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Naish M, Henderson IR. The structure, function, and evolution of plant centromeres. Genome Res 2024; 34:161-178. [PMID: 38485193 PMCID: PMC10984392 DOI: 10.1101/gr.278409.123] [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] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Centromeres are essential regions of eukaryotic chromosomes responsible for the formation of kinetochore complexes, which connect to spindle microtubules during cell division. Notably, although centromeres maintain a conserved function in chromosome segregation, the underlying DNA sequences are diverse both within and between species and are predominantly repetitive in nature. The repeat content of centromeres includes high-copy tandem repeats (satellites), and/or specific families of transposons. The functional region of the centromere is defined by loading of a specific histone 3 variant (CENH3), which nucleates the kinetochore and shows dynamic regulation. In many plants, the centromeres are composed of satellite repeat arrays that are densely DNA methylated and invaded by centrophilic retrotransposons. In some cases, the retrotransposons become the sites of CENH3 loading. We review the structure of plant centromeres, including monocentric, holocentric, and metapolycentric architectures, which vary in the number and distribution of kinetochore attachment sites along chromosomes. We discuss how variation in CENH3 loading can drive genome elimination during early cell divisions of plant embryogenesis. We review how epigenetic state may influence centromere identity and discuss evolutionary models that seek to explain the paradoxically rapid change of centromere sequences observed across species, including the potential roles of recombination. We outline putative modes of selection that could act within the centromeres, as well as the role of repeats in driving cycles of centromere evolution. Although our primary focus is on plant genomes, we draw comparisons with animal and fungal centromeres to derive a eukaryote-wide perspective of centromere structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Naish
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EA, United Kingdom
| | - Ian R Henderson
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EA, United Kingdom
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2
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Claessens LA, Vertegaal ACO. SUMO proteases: from cellular functions to disease. Trends Cell Biol 2024:S0962-8924(24)00002-3. [PMID: 38326147 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2024.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Posttranslational modification by small ubiquitin-like modifiers (SUMOs) is critical in regulating diverse cellular processes including gene expression, cell cycle progression, genome integrity, cellular metabolism, and inflammation and immunity. The covalent attachment of SUMOs to target proteins is highly dynamic and reversible through the concerted action of SUMO conjugating and deconjugating enzymes. In mammalian cells, sentrin-specific proteases (SENPs) are the most abundant family of deconjugating enzymes. This review highlights recent advances in our knowledge of the substrates and cellular and physiological processes controlled by SENPs. Notably, SENPs are emerging as significant players in cancer, as well as in other diseases, making them attractive targets for therapeutic intervention. Consequently, a growing amount of effort in the field is being directed towards the development of SENP inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A Claessens
- Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Alfred C O Vertegaal
- Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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3
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Wang Y, Liu Z, Bian X, Zhao C, Zhang X, Liu X, Wang N. Function and regulation of ubiquitin-like SUMO system in heart. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1294717. [PMID: 38033852 PMCID: PMC10687153 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1294717] [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: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMOylation) system is a conserved, reversible, post-translational protein modification pathway covalently attached to the lysine residues of proteins in eukaryotic cells, and SUMOylation is catalyzed by SUMO-specific activating enzyme (E1), binding enzyme (E2) and ligase (E3). Sentrin-specific proteases (SENPs) can cleave the isopeptide bond of a SUMO conjugate and catalyze the deSUMOylation reaction. SUMOylation can regulate the activity of proteins in many important cellular processes, including transcriptional regulation, cell cycle progression, signal transduction, DNA damage repair and protein stability. Biological experiments in vivo and in vitro have confirmed the key role of the SUMO conjugation/deconjugation system in energy metabolism, Ca2+ cycle homeostasis and protein quality control in cardiomyocytes. In this review, we summarized the research progress of the SUMO conjugation/deconjugation system and SUMOylation-mediated cardiac actions based on related studies published in recent years, and highlighted the further research areas to clarify the role of the SUMO system in the heart by using emerging technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wang
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
- Central Laboratory, The Fifth Central Hospital of Tianjin, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhihao Liu
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
- State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiyun Bian
- Central Laboratory, The Fifth Central Hospital of Tianjin, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Epigenetics for Organ Development in Preterm Infants, The Fifth Central Hospital of Tianjin, Tianjin, China
| | - Chenxu Zhao
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaozhi Liu
- Central Laboratory, The Fifth Central Hospital of Tianjin, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Epigenetics for Organ Development in Preterm Infants, The Fifth Central Hospital of Tianjin, Tianjin, China
| | - Nan Wang
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
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4
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Liczmanska M, Tatham MH, Mojsa B, Eugui-Anta A, Rojas-Fernandez A, Ibrahim AFM, Hay RT. SUMO protease SENP6 protects the nucleus from hyperSUMOylation-induced laminopathy-like alterations. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112960. [PMID: 37556322 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) protease SENP6 disassembles SUMO chains from cellular substrate proteins. We use a proteomic method to identify putative SENP6 substrates based on increased apparent molecular weight after SENP6 depletion. Proteins of the lamin family of intermediate filaments show substantially increased SUMO modification after SENP6 depletion. This is accompanied by nuclear structural changes remarkably like those associated with laminopathies. Two SUMO attachment sites on lamin A/C are close to sites of mutations in Emery-Driefuss and limb girdle muscular dystrophy. To establish a direct link between lamin SUMOylation and the observed phenotype, we developed proximity-induced SUMO modification (PISM), which fuses a lamin A/C targeting DARPin to a SUMO E3 ligase domain. This directly targets lamin A/C for SUMO conjugation and demonstrates that enhanced lamin SUMO modification recapitulates the altered nuclear structure manifest after SENP6 depletion. This shows SENP6 activity protects the nucleus against hyperSUMOylation-induced laminopathy-like alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magda Liczmanska
- Division of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Michael H Tatham
- Division of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Barbara Mojsa
- Division of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Ania Eugui-Anta
- Division of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Alejandro Rojas-Fernandez
- Division of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Adel F M Ibrahim
- Division of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Ronald T Hay
- Division of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK.
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5
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van den Berg SJW, East S, Mitra S, Jansen LET. p97/VCP drives turnover of SUMOylated centromeric CCAN proteins and CENP-A. Mol Biol Cell 2023; 34:br6. [PMID: 36989032 PMCID: PMC10162411 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e23-01-0035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The centromere is a unique chromatin domain that links sister chromatids and forms the attachment site for spindle microtubules in mitosis. Centromere inheritance is largely DNA sequence-independent but strongly reliant on a self-propagating chromatin domain featuring nucleosomes containing the H3 variant CENP-A. Unlike other histones, CENP-A is maintained with unusually high stability in chromatin. Previously, we have shown that mitotic maintenance of CENP-A and other constitutive centromere-associated network (CCAN) proteins is controlled by a dynamic SUMO cycle and that the deSUMOylase SENP6 is necessary for stable maintenance of CENP-A at the centromere. Here, we discover that the removal of SENP6 leads to a rapid loss of the CCAN, followed by a delayed loss of centromeric CENP-A, indicating that the CCAN is the primary SUMO target. We found that the ATP-dependent segregase p97/VCP removes centromeric CENP-A in a SUMO-dependent manner and interacts physically with the CCAN and CENP-A chromatin. Our data suggest a direct role of p97 in removing centromeric CENP-A via SUMOylated CCAN proteins, thereby ensuring centromere homeostasis and potentially preventing ectopic CENP-A accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastiaan J. W. van den Berg
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Samuel East
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Sreyoshi Mitra
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Lars E. T. Jansen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
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6
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van den Berg SJW, Jansen LET. SUMO control of centromere homeostasis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1193192. [PMID: 37181753 PMCID: PMC10172491 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1193192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Centromeres are unique chromosomal loci that form the anchorage point for the mitotic spindle during mitosis and meiosis. Their position and function are specified by a unique chromatin domain featuring the histone H3 variant CENP-A. While typically formed on centromeric satellite arrays, CENP-A nucleosomes are maintained and assembled by a strong self-templated feedback mechanism that can propagate centromeres even at non-canonical sites. Central to the epigenetic chromatin-based transmission of centromeres is the stable inheritance of CENP-A nucleosomes. While long-lived at centromeres, CENP-A can turn over rapidly at non-centromeric sites and even erode from centromeres in non-dividing cells. Recently, SUMO modification of the centromere complex has come to the forefront as a mediator of centromere complex stability, including CENP-A chromatin. We review evidence from different models and discuss the emerging view that limited SUMOylation appears to play a constructive role in centromere complex formation, while polySUMOylation drives complex turnover. The deSUMOylase SENP6/Ulp2 and the proteins segregase p97/Cdc48 constitute the dominant opposing forces that balance CENP-A chromatin stability. This balance may be key to ensuring proper kinetochore strength at the centromere while preventing ectopic centromere formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastiaan J. W. van den Berg
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Lars E. T. Jansen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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7
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Feitosa WB, Morris PL. Post-ovulatory aging is associated with altered patterns for small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) proteins and SUMO-specific proteases. FASEB J 2023; 37:e22816. [PMID: 36826436 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202200622r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian oocytes are ovulated arrested at metaphase of the second meiotic division. If they are not fertilized within a short period, the oocyte undergoes several progressive morphological, structural, and molecular changes during a process called oocyte aging. Herein, we focused on those functional events associated with proper cytoskeleton organization and those that correlate with spindle displacement and chromosome misalignment or scatter. Post-translational modifications by Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier (SUMO) proteins are involved in spindle organization and here we demonstrate that the SUMO pathway is involved in spindle morphology changes and chromosome movements during oocyte aging. SUMO-2/3 as well as the SUMO-specific proteases SENP-2 localization are affected by postovulatory aging in vitro. Consistent with these findings, UBC9 decreases during oocyte aging while differential ubiquitination patterns also correlate with in vitro oocyte aging. These results are consistent with postovulatory aging-related alterations in the posttranslational modifications of the spindle apparatus by SUMO and its SENP proteases. These findings are suggestive that such age-related changes in SUMOylation and the deSUMOylation of key target proteins in the spindle apparatus and kinetochore may be involved with spindle and chromosome alignment defects during mammalian oocyte postovulatory aging. Such findings may have implications for ART-related human oocyte aging in vitro regarding the activities of the SUMO pathway and fertilization success.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Patricia L Morris
- Center for Biomedical Research, Population Council, New York, New York, USA.,The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
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8
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Mao M, Xia Q, Zhan GF, Chu QJ, Li X, Lian HK. SENP6 induces microglial polarization and neuroinflammation through de-SUMOylation of Annexin-A1 after cerebral ischaemia–reperfusion injury. Cell Biosci 2022; 12:113. [PMID: 35869493 PMCID: PMC9308285 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-022-00850-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Previous data have reported that Sentrin/SUMO-specific protease 6 (SENP6) is involved in ischaemic brain injury and induces neuronal apoptosis after cerebral ischaemia, but the role of SENP6 in microglia-induced neuroinflammation and its underlying mechanism remain poorly understood. This research systematically explored the function and potential mechanism of SENP6 in microglia-induced neuroinflammation after ischaemic stroke. Results We first identified an increased protein level of SENP6 in microglia after cerebral ischaemia. Then, we demonstrated that SENP6 promoted detrimental microglial phenotype polarization. Specifically, SENP6-mediated de-SUMOylation of ANXA1 targeted the IκB kinase (IKK) complex and selectively inhibited the autophagic degradation of IKKα in an NBR1-dependent manner, activating the NF-κB pathway and enhancing proinflammatory cytokine expression. In addition, downregulation of SENP6 in microglia effectively reduced cocultured neuronal damage induced by ischaemic stroke. More importantly, we employed an AAV-based technique to specifically knockdown SENP6 in microglia/macrophages, and in vivo experiments showed that SENP6 inhibition in microglia/macrophages notably lessened brain ischaemic infarct size, decreased neurological deficit scores, and ameliorated motor and cognitive function in mice subjected to cerebral ischaemia surgery. Conclusion We demonstrated a previously unidentified mechanism by which SENP6-mediated ANXA1 de-SUMOylation regulates microglial polarization and our results strongly indicated that in microglia, inhibition of SENP6 may be a crucial beneficial therapeutic strategy for ischaemic stroke. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13578-022-00850-2.
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9
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Rizzo M, Soisangwan N, Vega-Estevez S, Price RJ, Uyl C, Iracane E, Shaw M, Soetaert J, Selmecki A, Buscaino A. Stress combined with loss of the Candida albicans SUMO protease Ulp2 triggers selection of aneuploidy via a two-step process. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010576. [PMID: 36574460 PMCID: PMC9829183 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
A delicate balance between genome stability and instability ensures genome integrity while generating genetic diversity, a critical step for evolution. Indeed, while excessive genome instability is harmful, moderated genome instability can drive adaptation to novel environments by maximising genetic variation. Candida albicans, a human fungal pathogen that colonises different parts of the human body, adapts rapidly and frequently to different hostile host microenvironments. In this organism, the ability to generate large-scale genomic variation is a key adaptative mechanism triggering dangerous infections even in the presence of antifungal drugs. Understanding how fitter novel karyotypes are selected is key to determining how C. albicans and other microbial pathogens establish infections. Here, we identified the SUMO protease Ulp2 as a regulator of C. albicans genome integrity through genetic screening. Deletion of ULP2 leads to increased genome instability, enhanced genome variation and reduced fitness in the absence of additional stress. The combined stress caused by the lack of ULP2 and antifungal drug treatment leads to the selection of adaptive segmental aneuploidies that partially rescue the fitness defects of ulp2Δ/Δ cells. Short and long-read genomic sequencing demonstrates that these novel genotypes are selected via a two-step process leading to the formation of novel chromosomal fragments with breakpoints at microhomology regions and DNA repeats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzia Rizzo
- University of Kent, School of Biosciences, Kent Fungal Group, Canterbury Kent, United Kingdom
| | - Natthapon Soisangwan
- University of Minnesota, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Samuel Vega-Estevez
- University of Kent, School of Biosciences, Kent Fungal Group, Canterbury Kent, United Kingdom
| | | | - Chloe Uyl
- University of Kent, School of Biosciences, Kent Fungal Group, Canterbury Kent, United Kingdom
| | - Elise Iracane
- University of Kent, School of Biosciences, Kent Fungal Group, Canterbury Kent, United Kingdom
| | - Matt Shaw
- University of Kent, School of Biosciences, Kent Fungal Group, Canterbury Kent, United Kingdom
| | - Jan Soetaert
- Blizard Advanced Light Microscopy (BALM), Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Selmecki
- University of Minnesota, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Alessia Buscaino
- University of Kent, School of Biosciences, Kent Fungal Group, Canterbury Kent, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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10
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Vertegaal ACO. Signalling mechanisms and cellular functions of SUMO. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2022; 23:715-731. [PMID: 35750927 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-022-00500-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Sumoylation is an essential post-translational modification that is catalysed by a small number of modifying enzymes but regulates thousands of target proteins in a dynamic manner. Small ubiquitin-like modifiers (SUMOs) can be attached to target proteins as one or more monomers or in the form of polymers of different types. Non-covalent readers recognize SUMO-modified proteins via SUMO interaction motifs. SUMO simultaneously modifies groups of functionally related proteins to regulate predominantly nuclear processes, including gene expression, the DNA damage response, RNA processing, cell cycle progression and proteostasis. Recent progress has increased our understanding of the cellular and pathophysiological roles of SUMO modifications, extending their functions to the regulation of immunity, pluripotency and nuclear body assembly in response to oxidative stress, which partly occurs through the recently characterized mechanism of liquid-liquid phase separation. Such progress in understanding the roles and regulation of sumoylation opens new avenues for the targeting of SUMO to treat disease, and indeed the first drug blocking sumoylation is currently under investigation in clinical trials as a possible anticancer agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfred C O Vertegaal
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.
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Sridhar S, Fukagawa T. Kinetochore Architecture Employs Diverse Linker Strategies Across Evolution. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:862637. [PMID: 35800888 PMCID: PMC9252888 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.862637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The assembly of a functional kinetochore on centromeric chromatin is necessary to connect chromosomes to the mitotic spindle, ensuring accurate chromosome segregation. This connecting function of the kinetochore presents multiple internal and external structural challenges. A microtubule interacting outer kinetochore and centromeric chromatin interacting inner kinetochore effectively confront forces from the external spindle and centromere, respectively. While internally, special inner kinetochore proteins, defined as “linkers,” simultaneously interact with centromeric chromatin and the outer kinetochore to enable association with the mitotic spindle. With the ability to simultaneously interact with outer kinetochore components and centromeric chromatin, linker proteins such as centromere protein (CENP)-C or CENP-T in vertebrates and, additionally CENP-QOkp1-UAme1 in yeasts, also perform the function of force propagation within the kinetochore. Recent efforts have revealed an array of linker pathways strategies to effectively recruit the largely conserved outer kinetochore. In this review, we examine these linkages used to propagate force and recruit the outer kinetochore across evolution. Further, we look at their known regulatory pathways and implications on kinetochore structural diversity and plasticity.
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Sundararajan K, Straight AF. Centromere Identity and the Regulation of Chromosome Segregation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:914249. [PMID: 35721504 PMCID: PMC9203049 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.914249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotes segregate their chromosomes during mitosis and meiosis by attaching chromosomes to the microtubules of the spindle so that they can be distributed into daughter cells. The complexity of centromeres ranges from the point centromeres of yeast that attach to a single microtubule to the more complex regional centromeres found in many metazoans or holocentric centromeres of some nematodes, arthropods and plants, that bind to dozens of microtubules per kinetochore. In vertebrates, the centromere is defined by a centromere specific histone variant termed Centromere Protein A (CENP-A) that replaces histone H3 in a subset of centromeric nucleosomes. These CENP-A nucleosomes are distributed on long stretches of highly repetitive DNA and interspersed with histone H3 containing nucleosomes. The mechanisms by which cells control the number and position of CENP-A nucleosomes is unknown but likely important for the organization of centromeric chromatin in mitosis so that the kinetochore is properly oriented for microtubule capture. CENP-A chromatin is epigenetically determined thus cells must correct errors in CENP-A organization to prevent centromere dysfunction and chromosome loss. Recent improvements in sequencing complex centromeres have paved the way for defining the organization of CENP-A nucleosomes in centromeres. Here we discuss the importance and challenges in understanding CENP-A organization and highlight new discoveries and advances enabled by recent improvements in the human genome assembly.
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The ins and outs of CENP-A: Chromatin dynamics of the centromere-specific histone. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 135:24-34. [PMID: 35422390 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Centromeres are highly specialised chromosome domains defined by the presence of an epigenetic mark, the specific histone H3 variant called CENP-A (centromere protein A). They constitute the genomic regions on which kinetochores form and when defective cause segregation defects that can lead to aneuploidy and cancer. Here, we discuss how CENP-A is established and maintained to propagate centromere identity while subjected to dynamic chromatin remodelling during essential cellular processes like DNA repair, replication, and transcription. We highlight parallels and identify conserved mechanisms between different model organism with a particular focus on 1) the establishment of CENP-A at centromeres, 2) CENP-A maintenance during transcription and replication, and 3) the mechanisms that help preventing CENP-A localization at non-centromeric sites. We then give examples of how timely loading of new CENP-A to the centromere, maintenance of old CENP-A during S-phase and transcription, and removal of CENP-A at non-centromeric sites are coordinated and controlled by an intricate network of factors whose identity is slowly being unravelled.
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14
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Marimuthu MPA, Maruthachalam R, Bondada R, Kuppu S, Tan EH, Britt A, Chan SWL, Comai L. Epigenetically mismatched parental centromeres trigger genome elimination in hybrids. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabk1151. [PMID: 34797718 PMCID: PMC8604413 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abk1151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Wide crosses result in postzygotic elimination of one parental chromosome set, but the mechanisms that result in such differential fate are poorly understood. Here, we show that alterations of centromeric histone H3 (CENH3) lead to its selective removal from centromeres of mature Arabidopsis eggs and early zygotes, while wild-type CENH3 persists. In the hybrid zygotes and embryos, CENH3 and essential centromere proteins load preferentially on the CENH3-rich centromeres of the wild-type parent, while CENH3-depleted centromeres fail to reconstitute new CENH3-chromatin and the kinetochore and are frequently lost. Genome elimination is opposed by E3 ubiquitin ligase VIM1. We propose a model based on cooperative binding of CENH3 to chromatin to explain the differential CENH3 loading rates. Thus, parental CENH3 polymorphisms result in epigenetically distinct centromeres that instantiate a strong mating barrier and produce haploids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohan P. A. Marimuthu
- UC Davis Genome Center, UC Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, UC Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Ravi Maruthachalam
- School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Thiruvananthapuram, Vithura, Kerala 695551, India
| | - Ramesh Bondada
- School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Thiruvananthapuram, Vithura, Kerala 695551, India
| | | | | | - Anne Britt
- Department of Plant Biology, UC Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Luca Comai
- UC Davis Genome Center, UC Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, UC Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Corresponding author.
