title: SQ/TQ cluster domains: concentrated ATM/ATR kinase phosphorylation site regions in DNA-damage-response proteins.
abstract: ATM/ATR-like protein kinases play central roles in the maintenance of genome stability and phosphorylate numerous substrates in response to DNA damage, preferentially on SQ or TQ motifs. ATM/ATR substrates often contain several closely spaced SQ/TQ motifs in regions that have been termed SQ/TQ cluster domains (SCDs). SCDs are now considered a structural hallmark of DNA-damage-response proteins. Mutational analyses of a number of SCD-containing proteins indicate that multisite phosphorylation of SQ/TQ motifs is required for normal DNA-damage responses, most commonly by mediating protein-protein interactions in the formation of DNA-damage-induced complexes. SCD sequences are highly diverse and these domains may be largely unfolded in their native state rather than adopting a common three-dimensional fold. Structural disorder of SCDs could be advantageous for efficient phosphorylation by ATM/ATR kinases and also enable them to be molded into distinct conformations to facilitate flexible interactions with multiple binding partners.
authors.affiliation: St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, 9 Princes Street, Fitzroy, VIC 3065, Australia.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Traven
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heierhorst
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071877:Checkpoint Kinase 1; D064447:Checkpoint Kinase 2; D004249:DNA Damage; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004260:DNA Repair; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D011494:Protein Kinases; D064447:Checkpoint Kinase 2; C576324:ATM protein, human; C576597:ATR protein, human; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; C578634:CHEK2 protein, human; D000071877:Checkpoint Kinase 1; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases