Mechanistic Characterization of the First Steps of Human DNA Break Repair

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Project Summary Our genome encodes critical information that is required for the healthy function of every cell, tissue, and organ. However, genomic DNA is continuously accumulating toxic damage that arises during normal cellular processes, or is caused by environmental conditions such as sunlight and chemical carcinogens. Double- stranded DNA breaks (DSBs) are the most dangerous lesions. DSBs occur when both strands of the DNA double helix are broken in close proximity to each other, fragmenting the chromosome into two distinct pieces. If unrepaired, even a single DSB can initiate cellular dysfunction, malignant transformation, and tumor growth. Our cells can repair DSBs via two distinct pathways: error-prone non-homologous end joining or high-fidelity homologous recombination. Remarkably, the primary molecular steps that determine the DNA repair pathway are still not completely known. Thus, there is a critical need to understand how healthy cells repair their fragmented DNA and how disruptions in these processes can lead to cancer. Our long-term goal is to understand how specialized DNA repair proteins serve as the molecular caretakers of the genome. To achieve this goal, we pioneered a unique in vitro microscopy technique that can image multiple enzymes and record their biochemical activities as they repair DNA in real time. Using this technique, the Aims in this proposal will investigate how a group of human enzymes coordinate the first steps of DSB repair. First, we will determine how the Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 (MRN) complex acts as the molecular sensor for DSBs in the context of chromatin. Second, we will investigate how MRN recruits additional enzymes to the DSB, and how these enzymes process a nucleosome-coated DNA track. Third, we will determine how MRN directs repair towards the homologous recombination pathway. In sum, our studies will elucidate the first critical steps of DSB repair and answer the long-standing question of how these enzymes biochemically define the DSB repair pathway. Ultimately, this knowledge will be required for developing new diagnostics and therapeutics that specifically target cancer cells that have lost the ability to correctly repair their genomes.