Alkyladenine DNA glycosylase associates with transcription elongation to coordinate DNA repair with gene expression

Nat Commun. 2019 Nov 29;10(1):5460. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-13394-w.

Abstract

Base excision repair (BER) initiated by alkyladenine DNA glycosylase (AAG) is essential for removal of aberrantly methylated DNA bases. Genome instability and accumulation of aberrant bases accompany multiple diseases, including cancer and neurological disorders. While BER is well studied on naked DNA, it remains unclear how BER efficiently operates on chromatin. Here, we show that AAG binds to chromatin and forms complex with RNA polymerase (pol) II. This occurs through direct interaction with Elongator and results in transcriptional co-regulation. Importantly, at co-regulated genes, aberrantly methylated bases accumulate towards the 3'end in regions enriched for BER enzymes AAG and APE1, Elongator and active RNA pol II. Active transcription and functional Elongator are further crucial to ensure efficient BER, by promoting AAG and APE1 chromatin recruitment. Our findings provide insights into genome stability maintenance in actively transcribing chromatin and reveal roles of aberrantly methylated bases in regulation of gene expression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Chromatin / genetics
  • Chromatin / metabolism*
  • DNA Glycosylases / metabolism*
  • DNA Methylation
  • DNA Repair / genetics*
  • DNA-(Apurinic or Apyrimidinic Site) Lyase / genetics
  • DNA-(Apurinic or Apyrimidinic Site) Lyase / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression
  • Gene Expression Regulation / genetics*
  • Genomic Instability
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • RNA Polymerase II / genetics
  • RNA Polymerase II / metabolism*
  • Transcription Elongation, Genetic
  • Transcriptional Elongation Factors / genetics
  • Transcriptional Elongation Factors / metabolism

Substances

  • Chromatin
  • Elp1 protein, human
  • Transcriptional Elongation Factors
  • RNA Polymerase II
  • 3-methyladenine-DNA glycosylase
  • DNA Glycosylases
  • APEX1 protein, human
  • DNA-(Apurinic or Apyrimidinic Site) Lyase