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Li Y, Jiang G, Wan Y, Dauda SAA, Pi F. Tailoring strategies of SERS tags-based sensors for cellular molecules detection and imaging. Talanta 2024; 276:126283. [PMID: 38776777 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2024.126283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
As an emerging nanoprobe, surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) tags hold significant promise in sensing and bioimaging applications due to their attractive merits of anti-photobleaching ability, high sensitivity and specificity, multiplex, and low background capabilities. Recently, several reviews have proposed the application of SERS tags in different fields, however, the specific sensing strategies of SERS tags-based sensors for cellular molecules have not yet been systematically summarized. To provide beneficial and comprehensive insights into the advanced SERS tags technique at the cellular level, this review systematically elaborated on the latest advances in SERS tags-based sensors for cellular molecules detection and imaging. The general SERS tags-based sensing strategies for biomolecules and ions were first introduced according to molecular classes. Then, aiming at such molecules located in the extracellular, cellular membrane and intracellular regions, the tailored strategies by designing and manipulating SERS tags were summarized and explored through several key examples. Finally, the challenges and perspectives of developing high performance of advanced SERS tags were briefly discussed to provide effective guidance for further development and extended applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Food Safety and Quality Control in Jiangsu Province, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China; International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China
| | - Guoyong Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Food Safety and Quality Control in Jiangsu Province, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China; International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China
| | - Yuqi Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Food Safety and Quality Control in Jiangsu Province, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China; International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China
| | - Sa-Adu Abiola Dauda
- School of Allied Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, P.O. Box 1883, Tamale, Ghana
| | - Fuwei Pi
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Food Safety and Quality Control in Jiangsu Province, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China; International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China.
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2
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Hinchie AM, Sanford SL, Loughridge KE, Sutton RM, Parikh AH, Gil Silva AA, Sullivan DI, Chun-On P, Morrell MR, McDyer JF, Opresko PL, Alder JK. A persistent variant telomere sequence in a human pedigree. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4681. [PMID: 38824190 PMCID: PMC11144197 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49072-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The telomere sequence, TTAGGG, is conserved across all vertebrates and plays an essential role in suppressing the DNA damage response by binding a set of proteins termed shelterin. Changes in the telomere sequence impair shelterin binding, initiate a DNA damage response, and are toxic to cells. Here we identify a family with a variant in the telomere template sequence of telomerase, the enzyme responsible for telomere elongation, that led to a non-canonical telomere sequence. The variant is inherited across at least one generation and one family member reports no significant medical concerns despite ~9% of their telomeres converting to the novel sequence. The variant template disrupts telomerase repeat addition processivity and decreased the binding of the telomere-binding protein POT1. Despite these disruptions, the sequence is readily incorporated into cellular chromosomes. Incorporation of a variant sequence prevents POT1-mediated inhibition of telomerase suggesting that incorporation of a variant sequence may influence telomere addition. These findings demonstrate that telomeres can tolerate substantial degeneracy while remaining functional and provide insights as to how incorporation of a non-canonical telomere sequence might alter telomere length dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela M Hinchie
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Samantha L Sanford
- Environmental and Occupational Health Department, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kelly E Loughridge
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Rachel M Sutton
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Anishka H Parikh
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Agustin A Gil Silva
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Daniel I Sullivan
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Pattra Chun-On
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Matthew R Morrell
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - John F McDyer
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Patricia L Opresko
- Environmental and Occupational Health Department, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Pharmacology and Chemical Biology Department, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jonathan K Alder
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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3
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Sun W, Dong Q, Li X, Gao J, Ye X, Hu C, Li F, Chen Y. The SUN-family protein Sad1 mediates heterochromatin spatial organization through interaction with histone H2A-H2B. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4322. [PMID: 38773107 PMCID: PMC11109203 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48418-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Heterochromatin is generally associated with the nuclear periphery, but how the spatial organization of heterochromatin is regulated to ensure epigenetic silencing remains unclear. Here we found that Sad1, an inner nuclear membrane SUN-family protein in fission yeast, interacts with histone H2A-H2B but not H3-H4. We solved the crystal structure of the histone binding motif (HBM) of Sad1 in complex with H2A-H2B, revealing the intimate contacts between Sad1HBM and H2A-H2B. Structure-based mutagenesis studies revealed that the H2A-H2B-binding activity of Sad1 is required for the dynamic distribution of Sad1 throughout the nuclear envelope (NE). The Sad1-H2A-H2B complex mediates tethering telomeres and the mating-type locus to the NE. This complex is also important for heterochromatin silencing. Mechanistically, H2A-H2B enhances the interaction between Sad1 and HDACs, including Clr3 and Sir2, to maintain epigenetic identity of heterochromatin. Interestingly, our results suggest that Sad1 exhibits the histone-enhanced liquid-liquid phase separation property, which helps recruit heterochromatin factors to the NE. Our results uncover an unexpected role of SUN-family proteins in heterochromatin regulation and suggest a nucleosome-independent role of H2A-H2B in regulating Sad1's functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqi Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Key Laboratory of Epigenetic Regulation and Intervention, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qianhua Dong
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xueqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Key Laboratory of Epigenetic Regulation and Intervention, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jinxin Gao
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xianwen Ye
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 100 Haike Road, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunyi Hu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Fei Li
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Yong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Key Laboratory of Epigenetic Regulation and Intervention, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 100 Haike Road, Shanghai, China.
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4
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Štefanovie B, Jenner LP, Bozděchová L, Fajkus P, Sýkorová E, Fajkus J, Paleček JJ. Characterisation of the Arabidopsis thaliana telomerase TERT-TR complex. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 114:56. [PMID: 38743198 PMCID: PMC11093817 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-024-01461-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Most eukaryotic organisms employ a telomerase complex for the maintenance of chromosome ends. The core of this complex is composed of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and telomerase RNA (TR) subunits. The TERT reverse transcriptase (RT) domain synthesises telomeric DNA using the TR template sequence. The other TERT domains contribute to this process in different ways. In particular, the TERT RNA-binding domain (TRBD) interacts with specific TR motif(s). Using a yeast 3-hybrid system, we show the critical role of Arabidopsis thaliana (At) TRBD and embryophyta-conserved KRxR motif in the unstructured linker preceding the TRBD domain for binding to the recently identified AtTR subunit. We also show the essential role of the predicted P4 stem and pseudoknot AtTR structures and provide evidence for the binding of AtTRBD to pseudoknot and KRxR motif stabilising interaction with the P4 stem structure. Our results thus provide the first insight into the core part of the plant telomerase complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbora Štefanovie
- Faculty of Science, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Leon P Jenner
- Institute of Biophysics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Kralovopolska 135, 61200, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Bozděchová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Fajkus
- Faculty of Science, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biophysics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Kralovopolska 135, 61200, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Sýkorová
- Institute of Biophysics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Kralovopolska 135, 61200, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Faculty of Science, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Institute of Biophysics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Kralovopolska 135, 61200, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Jan J Paleček
- Faculty of Science, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic.
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5
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Chen B, Weng Y, Li M, Bian Z, Tao Y, Zhou W, Lu H, He S, Liao R, Huang J, Wang Q, Xu M, Ge Y, Cao W, Lei M, Zhang Y. LINC02454-CCT complex interaction is essential for telomerase activity and cell proliferation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Lett 2024; 588:216734. [PMID: 38401886 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Telomerase activity is upregulated in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), yet its regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we identified a cancer-specific lncRNA (LINC02454) associated with poor prognosis by using LncRNA chip of our HNSCC cohorts and external datasets. Through employing negative-stain transmission electron microscopy (NS-TEM), we discovered an interaction between LINC02454 and CCT complex which would augment telomerase activity for maintaining telomere homeostasis. Supporting this, in the telomerase repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay and quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization (Q-FISH) analysis, LINC02454 depletion significantly reduced telomerase activity and shortened telomere length. Consistently, pathways related to telomerase, mitosis, and apoptosis were significantly impacted upon LINC02454 knockdown in RNAseq analysis. Functionally, LINC02454-deficient cells exhibited a more significant senescence phenotype in β-galactosidase staining, cell cycle, and apoptosis assays. We further confirmed the role of LINC02454 in HNSCC proliferation through a combination of in vitro and in vivo experiments. The therapeutic potential of targeting LINC02454 was verified by adenovirus-shRNA approach in HNSCC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. In summary, our findings provided valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms of HNSCC tumorigenesis and potential targets for future treatment modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biying Chen
- Department of Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201900, China; Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China
| | - Yue Weng
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Mingyue Li
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Zhouliang Bian
- Department of Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201900, China; Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China
| | - Ye Tao
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Wenkai Zhou
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Hong Lu
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Shufang He
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Rijing Liao
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Jie Huang
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201900, China; Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China
| | - Ming Xu
- Department of Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201900, China; Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China
| | - Yunhui Ge
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Wei Cao
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China.
| | - Ming Lei
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
| | - Yanjie Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201900, China; Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China.
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6
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Wu Z, Gu X, Zha L, Yang Q, Zhou Y, Zeng Z. Structural and functional insights into yeast Tbf1 as an atypical telomeric repeat-binding factor. Structure 2024:S0969-2126(24)00128-X. [PMID: 38677290 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2024.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Telomeric repeat-binding factor 1 (Tbf1) has a similar architecture as the TRF family of telomeric proteins and plays important roles in both telomere homeostasis and ribosome regulation. However, the molecular basis of why Tbf1 has such different functions compared to other TRFs remains unclear. Here, we present the crystal structures of the TRF homology (TRFH) and Myb-L domains from Schizosaccharomyces pombe Tbf1 (spTbf1). TRFH-mediated homodimerization is essential for spTbf1 stability. Importantly, spTbf1TRFH lacks the conserved docking motif for interactions with telomeric proteins, explaining why spTbf1 does not participate in the assembly of the shelterin complex. Finally, structural and biochemical analyses demonstrate that TRFH and Myb-L domains as well as the loop region of spTbf1 coordinate to recognize S. pombe telomeric double-stranded DNA. Overall, our findings provide structural and functional insights into how fungi Tbf1 acts as an atypical telomeric repeat-binding factor, which helps to understand the evolution of TRFH-containing telomeric proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenfang Wu
- Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China.
| | - Xin Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Lin Zha
- Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Qingqiu Yang
- Department of Hematology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Yuanze Zhou
- Department of Hematology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China.
| | - Zhixiong Zeng
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of the TCM Agricultural Biogenomics, Changsha Medical University, Changsha 410219, China.
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7
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Bartle L, Wellinger RJ. Methods that shaped telomerase research. Biogerontology 2024; 25:249-263. [PMID: 37903970 PMCID: PMC10998806 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-023-10073-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
Telomerase, the ribonucleoprotein (RNP) responsible for telomere maintenance, has a complex life. Complex in that it is made of multiple proteins and an RNA, and complex because it undergoes many changes, and passes through different cell compartments. As such, many methods have been developed to discover telomerase components, delve deep into understanding its structure and function and to figure out how telomerase biology ultimately relates to human health and disease. While some old gold-standard methods are still key for determining telomere length and measuring telomerase activity, new technologies are providing promising new ways to gain detailed information that we have never had access to before. Therefore, we thought it timely to briefly review the methods that have revealed information about the telomerase RNP and outline some of the remaining questions that could be answered using new methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Bartle
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Applied Cancer Research Pavilion, 3201 rue Jean-Mignault, Sherbrooke, QC, J1E 4K8, Canada
| | - Raymund J Wellinger
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Applied Cancer Research Pavilion, 3201 rue Jean-Mignault, Sherbrooke, QC, J1E 4K8, Canada.
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8
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Yin J, Wu K, Yu Y, Zhong Y, Song Z, Chang C, Liu G. Terahertz Photons Inhibit Cancer Cells Long Term by Suppressing Nano Telomerase Activity. ACS NANO 2024; 18:4796-4810. [PMID: 38261783 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c09216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Telomeres are nanoscale DNA-protein complexes to protect and stabilize chromosomes. The reexpression of telomerase in cancer cells is a key determinant crucial for the infinite proliferation and long-term survival of most cancer cells. However, the use of telomerase inhibitors for cancer treatment may cause problems such as poor specificity, drug resistance, and cytotoxicity. Here, we discovered a nondrug and noninvasive terahertz modulation strategy capable of the long-term suppression of cancer cells by inhibiting telomerase activity. First, we found that an optimized frequency of 33 THz photon irradiation effectively inhibited the telomerase activity by molecular dynamics simulation and frequency filtering experiments. Moreover, in vitro experiments showed that telomerase activity in 4T1 and MCF-7 cells significantly decreased by 77% and 80% respectively, after 21 days of regular 33 THz irradiation. Furthermore, two kinds of cells were found to undergo aging, apoptosis, and DNA double-strand breaks caused by telomere crisis, which seriously affected the survival of cancer cells. In addition, the tumorigenicity of 4T1 cells irradiated with 33 THz waves for 21 days in in vivo mice decreased by 70%. In summary, this study demonstrates the potential application of THz modulation in nano therapy for cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junkai Yin
- Innovation Laboratory of Terahertz Biophysics, National Innovation Institute of Defense Technology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Kaijie Wu
- Innovation Laboratory of Terahertz Biophysics, National Innovation Institute of Defense Technology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Yun Yu
- Innovation Laboratory of Terahertz Biophysics, National Innovation Institute of Defense Technology, Beijing 100071, China
- School of Life Science and Technology and Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Yuan Zhong
- Innovation Laboratory of Terahertz Biophysics, National Innovation Institute of Defense Technology, Beijing 100071, China
- Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zihua Song
- Innovation Laboratory of Terahertz Biophysics, National Innovation Institute of Defense Technology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Chao Chang
- Innovation Laboratory of Terahertz Biophysics, National Innovation Institute of Defense Technology, Beijing 100071, China
- School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Guozhi Liu
- Innovation Laboratory of Terahertz Biophysics, National Innovation Institute of Defense Technology, Beijing 100071, China
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9
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Ghanim GE, Sekne Z, Balch S, van Roon AMM, Nguyen THD. 2.7 Å cryo-EM structure of human telomerase H/ACA ribonucleoprotein. Nat Commun 2024; 15:746. [PMID: 38272871 PMCID: PMC10811338 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45002-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) enzyme that extends telomeric repeats at eukaryotic chromosome ends to counterbalance telomere loss caused by incomplete genome replication. Human telomerase is comprised of two distinct functional lobes tethered by telomerase RNA (hTR): a catalytic core, responsible for DNA extension; and a Hinge and ACA (H/ACA) box RNP, responsible for telomerase biogenesis. H/ACA RNPs also have a general role in pseudouridylation of spliceosomal and ribosomal RNAs, which is critical for the biogenesis of the spliceosome and ribosome. Much of our structural understanding of eukaryotic H/ACA RNPs comes from structures of the human telomerase H/ACA RNP. Here we report a 2.7 Å cryo-electron microscopy structure of the telomerase H/ACA RNP. The significant improvement in resolution over previous 3.3 Å to 8.2 Å structures allows us to uncover new molecular interactions within the H/ACA RNP. Many disease mutations are mapped to these interaction sites. The structure also reveals unprecedented insights into a region critical for pseudouridylation in canonical H/ACA RNPs. Together, our work advances understanding of telomerase-related disease mutations and the mechanism of pseudouridylation by eukaryotic H/ACA RNPs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zala Sekne
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK
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10
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Lim CJ. Telomere C-Strand Fill-In Machinery: New Insights into the Human CST-DNA Polymerase Alpha-Primase Structures and Functions. Subcell Biochem 2024; 104:73-100. [PMID: 38963484 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-58843-3_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Telomeres at the end of eukaryotic chromosomes are extended by a specialized set of enzymes and telomere-associated proteins, collectively termed here the telomere "replisome." The telomere replisome acts on a unique replicon at each chromosomal end of the telomeres, the 3' DNA overhang. This telomere replication process is distinct from the replisome mechanism deployed to duplicate the human genome. The G-rich overhang is first extended before the complementary C-strand is filled in. This overhang is extended by telomerase, a specialized ribonucleoprotein and reverse transcriptase. The overhang extension process is terminated when telomerase is displaced by CTC1-STN1-TEN1 (CST), a single-stranded DNA-binding protein complex. CST then recruits DNA polymerase α-primase to complete the telomere replication process by filling in the complementary C-strand. In this chapter, the recent structure-function insights into the human telomere C-strand fill-in machinery (DNA polymerase α-primase and CST) will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ci Ji Lim
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
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11
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Klump BM, Schmidt JC. Advances in understanding telomerase assembly. Biochem Soc Trans 2023; 51:2093-2101. [PMID: 38108475 PMCID: PMC10754283 DOI: 10.1042/bst20230269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Telomerase is a complex ribonucleoprotein scaffolded by the telomerase RNA (TR). Telomere lengthening by telomerase is essential to maintain the proliferative potential of stem cells and germ cells, and telomerase is inappropriately activated in the majority of cancers. Assembly of TR with its 12 protein co-factors and the maturation of the 5'- and 3'-ends of TR have been the focus of intense research efforts over the past two decades. High-resolution Cryo-EM structures of human telomerase, high-throughput sequencing of the 3' end of TR, and live cell imaging of various telomerase components have significantly advanced our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that govern telomerase biogenesis, yet many important questions remain unaddressed. In this review, we will summarize these recent advances and highlight the remaining key questions with the ultimate goal of targeting telomerase assembly to suppress telomere maintenance in cancer cells or to promote telomerase activity in patients affected by telomere shortening disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basma M. Klump
- Institute for Quantitative Health Sciences and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, U.S.A
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, U.S.A
- Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, College of Natural Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, U.S.A
| | - Jens C. Schmidt
- Institute for Quantitative Health Sciences and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, U.S.A
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, U.S.A
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12
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Özmaldar A, Balta B. Formation and Effects of Upstream DNA-RNA Base Pairing in Telomerase. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300501. [PMID: 37743538 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Telomere elongation by telomerase consists of two types of translocation: duplex translocation during each repeat synthesis and template translocation at the end of repeat synthesis. Our replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations show that in addition to the Watson-Crick interactions in the active site, templating RNA can also form base pairs with the upstream regions of DNA, mostly with the second upstream DNA repeat with respect to the 3'-end. At the end of the repeat synthesis, dG10-P442 and dG11-N446 hydrogen bonds form. Then, active-site base pairs dissociate one by one, and the RNA bases reanneal with the complementary base on the upstream DNA repeat. For each dissociating base pair a new one forms, thus conserving the number of base pairs during template translocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aydın Özmaldar
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Istanbul Technical University, Maslak, 34469, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Bülent Balta
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Istanbul Technical University, Maslak, 34469, Istanbul, Turkey
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13
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Alidou-D'Anjou I, Patel A, Sleiman S, Dragon F. Human SHQ1 variants R335C and A426V lead to severe ribosome biogenesis defects when expressed in yeast. Front Genet 2023; 14:1240416. [PMID: 37818102 PMCID: PMC10560722 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1240416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
SHQ1 is an essential chaperone that binds the pseudouridine synthase dyskerin in the cytoplasm and escorts the enzyme to the nucleus, where dyskerin is assembled into small nucleolar RNPs (snoRNPs) of the H/ACA class. These particles carry out pseudouridine formation in ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) and participate in maturation of rRNA precursors (pre-rRNAs). Variants of human SHQ1 have been linked to neurodevelopmental deficiencies; here we focused on two compound heterozygous mutations identified in a child showing a severe neurological disorder comprising cerebellar degeneration. To investigate the molecular defects caused by mutations R335C and A426V we used a conditional yeast strain that can be depleted of the endogenous Shq1 protein while constitutively expressing human SHQ1 (wild-type or variants). Although wild-type SHQ1 complemented the Shq1-depleted strain, cells expressing variant R335C could not support growth, and cells expressing variant A426V were temperature-sensitive. When shifted to restrictive conditions, yeast cells progressively lost H/ACA snoRNAs and accumulated unprocessed pre-rRNAs, which led to reduced production of ribosomes. Levels of Cbf5 (yeast homologue of dyskerin) were decreased in yeast cells expressing SHQ1 variants under restrictive conditions. Immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that interaction of Cbf5 with SHQ1 variants was weakened but not abolished, and yeast two-hybrid assays showed that mutation R335C is more deleterious than mutation A426V. Our data provide additional evidence for the critical role of SHQ1 in chaperoning the pseudouridine synthase dyskerin, and how its inadequate function has detrimental consequences on the production of H/ACA snoRNPs and ribosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismaël Alidou-D'Anjou
- Centre d'Excellence en Recherche sur les Maladies Orphelines-Fondation Courtois (CERMO-FC), Départment des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Aniket Patel
- Centre d'Excellence en Recherche sur les Maladies Orphelines-Fondation Courtois (CERMO-FC), Départment des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Sophie Sleiman
- Centre d'Excellence en Recherche sur les Maladies Orphelines-Fondation Courtois (CERMO-FC), Départment des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - François Dragon
- Centre d'Excellence en Recherche sur les Maladies Orphelines-Fondation Courtois (CERMO-FC), Départment des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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14
