True Lies: The Double Life of the Nucleotide Excision Repair Factors in Transcription and DNA Repair

Nucleotide excision repair (NER) is a major DNA repair pathway in eukaryotic cells. NER removes structurally diverse lesions such as pyrimidine dimers, arising upon UV irradiation or bulky chemical adducts, arising upon exposure to carcinogens and some chemotherapeutic drugs. NER defects lead to three genetic disorders that result in predisposition to cancers, accelerated aging, neurological and developmental defects. During NER, more than 30 polypeptides cooperate to recognize, incise, and excise a damaged oligonucleotide from the genomic DNA. Recent papers reveal an additional and unexpected role for the NER factors. In the absence of a genotoxic attack, the promoters of RNA polymerases I- and II-dependent genes recruit XPA, XPC, XPG, and XPF to initiate gene expression. A model that includes the growth arrest and DNA damage 45α protein (Gadd45α) and the NER factors, in order to maintain the promoter of active genes under a hypomethylated state, has been proposed but remains controversial. This paper focuses on the double life of the NER factors in DNA repair and transcription and describes the possible roles of these factors in the RNA synthesis process

Affinity purification of human DNA repair/transcription factor TFIIH using epitope-tagged xeroderma pigmentosum B protein

TFIIH is a high molecular weight complex with a remarkable dual function in nucleotide excision repair and initiation of RNA polymerase II transcription. Mutations in the largest subunits, the XPB and XPD helicases, are associated with three inherited disorders: xeroderma pigmentosum, Cockayne's syndrome, and trichothiodystrophy. To facilitate the purification and biochemical characterization of this intricate complex, we generated a cell line stably expressing tagged XPB, allowing the

Regulatory interplay of Cockayne syndrome B ATPase and stress-response gene ATF3 following genotoxic stress

Cockayne syndrome type B ATPase (CSB) belongs to the SwItch/Sucrose nonfermentable family. Its mutations are linked to Cockayne syndrome phenotypes and classically are thought to be caused by defects in transcription-coupled repair, a subtype of DNA repair. Here we show that after UV-C irradiation, immediate early genes such as activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) are overexpressed. Although the ATF3 target genes, including dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), were unable to recover RNA synthesis in CSB-deficient cells, transcription was restored rapidly in normal cells. There the synthesis of DHFR mRNA restarts on the arrival of RNA polymerase II and CSB and the subsequent release of ATF3 from its cAMP response element/ATF target site. In CSB-deficient cells ATF3 remains bound to the promoter, thereby preventing the arrival of polymerase II and the restart of transcription. Silencing of ATF3, as well as stable introduction of wild-type CSB, restores RNA synthesis in UV-irradiated CSB cells, suggesting that, in addition to its role in DNA repair, CSB activity likely is involved in the reversal of inhibitory properties on a gene-promoter region. We present strong experimental data supporting our view that the transcriptional defects observed in UV-irradiated CSB cells are largely the result of a permanent transcriptional repression of a certain set of genes in addition to some defect in DNA repair

Mutations in XPB and XPD helicases found in xeroderma pigmentosum patients impair the transcription function of TFIIH

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New players at the interface between transcription and DNA repair

Les résultats du criblage siRNA destiné à identifier de nouveaux acteurs de la NER, sont en court d exploitation mais nous mettons déjà en évidence le rôle de certains gènes impliqués dans la biochimie des ARNm comme ceux empêchant la formation des hybrides ARN/ADN dans l efficacité de réparation des lésions UV. En étudiant le rôle de la methyltransférase DOT1L, nous avons montré que son absence dans des fibroblastes embryonnaires de souris (MEFDOT1L) conduit à une sensibilité de ces cellules aux irradiations UV alors que la réparation des lésions produites par cette irradiation est intacte. L absence de DOT1L conduit en réalité à une inhibition de l initiation de la transcription des gènes après irradiation. Au niveau mécanistique, des expériences de STRIP-FRAP ont établit que DOT1L assurait l association de l'ARN polymérase II à la chromatine après irradiation UV. Dans une analyse plus détaillée, nous avons montré que DOT1L favorisait la formation du complexe de pré-initiation au niveau du promoteur des gènes de ménage ainsi que l'apparition de marques d euchromatine transcriptionnellement actives. Bien que l'expression des gène de ménage soit inhibée, une analyse transcriptomique montre que les gènes pro-apoptotiques sont fortement transactivés chez les MEFDOT1L après irradiation. Le traitement à la trichostatine A, qui relaxe la chromatine, diminue la transactivation des gènes apoptotiques et restore l initiation de la transcription et la survie aux UV. Sur la base de ces données, nous proposons que DOT1L garde structure de la chromatine ouverte après UV.As a result of siRNA screening we identified new players at the interface between NER machinery and chromatin. Despite it is ongoing study we already highlighted that certain genes which are involved in the biochemistry of mRNA such as splicing and preventing the formation of RNA:DNA hybrids are important for efficient repair of UV damage. Studying the role of histone H3 lysine 79 methyltransferase DOT1L, we have shown that its absence in mouse embryonic fibroblasts leads to high sensitivity of these cells to UV irradiation while the repair of lesions produced by UV irradiation remains intact. The absence of DOT1L leads to an inhibition of the initiation of gene transcription after UV irradiation. At the mechanistic level, STRIP-FRAP experiments have established that DOT1L assured the association of RNA polymerase II to the chromatin after UV irradiation. In a more detailed analysis, we show that DOT1L favors the formation of pre-initiation complex at the promoter of housekeeping genes as well as the appearance of marks of the transcriptionally active euchromatin. Although the expression of the housekeeping gene is inhibited, a transcriptomic analysis shows that the proapoptotic genes are highly transactivated in DOT1L depleted cells after UV irradiation. Treatment with trichostatin A, which relaxes the chromatin, lowers the transactivation of proapoptotic genes and restores the transcription initiation as well as cell survival after UV. On the basis of these data, we propose that DOT1L keeps the opened chromatin structure after UV irradiation.STRASBOURG-Bib.electronique 063 (674829902) / SudocSudocFranceF

Is TFIIH the new Achilles heel of cancer cells?

International audienceTFIIH is a 10-subunit complex involved in transcription and DNA repair. It contains several enzymatic activities including a ATP-dependent DNA translocase in XPB and a cyclin-dependent kinase in CDK7. Recently the discovery of several XPB and CDK7 inhibitors with specific impact on the transcriptional addiction of many tumors pinpointed these activities as potential target in cancer chemotherapy. Unexpectedly a basal transcription factor involved in global mRNA expression now emerges a one of the most clinically promising Achilles heels of cancerous cells. These inhibitors also proved to be useful tools to unveil new functions of TFIIH in gene expression

Unified promoter opening steps in eukaryotic gene expression

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