocated in leukaemia, is part of the S-phase checkpoint. When DNA is damaged, MLL is phosphorylated by the checkpoint kinase ATR, causing it to accumulate on chromatin and to methylate histone H3 at lysine residue 4. This histone modification blocks activation of late replication origins. MLL translocations disrupt this pathway and promote genomic instability. Cell cycle checkpoints, such as the S-phase checkpoint, delay cell division to give the cell time to repair any damaged DNA. Here it is shown that the MLL gene — frequently disrupted in leukaemia — is part of the S-phase checkpoint. When DNA is damaged, MLL is phosphorylated by the ATR protein, causing MLL to accumulate on chromatin and methylate histone H3 on lysine 4. This delays DNA replication. MLL translocations, such as those that occur in leukaemia, disrupt this pathway and cause genomic instability. Cell cycle checkpoints are implemented to safeguard the genome, avoiding the accumulation of genetic errors1,2. Checkpoint loss results in genomic instability and contributes to the evolution of cancer. Among G1-, S-, G2- and M-phase checkpoints, genetic studies indicate the role of an intact S-phase checkpoint in maintaining genome integrity3,4. Although the basic framework of the S-phase checkpoint in multicellular organisms has been outlined, the mechanistic details remain to be elucidated. Human chromosome-11 band-q23 translocations disrupting the MLL gene lead to poor prognostic leukaemias5,6,7,8,9. Here we assign MLL as a novel effector in the mammalian S-phase checkpoint network and identify checkpoint dysfunction as an underlying mechanism of MLL leukaemias. MLL is phosphorylated at serine 516 by ATR in response to genotoxic stress in the S phase, which disrupts its interaction with, and hence its degradation by, the SCFSkp2 E3 ligase, leading to its accumulation. Stabilized MLL protein accumulates on chromatin, methylates histone H3 lysine 4 at late replication origins and inhibits the loading of CDC45 to delay DNA replication. Cells deficient in MLL showed radioresistant DNA synthesis and chromatid-type genomic abnormalities, indicative of S-phase checkpoint dysfunction. Reconstitution of Mll−/− (Mll also known as Mll1) mouse embryonic fibroblasts with wild-type but not S516A or ΔSET mutant MLL rescues the S-phase checkpoint defects. Moreover, murine myeloid progenitor cells carrying an Mll–CBP knock-in allele that mimics human t(11;16) leukaemia show a severe radioresistant DNA synthesis phenotype. MLL fusions function as dominant negative mutants that abrogate the ATR-mediated phosphorylation/stabilization of wild-type MLL on damage to DNA, and thus compromise the S-phase checkpoint. Together, our results identify MLL as a key constituent of the mammalian DNA damage response pathway and show that deregulation of the S-phase checkpoint incurred by MLL translocations probably contributes to the pathogenesis of human MLL leukaemias.

The human LMNA gene encodes the essential nuclear envelope proteins lamin A and C (lamin A/C). Mutations in LMNA result in altered nuclear morphology, but how this impacts the mechanisms that maintain genomic stability is unclear. Here, we report that lamin A/C-deficient cells have a normal response to ionizing radiation but are sensitive to agents that cause interstrand cross-links (ICLs) or replication stress. In response to treatment with ICL agents (cisplatin, camptothecin, and mitomycin), lamin A/C-deficient cells displayed normal γ-H2AX focus formation but a higher frequency of cells with delayed γ-H2AX removal, decreased recruitment of the FANCD2 repair factor, and a higher frequency of chromosome aberrations. Similarly, following hydroxyurea-induced replication stress, lamin A/C-deficient cells had an increased frequency of cells with delayed disappearance of γ-H2AX foci and defective repair factor recruitment (Mre11, CtIP, Rad51, RPA, and FANCD2). Replicative stress also resulted in a higher frequency of chromosomal aberrations as well as defective replication restart. Taken together, the data can be interpreted to suggest that lamin A/C has a role in the restart of stalled replication forks, a prerequisite for initiation of DNA damage repair by the homologous recombination pathway, which is intact in lamin A/C-deficient cells. We propose that lamin A/C is required for maintaining genomic stability following replication fork stalling, induced by either ICL damage or replicative stress, in order to facilitate fork regression prior to DNA damage repair.

HSSB1 (human single strand DNA-binding protein 1) has been shown to participate in homologous recombination (HR)-dependent repair of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) and ataxia telangiectasia-mutated (ATM)-mediated checkpoint pathways. Here we present evidence that hSSB2, a homolog of hSSB1, plays a role similar to hSSB1 in DNA damage-response pathways. This was evidenced by findings that hSSB2-depleted cells resemble hSSB1-depleted cells in hypersensitivity to DNA-damaging reagents, reduced efficiency in HR-dependent repair of DSBs, and defective ATM-dependent phosphorylation. Notably, hSSB1 and hSSB2 form separate complexes with two identical proteins, INTS3 and hSSBIP1 (C9ORF80). Cells depleted of INTS3 and hSSBIP1 also exhibited hypersensitivity to DNA damage reagents, chromosomal instability, and reduced ATM-dependent phosphorylation. hSSBIP1 was rapidly recruited to laser-induced DSBs, a feature also similar to that reported for hSSB1. Depletion of INTS3 decreased the stability of hSSB1 and hSSBIP1, suggesting that INTS3 may provide a scaffold to allow proper assembly of the hSSB complexes. Thus, our data demonstrate that hSSB1 and hSSB2 form two separate complexes with similar structures, and both are required for efficient HR-dependent repair of DSBs and ATM-dependent signaling pathways.