Involved in double-strand break repair and/or homologous recombination. Binds RAD51 and potentiates recombinational DNA repair by promoting assembly of RAD51 onto single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). Acts by targeting RAD51 to ssDNA over double-stranded DNA, enabling RAD51 to displace replication protein-A (RPA) from ssDNA and stabilizing RAD51-ssDNA filaments by blocking ATP hydrolysis. May participate in S phase checkpoint activation. Binds selectively to ssDNA, and to ssDNA in tailed duplexes and replication fork structures. In concert with NPM1, regulates centrosome duplication.
Fanconi anemia (FA) is an autosomal recessive cancer susceptibility syndrome with at least 11 complementation groups (A, B, C, D1, D2, E, F, G, I, J, and L), and eight FA genes have been cloned. The FANCD1 gene is identical to the breast cancer susceptibility gene, BRCA2. The FA proteins cooperate in a common pathway, but the function of BRCA2/FANCD1 in this pathway remains unknown. Here we show that monoubiquitination of FANCD2, which is activated by DNA damage, is required for targeting of FANCD2 to chromatin, where it interacts with BRCA2. FANCD2-Ub then promotes BRCA2 loading into a chromatin complex. FANCD2(-/-) cells are deficient in the assembly of DNA damage-inducible BRCA2 foci and in chromatin loading of BRCA2. Functional complementation with the FANCD2 cDNA restores BRCA2 foci and its chromatin loading following DNA damage. BRCA2(-/-) cells expressing a carboxy-terminal truncated BRCA2 protein form IR-inducible BRCA2 and FANCD2 foci, but these foci fail to colocalize. Functional complementation of these cells with wild-type BRCA2 restores the interaction of BRCA2 and FANCD2. The C terminus of BRCA2 is therefore required for the functional interaction of BRCA2 and FANCD2 in chromatin. Taken together, our results demonstrate that monoubiquitination of FANCD2, which is regulated by the FA pathway, promotes BRCA2 loading into chromatin complexes. These complexes appear to be required for normal homology-directed DNA repair.
Mutation of the breast cancer susceptibility gene, BRCA2, leads to breast and ovarian cancers. Mechanistic insight into the functions of human BRCA2 has been limited by the difficulty of isolating this large protein (3,418 amino acids). Here we report the purification of full-length BRCA2 and show that it both binds RAD51 and potentiates recombinational DNA repair by promoting assembly of RAD51 onto single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). BRCA2 acts by targeting RAD51 to ssDNA over double-stranded DNA, enabling RAD51 to displace replication protein-A (RPA) from ssDNA and stabilizing RAD51-ssDNA filaments by blocking ATP hydrolysis. BRCA2 does not anneal ssDNA complexed with RPA, implying it does not directly function in repair processes that involve ssDNA annealing. Our findings show that BRCA2 is a key mediator of homologous recombination, and they provide a molecular basis for understanding how this DNA repair process is disrupted by BRCA2 mutations, which lead to chromosomal instability and cancer.
Fanconi anaemia (FA) is a chromosomal instability disorder characterized by cellular sensitivity to DNA interstrand crosslinking agents and a high risk of cancer. Six of the eight proteins encoded by the known FA genes form a nuclear complex which is required for the monoubiquitination of the FANCD2 protein. FANCD2 complexes and colocalizes with BRCA1, but its presumptive role in DNA repair has not yet been clearly defined. We used yeast two-hybrid analysis to test for interaction between FANCD2 and 10 proteins involved in homologous recombination repair. FANCD2 did not interact with RAD51, the five RAD51 paralogs, RAD52, RAD54 or DMC1. However, it bound to a highly conserved C-terminal site in BRCA2 that also binds FANCG/XRCC9. FANCD2 and BRCA2 can be coimmunoprecipitated from cell extracts of both human and Chinese hamster wild-type cells, thus confirming that the interaction occurs in vivo. Formation of nuclear foci of FANCD2 was normal in the BRCA2 mutant CAPAN-1 cells, which indicates that the recruitment of FANCD2 to sites of DNA-repair is independent of wild-type BRCA2 function. FANCD2 colocalized with RAD51 in foci following treatment with mitomycin C or hydroxyurea, and colocalized very tightly with PCNA after treatment with hydroxyurea. These findings suggest that FANCD2 may have a role in the cellular response to stalled replication forks or in the repair of replication-associated double-strand breaks, irrespective of the type of primary DNA lesion.
BRCA2 is a tumor suppressor that functions in homologous recombination, a key genomic integrity pathway. BRCA2 interacts with RAD51, the central protein of recombination, which forms filaments on single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) to perform homology search and DNA strand invasion. We report the purification of full-length human BRCA2 and show that it binds to ~6 RAD51 molecules and promotes RAD51 binding to ssDNA coated by replication protein A (RPA), in a manner that is stimulated by DSS1.
Individuals with BRCA2 mutations are predisposed to breast cancers owing to genome instability. To determine the functions of BRCA2, the human protein was purified. It was found to bind selectively to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), and to ssDNA in tailed duplexes and replication fork structures. Monomeric and dimeric forms of BRCA2 were observed by EM. BRCA2 directed the binding of RAD51 recombinase to ssDNA, reduced the binding of RAD51 to duplex DNA and stimulated RAD51-mediated DNA strand exchange. These observations provide a molecular basis for the role of BRCA2 in the maintenance of genome stability.
BRCA2 germline mutations account for the majority of heredity breast and ovarian cancer. Besides its role in DNA damage repair, BRCA2 also plays an important role in cytokinesis, transcription regulation, and cancer cell proliferation. Recently, we reported that BRCA2 localizes to centrosomes as well as nuclei and the dysfunction of BRCA2 in a centrosome causes abnormalities in cell division. Here, we identified a nucleolar phosphoprotein, nucleophosmin (NPM), as a novel BRCA2-associated protein. We also detected the binding of BRCA2 to ROCK2, an effector of Rho small GTPase. Because it is known that ROCK2 binds to NPM at centrosomes, these 3 proteins may form a complex. NPM-binding region was within amino acids 639-1,000 of BRCA2. Exogenous expression of this BRCA2 region resulted in aberrant centrosome amplification and a high frequency of multinucleated cells. Our results suggested that a complex consisting of BRCA2, NPM, and ROCK2 maintains the numerical integrity of centrosomes and accurate cell division and that dysfunction of this regulation might be involved in the tumorigenesis of breast cancer.
