ATM (ataxia-telangiectasia mutated) is necessary for activation of Chk1 by ATR (ATM and Rad3-related) in response to double-stranded DNA breaks (DSBs) but not to DNA replication stress. TopBP1 has been identified as a direct activator of ATR. We show that ATM regulates Xenopus TopBP1 by phosphorylating Ser-1131 and thereby strongly enhancing association of TopBP1 with ATR. Xenopus egg extracts ...

The loss of telomere function can result in the fusion of telomeres with other telomeric loci, or non-telomeric double-stranded DNA breaks. Sequence analysis of fusion events between short dysfunctional telomeres in human cells has revealed that fusion is characterized by a distinct molecular signature consisting of extensive deletions and micro-homology at the fusion points. This signature is ...

The cellular response to double-strand breaks (DSBs) in DNA is a complex signalling network, mobilized by the nuclear protein kinase ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM), which phosphorylates many factors in the various branches of this network. A main question is how ATM regulates DSB repair. Here, we identify the DNA repair enzyme polynucleotide kinase/phosphatase (PNKP) as an ATM target. PNKP...

Renal medullary cells normally are exposed to extraordinarily high interstitial NaCl concentration as part of the urinary concentrating mechanism, yet they survive and function. Acute elevation of NaCl to a moderate level causes transient cell cycle arrest in culture. Higher levels of NaCl, within the range found in the inner medulla, cause apoptosis. Recently, it was surprising to discover tha...

We previously identified a conserved multiprotein complex that includes hMre11 and hRad50. In this study, we used immunofluorescence to investigate the role of this complex in DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair. hMre11 and hRad50 form discrete nuclear foci in response to treatment with DSB-inducing agents but not in response to UV irradiation. hMre11 and hRad50 foci colocalize after treatment...

The ataxia telangiectasia mutant (ATM) protein kinase regulates the cell's response to DNA damage through the phosphorylation of proteins involved in cell-cycle checkpoints and DNA repair. However, the signal-transduction pathway linking DNA strand breaks to activation of ATM's kinase activity is not clearly defined. Here, we demonstrate that DNA damage induces the rapid acetylation of ATM. Thi...

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase related protein kinases (PIKK) including ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM), DNAdependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), and ATM and Rad3-related (ATR) coordinate cellular responses to DNA damage. DNA-PK and ATM are primarily activated by double-strand breaks. The ATR kinase, in contrast, responds to numerous forms of genotoxic stress including intrastrand cross-links, oxid...

Ataxia can be classified according to the onset into episodic, acute, intermittent and chronic ataxia. Acute ataxia in children is caused by CNS tumors, trauma, CNS infection, toxins, metabolic causes or stroke. Recurrent ataxia can be due to metabolic causes, seizures, basilar artery migraine or toxins. Chronic ataxia is usually the result of hereditary ataxia, CNS tumors, congenital anomalies...

The translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) is essential for survival by mechanisms that as yet are incompletely defined. Here we describe an important role of TCTP in response to DNA damage. Upon exposure of normal human cells to low-dose γ rays, the TCTP protein level was greatly increased, with a significant enrichment in nuclei. TCTP up-regulation occurred in a manner dependent on a...