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XRCC4 and DNA Ligase IV (LIG4) cooperate to join two DNA ends at the final step of DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair through non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ). However, it is not fully understood how these proteins are localized to the nucleus. Here we created XRCC4(K271R) mutant, as Lys271 lies within the putative nuclear localization signal (NLS), and XRCC4(K210R) mutant, as Lys210 was reported to undergo SUMOylation, implicated in the nuclear localization of XRCC4. Wild-type and mutated XRCC4 with EGFP tag were introduced into HeLa cell, in which endogenous XRCC4 had been knocked down using siRNA directed to 3'-untranslated region, and tested for the nuclear localization function by fluorescence microscopy. XRCC4(K271R) was defective in the nuclear localization of itself and LIG4, whereas XRCC4(K210R) was competent for the nuclear localization with LIG4. To examine DSB repair function, wild-type and mutated XRCC4 were introduced into XRCC4-deficient M10. M10-XRCC4(K271R), but not M10-XRCC4(K210R), showed significantly reduced surviving fraction after 2 Gy γ-ray irradiation as compared to M10-XRCC4(WT). The number of γ-H2AX foci remaining 2 h after 2 Gy γ-ray irradiation was significantly greater in M10-XRCC4(K271R) than in M10-XRCC4(WT), whereas it was only marginally increased in M10-XRCC4(K210R) as compared to M10-XRCC4(WT). The present results collectively indicated that Lys271, but not Lys210, of XRCC4 is required for the nuclear localization of XRCC4 and LIG4 and that the nuclear localizing ability is essential for DSB repair function of XRCC4., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

XRCC4 (X-ray cross-complementation group 4) is a protein associated with DNA ligase IV, which is thought to join two DNA ends at the final step of DNA double-strand break repair through non-homologous end-joining. It has been shown that, in response to irradiation or treatment with DNA damaging agents, XRCC4 undergoes phosphorylation, requiring DNA-PK. Here we explored possible role of ATM, which is structurally related to DNA-PK, in the regulation of XRCC4. The radiosensitizing effects of DNA-PK inhibitor and/or ATM inhibitor were dependent on XRCC4. DNA-PK inhibitor and ATM inhibitor did not affect the ionizing radiation-induced chromatin recruitment of XRCC4. Ionizing radiation-induced phosphorylation of XRCC4 in the chromatin-bound fraction was largely inhibited by DNA-PK inhibitor but further diminished by the combination with ATM inhibitor. The present results indicated that XRCC4 phosphorylation is mediated through ATM as well as DNA-PK, although DNA-PK plays the major role. We would propose a possible model that DNA-PK and ATM acts in parallel upstream of XRCC4, regulating through phosphorylation.