title: ATM-dependent phosphorylation of ATF2 is required for the DNA damage response.
abstract: Activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2) is regulated by JNK/p38 in response to stress. Here, we demonstrate that the protein kinase ATM phosphorylates ATF2 on serines 490 and 498 following ionizing radiation (IR). Phosphoantibodies to ATF2(490/8) reveal dose- and time-dependent phosphorylation of ATF2 by ATM that results in its rapid colocalization with gamma-H2AX and MRN components into IR-induced foci (IRIF). Inhibition of ATF2 expression decreased recruitment of Mre11 to IRIF, abrogated S phase checkpoint, reduced activation of ATM, Chk1, and Chk2, and impaired radioresistance. ATF2 requires neither JNK/p38 nor its DNA binding domain for recruitment to IRIF and the S phase checkpoint. Our findings identify a role for ATF2 in the DNA damage response that is uncoupled from its transcriptional activity.
authors.affiliation: Signal Transduction Program, The Burnham Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Anindita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhoumik
authors.forename: Shoichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Breitweiser
authors.forename: Yosef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shiloh
authors.forename: Nic
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Ze'ev
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ronai
mesh_terms: D051698:Activating Transcription Factor 2; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D045163:Antibodies, Phospho-Specific / Q000378:metabolism; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D000071877:Checkpoint Kinase 1; D064447:Checkpoint Kinase 2; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004249:DNA Damage; D004260:DNA Repair; D045643:DNA Repair Enzymes; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D000076228:MRE11 Homologue Protein; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D034622:RNA Interference; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012694:Serine / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C497105:ATF2 protein, human; D051698:Activating Transcription Factor 2; D045163:Antibodies, Phospho-Specific; C497106:Atf2 protein, mouse; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C468783:H2AX protein, human; D006657:Histones; C121766:MRE11 protein, human; C512689:Mre11a protein, mouse; C112156:NBN protein, human; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D012694:Serine; D011494:Protein Kinases; D064447:Checkpoint Kinase 2; C576324:ATM protein, human; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; C576325:Atm protein, mouse; C000605867:CHEK1 protein, human; C578634:CHEK2 protein, human; D000071877:Checkpoint Kinase 1; C000605869:Chek1 protein, mouse; C578633:Chek2 protein, mouse; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D000076228:MRE11 Homologue Protein; D045643:DNA Repair Enzymes