The cellular response to the introduction of double strand DNA breaks involves complexes of protein interactions that govern cell cycle checkpoint arrest and repair of the DNA lesions. The checkpoint kinases Chk1 and Chk2 phosphorylate the carboxy-terminal domain of hBRCA2, a protein involved in recombination-mediated DNA repair (HRR) and replication fork maintenance. Cells deficient in hBRCA2 are hypersensitive to DNA damaging agents. Phosphorylation of the residue in hBRCA2 targeted by the Chk1 and Chk2 kinases regulates its interaction with Rad51. Furthermore, the cell line lex1/lex2, which lacks the carboxy-terminal domain containing the phosphorylated residue, does not support localization of Rad51 to nuclear foci after exposure to UV or treatment with ionizing radiation (IR). The data show that either phosphorylation of Rad51 by Chk1 or phosphorylation of the carboxy-terminal domain of hBRCA2 by Chk1 or Chk2 plays a critical role in the binding of Rad51 to hBRCA2 and the subsequent recruitment of Rad51 to sites of DNA damage. While depletion of Chk1 from cells leads to loss of Rad51 localization to nuclear foci in response to replication arrest, cells lacking Chk2 also show a defect in Rad51 localization, but only in presence of double strand DNA breaks, indicating that each of these kinases may contribute somewhat differently to the formation of Rad51 nucleoprotein filaments depending on the type of DNA damage incurred by the cells.
The BRCA2 breast cancer tumor suppressor is involved in the repair of double strand breaks and broken replication forks by homologous recombination through its interaction with DNA repair protein Rad51. Cells defective in BRCA2.FANCD1 are extremely sensitive to mitomycin C (MMC) similarly to cells deficient in any of the Fanconi anemia (FA) complementation group proteins (FANC). These observations suggest that the FA pathway and the BRCA2 and Rad51 repair pathway may be linked, although a functional connection between these pathways in DNA damage signaling remains to be determined. Here, we systematically investigated the interaction between these pathways. We show that in response to DNA damage, BRCA2-dependent Rad51 nuclear focus formation was normal in the absence of FANCD2 and that FANCD2 nuclear focus formation and mono-ubiquitination appeared normal in BRCA2-deficient cells. We report that the absence of BRCA2 substantially reduced homologous recombination repair of DNA breaks, whereas the absence of FANCD2 had little effect. Furthermore, we established that depletion of BRCA2 or Rad51 had a greater effect on cell survival in response to MMC than depletion of FANCD2 and that depletion of BRCA2 in FANCD2 mutant cells further sensitized these cells to MMC. Our results suggest that FANCD2 mediates double strand DNA break repair independently of Rad51-associated homologous recombination.
BRCA2 is responsible for familial breast and ovarian cancer, and its gene product is linked to DNA repair and transcriptional regulation. The BRCA2 protein exists mainly in the nucleus. Here, we show that BRCA2 has a centrosomal localization signal (CLS), localizes also to centrosomes during S and early M phases, and may regulate duplication and separation of the centrosomes. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) fused to the CLS peptides from BRCA2 (GFP-CLS) localizes to centrosomes and prevents endogenous BRCA2 from localizing to centrosomes. In addition, expression of GFP-CLS in cells leads to the abnormal duplication and positioning of centrosomes, resulting in the generation of multinuclear cells. These results thus implicate BRCA2 in the regulation of the centrosome cycle, and provide new insight into the aneuploid nature of many breast cancers.
Patients carrying mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 tumor suppressor genes have shown to have high risk in developing breast and ovarian cancers. Two potential functions of BRCA2 were proposed which includes role in the regulation of transcription and also in DNA repair. Forty-five-amino acid region encoded by exon 3 of BRCA2 was shown to have transcriptional activation function. Recent studies of the several enzymes involved in acetylation and deacetylation of histone residues have revealed a possible relationship between gene transcriptional activation and histone acetylation. Since BRCA2 appear to function as a transcriptional factor, we have tested for Histone acetyl transferase (HAT) activity of BRCA2. Here, we present evidence that BRCA2 has intrinsic HAT activity, which maps to the amino-terminal region of BRCA2. Our results demonstrate that BRCA2 proteins acetylate primarily H3 and H4 of free histones. These observations suggest that HAT activity of BRCA2 may play an important role in the regulation of transcription and tumor suppressor function.
Patients carrying mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 tumor suppressor genes have shown to have high risk in developing breast and ovarian cancers. Two potential functions of BRCA2 were proposed which includes role in the regulation of transcription and also in DNA repair. Forty-five-amino acid region encoded by exon 3 of BRCA2 was shown to have transcriptional activation function. Recent studies of the several enzymes involved in acetylation and deacetylation of histone residues have revealed a possible relationship between gene transcriptional activation and histone acetylation. Since BRCA2 appear to function as a transcriptional factor, we have tested for Histone acetyl transferase (HAT) activity of BRCA2. Here, we present evidence that BRCA2 has intrinsic HAT activity, which maps to the amino-terminal region of BRCA2. Our results demonstrate that BRCA2 proteins acetylate primarily H3 and H4 of free histones. These observations suggest that HAT activity of BRCA2 may play an important role in the regulation of transcription and tumor suppressor function.
Predisposition to hereditary breast cancer has been attributed in part to inherited mutations in the BRCA2 gene. The large protein it encodes is still poorly characterized with respect to functions. We have previously shown that BRCA2 has transcriptional activation potential conferred by its amino-terminal third exon. Here, we show that BRCA2 interacts with a transcriptional co-activator protein, P/CAF, which possesses histone acetyltransferase activity. The interaction with P/CAF is demonstrated in vitro as well as in vivo and is shown to be mediated by residues 290-453 of BRCA2. Consistent with the binding to an acetyltransferase, BRCA2 is shown to associate with acetyltransferase activity in nuclear extracts. Contrary to a recent report, we find no evidence in support of an intrinsic HAT activity in BRCA2 amino-terminus. Our results further substantiate the notion that BRCA2 has transcriptional activation function and suggest that one mechanism by which BRCA2 regulates transcription may be through the recruitment of histone-modifying activity of the P/CAF co-activator.
