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Nickens DG, Feng Z, Shen J, Gray SJ, Simmons RH, Niu H, Bochman ML. Cdc13 exhibits dynamic DNA strand exchange in the presence of telomeric DNA. Nucleic Acids Res 2024:gkae265. [PMID: 38613387 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomerase is the enzyme that lengthens telomeres and is tightly regulated by a variety of means to maintain genome integrity. Several DNA helicases function at telomeres, and we previously found that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae helicases Hrq1 and Pif1 directly regulate telomerase. To extend these findings, we are investigating the interplay between helicases, single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) binding proteins (ssBPs), and telomerase. The yeast ssBPs Cdc13 and RPA differentially affect Hrq1 and Pif1 helicase activity, and experiments to measure helicase disruption of Cdc13/ssDNA complexes instead revealed that Cdc13 can exchange between substrates. Although other ssBPs display dynamic binding, this was unexpected with Cdc13 due to the reported in vitro stability of the Cdc13/telomeric ssDNA complex. We found that the DNA exchange by Cdc13 occurs rapidly at physiological temperatures, requires telomeric repeat sequence DNA, and is affected by ssDNA length. Cdc13 truncations revealed that the low-affinity binding site (OB1), which is distal from the high-affinity binding site (OB3), is required for this intermolecular dynamic DNA exchange (DDE). We hypothesize that DDE by Cdc13 is the basis for how Cdc13 'moves' at telomeres to alternate between modes where it regulates telomerase activity and assists in telomere replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G Nickens
- Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry Department, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Zhitong Feng
- Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry Department, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Jiangchuan Shen
- Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry Department, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Spencer J Gray
- Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry Department, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Robert H Simmons
- Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry Department, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Hengyao Niu
- Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry Department, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Matthew L Bochman
- Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry Department, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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2
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Nickens DG, Feng Z, Shen J, Gray SJ, Simmons RH, Niu H, Bochman ML. Cdc13 exhibits dynamic DNA strand exchange in the presence of telomeric DNA. bioRxiv 2024:2023.12.04.569902. [PMID: 38105973 PMCID: PMC10723391 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.04.569902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Telomerase is the enzyme that lengthens telomeres and is tightly regulated by a variety of means to maintain genome integrity. Several DNA helicases function at telomeres, and we previously found that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae helicases Hrq1 and Pif1 directly regulate telomerase. To extend these findings, we are investigating the interplay between helicases, single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) binding proteins (ssBPs), and telomerase. The yeast ssBPs Cdc13 and RPA differentially affect Hrq1 and Pif1 helicase activity, and experiments to measure helicase disruption of Cdc13/ssDNA complexes instead revealed that Cdc13 can exchange between substrates. Although other ssBPs display dynamic binding, this was unexpected with Cdc13 due to the reported in vitro stability of the Cdc13/telomeric ssDNA complex. We found that the DNA exchange by Cdc13 occurs rapidly at physiological temperatures, requires telomeric repeat sequence DNA, and is affected by ssDNA length. Cdc13 truncations revealed that the low-affinity binding site (OB1), which is distal from the high-affinity binding site (OB3), is required for this intermolecular dynamic DNA exchange (DDE). We hypothesize that DDE by Cdc13 is the basis for how Cdc13 'moves' at telomeres to alternate between modes where it regulates telomerase activity and assists in telomere replication.
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3
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Stewart JA, Wang Y, Ackerson SM, Schuck PL. Emerging roles of CST in maintaining genome stability and human disease. Front Biosci (Landmark Ed) 2018; 23:1564-1586. [PMID: 29293451 DOI: 10.2741/4661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The human CTC1-STN1-TEN1 (CST) complex is a single-stranded DNA binding protein that shares homology with RPA and interacts with DNA polymerase alpha/primase. CST complexes are conserved from yeasts to humans and function in telomere maintenance. A common role of CST across species is in the regulation of telomere extension by telomerase and C-strand fill-in synthesis. However, recent studies also indicate that CST promotes telomere duplex replication as well the rescue of stalled DNA replication at non-telomeric sites. Furthermore, CST dysfunction and mutation is associated with several genetic diseases and cancers. In this review, we will summarize what is known about CST with a particular focus on the emerging roles of CST in DNA replication and human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason A Stewart
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA,
| | - Yilin Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Stephanie M Ackerson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Percy Logan Schuck
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
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4
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Cicconi A, Micheli E, Vernì F, Jackson A, Gradilla AC, Cipressa F, Raimondo D, Bosso G, Wakefield JG, Ciapponi L, Cenci G, Gatti M, Cacchione S, Raffa GD. The Drosophila telomere-capping protein Verrocchio binds single-stranded DNA and protects telomeres from DNA damage response. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:3068-3085. [PMID: 27940556 PMCID: PMC5389638 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw1244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2016] [Accepted: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Drosophila telomeres are sequence-independent structures maintained by transposition to chromosome ends of three specialized retroelements rather than by telomerase activity. Fly telomeres are protected by the terminin complex that includes the HOAP, HipHop, Moi and Ver proteins. These are fast evolving, non-conserved proteins that localize and function exclusively at telomeres, protecting them from fusion events. We have previously suggested that terminin is the functional analogue of shelterin, the multi-protein complex that protects human telomeres. Here, we use electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to show that Ver preferentially binds single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) with no sequence specificity. We also show that Moi and Ver form a complex in vivo. Although these two proteins are mutually dependent for their localization at telomeres, Moi neither binds ssDNA nor facilitates Ver binding to ssDNA. Consistent with these results, we found that Ver-depleted telomeres form RPA and γH2AX foci, like the human telomeres lacking the ssDNA-binding POT1 protein. Collectively, our findings suggest that Drosophila telomeres possess a ssDNA overhang like the other eukaryotes, and that the terminin complex is architecturally and functionally similar to shelterin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Cicconi
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie 'C. Darwin', Sapienza, Università di Roma, 00185 Roma, Italy.,Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Emanuela Micheli
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie 'C. Darwin', Sapienza, Università di Roma, 00185 Roma, Italy.,Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Fiammetta Vernì
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie 'C. Darwin', Sapienza, Università di Roma, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Alison Jackson
- Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Ana Citlali Gradilla
- Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Francesca Cipressa
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie 'C. Darwin', Sapienza, Università di Roma, 00185 Roma, Italy.,Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, 00185 Roma, Italy.,Centro Fermi, Piazza del Viminale 1, 00184 Roma, Italy
| | - Domenico Raimondo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare, Sapienza, Università di Roma, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Bosso
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie 'C. Darwin', Sapienza, Università di Roma, 00185 Roma, Italy.,Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - James G Wakefield
- Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Laura Ciapponi
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie 'C. Darwin', Sapienza, Università di Roma, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Giovanni Cenci
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie 'C. Darwin', Sapienza, Università di Roma, 00185 Roma, Italy.,Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Maurizio Gatti
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie 'C. Darwin', Sapienza, Università di Roma, 00185 Roma, Italy.,Istituto di Biologia e Patologia Molecolari (IBPM) del CNR, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Stefano Cacchione
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie 'C. Darwin', Sapienza, Università di Roma, 00185 Roma, Italy.,Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Grazia Daniela Raffa
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie 'C. Darwin', Sapienza, Università di Roma, 00185 Roma, Italy.,Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, 00185 Roma, Italy
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Abstract
The human CST (CTC1-STN1-TEN1) heterotrimeric complex plays roles in both telomere maintenance and DNA replication through its ability to interact with single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) of a variety of sequences. The precise sequence specificity required to execute these functions is unknown. Telomere-binding proteins have been shown to specifically recognize key telomeric sequence motifs within ssDNA while accommodating nonspecifically recognized sequences through conformationally plastic interfaces. To better understand the role CST plays in these processes, we have produced a highly purified heterotrimer and elucidated the sequence requirements for CST recognition of ssDNA in vitro. CST discriminates against random sequence and binds a minimal ssDNA comprised of three repeats of telomeric sequence. Replacement of individual nucleotides with their complement reveals that guanines are specifically recognized in a largely additive fashion and that specificity is distributed uniformly throughout the ligand. Unexpectedly, adenosines are also well tolerated at these sites, but cytosines are disfavored. Furthermore, sequences unrelated to the telomere repeat, yet still G-rich, bind CST well. Thus, CST is not inherently telomere-specific, but rather is a G-rich sequence binder. This biochemical activity is reminiscent of the yeast t-RPA and Tetrahymena thermophila CST complexes and is consistent with roles at G-rich sites throughout the genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Hom
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCB 596, University of Colorado , Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Deborah S Wuttke
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCB 596, University of Colorado , Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
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6
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Abstract
Telomeres terminate nearly exclusively in single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) overhangs comprised of the G-rich 3' end. This overhang varies widely in length from species to species, ranging from just a few bases to several hundred nucleotides. These overhangs are not merely a remnant of DNA replication but rather are the result of complex further processing. Proper management of the telomeric overhang is required both to deter the action of the DNA damage machinery and to present the ends properly to the replicative enzyme telomerase. This Current Topic addresses the biochemical and structural features used by the proteins that manage these variable telomeric overhangs. The Pot1 protein tightly binds the single-stranded overhang, preventing DNA damage sensors from binding. Pot1 also orchestrates the access of telomerase to that same substrate. The remarkable plasticity of the binding interface exhibited by the Schizosaccharomyces pombe Pot1 provides mechanistic insight into how these roles may be accomplished, and disease-associated mutations clustered around the DNA-binding interface in the hPOT1 highlight the importance of this function. The budding yeast Cdc13-Stn1-Ten1, a telomeric RPA complex closely associated with telomere function, also interacts with ssDNA in a fashion that allows degenerate sequences to be recognized. A related human complex composed of hCTC1, hSTN1, and hTEN1 has recently emerged with links to both telomere maintenance and general DNA replication and also exhibits mutations associated with telomere pathologies. Overall, these sequence-specific ssDNA binders exhibit a range of recognition properties that allow them to perform their unique biological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil R. Lloyd
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 596 UCB, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 596 UCB, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | | | - Robert A. Hom
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 596 UCB, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 596 UCB, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Deborah S. Wuttke
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 596 UCB, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 596 UCB, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
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7
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Steinberg-Neifach O, Wellington K, Vazquez L, Lue NF. Combinatorial recognition of a complex telomere repeat sequence by the Candida parapsilosis Cdc13AB heterodimer. Nucleic Acids Res 2015; 43:2164-76. [PMID: 25662607 PMCID: PMC4344524 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The telomere repeat units of Candida species are substantially longer and more complex than those in other organisms, raising interesting questions concerning the recognition mechanisms of telomere-binding proteins. Herein we characterized the properties of Candida parapsilosis Cdc13A and Cdc13B, two paralogs that are responsible for binding and protecting the telomere G-strand tails. We found that Cdc13A and Cdc13B can each form complexes with itself and a heterodimeric complex with each other. However, only the heterodimer exhibits high-affinity and sequence-specific binding to the telomere G-tail. EMSA and crosslinking analysis revealed a combinatorial mechanism of DNA recognition, which entails the A and B subunit making contacts to the 3′ and 5′ region of the repeat unit. While both the DBD and OB4 domain of Cdc13A can bind to the equivalent domain in Cdc13B, only the OB4 complex behaves as a stable heterodimer. The unstable Cdc13ABDBD complex binds G-strand with greatly reduced affinity but the same sequence specificity. Thus the OB4 domains evidently contribute to binding by promoting dimerization of the DBDs. Our investigation reveals a rare example of combinatorial recognition of single-stranded DNA and offers insights into the co-evolution of telomere DNA and cognate binding proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Steinberg-Neifach
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, W. R. Hearst Microbiology Research Center, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Hostos Community College, City University of New York, 500 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451, USA
| | - Kemar Wellington
- Hostos Community College, City University of New York, 500 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451, USA
| | - Leslie Vazquez
- Hostos Community College, City University of New York, 500 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451, USA
| | - Neal F. Lue
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, W. R. Hearst Microbiology Research Center, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +1 212 746 6506; Fax: +1 212 746 8587;
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9
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Lewis KA, Pfaff DA, Earley JN, Altschuler SE, Wuttke DS. The tenacious recognition of yeast telomere sequence by Cdc13 is fully exerted by a single OB-fold domain. Nucleic Acids Res 2013; 42:475-84. [PMID: 24057216 PMCID: PMC3874162 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkt843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Cdc13, the telomere end-binding protein from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is a multidomain protein that specifically binds telomeric single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) with exquisitely high affinity to coordinate telomere maintenance. Recent structural and genetic data have led to the proposal that Cdc13 is the paralog of RPA70 within a telomere-specific RPA complex. Our understanding of Cdc13 structure and biochemistry has been largely restricted to studies of individual domains, precluding analysis of how each domain influences the activity of the others. To better facilitate a comparison to RPA70, we evaluated the ssDNA binding of full-length S. cerevisiae Cdc13 to its minimal substrate, Tel11. We found that, unlike RPA70 and the other known telomere end-binding proteins, the core Cdc13 ssDNA-binding activity is wholly contained within a single tight-binding oligosaccharide/oligonucleotide/oligopeptide binding (OB)-fold. Because two OB-folds are implicated in dimerization, we also evaluated the relationship between dimerization and ssDNA-binding activity and found that the two activities are independent. We also find that Cdc13 binding exhibits positive cooperativity that is independent of dimerization. This study reveals that, while Cdc13 and RPA70 share similar domain topologies, the corresponding domains have evolved different and specialized functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen A Lewis
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCB 543, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
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Abstract
The budding yeast G-tail binding complex CST (Cdc13-Stn1-Ten1) is crucial for both telomere protection and replication. Previous studies revealed a family of Cdc13 orthologues (Cdc13A) in Candida species that are unusually small but are nevertheless responsible for G-tail binding and the regulation of telomere lengths and structures. Here we report the identification and characterization of a second family of Cdc13-like proteins in the Candida clade, named Cdc13B. Phylogenetic analysis and sequence alignment indicate that Cdc13B probably arose through gene duplication prior to Candida speciation. Like Cdc13A, Cdc13B appears to be essential. Deleting one copy each of the CDC13A and CDC13B genes caused a synergistic effect on aberrant telomere elongation and t-circle accumulation, suggesting that the two paralogues mediate overlapping and nonredundant functions in telomere regulation. Interestingly, Cdc13B utilizes its C-terminal OB-fold domain (OB4) to mediate self-association and binding to Cdc13A. Moreover, the stability of the heterodimer is evidently greater than that of either homodimer. Both the Cdc13 A/A homodimer and A/B heterodimer, but not the B/B homodimer, recognized the telomere G-tail repeat with high affinity and sequence specificity. Our results reveal novel evolutionary elaborations of the G-tail-binding protein in Saccharomycotina yeast, suggesting a drastic remodeling of CDC13 that entails gene duplication, fusion, and functional specialization. The repeated and independent duplication of G-tail-binding proteins such as Cdc13 and Pot1 hints at the evolutionary advantage of having multiple G-tail-binding proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neal F Lue
- From the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, W. R. Hearst Microbiology Research Center, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York 10065
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Stewart JA, Wang F, Chaiken MF, Kasbek C, Chastain PD, Wright WE, Price CM. Human CST promotes telomere duplex replication and general replication restart after fork stalling. EMBO J 2012; 31:3537-49. [PMID: 22863775 DOI: 10.1038/emboj.2012.215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 155] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2011] [Accepted: 07/11/2012] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian CST (CTC1-STN1-TEN1) associates with telomeres and depletion of CTC1 or STN1 causes telomere defects. However, the function of mammalian CST remains poorly understood. We show here that depletion of CST subunits leads to both telomeric and non-telomeric phenotypes associated with DNA replication defects. Stable knockdown of CTC1 or STN1 increases the incidence of anaphase bridges and multi-telomeric signals, indicating genomic and telomeric instability. STN1 knockdown also delays replication through the telomere indicating a role in replication fork passage through this natural barrier. Furthermore, we find that STN1 plays a novel role in genome-wide replication restart after hydroxyurea (HU)-induced replication fork stalling. STN1 depletion leads to reduced EdU incorporation after HU release. However, most forks rapidly resume replication, indicating replisome integrity is largely intact and STN1 depletion has little effect on fork restart. Instead, STN1 depletion leads to a decrease in new origin firing. Our findings suggest that CST rescues stalled replication forks during conditions of replication stress, such as those found at natural replication barriers, likely by facilitating dormant origin firing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason A Stewart
- Department of Cancer and Cell Biology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
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12
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Lewis KA, Wuttke DS. Telomerase and telomere-associated proteins: structural insights into mechanism and evolution. Structure 2012; 20:28-39. [PMID: 22244753 PMCID: PMC4180718 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2011.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2011] [Revised: 10/01/2011] [Accepted: 10/04/2011] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in our structural understanding of telomerase and telomere-associated proteins have contributed significantly to elucidating the molecular mechanisms of telomere maintenance. The structures of telomerase TERT domains have provided valuable insights into how experimentally identified conserved motifs contribute to the telomerase reverse transcriptase reaction. Additionally, structures of telomere-associated proteins in a variety of organisms have revealed that, across evolution, telomere-maintenance mechanisms employ common structural elements. For example, the single-stranded 3' overhang of telomeric DNA is specifically and tightly bound by an OB-fold in nearly all species, including ciliates (TEBP and Pot1a), fission yeast (SpPot1), budding yeast (Cdc13), and humans (hPOT1). Structures of the yeast Cdc13, Stn1, and Ten1 proteins demonstrated that telomere maintenance is regulated by a complex that bears significant similarity to the RPA heterotrimer. Similarly, proteins that specifically bind double-stranded telomeric DNA in divergent species use homeodomains to execute their functions (human TRF1 and TRF2 and budding yeast ScRap1). Likewise, the conserved protein Rap1, which is found in budding yeast, fission yeast, and humans, contains a structural motif that is known to be critical for protein-protein interaction. In addition to revealing the common underlying themes of telomere maintenance, structures have also elucidated the specific mechanisms by which many of these proteins function, including identifying a telomere-specific domain in Stn1 and how the human TRF proteins avoid heterodimerization. In this review, we summarize the high-resolution structures of telomerase and telomere-associated proteins and discuss the emergent common structural themes among these proteins. We also address how these high-resolution structures complement biochemical and cellular studies to enhance our understanding of telomere maintenance and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen A. Lewis
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, 80309
| | - Deborah S. Wuttke
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, 80309
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Dewar JM, Lydall D. Similarities and differences between "uncapped" telomeres and DNA double-strand breaks. Chromosoma 2011; 121:117-30. [PMID: 22203190 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-011-0357-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2011] [Accepted: 12/08/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Telomeric DNA is present at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes and is bound by telomere "capping" proteins, which are the (Cdc13-Stn1-Ten1) CST complex, Ku (Yku70-Yku80), and Rap1-Rif1-Rif2 in budding yeast. Inactivation of any of these complexes causes telomere "uncapping," stimulating a DNA damage response (DDR) that frequently involves resection of telomeric DNA and stimulates cell cycle arrest. This is presumed to occur because telomeres resemble one half of a DNA double-strand break (DSB). In this review, we outline the DDR that occurs at DSBs and compare it to the DDR occurring at uncapped telomeres, in both budding yeast and metazoans. We give particular attention to the resection of DSBs in budding yeast by Mre11-Xrs2-Rad50 (MRX), Sgs1/Dna2, and Exo1 and compare their roles at DSBs and uncapped telomeres. We also discuss how resection uncapped telomeres in budding yeast is promoted by the by 9-1-1 complex (Rad17-Mec3-Ddc1), to illustrate how analysis of uncapped telomeres can serve as a model for the DDR elsewhere in the genome. Finally, we discuss the role of the helicase Pif1 and its requirement for resection of uncapped telomeres, but not DSBs. Pif1 has roles in DNA replication and mammalian and plant CST complexes have been identified and have roles in global genome replication. Based on these observations, we suggest that while the DDR at uncapped telomeres is partially due to their resemblance to a DSB, it may also be partially due to defective DNA replication. Specifically, we propose that the budding yeast CST complex has dual roles to inhibit a DSB-like DDR initiated by Exo1 and a replication-associated DDR initiated by Pif1. If true, this would suggest that the mammalian CST complex inhibits a Pif1-dependent DDR.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M Dewar
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Yu EY, Sun J, Lei M, Lue NF. Analyses of Candida Cdc13 orthologues revealed a novel OB fold dimer arrangement, dimerization-assisted DNA binding, and substantial structural differences between Cdc13 and RPA70. Mol Cell Biol 2012; 32:186-98. [PMID: 22025677 DOI: 10.1128/MCB.05875-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The budding yeast Cdc13-Stn1-Ten1 complex is crucial for telomere protection and has been proposed to resemble the RPA complex structurally and functionally. The Cdc13 homologues in Candida species are unusually small and lack two conserved domains previously implicated in telomere regulation, thus raising interesting questions concerning the mechanisms and evolution of these proteins. In this report, we show that the unusually small Cdc13 homologue in Candida albicans is indeed a regulator of telomere lengths and that it associates with telomere DNA in vivo. We demonstrated high-affinity telomere DNA binding by C. tropicalis Cdc13 (CtCdc13) and found that dimerization of this protein through its OB4 domain is important for high-affinity DNA binding. Interestingly, CtCdc13-DNA complex formation appears to involve primarily recognition of multiple copies of a six-nucleotide element (GGATGT) that is shared by many Candida telomere repeats. We also determined the crystal structure of the OB4 domain of C. glabrata Cdc13, which revealed a novel mechanism of OB fold dimerization. The structure also exhibits marked differences to the C-terminal OB fold of RPA70, thus arguing against a close evolutionary kinship between these two proteins. Our findings provide new insights on the mechanisms and evolution of a critical telomere end binding protein.
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