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  • Article: ATR Regulates DNA Damage-Induced G2/M Checkpoint through the Aurora A Cofactor Bora.
    Bo Qin, Bowen Gao, Jia Yu, Jian Yuan, Zhenkun Lou
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    ABSTRACT: Polo-like kinase1 (Plk1) activation is inhibited in response to DNA damage and this inhibition contributes to the activation of G2/M checkpoint, although the molecular mechanism by which Plk1 is inhibited is not clear. Here we report that the DNA damage signaling pathway inhibits Plk1 activity through Bora. Following UV irradiation, ATR phosphorylates Bora at Thr501. The phosphorylated Thr501 is subsequently recognized by the E3 ubiquitin ligase SCF-β-TRCP, which targets Bora for degradation. The degradation of Bora compromises Plk1 activation and contributes to DNA damage-induced G2 arrest. These findings shed new light on Plk1 regulation by the DNA damage response pathway.
    Journal of Biological Chemistry 04/2013; · 4.77 Impact Factor
  • Article: The Histone Methyltransferase MMSET Regulates Class Switch Recombination.
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    ABSTRACT: Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is a genetic disease with characteristic facial features and developmental disorders. Of interest, loss of the MMSET gene (also known as WHSC1) is considered to be responsible for the core phenotypes of this disease. Patients with WHS also display Ab deficiency, although the underlying cause of this deficiency is unclear. Recent studies suggest that the histone methyltransferase activity of MMSET plays an important role in the DNA damage response by facilitating the recruitment of 53BP1 to sites of DNA damage. We hypothesize that MMSET also regulates class switch recombination (CSR) through its effect on 53BP1. In this study, we show that MMSET indeed plays an important role in CSR through its histone methyltransferase activity. Knocking down MMSET expression impaired 53BP1 recruitment as well as the germline transcription of the Igh switch regions, resulting in defective CSR but no effect on cell growth and viability. These results suggest that defective CSR caused by MMSET deficiency could be a cause of Ab deficiency in WHS patients.
    The Journal of Immunology 12/2012; · 5.79 Impact Factor
  • Article: Sumoylation of MDC1 is important for proper DNA damage response.
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    ABSTRACT: In response to DNA damage, many DNA damage factors, such as MDC1 and 53BP1, redistribute to sites of DNA damage. The mechanism governing the turnover of these factors at DNA damage sites, however, remains enigmatic. Here, we show that MDC1 is sumoylated following DNA damage, and the sumoylation of MDC1 at Lys1840 is required for MDC1 degradation and removal of MDC1 and 53BP1 from sites of DNA damage. Sumoylated MDC1 is recognized and ubiquitinated by the SUMO-targeted E3 ubiquitin ligase RNF4. Mutation of the MDC1 Lys 1840 (K1840R) results in impaired CtIP, replication protein A, and Rad51 accumulation at sites of DNA damage and defective homologous recombination (HR). The HR defect caused by MDC1K1840R mutation could be rescued by 53BP1 downregulation. These results reveal the intricate dynamics governing the assembly and disassembly of DNA damage factors at sites of DNA damage for prompt response to DNA damage.
    The EMBO Journal 05/2012; 31(13):3008-19. · 9.20 Impact Factor
  • Article: Role of deleted in breast cancer 1 (DBC1) protein in SIRT1 deacetylase activation induced by protein kinase A and AMP-activated protein kinase.
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    ABSTRACT: The NAD(+)-dependent deacetylase SIRT1 is a key regulator of several aspects of metabolism and aging. SIRT1 activation is beneficial for several human diseases, including metabolic syndrome, diabetes, obesity, liver steatosis, and Alzheimer disease. We have recently shown that the protein deleted in breast cancer 1 (DBC1) is a key regulator of SIRT1 activity in vivo. Furthermore, SIRT1 and DBC1 form a dynamic complex that is regulated by the energetic state of the organism. Understanding how the interaction between SIRT1 and DBC1 is regulated is therefore essential to design strategies aimed to activate SIRT1. Here, we investigated which pathways can lead to the dissociation of SIRT1 and DBC1 and consequently to SIRT1 activation. We observed that PKA activation leads to a fast and transient activation of SIRT1 that is DBC1-dependent. In fact, an increase in cAMP/PKA activity resulted in the dissociation of SIRT1 and DBC1 in an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-dependent manner. Pharmacological AMPK activation led to SIRT1 activation by a DBC1-dependent mechanism. Indeed, we found that AMPK activators promote SIRT1-DBC1 dissociation in cells, resulting in an increase in SIRT1 activity. In addition, we observed that the SIRT1 activation promoted by PKA and AMPK occurs without changes in the intracellular levels of NAD(+). We propose that PKA and AMPK can acutely activate SIRT1 by inducing dissociation of SIRT1 from its endogenous inhibitor DBC1. Our experiments provide new insight on the in vivo mechanism of SIRT1 regulation and a new avenue for the development of pharmacological SIRT1 activators targeted at the dissociation of the SIRT1-DBC1 complex.
    Journal of Biological Chemistry 05/2012; 287(28):23489-501. · 4.77 Impact Factor
  • Article: Regulation of SIRT1 activity by genotoxic stress.
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    ABSTRACT: SIRT1 regulates a variety of cellular functions, including cellular stress responses and energy metabolism. SIRT1 activity is negatively regulated by DBC1 (Deleted in Breast Cancer 1) through direct binding. However, how the DBC1-SIRT1 interaction is regulated remains unclear. We found that the DBC1-SIRT1 interaction increases following DNA damage and oxidative stress. The stress-induced DBC1-SIRT1 interaction requires the ATM-dependent phosphorylation of DBC1 at Thr 454, which creates a second binding site for SIRT1. Finally, we showed that the stress-induced DBC1-SIRT1 interaction is important for cell fate determination following genotoxic stress. These results revealed a novel mechanism of SIRT1 regulation during genotoxic stress.
    Genes & development 03/2012; 26(8):791-6. · 12.08 Impact Factor

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