WASHC1 interacts with MCM2-7 complex to promote cell survival under replication stress

Background: WASHC1 is a member of the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) family and is involved in endosomal protein sorting and trafficking through the generation of filamentous actin (F-actin) via activation of the Arp2/3 complex. There is increasing evidence that WASHC1 is present in the nucleus and nuclear WASHC1 plays important roles in regulating gene transcription, DNA repair as well as maintaining nuclear organization. However, the multi-faceted functions of nuclear WASHC1 still need to be clarified.

Methods and results: We show here that WASHC1 interacts with several components of the minichromosome maintenance (MCM) 2-7 complex by using co-immunoprecipitation and in situ proximity ligation assay. WASHC1-depleted cells display normal DNA replication and S-phase progression. However, loss of WASHC1 sensitizes HeLa cells to DNA replication inhibitor hydroxyurea (HU) and increases chromosome instability of HeLa and 3T3 cells under condition of HU-induced replication stress. Re-expression of nuclear WASHC1 in WASHC1^KO 3T3 cells rescues the deficiency of WASHC1^KO cells in the chromosomal stability after HU treatment. Moreover, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay indicates that WASHC1 associates with DNA replication origins, and knockdown of WASHC1 inhibits MCM protein loading at origins.

Conclusions: Since efficient loading of excess MCM2-7 complexes is required for cells to survive replicative stress, these results demonstrate that WASHC1 promotes cell survival and maintain chromosomal stability under replication stress through recruitment of excess MCM complex to origins.