Reduced levels of MRE11 cause disease phenotypes distinct from ataxia telangiectasia-like disorder.

The MRE11/RAD50/NBS1 (MRN) complex plays critical roles in cellular responses to DNA double-strand breaks. MRN is involved in end binding and processing, and it also induces cell cycle checkpoints by activating the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) protein kinase. Hypomorphic pathogenic variants in the MRE11, RAD50, or NBS1 genes cause autosomal recessive genome instability syndromes featuring variable degrees of dwarfism, neurological defects, anemia, and cancer predisposition.

Cdc73 protects Notch-induced T-cell leukemia cells from DNA damage and mitochondrial stress.

Activated Notch signaling is highly prevalent in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), but pan-Notch inhibitors showed excessive toxicity in clinical trials. To find alternative ways to target Notch signals, we investigated cell division cycle 73 (Cdc73), which is a Notch cofactor and key component of the RNA polymerase-associated transcriptional machinery, an emerging target in T-ALL. Although we confirmed previous work that CDC73 interacts with NOTCH1, we also found that the interaction in T-ALL was context-dependent and facilitated by the transcription factor ETS1.

Cdc73 protects Notch-induced T-cell leukemia cells from DNA damage and mitochondrial stress.

Activated Notch signaling is highly prevalent in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) but pan-Notch inhibitors were toxic in clinical trials. To find alternative ways to target Notch signals, we investigated Cell division cycle 73 (Cdc73), which is a Notch cofactor and component of transcriptional machinery, a potential target in T-ALL. While we confirmed previous work that CDC73 interacts with NOTCH1, we also found that the interaction in T-ALL was context-dependent and facilitated by the lymphoid transcription factor ETS1.

Elevated inflammatory responses and targeted therapeutic intervention in a preclinical mouse model of ataxia-telangiectasia lung disease.

Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is an autosomal recessive, multisystem disorder characterized by cerebellar degeneration, cancer predisposition, and immune system defects. A major cause of mortality in A-T patients is severe pulmonary disease; however, the underlying causes of the lung complications are poorly understood, and there are currently no curative therapeutic interventions. In this study, we examined the lung phenotypes caused by ATM-deficient immune cells using a mouse model of A-T pulmonary disease.

MRE11 Promotes Tumorigenesis by Facilitating Resistance to Oncogene-Induced Replication Stress.

Hypomorphic mutations in the genes encoding the MRE11/RAD50/NBS1 (MRN) DNA repair complex lead to cancer-prone syndromes. MRN binds DNA double-strand breaks, where it functions in repair and triggers cell-cycle checkpoints via activation of the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated kinase. To gain understanding of MRN in cancer, we engineered mice with B lymphocytes lacking MRN, or harboring MRN in which MRE11 lacks nuclease activities.

GATA3 Abundance Is a Critical Determinant of T Cell Receptor β Allelic Exclusion.

Allelic exclusion describes the essential immunological process by which feedback repression of sequential DNA rearrangements ensures that only one autosome expresses a functional T or B cell receptor. In wild-type mammals, approximately 60% of cells have recombined the DNA of one T cell receptor β (TCRβ) V-to-DJ-joined allele in a functional configuration, while the second allele has recombined only the DJ sequences; the other 40% of cells have recombined the V to the DJ segments on both alleles, with only one of the two alleles predicting a functional TCRβ protein. Here we report that the transgenic overexpression of GATA3 leads predominantly to biallelic TCRβ gene () recombination.

The SNM1B/APOLLO DNA nuclease functions in resolution of replication stress and maintenance of common fragile site stability.

SNM1B/Apollo is a DNA nuclease that has important functions in telomere maintenance and repair of DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs) within the Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway. SNM1B is required for efficient localization of key repair proteins, such as the FA protein, FANCD2, to sites of ICL damage and functions epistatically to FANCD2 in cellular survival to ICLs and homology-directed repair. The FA pathway is also activated in response to replication fork stalling.

Exome capture reveals ZNF423 and CEP164 mutations, linking renal ciliopathies to DNA damage response signaling.

