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Martin A, Schabort J, Bartke-Croughan R, Tran S, Preetham A, Lu R, Ho R, Gao J, Jenkins S, Boyle J, Ghanim GE, Jagota M, Song YS, Li H, Hockemeyer D. Dissecting the oncogenic mechanisms of POT1 cancer mutations through deep scanning mutagenesis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.19.608636. [PMID: 39229243 PMCID: PMC11370387 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.19.608636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Mutations in the shelterin protein POT1 are associated with diverse cancers, but their role in cancer progression remains unclear. To resolve this, we performed deep scanning mutagenesis in POT1 locally haploid human stem cells to assess the impact of POT1 variants on cellular viability and cancer-associated telomeric phenotypes. Though POT1 is essential, frame-shift mutants are rescued by chemical ATR inhibition, indicating that POT1 is not required for telomere replication or lagging strand synthesis. In contrast, a substantial fraction of clinically-validated pathogenic mutations support normal cellular proliferation, but still drive ATR-dependent telomeric DNA damage signaling and ATR-independent telomere elongation. Moreover, this class of cancer-associated POT1 variants elongates telomeres more rapidly than POT1 frame-shifts, indicating they actively drive oncogenesis and are not simple loss-of-function mutations.
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2
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Karimian K, Groot A, Huso V, Kahidi R, Tan KT, Sholes S, Keener R, McDyer JF, Alder JK, Li H, Rechtsteiner A, Greider CW. Human telomere length is chromosome end-specific and conserved across individuals. Science 2024; 384:533-539. [PMID: 38603523 DOI: 10.1126/science.ado0431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Short telomeres cause age-related disease, and long telomeres contribute to cancer; however, the mechanisms regulating telomere length are unclear. We developed a nanopore-based method, which we call Telomere Profiling, to determine telomere length at nearly single-nucleotide resolution. Mapping telomere reads to chromosome ends showed chromosome end-specific length distributions that could differ by more than six kilobases. Examination of telomere lengths in 147 individuals revealed that certain chromosome ends were consistently longer or shorter. The same rank order was found in newborn cord blood, suggesting that telomere length is determined at birth and that chromosome end-specific telomere length differences are maintained as telomeres shorten with age. Telomere Profiling makes precision investigation of telomere length widely accessible for laboratory, clinical, and drug discovery efforts and will allow deeper insights into telomere biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayarash Karimian
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Aljona Groot
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Vienna Huso
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ramin Kahidi
- Health Sciences Program, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Kar-Tong Tan
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Program, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Samantha Sholes
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rebecca Keener
- Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - John F McDyer
- Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jonathan K Alder
- Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Heng Li
- Department of Data Sciences, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andreas Rechtsteiner
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Carol W Greider
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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3
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Karimian K, Groot A, Huso V, Kahidi R, Tan KT, Sholes S, Keener R, McDyer JF, Alder JK, Li H, Rechtsteiner A, Greider CW. Human telomere length is chromosome specific and conserved across individuals. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.21.572870. [PMID: 38187739 PMCID: PMC10769321 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.21.572870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Short telomeres cause age-related disease and long telomeres predispose to cancer; however, the mechanisms regulating telomere length are unclear. To probe these mechanisms, we developed a nanopore sequencing method, Telomere Profiling, that is easy to implement, precise, and cost effective with broad applications in research and the clinic. We sequenced telomeres from individuals with short telomere syndromes and found similar telomere lengths to the clinical FlowFISH assay. We mapped telomere reads to specific chromosome end and identified both chromosome end-specific and haplotype-specific telomere length distributions. In the T2T HG002 genome, where the average telomere length is 5kb, we found a remarkable 6kb difference in lengths between some telomeres. Further, we found that specific chromosome ends were consistently shorter or longer than the average length across 147 individuals. The presence of conserved chromosome end-specific telomere lengths suggests there are new paradigms in telomere biology that are yet to be explored. Understanding the mechanisms regulating length will allow deeper insights into telomere biology that can lead to new approaches to disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayarash Karimian
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Aljona Groot
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz
| | - Vienna Huso
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | | | - Kar-Tong Tan
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Genetics, Boston, MA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
- Broad Institute, Cancer Program, Cambridge, MA
| | - Samantha Sholes
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Present address Merck & Co., 770 Sumneytown Pike, West Point, PA 19486
| | - Rebecca Keener
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
| | - John F. McDyer
- Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh
| | - Jonathan K. Alder
- Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh
| | - Heng Li
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Data Sciences, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Biomedical Informatics, Boston, MA
| | - Andreas Rechtsteiner
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz
| | - Carol W. Greider
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz
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4
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Takasugi T, Gu P, Liang F, Staco I, Chang S. Pot1b -/- tumors activate G-quadruplex-induced DNA damage to promote telomere hyper-elongation. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:9227-9247. [PMID: 37560909 PMCID: PMC10516629 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Malignant cancers must activate telomere maintenance mechanisms to achieve replicative immortality. Mutations in the human Protection of Telomeres 1 (POT1) gene are frequently detected in cancers with abnormally long telomeres, suggesting that the loss of POT1 function disrupts the regulation of telomere length homeostasis to promote telomere elongation. However, our understanding of the mechanisms leading to elongated telomeres remains incomplete. The mouse genome encodes two POT1 proteins, POT1a and POT1b possessing separation of hPOT1 functions. We performed serial transplantation of Pot1b-/- sarcomas to better understand the role of POT1b in regulating telomere length maintenance. While early-generation Pot1b-/- sarcomas initially possessed shortened telomeres, late-generation Pot1b-/- cells display markedly hyper-elongated telomeres that were recognized as damaged DNA by the Replication Protein A (RPA) complex. The RPA-ATR-dependent DNA damage response at telomeres promotes telomerase recruitment to facilitate telomere hyper-elongation. POT1b, but not POT1a, was able to unfold G-quadruplex present in hyper-elongated telomeres to repress the DNA damage response. Our findings demonstrate that the repression of the RPA-ATR DDR is conserved between POT1b and human POT1, suggesting that similar mechanisms may underly the phenotypes observed in human cancers harboring human POT1 mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Takasugi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Peili Gu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Fengshan Liang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Isabelle Staco
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Sandy Chang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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Bordelet H, Costa R, Brocas C, Dépagne J, Veaute X, Busso D, Batté A, Guérois R, Marcand S, Dubrana K. Sir3 heterochromatin protein promotes non-homologous end joining by direct inhibition of Sae2. EMBO J 2022; 41:e108813. [PMID: 34817085 PMCID: PMC8724767 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021108813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Heterochromatin is a conserved feature of eukaryotic chromosomes, with central roles in gene expression regulation and maintenance of genome stability. How heterochromatin proteins regulate DNA repair remains poorly described. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the silent information regulator (SIR) complex assembles heterochromatin-like chromatin at sub-telomeric chromosomal regions. SIR-mediated repressive chromatin limits DNA double-strand break (DSB) resection, thus protecting damaged chromosome ends during homologous recombination (HR). As resection initiation represents the crossroads between repair by non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) or HR, we asked whether SIR-mediated heterochromatin regulates NHEJ. We show that SIRs promote NHEJ through two pathways, one depending on repressive chromatin assembly, and the other relying on Sir3 in a manner that is independent of its heterochromatin-promoting function. Via physical interaction with the Sae2 protein, Sir3 impairs Sae2-dependent functions of the MRX (Mre11-Rad50-Xrs2) complex, thereby limiting Mre11-mediated resection, delaying MRX removal from DSB ends, and promoting NHEJ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hélène Bordelet
- Université de Paris and Université Paris‐Saclay, INSERM, iRCM/IBFJ CEA, UMR Stabilité Génétique Cellules Souches et RadiationsFontenay‐aux‐RosesFrance
- Régulation spatiale des génomes, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR3525ParisFrance
| | - Rafaël Costa
- Université de Paris and Université Paris‐Saclay, INSERM, iRCM/IBFJ CEA, UMR Stabilité Génétique Cellules Souches et RadiationsFontenay‐aux‐RosesFrance
| | - Clémentine Brocas
- Université de Paris and Université Paris‐Saclay, INSERM, iRCM/IBFJ CEA, UMR Stabilité Génétique Cellules Souches et RadiationsFontenay‐aux‐RosesFrance
| | - Jordane Dépagne
- CIGEx platform. Université de Paris and Université Paris‐Saclay, INSERM, iRCM/IBFJ CEA, UMR Stabilité Génétique Cellules Souches et RadiationsFontenay‐aux‐RosesFrance
| | - Xavier Veaute
- CIGEx platform. Université de Paris and Université Paris‐Saclay, INSERM, iRCM/IBFJ CEA, UMR Stabilité Génétique Cellules Souches et RadiationsFontenay‐aux‐RosesFrance
| | - Didier Busso
- CIGEx platform. Université de Paris and Université Paris‐Saclay, INSERM, iRCM/IBFJ CEA, UMR Stabilité Génétique Cellules Souches et RadiationsFontenay‐aux‐RosesFrance
| | - Amandine Batté
- Université de Paris and Université Paris‐Saclay, INSERM, iRCM/IBFJ CEA, UMR Stabilité Génétique Cellules Souches et RadiationsFontenay‐aux‐RosesFrance
- Center for Integrative GenomicsBâtiment GénopodeUniversity of LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Raphaël Guérois
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC)CEA, CNRS, Université Paris‐Sud, Université Paris‐SaclayGif‐sur‐YvetteFrance
| | - Stéphane Marcand
- Université de Paris and Université Paris‐Saclay, INSERM, iRCM/IBFJ CEA, UMR Stabilité Génétique Cellules Souches et RadiationsFontenay‐aux‐RosesFrance
| | - Karine Dubrana
- Université de Paris and Université Paris‐Saclay, INSERM, iRCM/IBFJ CEA, UMR Stabilité Génétique Cellules Souches et RadiationsFontenay‐aux‐RosesFrance
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6
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Chaux-Jukic F, O'Donnell S, Craig RJ, Eberhard S, Vallon O, Xu Z. Architecture and evolution of subtelomeres in the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:7571-7587. [PMID: 34165564 PMCID: PMC8287924 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In most eukaryotes, subtelomeres are dynamic genomic regions populated by multi-copy sequences of different origins, which can promote segmental duplications and chromosomal rearrangements. However, their repetitive nature has complicated the efforts to sequence them, analyse their structure and infer how they evolved. Here, we use recent genome assemblies of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii based on long-read sequencing to comprehensively describe the subtelomere architecture of the 17 chromosomes of this model unicellular green alga. We identify three main repeated elements present at subtelomeres, which we call Sultan, Subtile and Suber, alongside three chromosome extremities with ribosomal DNA as the only identified component of their subtelomeres. The most common architecture, present in 27 out of 34 subtelomeres, is a heterochromatic array of Sultan elements adjacent to the telomere, followed by a transcribed Spacer sequence, a G-rich microsatellite and transposable elements. Sequence similarity analyses suggest that Sultan elements underwent segmental duplications within each subtelomere and rearranged between subtelomeres at a much lower frequency. Analysis of other green algae reveals species-specific repeated elements that are shared across subtelomeres, with an overall organization similar to C. reinhardtii. This work uncovers the complexity and evolution of subtelomere architecture in green algae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Chaux-Jukic
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR7238, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratory of Computational and Quantitative Biology, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Samuel O'Donnell
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR7238, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratory of Computational and Quantitative Biology, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Rory J Craig
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3FL, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Stephan Eberhard
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR7141, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Laboratory of Chloroplast Biology and Light-Sensing in Microalgae, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Olivier Vallon
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR7141, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Laboratory of Chloroplast Biology and Light-Sensing in Microalgae, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Zhou Xu
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR7238, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratory of Computational and Quantitative Biology, 75005 Paris, France
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7
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Chaux-Jukic F, O'Donnell S, Craig RJ, Eberhard S, Vallon O, Xu Z. Architecture and evolution of subtelomeres in the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Nucleic Acids Res 2021. [PMID: 34165564 DOI: 10.1101/2021.01.29.428817)] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
In most eukaryotes, subtelomeres are dynamic genomic regions populated by multi-copy sequences of different origins, which can promote segmental duplications and chromosomal rearrangements. However, their repetitive nature has complicated the efforts to sequence them, analyse their structure and infer how they evolved. Here, we use recent genome assemblies of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii based on long-read sequencing to comprehensively describe the subtelomere architecture of the 17 chromosomes of this model unicellular green alga. We identify three main repeated elements present at subtelomeres, which we call Sultan, Subtile and Suber, alongside three chromosome extremities with ribosomal DNA as the only identified component of their subtelomeres. The most common architecture, present in 27 out of 34 subtelomeres, is a heterochromatic array of Sultan elements adjacent to the telomere, followed by a transcribed Spacer sequence, a G-rich microsatellite and transposable elements. Sequence similarity analyses suggest that Sultan elements underwent segmental duplications within each subtelomere and rearranged between subtelomeres at a much lower frequency. Analysis of other green algae reveals species-specific repeated elements that are shared across subtelomeres, with an overall organization similar to C. reinhardtii. This work uncovers the complexity and evolution of subtelomere architecture in green algae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Chaux-Jukic
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR7238, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratory of Computational and Quantitative Biology, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Samuel O'Donnell
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR7238, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratory of Computational and Quantitative Biology, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Rory J Craig
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3FL, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Stephan Eberhard
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR7141, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Laboratory of Chloroplast Biology and Light-Sensing in Microalgae, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Olivier Vallon
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR7141, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Laboratory of Chloroplast Biology and Light-Sensing in Microalgae, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Zhou Xu
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR7238, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratory of Computational and Quantitative Biology, 75005 Paris, France
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8
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Galli M, Frigerio C, Longhese MP, Clerici M. The regulation of the DNA damage response at telomeres: focus on kinases. Biochem Soc Trans 2021; 49:933-943. [PMID: 33769480 DOI: 10.1042/bst20200856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The natural ends of linear chromosomes resemble those of accidental double-strand breaks (DSBs). DSBs induce a multifaceted cellular response that promotes the repair of lesions and slows down cell cycle progression. This response is not elicited at chromosome ends, which are organized in nucleoprotein structures called telomeres. Besides counteracting DSB response through specialized telomere-binding proteins, telomeres also prevent chromosome shortening. Despite of the different fate of telomeres and DSBs, many proteins involved in the DSB response also localize at telomeres and participate in telomere homeostasis. In particular, the DSB master regulators Tel1/ATM and Mec1/ATR contribute to telomere length maintenance and arrest cell cycle progression when chromosome ends shorten, thus promoting a tumor-suppressive process known as replicative senescence. During senescence, the actions of both these apical kinases and telomere-binding proteins allow checkpoint activation while bulk DNA repair activities at telomeres are still inhibited. Checkpoint-mediated cell cycle arrest also prevents further telomere erosion and deprotection that would favor chromosome rearrangements, which are known to increase cancer-associated genome instability. This review summarizes recent insights into functions and regulation of Tel1/ATM and Mec1/ATR at telomeres both in the presence and in the absence of telomerase, focusing mainly on discoveries in budding yeast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Galli
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, Milano 20126, Italy
| | - Chiara Frigerio
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, Milano 20126, Italy
| | - Maria Pia Longhese
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, Milano 20126, Italy
| | - Michela Clerici
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, Milano 20126, Italy
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9
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Liu J, Liu JP. A method for efficient quantitative analysis of genomic subtelomere Y' element abundance in yeasts. Yeast 2020; 37:373-388. [PMID: 32639041 DOI: 10.1002/yea.3511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Subtelomere Y' elements get amplified by homologous recombination in sustaining the survival and division of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, current method for measurement of the subtelomere structures uses Southern blotting with labelled specific probes, which is laborious and time-consuming. By multiple sequence alignment analysis of all 19 subtelomere Y' elements across the 13 chromosomes of the sequenced S288C strain deposited in the yeast genome SGD database, we identified 12 consensus and relative longer fragments and 14 pairs of unique primers for real-time quantitative PCR analysis. With a PAC2 or ACT1 located near the centromere of chromosome V and VI as internal controls, these primers were applied to real-time quantitative PCR analysis, so the relative Y' element intensity normalised to that of wild type (WT) cells was calculated for subtelomere Y' element copy numbers across all different chromosomes using the formula: 2^[-((CTmutant Y' - CTmutant control ) - (CTWT Y' - CTWT control ))]. This novel quantitative subtelomere amplification assay across chromosomes by real-time PCR proves to be a much simpler and more sensitive way than the traditional Southern blotting method to analyse the Y' element recombination events in survivors derived from telomerase deficiency or recruitment failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Liu
- Institute of Ageing Research, College of Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jun-Ping Liu
- Institute of Ageing Research, College of Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Monash University, Prahran, Victoria, Australia
- Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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10
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Lalonde M, Chartrand P. TERRA, a Multifaceted Regulator of Telomerase Activity at Telomeres. J Mol Biol 2020; 432:4232-4243. [PMID: 32084415 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2020.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In eukaryotes, telomeres are repetitive sequences at the end of chromosomes, which are maintained in a constitutive heterochromatin state. It is now known that telomeres can be actively transcribed, leading to the production of a telomeric repeat-containing noncoding RNA called TERRA. Due to its sequence complementarity to the telomerase template, it was suggested early on that TERRA could be an inhibitor of telomerase. Since then, TERRA has been shown to be involved in heterochromatin formation at telomeres, to invade telomeric dsDNA and form R-loops, and even to promote telomerase recruitment at short telomeres. All these functions depend on the diverse capacities of this lncRNA to bind various cofactors, act as a scaffold, and promote higher-order complexes in cells. In this review, it will be highlighted as to how these properties of TERRA work together to regulate telomerase activity at telomeres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Lalonde
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Pascal Chartrand
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
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11
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Menin L, Colombo CV, Maestrini G, Longhese MP, Clerici M. Tel1/ATM Signaling to the Checkpoint Contributes to Replicative Senescence in the Absence of Telomerase. Genetics 2019; 213:411-429. [PMID: 31391264 PMCID: PMC6781906 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.302391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 07/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomeres progressively shorten at every round of DNA replication in the absence of telomerase. When they become critically short, telomeres trigger replicative senescence by activating a DNA damage response that is governed by the Mec1/ATR and Tel1/ATM protein kinases. While Mec1/ATR is known to block cell division when extended single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) accumulates at eroded telomeres, the molecular mechanism by which Tel1/ATM promotes senescence is still unclear. By characterizing a Tel1-hy184 mutant variant that compensates for the lack of Mec1 functions, we provide evidence that Tel1 promotes senescence by signaling to a Rad9-dependent checkpoint. Tel1-hy184 anticipates senescence onset in telomerase-negative cells, while the lack of Tel1 or the expression of a kinase-defective (kd) Tel1 variant delays it. Both Tel1-hy184 and Tel1-kd do not alter ssDNA generation at telomeric DNA ends. Furthermore, Rad9 and (only partially) Mec1 are responsible for the precocious senescence promoted by Tel1-hy184. This precocious senescence is mainly caused by the F1751I, D1985N, and E2133K amino acid substitutions, which are located in the FRAP-ATM-TRAPP domain of Tel1 and also increase Tel1 binding to DNA ends. Altogether, these results indicate that Tel1 induces replicative senescence by directly signaling dysfunctional telomeres to the checkpoint machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Menin
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Milano 20126, Italy
| | - Chiara Vittoria Colombo
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Milano 20126, Italy
| | - Giorgia Maestrini
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Milano 20126, Italy
| | - Maria Pia Longhese
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Milano 20126, Italy
| | - Michela Clerici
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Milano 20126, Italy
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12
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Eberhard S, Valuchova S, Ravat J, Fulneček J, Jolivet P, Bujaldon S, Lemaire SD, Wollman FA, Teixeira MT, Riha K, Xu Z. Molecular characterization of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii telomeres and telomerase mutants. Life Sci Alliance 2019; 2:2/3/e201900315. [PMID: 31160377 PMCID: PMC6549138 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.201900315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
This study characterizes the sequence, end structure, and length distribution of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii telomeres and shows that telomerase mutants are defective in telomere maintenance. Telomeres are repeated sequences found at the end of the linear chromosomes of most eukaryotes and are required for chromosome integrity. Expression of the reverse-transcriptase telomerase allows for extension of telomeric repeats to counteract natural telomere shortening. Although Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a photosynthetic unicellular green alga, is widely used as a model organism in photosynthesis and flagella research, and for biotechnological applications, the biology of its telomeres has not been investigated in depth. Here, we show that the C. reinhardtii (TTTTAGGG)n telomeric repeats are mostly nondegenerate and that the telomeres form a protective structure, with a subset ending with a 3′ overhang and another subset presenting a blunt end. Although telomere size and length distributions are stable under various standard growth conditions, they vary substantially between 12 genetically close reference strains. Finally, we identify CrTERT, the gene encoding the catalytic subunit of telomerase and show that telomeres shorten progressively in mutants of this gene. Telomerase mutants eventually enter replicative senescence, demonstrating that telomerase is required for long-term maintenance of telomeres in C. reinhardtii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Eberhard
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR 7141, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Biologie du Chloroplaste et Perception de la Lumière chez les Micro-algues, Paris, France
| | - Sona Valuchova
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Julie Ravat
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR 7141, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Biologie du Chloroplaste et Perception de la Lumière chez les Micro-algues, Paris, France
| | - Jaroslav Fulneček
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Pascale Jolivet
- Sorbonne Université, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR 8226, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire des Eucaryotes, Paris, France
| | - Sandrine Bujaldon
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR 7141, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Biologie du Chloroplaste et Perception de la Lumière chez les Micro-algues, Paris, France
| | - Stéphane D Lemaire
- Sorbonne Université, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR 8226, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire des Eucaryotes, Paris, France
| | - Francis-André Wollman
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR 7141, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Biologie du Chloroplaste et Perception de la Lumière chez les Micro-algues, Paris, France
| | - Maria Teresa Teixeira
- Sorbonne Université, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR 8226, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire des Eucaryotes, Paris, France
| | - Karel Riha
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Zhou Xu
- Sorbonne Université, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR 8226, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire des Eucaryotes, Paris, France .,Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR 7238, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratory of Computational and Quantitative Biology, Paris, France
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13
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Abstract
The telomere regulator and transcription factor Rap1 is the only telomere protein conserved in yeasts and mammals. Its functional repertoire in budding yeasts is a particularly interesting field for investigation, given the high evolutionary diversity of this group of unicellular organisms. In the methylotrophic thermotolerant species Hansenula polymorpha DL-1 the RAP1 gene is duplicated (HpRAP1A and HpRAP1B). Here, we report the functional characterization of the two paralogues from H. polymorpha DL-1. We uncover distinct (but overlapping) DNA binding preferences of HpRap1A and HpRap1B proteins. We show that only HpRap1B is able to recognize telomeric DNA directly and to protect it from excessive recombination, whereas HpRap1A is associated with subtelomere regions. Furthermore, we identify specific binding sites for both HpRap1A and HpRap1B within promoters of a large number of ribosomal protein genes (RPGs), implicating Rap1 in the control of the RP regulon in H. polymorpha. Our bioinformatic analysis suggests that RAP1 was duplicated early in the evolution of the “methylotrophs” clade, and the two genes evolved independently. Therefore, our characterization of Rap1 paralogues in H. polymorpha may be relevant to other “methylotrophs”, yielding valuable insights into the evolution of budding yeasts.
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14
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Aksenova AY, Mirkin SM. At the Beginning of the End and in the Middle of the Beginning: Structure and Maintenance of Telomeric DNA Repeats and Interstitial Telomeric Sequences. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10020118. [PMID: 30764567 PMCID: PMC6410037 DOI: 10.3390/genes10020118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Tandem DNA repeats derived from the ancestral (TTAGGG)n run were first detected at chromosome ends of the majority of living organisms, hence the name telomeric DNA repeats. Subsequently, it has become clear that telomeric motifs are also present within chromosomes, and they were suitably called interstitial telomeric sequences (ITSs). It is well known that telomeric DNA repeats play a key role in chromosome stability, preventing end-to-end fusions and precluding the recurrent DNA loss during replication. Recent data suggest that ITSs are also important genomic elements as they confer its karyotype plasticity. In fact, ITSs appeared to be among the most unstable microsatellite sequences as they are highly length polymorphic and can trigger chromosomal fragility and gross chromosomal rearrangements. Importantly, mechanisms responsible for their instability appear to be similar to the mechanisms that maintain the length of genuine telomeres. This review compares the mechanisms of maintenance and dynamic properties of telomeric repeats and ITSs and discusses the implications of these dynamics on genome stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Y Aksenova
- Laboratory of Amyloid Biology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia.
| | - Sergei M Mirkin
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02421, USA.
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15
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Kedziora S, Gali VK, Wilson RHC, Clark KRM, Nieduszynski CA, Hiraga SI, Donaldson AD. Rif1 acts through Protein Phosphatase 1 but independent of replication timing to suppress telomere extension in budding yeast. Nucleic Acids Res 2018; 46:3993-4003. [PMID: 29529242 PMCID: PMC5934629 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Revised: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The Rif1 protein negatively regulates telomeric TG repeat length in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but how it prevents telomere over-extension is unknown. Rif1 was recently shown to control DNA replication by acting as a Protein Phosphatase 1 (PP1)-targeting subunit. Therefore, we investigated whether Rif1 controls telomere length by targeting PP1 activity. We find that a Rif1 mutant defective for PP1 interaction causes a long-telomere phenotype, similar to that of rif1Δ cells. Tethering PP1 at a specific telomere partially substitutes for Rif1 in limiting TG repeat length, confirming the importance of PP1 in telomere length control. Ablating Rif1-PP1 interaction is known to cause precocious activation of telomere-proximal replication origins and aberrantly early telomere replication. However, we find that Rif1 still limits telomere length even if late replication is forced through deletion of nearby replication origins, indicating that Rif1 can control telomere length independent of replication timing. Moreover we find that, even at a de novo telomere created after DNA synthesis during a mitotic block, Rif1-PP1 interaction is required to suppress telomere lengthening and prevent inappropriate recruitment of Tel1 kinase. Overall, our results show that Rif1 controls telomere length by recruiting PP1 to directly suppress telomerase-mediated TG repeat lengthening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylwia Kedziora
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, UK
| | - Vamsi K Gali
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, UK
| | - Rosemary HC Wilson
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Kate RM Clark
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, UK
| | - Conrad A Nieduszynski
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Shin-ichiro Hiraga
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, UK
| | - Anne D Donaldson
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, UK
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16
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Wang J, Zhang H, Al Shibar M, Willard B, Ray A, Runge KW. Rif1 phosphorylation site analysis in telomere length regulation and the response to damaged telomeres. DNA Repair (Amst) 2018; 65:26-33. [PMID: 29544213 PMCID: PMC5911405 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2018.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Revised: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Telomeres, the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes, consist of repetitive DNA sequences and their bound proteins that protect the end from the DNA damage response. Short telomeres with fewer repeats are preferentially elongated by telomerase. Tel1, the yeast homolog of human ATM kinase, is preferentially recruited to short telomeres and Tel1 kinase activity is required for telomere elongation. Rif1, a telomere-binding protein, negatively regulates telomere length by forming a complex with two other telomere binding proteins, Rap1 and Rif2, to block telomerase recruitment. Rif1 has 14 SQ/TQ consensus phosphorylation sites for ATM kinases, including 6 in a SQ/TQ Cluster Domain (SCD) similar to other DNA damage response proteins. These 14 sites were analyzed as N-terminal, SCD and C-terminal domains. Mutating some sites to non-phosphorylatable residues increased telomere length in cells lacking Tel1 while a different set of phosphomimetic mutants increased telomere length in cells lacking Rif2, suggesting that Rif1 phosphorylation has both positive and negative effects on length regulation. While these mutations did not alter the sensitivity to DNA damaging agents, inducing telomere-specific damage by growing cells lacking YKU70 at high temperature revealed a role for the SCD. Mass spectrometry of Rif1 from wild type cells or those induced for telomere-specific DNA damage revealed increased phosphorylation in cells with telomere damage at an ATM consensus site in the SCD, S1351, and non-ATM sites S181 and S1637. A phosphomimetic rif1-S1351E mutation caused an increase in telomere length at synthetic telomeres but not natural telomeres. These results indicate that the Rif1 SCD can modulate Rif1 function. As all Rif1 orthologs have one or more SCD domains, these results for yeast Rif1 have implications for the regulation of Rif1 function in humans and other organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyu Wang
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44106, United States; Department of Molecular Genetics, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44195, United States; Department of Immunology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44195, United States
| | - Haitao Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44195, United States
| | - Mohammed Al Shibar
- Department of Immunology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44195, United States
| | - Belinda Willard
- Lerner Research Institute Proteomics and Metabolomics Core, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, United States
| | - Alo Ray
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44195, United States
| | - Kurt W Runge
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44106, United States; Department of Molecular Genetics, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44195, United States; Department of Immunology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44195, United States.
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17
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Pathways and Mechanisms that Prevent Genome Instability in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics 2017; 206:1187-1225. [PMID: 28684602 PMCID: PMC5500125 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.112.145805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 04/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome rearrangements result in mutations that underlie many human diseases, and ongoing genome instability likely contributes to the development of many cancers. The tools for studying genome instability in mammalian cells are limited, whereas model organisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae are more amenable to these studies. Here, we discuss the many genetic assays developed to measure the rate of occurrence of Gross Chromosomal Rearrangements (called GCRs) in S. cerevisiae. These genetic assays have been used to identify many types of GCRs, including translocations, interstitial deletions, and broken chromosomes healed by de novo telomere addition, and have identified genes that act in the suppression and formation of GCRs. Insights from these studies have contributed to the understanding of pathways and mechanisms that suppress genome instability and how these pathways cooperate with each other. Integrated models for the formation and suppression of GCRs are discussed.
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18
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Harari Y, Kupiec M. Mec1 ATR is needed for extensive telomere elongation in response to ethanol in yeast. Curr Genet 2017; 64:223-234. [PMID: 28780613 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-017-0728-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Revised: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Telomere length homeostasis is essential for cell survival. In humans, telomeres shorten as a function of age. Short telomeres are known determinants of cell senescence and longevity. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae expresses telomerase and maintains a strict telomere length homeostasis during vegetative growth. We have previously reported that different environmental signals promote changes in telomere length in S. cerevisiae. In particular, exposure to ethanol induces an extensive telomere elongation response due to a reduction in RAP1 mRNA and protein levels. Here we show that the reduction in Rap1 protein levels disrupts the physical interaction between Rap1 and Rif1, which in turn reduces the recruitment of these two proteins to telomeres during G2-phase. Although elongation of the shortest telomeres has been shown to depend on the Rif2 telomeric protein and on the Tel1(ATM) protein kinase, we show here that the extensive telomere elongation in response to ethanol exposure is Rif1 and Mec1 (ATR)-dependent. Our results fit a model in which Rif1 and Rap1 form a complex that is loaded onto telomeres at the end of S-phase. Reduced levels of the Rap1-Rif1 complex in ethanol lead to continuous telomere elongation in a Mec1-dependent process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaniv Harari
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Martin Kupiec
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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19
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Strecker J, Stinus S, Caballero MP, Szilard RK, Chang M, Durocher D. A sharp Pif1-dependent threshold separates DNA double-strand breaks from critically short telomeres. eLife 2017; 6:23783. [PMID: 28826474 PMCID: PMC5595431 DOI: 10.7554/elife.23783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and short telomeres are structurally similar, yet they have diametrically opposed fates. Cells must repair DSBs while blocking the action of telomerase on these ends. Short telomeres must avoid recognition by the DNA damage response while promoting telomerase recruitment. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the Pif1 helicase, a telomerase inhibitor, lies at the interface of these end-fate decisions. Using Pif1 as a sensor, we uncover a transition point in which 34 bp of telomeric (TG1-3)n repeat sequence renders a DNA end insensitive to Pif1 action, thereby enabling extension by telomerase. A similar transition point exists at natural chromosome ends, where telomeres shorter than ~40 bp are inefficiently extended by telomerase. This phenomenon is not due to known Pif1 modifications and we instead propose that Cdc13 renders TG34+ ends insensitive to Pif1 action. We contend that the observed threshold of Pif1 activity defines a dividing line between DSBs and telomeres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Strecker
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Sonia Stinus
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Mariana Pliego Caballero
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Rachel K Szilard
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Michael Chang
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Daniel Durocher
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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20
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Červenák F, Juríková K, Sepšiová R, Neboháčová M, Nosek J, Tomáška L. Double-stranded telomeric DNA binding proteins: Diversity matters. Cell Cycle 2017; 16:1568-1577. [PMID: 28749196 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2017.1356511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomeric sequences constitute only a small fraction of the whole genome yet they are crucial for ensuring genomic stability. This function is in large part mediated by protein complexes recruited to telomeric sequences by specific telomere-binding proteins (TBPs). Although the principal tasks of nuclear telomeres are the same in all eukaryotes, TBPs in various taxa exhibit a surprising diversity indicating their distinct evolutionary origin. This diversity is especially pronounced in ascomycetous yeasts where they must have co-evolved with rapidly diversifying sequences of telomeric repeats. In this article we (i) provide a historical overview of the discoveries leading to the current list of TBPs binding to double-stranded (ds) regions of telomeres, (ii) describe examples of dsTBPs highlighting their diversity in even closely related species, and (iii) speculate about possible evolutionary trajectories leading to a long list of various dsTBPs fulfilling the same general role(s) in their own unique ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Červenák
- a Department of Genetics , Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Natural Sciences , Bratislava , Slovakia
| | - Katarína Juríková
- a Department of Genetics , Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Natural Sciences , Bratislava , Slovakia
| | - Regina Sepšiová
- a Department of Genetics , Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Natural Sciences , Bratislava , Slovakia
| | - Martina Neboháčová
- b Department of Biochemistry , Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Natural Sciences , Bratislava , Slovakia
| | - Jozef Nosek
- b Department of Biochemistry , Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Natural Sciences , Bratislava , Slovakia
| | - L'ubomír Tomáška
- a Department of Genetics , Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Natural Sciences , Bratislava , Slovakia
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21
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Vasianovich Y, Wellinger RJ. Life and Death of Yeast Telomerase RNA. J Mol Biol 2017; 429:3242-3254. [PMID: 28115201 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2017.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Revised: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 01/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Telomerase reverse transcriptase elongates telomeres to overcome their natural attrition and allow unlimited cellular proliferation, a characteristic shared by stem cells and the majority of malignant cancerous cells. The telomerase holoenzyme comprises a core RNA molecule, a catalytic protein subunit, and other accessory proteins. Malfunction of certain telomerase components can cause serious genetic disorders including dyskeratosis congenita and aplastic anaemia. A hierarchy of tightly regulated steps constitutes the process of telomerase biogenesis, which, if interrupted or misregulated, can impede the production of a functional enzyme and severely affect telomere maintenance. Here, we take a closer look at the budding yeast telomerase RNA component, TLC1, in its long lifetime journey around the cell. We review the extensive knowledge on TLC1 transcription and processing. We focus on exciting recent studies on telomerase assembly, trafficking, and nuclear dynamics, which for the first time unveil striking similarities between the yeast and human telomerase ribonucleoproteins. Finally, we identify questions yet to be answered and new directions to be followed, which, in the future, might improve our knowledge of telomerase biology and trigger the development of new therapies against cancer and other telomerase-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulia Vasianovich
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Applied Cancer Research Pavillion, 3201 rue Jean-Mignault, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1E 4K8, Canada.
| | - Raymund J Wellinger
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Applied Cancer Research Pavillion, 3201 rue Jean-Mignault, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1E 4K8, Canada.
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22
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Zubko EI, Shackleton JL, Zubko MK. ATLAS: An advanced PCR-method for routine visualization of telomere length in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Int J Biol Macromol 2016; 93:1285-1294. [PMID: 27645931 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2016.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2016] [Revised: 07/20/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Measuring telomere length is essential in telomere biology. Southern blot hybridization is the predominant method for measuring telomere length in the genetic model Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We have further developed and refined a telomere PCR approach, which was rarely used previously (mainly in specific telomeric projects), into a robust method allowing direct visualisation of telomere length differences in routine experiments with S. cerevisiae, and showing a strong correlation of results with data obtained by Southern blot hybridization. In this expanded method denoted as ATLAS (A-dvanced T-elomere L-ength A-nalysis in S. cerevisiae), we have introduced: 1) set of new primers annealing with high specificity to telomeric regions on five different chromosomes; 2) new approach for designing reverse telomere primers that is based on the ligation of an adaptor of a fixed size to telomeric ends. ATLAS can be used at the scale of individual assays and high-throughput approaches. This simple, time/cost-effective and reproducible methodology will complement Southern blot hybridization and facilitate further progress in telomere research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena I Zubko
- School of Healthcare Science, Faculty of Science & Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, John Dalton Building, Chester St., Manchester, M1 5GD, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer L Shackleton
- School of Healthcare Science, Faculty of Science & Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, John Dalton Building, Chester St., Manchester, M1 5GD, United Kingdom
| | - Mikhajlo K Zubko
- School of Healthcare Science, Faculty of Science & Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, John Dalton Building, Chester St., Manchester, M1 5GD, United Kingdom.
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23
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Duan YM, Zhou BO, Peng J, Tong XJ, Zhang QD, Zhou JQ. Molecular dynamics of de novo telomere heterochromatin formation in budding yeast. J Genet Genomics 2016; 43:451-65. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2016.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2015] [Revised: 03/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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24
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Tong AS, Stern JL, Sfeir A, Kartawinata M, de Lange T, Zhu XD, Bryan TM. ATM and ATR Signaling Regulate the Recruitment of Human Telomerase to Telomeres. Cell Rep 2015; 13:1633-46. [PMID: 26586433 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.10.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2015] [Revised: 09/14/2015] [Accepted: 10/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The yeast homologs of the ATM and ATR DNA damage response kinases play key roles in telomerase-mediated telomere maintenance, but the role of ATM/ATR in the mammalian telomerase pathway has been less clear. Here, we demonstrate the requirement for ATM and ATR in the localization of telomerase to telomeres and telomere elongation in immortal human cells. Stalled replication forks increased telomerase recruitment in an ATR-dependent manner. Furthermore, increased telomerase recruitment was observed upon phosphorylation of the shelterin component TRF1 at an ATM/ATR target site (S367). This phosphorylation leads to loss of TRF1 from telomeres and may therefore increase replication fork stalling. ATM and ATR depletion reduced assembly of the telomerase complex, and ATM was required for telomere elongation in cells expressing POT1ΔOB, an allele of POT1 that disrupts telomere-length homeostasis. These data establish that human telomerase recruitment and telomere elongation are modulated by DNA-damage-transducing kinases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian S Tong
- Cell Biology Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - J Lewis Stern
- Cell Biology Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Agnel Sfeir
- Laboratory for Cell Biology and Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Melissa Kartawinata
- Cell Biology Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Titia de Lange
- Laboratory for Cell Biology and Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Xu-Dong Zhu
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Tracy M Bryan
- Cell Biology Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.
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25
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The pif1 helicase, a negative regulator of telomerase, acts preferentially at long telomeres. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005186. [PMID: 25906395 PMCID: PMC4408051 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2015] [Accepted: 03/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomerase, the enzyme that maintains telomeres, preferentially lengthens short telomeres. The S. cerevisiae Pif1 DNA helicase inhibits both telomerase-mediated telomere lengthening and de novo telomere addition at double strand breaks (DSB). Here, we report that the association of the telomerase subunits Est2 and Est1 at a DSB was increased in the absence of Pif1, as it is at telomeres, suggesting that Pif1 suppresses de novo telomere addition by removing telomerase from the break. To determine how the absence of Pif1 results in telomere lengthening, we used the single telomere extension assay (STEX), which monitors lengthening of individual telomeres in a single cell cycle. In the absence of Pif1, telomerase added significantly more telomeric DNA, an average of 72 nucleotides per telomere compared to the 45 nucleotides in wild type cells, and the fraction of telomeres lengthened increased almost four-fold. Using an inducible short telomere assay, Est2 and Est1 no longer bound preferentially to a short telomere in pif1 mutant cells while binding of Yku80, a telomere structural protein, was unaffected by the status of the PIF1 locus. Two experiments demonstrate that Pif1 binding is affected by telomere length: Pif1 (but not Yku80) -associated telomeres were 70 bps longer than bulk telomeres, and in the inducible short telomere assay, Pif1 bound better to wild type length telomeres than to short telomeres. Thus, preferential lengthening of short yeast telomeres is achieved in part by targeting the negative regulator Pif1 to long telomeres. Telomerase, the enzyme that maintains telomeres, preferentially lengthens short telomeres. The baker’s yeast Pif1 DNA helicase inhibits both telomerase-mediated lengthening of existing telomeres and the formation of new telomeres at double strand breaks. By virtue of its ATPase activity, Pif1 reduces the level of telomerase binding to telomeres. Here, we report that the association of the telomerase subunits Est2 and Est1 at a DNA break was increased in the absence of Pif1, suggesting that Pif1 affects telomere length and new telomere formation by similar mechanisms. In cells lacking Pif1, Est2 and Est1 no longer bound preferentially to short telomeres, a larger fraction of telomeres was lengthened and the amount of telomeric DNA added per telomere was increased compared to wild type cells. Furthermore, by two different assays, Pif1 bound preferentially to long telomeres in vivo. Thus, preferential lengthening of short telomeres is achieved in part by targeting Pif1, a negative regulator of telomerase, to long telomeres.
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Stolarek M, Gruszka D, Braszewska-Zalewska A, Maluszynski M. Alleles of newly identified barley gene HvPARP3 exhibit changes in efficiency of DNA repair. DNA Repair (Amst) 2015; 28:116-30. [PMID: 25753810 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2015.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2014] [Revised: 02/05/2015] [Accepted: 02/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Genome integrity is constantly challenged by endo- and exogenous DNA-damaging factors. The influence of genotoxic agents causes an accumulation of DNA lesions, which if not repaired, become mutations that can cause various abnormalities in a cell metabolism. The main pathway of DSB repair, which is based on non-homologous recombination, is canonical non-homologous end joining (C-NHEJ). It has been shown that this mechanism is highly conserved in both Pro- and Eukaryotes. The mechanisms that underlie DSB repair through C-NHEJ have mainly been investigated in mammalian systems, and therefore our knowledge about this process is much more limited as far as plants, and crop plants in particular, are concerned. Recent studies have demonstrated that PARP3 is an important response factor to the presence of DSB in a genome. The aims of this study were to identify the sequence of the barley PARP3 gene, to perform a mutational analysis of the sequence that was identified using the TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesions IN Genomes) method and to phenotype the mutants that were identified through their exposure to mutagenic treatment with the DSB-inducing chemical--bleomycin. A functional analysis led to the identification of a series of parp3 alleles. The mutants were characterized using several different approaches, including quantifying the DSB and γH2AX foci, which validated the function of the HvPARP3 gene in DSB repair in barley. The potential involvement of the HvPARP3 gene in the regulation of telomere length in barley was also analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Stolarek
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biology and Environment Protection, University of Silesia, Jagiellonska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland.
| | - Damian Gruszka
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biology and Environment Protection, University of Silesia, Jagiellonska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Braszewska-Zalewska
- Department of Plant Anatomy and Cytology, Faculty of Biology and Environment Protection, University of Silesia, Jagiellonska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland
| | - Miroslaw Maluszynski
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biology and Environment Protection, University of Silesia, Jagiellonska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland
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Sridhar A, Kedziora S, Donaldson AD. At short telomeres Tel1 directs early replication and phosphorylates Rif1. PLoS Genet 2014; 10:e1004691. [PMID: 25329891 PMCID: PMC4199499 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2013] [Accepted: 08/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The replication time of Saccharomyces cerevisiae telomeres responds to TG1-3 repeat length, with telomeres of normal length replicating late during S phase and short telomeres replicating early. Here we show that Tel1 kinase, which is recruited to short telomeres, specifies their early replication, because we find a tel1Δ mutant has short telomeres that nonetheless replicate late. Consistent with a role for Tel1 in driving early telomere replication, initiation at a replication origin close to an induced short telomere was reduced in tel1Δ cells, in an S phase blocked by hydroxyurea. The telomeric chromatin component Rif1 mediates late replication of normal telomeres and is a potential substrate of Tel1 phosphorylation, so we tested whether Tel1 directs early replication of short telomeres by inactivating Rif1. A strain lacking both Rif1 and Tel1 behaves like a rif1Δ mutant by replicating its telomeres early, implying that Tel1 can counteract the delaying effect of Rif1 to control telomere replication time. Proteomic analyses reveals that in yku70Δ cells that have short telomeres, Rif1 is phosphorylated at Tel1 consensus sequences (S/TQ sites), with phosphorylation of Serine-1308 being completely dependent on Tel1. Replication timing analysis of a strain mutated at these phosphorylation sites, however, suggested that Tel1-mediated phosphorylation of Rif1 is not the sole mechanism of replication timing control at telomeres. Overall, our results reveal two new functions of Tel1 at shortened telomeres: phosphorylation of Rif1, and specification of early replication by counteracting the Rif1-mediated delay in initiation at nearby replication origins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akila Sridhar
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Sylwia Kedziora
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Anne D. Donaldson
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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28
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Azzalin CM, Lingner J. Telomere functions grounding on TERRA firma. Trends Cell Biol 2014; 25:29-36. [PMID: 25257515 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2014.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2014] [Revised: 08/18/2014] [Accepted: 08/22/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Long noncoding telomeric repeat-containing RNAs - TERRAs - are transcribed in a regulated manner from telomeres throughout eukaryotes. TERRA molecules consist of chromosome end-specific subtelomeric sequences and telomeric repeats at their 3' ends. Recent work suggests that TERRA sustains several important functions at chromosome ends. TERRA can regulate telomere length through modulation of exonuclease 1 and telomerase, it may promote recruitment of chromatin modifiers to damaged telomeres and thereby enable DNA end-processing, and it may promote telomere protein composition changes during cell cycle progression. Furthermore, telomere transcription regulates chromosome-end mobility within the nucleus. We review how TERRA, by regulated expression and by providing a molecular scaffold for various protein enzymes, can support a large variety of vital functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claus M Azzalin
- Institute of Biochemistry, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETHZ), 8093 Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Joachim Lingner
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences (SV), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Multifunctional role of ATM/Tel1 kinase in genome stability: from the DNA damage response to telomere maintenance. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 2014:787404. [PMID: 25247188 PMCID: PMC4163350 DOI: 10.1155/2014/787404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2014] [Revised: 07/28/2014] [Accepted: 08/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian protein kinase ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) is a key regulator of the DNA double-strand-break response and belongs to the evolutionary conserved phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-related protein kinases. ATM deficiency causes ataxia telangiectasia (AT), a genetic disorder that is characterized by premature aging, cerebellar neuropathy, immunodeficiency, and predisposition to cancer. AT cells show defects in the DNA damage-response pathway, cell-cycle control, and telomere maintenance and length regulation. Likewise, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, haploid strains defective in the TEL1 gene, the ATM ortholog, show chromosomal aberrations and short telomeres. In this review, we outline the complex role of ATM/Tel1 in maintaining genomic stability through its control of numerous aspects of cellular survival. In particular, we describe how ATM/Tel1 participates in the signal transduction pathways elicited by DNA damage and in telomere homeostasis and its importance as a barrier to cancer development.
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Malyavko AN, Parfenova YY, Zvereva MI, Dontsova OA. Telomere length regulation in budding yeasts. FEBS Lett 2014; 588:2530-6. [PMID: 24914478 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2014.05.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2014] [Revised: 05/23/2014] [Accepted: 05/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Telomeres are the nucleoprotein caps of chromosomes. Their length must be tightly regulated in order to maintain the stability of the genome. This is achieved by the intricate network of interactions between different proteins and protein-RNA complexes. Different organisms use various mechanisms for telomere length homeostasis. However, details of these mechanisms are not yet completely understood. In this review we have summarized our latest achievements in the understanding of telomere length regulation in budding yeasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander N Malyavko
- Faculty of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119999 Moscow, Russia; Belozersky Institute, Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1, Bldg. 40, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Yuliya Y Parfenova
- Faculty of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119999 Moscow, Russia; Belozersky Institute, Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1, Bldg. 40, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Maria I Zvereva
- Faculty of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119999 Moscow, Russia; Belozersky Institute, Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1, Bldg. 40, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga A Dontsova
- Faculty of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119999 Moscow, Russia; Belozersky Institute, Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1, Bldg. 40, 119991 Moscow, Russia.
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Soudet J, Jolivet P, Teixeira MT. Elucidation of the DNA end-replication problem in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Mol Cell 2014; 53:954-64. [PMID: 24656131 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2014.02.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2013] [Revised: 01/15/2014] [Accepted: 01/31/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The model for telomere shortening at each replication cycle is currently incomplete, and the exact contribution of the telomeric 3' overhang to the shortening rate remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate key steps of the mechanism of telomere replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. By following the dynamics of telomeres during replication at near-nucleotide resolution, we find that the leading-strand synthesis generates blunt-end intermediates before being 5'-resected and filled in. Importantly, the shortening rate is set by positioning the last Okazaki fragments at the very ends of the chromosome. Thus, telomeres shorten in direct proportion to the 3' overhang lengths of 5-10 nucleotides that are present in parental templates. Furthermore, the telomeric protein Cdc13 coordinates leading- and lagging-strand syntheses. Taken together, our data unravel a precise choreography of telomere replication elucidating the DNA end-replication problem and provide a framework to understand the control of the cell proliferation potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Soudet
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR8226, Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire des Eucaryotes, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR8226, Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire des Eucaryotes, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Pascale Jolivet
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR8226, Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire des Eucaryotes, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR8226, Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire des Eucaryotes, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Maria Teresa Teixeira
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR8226, Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire des Eucaryotes, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR8226, Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire des Eucaryotes, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 75005 Paris, France.
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Telomere recombination preferentially occurs at short telomeres in telomerase-null type II survivors. PLoS One 2014; 9:e90644. [PMID: 24594632 PMCID: PMC3940914 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0090644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2013] [Accepted: 02/03/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
In telomerase negative yeast cells, Rad52-dependent recombination is activated to maintain telomeres. This recombination-mediated telomere elongation usually involves two independent pathways, type I and type II, and leads to generation of type I and type II survivors. It remains elusive whether the recombination-mediated telomere elongation prefers to take place on shorter or longer telomeres. In this study, we exploited the de novo telomere addition system to examine the telomere recombination event in telomerase negative cells. We show that recombination preferentially occurs on shorter rather than longer telomeres in both pre-survivors and established type II survivors. In type II survivors, the short VII–L telomeres could invade either terminal TG1–3 sequence or short tracts of TG1–3 sequence in subtelomeric Y′-X and Y′-Y′ junction to initiate recombination. Unexpectedly, short VII–L telomere recombination still takes place in type II survivors lacking either Rad50 or Rad59, which are required for type II survivor generation in senescing telomerase-null cells. Our results support the notion that Rad50 and Rad59 are not essential for the maintenance of type II survivors once established.
