Chromosomal integrity after UV irradiation requires FANCD2-mediated repair of double strand breaks

Fanconi Anemia (FA) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by hypersensitivity to inter-strand crosslinks (ICLs). FANCD2, a central factor of the FA pathway, is essential for the repair of double strand breaks (DSBs) generated during fork collapse at ICLs. While lesions different from ICLs can also trigger fork collapse, the contribution of FANCD2 to the resolution of replication-coupled DSBs generated independently from ICLs is unknown. Intriguingly, FANCD2 is readily activated after UV irradiation, a DNA-damaging agent that generates predominantly intra-strand crosslinks but not ICLs. Hence, UV irradiation is an ideal tool to explore the contribution of FANCD2 to the DNA damage response triggered by DNA lesions other than ICL repair. Here we show that, in contrast to ICL-causing agents, UV radiation compromises cell survival independently from FANCD2. In agreement, FANCD2 depletion does not increase the amount of DSBs generated during the replication of UV-damaged DNA and is dispensable for UV-induced checkpoint activation. Remarkably however, FANCD2 protects UV-dependent, replication-coupled DSBs from aberrant processing by non-homologous end joining, preventing the accumulation of micronuclei and chromatid aberrations including non-homologous chromatid exchanges. Hence, while dispensable for cell survival, FANCD2 selectively safeguards chromosomal stability after UV-triggered replication stress.Fil: Federico, Maria Belén. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Vallerga, María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Radl, Daniela Betiana. Autoridad Regulatoria Nuclear; ArgentinaFil: Paviolo, Natalia Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Bocco, Jose Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología; ArgentinaFil: Di Giorgio, Marina. Autoridad Regulatoria Nuclear; ArgentinaFil: Soria, Gastón. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología; ArgentinaFil: Gottifredi, Vanesa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; Argentin

UV-triggered p21 degradation facilitates damaged-DNA replication and preserves genomic stability

Although many genotoxic treatments upregulate the cyclin kinase inhibitor p21, agents such as UV irradiation trigger p21 degradation. This suggests that p21 blocks a process relevant for the cellular response to UV. Here, we show that forced p21 stabilization after UV strongly impairs damaged-DNA replication, which is associated with permanent deficiencies in the recruitment of DNA polymerases from the Y family involved in translesion DNA synthesis), with the accumulation of DNA damage markers and increased genomic instability. Remarkably, such noxious effects disappear when disrupting the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) interacting motif of stable p21, thus suggesting that the release of PCNA from p21 interaction is sufficient to allow the recruitment to PCNA of partners (such as Y polymerases) relevant for the UV response. Expression of degradable p21 only transiently delays early replication events and Y polymerase recruitment after UV irradiation. These temporary defects disappear in a manner that correlates with p21 degradation with no detectable consequences on later replication events or genomic stability. Together, our findings suggest that the biological role of UV-triggered p21 degradation is to prevent replication defects by facilitating the tolerance of UV-induced DNA lesions.Fil: Mansilla, Sabrina Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires(i); Argentina; Fundación Instituto Leloir; Argentina;Fil: Soria, Gastón. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Laboratorio de Ciclo Celular y Estabilidad Genómica; Argentina;Fil: Vallerga, María Belén. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires(i); Argentina; Fundación Instituto Leloir. Laboratorio de Ciclo Celular y Estabilidad Genómica; Argentina;Fil: Habif, Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires(i); Argentina; Fundación Instituto Leloir. Laboratorio de Ciclo Celular y Estabilidad Genómica; Argentina;Fil: Martínez López, Wilner. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Laboratorio de Ciclo Celular y Estabilidad Genómica; Argentina; Ministerio de Educación y Cultura. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable; Uruguay;Fil: Prives, Carol. Columbia University. Department of Biological Sciences; Estados Unidos de América;Fil: Gottifredi, Vanesa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires(i); Argentina

Identification of novel risk loci, causal insights, and heritable risk for Parkinson's disease: a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies

Background Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in Parkinson's disease have increased the scope of biological knowledge about the disease over the past decade. We aimed to use the largest aggregate of GWAS data to identify novel risk loci and gain further insight into the causes of Parkinson's disease. Methods We did a meta-analysis of 17 datasets from Parkinson's disease GWAS available from European ancestry samples to nominate novel loci for disease risk. These datasets incorporated all available data. We then used these data to estimate heritable risk and develop predictive models of this heritability. We also used large gene expression and methylation resources to examine possible functional consequences as well as tissue, cell type, and biological pathway enrichments for the identified risk factors. Additionally, we examined shared genetic risk between Parkinson's disease and other phenotypes of interest via genetic correlations followed by Mendelian randomisation. Findings Between Oct 1, 2017, and Aug 9, 2018, we analysed 7·8 million single nucleotide polymorphisms in 37 688 cases, 18 618 UK Biobank proxy-cases (ie, individuals who do not have Parkinson's disease but have a first degree relative that does), and 1·4 million controls. We identified 90 independent genome-wide significant risk signals across 78 genomic regions, including 38 novel independent risk signals in 37 loci. These 90 variants explained 16–36% of the heritable risk of Parkinson's disease depending on prevalence. Integrating methylation and expression data within a Mendelian randomisation framework identified putatively associated genes at 70 risk signals underlying GWAS loci for follow-up functional studies. Tissue-specific expression enrichment analyses suggested Parkinson's disease loci were heavily brain-enriched, with specific neuronal cell types being implicated from single cell data. We found significant genetic correlations with brain volumes (false discovery rate-adjusted p=0·0035 for intracranial volume, p=0·024 for putamen volume), smoking status (p=0·024), and educational attainment (p=0·038). Mendelian randomisation between cognitive performance and Parkinson's disease risk showed a robust association (p=8·00 × 10−7). Interpretation These data provide the most comprehensive survey of genetic risk within Parkinson's disease to date, to the best of our knowledge, by revealing many additional Parkinson's disease risk loci, providing a biological context for these risk factors, and showing that a considerable genetic component of this disease remains unidentified. These associations derived from European ancestry datasets will need to be followed-up with more diverse data. Funding The National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health (USA), The Michael J Fox Foundation, and The Parkinson's Foundation (see appendix for full list of funding sources)

