title: DNA repair. Mechanism of DNA interstrand cross-link processing by repair nuclease FAN1.
abstract: DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs) are highly toxic lesions associated with cancer and degenerative diseases. ICLs can be repaired by the Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway and through FA-independent processes involving the FAN1 nuclease. In this work, FAN1-DNA crystal structures and biochemical data reveal that human FAN1 cleaves DNA successively at every third nucleotide. In vitro, this exonuclease mechanism allows FAN1 to excise an ICL from one strand through flanking incisions. DNA access requires a 5'-terminal phosphate anchor at a nick or a 1- or 2-nucleotide flap and is augmented by a 3' flap, suggesting that FAN1 action is coupled to DNA synthesis or recombination. FAN1's mechanism of ICL excision is well suited for processing other localized DNA adducts as well.
authors.affiliation: Structural Biology Program and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
authors.forename: Renjing
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Structural Biology Program and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
authors.forename: Nicole S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Persky
authors.affiliation: Molecular Pharmacology and Chemistry Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
authors.forename: Barney
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.affiliation: Molecular Pharmacology and Chemistry Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
authors.forename: Ouathek
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ouerfelli
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Genome Maintenance, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smogorzewska
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Division of Genetics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Elledge
authors.affiliation: Structural Biology Program and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA. pavletin@mskcc.org.
authors.forename: Nikola P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Pavletich
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D018736:DNA Adducts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D004260:DNA Repair; D004261:DNA Replication; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases; D005090:Exodeoxyribonucleases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D064251:Multifunctional Enzymes; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
chemical_list: D018736:DNA Adducts; D064251:Multifunctional Enzymes; D004247:DNA; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases; D005090:Exodeoxyribonucleases; C551063:FAN1 protein, human