Academic literature on the topic 'Chromosome interaction domains'

Replicative cellular senescence is a fundamental biological process characterized by an irreversible arrest of proliferation. Senescent cells accumulate a variety of epigenetic changes, but the three-dimensional (3D) organization of their chromatin is not known. We applied a combination of whole-genome chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C), fluorescence in situ hybridization, and in silico modeling methods to characterize the 3D architecture of interphase chromosomes in proliferating, quiescent, and senescent cells. Although the overall organization of the chromatin into active (A) and repressive (B) compartments and topologically associated domains (TADs) is conserved between the three conditions, a subset of TADs switches between compartments. On a global level, the Hi-C interaction matrices of senescent cells are characterized by a relative loss of long-range and gain of short-range interactions within chromosomes. Direct measurements of distances between genetic loci, chromosome volumes, and chromatin accessibility suggest that the Hi-C interaction changes are caused by a significant reduction of the volumes occupied by individual chromosome arms. In contrast, centromeres oppose this overall compaction trend and increase in volume. The structural model arising from our study provides a unique high-resolution view of the complex chromosomal architecture in senescent cells.

Black pod disease, caused by Phytophthora spp., is one of the main diseases that attack cocoa plantations. This study validated, by association mapping, 29 SSR molecular markers flanking to QTL (Quantitative Trait Loci) associated with Phytophthora palmivora Butler (Butler) (PP) resistance, in three local ancient varieties of the Bahia (Comum, Pará, and Maranhão), varieties that have a high potential in the production of gourmet chocolate. Four SSR loci associated with resistance to PP were detected, two on chromosome 8, explaining 7.43% and 3.72% of the Phenotypic Variation (%PV), one on chromosome 2 explaining 2.71%PV and one on chromosome 3 explaining 1.93%PV. A functional domains-based annotation was carried out, in two Theobroma cacao (CRIOLLO and MATINA) reference genomes, of 20 QTL regions associated with cocoa resistance to the pathogen. It was identified 164 (genome CRIOLLO) and 160 (genome MATINA) candidate genes, hypothetically involved in the recognition and activation of responses in the interaction with the pathogen. Genomic regions rich in genes with Coiled-coils (CC), nucleotide binding sites (NBS) and Leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domains were identified on chromosomes 1, 3, 6, 8, and 10, likewise, regions rich in Receptor-like Kinase domain (RLK) and Ginkbilobin2 (GNK2) domains were identified in chromosomes 4 and 6.

We use molecular dynamics simulations based on publicly available micrococcal nuclease sequencing data for nucleosome positions to predict the 3D structure of chromatin in the yeast genome. Our main aim is to shed light on the mechanism underlying the formation of chromosomal interaction domains, chromosome regions of around 0.5 to 10 kbp which show enriched self-interactions, which were experimentally observed in recent MicroC experiments (importantly these are at a different length scale from the 100- to 1,000-kbp–sized domains observed in higher eukaryotes). We show that the sole input of nucleosome positioning data is already sufficient to determine the patterns of chromatin interactions and domain boundaries seen experimentally to a high degree of accuracy. Since the nucleosome spacing so strongly affects the larger-scale domain structure, we next examine the genome-wide linker-length distribution in more detail, finding that it is highly irregular and varies in different genomic regions such as gene bodies, promoters, and active and inactive genes. Finally we use our simple simulation model to characterize in more detail how irregular nucleosome spacing may affect local chromatin structure.

ABSTRACT CNAP1 (hCAP-D2/Eg7) is an essential component of the human condensin complex required for mitotic chromosome condensation. This conserved complex contains a structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) family protein heterodimer and three non-SMC subunits. The mechanism underlying condensin targeting to mitotic chromosomes and the role played by the individual condensin components, particularly the non-SMC subunits, are not well understood. We report here characterization of the non-SMC condensin component CNAP1. CNAP1 contains two separate domains required for its stable incorporation into the complex. We found that the carboxyl terminus of CNAP1 possesses a mitotic chromosome-targeting domain that does not require the other condensin components. The same region also contains a functional bipartite nuclear localization signal. A mutant CNAP1 missing this domain, although still incorporated into condensin, was unable to associate with mitotic chromosomes. Successful chromosome targeting of deletion mutants correlated with their ability to directly bind to histones H1 and H3 in vitro. The H3 interaction appears to be mediated through the H3 histone tail, and a subfragment containing the targeting domain was found to interact with histone H3 in vivo. Thus, the CNAP1 C-terminal region defines a novel histone-binding domain that is responsible for targeting CNAP1, and possibly condensin, to mitotic chromosomes.

