Interaction of hHR23 with S5a. The ubiquitin-like domain of hHR23 mediates interaction with S5a subunit of 26 S proteasome

hHR23B is one of two human homologs of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae nucleotide excision repair (NER) gene product RAD23 and a component of a protein complex that specifically complements the NER defect of xeroderma pigmentosum group C (XP-C) cell extracts in vitro. Although a small proportion of hHR23B is tightly complexed with the XP-C responsible gene product, XPC protein, a vast majority exists as an XPC-free form, indicating that hHR23B has additional functions other than NER in vivo. Here we demonstrate that the human NER factor hHR23B as well as another human homolog of RAD23, hHR23A, interact specifically with S5a, a subunit of the human 26 S proteasome using the yeast two-hybrid system. Furthermore, hHR23 proteins were detected with S5a at the position where 26 S proteasome sediments in glycerol gradient centrifugation of HeLa S100 extracts. Intriguingly, hHR23B showed the inhibitory effect on the degradation of (125)I-lysozyme in the rabbit reticulocyte lysate. hHR23 proteins thus appear to associate with 26 S proteasome in vivo. From co-precipitation experiments using several series of deletion mutants, we defined the domains in hHR23B and S5a that mediate this interaction. From these results, we propose that part of hHR23 proteins are involved in the proteolytic pathway in cells

Developmental defects and male sterility in mice lacking the ubiquitin-like DNA repair gene mHR23B.

mHR23B encodes one of the two mammalian homologs of Saccharomyces cerevisiae RAD23, a ubiquitin-like fusion protein involved in nucleotide excision repair (NER). Part of mHR23B is complexed with the XPC protein, and this heterodimer functions as the main damage detector and initiator of global genome NER. While XPC defects exist in humans and mice, mutations for mHR23A and mHR23B are not known. Here, we present a mouse model for mHR23B. Unlike XPC-deficient cells, mHR23B(-/-) mouse embryonic fibroblasts are not UV sensitive and retain the repair characteristics of wild-type cells. In agreement with the results of in vitro repair studies, this indicates that mHR23A can functionally replace mHR23B in NER. Unexpectedly, mHR23B(-/-) mice show impaired embryonic development and a high rate (90%) of intrauterine or neonatal death. Surviving animals display a variety of abnormalities, including retarded growth, facial dysmorphology, and male sterility. Such abnormalities are not observed in XPC and other NER-deficient mouse mutants and point to a separate function of mHR23B in development. This function may involve regulation of protein stability via the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway and is not or only in part compensated for by mHR23A

Eukaryotic DNA Polymerases: Proposal for a Revised Nomenclature

Pol polymeraseIn 1975, a Greek letter nomenclature system was introduced to designate DNA polymerases from mammalian cells (1). Ten years ago, progress in the biochemical analysis of eukaryotic DNA polymerases and in the isolation of their genes, particularly in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, necessitated a revision of the Greek letter nomenclature system and an expansion to include all eukaryotic organisms (2). Until a few years ago, this system sufficed to designate the six known DNA polymerases α, β, γ, δ, ε, and ζ

Structure and mechanism of human DNA polymerase η

The variant form of the human syndrome xeroderma pigmentosum (XPV) is caused by a deficiency in DNA polymerase eta (Pol eta), a DNA polymerase that enables replication through ultraviolet-induced pyrimidine dimers. Here we report high-resolution crystal structures of human Pol eta at four consecutive steps during DNA synthesis through cis-syn cyclobutane thymine dimers. Pol eta acts like a 'molecular splint' to stabilize damaged DNA in a normal B-form conformation. An enlarged active site accommodates the thymine dimer with excellent stereochemistry for two-metal ion catalysis. Two residues conserved among Pol eta orthologues form specific hydrogen bonds with the lesion and the incoming nucleotide to assist translesion synthesis. On the basis of the structures, eight Pol eta missense mutations causing XPV can be rationalized as undermining the molecular splint or perturbing the active-site alignment. The structures also provide an insight into the role of Pol eta in replicating through D loop and DNA fragile sites

Domain structure, localization, and function of DNA polymerase ?, defective in xeroderma pigmentosum variant cells

DNA polymerase ¿ carries out translesion synthesis past UV photoproducts and is deficient in xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) variants. We report that pol¿ is mostly localized uniformly in the nucleus but is associated with replication foci during S phase. Following treatment of cells with UV irradiation or carcinogens, it accumulates at replication foci stalled at DNA damage. The C-terminal third of pol¿ is not required for polymerase activity. However, the C-terminal 70 aa are needed for nuclear localization and a further 50 aa for relocalization into foci. Pol¿ truncations lacking these domains fail to correct the defects in XP-variant cells. Furthermore, we have identified mutations in two XP variant patients that leave the polymerase motifs intact but cause loss of the localization domains

Cloning, comparative mapping, and RNA expression of the mouse homologues of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae nucleotide excision repair gene RAD23.