Nephronophthisis-related ciliopathies (NPHP-RC) are degenerative recessive diseases that affect kidney, retina, and brain. Genetic defects in NPHP gene products that localize to cilia and centrosomes defined them as "ciliopathies." However, disease mechanisms remain poorly understood.

A polyglutamine expansion disease protein sequesters PTIP to attenuate DNA repair and increase genomic instability.

Glutamine (Q) expansion diseases are a family of degenerative disorders caused by the lengthening of CAG triplet repeats present in the coding sequences of seemingly unrelated genes whose mutant proteins drive pathogenesis. Despite all the molecular evidence for the genetic basis of these diseases, how mutant poly-Q proteins promote cell death and drive pathogenesis remains controversial. In this report, we show a specific interaction between the mutant androgen receptor (AR), a protein associated with spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), and the nuclear protein PTIP (Pax Transactivation-domain Interacting Protein), a protein with an unusually long Q-rich domain that functions in DNA repair.

Snm1B/Apollo functions in the Fanconi anemia pathway in response to DNA interstrand crosslinks.

Fanconi anemia (FA) is an inherited chromosomal instability disorder characterized by childhood aplastic anemia, developmental abnormalities and cancer predisposition. One of the hallmark phenotypes of FA is cellular hypersensitivity to agents that induce DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs), such as mitomycin C (MMC). FA is caused by mutation in at least 14 genes which function in the resolution of ICLs during replication.

A hypomorphic Artemis human disease allele causes aberrant chromosomal rearrangements and tumorigenesis.

The Artemis gene encodes a DNA nuclease that plays important roles in non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ), a major double-strand break (DSB) repair pathway in mammalian cells. NHEJ factors repair general DSBs as well as programmed breaks generated during the lymphoid-specific DNA rearrangement, V(D)J recombination, which is required for lymphocyte development. Mutations that inactivate Artemis cause a human severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome associated with cellular radiosensitivity.

Expansion of immunoglobulin-secreting cells and defects in B cell tolerance in Rag-dependent immunodeficiency.

The contribution of B cells to the pathology of Omenn syndrome and leaky severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) has not been previously investigated. We have studied a mut/mut mouse model of leaky SCID with a homozygous Rag1 S723C mutation that impairs, but does not abrogate, V(D)J recombination activity. In spite of a severe block at the pro-B cell stage and profound B cell lymphopenia, significant serum levels of immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgM, IgA, and IgE and a high proportion of Ig-secreting cells were detected in mut/mut mice.

Multiple functions of MRN in end-joining pathways during isotype class switching.

The Mre11-Rad50-NBS1 (MRN) complex has many roles in response to DNA double-strand breaks, but its functions in repair by nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) pathways are poorly understood. We have investigated requirements for MRN in class switch recombination (CSR), a programmed DNA rearrangement in B lymphocytes that requires NHEJ. To this end, we have engineered mice that lack the entire MRN complex in B lymphocytes or that possess an intact complex that harbors mutant Mre11 lacking DNA nuclease activities.

Impact of a hypomorphic Artemis disease allele on lymphocyte development, DNA end processing, and genome stability.

Artemis was initially discovered as the gene inactivated in human radiosensitive T(-)B(-) severe combined immunodeficiency, a syndrome characterized by the absence of B and T lymphocytes and cellular hypersensitivity to ionizing radiation. Hypomorphic Artemis alleles have also been identified in patients and are associated with combined immunodeficiencies of varying severity. We examine the molecular mechanisms underlying a syndrome of partial immunodeficiency caused by a hypomorphic Artemis allele using the mouse as a model system.

Structural and functional interaction between the human DNA repair proteins DNA ligase IV and XRCC4.

Nonhomologous end-joining represents the major pathway used by human cells to repair DNA double-strand breaks. It relies on the XRCC4/DNA ligase IV complex to reseal DNA strands. Here we report the high-resolution crystal structure of human XRCC4 bound to the carboxy-terminal tandem BRCT repeat of DNA ligase IV.

Leaky severe combined immunodeficiency and aberrant DNA rearrangements due to a hypomorphic RAG1 mutation.

The RAG1/2 endonuclease initiates programmed DNA rearrangements in progenitor lymphocytes by generating double-strand breaks at specific recombination signal sequences. This process, known as V(D)J recombination, assembles the vastly diverse antigen receptor genes from numerous V, D, and J coding segments. In vitro biochemical and cellular transfection studies suggest that RAG1/2 may also play postcleavage roles by forming complexes with the recombining ends to facilitate DNA end processing and ligation.

Mre11 nuclease activity has essential roles in DNA repair and genomic stability distinct from ATM activation.

The Mre11/Rad50/NBS1 (MRN) complex maintains genomic stability by bridging DNA ends and initiating DNA damage signaling through activation of the ATM kinase. Mre11 possesses DNA nuclease activities that are highly conserved in evolution but play unknown roles in mammals. To define the functions of Mre11, we engineered targeted mouse alleles that either abrogate nuclease activities or inactivate the entire MRN complex.

Complementary functions of ATM and H2AX in development and suppression of genomic instability.

Upon DNA damage, histone H2AX is phosphorylated by ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and other phosphoinositide 3-kinase-related protein kinases. To elucidate further the potential overlapping and unique functions of ATM and H2AX, we asked whether they have synergistic functions in the development and maintenance of genomic stability by inactivating both genes in mouse germ line. Combined ATM/H2AX deficiency caused embryonic lethality and dramatic cellular genomic instability.

Endonuclease-independent LINE-1 retrotransposition at mammalian telomeres.

Long interspersed element-1 (LINE-1 or L1) elements are abundant, non-long-terminal-repeat (non-LTR) retrotransposons that comprise approximately 17% of human DNA. The average human genome contains approximately 80-100 retrotransposition-competent L1s (ref. 2), and they mobilize by a process that uses both the L1 endonuclease and reverse transcriptase, termed target-site primed reverse transcription.

DNA double-strand break repair: a relentless hunt uncovers new prey.

A major pathway for repair of DNA double-strand breaks is nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ). In this issue of Cell, and report the discovery of a new NHEJ factor called Cernunnos-XLF. Both groups report that this protein is mutated in a rare inherited human syndrome characterized by severe immunodeficiency, developmental delay, and hypersensitivity to agents that cause DNA double-strand breaks.

Artemis-independent functions of DNA-dependent protein kinase in Ig heavy chain class switch recombination and development.

Assembly of Ig genes in B lineage cells involves two distinct DNA rearrangements. In early B cell development, site-specific double strand breaks (DSBs) at germ-line V, D, and J gene segments are joined via nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) to form variable region exons. Activated mature B cells can change expressed Ig heavy chain constant region exons by class switch recombination (CSR), which also involves DSB intermediates.

Artemis and p53 cooperate to suppress oncogenic N-myc amplification in progenitor B cells.

The nonhomologous DNA end-joining (NHEJ) pathway contains six known components, including Artemis, a nuclease mutated in a subset of human severe combined immunodeficient patients. Mice doubly deficient for the five previously analyzed NHEJ factors and p53 inevitably develop progenitor B lymphomas harboring der(12)t(12;15) translocations and immunoglobin heavy chain (IgH)/c-myc coamplification mediated by a breakage-fusion-bridge mechanism. In this report, we show that Artemis/p53-deficient mice also succumb reproducibly to progenitor B cell tumors, demonstrating that Artemis is a tumor suppressor in mice.

Impaired V(D)J recombination and lymphocyte development in core RAG1-expressing mice.

RAG1 and RAG2 are the lymphocyte-specific components of the V(D)J recombinase. In vitro analyses of RAG function have relied on soluble, highly truncated "core" RAG proteins. To identify potential functions for noncore regions and assess functionality of core RAG1 in vivo, we generated core RAG1 knockin (RAG1(c/c)) mice.

Defective DNA repair and increased genomic instability in Artemis-deficient murine cells.

In developing lymphocytes, the recombination activating gene endonuclease cleaves DNA between V, D, or J coding and recombination signal (RS) sequences to form hairpin coding and blunt RS ends, which are fused to form coding and RS joins. Nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) factors repair DNA double strand breaks including those induced during VDJ recombination. Human radiosensitive severe combined immunodeficiency results from lack of Artemis function, an NHEJ factor with in vitro endonuclease/exonuclease activities.