Homeotic proteins participate in the function of human-DNA replication origins

Recent evidence points to homeotic proteins as actors in the crosstalk between development and DNA replication. The present work demonstrates that HOXC13, previously identified as a new member of human DNA replicative complexes, is a stable component of early replicating chromatin in living cells: it displays a slow nuclear dynamics due to its anchoring to the DNA minor groove via the arginine-5 residue of the homeodomain. HOXC13 binds in vivo to the lamin B2 origin in a cell-cycle-dependent manner consistent with origin function; the interaction maps with nucleotide precision within the replicative complex. HOXC13 displays in vitro affinity for other replicative complex proteins; it interacts also in vivo with the same proteins in a cell-cycle-dependent fashion. Chromatin-structure modifying treatments, disturbing origin function, reduce also HOXC13–origin interaction. The described interactions are not restricted to a single origin nor to a single homeotic protein (also HOXC10 binds the lamin B2 origin in vivo). Thus, HOX complexes probably contribute in a general, structure-dependent manner, to origin identification and assembly of replicative complexes thereon, in presence of specific chromatin configurations

Homeotic proteins participate in the function of human-DNA replication origins

Recent evidence points to homeotic proteins as actors in the crosstalk between development and DNA replication. The present work demonstrates that HOXC13, previously identified as a new member of human DNA replicative complexes, is a stable component of early replicating chromatin in living cells: it displays a slow nuclear dynamics due to its anchoring to the DNA minor groove via the arginine-5 residue of the homeodomain. HOXC13 binds in vivo to the lamin B2 origin in a cell-cycle-dependent manner consistent with origin function; the interaction maps with nucleotide precision within the replicative complex. HOXC13 displays in vitro affinity for other replicative complex proteins; it interacts also in vivo with the same proteins in a cell-cycle-dependent fashion. Chromatin-structure modifying treatments, disturbing origin function, reduce also HOXC13–origin interaction. The described interactions are not restricted to a single origin nor to a single homeotic protein (also HOXC10 binds the lamin B2 origin in vivo). Thus, HOX complexes probably contribute in a general, structure-dependent manner, to origin identification and assembly of replicative complexes thereon, in presence of specific chromatin configurations

Motor neuron degeneration, severe myopathy and TDP-43 increase in a transgenic pig model of SOD1-linked familiar ALS

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neural disorder gradually leading to paralysis of the whole body. Alterations in superoxide dismutase SOD1 gene have been linked with several variants of familial ALS. Here, we investigated a transgenic (Tg) cloned swine model expressing the human pathological hSOD1G93A allele. As in patients, these Tg pigs transmitted the disease to the progeny with an autosomal dominant trait and showed ALS onset from about 27 months of age. Post mortem analysis revealed motor neuron (MN) degeneration, gliosis and hSOD1 protein aggregates in brainstem and spinal cord. Severe skeletal muscle pathology including necrosis and inflammation was observed at the end stage, as well. Remarkably, as in human patients, these Tg pigs showed a quite long presymptomatic phase in which gradually increasing amounts of TDP-43 were detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Thus, this transgenic swine model opens the unique opportunity to investigate ALS biomarkers even before disease onset other than testing novel drugs and possible medical devices

DNA-protein interaction dynamics at the Lamin B2 replication origin

To date, a complete understanding of the molecular events leading to DNA replication origin activation in mammalian cells still remains elusive. In this work, we report the results of a high resolution chromatin immunoprecipitation study to detect proteins interacting with the human Lamin B2 replication origin. In addition to the pre-RC component ORC4 and to the transcription factors USF and HOXC13, we found that 2 components of the AP-1 transcription factor, c-Fos and c-Jun, are also associated with the origin DNA during the late G1 phase of the cell cycle and that these factors interact with ORC4. Both DNA replication and AP-1 factor binding to the origin region were perturbed by cell treatment with merbarone, a topoisomerase II inhibitor, suggesting that DNA topology is essential for determining origin function

Rac3-induced Neuritogenesis Requires Binding to Neurabin I

Rac3, a neuronal GTP-binding protein of the Rho family, induces neuritogenesis in primary neurons. Using yeast two-hybrid analysis, we show that Neurabin I, the neuronal F-actin binding protein, is a direct Rac3-interacting molecule. Biochemical and light microscopy studies indicate that Neurabin I copartitions and colocalizes with Rac3 at the growth cones of neurites, inducing Neurabin I association to the cytoskeleton. Moreover, Neurabin I antisense oligonucleotides abolish Rac3-induced neuritogenesis, which in turn is rescued by exogenous Neurabin I but not by Neurabin I mutant lacking the Rac3-binding domain. These results show that Neurabin I mediates Rac3-induced neuritogenesis, possibly by anchoring Rac3 to growth cone F-actin

Early mitotic degradation of the homeoprotein HOXC10 is potentially linked to cell cycle progression

Hox proteins are transcription factors involved in controlling axial patterning, leukaemias and hereditary malformations. Here, we show that HOXC10 oscillates in abundance during the cell cycle, being targeted for degradation early in mitosis by the ubiquitin-dependent proteasome pathway. Among abdominal-B subfamily members, the mitotic proteolysis of HOXC10 appears unique, since the levels of the paralogous HOXD10 and the related homeoprotein HOXC13 are constant throughout the cell cycle. When two destruction box motifs (D-box) are mutated, HOXC10 is stabilized and cells accumulate in metaphase. HOXC10 appears to be a new prometaphase target of the anaphase-promoting complex (APC), since its degradation coincides with cyclin A destruction and is suppressed by expression of a dominant-negative form of UbcH10, an APC-associated ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme. Moreover, HOXC10 co-immunoprecipitates the APC subunit CDC27, and its in vitro degradation is reduced in APC-depleted extracts or by competition with the APC substrate cyclin A. These data imply that HOXC10 is a homeoprotein with the potential to influence mitotic progression, and might provide a link between developmental regulation and cell cycle control

Modular Structure of the Human Lamin B2 Replicator

The cis-acting elements necessary for the activity of DNA replication origins in metazoan cells are still poorly understood. Here we report a thorough characterization of the DNA sequence requirements of the origin associated with the human lamin B2 gene. A 1.2-kb DNA segment, comprising the start site of DNA replication and located within a large protein-bound region, as well as a CpG island, displays origin activity when moved to different ectopic positions. Genomic footprinting analysis of both the endogenous and the ectopic origins indicates that the large protein complex is assembled in both cases around the replication start site. Replacement of this footprinted region with an unrelated sequence, maintaining the CpG island intact, abolishes origin activity and the interaction with hORC2, a subunit of the origin recognition complex. Conversely, the replacement of 17 bp within the protected region reduces the extension of the protection without affecting the interaction with hORC2. This substitution does not abolish the origin activity but makes it more sensitive to the integration site. Finally, the nearby CpG island positively affects the efficiency of initiation. This analysis reveals the modular structure of the lamin B2 origin and supports the idea that sequence elements close to the replication start site play an important role in origin activation