title: Phosphorylation of replication protein A by S-phase checkpoint kinases.
abstract: The major eukaryotic single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) binding protein, replication protein A (RPA), is a heterotrimer with subunits of 70, 32 and 14 kDa (RPA70, RPA32 and RPA14). RPA-coated ssDNA has been implicated as one of the triggers for intra-S-phase checkpoint activation. Phosphorylation of RPA occurs in cells with damaged DNA or stalled replication forks. Here we show that human RPA70 and RPA32 can be phosphorylated by purified S-phase checkpoint kinases, ATR and Chk1. While ATR phosphorylates the N-terminus of RPA70, Chk1 preferentially phosphorylates RPA's major ssDNA binding domain. Chk1 phosphorylated RPA70 shows reduced ssDNA binding activity, and binding of RPA to ssDNA blocks Chk1 phosphorylation, suggesting that Chk1 and ssDNA compete for RPA's major ssDNA binding domain. ssDNA stimulates RPA32 phosphorylation by ATR in a length dependent manner. Furthermore, 3'-, but not 5'-, recessed single strand/double strand DNA junctions produce an even stronger stimulatory effect on RPA32 phosphorylation by ATR. This stimulation occurs for both RNA and DNA recessed ends. RPA's DNA binding polarity and its interaction to 3'-primer-template junctions contribute to efficient RPA32 phosphorylation. Progression of DNA polymerase is able to block the accessibility of the 3'-recessed ends and prevent the stimulatory effects of primer-template junctions on RPA phosphorylation by ATR. We propose models for the role of RPA phosphorylation by Chk1 in S-phase checkpoint pathways, and the possible regulation of ATR activity by different nucleic acid structures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology & Immunology, and the Witebsky Center for Microbial Pathogenesis & Immunology, University at Buffalo, School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA. JLiu@swmail.sw.org
authors.forename: Jen-Sing
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Shu-Ru
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Melendy
mesh_terms: D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071877:Checkpoint Kinase 1; D004256:DNA Polymerase I / Q000378:metabolism; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000378:metabolism*; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D006801:Humans; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051716:Replication Protein A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016196:S Phase
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D051716:Replication Protein A; D011494:Protein Kinases; C576597:ATR protein, human; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; C000605867:CHEK1 protein, human; D000071877:Checkpoint Kinase 1; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D004256:DNA Polymerase I