DNA 去甲基化机制的研究进展*

DNA甲基化作为动植物体内一种重要的表观遗传修饰形式,在调控基因表达、维持基因组的稳定性等方面发挥重要的生物学作用。固有DNA甲基化水平和模式的变化会导致生物的表型异常甚至死亡。而5-甲基胞嘧啶的水平和模式是由DNA甲基化和去甲基化共同决定的。DNA去甲基化可以分为主动去甲基化与被动去甲基化,而基因组甲基化模式的形成主要依赖于主动去甲基化。本文综述了生物体内DNA主动去甲基化五种潜在机制:DNA转葡糖基酶参与的碱基切除修复途径、脱氨酶参与的碱基切除修复途径、核苷酸切除修复途径、氧化作用去甲基化与水解作用去甲基化。     

分枝杆菌非典型错配修复及其在抗生素耐药中的研究进展

错配修复(mismatch repair, MMR)是生物体DNA复制后的一种常见修复系统，对于维持基因组稳定性至关重要，其关键步骤由MutS和MutL蛋白家族的成员执行，尽管这种修复途径十分重要，但在许多古菌和放线菌基因组中并不存在MutS或MutL的同源蛋白。这类细菌(例如分枝杆菌等)采用另一种非典型的MMR途径，由核酸内切酶EndoMS/NucS发挥关键作用，与典型MMR蛋白(MutS/MutL)相比没有结构同源性。EndoMS/NucS介导的非典型错配修复在分枝杆菌DNA修复、突变和同源重组以及抗生素耐药等方面发挥重要作用。本文通过对比典型MMR途径和非典型MMR途径，深入阐述了分枝杆菌EndoMS/NucS介导的非典型MMR途径及其最新进展，以期为分枝杆菌错配修复分子机制带来新见解以及对分枝杆菌抗生素治疗提供研究线索。     

结核分枝杆菌基因组学与基因组进化

在后基因组时代,特别是在新的测序理论和设备大发展的背景下,一些重大传染性致病微生物基因组序列正在被逐一测定,并且随后的基因功能注释,蛋白质三维结构重建等工作也正在开展,以期对致病微生物的生物学特性、诊断策略和治疗方法等有突破性的认识.作为对人类健康一直存在严重威胁的结核分枝杆菌,其基因组在进化中所发生的各种遗传事件对其生物学性质、致病能力和抗药性等各方面有重要作用.本文旨在阐述结核分枝杆菌的起源及其基因组特征,论述其基因组进化的研究进展.     

DNA错配修复与癌症的发生及治疗

DNA错配修复是细胞复制后的一种修复机制,具有维持DNA复制保真度,控制基因变异的作用。DNA错配修复缺陷使整个基因组不稳定,最终会导致肿瘤和癌症的发生。DNA错配修复系统不仅通过矫正在DNA重组和复制过程中产生的碱基错配而保持基因组的稳定,而且通过诱导DNA损伤细胞的凋亡而消除由突变细胞生长形成的癌变。错配修复缺陷细胞的抗药性也引起了癌症化疗研究方面的关注。大多数情况下,错配修复健全型细胞对肿瘤化疗药物敏感,而错配修复缺陷细胞却有较高的抗性。DNA错配修复系统通过修复和诱导细胞凋亡维护基因组稳定的功能,显示了错配修复途径在癌症生物学和分子医学中的重要性。     

DNA修复——基因组稳定性护卫机制的原创与发现之旅

基因组DNA是遗传的物质基础,编码的信息指导生物种系的复制延续、生命体的生长发育和代谢活动。无论是在外环境因素的应激压力下还是处于正常状态,DNA损伤时刻在发生,由此,DNA损伤修复作为重要的细胞内在机制,在维护基因组稳定性、降低癌症等人类系列重大疾病风险中发挥了不可替代作用。三位科学家汤姆·林达尔(Tomas Lindahl)、阿齐兹·桑贾尔（Aziz Sancar）、保罗·莫德里奇（Paul Modrich）因发现和揭示DNA修复及其机制的杰出贡献,获得2015年诺贝尔化学奖。本文综述了三位获奖者分别在DNA损伤的碱基切除修复、核苷酸切除修复和错配修复研究中的原创发现,以及相应的修复通路机制的描绘。此3种修复通路,主要是针对紫外线和化学物所致DNA的碱基损伤、嘧啶二聚体及加合物或者DNA复制过程中发生的碱基错误配对的修复。恰巧,2015年拉斯克基础医学研究奖授予的两位科学家,也因他们揭示了DNA损伤应答现象和机制研究的重大贡献而获奖,本文也呈现了获奖者的关键性科学发现。最后,简要展望了中国DNA损伤修复领域的发展。     

两株超级广泛耐药结核分枝杆菌全基因组比较分析

【目的】结合现有数据,通过对两株临床超级广泛耐药的结核分枝杆菌全基因组的测序和分析,发现其型别相关的突变位点,解释发生广泛耐药的基因组突变机制。【方法】利用Solexa第二代测序技术对两株广泛耐药结核分枝杆菌(FJ05194和GuangZ0019)进行全基因组测序分析。以H37Rv为参考序列得到两株广泛耐药菌株的单核苷酸多态性(SNPs),构建系统发育树鉴定菌株型别,判断突变位点中型别相关和非型别相关的SNPs。定位SNPs所在的基因组区域,对型别相关的突变基因进行KEGG通路的富集分析,对非型别相关的突变基因和间隔区判断是否与耐药相关。【结果】两株广泛耐药菌株分别属于Lineage2和Lineage4型别,两菌株在碱基替换方面存在差异性,Lineage2型别相关的基因功能富集于ABC转运蛋白和核苷酸切除修复的通路。耐药方面,发现了已知的耐药相关基因的突变(rpoB、katG、rpsl、gyrA、gyrB、embB和ethA等),但卷曲霉素和卡那霉素相关的rrs、tlyA和eis启动子区域未发生突变,不足以解释其耐药性的产生。与最新报道的候选耐药基因比较,发现了卷曲霉素和卡那霉素相关的突变(Rv1393c、Rv0265c和narX等)和外排泵相关的pstB、Rv2333c和Rv2687c突变。【结论】结核分枝杆菌Lineage2型别相关的SNPs中含有影响结核分枝杆菌突变率和耐药性的突变。对于两株超级广泛耐药的结核菌,已知的激活药物或药靶相关的单耐药基因突变集合不能完全解释其广泛耐药性,还涉及新候选结核耐药基因、外排泵和补偿等其他潜在机制的相关基因突变。     

植物中DNA甲基化及去甲基化研究进展

DNA甲基化及去甲基化是生物体调控基因表达的重要机制。在植物中,DNA甲基化的建立主要通过依赖于小RNA的甲基化途径来实现,最近的研究发现了DNA甲基化最初起始的新机制。DNA主动去甲基化由ROS1/DME家族介导并通过碱基切除修复的通路来实现。最新的研究发现了ROS1下游参与碱基切除修复的多个关键因子。更重要的是,越来越多的参与调控DNA主动去甲基化的特异性的因子及其作用机制被发现。现介绍植物体中DNA甲基化建立和维持的机制,并着重讨论植物体中DNA主动去甲基化方向的最新进展。     

极端嗜热古菌8oxoG DNA糖苷酶的研究进展

7,8二氢-8-氧鸟嘌呤(7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine,8oxoG)是一种常见的DNA损伤碱基。由于8oxoG能够与腺嘌呤配对,在DNA中的8oxoG被修复之前进行复制,DNA将会产生GC→TA的突变,从而造成基因组的不稳定。目前,碱基切除修复(Base excision repair,BER)是修复DNA中8oxoG的经典途径,其中8oxoGDNA糖苷酶(8-oxoguanineDNAglycosylases,OGG)是启动BER途径的关键酶。研究发现,OGG能够识别和切除DNA中的8oxoG,从而阻止细胞内GC→TA突变的积累。目前,OGG分为3个家族:OGG1、OGG2和AGOG (archaeal 8oxoG DNA glycosylase),广泛分布于细菌、古菌和真核生物。古菌基因组的序列表明,它们至少编码一种OGG。目前,对源自细菌和真核生物的OGG已进行了大量的研究,但是关于极端嗜热古菌OGG的研究相对较少,尚处于初期阶段。本文综述了极端嗜热古菌OGG的研究进展,并对今后的研究提出了展望。     

