Kinase-dependent structural role of DNA-PKcs during immunoglobulin class switch recombination

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018 Aug 21;115(34):8615-8620. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1808490115. Epub 2018 Aug 2.

Abstract

The catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs) is a classical nonhomologous end-joining (cNHEJ) factor. Loss of DNA-PKcs diminished mature B cell class switch recombination (CSR) to other isotypes, but not IgG1. Here, we show that expression of the kinase-dead DNA-PKcs (DNA-PKcsKD/KD ) severely compromises CSR to IgG1. High-throughput sequencing analyses of CSR junctions reveal frequent accumulation of nonproductive interchromosomal translocations, inversions, and extensive end resection in DNA-PKcsKD/KD , but not DNA-PKcs-/- , B cells. Meanwhile, the residual joints from DNA-PKcsKD/KD cells and the efficient Sµ-Sγ1 junctions from DNA-PKcs-/- B cells both display similar preferences for small (2-6 nt) microhomologies (MH). In DNA-PKcs-/- cells, Sµ-Sγ1 joints are more resistant to inversions and extensive resection than Sµ-Sε and Sµ-Sµ joints, providing a mechanism for the isotype-specific CSR defects. Together, our findings identify a kinase-dependent role of DNA-PKcs in suppressing MH-mediated end joining and a structural role of DNA-PKcs protein in the orientation of CSR.

Keywords: DNA-PKcs; alternative end joining; classical nonhomologous end joining; immunoglobulin class switch recombination; somatic mutation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • B-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • B-Lymphocytes / enzymology*
  • Cell Line
  • DNA-Activated Protein Kinase / genetics
  • DNA-Activated Protein Kinase / metabolism*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Immunoglobulin Class Switching / physiology*
  • Immunoglobulin G / biosynthesis*
  • Immunoglobulin G / genetics
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • Recombination, Genetic / physiology*

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • DNA-Activated Protein Kinase
  • Prkdc protein, mouse