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15
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Salinas-Luypaert C, Allu PK, Logsdon GA, Dawicki-McKenna JM, Gambogi CW, Fachinetti D, Black BE. Gene replacement strategies validate the use of functional tags on centromeric chromatin and invalidate an essential role for CENP-A K124ub. Cell Rep 2021; 37:109924. [PMID: 34731637 PMCID: PMC8643106 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional tags are ubiquitous in cell biology, and for studies of one chromosomal locus, the centromere, tags have been remarkably useful. The centromere directs chromosome inheritance at cell division. The location of the centromere is defined by a histone H3 variant, CENP-A. The regulation of the chromatin assembly pathway essential for centromere inheritance and function includes posttranslational modification (PTM) of key components, including CENP-A itself. Others have recently called into question the use of functional tags, with the claim that at least two widely used tags obscured the essentiality of one particular PTM, CENP-AK124 ubiquitination (ub). Here, we employ three independent gene replacement strategies that eliminate large, lysine-containing tags to interrogate these claims. Using these approaches, we find no evidence to support an essential function of CENP-AK124ub. Our general methodology will be useful to validate discoveries permitted by powerful functional tagging schemes at the centromere and other cellular locations. Using three gene replacement strategies, Salinas-Luypaert et al. demonstrate that CENP-AK124ub is not essential for CENP-A function at centromeres. Thus, functional tags do not mask the role of K124 when it is mutated. These strategies can be employed to interrogate posttranslational modifications at the centromere and other cellular locations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Praveen Kumar Allu
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Penn Center for Genome Integrity, Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Glennis A Logsdon
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Jennine M Dawicki-McKenna
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Penn Center for Genome Integrity, Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Craig W Gambogi
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Penn Center for Genome Integrity, Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Daniele Fachinetti
- Institut Curie, PSL University, CNRS, UMR 144, 26 rue d'Ulm, 75005, Paris, France.
| | - Ben E Black
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Penn Center for Genome Integrity, Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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16
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Dong Q, Yang J, Gao J, Li F. Recent insights into mechanisms preventing ectopic centromere formation. Open Biol 2021; 11:210189. [PMID: 34493071 PMCID: PMC8424319 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.210189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The centromere is a specialized chromosomal structure essential for chromosome segregation. Centromere dysfunction leads to chromosome segregation errors and genome instability. In most eukaryotes, centromere identity is specified epigenetically by CENP-A, a centromere-specific histone H3 variant. CENP-A replaces histone H3 in centromeres, and nucleates the assembly of the kinetochore complex. Mislocalization of CENP-A to non-centromeric regions causes ectopic assembly of CENP-A chromatin, which has a devastating impact on chromosome segregation and has been linked to a variety of human cancers. How non-centromeric regions are protected from CENP-A misincorporation in normal cells is largely unexplored. Here, we review the most recent advances on the mechanisms underlying the prevention of ectopic centromere formation, and discuss the implications in human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianhua Dong
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003-6688, USA
| | - Jinpu Yang
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003-6688, USA
| | - Jinxin Gao
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003-6688, USA
| | - Fei Li
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003-6688, USA
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17
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Quan Y, Hinshaw SM, Wang PC, Harrison SC, Zhou H. Ctf3/CENP-I provides a docking site for the desumoylase Ulp2 at the kinetochore. THE JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY 2021; 220:212227. [PMID: 34081091 PMCID: PMC8178754 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202012149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The step-by-step process of chromosome segregation defines the stages of the cell cycle. In eukaryotes, signals controlling these steps converge upon the kinetochore, a multiprotein assembly that connects spindle microtubules to chromosomal centromeres. Kinetochores control and adapt to major chromosomal transactions, including replication of centromeric DNA, biorientation of sister centromeres on the metaphase spindle, and transit of sister chromatids into daughter cells during anaphase. Although the mechanisms that ensure tight microtubule coupling at anaphase are at least partly understood, kinetochore adaptations that support other cell cycle transitions are not. We report here a mechanism that enables regulated control of kinetochore sumoylation. A conserved surface of the Ctf3/CENP-I kinetochore protein provides a binding site for Ulp2, the nuclear enzyme that removes SUMO chains from modified substrates. Ctf3 mutations that disable Ulp2 recruitment cause elevated inner kinetochore sumoylation and defective chromosome segregation. The location of the site within the assembled kinetochore suggests coordination between sumoylation and other cell cycle–regulated processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Quan
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Stephen M Hinshaw
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Pang-Che Wang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Stephen C Harrison
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Huilin Zhou
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
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18