SH2 (src homology region 2) domains are implicated in protein-protein interactions involved in signal transduction pathways. Isolated SH2 domains bind proteins that are tyrosine phosphorylated. A novel, phosphotyrosine-independent binding interaction between BCR, the Philadelphia chromosome breakpoint cluster region gene product, and the SH2 domain of its translocation partner c-ABL has recently been reported. We have examined the ability of additional SH2 domains to bind phosphotyrosine-free BCR and compared this with their ability to bind tyrosine-phosphorylated c-ABL 1b. Of 11 individual SH2 domains examined, 8 exhibited relatively high affinity for c-ABL 1b, whereas only 4 exhibited relatively high affinity for BCR. Binding of tyrosine-phosphorylated c-ABL 1b by the relatively high-affinity ABL and ARG SH2 domains was quantitatively analyzed, and equilibrium dissociation constants for both interactions were estimated to be in the range of 5 x 10(-7) M. The ABL SH2 domain exhibited relatively high affinity for phosphotyrosine-free BCR as well; however, this interaction appears to be about two orders of magnitude weaker than binding of tyrosine-phosphorylated c-ABL 1b. The ARG SH2 domain exhibited relatively weak affinity for BCR and was determined to bind about 10-fold less strongly than the ABL SH2 domain. The ABL and ARG SH2 domains differ by only 10 of 91 amino acids, and the substitution of ABL-specific amino acids into either the amino- or carboxy-terminal half of the ARG SH2 domain was found to increase its affinity for BCR. We discuss these results in terms of a model which has been proposed for peptide binding by class I histocompatibility glycoproteins.

SH2 (src homology region 2) domains are implicated in protein-protein interactions involved in signal transduction pathways. Isolated SH2 domains bind proteins that are tyrosine phosphorylated. A novel, phosphotyrosine-independent binding interaction between BCR, the Philadelphia chromosome breakpoint cluster region gene product, and the SH2 domain of its translocation partner c-ABL has recently been reported. We have examined the ability of additional SH2 domains to bind phosphotyrosine-free BCR and compared this with their ability to bind tyrosine-phosphorylated c-ABL 1b. Of 11 individual SH2 domains examined, 8 exhibited relatively high affinity for c-ABL 1b, whereas only 4 exhibited relatively high affinity for BCR. Binding of tyrosine-phosphorylated c-ABL 1b by the relatively high-affinity ABL and ARG SH2 domains was quantitatively analyzed, and equilibrium dissociation constants for both interactions were estimated to be in the range of 5 x 10(-7) M. The ABL SH2 domain exhibited relatively high affinity for phosphotyrosine-free BCR as well; however, this interaction appears to be about two orders of magnitude weaker than binding of tyrosine-phosphorylated c-ABL 1b. The ARG SH2 domain exhibited relatively weak affinity for BCR and was determined to bind about 10-fold less strongly than the ABL SH2 domain. The ABL and ARG SH2 domains differ by only 10 of 91 amino acids, and the substitution of ABL-specific amino acids into either the amino- or carboxy-terminal half of the ARG SH2 domain was found to increase its affinity for BCR. We discuss these results in terms of a model which has been proposed for peptide binding by class I histocompatibility glycoproteins.