Individuals carrying a germ line mutation of the breast cancer susceptibility gene BRCA2 are predisposed to breast, ovarian, and other types of cancer. The BRCA2 protein has been proposed to function in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks. Using an immunopurification-mass spectrometry approach to identify novel proteins that associate with the BRCA2 gene product, we found that a deubiquitinating enzyme, USP11, formed specific complexes with BRCA2. Moreover, BRCA2 was constitutively ubiquitinated in vivo in the absence of detectable proteasomal degradation. Mitomycin C (MMC) led to decreased BRCA2 protein levels associated with increased ubiquitination, consistent with proteasome-dependent degradation. While BRCA2 could be deubiquitinated by USP11 in transient overexpression assays, a catalytically inactive USP11 mutant had no effect on BRCA2 ubiquitination or protein levels. Antagonism of USP11 function either through expression of this mutant or through RNA interference increased cellular sensitivity to MMC in a BRCA2-dependent manner. All of these results imply that BRCA2 expression levels are regulated by ubiquitination in the cellular response to MMC-induced DNA damage and that USP11 participates in DNA damage repair functions within the BRCA2 pathway independently of BRCA2 deubiquitination.
Interacting selectively and non-covalently with any protein or protein complex (a complex of two or more proteins that may include other nonprotein molecules).
Evidence
1:
Inferred from Physical InteractionUniProtKB
Heterozygous carriers of loss-of-function germline mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 breast cancer susceptibility genes have a predisposition to breast and ovarian cancer. Multiple functions have been ascribed to the products of these genes, linking them to pathways that inhibit progression to neoplasia. Various investigators have assigned roles for these tumor suppressor gene products in the cell functions of genome repair, transcription, and growth control. There is emerging evidence that BRCA1 may participate in ubiquitin E3 ligase activity. BRCA1 and BRCA2 have each been implicated in chromatin remodeling dynamics via protein partnering. Ubiquitin ligase and chromatin remodeling activities need not be mutually exclusive and both may function in DNA repair, transcriptional regulation, or cell cycle control. Here we highlight certain recent findings and currently unanswered questions regarding BRCA1 and BRCA2 in breast cancer.
Evidence
2:
Inferred from Physical InteractionIntAct
Fanconi anemia (FA) is a human disorder characterized by cancer susceptibility and cellular sensitivity to DNA crosslinks and other damages. Thirteen complementation groups and genes are identified, including BRCA2, which is defective in the FA-D1 group. Eight of the FA proteins, including FANCG, participate in a nuclear core complex that is required for the monoubiquitylation of FANCD2 and FANCI. FANCD2, like FANCD1/BRCA2, is not part of the core complex, and we previously showed direct BRCA2-FANCD2 interaction using yeast two-hybrid analysis. We now show in human and hamster cells that expression of FANCG protein, but not the other core complex proteins, is required for co-precipitation of BRCA2 and FANCD2. We also show that phosphorylation of FANCG serine 7 is required for its co-precipitation with BRCA2, XRCC3 and FANCD2, as well as the direct interaction of BRCA2-FANCD2. These results argue that FANCG has a role independent of the FA core complex, and we propose that phosphorylation of serine 7 is the signalling event required for forming a discrete complex comprising FANCD1/BRCA2-FANCD2-FANCG-XRCC3 (D1-D2-G-X3). Cells that fail to express either phospho-Ser7-FANCG, or full length BRCA2 protein, lack the interactions amongst the four component proteins. A role for D1-D2-G-X3 in homologous recombination repair (HRR) is supported by our finding that FANCG and the RAD51-paralog XRCC3 are epistatic for sensitivity to DNA crosslinking compounds in DT40 chicken cells. Our findings further define the intricate interface between FANC and HRR proteins in maintaining chromosome stability.
Evidence
3:
Inferred from Physical InteractionIntAct
The inactivation of BRCA2, a suppressor of breast, ovarian and other epithelial cancers, triggers instability in chromosome structure and number, which are thought to arise from defects in DNA recombination and mitotic cell division, respectively. Human BRCA2 controls DNA recombination via eight BRC repeats, evolutionarily conserved motifs of ∼35 residues, that interact directly with the recombinase RAD51. How BRCA2 controls mitotic cell division is debated. Several studies by different groups report that BRCA2 deficiency affects cytokinesis. Moreover, its interaction with HMG20b, a protein of uncertain function containing a promiscuous DNA-binding domain and kinesin-like coiled coils, has been implicated in the G2-M transition. We show here that HMG20b depletion by RNA interference disturbs the completion of cell division, suggesting a novel function for HMG20b. In vitro, HMG20b binds directly to the BRC repeats of BRCA2, and exhibits the highest affinity for BRC5, a motif that binds poorly to RAD51. Conversely, the BRC4 repeat binds strongly to RAD51, but not to HMG20b. In vivo, BRC5 overexpression inhibits the BRCA2-HMG20b interaction, recapitulating defects in the completion of cell division provoked by HMG20b depletion. In contrast, BRC4 inhibits the BRCA2-RAD51 interaction and the assembly of RAD51 at sites of DNA damage, but not the completion of cell division. Our findings suggest that a novel function for HMG20b in cytokinesis is regulated by its interaction with the BRC repeats of BRCA2, and separate this unexpected function for the BRC repeats from their known activity in DNA recombination. We propose that divergent tumor-suppressive pathways regulating chromosome segregation as well as chromosome structure may be governed by the conserved BRC motifs in BRCA2.
Evidence
4:
Inferred from Physical InteractionUniProtKB
In an attempt to disclose mechanisms of hepatocarcinogenesis and discover novel target molecules for the diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), we previously analyzed expression profiles of HCC tissues by means of human cDNA microarray. Among the genes upregulated in tumor tissues compared with their nontumor counterparts, we focused on a novel gene, termed WDRPUH, and characterized its biologic function. WDRPUH encodes a predicted 620-amino acid protein containing 11 highly conserved WD40-repeat domains. Multiple-tissue Northern blot analysis revealed its specific expression in the testis among 16 normal tissues examined. Transfection of plasmids designed to express WDRPUH-specific siRNA significantly reduced its expression in HCC cells and resulted in growth suppression of transfected cells. Interestingly, we found that WDRPUH associated with HSP70, proteins of the chaperonin-containing TCP-1 (CCT1) complex, as well as BRCA2. These findings have disclosed a novel insight into hepatocarcinogenesis and suggested that WDRPUH may be a molecular target for the development of new strategies to treat HCCs.