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Xia Q, Mao M, Zeng Z, Luo Z, Zhao Y, Shi J, Li X. Inhibition of SENP6 restrains cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury by regulating Annexin-A1 nuclear translocation-associated neuronal apoptosis. Am J Cancer Res 2021; 11:7450-7470. [PMID: 34158860 PMCID: PMC8210613 DOI: 10.7150/thno.60277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Annexin-A1 (ANXA1) has previously been proposed to play a crucial role in neuronal apoptosis during ischemic stroke injury. Our recent study demonstrated that ANXA1 was modified by SUMOylation, and that this modification was greatly weakened after cerebral ischemia, but its effect on neuronal death and the underlying mechanism have not been fully elucidated. Methods: Mice subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion were established as the animal model and primary cultured neurons treated with oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion was established as the cell model of ischemic stroke. The Ni2+-NTA agarose affinity pull-down assay was carried out to determine the SUMOylation level of ANXA1. Co-immunoprecipitation assays was utilized to explore the protein interaction. Immunoblot analysis, quantitative real-time PCR, Luciferase reporter assay were performed to identify the regulatory mechanism. LDH release and TUNEL staining was performed to investigate the neuronal cytotoxicity and apoptosis, respectively. Results: In this study, we identified the deSUMOylating enzyme sentrin/SUMO-specific protease 6 (SENP6) as a negative regulator of ANXA1 SUMOylation. Notably, we found that SENP6-mediated deSUMOylation of ANXA1 induced its nuclear translocation and triggered neuronal apoptosis during cerebral ischemic injury. A mechanistic study demonstrated that SENP6-mediated deSUMOylation of ANXA1 promoted TRPM7- and PKC-dependent phosphorylation of ANXA1. Furthermore, blocking the deSUMOylation of ANXA1 mediated by SENP6 inhibited the transcriptional activity of p53, decreased Bid expression, suppressed caspase-3 pathway activation and reduced the apoptosis of primary neurons subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion. More importantly, SENP6 inhibition by overexpression of a SENP6 catalytic mutant in neurons resulted in significant improvement in neurological function in the mouse model of ischemic stroke. Conclusions: Taken together, the results of this study identified a previously unidentified function of SENP6 in neuronal apoptosis and strongly indicated that SENP6 inhibition may provide therapeutic benefits for cerebral ischemia.
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19
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Hou H, Kyriacou E, Thadani R, Klutstein M, Chapman JH, Cooper JP. Centromeres are dismantled by foundational meiotic proteins Spo11 and Rec8. Nature 2021; 591:671-676. [PMID: 33658710 PMCID: PMC8843027 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03279-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Meiotic processes are potentially dangerous to genome stability and could be disastrous if activated in proliferative cells. Here we show that two key meiosis-defining proteins, the topoisomerase Spo11 (which forms double-strand breaks) and the meiotic cohesin Rec8, can dismantle centromeres. This dismantlement is normally observable only in mutant cells that lack the telomere bouquet, which provides a nuclear microdomain conducive to centromere reassembly1; however, overexpression of Spo11 or Rec8 leads to levels of centromere dismantlement that cannot be countered by the bouquet. Specific nucleosome remodelling factors mediate centromere dismantlement by Spo11 and Rec8. Ectopic expression of either protein in proliferating cells leads to the loss of mitotic kinetochores in both fission yeast and human cells. Hence, while centromeric chromatin has been characterized as extraordinarily stable, Spo11 and Rec8 challenge this stability and may jeopardize kinetochores in cancers that express meiotic proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haitong Hou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 E. 17th Ave, Aurora, CO 80045, Phone 303-724-3203,Former address: Telomere Biology Laboratory, Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892,Co-corresponding authors: ;
| | - Eftychia Kyriacou
- Former address: Telomere Biology Laboratory, Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892,Current address: Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Rahul Thadani
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 E. 17th Ave, Aurora, CO 80045, Phone 303-724-3203,Former address: Telomere Biology Laboratory, Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Michael Klutstein
- Chromatin and Aging Research Laboratory, Institute of Dental Science, Hebrew University of Jerusalem PO 12272, Israel 91120
| | - Joseph H. Chapman
- Former address: Telomere Biology Laboratory, Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892,Current address: Single Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, NHLBI, NIH
| | - Julia Promisel Cooper
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 E. 17th Ave, Aurora, CO 80045, Phone 303-724-3203,Former address: Telomere Biology Laboratory, Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892,Co-corresponding authors: ;
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20
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Mitra S, Srinivasan B, Jansen LE. Stable inheritance of CENP-A chromatin: Inner strength versus dynamic control. J Cell Biol 2020; 219:e202005099. [PMID: 32931551 PMCID: PMC7659725 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202005099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromosome segregation during cell division is driven by mitotic spindle attachment to the centromere region on each chromosome. Centromeres form a protein scaffold defined by chromatin featuring CENP-A, a conserved histone H3 variant, in a manner largely independent of local DNA cis elements. CENP-A nucleosomes fulfill two essential criteria to epigenetically identify the centromere. They undergo self-templated duplication to reestablish centromeric chromatin following DNA replication. More importantly, CENP-A incorporated into centromeric chromatin is stably transmitted through consecutive cell division cycles. CENP-A nucleosomes have unique structural properties and binding partners that potentially explain their long lifetime in vivo. However, rather than a static building block, centromeric chromatin is dynamically regulated throughout the cell cycle, indicating that CENP-A stability is also controlled by external factors. We discuss recent insights and identify the outstanding questions on how dynamic control of the long-term stability of CENP-A ensures epigenetic centromere inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sreyoshi Mitra
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Bharath Srinivasan
- Mechanistic Biology and Profiling, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
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21
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Jansen NS, Vertegaal ACO. A Chain of Events: Regulating Target Proteins by SUMO Polymers. Trends Biochem Sci 2020; 46:113-123. [PMID: 33008689 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2020.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Small ubiquitin-like modifiers (SUMOs) regulate virtually all nuclear processes. The fate of the target protein is determined by the architecture of the attached SUMO protein, which can be of polymeric nature. Here, we highlight the multifunctional aspects of dynamic signal transduction by SUMO polymers. The SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligases (STUbLs) RING-finger protein 4 (RNF4) and RNF111 recognize SUMO polymers in a chain-architecture-dependent manner, leading to the formation of hybrid chains, which could enable proteasomal destruction of proteins. Recent publications have highlighted essential roles for SUMO chain disassembly by the mammalian SUMO proteases SENP6 and SENP7 and the yeast SUMO protease Ulp2. SENP6 is particularly important for centromere assembly. These recent findings demonstrate the diversity of SUMO polymer signal transduction for proteolytic and nonproteolytic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolette S Jansen
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333, ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Alfred C O Vertegaal
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333, ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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22
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Mahlke MA, Nechemia-Arbely Y. Guarding the Genome: CENP-A-Chromatin in Health and Cancer. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11070810. [PMID: 32708729 PMCID: PMC7397030 DOI: 10.3390/genes11070810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Faithful chromosome segregation is essential for the maintenance of genomic integrity and requires functional centromeres. Centromeres are epigenetically defined by the histone H3 variant, centromere protein A (CENP-A). Here we highlight current knowledge regarding CENP-A-containing chromatin structure, specification of centromere identity, regulation of CENP-A deposition and possible contribution to cancer formation and/or progression. CENP-A overexpression is common among many cancers and predicts poor prognosis. Overexpression of CENP-A increases rates of CENP-A deposition ectopically at sites of high histone turnover, occluding CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) binding. Ectopic CENP-A deposition leads to mitotic defects, centromere dysfunction and chromosomal instability (CIN), a hallmark of cancer. CENP-A overexpression is often accompanied by overexpression of its chaperone Holliday Junction Recognition Protein (HJURP), leading to epigenetic addiction in which increased levels of HJURP and CENP-A become necessary to support rapidly dividing p53 deficient cancer cells. Alterations in CENP-A posttranslational modifications are also linked to chromosome segregation errors and CIN. Collectively, CENP-A is pivotal to genomic stability through centromere maintenance, perturbation of which can lead to tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan A. Mahlke
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA;
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Yael Nechemia-Arbely
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA;
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-412-623-3228; Fax: +1-412-623-7828
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23
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Murillo-Pineda M, Jansen LET. Genetics, epigenetics and back again: Lessons learned from neocentromeres. Exp Cell Res 2020; 389:111909. [PMID: 32068000 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2020.111909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The duplication and segregation of the genome during cell division is crucial to maintain cell identity, development of organisms and tissue maintenance. Centromeres are at the basis of accurate chromosome segregation as they define the site of assembly of the kinetochore, a large complex of proteins that attaches to spindle microtubules driving chromosome movement during cell division. Here we summarize nearly 40 years of research focussed on centromere specification and the role of local cis elements in creating a stable centromere. Initial discoveries in budding yeast in the 1980s opened up the field and revealed essential DNA sequence elements that define centromere position and function. Further work in humans discovered a centromeric DNA sequence-specific binding protein and centromeric α-satellite DNA was found to have the capacity to seed centromeres de novo. Despite the early indication of genetic elements as drivers of centromere specification, the discovery in the nineties of neocentromeres that form on unrelated DNA sequences, shifted the focus to epigenetic mechanisms. While specific sequence elements appeared non-essential, the histone H3 variant CENP-A was identified as a crucial component in centromere specification. Neocentromeres, occurring naturally or induced experimentally, have become an insightful tool to understand the mechanisms for centromere specification and will be the focus of this review. They have helped to define the strong epigenetic chromatin-based component underlying centromere inheritance but also provide new opportunities to understand the enigmatic, yet crucial role that DNA sequence elements play in centromere function and inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lars E T Jansen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, OX1 3QU, United Kingdom.
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