Structural Basis of Detection and Signaling of DNA Single-Strand Breaks by Human PARP-1.
Eustermann, S., Wu, W.F., Langelier, M.F., Yang, J.C., Easton, L.E., Riccio, A.A., Pascal, J.M., Neuhaus, D.(2015) Mol Cell 60: 742-754
- PubMed: 26626479 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2015.10.032
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
2N8A - PubMed Abstract: 
Poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase 1 (PARP-1) is a key eukaryotic stress sensor that responds in seconds to DNA single-strand breaks (SSBs), the most frequent genomic damage. A burst of poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis initiates DNA damage response, whereas PARP-1 inhibition kills BRCA-deficient tumor cells selectively, providing the first anti-cancer therapy based on synthetic lethality. However, the mechanism underlying PARP-1's function remained obscure; inherent dynamics of SSBs and PARP-1's multi-domain architecture hindered structural studies. Here we reveal the structural basis of SSB detection and how multi-domain folding underlies the allosteric switch that determines PARP-1's signaling response. Two flexibly linked N-terminal zinc fingers recognize the extreme deformability of SSBs and drive co-operative, stepwise self-assembly of remaining PARP-1 domains to control the activity of the C-terminal catalytic domain. Automodification in cis explains the subsequent release of monomeric PARP-1 from DNA, allowing repair and replication to proceed. Our results provide a molecular framework for understanding PARP inhibitor action and, more generally, allosteric control of dynamic, multi-domain proteins.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Medical Research Council, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK.