Defining Error-Free Postreplication Repair in Saccharomyces Cerevisiae
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Defining Error-Free Postreplication Repair In Saccharomyces cerevisiae A thesis submitted to the College of Graduate Studies and Research in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Microbiology and Immuriology University of Saskatchewan Stacey D. Broomfield, B.Sc. Winter 2000 O Copyright Stacey D. Broornfield, 2000. Al1 rights reserved. National Library Bibliothèque nationale 1+1 of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographic Se~ices services bibliographiques 395 Wellington çtreet 395, nie Wellington Ottawa ON KIA ON4 Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence aIlowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or elertronic formats. la forme de microfiche/fFlm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur foxmat électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or othenvise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. Permission To Use In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Postgraduate degree from the University of Saskatchewan, 1agree that the Libraries of this University may make it freely available for inspection. 1further agree that permission for copying of this thesis in any manner, in whole or in part, for scholarly purposes may be granted by the professor or professors who supervised my thesis work or, in their absence, by the Head of the Department or the Dean of the College in which my thesis work was done. It is understood that any copying or publication or use of this thesis or parts thereof for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. It is also understood that due recognition shall be given to me and to the University of Saskatchewan in any scholarly use which may be made of any material in my thesis. Requests for permission to copy or make other use of material in this thesis in whole or in part should be addressed to: Head of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology Health Science Building, 107 Wiggins Road, University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada S7N 5E5 Abstract The mms2-1 yeast mutant was isolated by its sensitivity to the DNA alkylating agent methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) as part of a screen to identify genes respowible for repair of DNA alkylation damage. 1 cloned the MMS2 gene by complementation of the mms2-1 mutant for MMS sensitivity and determined its nucleotide sequence. The deduced Mms2 protein shares strong sequence similarity with ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (Ubcs), but Mms2 lacks in vitro Ubc activity. Unlike the original mms2-l mutant, which is only sensitive to MMS, the mms2 disruption mutant displays sensitivity to both MMS and UV radiation. Another Ubc mutant that displays both UV and MMS sensitivity is ubc2/rad6 which is essential for both postreplication repair (PRR) and muhgenesis. DNA damage that blocks normal replication is lethal. PRR is a mechanism that allows replication to proceed in the presence of damage and for repair to be effected thereafter. The rad6 and rad18 mutations are epistatic to mms2, suggesting that MMSZ functions in the RAD6 pathway. Interestingly, the mms2 mutation increases both spontaneous and UV-induced mutagenesis, is synergistic with rev3 for UV and MMS sensitivity, and its mutagenesis effect is completely dependent on the REV3 gene. Based on these observations, it is proposed that MMSZ plays a role in error-free PRR parallel to REV3-mediated mutagenesis within the RAD6 pathway. Rad6 has many cellular functions that are not related to PRil, i~ciudkg telomeric silencing, sporulation and protein degradation. To determine whether or not Mms2 functions as an accessory protein for Rad6 or if it is specific for PRR, 1 tested the effect of the mms2 mutation on each of the above cellular processes. mms2 displayed a moderate defect in sporulation, with a minor effect on protein degradation and no effect on teelomeric silencing. Hence, 1 have determined that Mms2 is involved in error-free PRR, but its role in other Rad6 mediated processes is yet to be determined. Several proteins or domains, including PCNA (Po130), Rad30, Rad5 and the N-terminus of Rad6, are irnplicated in the error-free PRR pathway. We perfomed epistasis analysis to ask whether or not these genes and mms2 act in the same error-free subpathway. None of the above mutations exhibited epis ta tic rela tionships, indica ting tha t the gene tic interactions among these genes are complica ted. The SRS2 gene encodes a helicase whose exact function is unknown. Alleles of srs2 were identified based on their ability to suppress the extreme UV and MMS sensitivity of rad6 and rad18 mutants. 