DNA主动去甲基化的Science之路

DNA甲基化是一种非常重要的表观遗传调控方式,在基因印迹、X染色体失活、转座子与外源DNA的沉默及组织特异性基因的中发挥着重要的作用。在哺乳动物的配子发生过程及从受精到着床的早期胚胎发育阶段,基因组DNA发生大规模的主动去甲基化。但去甲基化的分子机制一直是表观遗传领域的谜题。2009年,Anjana Rao及其同事发现一种DNA双氧化酶TET蛋白能够将5-甲基胞嘧啶氧化成5-羟甲基胞嘧啶,这为DNA去甲基化的机制研究开拓了新的思路。在此基础上,徐国良实验室展开了深入研究,发现TET蛋白能够进一步将5-羟甲基胞嘧啶氧化成5-羧基胞嘧啶,并发现糖苷酶TDG能够特异性地识别并切除DNA中的5-羧基胞嘧啶,进而启动碱基切除修复途径完成DNA去甲基化,从而提出了氧化作用与碱基切除修复途径协同介导的DNA主动去甲基化机制。     

细胞dNTP库的稳态维持与基因组稳定性

作为DNA合成的重要前体,细胞中4种脱氧核糖核苷三磷酸(dATP、dTTP、dGTP和dCTP)是DNA复制、重组和修复所必需的原材料,而DNA的正确合成及其完整性则是基因组稳定性的重要体现,因此dNTP库状态的稳定对维持基因组的稳定进而保证细胞的稳定至关重要.从dNTP库的质量上讲,一些异质dNTP如氧化的dNTP掺...     

POLB: A new role of DNA polymerase beta in mitochondrial base excision repair

The mitochondrial genome is a matrilineally inherited DNA that encodes numerous essential subunits of the respiratory chain in all metazoans. As such mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence integrity is vital to organismal survival, but it has a limited cadre of DNA repair activities, primarily base excision repair (BER). We have known that the mtDNA is significantly oxidized by both endogenous and exogenous sources, but this does not lead to the expected preferential formation of transversion mutations, which suggest a robust base excision repair (BER) system. This year, two different groups reported compelling evidence that what was believed to be exclusively nuclear DNA repair polymerase, POLB, is located in the mitochondria and plays a significant role in mitochondrial BER, mtDNA integrity and mitochondrial function. In this commentary, we review the findings and highlight remaining questions for the field.     

DNA repair in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. What have we learnt from the genome sequence?

The genome sequence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was analysed by searching for homologues of genes known to be involved in the reversal or repair of DNA damage in Escherichia coli and related organisms. Genes necessary to perform nucleotide excision repair (NER), base excision repair (BER), recombination, and SOS repair and mutagenesis were identified. In particular, all of the genes known to be directly involved in the repair of oxidative and alkylative damage are present in M. tuberculosis . In contrast, we failed to identify homologues of genes involved in mismatch repair. This finding has potentially significant implications with respect to genome stability, strain variability at repeat loci and the emergence of chromosomally encoded drug resistance mutations.     

