Transcript Slide 1

HR=homologous recombination
NHEJ=Non-homologous end joining
In HR, 100-1000 bases removed to make long 3’ overhang that invades copy on
sister chromatid. Or other chromosome? (unlikely due to expected slow kinetics).
This suggests greater dependence on RNR for HR than NHEJ (but what about
salvage of what was just taken out? Or salvage imported in from the outside).
If 25-mer defines position in genome uniquely, this implies that cells use much
bigger sequences to make absolutely sure the invasion is in the right place,
consistent with HR repair being a high fidelity route.
dNTPs needed by HR
NHEJ also important
in S-phase
We conclude that blocking the ability to generate dNTPs de novo does not
significantly impact how well NHEJ proficient, G1/G0 enriched cells repair IRgenerated DSBs, consistent with our predictions.
[HU] may be low enough that NHEJ is not impacted; higher [HU] may have
killed both routes and this may explain why 200 uM was used in this study.
NHEJ is
important
HR not that
important
And what is left,
HR, depends on
dNTPs
Same data as
previous Table
rad51
Interacts
with Lig4
= Pol alpha/delta inhibitor
Rad51 focus positive cells were apparent in
Xrs6 cells but not K1 cells, indicating
HR is employed for DSB repair in G1 cells
only when NHEJ is not available (Fig. 2C)
Feedforward says don’t
try HR without dNTPs
Less so without DNA pol
Note HR much slower
than NHEJ for pure IR
p53R2 Overexpression does not help if NHEJ
is working fine in wild type cells.
p53R2 is
overexpressed
p53R2
Overexpressed
Helps cells with
only HR active,
i.e. NHEJ minus.
Conclude: differences in RNR activity
does not significantly determine if
cells successfully repair double strand
breaks, only which pathway (HR or
NHEJ) they use to repair them
Abstract, last line:
“This may explain in part why G1/G0 cells, which have reduced ribonucleotide
reductase activity, rely more on NHEJ for DSB repair.”
More likely NHEJ is used in G1 due to slow kinetics of HR, supported by Fig. 2
In Intro: As a consequence, RNR activity rises in early S, and falls after G2 – a
fluctuation that correlates well with the extent cells perform HR. Fails to say that
S to G2 also lines up with sister chromatids being there, early S would
discriminate, i.e. if HR is very active in early S then they are right.
NHEJ’s ability to sustain efficient repair regardless of the activity
of the de novo pathway is thus a strong rationale for using a repair
pathway suggested to be intrinsically more error prone than the
alternative (HR). I disagree here, I think it is for faster kinetics.