Evidence
5:
Inferred from Physical InteractionUniProtKB
Breast Cancer Res. 3, 294-298 (2001)[PubMed:11597317]
Two recent papers provide new evidence relevant to the role of the breast cancer susceptibility gene BRCA2 in DNA repair. Moynahan et al provide genetic data indicating a requirement for BRCA2 in homology-dependent (recombinational) repair of DNA double-strand breaks. The second paper, by Davies et al, begins to address the mechanism through which BRCA2 makes its contribution to recombinational repair. BRCA2 appears to function in recombination via interactions with the major eukaryotic recombinase RAD51 [1,2,3]. We briefly review the context in which the two studies were carried out, we comment on the results presented, and we discuss models designed to account for the role of BRCA2 in RAD51-mediated repair.
Evidence
6:
Inferred from Physical InteractionUniProtKB
Mutation of the breast cancer susceptibility gene, BRCA2, leads to breast and ovarian cancers. Mechanistic insight into the functions of human BRCA2 has been limited by the difficulty of isolating this large protein (3,418 amino acids). Here we report the purification of full-length BRCA2 and show that it both binds RAD51 and potentiates recombinational DNA repair by promoting assembly of RAD51 onto single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). BRCA2 acts by targeting RAD51 to ssDNA over double-stranded DNA, enabling RAD51 to displace replication protein-A (RPA) from ssDNA and stabilizing RAD51-ssDNA filaments by blocking ATP hydrolysis. BRCA2 does not anneal ssDNA complexed with RPA, implying it does not directly function in repair processes that involve ssDNA annealing. Our findings show that BRCA2 is a key mediator of homologous recombination, and they provide a molecular basis for understanding how this DNA repair process is disrupted by BRCA2 mutations, which lead to chromosomal instability and cancer.
Evidence
7:
Inferred from Physical InteractionUniProtKB
Maintenance of genomic stability ensures faithful transmission of genetic information and helps suppress neoplastic transformation and tumorigenesis. Although recent progress has advanced our understanding of DNA damage checkpoint regulations, little is known as to how DNA repair, especially the RAD51-dependent homologous recombination repair pathway, is executed in vivo. Here, we reveal novel properties of the BRCA2-associated protein PALB2 in the assembly of the recombinational DNA repair machinery at DNA damage sites. Although the chromatin association of PALB2 is a prerequisite for subsequent BRCA2 and RAD51 loading, the focal accumulation of the PALB2 x BRCA2 x RAD51 complex at DSBs occurs independently of known DNA damage checkpoint and repair proteins. We provide evidence to support that PALB2 exists as homo-oligomers and that PALB2 oligomerization is essential for its focal accumulation at DNA breaks in vivo. We propose that both PALB2 chromatin association and its oligomerization serve to secure the BRCA2 x RAD51 repair machinery at the sites of DNA damage. These attributes of PALB2 are likely instrumental for proficient homologous recombination DNA repair in the cell.
Evidence
8:
Inferred from Physical InteractionIntAct
Inherited mutations in BRCA2 are associated with a predisposition to early-onset breast cancers. The underlying basis of tumorigenesis is thought to be linked to defects in DNA double-strand break repair by homologous recombination. Here we show that the carboxy-terminal region of BRCA2, which interacts directly with the essential recombination protein RAD51, contains a site (serine 3291; S3291) that is phosphorylated by cyclin-dependent kinases. Phosphorylation of S3291 is low in S phase when recombination is active, but increases as cells progress towards mitosis. This modification blocks C-terminal interactions between BRCA2 and RAD51. However, DNA damage overcomes cell cycle regulation by decreasing S3291 phosphorylation and stimulating interactions with RAD51. These results indicate that S3291 phosphorylation might provide a molecular switch to regulate RAD51 recombination activity, providing new insight into why BRCA2 C-terminal deletions lead to radiation sensitivity and cancer predisposition.
Evidence
9:
Inferred from Physical InteractionUniProtKB
Germ line mutations in BRCA2 gene predispose women to early-onset familial breast and ovarian cancer. BRCA2 is a protein of multiple functions. In addition to its role in DNA double-strand break repair, BRCA2 also plays a role in stabilization of stalled DNA replication forks, cytokinesis, transcription regulation, mammalian gametogenesis, centrosome duplication, and suppression of cell proliferation. However, how BRCA2 mutations predispose women specifically to breast and ovarian cancer remains undefined. Here we found that BRCA2 binds and stabilizes MAGE-D1, a member of the MAGE gene family of proteins. Expression of BRCA2 and MAGE-D1 synergistically suppresses cell proliferation independently of the p53 pathway. Using two MAGE-D1 RNA interferences and two cell lines expressing low or undetectable levels of MAGE-D1, we further showed that the expression of MAGE-D1 is required for BRCA2-mediated suppression of cell proliferation, indicating that MAGE-D1 is a downstream target of BRCA2 and that BRCA2 suppresses cell proliferation via stabilizing MAGE-D1. Importantly, MAGE-D1 protein expression was reduced in 6 of 16 breast carcinoma cell lines tested as compared with untransformed immortal mammary epithelial cell lines, suggesting that suppression of MAGE-D1 expression may be involved in the tumorigenesis of a subset of sporadic breast cancers.
Evidence
10:
Inferred from Physical InteractionIntAct
The breast cancer susceptibility protein BRCA2 controls the function of RAD51, a recombinase enzyme, in pathways for DNA repair by homologous recombination. We report here the structure of a complex between an evolutionarily conserved sequence in BRCA2 (the BRC repeat) and the RecA-homology domain of RAD51. The BRC repeat mimics a motif in RAD51 that serves as an interface for oligomerization between individual RAD51 monomers, thus enabling BRCA2 to control the assembly of the RAD51 nucleoprotein filament, which is essential for strand-pairing reactions during DNA recombination. The RAD51 oligomerization motif is highly conserved among RecA-like recombinases, highlighting a common evolutionary origin for the mechanism of nucleoprotein filament formation, mirrored in the BRC repeat. Cancer-associated mutations that affect the BRC repeat disrupt its predicted interaction with RAD51, yielding structural insight into mechanisms for cancer susceptibility.
