title: A conserved domain of Schizosaccharomyces pombe dfp1(+) is uniquely required for chromosome stability following alkylation damage during S phase.
abstract: The fission yeast Dbf4 homologue Dfp1 has a well-characterized role in regulating the initiation of DNA replication. Sequence analysis of Dfp1 homologues reveals three highly conserved regions, referred to as motifs N, M, and C. To determine the roles of these conserved regions in Dfp1 function, we have generated dfp1 alleles with mutations in these regions. Mutations in motif N render cells sensitive to a broad range of DNA-damaging agents and replication inhibitors, yet these mutant proteins are efficient activators of Hsk1 kinase in vitro. In contrast, mutations in motif C confer sensitivity to the alkylating agent methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) but, surprisingly, not to UV, ionizing radiation, or hydroxyurea. Motif C mutants are poor activators of Hsk1 in vitro but can fulfill the essential function(s) of Dfp1 in vivo. Strains carrying dfp1 motif C mutants have an intact mitotic and intra-S-phase checkpoint, and epistasis analysis indicates that dfp1 motif C mutants function outside of the known MMS damage repair pathways, suggesting that the observed MMS sensitivity is due to defects in recovery from DNA damage. The motif C mutants are most sensitive to MMS during S phase and are partially suppressed by deletion of the S-phase checkpoint kinase cds1. Following treatment with MMS, dfp1 motif C mutants exhibit nuclear fragmentation, chromosome instability, precocious recombination, and persistent checkpoint activation. We propose that Dfp1 plays at least two genetically separable roles in the DNA damage response in addition to its well-characterized role in the initiation of DNA replication and that motif C plays a critical role in the response to alkylation damage, perhaps by restarting or stabilizing stalled replication forks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A8.
authors.forename: Amy D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: Jiongwen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bueler
authors.forename: Grant W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000478:Alkylation; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000494:pharmacology; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000071877:Checkpoint Kinase 1; D015825:Chromosomes, Fungal; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008741:Methyl Methanesulfonate / Q000494:pharmacology; D008938:Mitosis; D009154:Mutation; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D016196:S Phase / Q000235:genetics*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D012568:Schizosaccharomyces / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins
chemical_list: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; C088096:Dbf4 protein, S cerevisiae; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins; D008741:Methyl Methanesulfonate; D011494:Protein Kinases; D000071877:Checkpoint Kinase 1; C094761:HSK1 protein, S pombe; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases