Featured Publications
Structural basis for the activation and suppression of transposition during evolution of the RAG recombinase
Zhang Y, Corbett E, Wu S, Schatz DG. Structural basis for the activation and suppression of transposition during evolution of the RAG recombinase. The EMBO Journal 2020, 39: embj2020105857. PMID: 32945578, PMCID: PMC7604617, DOI: 10.15252/embj.2020105857.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTarget site DNASite DNARAG1/RAG2 recombinaseSuppression of transpositionCryo-electron microscopyStrand transfer complexAntigen receptor genesDomesticated transposaseTarget DNARAG recombinaseEvolutionary adaptationPaste transpositionStructural basisTransposition activityMechanistic principlesFunctional assaysTransposon endDNAReceptor geneBase unstackingDomesticationTransposaseRecombinaseAdaptive immunityFinal stepStructural insights into the evolution of the RAG recombinase
Liu C, Zhang Y, Liu CC, Schatz DG. Structural insights into the evolution of the RAG recombinase. Nature Reviews Immunology 2021, 22: 353-370. PMID: 34675378, DOI: 10.1038/s41577-021-00628-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRAG recombinaseComparative genome analysisGenomes of eukaryotesProtein-DNA complexesSingle amino acid mutationAntigen receptor genesMolecular domesticationRag familyAmino acid mutationsJawed vertebratesVertebrate immunityTransposable elementsEvolutionary adaptationGenome analysisStructural biologyDNA bindingStructural insightsGene 1Acid mutationsCleavage activityRecombinaseReceptor geneStructural evidenceRecombinationAdaptive immunityTopologically Associated Domains Delineate Susceptibility to Somatic Hypermutation
Senigl F, Maman Y, Dinesh RK, Alinikula J, Seth RB, Pecnova L, Omer AD, Rao SSP, Weisz D, Buerstedde JM, Aiden EL, Casellas R, Hejnar J, Schatz DG. Topologically Associated Domains Delineate Susceptibility to Somatic Hypermutation. Cell Reports 2019, 29: 3902-3915.e8. PMID: 31851922, PMCID: PMC6980758, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.11.039.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2022
Ig Enhancers Increase RNA Polymerase II Stalling at Somatic Hypermutation Target Sequences.
Tarsalainen A, Maman Y, Meng FL, Kyläniemi MK, Soikkeli A, Budzyńska P, McDonald JJ, Šenigl F, Alt FW, Schatz DG, Alinikula J. Ig Enhancers Increase RNA Polymerase II Stalling at Somatic Hypermutation Target Sequences. The Journal Of Immunology 2022, 208: 143-154. PMID: 34862258, PMCID: PMC8702490, DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2100923.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPol IIMutating geneSomatic hypermutationTarget genesChicken DT40 B cellsRNA polymerase II stallingIg genesHistone variant H3.3Locus-specific targetingPol II occupancyAID-mediated mutationsDT40 B cellsRNA polymerase IILevels of H3K27acFull-length transcriptsVariant H3.3Antisense transcriptionTranscriptional outputPolymerase IIGenetic diversityMechanistic basisBurkitt's lymphoma cellsGeneration of AbsGenesDIVAC
2021
RAG2 abolishes RAG1 aggregation to facilitate V(D)J recombination
Gan T, Wang Y, Liu Y, Schatz DG, Hu J. RAG2 abolishes RAG1 aggregation to facilitate V(D)J recombination. Cell Reports 2021, 37: 109824. PMID: 34644584, PMCID: PMC8783374, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109824.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchStructural basis of mismatch recognition by a SARS-CoV-2 proofreading enzyme
Liu C, Shi W, Becker ST, Schatz DG, Liu B, Yang Y. Structural basis of mismatch recognition by a SARS-CoV-2 proofreading enzyme. Science 2021, 373: 1142-1146. PMID: 34315827, PMCID: PMC9836006, DOI: 10.1126/science.abi9310.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCryo-electron microscopy structureRNA synthesisCoronavirus RNA synthesisNascent RNAMicroscopy structureVirus life cycleMismatch recognitionRNA substratesSubstrate specificityStructural basisMolecular mechanismsNonstructural proteinsMolecular determinantsProofreading enzymeReplication fidelityMismatch correctionAnalogue inhibitorsLife cycleExoribonucleaseExonsComplexesRNARational designProteinEnzymeSarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) activity is required for V(D)J recombination
