Anti-SETMAR polyclonal antibody

Metnase (also known as SETMAR) is a SET and transposase fusion protein in humans and plays a positive role in double-strand break (DSB) repair. While the SET domain possesses histone lysine methyltransferase activity, the transposase domain is responsible for 5'-terminal inverted repeat (TIR)-specific binding, DNA looping, and DNA cleavage activities. We recently demonstrated that human homolog of Pso4 (hPso4) is a Metnase binding partner that mediates Metnase binding to non-TIR DNA such as DNA damage sites. Here we show that Metnase functions as a dimer in its TIR binding. While both Metnase and hPso4 can independently interact with TIR DNA, Metnase's DNA binding activity is not required for formation of the Metnase-hPso4-DNA complex. A further stoichiometric analysis indicated that only one protein is involved in interaction with dsDNA when Metnase-hPso4 forms a stable complex. Interaction of the Metnase-hPso4 complex with TIR DNA was competitively inhibited by both TIR and non-TIR DNA, suggesting that hPso4 is solely responsible for binding to DNA in the Metnase-hPso4-DNA complex. Together, our study suggests that hPso4, once it forms a complex with Metnase, negatively regulates Metnase's TIR binding activity, which is perhaps necessary for Metnase localization at non-TIR sites such as DSBs. (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chk1 both arrests replication forks and enhances repair of DNA damage by phosphorylation of downstream effectors. Metnase (also termed SETMAR) is a SET histone methylase and transposase nuclease protein that promotes both DNA double strand break (DSB) repair and re-start of stalled replication forks. We previously found that Chk1 phosphorylation of Metnase on S495 enhanced its DNA DSB repair activity but decreased its ability to re-start stalled replication forks. Here we show that phosphorylated Metnase feeds back to increase the half-life of Chk1. Chk1 half-life is regulated by DDB1 targeting it to Cul4A for ubiquitination and destruction. Metnase decreases Chk1 interaction with DDB1, and decreases Chk1 ubiquitination. These data define a novel pathway for Chk1 regulation, whereby a target of Chk1, Metnase, feeds back to amplify Chk1 stability, and therefore enhance replication fork arrest.