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Yi M, Wang M, Xu Y, Cao Z, Ling Y, Zhang Z, Cao H. CRISPR-based m 6A modification and its potential applications in telomerase regulation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1200734. [PMID: 37519297 PMCID: PMC10382234 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1200734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomerase determines cell lifespan by controlling chromosome stability and cell viability, m6A epigenetic modification plays an important role in the regulation of telomerase activity. Using CRISPR epigenome editing to analyze specific m6A modification sites in telomerase will provide an important tool for analyzing the molecular mechanism of m6A modification regulating telomerase activity. In this review, we clarified the relevant applications of CRISPR system, paid special attention to the regulation of m6A modification in stem cells and cancer cells based on CRISPR system, emphasized the regulation of m6A modification on telomerase activity, pointed out that m6A modification sites regulate telomerase activity, and discussed strategies based on telomerase activity and disease treatment, which are helpful to promote the research of anti-aging and tumor related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingliang Yi
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Bio-breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Mingyue Wang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Bio-breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Yongjie Xu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Bio-breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Zhikun Cao
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Bio-breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Yinghui Ling
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Bio-breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Zijun Zhang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Bio-breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Hongguo Cao
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Bio-breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
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15
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Lue NF, Autexier C. Orchestrating nucleic acid-protein interactions at chromosome ends: telomerase mechanisms come into focus. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2023; 30:878-890. [PMID: 37400652 PMCID: PMC10539978 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-023-01022-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Telomerase is a special reverse transcriptase ribonucleoprotein dedicated to the synthesis of telomere repeats that protect chromosome ends. Among reverse transcriptases, telomerase is unique in using a stably associated RNA with an embedded template to synthesize a specified sequence. Moreover, it is capable of iteratively copying the same template region (repeat addition processivity) through multiple rounds of RNA-DNA unpairing and reannealing, that is, the translocation reaction. Biochemical analyses of telomerase over the past 3 decades in protozoa, fungi and mammals have identified structural elements that underpin telomerase mechanisms and have led to models that account for the special attributes of telomerase. Notably, these findings and models can now be interpreted and adjudicated through recent cryo-EM structures of Tetrahymena and human telomerase holoenzyme complexes in association with substrates and regulatory proteins. Collectively, these structures reveal the intricate protein-nucleic acid interactions that potentiate telomerase's unique translocation reaction and clarify how this enzyme reconfigures the basic reverse transcriptase scaffold to craft a polymerase dedicated to the synthesis of telomere DNA. Among the many new insights is the resolution of the telomerase 'anchor site' proposed more than 3 decades ago. The structures also highlight the nearly universal conservation of a protein-protein interface between an oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide-binding (OB)-fold regulatory protein and the telomerase catalytic subunit, which enables spatial and temporal regulation of telomerase function in vivo. In this Review, we discuss key features of the structures in combination with relevant functional analyses. We also examine conserved and divergent aspects of telomerase mechanisms as gleaned from studies in different model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neal F Lue
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Chantal Autexier
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital and Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology and Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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16
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Padmanaban S, Tesmer VM, Nandakumar J. Interaction hub critical for telomerase recruitment and primer-template handling for catalysis. Life Sci Alliance 2023; 6:e202201727. [PMID: 36963832 PMCID: PMC10055720 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomerase processively adds telomeric DNA repeats to chromosome ends using catalytic protein subunit TERT and a template on its RNA subunit TR. Mammalian telomerase is recruited to telomeres by the TEL patch and NOB regions of shelterin component TPP1. Recent cryo-EM structures of human telomerase reveal that a composite TERT TEN-(IFD-TRAP) domain interacts with TPP1. Here, we generate TERT mutants to demonstrate that a three-way TEN-(IFD-TRAP)-TPP1 interaction is critical for telomerase recruitment to telomeres and processive telomere repeat addition. Single mutations of IFD-TRAP at its interface with TR or the DNA primer impair telomerase catalysis. We further reveal the importance of TERT motif 3N and TEN domain loop 99FGF101 in telomerase action. Finally, we demonstrate that TPP1 TEL patch loop residue F172, which undergoes a structural rearrangement to bind telomerase, contributes to the human-mouse species specificity of the telomerase-TPP1 interaction. Our study provides insights into the multiple functions of TERT IFD-TRAP, reveals novel TERT and TPP1 elements critical for function, and helps explain how TPP1 binding licenses robust telomerase action at natural chromosome ends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilpa Padmanaban
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Valerie M Tesmer
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jayakrishnan Nandakumar
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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17
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Welfer GA, Freudenthal BD. Recent advancements in the structural biology of human telomerase and their implications for improved design of cancer therapeutics. NAR Cancer 2023; 5:zcad010. [PMID: 36879683 PMCID: PMC9984990 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcad010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomerase is a specialized reverse transcriptase that synthesizes telomeric repeats at the ends of linear chromosomes. Telomerase is transiently expressed in germ and stem cells, but nearly all somatic cells silence it after differentiating. However, the vast majority of cancer cells reactivate and constitutively express telomerase to maintain replicative immortality. Because of this, telomerase has remained a promising broad-spectrum chemotherapeutic target for over 30 years. However, various challenges associated with obtaining high-resolution structural data for telomerase have limited the development of rationally designed structure-based therapeutics. Various techniques and model systems have been utilized to advance our understanding of the structural biology of telomerase. In particular, multiple high-resolution cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures published within the past few years have revealed new components of the telomerase complex with near atomic resolution structural models. Additionally, these structures have provided details for how telomerase is recruited to telomeres and its mechanism of telomere synthesis. With these new pieces of evidence, and the promising outlook for future refinements to our current models, the possibility of telomerase specific chemotherapeutics is becoming more tangible than ever. This review summarizes these recent advancements and outlines outstanding questions in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Griffin A Welfer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
- University of Kansas Cancer Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Bret D Freudenthal
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
- University of Kansas Cancer Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
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18
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Welfer GA, Borin VA, Cortez LM, Opresko PL, Agarwal PK, Freudenthal BD. Altered Nucleotide Insertion Mechanisms of Disease-Associated TERT Variants. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:281. [PMID: 36833208 PMCID: PMC9957172 DOI: 10.3390/genes14020281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomere biology disorders (TBDs) are a spectrum of diseases that arise from mutations in genes responsible for maintaining telomere integrity. Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) adds nucleotides to chromosome ends and is frequently mutated in individuals with TBDs. Previous studies have provided insight into how relative changes in hTERT activity can lead to pathological outcomes. However, the underlying mechanisms describing how disease-associated variants alter the physicochemical steps of nucleotide insertion remain poorly understood. To address this, we applied single-turnover kinetics and computer simulations to the Tribolium castaneum TERT (tcTERT) model system and characterized the nucleotide insertion mechanisms of six disease-associated variants. Each variant had distinct consequences on tcTERT's nucleotide insertion mechanism, including changes in nucleotide binding affinity, rates of catalysis, or ribonucleotide selectivity. Our computer simulations provide insight into how each variant disrupts active site organization, such as suboptimal positioning of active site residues, destabilization of the DNA 3' terminus, or changes in nucleotide sugar pucker. Collectively, this work provides a holistic characterization of the nucleotide insertion mechanisms for multiple disease-associated TERT variants and identifies additional functions of key active site residues during nucleotide insertion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Griffin A. Welfer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66103, USA
- University of Kansas Cancer Center, Kansas City, KS 66103, USA
| | - Veniamin A. Borin
- Department of Physiological Sciences and High-Performance Computing Center, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74077, USA
| | - Luis M. Cortez
- University of Kansas Cancer Center, Kansas City, KS 66103, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66103, USA
| | - Patricia L. Opresko
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
| | - Pratul K. Agarwal
- Department of Physiological Sciences and High-Performance Computing Center, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74077, USA
| | - Bret D. Freudenthal
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66103, USA
- University of Kansas Cancer Center, Kansas City, KS 66103, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66103, USA
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19
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Lambert-Lanteigne P, Young A, Autexier C. Complex interaction network revealed by mutation of human telomerase 'insertion in fingers' and essential N-terminal domains and the telomere protein TPP1. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:102916. [PMID: 36649908 PMCID: PMC9958494 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.102916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In the majority of human cancer cells, cellular immortalization depends on the maintenance of telomere length by telomerase. An essential step required for telomerase function is its recruitment to telomeres, which is regulated by the interaction of the telomere protein, TPP1, with the telomerase essential N-terminal (TEN) domain of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase, hTERT. We previously reported that the hTERT 'insertion in fingers domain' (IFD) recruits telomerase to telomeres in a TPP1-dependent manner. Here, we use hTERT truncations and the IFD domain containing mutations in conserved residues or premature aging disease-associated mutations to map the interactions between the IFD and TPP1. We find that the hTERT-IFD domain can interact with TPP1. However, deletion of the IFD motif in hTERT lacking the N-terminus and the C-terminal extension does not abolish interaction with TPP1, suggesting the IFD is not essential for hTERT interaction with TPP1. Several conserved residues in the central IFD-TRAP region that we reported regulate telomerase recruitment to telomeres, and cell immortalization compromise interaction of the hTERT-IFD domain with TPP1 when mutated. Using a similar approach, we find that the IFD domain interacts with the TEN domain but is not essential for intramolecular hTERT interactions with the TEN domain. IFD-TEN interactions are not disrupted by multiple amino acid changes in the IFD or TEN, thus highlighting a complex regulation of IFD-TEN interactions as suggested by recent cryo-EM structures of human telomerase.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adrian Young
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Canada; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Chantal Autexier
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Canada; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montréal, Canada; Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Canada.
