Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases PARP1 and PARP2 modulate topoisomerase II beta (TOP2B) function during chromatin condensation in mouse spermiogenesis

To achieve the specialized nuclear structure in sperm necessary for fertilization, dramatic chromatin reorganization steps in developing spermatids are required where histones are largely replaced first by transition proteins and then by protamines. This entails the transient formation of DNA strand breaks to allow for, first, DNA relaxation and then chromatin compaction. However, the nature and origin of these breaks are not well understood. We previously reported that these DNA strand breaks trigger the activation of poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) polymerases PARP1 and PARP2 and that interference with PARP activation causes poor chromatin integrity with abnormal retention of histones in mature sperm and impaired embryonic survival. Here we show that the activity of topoisomerase II beta (TOP2B), an enzyme involved in DNA strand break formation in elongating spermatids, is strongly inhibited by the activity of PARP1 and PARP2 in vitro, and this is in turn counteracted by the PAR-degrading activity of PAR glycohydrolase. Moreover, genetic and pharmacological PARP inhibition both lead to increased TOP2B activity in murine spermatids in vivo as measured by covalent binding of TOP2B to the DNA. In summary, the available data suggest a functional relationship between the DNA strand break-generating activity of TOP2B and the DNA strand break-dependent activation of PARP enzymes that in turn inhibit TOP2B. Because PARP activity also facilitates histone H1 linker removal and local chromatin decondensation, cycles of PAR formation and degradation may be necessary to coordinate TOP2B-dependent DNA relaxation with histone-to-protamine exchange necessary for spermatid chromatin remodeling.     

Poly(ADP-ribose) metabolism in ultraviolet irradiated human fibroblasts

Exposure of human fibroblasts to 5 J/m2 of UV light resulted in a rapid increase of up to 1500% in the intracellular content of poly(ADP-ribose) and a rapid depletion of its metabolic precursor, NAD. When added just prior to UV treatment, the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor, 3-aminobenzamide, totally blocked both the increase of poly(ADP-ribose) and decrease in NAD for up to 2.5 h. Addition of 3-aminobenzamide at the time of maximal accumulation of poly(ADP-ribose) resulted in a decrease to basal levels with a half-life of approximately 6 min. The rates of accumulation of poly(ADP-ribose) and depletion of NAD were increased in the presence of either 1-beta-arabinofuranosylcytosine or hydroxyurea. Since these agents are known to cause an additional accumulation of DNA strand breaks following UV irradiation, these data provide evidence for a mechanism in which the rate of poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis following DNA damage is regulated in intact cells by the number of DNA strand breaks. Under conditions in which the synthesis of poly(ADP-ribose) was blocked, DNA repair replication induced by UV light was neither stimulated nor inhibited.     

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase activity during the growth cycle of mouse fibroblasts (LS cells).

The specific activity of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase in isolated nuclei of mouse fibroblast cells (LS cells) was estimated throughout the growth cycle. The activity of this enzyme increased approx. 3-fold during the logarithmic phase of the cell population growth and was correlated with the increase in cell number. Upon dilution of the culture, the specific activity dropped, over 12–24 h, approx. 3-fold, to the new low level. This fluctuation in enzyme activity is unlike that of other metabolic enzymes in LS cells. It is not a result of changes in the medium. The specific enzyme activity during the growth cycle is not correlated with the DNA content of the cells. The physiological function of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase is discussed in relation to these results.     

多ADP-核糖聚合酶家族

分离鉴定多功能的核基质蛋白及核基质结合蛋白是目前核基质研究的一个重要领域。通过与转录因子、核基质结合元件以及DNA间相互作用,核基质结合蛋白在DNA复制、转录、加工修饰等细胞内事件中起着支持和调节的作用。多ADP-核糖聚合酶[poly(ADP—ribose)polymerase,PARP]是一种高度保守的核基质结合蛋白,在多种活动例如基因组损伤修复、细胞凋亡、信号转导、基因表达调控中都发挥着调节的功能。PARP的潜在生物学功能已越来越引起国内外研究人员的关注。     

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activity is inhibited by 2',5'-oligoadenylates in mouse L-cells

Down regulation of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (ADPRP) activity was observed in mouse LW-cells after treatment with 2'-5'oligoadenylates or with fibroblast interferon and poly(rI) poly(rC). The poly(rI) poly(rC)-induced inhibition of the enzymatic activity correlates with the observed increase of endogenous 2',5'-oligoadenylate cores which were reported to be potent inhibitors of ADPRP in vitro.     