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae RAD23 gene is involved in nucleotide excision repair (NER). Two human homologs of RAD23, HHR23A and HHR23B (HGMW-approved symbols RAD23A and RAD23B), were previously isolated. The HHR23B protein is complexed with the protein defective in the cancer-prone repair syndrome xeroderma pigmentosum, complementation group C, and is specifically involved in the global genome NER subpathway. The cloning of both mouse homologs (designated MHR23A and MHR23B) and detailed sequence comparison permitted the deduction of the following overall structure for all RAD23 homologs: an ubiquitin-like N-terminus followed by a strongly conserved 50-amino-acid domain that is repeated at the C-terminus. We also found this domain as a specific C-terminal extension of one of the ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes, providing a second link with the ubiquitin pathway. By means of in situ hybridization, MHR23A was assigned to mouse chromosome 8C3 and MHR23B to 4B3. Because of the close chromosomal proximity of human XPC and HHR23B, the mouse XPC chromosomal location was determined (6D). Physical disconnection of the genes in mouse argues against a functional significance of the colocalization of these genes in human. Northern blot analysis revealed constitutive expression of both MHR23 genes in all tissues examined. Elevated RNA expression of both MHR23 genes was observed in testis. Although the RAD23 equivalents are well conserved during evolution, the mammalian genes did not express the UV-inducible phenotype of their yeast counterpart. This may point to a fundamental difference between the UV responses of yeast and human. No stage-specific mRNA expression during the cell cycle was observed for the mammalian RAD23 homologs

Chromosomal localization of three repair genes: the xeroderma pigmentosum group C gene and two human homologs of yeast RAD23.

The nucleotide excision repair (NER) disorder xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is characterized by sun (UV) sensitivity, predisposition to skin cancer, and extensive genetic heterogeneity. Recently, we reported the cloning and analysis of three human NER genes, XPC, HHR23A, and HHR23B. The previously cloned XPC gene is involved in the common XP complementation group C, which is defective in excision repair of non-transcribed sequences in the genome. The XPC protein was found to be complexed with the product of HHR23B, one of the two human homologs of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae NER gene RAD23. Here we present the chromosomal localization by in situ hybridization using haptenized probes of all three genes. The HHR23A gene was assigned to chromosome 19p13.2. Interestingly, the HHR23B and XPC genes, the product of which forms a tight complex, were found to colocalize on band 3p25.1. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed that the HHR23B and XPC genes possibly share a MluI restriction fragment of about 625 kb. Potential involvement of the HHR23 genes in human genetic disorders is discussed

Two human homologs of Rad23 are functionally interchangeable in complex formation and stimulation of XPC repair activity.

XPC-hHR23B protein complex is specifically involved in nucleotide excision repair (NER) of DNA lesions on transcriptionally inactive sequences as well as the nontranscribed strand of active genes. Here we demonstrate that not only highly purified recombinant hHR23B (rhHR23B) but also a second human homolog of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rad23 repair protein, hHR23A, stimulates the in vitro repair activity of recombinant human XPC (rhXPC), revealing functional redundancy between these human Rad23 homologs. Coprecipitation experiments with His-tagged rhHR23 as well as sedimentation velocity analysis showed that both rhHR23 proteins in vitro reconstitute a physical complex with rhXPC. Both complexes were more active than free rhXPC, indicating that complex assembly is required for the stimulation. rhHR23B was shown to stimulate an early stage of NER at or prior to incision. Furthermore, both rhHR23 proteins function in a defined NER system reconstituted with purified proteins, indicating direct involvement of hHR23 proteins in the DNA repair reaction via interaction with XPC

Developmental Defects and Male Sterility in Mice Lacking the Ubiquitin-Like DNA Repair Gene mHR23B

mHR23B encodes one of the two mammalian homologs of Saccharomyces cerevisiae RAD23, a ubiquitin-like fusion protein involved in nucleotide excision repair (NER). Part of mHR23B is complexed with the XPC protein, and this heterodimer functions as the main damage detector and initiator of global genome NER. While XPC defects exist in humans and mice, mutations for mHR23A and mHR23B are not known. Here, we present a mouse model for mHR23B. Unlike XPC-deficient cells, mHR23B(−/−) mouse embryonic fibroblasts are not UV sensitive and retain the repair characteristics of wild-type cells. In agreement with the results of in vitro repair studies, this indicates that mHR23A can functionally replace mHR23B in NER. Unexpectedly, mHR23B(−/−) mice show impaired embryonic development and a high rate (90%) of intrauterine or neonatal death. Surviving animals display a variety of abnormalities, including retarded growth, facial dysmorphology, and male sterility. Such abnormalities are not observed in XPC and other NER-deficient mouse mutants and point to a separate function of mHR23B in development. This function may involve regulation of protein stability via the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway and is not or only in part compensated for by mHR23A