Chen CC, Chen BR, Wang Y, Curman P, Beilinson HA, Brecht RM, Liu CC, Farrell RJ, de Juan-Sanz J, Charbonnier LM, Kajimura S, Ryan TA, Schatz DG, Chatila TA, Wikstrom JD, Tyler JK, Sleckman BP. Sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) activity is required for V(D)J recombination. Journal Of Experimental Medicine 2021, 218: e20201708. PMID: 34033676, PMCID: PMC8155808, DOI: 10.1084/jem.20201708.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRAG2 gene expressionSarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2Gene expressionEndoplasmic reticulum Ca2ER Ca2ER transmembrane proteinExpression of SERCA3Mature B cellsER lumenCytosolic Ca2Transmembrane proteinCRISPR/PreB cellsDNA cleavageB cellsReticulum Ca2SERCA proteinATPase activityProteinProfound blockATP2A2 mutationsRAG1Recombination
2020
A Future Outlook on Molecular Mechanisms of Immunity
Weinmann AS, Youngblood BA, Smale ST, Brink R, Schatz DG, McHeyzer-Williams M. A Future Outlook on Molecular Mechanisms of Immunity. Trends In Immunology 2020, 41: 549-555. PMID: 32507312, DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2020.05.005.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDisease-associated CTNNBL1 mutation impairs somatic hypermutation by decreasing nuclear AID
Kuhny M, Forbes LR, Çakan E, Vega-Loza A, Kostiuk V, Dinesh RK, Glauzy S, Stray-Pedersen A, Pezzi AE, Hanson IC, Vargas-Hernandez A, Xu ML, Akdemir Z, Jhangiani SN, Muzny DM, Gibbs RA, Lupski JR, Chinn IK, Schatz DG, Orange JS, Meffre E. Disease-associated CTNNBL1 mutation impairs somatic hypermutation by decreasing nuclear AID. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2020, 130: 4411-4422. PMID: 32484799, PMCID: PMC7410074, DOI: 10.1172/jci131297.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsB cellsActivation-induced cytidine deaminaseHealthy donor counterpartsIsotype-switched B cellsCommon variable immunodeficiencyMemory B cellsSomatic hypermutationAutoimmune cytopeniasDecreased incidenceVariable immunodeficiencyB cell linesUnderlying molecular defectsNuclear AIDPatient's EBVRamos B cellsPatientsProtein 1Cell linesMolecular defectsCellsCytidine deaminaseMutations
2019
Transcription factor binding at Ig enhancers is linked to somatic hypermutation targeting
Dinesh RK, Barnhill B, Ilanges A, Wu L, Michelson DA, Senigl F, Alinikula J, Shabanowitz J, Hunt DF, Schatz DG. Transcription factor binding at Ig enhancers is linked to somatic hypermutation targeting. European Journal Of Immunology 2019, 50: 380-395. PMID: 31821534, PMCID: PMC7202714, DOI: 10.1002/eji.201948357.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsActivation-induced cytidine deaminaseGene conversionSomatic hypermutationIg genesTranscription factor family membersTrans-acting factorsFactor family membersClass switch recombinationEnhancer-like sequenceRamos B cell lineIgH intronic enhancerSecondary diversificationTranscription factorsE-boxFactor bindingChIP assaysIntronic enhancerReporter assaysB cell linesSpecific DNASwitch recombinationSHM targetingIg enhancersCytidine deaminaseNovel insights
2018
DNA melting initiates the RAG catalytic pathway
Ru H, Mi W, Zhang P, Alt FW, Schatz DG, Liao M, Wu H. DNA melting initiates the RAG catalytic pathway. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology 2018, 25: 732-742. PMID: 30061602, PMCID: PMC6080600, DOI: 10.1038/s41594-018-0098-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRecombination signal sequencesDNA meltingCryo-EM structureBase-specific contactsSignal sequenceDNA transpositionSubstrate bindingRetroviral integrationRAG endonucleaseDimer openingTerminal sequenceGTG sequenceDNA cleavageScissile phosphateDNAUniversal mechanismPiston-like movementSequenceActive siteHeptamerRetrotransposonsCatalytic pathwayTransposonComplexesEndonuclease