Poly(etheno ADP-ribose) blocks poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase activity

Poly(ADP-ribose) is a biopolymer synthesized by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases. Recent findings suggest the possibility for modulation of cellular functions including cell death and mitosis by poly(ADP-ribose). Derivatization of poly(ADP-ribose) may be useful for investigating the effects of poly(ADP-ribose) on various cellular processes. We prepared poly(etheno ADP-ribose) (poly(epsilonADP-ribose)) by converting the adenine moiety of poly(ADP-ribose) to 1-N(6)-etheno adenine residues. Poly(epsilonADP-ribose) is shown to be highly resistant to digestion by poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (Parg). On the other hand, poly(epsilonADP-ribose) could be readily digested by phosphodiesterase. Furthermore, poly(epsilonADP-ribose) inhibited Parg activity to hydrolyse ribose-ribose bonds of poly(ADP-ribose). This study suggests the possibility that poly(epsilonADP-ribose) might be a useful tool for studying the poly(ADP-ribose) dynamics and function of Parg. This study also implies that modification of the adenine moiety of poly(ADP-ribose) abrogates the susceptibility to digestion by Parg.     

Poly(A) shortening accompanies the activation of translation of five mRNAs during spermiogenesis in the mouse

I have compared the quantity and the length of the poly(A) tracts of five haploid-expressed mRNAs in the polysomal and nonpolysomal fractions of round and elongating spermatids in mice: transition proteins 1 and 2, protamines 1 and 2, and an unidentified mRNA of about 1050 bases. Postmitochondrial supernatants of highly enriched populations of round and elongating spermatids (early and late haploid spermatogenic cells) were sedimented on sucrose gradients, and the size and amount of each mRNA in gradient fractions were analyzed in Northern blots. In round spermatids, all five mRNAs are restricted to the postpolysomal fractions, but in elongating spermatids about 30-40% of each mRNA is associated with the polysomes. The distribution of these mRNAs in sucrose gradients suggests that all five mRNAs are stored in a translationally repressed state in round and early elongating spermatids, and that they become translationally active in middle and late elongating spermatids. The translationally repressed forms of all five mRNAs are long and homogenous in size, whereas the polysomal forms are shorter and more heterogenous due to shortening of their poly(A) tracts. The relationship between translational activity and poly(A) size exemplified by these five mRNAs may be typical of mRNAs which are translationally repressed in round spermatids and translationally active in elongating spermatids.     

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation during chromatin remodeling steps in rat spermiogenesis

In spermiogenesis, spermatid differentiation is marked by dramatic changes in chromatin density and composition. The extreme condensation of the spermatid nucleus is characterized by an exchange of histones to transition proteins and then to protamines as the major nuclear proteins. Alterations in DNA topology that occur in this process have been shown to require the controlled formation of DNA strand breaks. Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation is a posttranslational modification of proteins mediated by a family of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) proteins, and two family members, PARP-1 and PARP-2, are activated by DNA strand breaks that are directly detected by the DNA-binding domains of these enzymes. Here, we show for the first time that poly(ADP-ribose) formation, mediated by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARP-1 and presumably PARP-2), occurs in spermatids of steps 11–14, steps that immediately precede the most pronounced phase of chromatin condensation in spermiogenesis. High levels of ADP-ribose polymer were observed in spermatid steps 12–13 in which the highest rates of chromatin nucleoprotein exchanges take place. We also detected -H2AX, indicating the presence of DNA double-strand breaks during the same steps. Thus, we hypothesize that transient ADP-ribose polymer formation may facilitate DNA strand break management during the chromatin remodeling steps of sperm cell maturation.M.L. Meyer-Ficca and H. Scherthan contributed equally to this work     

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase is affected early by thyroid state during liver regeneration in rats

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), a nuclear enzyme involved in DNA synthesis, DNA repair, and cell replication and transformation, also plays a role in the early steps of liver regeneration induced by partial hepatectomy (PH). PARP and DNA topoisomerase I (Topo I) activities and de novo DNA synthesis were studied during liver regeneration in rats with altered thyroid state. Hepatic PARP activity, evaluated as [(32)P]NAD incorporated into isolated liver nuclei, was inhibited in hyperthyroid rats and increased in hypothyroid animals. In both euthyroid and hyperthyroid rats PARP activity was rapidly stimulated, peaking 6 h after PH. In hypothyroid animals, an early decrease in activity was found, at a minimum of 6 h after PH, followed by an early onset of DNA synthesis. An inverse relationship between PARP and Topo I activities was a shared feature among euthyroid, hypothyroid, and hyperthyroid rats. Together these data show that, in replicating hepatocytes, thyroid hormones exert a regulatory role on PARP activity, which reflects the control of a number of nuclear proteins involved in DNA metabolism.     

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 cleavage during apoptosis: an update

Poly(ADP-ribosylation) is a post-translational modification of proteins playing a crucial role in many processes, including DNA repair and cell death. The best known poly(ADP-ribosylating) enzime, PARP-1, is a DNA nick sensor and uses NAD⁺ to form polymers of ADP-ribose which are further bound to nuclear protein acceptors. To strictly regulate poly(ADP-ribose) turnover, its degradation is assured by the enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG). During apoptosis, PARP-1 plays two opposite roles: its stimulation leads to poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis, whereas caspases cause PARP-1 cleavage and inactivation. PARP-1 proteolysis produces an 89 kDa C-terminal fragment, with a reduced catalytic activity, and a 24 kDa N-terminal peptide, which retains the DNA binding domains. The fate and the possible role of these fragments during apoptosis will be discussed.     

Poly (ADP-ribose) synthetase is phosphorylated by protein kinase C in vitro

Poly (ADP-ribose) synthetase from bovine thymus was phosphorylated effectively by protein kinase C in vitro. The phosphorylation was dependent on the activators of this kinase, Ca2+ and phospholipid. The apparent Km for the synthetase was about 8 microM, which was lower than that for histone H1. Though the synthetase was a weak substrate for Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, other protein kinases, cyclic AMP-dependent and cofactor-independent protein kinases did not phosphorylate the synthetase. Phosphorylation of the synthetase by protein kinase C resulted in appreciable inhibition of the synthetase activity.     

Drosophila E-cadherin is essential for proper germ cell-soma interaction during gonad morphogenesis

In most animal species, germ cells require intimate contact with specialized somatic cells in the gonad for their proper development. We have analyzed the establishment of germ cell-soma interaction during embryonic gonad formation in Drosophila melanogaster, and find that somatic cells undergo dramatic changes in cell shape and individually ensheath germ cells as the gonad coalesces. Germ cell ensheathment is independent of other aspects of gonad formation, indicating that separate morphogenic processes are at work during gonadogenesis. The cell-cell adhesion molecule Drosophila E-cadherin is essential both for germ cell ensheathment and gonad compaction, and is upregulated in the somatic gonad at the time of gonad formation. Our data indicate that differential cell adhesion contributes to cell sorting and the formation of proper gonad architecture. In addition, we find that Fear of Intimacy, a novel transmembrane protein, is also required for both germ cell ensheathment and gonad compaction. E-cadherin expression in the gonad is dramatically decreased in fear of intimacy mutants, indicating that Fear of Intimacy may be a regulator of E-cadherin expression or function.     