Evidence
11:
Inferred from Physical InteractionUniProtKB
Germ line mutations in the breast cancer susceptibility gene BRCA2 predispose to early-onset breast cancer, but the function of the nuclear protein encoded by the gene is ill defined. Using the yeast two-hybrid system with fragments of human BRCA2, we identified an interaction with the human DSS1 (deleted in split hand/split foot) gene. Yeast and mammalian two-hybrid assays showed that DSS1 can associate with BRCA2 in the region of amino acids 2472 to 2957 in the C terminus of the protein. Using coimmunoprecipitation of epitope-tagged BRCA2 and DSS1 cDNA constructs transiently expressed in COS cells, we were able to demonstrate an association. Furthermore, endogenous BRCA2 could be coimmunoprecipitated with endogenous DSS1 in MCF7 cells, demonstrating an in vivo association. Apparent orthologues of the mammalian DSS1 gene were identified in the genome of the yeasts Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Yeast strains in which these DSS1-like genes were deleted showed a temperature-sensitive growth phenotype, which was analyzed by flow cytometry. This provides evidence for a link between the BRCA2 tumor suppressor gene and a gene required for completion of the cell cycle.
Evidence
12:
Inferred from Physical InteractionIntAct
Fanconi anaemia (FA) is a chromosomal instability disorder characterized by cellular sensitivity to DNA interstrand crosslinking agents and a high risk of cancer. Six of the eight proteins encoded by the known FA genes form a nuclear complex which is required for the monoubiquitination of the FANCD2 protein. FANCD2 complexes and colocalizes with BRCA1, but its presumptive role in DNA repair has not yet been clearly defined. We used yeast two-hybrid analysis to test for interaction between FANCD2 and 10 proteins involved in homologous recombination repair. FANCD2 did not interact with RAD51, the five RAD51 paralogs, RAD52, RAD54 or DMC1. However, it bound to a highly conserved C-terminal site in BRCA2 that also binds FANCG/XRCC9. FANCD2 and BRCA2 can be coimmunoprecipitated from cell extracts of both human and Chinese hamster wild-type cells, thus confirming that the interaction occurs in vivo. Formation of nuclear foci of FANCD2 was normal in the BRCA2 mutant CAPAN-1 cells, which indicates that the recruitment of FANCD2 to sites of DNA-repair is independent of wild-type BRCA2 function. FANCD2 colocalized with RAD51 in foci following treatment with mitomycin C or hydroxyurea, and colocalized very tightly with PCNA after treatment with hydroxyurea. These findings suggest that FANCD2 may have a role in the cellular response to stalled replication forks or in the repair of replication-associated double-strand breaks, irrespective of the type of primary DNA lesion.
Evidence
13:
Inferred from Physical InteractionIntAct
J. Biol. Chem. 274, 32931-32935 (1999)[PubMed:10551859]
BRCA2 is a breast tumor suppressor with a potential function in the cellular response to DNA damage. BRCA2 binds to Rad51 through its BRC repeats. In support of the biological significance of this interaction, we found that the complex of BRCA2 and Rad51 in breast cancer MCF-7 cells was diminished upon conditional expression of a wild-type, but not a mutated, BRC4 repeat using the tetracycline-inducible system. Cells expressing a wild-type BRC4 repeat showed hypersensitivity to gamma-irradiation, an inability to form Rad51 radiation-induced foci, and a failure of radiation-induced G(2)/M, but not G(1)/S, checkpoint control. These results strongly suggest that the interaction between BRCA2 and Rad51 mediated by BRC repeats is critical for the cellular response to DNA damage.
Evidence
14:
Inferred from Physical InteractionUniProtKB
In mammalian cells, the centrosome consists of a pair of centrioles and amorphous pericentriolar material. The pair of centrioles, which are the core components of the centrosome, duplicate once per cell cycle. Centrosomes play a pivotal role in orchestrating the formation of the bipolar spindle during mitosis. Recent studies have linked centrosomal activity on centrioles or centriole-associated structures to cytokinesis and cell cycle progression through G1 into the S phase. In this study, we have identified centrobin as a centriole-associated protein that asymmetrically localizes to the daughter centriole. The silencing of centrobin expression by small interfering RNA inhibited centriole duplication and resulted in centrosomes with one or no centriole, demonstrating that centrobin is required for centriole duplication. Furthermore, inhibition of centriole duplication by centrobin depletion led to impaired cytokinesis.
Evidence
15:
Inferred from Physical InteractionUniProtKB
BRCA2 has an essential function in DNA repair by homologous recombination, interacting with RAD51 via short motifs in the middle and at the C terminus of BRCA2. Here, we report that a conserved 36-residue sequence of human BRCA2 encoded by exon 27 (BRCA2Exon27) interacts with RAD51 through the specific recognition of oligomerized RAD51 ATPase domains. BRCA2Exon27 binding stabilizes the RAD51 nucleoprotein filament against disassembly by BRC repeat 4. The protection is specific for RAD51 filaments formed on single-stranded DNA and is lost when BRCA2Exon27 is phosphorylated on Ser3291. We propose that productive recombination results from the functional balance between the different RAD51-binding modes [corrected] of the BRC repeat and exon 27 regions of BRCA2. Our results further suggest a mechanism in which CDK phosphorylation of BRCA2Exon27 at the G2-M transition alters the balance in favor of RAD51 filament disassembly, thus terminating recombination.
