title: RAD-51-dependent and -independent roles of a Caenorhabditis elegans BRCA2-related protein during DNA double-strand break repair.
abstract: The BRCA2 tumor suppressor is implicated in DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair by homologous recombination (HR), where it regulates the RAD51 recombinase. We describe a BRCA2-related protein of Caenorhabditis elegans (CeBRC-2) that interacts directly with RAD-51 via a single BRC motif and that binds preferentially to single-stranded DNA through an oligonucleotide-oligosaccharide binding fold. Cebrc-2 mutants fail to repair meiotic or radiation-induced DSBs by HR due to inefficient RAD-51 nuclear localization and a failure to target RAD-51 to sites of DSBs. Genetic and cytological comparisons of Cebrc-2 and rad-51 mutants revealed fundamental phenotypic differences that suggest a role for Cebrc-2 in promoting the use of an alternative repair pathway in the absence of rad-51 and independent of nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ). Unlike rad-51 mutants, Cebrc-2 mutants also accumulate RPA-1 at DSBs, and abnormal chromosome aggregates that arise during the meiotic prophase can be rescued by blocking the NHEJ pathway. CeBRC-2 also forms foci in response to DNA damage and can do so independently of rad-51. Thus, CeBRC-2 not only regulates RAD-51 during HR but can also function independently of rad-51 in DSB repair processes.
authors.affiliation: Clare Hall Laboratories, London Research Institute, Cancer Research UK, Blanche Ln., South Mimms, Hertfordshire EN6 3LD, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Julie S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Winkelmann
authors.forename: Mark I R
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Petalcorin
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: McIlwraith
authors.forename: Simon J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Boulton
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D004247:DNA / Q000528:radiation effects; D004249:DNA Damage; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000502:physiology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005804:Genes, Lethal; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D051135:Rad51 Recombinase; D051716:Replication Protein A
chemical_list: C500610:BRC-2 protein, C elegans; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D051716:Replication Protein A; D004247:DNA; D051135:Rad51 Recombinase; C495148:rad-51 protein, C elegans