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activity in mouse cells which exhibit temperature-sensitive DNA synthesis

The poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activity of wild-type mouse L cells and of Balb/C-3T3 mouse fibroblasts remained relatively unchanged (at approx. 400 nmol substrate utilized/mg DNA per h) in actively-growing cells incubated at 34 degrees C or at 38.5 degrees C for at least 72 h. A similar result was obtained with the following temperature-sensitive cells grown at the permissive temperature (34 degrees C): ts A1S9 mouse L cells, ts C1 mouse L cells and Balb/C-3T3 ts mouse fibroblasts. The poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activity of the temperature-sensitive cells was little affected during incubation for 20-24 h at the non-permissive temperature of 38.5 degrees C under which conditions temperature-inactivation of DNA replication was complete. Thereafter, this enzyme activity was found to increase some 2-fold, at a time when normal semi-conservative DNA synthesis was totally suppressed and replaced by repair replication (Sheinin, R. and Guttman, S. (1977) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 479, 105-118; Sheinin, R., Dardick, I. and Doane, F.W. (1980) Exp. Cell. Res., in the press).     

Poly(ADP-ribose): PARadigms and PARadoxes

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (PARylation) is a posttranslational protein modification (PTM) catalyzed by members of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) enzyme family. PARPs use NAD⁺ as substrate and upon cleaving off nicotinamide they transfer the ADP-ribosyl moiety covalently to suitable acceptor proteins and elongate the chain by adding further ADP-ribose units to create a branched polymer, termed poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR), which is rapidly degraded by poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) and ADP-ribosylhydrolase 3 (ARH3). In recent years several key discoveries changed the way we look at the biological roles and mode of operation of PARylation. These paradigm shifts include but are not limited to (1) a single PARP enzyme expanding to a PARP family; (2) DNA-break dependent activation extended to several other DNA dependent and independent PARP-activation mechanisms; (3) one molecular mechanism (covalent PARylation of target proteins) underlying the biological effect of PARPs is now complemented by several other mechanisms such as protein–protein interactions, PAR signaling, modulation of NAD⁺ pools and (4) one principal biological role in DNA damage sensing expanded to numerous, diverse biological functions identifying PARP-1 as a real moonlighting protein. Here we review the most important paradigm shifts in PARylation research and also highlight some of the many controversial issues (or paradoxes) of the field such as (1) the mostly synergistic and not antagonistic biological effects of PARP-1 and PARG; (2) mitochondrial PARylation and PAR decomposition, (3) the cross-talk between PARylation and signaling pathways (protein kinases, phosphatases, calcium) and the (4) divergent roles of PARP/PARylation in longevity and in age-related diseases.     

Mitochondrial DNA is synthesized during meiosis and spermiogenesis in the mouse

Following intratesticular injection of [3H]thymidine, spermatozoa were isolated from the caput and cauda epididymis of CD-1 mice. Quantitation of the amount of radiolabelled DNA in whole spermatozoa, sperm heads (nuclei) and sperm midpiece-tails (mitochondria) at time intervals 3-36 days postinjection demonstrated mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is synthesized during meiosis and early spermiogenesis. mtDNA synthesis terminates in mid-spermiogenesis suggesting that the mitochondrial genome in spermatozoa has a half-life of at least 15 days.     

Poly(ADP-ribose) signaling in cell death

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (PARylation) is a reversible protein modification carried out by the concerted actions of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) enzymes and poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) decomposing enzymes such as PAR glycohydrolase (PARG) and ADP-ribosyl hydrolase 3 (ARH3). Reversible PARylation is a pleiotropic regulator of various cellular functions but uncontrolled PARP activation may also lead to cell death. The cellular demise pathway mediated by PARylation in oxidatively stressed cells has been described almost thirty years ago. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms have only begun to emerge relatively recently. PARylation has been implicated in necroptosis, autophagic cell death but its role in extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis appears to be less predominant and depends largely on the cellular model used. Currently, three major pathways have been made responsible for PARP-mediated necroptotic cell death: (1) compromised cellular energetics mainly due to depletion of NAD, the substrate of PARPs; (2) PAR mediated translocation of apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) from mitochondria to nucleus (parthanatos) and (3) a mostly elusive crosstalk between PARylation and cell death/survival kinases and phosphatases. Here we review how these PARP-mediated necroptotic pathways are intertwined, how PARylation may contribute to extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis and discuss recent developments on the role of PARylation in autophagy and autophagic cell death.