Abstract Structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) complexes are ancient and conserved molecular machines that organize chromosomes in all domains of life. We propose that the principles of chromosome folding needed to accommodate DNA inside a cell in an accessible form will follow similar principles in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. However, the exact contributions of SMC complexes to bacterial chromosome organization have been elusive. Recently, it was shown that the SMC homolog, MukBEF, organizes and individualizes the Escherichia coli chromosome by forming a filamentous axial core from which DNA loops emanate, similar to the action of condensin in mitotic chromosome formation. MukBEF action, along with its interaction with the partner protein, MatP, also facilitates chromosome individualization by directing opposite chromosome arms (replichores) to different cell halves. This contrasts with the situation in many other bacteria, where SMC complexes organise chromosomes in a way that the opposite replichores are aligned along the long axis of the cell. We highlight the similarities and differences of SMC complex contributions to chromosome organization in bacteria and eukaryotes, and summarize the current mechanistic understanding of the processes.

Abstract The chromosome of Escherichia coli is riddled with multi-faceted complexity. The emergence of chromosome conformation capture techniques are providing newer ways to explore chromosome organization. Here we combine a beads-on-a-spring polymer-based framework with recently reported Hi–C data for E. coli chromosome, in rich growth condition, to develop a comprehensive model of its chromosome at 5 kb resolution. The investigation focuses on a range of diverse chromosome architectures of E. coli at various replication states corresponding to a collection of cells, individually present in different stages of cell cycle. The Hi–C data-integrated model captures the self-organization of E. coli chromosome into multiple macrodomains within a ring-like architecture. The model demonstrates that the position of oriC is dependent on architecture and replication state of chromosomes. The distance profiles extracted from the model reconcile fluorescence microscopy and DNA-recombination assay experiments. Investigations into writhe of the chromosome model reveal that it adopts helix-like conformation with no net chirality, earlier hypothesized in experiments. A genome-wide radius of gyration map captures multiple chromosomal interaction domains and identifies the precise locations of rrn operons in the chromosome. We show that a model devoid of Hi–C encoded information would fail to recapitulate most genomic features unique to E. coli.

ABSTRACT During latency, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is stably maintained as a circular plasmid that is replicated once per cell cycle and partitioned at mitosis. Both these processes require a single viral protein, EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1), which binds two clusters of cognate binding sites within the latent viral origin, oriP. EBNA1 is known to associate with cellular metaphase chromosomes through chromosome-binding domains within its amino terminus, an association that we have determined to be required not only for the partitioning of oriP plasmids but also for their replication. One of the chromosome-binding domains of EBNA1 associates with a cellular nucleolar protein, EBP2, and it has been proposed that this interaction underlies that ability of EBNA1 to bind metaphase chromosomes. Here we demonstrate that EBNA1's chromosome-binding domains are AT hooks, a DNA-binding motif found in a family of proteins that bind the scaffold-associated regions on metaphase chromosomes. Further, we demonstrate that the ability of EBNA1 to stably replicate and partition oriP plasmids correlates with its AT hook activity and not its association with EBP2. Finally, we examine the contributions of EBP2 toward the ability of EBNA1 to associate with metaphase chromosomes in human cells, as well as support the replication and partitioning of oriP plasmids in human cells. Our results indicate that it is unlikely that EBP2 directly mediates these activities of EBNA1 in human cells.

Abstract High-throughput chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) technology enables the investigation of genome-wide interactions among chromosome loci. Current algorithms focus on topologically associating domains (TADs), that are contiguous clusters along the genome coordinate, to describe the hierarchical structure of chromosomes. However, high resolution Hi-C displays a variety of interaction patterns beyond what current TAD detection methods can capture. Here, we present BHi-Cect, a novel top-down algorithm that finds clusters by considering every locus with no assumption of genomic contiguity using spectral clustering. Our results reveal that the hierarchical structure of chromosome is organized as ‘enclaves’, which are complex interwoven clusters at both local and global scales. We show that the nesting of local clusters within global clusters characterizing enclaves, is associated with the epigenomic activity found on the underlying DNA. Furthermore, we show that the hierarchical nesting that links different enclaves integrates their respective function. BHi-Cect provides means to uncover the general principles guiding chromatin architecture.

Eukaryotic genomes can produce two types of transcripts: protein-coding and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Cryptic ncRNA transcripts are bona fide RNA Pol II products that originate from bidirectional promoters, yet they are degraded by the RNA exosome. Such pervasive transcription is prevalent across eukaryotes, yet its regulation and function is poorly understood. We hypothesized that chromatin architecture at cryptic promoters may regulate ncRNA transcription. Nucleosomes that flank promoters are highly enriched in two histone marks: H3-K56Ac and the variant H2A.Z, which make nucleosomes highly dynamic. These histone modifications are present at a majority of promoters and their stereotypic pattern is conserved from yeast to mammals, suggesting their evolutionary importance. Although required for inducing a handful of genes, their contribution to steady-state transcription has remained elusive. In this work, we set out to understand if dynamic nucleosomes regulate cryptic transcription and how this is coordinated with the RNA exosome. Remarkably, we find that H3-K56Ac promotes RNA polymerase II occupancy at a large number of protein coding and noncoding loci, yet neither histone mark has a significant impact on steady state mRNA levels in budding yeast. Instead, broad effects of H3-K56Ac or H2A.Z on levels of both coding and ncRNAs are only revealed in the absence of the nuclear RNA exosome. We show that H2A.Z functions with H3-K56Ac in chromosome folding, facilitating formation of Chromosomal Interaction Domains (CIDs). Our study suggests that H2A.Z and H3-K56Ac work in concert with the RNA exosome to control mRNA and ncRNA levels, perhaps in part by regulating higher order chromatin structures. Together, these chromatin factors achieve a balance of RNA exosome activity (yin; negative) and Pol II (yang; positive) to maintain transcriptional homeostasis.

La protéine hnRNP G est impliquée dans l’épissage alternatif de plusieurs précurseurs d’ARN messager. Pour mieux comprendre la spécificité de cette protéine, j’ai étudié ses interactions avec les ARNs in vitro et in vivo. Un motif d’ARN structuré dans une tige-boucle qui contient la séquence GGAAA a été identifié in vitro comme une cible potentielle d’hnRNP G. Cet ARN m’a permis d’identifier un nouveau domaine d’interaction avec l’ARN dans la structure de l’hnRNP G, situé dans sa région C-terminale et désigné « C-ter RBD ». Le modèle des chromosomes en écouvillon chez l’amphibien m’a permis de montrer qu’un nouveau domaine situé au centre de la structure de la protéine et distinct de ses domaines d’interaction avec l’ARN est responsable de son recrutement au niveau des transcrits naissants des chromosomes. Ce domaine a été désigné Nascent transcripts Targeting Domain (NTD). Cette étude montre que l’hnRNP G s’associe avec la majorité des ARNs transcrits par l’ARN polymérase II tout en montrant un recrutement plus important au niveau de quelques boucles des chromosomes. En particulier, l’association de l’hnRNP G avec les transcrits du bivalent sexuel ZW chez Pleurodeles waltl, montre un recrutement hétéromorphe au niveau de certains sites de ce bivalent. Au cours de ma thèse, j’ai participé à la mise en évidence d’une activité différentielle de liaison à l’ARN liée au génotype sexuel, pour les isoformes de l’hnRNP G dans l’ovocyte de P. Waltl. Les résultats suggèrent la présence d’une famille multigénique de l’hnRNP G répartie sur un autosome et sur les chromosomes sexuels. Cette étude contribue à la caractérisation de l’hnRNP G et à la compréhension de ses fonctions.