DNA repair in Mycobacterium tuberculosis revisited

Our understanding of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA repair mechanisms is still poor compared with that of other bacterial organisms. However, the publication of the first complete M. tuberculosis genome sequence 10 years ago boosted the study of DNA repair systems in this organism. A first step in the elucidation of M. tuberculosis DNA repair mechanisms was taken by Mizrahi and Andersen, who identified homologs of genes involved in the reversal or repair of DNA damage in Escherichia coli and related organisms. Genes required for nucleotide excision repair, base excision repair, recombination, and SOS repair and mutagenesis were identified. Notably, no homologs of genes involved in mismatch repair were identified. Novel characteristics of the M. tuberculosis DNA repair machinery have been found over the last decade, such as nonhomologous end joining, the presence of Mpg, ERCC3 and Hlr – proteins previously presumed to be produced exclusively in mammalian cells – and the recently discovered bifunctional dCTP deaminase:dUTPase. The study of these systems is important to develop therapeutic agents that can counteract M. tuberculosis evolutionary changes and to prevent adaptive events resulting in antibiotic resistance. This review summarizes our current understanding of the M. tuberculosis DNA repair system.     

DNA excision repair at telomeres

DNA damage is caused by either endogenous cellular metabolic processes such as hydrolysis, oxidation, alkylation, and DNA base mismatches, or exogenous sources including ultraviolet (UV) light, ionizing radiation, and chemical agents. Damaged DNA that is not properly repaired can lead to genomic instability, driving tumorigenesis. To protect genomic stability, mammalian cells have evolved highly conserved DNA repair mechanisms to remove and repair DNA lesions. Telomeres are composed of long tandem TTAGGG repeats located at the ends of chromosomes. Maintenance of functional telomeres is critical for preventing genome instability. The telomeric sequence possesses unique features that predispose telomeres to a variety of DNA damage induced by environmental genotoxins. This review briefly describes the relevance of excision repair pathways in telomere maintenance, with the focus on base excision repair (BER), nucleotide excision repair (NER), and mismatch repair (MMR). By summarizing current knowledge on excision repair of telomere damage and outlining many unanswered questions, it is our hope to stimulate further interest in a better understanding of excision repair processes at telomeres and in how these processes contribute to telomere maintenance.     

XPC: Going where no DNA damage sensor has gone before

XPC has long been considered instrumental in DNA damage recognition during global genome nucleotide excision repair (GG-NER). While this recognition is crucial for organismal health and survival, as XPC’s recognition of lesions stimulates global genomic repair, more recent lines of research have uncovered many new non-canonical pathways in which XPC plays a role, such as base excision repair (BER), chromatin remodeling, cell signaling, proteolytic degradation, and cellular viability. Since the first discovery of its yeast homolog, Rad4, the involvement of XPC in cellular regulation has expanded considerably. Indeed, our understanding appears to barely scratch the surface of the incredible potential influence of XPC on maintaining proper cellular function. Here, we first review the canonical role of XPC in lesion recognition and then explore the new world of XPC function.     

The C-terminal Domain (CTD) of Human DNA Glycosylase NEIL1 Is Required for Forming BERosome Repair Complex with DNA Replication Proteins at the Replicating Genome: DOMINANT NEGATIVE FUNCTION OF THE CTD*

The human DNA glycosylase NEIL1 was recently demonstrated to initiate prereplicative base excision repair (BER) of oxidized bases in the replicating genome, thus preventing mutagenic replication. A significant fraction of NEIL1 in cells is present in large cellular complexes containing DNA replication and other repair proteins, as shown by gel filtration. However, how the interaction of NEIL1 affects its recruitment to the replication site for prereplicative repair was not investigated. Here, we show that NEIL1 binarily interacts with the proliferating cell nuclear antigen clamp loader replication factor C, DNA polymerase δ, and DNA ligase I in the absence of DNA via its non-conserved C-terminal domain (CTD); replication factor C interaction results in ∼8-fold stimulation of NEIL1 activity. Disruption of NEIL1 interactions within the BERosome complex, as observed for a NEIL1 deletion mutant (N311) lacking the CTD, not only inhibits complete BER in vitro but also prevents its chromatin association and reduced recruitment at replication foci in S phase cells. This suggests that the interaction of NEIL1 with replication and other BER proteins is required for efficient repair of the replicating genome. Consistently, the CTD polypeptide acts as a dominant negative inhibitor during in vitro repair, and its ectopic expression sensitizes human cells to reactive oxygen species. We conclude that multiple interactions among BER proteins lead to large complexes, which are critical for efficient BER in mammalian cells, and the CTD interaction could be targeted for enhancing drug/radiation sensitivity of tumor cells.     