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20
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He Y, Feigon J. Telomerase structural biology comes of age. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2022; 76:102446. [PMID: 36081246 PMCID: PMC9884118 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2022.102446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Telomerase is an RNA-protein complex comprising telomerase reverse transcriptase, a non-coding telomerase RNA, and proteins involved in biogenesis, assembly, localization, or recruitment. Telomerase synthesizes the telomeric DNA at the 3'-ends of linear chromosomes. During the past decade, structural studies have defined the architecture of Tetrahymena and human telomerase as well as protein and RNA domain structures, but high-resolution details of interactions remained largely elusive. In the past two years, several sub-4 Å cryo-electron microscopy structures of telomerase were published, including Tetrahymena telomerase at different steps of telomere repeat addition and human telomerase with telomere shelterin proteins that recruit telomerase to telomeres. These and other recent structural studies have expanded our understanding of telomerase assembly, mechanism, recruitment, and mutations leading to disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao He
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569, USA; Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Juli Feigon
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569, USA.
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21
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Abstract
Shelterin is a multiprotein complex that plays central roles in telomere biology. Mutations in shelterin result in premature aging diseases and familial cancer predisposition. Mechanistic understanding of these so-called telomereopathies is hampered by our lack of knowledge regarding the structure and stoichiometry of shelterin. Here, we use multiple methods to probe the stoichiometry and conformational states of shelterin and reveal that it forms a fully dimeric complex with extensive conformational heterogeneity. Our results highlight the dynamic nature of this essential complex and explain why its high-resolution structure determination has yet to be achieved. Human shelterin is a six-subunit complex—composed of TRF1, TRF2, Rap1, TIN2, TPP1, and POT1—that binds telomeres, protects them from the DNA-damage response, and regulates the maintenance of telomeric DNA. Although high-resolution structures have been generated of the individual structured domains within shelterin, the architecture and stoichiometry of the full complex are currently unknown. Here, we report the purification of shelterin subcomplexes and reconstitution of the entire complex using full-length, recombinant subunits. By combining negative-stain electron microscopy (EM), cross-linking mass spectrometry (XLMS), AlphaFold modeling, mass photometry, and native mass spectrometry (MS), we obtain stoichiometries as well as domain-scale architectures of shelterin subcomplexes and determine that they feature extensive conformational heterogeneity. For POT1/TPP1 and POT1/TPP1/TIN2, we observe high variability in the positioning of the POT1 DNA-binding domain, the TPP1 oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide–binding (OB) fold, and the TIN2 TRFH domain with respect to the C-terminal domains of POT1. Truncation of unstructured linker regions in TIN2, TPP1, and POT1 did not reduce the conformational variability of the heterotrimer. Shelterin and TRF1-containing subcomplexes form fully dimeric stoichiometries, even in the absence of DNA substrates. Shelterin and its subcomplexes showed extensive conformational variability, regardless of the presence of DNA substrates. We conclude that shelterin adopts a multitude of conformations and argue that its unusual architectural variability is beneficial for its many functions at telomeres.
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22
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Sun H, Wu Z, Zhou Y, Lu Y, Lu H, Chen H, Shi S, Zeng Z, Wu J, Lei M. Structural insights into Pot1-ssDNA, Pot1-Tpz1 and Tpz1-Ccq1 Interactions within fission yeast shelterin complex. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010308. [PMID: 35849625 PMCID: PMC9333443 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The conserved shelterin complex caps chromosome ends to protect telomeres and regulate telomere replication. In fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, shelterin consists of telomeric single- and double-stranded DNA-binding modules Pot1-Tpz1 and Taz1-Rap1 connected by Poz1, and a specific component Ccq1. While individual structures of the two DNA-binding OB folds of Pot1 (Pot1OB1-GGTTAC and Pot1OB2-GGTTACGGT) are available, structural insight into recognition of telomeric repeats with spacers by the complete DNA-binding domain (Pot1DBD) remains an open question. Moreover, structural information about the Tpz1-Ccq1 interaction requires to be revealed for understanding how the specific component Ccq1 of S. pombe shelterin is recruited to telomeres to function as an interacting hub. Here, we report the crystal structures of Pot1DBD-single-stranded-DNA, Pot1372-555-Tpz1185-212 and Tpz1425-470-Ccq1123-439 complexes and propose an integrated model depicting the assembly mechanism of the shelterin complex at telomeres. The structure of Pot1DBD-DNA unveils how Pot1 recognizes S. pombe degenerate telomeric sequences. Our analyses of Tpz1-Ccq1 reveal structural basis for the essential role of the Tpz1-Ccq1 interaction in telomere recruitment of Ccq1 that is required for telomere maintenance and telomeric heterochromatin formation. Overall, our findings provide valuable structural information regarding interactions within fission yeast shelterin complex at 3’ ss telomeric overhang. Telomeres, composed of repetitive DNA sequences and specialized proteins, are protective structures at the ends of linear chromosomes. The telomere structure is essential for the maintenance of genome integrity and stability, and telomere dysfunction has been linked to human development, aging, cancer and a variety of degenerative diseases. An evolutionarily conserved multiple-protein complex called shelterin plays versatile roles in telomere homeostasis regulation, end protection and heterochromatin establishment. However, the highly flexible nature of shelterin complex has greatly impeded our structural and functional understanding for this important complex. In fission yeast, structures of the shelterin dsDNA-binding protein subcomplex Taz1-Rap1 and the bridge subcomplex Tpz1-Poz1-Rap1 are available. Although individual OB-fold subdomains structures have been characterized, structural information about the complete Pot1DBD bound to telomeric repeats with spacers remains to be revealed. Here, by determining the crystal structures of the telomeric overhang binding Pot1DBD-ssDNA, Pot1372-555-Tpz1185-212 and Tpz1425-470-Ccq1123-439 subcomplexes, we provide structural basis not only for the recognition of S. pombe degenerate telomeric sequences by Pot1, but also for the essential function of the Tpz1-Ccq1 interaction in Ccq1 recruitment to telomeres for telomere maintenance and telomeric heterochromatin formation. These findings provide an integrated model depicting the assembly mechanism of the shelterin complex at telomeres and its multiple roles in telomere biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenfang Wu
- Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Shanghai, China
- * E-mail: (ZW); (ZZ); (JW); (ML)
| | - Yuanze Zhou
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanjia Lu
- Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Huaisheng Lu
- Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongwen Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shaohua Shi
- Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhixiong Zeng
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering, College of Bioengineering, Qilu University of Technology, Shandong, China
- * E-mail: (ZW); (ZZ); (JW); (ML)
| | - Jian Wu
- Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Shanghai, China
- * E-mail: (ZW); (ZZ); (JW); (ML)
| | - Ming Lei
- Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- * E-mail: (ZW); (ZZ); (JW); (ML)
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Structure of active human telomerase with telomere shelterin protein TPP1. Nature 2022; 604:578-583. [PMID: 35418675 PMCID: PMC9912816 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04582-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Human telomerase is a RNA-protein complex that extends the 3' end of linear chromosomes by synthesizing multiple copies of the telomeric repeat TTAGGG1. Its activity is a determinant of cancer progression, stem cell renewal and cellular aging2-5. Telomerase is recruited to telomeres and activated for telomere repeat synthesis by the telomere shelterin protein TPP16,7. Human telomerase has a bilobal structure with a catalytic core ribonuclear protein and a H and ACA box ribonuclear protein8,9. Here we report cryo-electron microscopy structures of human telomerase catalytic core of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and telomerase RNA (TER (also known as hTR)), and of telomerase with the shelterin protein TPP1. TPP1 forms a structured interface with the TERT-unique telomerase essential N-terminal domain (TEN) and the telomerase RAP motif (TRAP) that are unique to TERT, and conformational dynamics of TEN-TRAP are damped upon TPP1 binding, defining the requirements for recruitment and activation. The structures further reveal that the elements of TERT and TER that are involved in template and telomeric DNA handling-including the TEN domain and the TRAP-thumb helix channel-are largely structurally homologous to those in Tetrahymena telomerase10, and provide unique insights into the mechanism of telomerase activity. The binding site of the telomerase inhibitor BIBR153211,12 overlaps a critical interaction between the TER pseudoknot and the TERT thumb domain. Numerous mutations leading to telomeropathies13,14 are located at the TERT-TER and TEN-TRAP-TPP1 interfaces, highlighting the importance of TER-TERT and TPP1 interactions for telomerase activity, recruitment and as drug targets.
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