Erratum in:
Nat Struct Mol Biol. 14(7), 680 (2007 Jul)
Evidence
16:
Inferred from Physical InteractionIntAct
The breast cancer susceptibility protein, BRCA2, is essential for recombinational DNA repair. BRCA2 delivers RAD51 to double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) breaks through interaction with eight conserved, approximately 35 amino acid motifs, the BRC repeats. Here we show that the solitary BRC4 promotes assembly of RAD51 onto single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), but not dsDNA, to stimulate DNA strand exchange. BRC4 acts by blocking ATP hydrolysis and thereby maintaining the active ATP-bound form of the RAD51-ssDNA filament. Single-molecule visualization shows that BRC4 does not disassemble RAD51-dsDNA filaments but rather blocks nucleation of RAD51 onto dsDNA. Furthermore, this behavior is manifested by a domain of BRCA2 comprising all eight BRC repeats. These results establish that the BRC repeats modulate RAD51-DNA interaction in two opposing but functionally reinforcing ways: targeting active RAD51 to ssDNA and prohibiting RAD51 nucleation onto dsDNA. Thus, BRCA2 recruits RAD51 to DNA breaks and, we propose, the BRC repeats regulate DNA-binding selectivity.
Evidence
17:
Inferred from Physical InteractionUniProtKB
BACKGROUND: Albumin binds low-molecular-weight molecules, including proteins and peptides, which then acquire its longer half-life, thereby protecting the bound species from kidney clearance. We developed an experimental method to isolate albumin in its native state and to then identify [mass spectrometry (MS) sequencing] the corresponding bound low-molecular-weight molecules. We used this method to analyze pooled sera from a human disease study set (high-risk persons without cancer, n = 40; stage I ovarian cancer, n = 30; stage III ovarian cancer, n = 40) to demonstrate the feasibility of this approach as a discovery method. METHODS: Albumin was isolated by solid-phase affinity capture under native binding and washing conditions. Captured albumin-associated proteins and peptides were separated by gel electrophoresis and subjected to iterative MS sequencing by microcapillary reversed-phase tandem MS. Selected albumin-bound protein fragments were confirmed in human sera by Western blotting and immunocompetition. RESULTS: In total, 1208 individual protein sequences were predicted from all 3 pools. The predicted sequences were largely fragments derived from proteins with diverse biological functions. More than one third of these fragments were identified by multiple peptide sequences, and more than one half of the identified species were in vivo cleavage products of parent proteins. An estimated 700 serum peptides or proteins were predicted that had not been reported in previous serum databases. Several proteolytic fragments of larger molecules that may be cancer-related were confirmed immunologically in blood by Western blotting and peptide immunocompetition. BRCA2, a 390-kDa low-abundance nuclear protein linked to cancer susceptibility, was represented in sera as a series of specific fragments bound to albumin. CONCLUSION: Carrier-protein harvesting provides a rich source of candidate peptides and proteins with potential diverse tissue and cellular origins that may reflect important disease-related information.
Evidence
18:
Inferred from Physical InteractionUniProtKB
BRCA1 and BRCA2 account for most cases of familial, early onset breast and/or ovarian cancer and encode products that each interact with hRAD51. Results presented here show that BRCA1 and BRCA2 coexist in a biochemical complex and colocalize in subnuclear foci in somatic cells and on the axial elements of developing synaptonemal complexes. Like BRCA1 and RAD51, BRCA2 relocates to PCNA+ replication sites following exposure of S phase cells to hydroxyurea or UV irradiation. Thus, BRCA1 and BRCA2 participate, together, in a pathway(s) associated with the activation of double-strand break repair and/or homologous recombination. Dysfunction of this pathway may be a general phenomenon in the majority of cases of hereditary breast and/or ovarian cancer.
Evidence
19:
Inferred from Physical InteractionIntAct
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 95, 5287-5292 (1998)[PubMed:9560268]
The BRCA2 gene was identified based on its involvement in familial breast cancer. The analysis of its sequence predicts that the gene encodes a protein with 3,418 amino acids but provides very few clues pointing to its biological function. In an attempt to address this question, specific antibodies were prepared that identified the gene product of BRCA2 as a 390-kDa nuclear protein. Furthermore, direct binding of human RAD51 to each of the four single 30-amino acid BRC repeats located at the 5' portion of exon 11 of BRCA2 was demonstrated. Such an interaction is significant, as BRCA2 and RAD51 can be reciprocally coimmunoprecipitated by each of the individual, specific antibodies and form complexes in vivo. Inferring from the function of RAD51 in DNA repair, human pancreatic cancer cells, Capan-1, expressing truncated BRCA2 were shown to be hypersensitive to methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) treatment. Exogenous expression of wild-type BRCA2, but not BRC-deleted mutants, in Capan-1 cells confers resistance to MMS treatment. These results suggest that the interaction between the BRC repeats of BRCA2 and RAD51 is critical for cellular response to DNA damage caused by MMS.
Mutation of the breast cancer susceptibility gene, BRCA2, leads to breast and ovarian cancers. Mechanistic insight into the functions of human BRCA2 has been limited by the difficulty of isolating this large protein (3,418 amino acids). Here we report the purification of full-length BRCA2 and show that it both binds RAD51 and potentiates recombinational DNA repair by promoting assembly of RAD51 onto single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). BRCA2 acts by targeting RAD51 to ssDNA over double-stranded DNA, enabling RAD51 to displace replication protein-A (RPA) from ssDNA and stabilizing RAD51-ssDNA filaments by blocking ATP hydrolysis. BRCA2 does not anneal ssDNA complexed with RPA, implying it does not directly function in repair processes that involve ssDNA annealing. Our findings show that BRCA2 is a key mediator of homologous recombination, and they provide a molecular basis for understanding how this DNA repair process is disrupted by BRCA2 mutations, which lead to chromosomal instability and cancer.
The process whose specific outcome is the progression of the brain over time, from its formation to the mature structure. Brain development begins with patterning events in the neural tube and ends with the mature structure that is the center of thought and emotion. The brain is responsible for the coordination and control of bodily activities and the interpretation of information from the senses (sight, hearing, smell, etc.).
An aging process that has as participant a cell after a cell has stopped dividing. Cell aging may occur when a cell has temporarily stopped dividing through cell cycle arrest (GO:0007050) or when a cell has permanently stopped dividing, in which case it is undergoing cellular senescence (GO:0090398). May precede cell death (GO:0008219) and succeed cell maturation (GO:0048469).
Cytokinesis that occurs in the context of cell cycle progression and results in the division of the cytoplasm of a cell and its separation into two daughter cells.
BRCA2 is responsible for familial breast and ovarian cancer, and its gene product is linked to DNA repair and transcriptional regulation. The BRCA2 protein exists mainly in the nucleus. Here, we show that BRCA2 has a centrosomal localization signal (CLS), localizes also to centrosomes during S and early M phases, and may regulate duplication and separation of the centrosomes. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) fused to the CLS peptides from BRCA2 (GFP-CLS) localizes to centrosomes and prevents endogenous BRCA2 from localizing to centrosomes. In addition, expression of GFP-CLS in cells leads to the abnormal duplication and positioning of centrosomes, resulting in the generation of multinuclear cells. These results thus implicate BRCA2 in the regulation of the centrosome cycle, and provide new insight into the aneuploid nature of many breast cancers.
The replication of a centrosome, a structure comprised of a pair of centrioles and peri-centriolar material from which a microtubule spindle apparatus is organized.
Evidence
1:
Inferred from Mutant PhenotypeUniProtKB
BRCA2 is responsible for familial breast and ovarian cancer, and its gene product is linked to DNA repair and transcriptional regulation. The BRCA2 protein exists mainly in the nucleus. Here, we show that BRCA2 has a centrosomal localization signal (CLS), localizes also to centrosomes during S and early M phases, and may regulate duplication and separation of the centrosomes. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) fused to the CLS peptides from BRCA2 (GFP-CLS) localizes to centrosomes and prevents endogenous BRCA2 from localizing to centrosomes. In addition, expression of GFP-CLS in cells leads to the abnormal duplication and positioning of centrosomes, resulting in the generation of multinuclear cells. These results thus implicate BRCA2 in the regulation of the centrosome cycle, and provide new insight into the aneuploid nature of many breast cancers.
DNA damage response, signal transduction by p53 class mediator resulting in transcription of p21 class mediatordefinition[GO:0006978]‹silver
A cascade of processes induced by the cell cycle regulator phosphoprotein p53, or an equivalent protein, resulting in the induction of the transcription of p21 (also known as WAF1, CIP1 and SDI1) or any equivalent protein, in response to the detection of DNA damage.
Using a defined substrate DNA with a single psoralen interstrand cross-link (ICL), we studied the molecular mechanism of human ICL repair. In vitro ICL repair by human extracts is dependent on replication and is a largely error-free process. Extracts from a human BRCA2-defective mutant cell line, CAPAN-1, are severely compromised in ICL repair. Specifically, 'unhooked' but not fully repaired products accumulate in the reaction with CAPAN-1, and transient expression of BRCA2 in CAPAN-1 restores repair activity. Together, these results reveal that BRCA2 participates in repair of replication-mediated double-strand breaks generated when replication forks encounter ICLs. We also show that nucleotide excision repair is essential for the removal of the lesion left behind on one strand after unhooking. This study provides new mechanistic insights into the repair of ICLs in human cells.
The error-free repair of a double-strand break in DNA in which the broken DNA molecule is repaired using homologous sequences. A strand in the broken DNA searches for a homologous region in an intact chromosome to serve as the template for DNA synthesis. The restoration of two intact DNA molecules results in the exchange, reciprocal or nonreciprocal, of genetic material between the intact DNA molecule and the broken DNA molecule.
Mutation of the breast cancer susceptibility gene, BRCA2, leads to breast and ovarian cancers. Mechanistic insight into the functions of human BRCA2 has been limited by the difficulty of isolating this large protein (3,418 amino acids). Here we report the purification of full-length BRCA2 and show that it both binds RAD51 and potentiates recombinational DNA repair by promoting assembly of RAD51 onto single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). BRCA2 acts by targeting RAD51 to ssDNA over double-stranded DNA, enabling RAD51 to displace replication protein-A (RPA) from ssDNA and stabilizing RAD51-ssDNA filaments by blocking ATP hydrolysis. BRCA2 does not anneal ssDNA complexed with RPA, implying it does not directly function in repair processes that involve ssDNA annealing. Our findings show that BRCA2 is a key mediator of homologous recombination, and they provide a molecular basis for understanding how this DNA repair process is disrupted by BRCA2 mutations, which lead to chromosomal instability and cancer.
The process whose specific outcome is the progression of the myeloid and lymphoid derived organ/tissue systems of the blood and other parts of the body over time, from formation to the mature structure. The site of hemopoiesis is variable during development, but occurs primarily in bone marrow or kidney in many adult vertebrates.
Patients carrying mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 tumor suppressor genes have shown to have high risk in developing breast and ovarian cancers. Two potential functions of BRCA2 were proposed which includes role in the regulation of transcription and also in DNA repair. Forty-five-amino acid region encoded by exon 3 of BRCA2 was shown to have transcriptional activation function. Recent studies of the several enzymes involved in acetylation and deacetylation of histone residues have revealed a possible relationship between gene transcriptional activation and histone acetylation. Since BRCA2 appear to function as a transcriptional factor, we have tested for Histone acetyl transferase (HAT) activity of BRCA2. Here, we present evidence that BRCA2 has intrinsic HAT activity, which maps to the amino-terminal region of BRCA2. Our results demonstrate that BRCA2 proteins acetylate primarily H3 and H4 of free histones. These observations suggest that HAT activity of BRCA2 may play an important role in the regulation of transcription and tumor suppressor function.
Patients carrying mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 tumor suppressor genes have shown to have high risk in developing breast and ovarian cancers. Two potential functions of BRCA2 were proposed which includes role in the regulation of transcription and also in DNA repair. Forty-five-amino acid region encoded by exon 3 of BRCA2 was shown to have transcriptional activation function. Recent studies of the several enzymes involved in acetylation and deacetylation of histone residues have revealed a possible relationship between gene transcriptional activation and histone acetylation. Since BRCA2 appear to function as a transcriptional factor, we have tested for Histone acetyl transferase (HAT) activity of BRCA2. Here, we present evidence that BRCA2 has intrinsic HAT activity, which maps to the amino-terminal region of BRCA2. Our results demonstrate that BRCA2 proteins acetylate primarily H3 and H4 of free histones. These observations suggest that HAT activity of BRCA2 may play an important role in the regulation of transcription and tumor suppressor function.
The proliferation of cells in the inner cell mass.
