Identification of regulators of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitor response through complementary CRISPR knockout and activation screens

Kristen E. Clements, Emily M. Schleicher, Tanay Thakar, Anastasia Hale, Ashna Dhoonmoon, Nathanial J. Tolman, Anchal Sharma, Xinwen Liang, Yuka Imamura Kawasawa, Claudia M. Nicolae, Hong Gang Wang, Subhajyoti De, George Lucian Moldovan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

32 Scopus citations

Abstract

Inhibitors of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase 1 (PARPi) are highly effective in killing cells deficient in homologous recombination (HR); thus, PARPi have been clinically utilized to successfully treat BRCA2-mutant tumors. However, positive response to PARPi is not universal, even among patients with HR-deficiency. Here, we present the results of genome-wide CRISPR knockout and activation screens which reveal genetic determinants of PARPi response in wildtype or BRCA2-knockout cells. Strikingly, we report that depletion of the ubiquitin ligase HUWE1, or the histone acetyltransferase KAT5, top hits from our screens, robustly reverses the PARPi sensitivity caused by BRCA2-deficiency. We identify distinct mechanisms of resistance, in which HUWE1 loss increases RAD51 levels to partially restore HR, whereas KAT5 depletion rewires double strand break repair by promoting 53BP1 binding to double-strand breaks. Our work provides a comprehensive set of putative biomarkers that advance understanding of PARPi response, and identifies novel pathways of PARPi resistance in BRCA2-deficient cells.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number6118
JournalNature communications
Volume11
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2020

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Chemistry
  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • General Physics and Astronomy

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