The checkpoint kinases ATM (ataxia telangiectasia mutated) and ATR (ATM and Rad3 related) transduce genomic stress signals to halt cell cycle progression and promote DNA repair. We report the identification of an ATR-interacting protein (ATRIP) that is phosphorylated by ATR, regulates ATR expression, and is an essential component of the DNA damage checkpoint pathway. ATR and ATRIP both localize to intranuclear foci after DNA damage or inhibition of replication. Deletion of ATR mediated by the Cre recombinase caused the loss of ATR and ATRIP expression, loss of DNA damage checkpoint responses, and cell death. Therefore, ATR is essential for the viability of human somatic cells. Small interfering RNA directed against ATRIP caused the loss of both ATRIP and ATR expression and the loss of checkpoint responses to DNA damage. Thus, ATRIP and ATR are mutually dependent partners in cell cycle checkpoint signaling pathways.

Chk1, an evolutionarily conserved protein kinase, has been implicated in cell cycle checkpoint control in lower eukaryotes. By gene disruption, we show that CHK1 deficiency results in a severe proliferation defect and death in embryonic stem (ES) cells, and peri-implantation embryonic lethality in mice. Through analysis of a conditional CHK1-deficient cell line, we demonstrate that ES cells lacking Chk1 have a defective G2/M DNA damage checkpoint in response to γ-irradiation (IR). CHK1heterozygosity modestly enhances the tumorigenesis phenotype ofWNT-1 transgenic mice. We show that in human cells, Chk1 is phosphorylated on serine 345 (S345) in response to UV, IR, and hydroxyurea (HU). Overexpression of wild-type Atr enhances, whereas overexpression of the kinase-defective mutant Atr inhibits S345 phosphorylation of Chk1 induced by UV treatment. Taken together, these data indicate that Chk1 plays an essential role in the mammalian DNA damage checkpoint, embryonic development, and tumor suppression, and that Atr regulates Chk1.