2017
New insights into the evolutionary origins of the recombination‐activating gene proteins and V(D)J recombination
Carmona LM, Schatz DG. New insights into the evolutionary origins of the recombination‐activating gene proteins and V(D)J recombination. The FEBS Journal 2017, 284: 1590-1605. PMID: 27973733, PMCID: PMC5459667, DOI: 10.1111/febs.13990.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTransposable elementsEvolutionary originRAG proteinsAbsence of RAG2Independent evolutionary originsBasal chordate amphioxusRecombination-activating gene (RAG) proteinsFamily of transposasesAntigen receptor genesRAG transposonChordate amphioxusJawed vertebratesSequence similarityEvolutionary relativesProteins RAG1RAG genesGene proteinRAG1Gene segmentsDiverse arrayMechanistic linkProteinRAG2Adaptive immune systemDNA cleavage reaction
2016
RAG1 targeting in the genome is dominated by chromatin interactions mediated by the non-core regions of RAG1 and RAG2
Maman Y, Teng G, Seth R, Kleinstein SH, Schatz DG. RAG1 targeting in the genome is dominated by chromatin interactions mediated by the non-core regions of RAG1 and RAG2. Nucleic Acids Research 2016, 44: 9624-9637. PMID: 27436288, PMCID: PMC5175335, DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw633.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsBinding SitesChromatinChromatin ImmunoprecipitationGenomeGenomic InstabilityHigh-Throughput Nucleotide SequencingHistonesHomeodomain ProteinsHumansMiceNucleotide MotifsPromoter Regions, GeneticProtein BindingProtein Interaction Domains and MotifsRecombination, GeneticV(D)J RecombinationConceptsAntigen receptor lociNon-core regionsReceptor locusPlant homeodomain (PHD) fingerChIP-seq dataWide bindingChromatin interactionsAdditional chromatinLysine 4Off-target activityGenomic featuresHistone 3Novel roleRAG1LociChromatinGenomeRAG2Observed patternsDistinct modesBindingH3K4me3H3K27acEndonucleaseRelative contributionModeling altered T-cell development with induced pluripotent stem cells from patients with RAG1-dependent immune deficiencies
Brauer PM, Pessach IM, Clarke E, Rowe JH, Ott de Bruin L, Lee YN, Dominguez-Brauer C, Comeau AM, Awong G, Felgentreff K, Zhang YH, Bredemeyer A, Al-Herz W, Du L, Ververs F, Kennedy M, Giliani S, Keller G, Sleckman BP, Schatz DG, Bushman FD, Notarangelo LD, Zúñiga-Pflücker JC. Modeling altered T-cell development with induced pluripotent stem cells from patients with RAG1-dependent immune deficiencies. Blood 2016, 128: 783-793. PMID: 27301863, PMCID: PMC4982452, DOI: 10.1182/blood-2015-10-676304.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInduced pluripotent stem cellsT cell developmentPluripotent stem cellsT cell receptorStem cellsOmenn syndrome patientsSingle-strand DNA breaksHuman induced pluripotent stem cellsControl iPSCsDeep-sequencing analysisT lineage cellsHuman T-cell developmentT cell progenitorsIPSC-derived cellsJoining genesImpaired T-cell differentiationDNA breaksSame geneN-terminalImmune system developmentLocus rearrangementT cell differentiationPatient cellsRecombination activityGenetic defects
2015
Chromosomal Loop Domains Direct the Recombination of Antigen Receptor Genes
Hu J, Zhang Y, Zhao L, Frock RL, Du Z, Meyers RM, Meng FL, Schatz DG, Alt FW. Chromosomal Loop Domains Direct the Recombination of Antigen Receptor Genes. Cell 2015, 163: 947-959. PMID: 26593423, PMCID: PMC4660266, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.10.016.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsCCCTC-Binding FactorChromosomes, MammalianDNA-Binding ProteinsGenes, mycGenomeHigh-Throughput Nucleotide SequencingHomeodomain ProteinsHumansImmunoglobulin Heavy ChainsLymphomaMiceNucleotide MotifsRegulatory Sequences, Nucleic AcidRepressor ProteinsSequence Analysis, DNATranslocation, GeneticV(D)J RecombinationConceptsRecombination signal sequencesRSS pairAntigen receptor genesSignal sequenceRAG activityDNA breaksChromosomal loopsLoop domainBiological processesConvergent CTCFChromosomal translocationsCleavage siteReceptor geneTarget activitySuch breaksMarked orientation dependenceRecombinationRAGCTCFChromatinMegabasesOff-target distributionGenesBreaksDomainChapter One Regulation and Evolution of the RAG Recombinase