1 wanted to assess the effect of the srs2 nul1 mutation on the various mutants defective in PRR. 1 found that sr52 is epistatic to al1 PRR mutations, regardless of error-free and error-prone involvement, since the srs2 mutation was able to suppress the MMS sensitivities of po130-46, rad5, pol30-46 rad5, rad30, mms2 and rev3. These genetic relationships indicate that the PRR pathway is dependent upon the unknown activity of the Srs2 helicase. Two human homologues of MMS2 were isolated. CROC-IS was isolated due to its ability to transactivate the c-fos promoter. hMMS2 was isolated in a homology screen using the deduced Mms2 sequence. The 145 amino acid iii cDNA clone shares 50.4% sequence identity to Mrns2. Since sequence homology alone cannot determine if the two enzymes evolved with similar functions, 1 cioned hMMS2 under the conhol of a yeast inducible promoter and introduced it into a mms2 mutant to assay for functional complementation. hMMS was able to complernent the MM5 and UV sensitivities, as well as mutator phenotypes of the mms2 mutant. CROC-1B is unable to complement any of the mms2 defects, unless its N-terminal domain is removed. My research with yeast and hurnan MMS2 has helped to clariQ the PRR pathway and to define a novel Ubc-like protein family. This study also aided the recent advances in the biochemistry of a novel Ubcl3-Mms2 complex formation, its unique ubiquitin chah assembly and its interactions with RING finger proteins. In addition, discoveries made in this study have stimulated Our laboratory as well as other laboratories to focus on the roles of the Ubcl3-Mms2 complex in human diseases and cancer. IiMMS2 and CROC4 have been implicated in the progression of cells from a pre-immortal to immortal state, in cellular differentiation, in tumorigenesis and in error-free PRR. Further investigations of this complex may prove to be useful in cancer prevention and therap y. Acknowledgments 1would like to begin by thanking my supervisor, Dr. Wei Xiao. Dr. Xiao has provided a supportive learning environment and invaluable guidance during a very busy time in his career. His devotion, enthusiasm and encouragement has been a motivating force throughout my studies, and is greatly appreciated. 1would also like to thank the members of my supewisory cornmittee, Dr. Susan Laferte, Dr. Hamy Deneer, and Dr. Sean Hernmingsen, for offering support and advice. A special thanks to Dr. Dan Gietz, my extemal examiner from the University of Manitoba. Dr. Gietz was a wonderful addition to my defense proceedings. A very important thank-you is extended to the people in the laboratory of Dr. Xiao. Our laboratory has always contained talented individuals that are a pleasure to work with. Thanks to Treena Swanston, Barbara Chow, Todd Hryciw, Mahmood Chamankhah, Yule Liu, Janelle Franko, Sonya Bawa, Carolyn Ashley, Leslie Sarbour, Landon Pastushok, Yu Zhu, Parker Anderson and Michelle Hama, for making the workplace fun. 1must Say a special thank- you to Todd Hryciw, colleague and friend. Todd is a friend with whom 1 shared excitement, frustration, laughs, ideas, and al1 the trivial problems life offers. 1greatly appreciate the financial support provided by College of Medicine Graduate scholarships and the University of Saskatchewan Graduate scholarships. Finally, 1must thank my family. Thank you for your self-less cornmitment, patience and unconditional love. My gratitude camot be expressed in words. Table of Contents: PERMISSION TO USE ABSTRACT ACKNOWLEDGMENTS DEDICATION TABLE OF CONTENTS vii LIST OF TABLES LIST OF FIGURES xii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xiv CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1. Protecting Our Genome. 1.2. DNA Damage. 1.2.1. DNA Damage. 1.2.2. DNA Damage: Biological Consequences. 1.2.3. Endogenous DNA Damage. 1.2.4. Environmental DNA Damaging Agents. 1.2.4.l. Physical Agents. 1.2.4.2. Chernical Agents. 1.3. How the CeIl Copes with DNA Damage. 1.3.1. Ce11 Cycle Controls. 1.3.2. DNA Damage Repair. 1.4. DNA Repair Pathways. 1.4.1. Direct Reversa1 Of DNA Damage. 1.4.2. Excision Of DNA Damage. 1.4.2.1. Base Excision Repair. 1.4.2.2. Nucleotide Excision Repair. 1.4.3. Recombina tion Repair. 1.5. DNA Darnage Tolerance. 1.5.1. SOS Response Ln E. coli 1.5.2. Postreplication Repair in Eukaryotes 1.6. Postreplication Repair In Saccharomyces cerevisiae 1.6.1. Recombination Repair In DNA Damage Tolerance 1.6.2. Assessing The Genes Comprising PRR. vii 1.6.2.1. RAD6-RAD18 Cornplex: DNA Damage Recognition? 36 1.6.2.2. Rad6: A Ubiquitin-conjugating Enzyme.