La famille de l'inter-α-inhibiteur (IαI) recouvre un ensemble de protéines plasmatiques pour la plupart inhibitrices de protéases. Ces molécules sont structurées à partir de combinaisons variées entre la bikunine et une ou plusieurs des chaînes lourdes homologues H. Les 4 chaînes H sont les produits de gènes ITIH distincts mais très conservés entre espèces. Toutes ces chaînes sont synthétisées sous forme de précurseurs, AMBP et HxP, donnant naissance à la bikunine et aux chaînes H matures après modifications post-traductionnelles. Ce travail de thèse réalisé dans un modèle rongeur a visé à progresser dans la connaissance des fonctions biologiques de la famille par l'étude de ses gènes et de ses protéines. Nous avons localisé le gène ITIH 4 sur des régions homologues du chromosome 3 humain et du chromosome 14 de souris. Par RT-PCR quantitative et hybridation in situ en situation physiologique (ontogénèse) ou pathologique (phase aiguë de l'inflammation) nous avons précisé et comparé les régulations d'expression de ces gènes selon les tissus et entre espèces. En particulier, nous avons identifié les aires cérébrales exprimant le gène ITIH3 et défini le profil d'expression développemental du transcrit H3 dans le cerveau. D'autres sites d'expression extrahépatiques (estomac, intestin) ont été mis en évidence par RT-PCR. Les protéines de la famille IαI joueraient un rôle dans la stabilisation de matrices extracellulaires via la capacité des chaînes H à lier l'acide hyaluronique (HA). Par des techniques d'expression de protéines recombinantes et de mutagénèse dirigée, nous avons cartographié sur la chaîne H3P de souris le site de liaison à HA. Identifié dans la région la plus N-terminale, il inclut un motif B(X)7B critique pour l'interaction. Enfin, nous avons identifié in silico une protéine nommée PH5P à l'interface des familles IαI et PARP. PH5P qui aurait une fonction potentielle de réparation de l'ADN permet l'élargissement de la famille IαI en une superfamille.