Teng G, Schatz DG. Chapter One Regulation and Evolution of the RAG Recombinase. Advances In Immunology 2015, 128: 1-39. PMID: 26477364, DOI: 10.1016/bs.ai.2015.07.002.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRAG activityOverall genome integrityDNA breakageSpecific DNA motifsAntigen receptor lociDNA repair pathwaysChapter One RegulationAntigen receptor genesEarly lymphocyte developmentCell cycle statusGenome integrityChromatin structureRAG recombinaseRAG2 proteinsDNA motifsSpatial regulationWidespread bindingRepair pathwaysDNA cleavage activityRecombination eventsShuffling reactionEnzymatic potentialRAG endonucleaseReceptor locusLymphocyte developmentRAG Represents a Widespread Threat to the Lymphocyte Genome
Teng G, Maman Y, Resch W, Kim M, Yamane A, Qian J, Kieffer-Kwon KR, Mandal M, Ji Y, Meffre E, Clark MR, Cowell LG, Casellas R, Schatz DG. RAG Represents a Widespread Threat to the Lymphocyte Genome. Cell 2015, 162: 751-765. PMID: 26234156, PMCID: PMC4537821, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.07.009.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRecombination signalsStrong recombination signalGenome stabilityHuman genomeActive promotersGenomeDNA damageChromosomal translocationsCleavage siteWidespread threatRAG1Lymphocyte genomeEvolutionary struggleRecombinationRAGChromatinPromoterEndonucleaseSitesRAG2TranslocationAbundanceDepletionEnhancerHeptamerGenomic landscape of cutaneous T cell lymphoma
Choi J, Goh G, Walradt T, Hong BS, Bunick CG, Chen K, Bjornson RD, Maman Y, Wang T, Tordoff J, Carlson K, Overton JD, Liu KJ, Lewis JM, Devine L, Barbarotta L, Foss FM, Subtil A, Vonderheid EC, Edelson RL, Schatz DG, Boggon TJ, Girardi M, Lifton RP. Genomic landscape of cutaneous T cell lymphoma. Nature Genetics 2015, 47: 1011-1019. PMID: 26192916, PMCID: PMC4552614, DOI: 10.1038/ng.3356.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMechanisms of clonal evolution in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Swaminathan S, Klemm L, Park E, Papaemmanuil E, Ford A, Kweon SM, Trageser D, Hasselfeld B, Henke N, Mooster J, Geng H, Schwarz K, Kogan SC, Casellas R, Schatz DG, Lieber MR, Greaves MF, Müschen M. Mechanisms of clonal evolution in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Nature Immunology 2015, 16: 766-774. PMID: 25985233, PMCID: PMC4475638, DOI: 10.1038/ni.3160.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdolescentAnimalsAntibody DiversityB-LymphocytesChildChild, PreschoolClonal EvolutionCytidine DeaminaseDNA-Binding ProteinsFemaleFlow CytometryHomeodomain ProteinsHumansImmunoblottingInfantMaleMice, Inbred NODMice, KnockoutMice, SCIDMice, TransgenicMicroscopy, FluorescencePrecursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-LymphomaPrecursor Cells, B-LymphoidReverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain ReactionTumor Cells, CulturedSingle-molecule analysis of RAG-mediated V(D)J DNA cleavage
Lovely GA, Brewster RC, Schatz DG, Baltimore D, Phillips R. Single-molecule analysis of RAG-mediated V(D)J DNA cleavage. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2015, 112: e1715-e1723. PMID: 25831509, PMCID: PMC4394307, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1503477112.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRecombination signal sequencesSingle-molecule assaysSame DNA moleculeAntigen receptor genesConsensus recombination signal sequencesSingle-molecule analysisHigh mobility group box protein 1Individual molecular eventsSignal sequenceSingle-molecule levelGene productsDNA bindingMolecular eventsLymphocyte developmentDNA moleculesDNA cleavageProtein 1Synapse formationSynaptic complexReceptor geneCleavageRAGAssaysRAG1/2Complexes