Rad51 prevents Mre11-dependent degradation and excessive primpol-mediated elongation of nascent DNA after UV irradiation

After UV irradiation, DNA polymerases specialized in translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) aid DNA replication. However, it is unclear whether other mechanisms also facilitate the elongation of UV-damaged DNA. We wondered if Rad51 recombinase (Rad51), a factor that escorts replication forks, aids replication across UV lesions. We found that depletion of Rad51 impairs S-phase progression and increases cell death after UV irradiation. Interestingly, Rad51 and the TLS polymerase polη modulate the elongation of nascent DNA in different ways, suggesting that DNA elongation after UV irradiation does not exclusively rely on TLS events. In particular, Rad51 protects the DNA synthesized immediately before UV irradiation from degradation and avoids excessive elongation of nascent DNA after UV irradiation. In Rad51-depleted samples, the degradation of DNA was limited to the first minutes after UV irradiation and required the exonuclease activity of the double strand break repair nuclease (Mre11). The persistent dysregulation of nascent DNA elongation after Rad51 knockdown required Mre11, but not its exonuclease activity, and PrimPol, a DNA polymerase with primase activity. By showing a crucial contribution of Rad51 to the synthesis of nascent DNA, our results reveal an unanticipated complexity in the regulation of DNA elongation across UV-damaged templates.Fil: Vallerga, María Belén. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquimicas de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Fundación Instituto Leloir; ArgentinaFil: Mansilla, Sabrina Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquimicas de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Fundación Instituto Leloir; ArgentinaFil: Federico, Maria Belén. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquimicas de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Fundación Instituto Leloir; ArgentinaFil: Bertolin, Agustina Paola. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquimicas de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Fundación Instituto Leloir; ArgentinaFil: Gottifredi, Vanesa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquimicas de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Fundación Instituto Leloir; Argentin

FANCD2 facilitates the recruitment of Rad51 to UV-damaged DNA and the activation of sister chromatid exchanges.

<p>A) Schematics and representative image of the recruitment of Rad51 to UV-irradiated sub-nuclear regions (visualized with γH2AX staining). B) Rad51 recruitment to damaged nuclear regions in U2OS cells transfected with control and D2 siRNAs, and C) in PD20 and PD20+D2 samples after UV irradiation (5 J/m²). D) Representative panel and SCE quantification in U2OS cells transfected with control and D2 siRNA (1.5 J/m²). E) 53BP1 and γH2AX focal organization in control and UV-treated cells (5 J/m²) transfected with FANCD2 or control siRNA. F) Focal organization of 53BP1 after UV irradiation (5 J/m²- solid color columns) and MMC treatment (40 ng/ml- striped columns) in U2OS cells transfected with control and D2 siRNA. The percentages of cells with 53BP1 foci in both UV- and MMC-treated samples are expressed as folds compared to untreated cells. Fold increases with respect to controls are shown below in black (UV) and grey (MMC). Significant differences for UV-treatment are shown (for MMC, ***p<0.001 at 24hrs). Figures are representative of 3 independent experiments.</p

FANCD2 is activated but it is not required for cell survival after UV irradiation.

<p>A) Western blot (W.B.) of FANCD2 (D2) in U2OS and PD20 cells expressing D2 (PD20+D2). B) Flow cytometry analysis of U2OS cells transfected with control or D2 siRNA after UV irradiation (5 J/m²) and MMC (40 ng/ml). Samples were collected 72 hours after DNA damage induction C) Clonogenic assay in U2OS cells transfected with control and D2 siRNA and treated with the indicated doses of UV irradiation and MMC. D) Surviva (Cell titer Glo) assay in PD20 and PD20+D2 cells treated with the indicated doses of UV irradiation and MMC. In all cases, the survival rate was calculated with respect to untreated samples within the same curve. For each panel, three independent experiments were analyzed obtaining similar results. For all figures in this manuscript: significance of the differences are: *p<0.1; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001; when the p value is not shown the difference is not statistically significant. Error bars represent SEM (standard error of the mean).</p

Chromosome aberrations caused by UV irradiation of FANCD2-depleted cells are completely reverted by NHEJ inactivation.

<p>A) Pulse field gel electrophoresis showing the levels of DSB formation after 24 hours of UV irradiation in U2OS transfected with the indicated siRNA. Data quantification is shown underneath the PFGE image. B) MN accumulation in binucleated cells; C) gaps and breaks and D) complex chromatidic exchanges. Two independent experiments were analyzed obtaining similar results.</p

FANCD2 prevents gross chromosome rearrangements after UV irradiation.

<p>A) Representative binucleated cell with MN. B) MN accumulation in U2OS cells transfected with control and D2 siRNA after UV irradiation (5 J/m²). C) W.B. showing the levels of Ubi-D2 in PD20, PD20+D2 and GM00637 cells. D) MN accumulation in PD20, PD20+D2 and GM00637 cells after UV irradiation (5 J/m²). E) Gaps + breaks and F) complex chromatidic exchange accumulation in U2OS transfected with control and D2 siRNA after UV irradiation (1.5 J/m²). Three independent experiments were analyzed obtaining similar results.</p