Un nombre croissant d’études soutiennent le fait que les protéines majeures du métabolisme des ARN, telles que les hélicases ARN, sont impliquées dans la réponse aux dommages à l’ADN. Cette activité est généralement accomplie par leur interaction avec des facteurs de réparation de l’ADN. BRCA2, une protéine suppressive de tumeurs, joue un rôle crucial dans la réparation des cassures double-brin (CDB) de l'ADN par recombinaison homologue (RH) et donc, est un facteur essentiel pour l’intégrité du génome. Les cellules déficientes pour BRCA2 accumulent des hybrides ADN-ARN ou R-loops, une source de dommage à l'ADN, suggérant ainsi l’importance de cette protéine dans la prévention ou la suppression de ces structures. Toutefois, le rôle spécifique de BRCA2 dans la résolution des hybrides ADN-ARN reste inconnu.Afin de connaître des potentiels partenaires de BRCA2, une analyse par spectrométrie de masse réalisée dans notre laboratoire a révélé un enrichissement en protéines impliquées dans le métabolisme de l'ARN, comme les hélicases ARN. Ces résultats nous ont menés à examiner la coopération entre BRCA2 et les hélicases ARN dans la séparation des structures ADN-ARN. Nous avons d’abord confirmé l'interaction entre l'hélicase ARN DDX5 et BRCA2, qui est améliorée dans les cellules exposées à γ-irradiation. Ensuite, nous avons réduit l’interaction aux premiers 250 aa de BRCA2 (BRCA2T1) et avons constaté que celle-ci est directe en utilisant des protéines purifiées. En collaboration avec le laboratoire du docteur A. Aguilera (Cabimer, SP), nous avons montré que la déplétion de DDX5 conduit à une accumulation des hybrides ADN-ARN dans l’entièreté du génome, particulièrement aux sites de dommages à l’ADN. De plus, nos résultats indiquent que DDX5 localise aussi aux hybrides ARN-ADN qui se forment à proximité de CDB.De manière intéressante, nous avons constaté que BRCA2 est important pour la rétention de DDX5 aux sites de dommage à l’ADN induit par l’irradiation laser. Notamment, des tests de déroulement de brins in vitro en utilisant les protéines purifiées DDX5 et BRCA2 ont révélé que BRCA2 stimule l’activité de déroulement des R-loops de DDX5.Un variant de signification inconnue (VSI) trouvé dans de patients atteints de cancer du sein situé dans la région BRCA2T1 (T207A) réduit l’interaction de BRCA2 avec DDX5 et conduit à l’accumulation des hybrides ADN-ARN. Les cellules exprimant stablement BRCA2-T207A montrent également une diminution de l’association de DDX5 avec les hybrides ARN-ADN, en particulier lors d’une exposition de cellules à l’irradiation. L’analyse de l’efficacité de la réparation des CDB par RH dans les cellules déficientes en DDX5 ou exprimant BRCA2-T207A, montre une cinétique retardée de l’apparition des foyers de réparation RAD51 lors de l’irradiation, ce qui suggère un rôle actif de l’interaction BRCA2-DDX5 pour assurer la réparation par RH efficacement. En accord avec cette hypothèse, la ribonucléase RNAseH1, qui dégrade spécifiquement la fraction d’ARN dans les structures d’ADN-ARN, restaure partiellement le phénotype de cinétique des foyers RAD51 dans les cellules BRCA2 T207A. De plus, les cellules portant le variant BRCA2-T207A ont également montré un nombre réduit de foyers RPA par rapport aux cellules qui expriment BRCA2 sauvage, témoins d’un défaut dans l’étape qui précède le chargement de RAD51 aux CDB.Ensemble, nos résultats suggèrent que les hybrides ADN-ARN représentent un obstacle à la réparation des CDB par RH et révèlent BRCA2 et DDX5 en tant que facteurs actifs dans leur suppression
Increasing evidence support the idea that proteins involved in RNA metabolism such as RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and RNA helicases are directly implicated in the DNA damage response (DDR). This activity is generally achieved through their interaction with DNA repair factors.BRCA2 is a tumor suppressor protein that plays an important role in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) by homologous recombination (HR) as well as protecting stalled replication forks from unscheduled degradation; therefore, it is essential to maintain genome integrity. Interestingly, BRCA2 deficient cells accumulate DNA-RNA hybrids or R-loops, a known source of DNA damage and genome instability, providing evidence for its role in either R-loop prevention or processing. However, the specific role of BRCA2 on these structures remains poorly understood.A mass spectrometry screen to identify partners of BRCA2 performed in our laboratory revealed an enrichment of proteins involved in RNA metabolism such as RNA helicases. These findings led us to investigate whether BRCA2 could cooperate with these candidate interacting RNA helicases in processing DNA-RNA structures. First, we confirmed the interaction of BRCA2 and the DEAD-box RNA helicase DDX5, which we found is enhanced in cells exposed to -irradiation. Then, we narrowed down the interaction to the first 250 aa of BRCA2 (BRCA2T1) and found that it is direct using purified proteins. In collaboration with A. Aguilera lab (Cabimer, SP), we could show that depletion of DDX5 leads to a genome-wide accumulation of DNA-RNA hybrids that is particularly enriched at DNA damage sites. DDX5 associates with DNA-RNA hybrids that form in the vicinity of DSBs. Interestingly, we found that BRCA2 is important for the retention of DDX5 at laser irradiation-induced DNA damage. Notably, in vitro R-loop unwinding assays using purified DDX5 and BRCA2 proteins revealed that BRCA2 stimulates the R-loop helicase activity of DDX5.A breast cancer variant of unknown clinical significance (VUS) located in BRCA2T1 (T207A) reduced the interaction between BRCA2 and DDX5 and led to the accumulation of DNA-RNA hybrids. Cells stably expressing BRCA2-T207A also showed a decreased association of DDX5 with DNA-RNA hybrids, especially upon irradiation. Notably, monitoring RAD51 foci to evaluate HR-mediated DSBs repair efficiency in either DDX5-depleted cells or in BRCA2-T207A cells resulted in a delayed kinetics of appearance of RAD51 foci upon irradiation suggesting an active role of BRCA2-DDX5 interaction in ensuring timely HR repair. In agreement with this, overexpression of the RNAseH1 ribonuclease, that specifically degrades the RNA moiety in DNA-RNA structures, partially restored RAD51 kinetics phenotype of BRCA2-T207A cells. Moreover, cells bearing BRCA2-T207A variant also showed a reduced number of RPA foci compared to BRCA2 WT expressing cells, a step that precedes RAD51 loading at DSBs.Taken together, our results are consistent with DNA-RNA hybrids being an impediment for the repair of DSBs by HR and reveal BRCA2 and DDX5 as active players in their removal