Base excision repair but not DNA double‐strand break repair is impaired in aged human adipose‐derived stem cells

The decline in DNA repair capacity contributes to the age‐associated decrease in genome integrity in somatic cells of different species. However, due to the lack of clinical samples and appropriate tools for studying DNA repair, whether and how age‐associated changes in DNA repair result in a loss of genome integrity of human adult stem cells remains incompletely characterized. Here, we isolated 20 eyelid adipose‐derived stem cell (ADSC) lines from healthy individuals (young: 10 donors with ages ranging 17–25 years; old: 10 donors with ages ranging 50–59 years). Using these cell lines, we systematically compared the efficiency of base excision repair (BER) and two DNA double‐strand break (DSB) repair pathways—nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR)—between the young and old groups. Surprisingly, we found that the efficiency of BER but not NHEJ or HR is impaired in aged human ADSCs, which is in contrast to previous findings that DSB repair declines with age in human fibroblasts. We also demonstrated that BER efficiency is negatively associated with tail moment, which reflects a loss of genome integrity in human ADSCs. Mechanistic studies indicated that at the protein level XRCC1, but not other BER factors, exhibited age‐associated decline. Overexpression of XRCC1 reversed the decline of BER efficiency and genome integrity, indicating that XRCC1 is a potential therapeutic target for stabilizing genomes in aged ADSCs.     

DNA base repair – recognition and initiation of catalysis

Endogenous DNA damage induced by hydrolysis, reactive oxygen species and alkylation modifies DNA bases and the structure of the DNA duplex. Numerous mechanisms have evolved to protect cells from these deleterious effects. Base excision repair is the major pathway for removing base lesions. However, several mechanisms of direct base damage reversal, involving enzymes such as transferases, photolyases and oxidative demethylases, are specialized to remove certain types of photoproducts and alkylated bases. Mismatch excision repair corrects for misincorporation of bases by replicative DNA polymerases. The determination of the 3D structure and visualization of DNA repair proteins and their interactions with damaged DNA have considerably aided our understanding of the molecular basis for DNA base lesion repair and genome stability. Here, we review the structural biochemistry of base lesion recognition and initiation of one-step direct reversal (DR) of damage as well as the multistep pathways of base excision repair (BER), nucleotide incision repair (NIR) and mismatch repair (MMR).     

Mutagenicity and DNA repair of glycidamide-induced adducts in mammalian cells

Glycidamide (GA)-induced mutagenesis in mammalian cells is not very well understood. Here, we investigated mutagenicity and DNA repair of GA-induced adducts utilizing Chinese hamster cell lines deficient in base excision repair (BER), nucleotide excision repair (NER) or homologous recombination (HR) in comparison to parent wild-type cells. We used the DRAG assay in order to map pathways involved in the repair of GA-induced DNA lesions. This assay utilizes the principle that a DNA repair deficient cell line is expected to be affected in growth and/or survival more than a repair proficient cell.A significant induction of mutations by GA was detected in the hprt locus of wild-type cells but not in BER deficient cells. Cells deficient in HR or BER were three or five times, respectively, more sensitive to GA in terms of growth inhibition than were wild-type cells. The results obtained on the rate of incisions in BER and NER suggest that lesions induced by GA are repaired by short patch BER rather than long patch BER or NER. Furthermore, a large proportion of the GA-induced lesions gave rise to strand breaks that are repaired by a mechanism not involving PARP. It is suggested that these strand breaks, which might be the results from alkylation of the backbone phosphate, are misrepaired by HR during replication thereby leading to a clastogenic rather than a mutagenic pathway. The type of lesion responsible for the mutagenic effect of GA cannot be concluded from the results presented in this study.