Molecular and biochemical characterization of new X-ray-sensitive hamster cell mutants defective in Ku80.

Ku, a heterodimer of approximately 70 and approximately 80 kDa subunits, is a nuclear protein that binds to double-stranded DNA ends and is a component of the DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK). Cell lines defective in Ku80 belong to group XRCC5 of ionizing radiation-sensitive mutants. Five new independent Chinese hamster cell mutants, XR-V10B, XR-V11B, XR-V12B, XR-V13B and XR-V16B, that belong to this group were isolated. To shed light on the nature of the defect in Ku80, the molecular and biochemical characteristics of these mutants were examined. All mutants, except XR-V12B, express Ku80 mRNA, but no Ku80 protein could clearly be detected by immunoblot analysis in any of them. DNA sequence analysis of the Ku80 cDNA from these mutants showed a deletion of 252 bp in XR-V10B; a 6 bp deletion that results in a new amino acid residue at position 107 and the loss of two amino acid residues at positions 108 and 109 in XR-V11B; a missense mutation resulting in a substitution of Cys for Tyr at position 114 in XR-V13B; and two missense mutations in XR-V16B, resulting in a substitution of Met for Val at position 331 and Arg for Gly at position 354. All these mutations cause a similar, 5-7-fold, increase in X-ray sensitivity in comparison to wild-type cells, and a complete lack of DNA-end binding and DNA-PK activities. This indicates that all these mutations lead to loss of the Ku80 function due to instability of the defective protein.     

DNA and nucleotide-induced conformational changes in the Escherichia coli Rep and helicase II (UvrD) proteins

The domain structures of the Escherichia coli Rep and Helicase II proteins and their ligand-dependent conformational changes have been examined by monitoring the sensitivity of these helicases to proteolysis by trypsin and chymotrypsin. Limited treatment of unliganded Rep protein (73 kDa) with trypsin results in cleavage at a single site in its carboxyl-terminal region, producing a 68-kDa polypeptide which is stabilized in the presence of ATP, ADP, or adenosine 5'-O-thiotriphosphate) (ATP gamma S). The purified 68-kDa Rep tryptic polypeptide retains single-stranded (ss) DNA binding, DNA unwinding (helicase), and full ATPase activities. When bound to ssDNA, the Rep protein can be cleaved by trypsin at an additional site in its carboxyl-terminal region, producing a 58-kDa polypeptide that also retains ssDNA binding and ATPase activities. This 58-kDa Rep tryptic polypeptide can also be produced by further tryptic treatment of the 68-kDa Rep tryptic polypeptide when the latter is bound to ssDNA. This 58-kDa polypeptide displays a lower affinity for ssDNA indicating that the 10-kDa carboxyl-terminal peptide facilitates Rep protein binding to ssDNA. The 58-kDa Rep tryptic polypeptide is also stabilized in the presence of nucleotides. Based on these and previous studies that showed that the 68-kDa Rep tryptic polypeptide cannot support DNA replication in a system that is dependent upon the phi X174 cis-A protein (Arai, N. & Kornberg, A. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 5294-5298), we conclude that the carboxyl-terminal end (approximately 5 kDa) of the Rep protein is not required for its helicase or ATPase activities. However, we suggest that this region of the Rep protein is important for its interactions with the phi X174 cis-A protein. Limited treatment of unliganded Helicase II protein (82 kDa) with chymotrypsin results in cleavage after Tyr254, producing a 29-kDa amino-terminal polypeptide and a 53-kDa carboxyl-terminal polypeptide, which remain associated under nondenaturing conditions. This chymotrypsin cleavage reduces the ssDNA binding activity and eliminates the ssDNA-dependent ATPase and helicase activities of the Helicase II protein. The binding of ATP, ADP, ATP gamma S, and/or DNA to Helicase II protein results in protection of this site (Tyr254) from cleavage by chymotrypsin. Limited treatment of Helicase II protein with trypsin results in cleavage near its carboxyl-terminal end producing two polypeptides with apparent Mr = 72,000, in a manner similar to that observed with the Rep protein; these polypeptides are also stabilized by binding ATP or single-stranded DNA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Effect of coculturing canine notochordal,nucleus pulposus and mesenchymal stromal cells for intervertebral disc regeneration