In the nucleus, chromosomes occupy particular positions (territories) based on their size and gene content. Within each territory, chromosomes are subdivided into loops that contain mostly active or inactive genes. These loops associate, respectively, into domains called topologically associating domains (TADs). These domains are defined by binding sites present at their borders and occupied by architectural proteins that, in mammals, include CTCF (CCCTC-binding factor), cohesin complexes and TFIIIC (a transcription factor for RNA polymerase III). Enhancers and their target promoters are located within the same TAD where they are prevented from promiscuous interactions with other promoters by the presence of insulators. In Drosophila, architectural protein binding sites associate to group TADs together and form insulator bodies thought to facilitate the rare inter-TAD interactions that may bring into proximity genes that should be co-regulated. A similar situation appears to exist for regions within and between TADs that are enriched for Polycomb group (PCG) repressive complexes; grouping of these regions forms PcG bodies.

Human von Willebrand factor (vWF) is a plasma glycoprotein that is synthesized by endothelial cells and megakaryocytes, and perhaps by syncytiotrophoblast of placenta. The biosynthesis of vWF is very complex, involving proteolytic processing, glycosyla-tion, disulfide bond formation, and sulfation. Mature vWF consists of a single subunit of ∼ 250,000 daltons that is assembled into multimer ranging from dimers to species of over 10 million daltons. vWF performs its essential hemostatic function through several binding interactions, forming a bridge between specific receptors on the platelet surface and components of damaged vascular subendothelial connective tissue. Inherited deficiency of vWF, or von Willebrand disease (vWD), is the most common genetically transmitted bleeding disorder worldwide. The last two years has been a time of very rapid progress in understanding the molecular biology of vWF. Four research groups have independently isolated and sequenced the 9 kilobase full-length vWF cDNA. The predicted protein sequence has provided a foundation for understanding the biosynthetic processing of vWF, and has clarified the relationship between vWF and a 75-100 kilodalton plasma protein of unknown function, von Willebrand antigen II (vWAgll)/ vWAgll is co-distributed with vWF in endothelial cells and platelets, and is deficient in patients with vWD. The cDNA sequence of vWF shows that vWAgll is a rather large pro-peptide for vWF, explaining the biochemical and genetic association between the two proteins. vWF has a complex evolutionary history marked by many separate gene segment duplications. The primary structure of the protein contains four distinct types of repeated domains present in two to four copies each. Repeated domains account for over 90 percent of the protein sequence. This sequence provides a framework for ordering the functional domains that have been defined by protein chemistry methods. A tryptic peptide from the amino-terminus of vWF that overlaps domain D3 binds to factor VIII and also appears to bind to heparin. Peptides that include domain A1 bind to collagens, to heparin, and to platelet glycoprotein Ib. A second collagen binding site appears to lie within domain A3. The vWF cDNA has been expressed in heterologous cells to produce small amounts of functionally and structurally normal vWF, indicating that endothelial cells are not unique in their ability to process and assemble vWF multimers. Site-directed mutagenesis has been used to show that deletion of the propeptide of vWF prevents the formation of multimers. Cloned cDNA probes have been employed to isolate vWF genomic DNA from cosmid and λ-phage libraries, and the size of the vWF gene appears to be ∼ 150 kilobases. The vWF locus has been localized to human chromosome 12p12—pter. Several intragenic RFLPs have been characterized. With them, vWF has been placed on the human genetic linkage map as the most telomeric marker currently available for the short arm of chromosome 12. A second apparently homologous locus has been identified on chromosome 22, but the relationship of this locus to the authentic vWF gene is not yet known. The mechanism of vWD has been studied by Southern blotting of genomic DNA with cDNA probes in a few patients. Three unrelated pedigrees have been shown to have total deletions of the vWF gene as the cause of severe vWD (type III). This form of gene deletion appears to predispose to the development of inhibitory alloantibodies to vWF during therapy with cryoprecipitate. During the next several years recombinant DNA methods will continue to contribute our understanding of the evolution, biosynthesis, and structure-function relationships of vWF, as well as the mechanism of additional variants of vWD at the level of gene structure.