The gene amplification plays a critical role in the malignant transformation of mammalian cells. The most widespread method for amplifying a target gene in cell culture is the use of methotrexate (Mtx) treatment to amplify dihydrofolate reductase (Dhfr). Whereas, we found that a plasmid bearing both a mammalian origin of replication (initiation region; IR) and a matrix attachment region (MAR) was spontaneously amplified in mammalian cells. In this study, we attempted to uncover the underlying mechanism by which the IR/MAR sequence might accelerate Mtx induced Dhfr amplification. The plasmid containing the IR/MAR was extrachromosomally amplified, and then integrated at multiple chromosomal locations within individual cells, increasing the likelihood that the plasmid might be inserted into a chromosomal environment that permits high expression and further amplification. Efficient amplification of this plasmid alleviated the genotoxicity of Mtx. Clone-based cytogenetic and sequence analysis revealed that the plasmid was amplified in a chromosomal context by breakage-fusion-bridge cycles operating either at the plasmid repeat or at the flanking fragile site activated by Mtx. This mechanism explains how a circular molecule bearing IR/MAR sequences of chromosomal origin might be amplified under replication stress, and also provides insight into gene amplification in human cancer.

A plasmid bearing both a replication initiation region and a matrix attachment region is spontaneously amplified in transfected mammalian cells and generates plasmid repeats in the extrachromosomal double minutes (DMs) or the chromosomal homogeneously staining region (HSR). Generally, the repeat sequences are subject to repeat-induced gene silencing, the mechanism of which remains to be elucidated. Previous research showed that gene expression from the same plasmid repeat was higher from repeats located at DMs than at the HSR, which may reflect the extrachromosomal environment of the DMs. In the current study, plasmid repeats in both DMs and HSR were associated with repressive histone modifications (H3K9me3, H3K9me2), and the levels of repressive chromatin markers were higher in HSR than in DMs. Inactive chromatin is known to spread to neighboring regions in chromosome arm. Here, we found that such spreading also occurs in extrachromosomal DMs. Higher levels of active histone modifications (H3K9Ac, H3K4me3, and H3K79me2) were detected at plasmid repeats in DMs than in HSR. The level of DNA CpG methylation was generally low in both DMs and HSR; however, there were some hypermethylated copies within the population of repeated sequences, and the frequency of such copies was higher in DMs than in HSR. Together, these data suggest a “DNA methylation-core and chromatin-spread” model for repeat-induced gene silencing. The unique histone modifications at the extrachromosomal context are discussed with regard to the model.