IntroductionEarly degenerative changes in the nucleus pulposus (NP) are observed after the disappearance of notochordal cells (NCs). Thus, it has been suggested that NCs play an important role in maintaining the NP and may have a regenerative potential on other cells of the NP. As the number of resident NP cells (NPCs) decreases in a degenerating disc, mesenchymal stromal (stem) cells (MSCs) may be used for cell supplementation. In this study, using cells of one species, the regenerative potential of canine NCs was assessed in long-term three-dimensional coculture with canine NPCs or MSCs.MethodsCanine NCs and canine NPCs or MSCs were cocultured in alginate beads for 28 days under hypoxic and high-osmolarity conditions. Cell viability, cell morphology and DNA content, extracellular matrix production and expression of genes related to NC markers (Brachyury, KRT18) and NP matrix production (ACAN, COL2A1, COL1A1) were assessed after 1, 15 and 28 days of culture.ResultsNCs did not completely maintain their phenotype (morphology, matrix production, gene expression) during 28 days of culture. In cocultures of NPCs and NCs, both extracellular matrix content and anabolic gene expression remained unchanged compared with monoculture groups, whereas cocultures of MSCs and NCs showed increased glycosaminoglycan/DNA. However, the deposition of these proteoglycans was observed near the NCs and not the MSCs. Brachyury expression in the MSC and NC coculture group increased in time. The latter two findings indicate a trophic effect of MSCs on NCs rather than vice versa.ConclusionsNo regenerative potential of canine NCs on canine NPCs or MSCs was observed in this study. However, significant changes in NC phenotype in long-term culture may have resulted in a suboptimal regenerative potential of these NCs. In this respect, NC-conditioned medium may be better than coculture for future studies of the regenerative potential of NCs.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13075-015-0569-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Binding mode transitions of Escherichia coli single strand binding protein-single-stranded DNA complexes. Cation, anion, pH, and binding density effects

We have extended our investigations of the multiple binding modes that form between the Escherichia coli single strand binding (SSB) protein and single-stranded DNA (Lohman, T. M. & Overman, L. B. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 3594-3603; Bujalowski, W. & Lohman, T. M. (1986) Biochemistry 25, 7799-7802) by examining the effects of anions, pH, BaCl2, and protein binding density on the transitions among these binding modes. "Reverse" titrations that monitor the quenching of the intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence of the SSB protein upon addition of poly(dT) have been used to measure the apparent site size of the complex at 25 degrees C in pH 8.1 and 6.9 as a function of NaF, NaCl, NaBr, and MgCl2 concentrations. Under all conditions in which "reverse" titrations were performed, we observe three distinct binding modes with site sizes of 35 +/- 2, 56 +/- 3, and 65 +/- 3 nucleotides/SSB tetramer; however, the transitions among the three binding modes are strongly dependent upon both the cation and anion valence, type, and concentration as well as the pH. A net uptake of both cations and anions accompanies the transitions from the (SSB)35 to the (SSB)56 binding mode at pH 6.9, whereas at pH 8.1 this transition is anion-independent, and only a net uptake of cations occurs. The transition from the (SSB)56 to the (SSB)65 binding mode is dependent upon both cations and anions at both pH 6.9 and 8.1 (25 degrees C), and a net uptake of both cations and anions accompanies this transition. We have also examined the transitions by monitoring the change in the sedimentation coefficient of the SSB protein-poly(dT) complex as a function of MgCl2 concentration (20 degrees C, pH 8.1) and observe an increase in s20,w, which coincides with the increase in apparent site size of the complex, as measured by fluorescence titrations. The frictional coefficient of the complex decreases by a factor of two in progressing from the (SSB)35 to the (SSB)65 binding mode, indicating a progressive compaction of the complex throughout the transition. The transition between the (SSB)35 and the (SSB)56 complex is dependent on the protein binding density, with the lower site size (SSB)35 complex favored at higher binding density. These results indicate that the transitions among the various SSB protein-single-stranded DNA binding modes are complex processes that depend on a number of solution variables that are thermodynamically linked.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Targeted Inactivation of Mouse RAD52 Reduces Homologous Recombination but Not Resistance to Ionizing Radiation

The RAD52 epistasis group is required for recombinational repair of double-strand breaks (DSBs) and shows strong evolutionary conservation. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, RAD52 is one of the key members in this pathway. Strains with mutations in this gene show strong hypersensitivity to DNA-damaging agents and defects in recombination. Inactivation of the mouse homologue of RAD52 in embryonic stem (ES) cells resulted in a reduced frequency of homologous recombination. Unlike the yeast Scrad52 mutant, MmRAD52^−/− ES cells were not hypersensitive to agents that induce DSBs. MmRAD52 null mutant mice showed no abnormalities in viability, fertility, and the immune system. These results show that, as in S. cerevisiae, MmRAD52 is involved in recombination, although the repair of DNA damage is not affected upon inactivation, indicating that MmRAD52 may be involved in certain types of DSB repair processes and not in others. The effect of inactivating MmRAD52 suggests the presence of genes functionally related to MmRAD52, which can partly compensate for the absence of MmRad52 protein.     

Multiple C-Terminal Tails within a Single E. coli SSB Homotetramer Coordinate DNA Replication and Repair

Escherichia coli single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSB) plays essential roles in DNA replication, recombination and repair. SSB functions as a homotetramer with each subunit possessing a DNA binding domain (OB-fold) and an intrinsically disordered C-terminus, of which the last nine amino acids provide the site for interaction with at least a dozen other proteins that function in DNA metabolism. To examine how many C-termini are needed for SSB function, we engineered covalently linked forms of SSB that possess only one or two C-termini within a four-OB-fold “tetramer”. Whereas E. coli expressing SSB with only two tails can survive, expression of a single-tailed SSB is dominant lethal. E. coli expressing only the two-tailed SSB recovers faster from exposure to DNA damaging agents but accumulates more mutations. A single-tailed SSB shows defects in coupled leading and lagging strand DNA replication and does not support replication restart in vitro. These deficiencies in vitro provide a plausible explanation for the lethality observed in vivo. These results indicate that a single SSB tetramer must interact simultaneously with multiple protein partners during some essential roles in genome maintenance.     

Molecular dosimetry of DNA damage caused by alkylation. II. The induction and repair of different classes of single-strand breaks in cultured mammalian cells treated with ethylating agents

Cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells were treated with ethylating agents. DNA lesions giving rise to single-strand breaks (SSB) or alkali-labile sites were measured by elution through membrane filters at pH 12.0 and pH 12.6, and by centrifugation in alkaline sucrose gradients after 1 h and 21 h lysis in alkali. Two agents with different tendencies to ethylate preferentially either at N or O atoms were compared, namely N-ethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (ENNG) and diethyl sulphate (DES). The compounds differed greatly in their potency to induce lesions, but the ratios of SSB, measured with different methods after a treatment for 30 min, did not differ significantly. This suggested that the spectrum of lesions induced by the two compounds is very similar. However, when both agents were studied with alkaline elution at pH 12.0 after a short treatment time (5 min) only ENNG was found to induce rapidly-repairable SSB. Most of these were rejoined already within 5 min after treatment. These results suggest that rapidly-repairable lesions occurring in DNA after treatment of mammalian cells with ethylating agents are due mainly to alkylation at O-atoms.     

Repair of UV-induced pyrimidine dimers in the individual genes Gart, Notch and white from Drosophila melanogaster cell lines.

The excision repair of UV-induced pyrimidine dimers was investigated in three genes: Gart, Notch and white in a permanent Drosophila cell line Kc, derived from wild type Drosophila melanogaster embryonic cells. In this cell line Gart and Notch are actively transcribed, whereas white is not expressed. In all three genes UV-induced pyrimidine dimers were removed with the same rate and to the same extent: 60% removal within 16 hours, up to 80-100% in 24 hours after irradiation with 10 or 15 J/m2 UV. These kinetics are similar to the time course of dimer removal measured in the genome overall. No difference in repair of the inactive white locus compared to the active Gart and Notch genes was found. Similar results were obtained using a different wild type cell line, SL2, although repair appeared to be somewhat slower in this cell line. The results are discussed with respect to the data found for gene specific repair in other eukaryotic systems.