IEAOrtholog Compara
Intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway in response to DNA damage by p53 class mediatordefinition[GO:0042771]‹silver
A series of molecular signals in which an intracellular signal is conveyed to trigger the apoptotic death of a cell. The pathway is induced by the cell cycle regulator phosphoprotein p53, or an equivalent protein, in response to the detection of DNA damage, and ends when the execution phase of apoptosis is triggered.
Germ line mutations in BRCA2 gene predispose women to early-onset familial breast and ovarian cancer. BRCA2 is a protein of multiple functions. In addition to its role in DNA double-strand break repair, BRCA2 also plays a role in stabilization of stalled DNA replication forks, cytokinesis, transcription regulation, mammalian gametogenesis, centrosome duplication, and suppression of cell proliferation. However, how BRCA2 mutations predispose women specifically to breast and ovarian cancer remains undefined. Here we found that BRCA2 binds and stabilizes MAGE-D1, a member of the MAGE gene family of proteins. Expression of BRCA2 and MAGE-D1 synergistically suppresses cell proliferation independently of the p53 pathway. Using two MAGE-D1 RNA interferences and two cell lines expressing low or undetectable levels of MAGE-D1, we further showed that the expression of MAGE-D1 is required for BRCA2-mediated suppression of cell proliferation, indicating that MAGE-D1 is a downstream target of BRCA2 and that BRCA2 suppresses cell proliferation via stabilizing MAGE-D1. Importantly, MAGE-D1 protein expression was reduced in 6 of 16 breast carcinoma cell lines tested as compared with untransformed immortal mammary epithelial cell lines, suggesting that suppression of MAGE-D1 expression may be involved in the tumorigenesis of a subset of sporadic breast cancers.
A DNA repair process in which a small region of the strand surrounding the damage is removed from the DNA helix as an oligonucleotide. The small gap left in the DNA helix is filled in by the sequential action of DNA polymerase and DNA ligase. Nucleotide excision repair recognizes a wide range of substrates, including damage caused by UV irradiation (pyrimidine dimers and 6-4 photoproducts) and chemicals (intrastrand cross-links and bulky adducts).
Evidence
1:
Inferred from Mutant PhenotypeUniProtKB
Using a defined substrate DNA with a single psoralen interstrand cross-link (ICL), we studied the molecular mechanism of human ICL repair. In vitro ICL repair by human extracts is dependent on replication and is a largely error-free process. Extracts from a human BRCA2-defective mutant cell line, CAPAN-1, are severely compromised in ICL repair. Specifically, 'unhooked' but not fully repaired products accumulate in the reaction with CAPAN-1, and transient expression of BRCA2 in CAPAN-1 restores repair activity. Together, these results reveal that BRCA2 participates in repair of replication-mediated double-strand breaks generated when replication forks encounter ICLs. We also show that nucleotide excision repair is essential for the removal of the lesion left behind on one strand after unhooking. This study provides new mechanistic insights into the repair of ICLs in human cells.
A developmental process, independent of morphogenetic (shape) change, that is required for an oocyte to attain its fully functional state. Oocyte maturation commences after reinitiation of meiosis commonly starting with germinal vesicle breakdown, and continues up to the second meiotic arrest prior to fertilization.
BRCA1 and BRCA2 account for most cases of familial, early onset breast and/or ovarian cancer and encode products that each interact with hRAD51. Results presented here show that BRCA1 and BRCA2 coexist in a biochemical complex and colocalize in subnuclear foci in somatic cells and on the axial elements of developing synaptonemal complexes. Like BRCA1 and RAD51, BRCA2 relocates to PCNA+ replication sites following exposure of S phase cells to hydroxyurea or UV irradiation. Thus, BRCA1 and BRCA2 participate, together, in a pathway(s) associated with the activation of double-strand break repair and/or homologous recombination. Dysfunction of this pathway may be a general phenomenon in the majority of cases of hereditary breast and/or ovarian cancer.
Any process that results in a change in state or activity of a cell or an organism (in terms of movement, secretion, enzyme production, gene expression, etc.) as a result of a gamma radiation stimulus. Gamma radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) or light emission of a specific frequency produced from sub-atomic particle interaction, such as electron-positron annihilation and radioactive decay. Gamma rays are generally characterized as EMR having the highest frequency and energy, and also the shortest wavelength, within the electromagnetic radiation spectrum.
Any process that results in a change in state or activity of a cell or an organism (in terms of movement, secretion, enzyme production, gene expression, etc.) as a result of a UV-C radiation stimulus. UV-C radiation (UV-C light) spans the wavelengths 100 to 290 nm.
Any process that results in a change in state or activity of a cell or an organism (in terms of movement, secretion, enzyme production, gene expression, etc.) as a result of X-ray radiation. An X-ray is a form of electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength in the range of 10 nanometers to 100 picometers (corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 PHz to 3 EHz).
Protein involved in the complex series of events by which the cell duplicates its contents and divides into two. The eukaryotic cell cycle can be divided in four phases termed G1 (first gap period), S (synthesis, phase during which the DNA is replicated), G2 (second gap period) and M (mitosis). The prokaryotic cell cycle typically involves a period of growth followed by DNA replication, partition of chromosomes, formation of septum and division into two similar or identical daughter cells.
Protein induced by DNA damage or protein involved in the response to DNA damage. Drug- or radiation-induced injuries in DNA introduce deviations from its normal double-helical conformation. These changes include structural distortions which interfere with replication and transcription, as well as point mutations which disrupt base pairs and exert damaging effects on future generations through changes in DNA sequence. Response to DNA damage results in either repair or tolerance.
Protein involved in the repair of DNA, the various biochemical processes by which damaged DNA can be restored. DNA repair embraces, for instance, not only the direct reversal of some types of damage (such as the enzymatic photoreactivation of thymine dimers), but also multiple distinct mechanisms for excising damaged base; termed nucleotide excision repair (NER), base excision repair (BER) and mismatch repair (MMR); or mechanisms for repairing double-strand breaks.
A reference proteome is a set of protein sequences derived from a complete proteome which constitutes a defined standard for a particular user community. Reference proteomes are manually defined according to a number of criteria. They cover the proteomes of well- studied model organisms and other proteomes of interest for biomedical and biotechnological research. Reference proteomes have been selected to provide broad coverage of the tree of life, and constitute a representative cross-section of the taxonomic diversity to be found within UniProtKB.