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Boltz KA, Jasti M, Townley JM, Shippen DE. Analysis of poly(ADP-Ribose) polymerases in Arabidopsis telomere biology. PLoS One 2014; 9:e88872. [PMID: 24551184 PMCID: PMC3923816 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2013] [Accepted: 01/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Maintaining the length of the telomere tract at chromosome ends is a complex process vital to normal cell division. Telomere length is controlled through the action of telomerase as well as a cadre of telomere-associated proteins that facilitate replication of the chromosome end and protect it from eliciting a DNA damage response. In vertebrates, multiple poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) have been implicated in the regulation of telomere length, telomerase activity and chromosome end protection. Here we investigate the role of PARPs in plant telomere biology. We analyzed Arabidopsis thaliana mutants null for PARP1 and PARP2 as well as plants treated with the PARP competitive inhibitor 3-AB. Plants deficient in PARP were hypersensitive to genotoxic stress, and expression of PARP1 and PARP2 mRNA was elevated in response to MMS or zeocin treatment or by the loss of telomerase. Additionally, PARP1 mRNA was induced in parp2 mutants, and conversely, PARP2 mRNA was induced in parp1 mutants. PARP3 mRNA, by contrast, was elevated in both parp1 and parp2 mutants, but not in seedlings treated with 3-AB or zeocin. PARP mutants and 3-AB treated plants displayed robust telomerase activity, no significant changes in telomere length, and no end-to-end chromosome fusions. Although there remains a possibility that PARPs play a role in Arabidopsis telomere biology, these findings argue that the contribution is a minor one.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara A. Boltz
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Madhu Jasti
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Jennifer M. Townley
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Dorothy E. Shippen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Fallet E, Jolivet P, Soudet J, Lisby M, Gilson E, Teixeira MT. Length-dependent processing of telomeres in the absence of telomerase. Nucleic Acids Res 2014; 42:3648-65. [PMID: 24393774 PMCID: PMC3973311 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkt1328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In the absence of telomerase, telomeres progressively shorten with every round of DNA replication, leading to replicative senescence. In telomerase-deficient Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the shortest telomere triggers the onset of senescence by activating the DNA damage checkpoint and recruiting homologous recombination (HR) factors. Yet, the molecular structures that trigger this checkpoint and the mechanisms of repair have remained elusive. By tracking individual telomeres, we show that telomeres are subjected to different pathways depending on their length. We first demonstrate a progressive accumulation of subtelomeric single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) through 5'-3' resection as telomeres shorten. Thus, exposure of subtelomeric ssDNA could be the signal for cell cycle arrest in senescence. Strikingly, early after loss of telomerase, HR counteracts subtelomeric ssDNA accumulation rather than elongates telomeres. We then asked whether replication repair pathways contribute to this mechanism. We uncovered that Rad5, a DNA helicase/Ubiquitin ligase of the error-free branch of the DNA damage tolerance (DDT) pathway, associates with native telomeres and cooperates with HR in senescent cells. We propose that DDT acts in a length-independent manner, whereas an HR-based repair using the sister chromatid as a template buffers precocious 5'-3' resection at the shortest telomeres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Fallet
- Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire des Eucaryotes, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, FRE3354, 75005 Paris, France, Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire de la Cellule, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université de Lyon 1, UMR5239, 69364 Lyon Cedex 07, France, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløes Vej 5, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark, Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging, Nice (IRCAN), University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis, CNRS UMR7284/INSERM U1081, Faculty of Medicine, Nice F-06107, France and Department of Medical Genetics, CHU Nice, 06202 Nice cedex 3, France
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Environmental stresses disrupt telomere length homeostasis. PLoS Genet 2013; 9:e1003721. [PMID: 24039592 PMCID: PMC3764183 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2013] [Accepted: 06/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomeres protect the chromosome ends from degradation and play crucial roles in cellular aging and disease. Recent studies have additionally found a correlation between psychological stress, telomere length, and health outcome in humans. However, studies have not yet explored the causal relationship between stress and telomere length, or the molecular mechanisms underlying that relationship. Using yeast as a model organism, we show that stresses may have very different outcomes: alcohol and acetic acid elongate telomeres, whereas caffeine and high temperatures shorten telomeres. Additional treatments, such as oxidative stress, show no effect. By combining genome-wide expression measurements with a systematic genetic screen, we identify the Rap1/Rif1 pathway as the central mediator of the telomeric response to environmental signals. These results demonstrate that telomere length can be manipulated, and that a carefully regulated homeostasis may become markedly deregulated in opposing directions in response to different environmental cues. Over 70 years ago, Barbara McClintock described telomeres and hypothesized about their role in protecting the integrity of chromosomes. Since then, scientists have shown that telomere length is highly regulated and associated with cell senescence and longevity, as well as with age-related disorders and cancer. Here, we show that despite their importance, the tight, highly complex regulation of telomeres may be disrupted by environmental cues, leading to changes in telomere length. We have introduced yeast cells to 13 different environmental stresses to show that some stresses directly alter telomere length. Our results indicate that alcohol and acetic acid elongate telomeres, while caffeine and high temperatures shorten telomeres. Using expression data, bioinformatics tools, and a large genetic screen, we explored the mechanisms responsible for the alterations of telomere length under several stress conditions. We identify Rap1 and Rif1, central players in telomere length maintenance, as the central proteins directly affected by external cues that respond by altering telomere length. Because many human diseases are related to alterations in telomere length that fuel the disease's pathology, controlling telomere length by manipulating simple stressing agents may point the way to effective treatment, and will supply scientists with an additional tool to study the machinery responsible for telomere length homeostasis.
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Lu J, Vallabhaneni H, Yin J, Liu Y. Deletion of the major peroxiredoxin Tsa1 alters telomere length homeostasis. Aging Cell 2013; 12:635-44. [PMID: 23590194 DOI: 10.1111/acel.12085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/06/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are proposed to play a major role in telomere length alterations during aging. The mechanisms by which ROS disrupt telomeres remain unclear. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, telomere DNA consists of TG(1-3) repeats, which are maintained primarily by telomerase. Telomere length maintenance can be modulated by the expression level of telomerase subunits and telomerase activity. Additionally, telomerase-mediated telomere repeat addition is negatively modulated by the levels of telomere-bound Rap1-Rif1-Rif2 protein complex. Using a yeast strain defective in the major peroxiredoxin Tsa1 that is involved in ROS neutralization, we have investigated the effect of defective ROS detoxification on telomere DNA, telomerase, telomere-binding proteins, and telomere length. Surprisingly, the tsa1 mutant does not show significant increase in steady-state levels of oxidative DNA lesions at telomeres. The tsa1 mutant displays abnormal telomere lengthening, and reduction in oxidative exposure alleviates this phenotype. The telomere lengthening in the tsa1 cells was abolished by disruption of Est2, subtelomeric DNA, Rap1 C-terminus, or Rif2, but not by Rif1 deletion. Although telomerase expression and activity are not altered, telomere-bound Est2 is increased, while telomere-bound Rap1 is reduced in the tsa1 mutant. We propose that defective ROS scavenging can interfere with pathways that are critical in controlling telomere length homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Lu
- Laboratory of Molecular Gerontology National Institute on Aging National Institutes of Health 251 Bayview DriveBaltimore MD 21224‐6825USA
| | - Haritha Vallabhaneni
- Laboratory of Molecular Gerontology National Institute on Aging National Institutes of Health 251 Bayview DriveBaltimore MD 21224‐6825USA
| | - Jinhu Yin
- Laboratory of Molecular Gerontology National Institute on Aging National Institutes of Health 251 Bayview DriveBaltimore MD 21224‐6825USA
| | - Yie Liu
- Laboratory of Molecular Gerontology National Institute on Aging National Institutes of Health 251 Bayview DriveBaltimore MD 21224‐6825USA
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Webb CJ, Wu Y, Zakian VA. DNA repair at telomeres: keeping the ends intact. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2013; 5:5/6/a012666. [PMID: 23732473 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a012666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The molecular era of telomere biology began with the discovery that telomeres usually consist of G-rich simple repeats and end with 3' single-stranded tails. Enormous progress has been made in identifying the mechanisms that maintain and replenish telomeric DNA and the proteins that protect them from degradation, fusions, and checkpoint activation. Although telomeres in different organisms (or even in the same organism under different conditions) are maintained by different mechanisms, the disparate processes have the common goals of repairing defects caused by semiconservative replication through G-rich DNA, countering the shortening caused by incomplete replication, and postreplication regeneration of G tails. In addition, standard DNA repair mechanisms must be suppressed or modified at telomeres to prevent their being recognized and processed as DNA double-strand breaks. Here, we discuss the players and processes that maintain and regenerate telomere structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Webb
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
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Pfeiffer V, Lingner J. Replication of telomeres and the regulation of telomerase. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2013; 5:a010405. [PMID: 23543032 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a010405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Telomeres are the physical ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. They protect chromosome ends from DNA degradation, recombination, and DNA end fusions, and they are important for nuclear architecture. Telomeres provide a mechanism for their replication by semiconservative DNA replication and length maintenance by telomerase. Through telomerase repression and induced telomere shortening, telomeres provide the means to regulate cellular life span. In this review, we introduce the current knowledge on telomere composition and structure. We then discuss in depth the current understanding of how telomere components mediate their function during semiconservative DNA replication and how telomerase is regulated at the end of the chromosome. We focus our discussion on the telomeres from mammals and the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena Pfeiffer
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Frontiers in Genetics National Center of Competence in Research, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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Teixeira MT. Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a Model to Study Replicative Senescence Triggered by Telomere Shortening. Front Oncol 2013; 3:101. [PMID: 23638436 PMCID: PMC3636481 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2013.00101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2013] [Accepted: 04/11/2013] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In many somatic human tissues, telomeres shorten progressively because of the DNA-end replication problem. Consequently, cells cease to proliferate and are maintained in a metabolically viable state called replicative senescence. These cells are characterized by an activation of DNA damage checkpoints stemming from eroded telomeres, which are bypassed in many cancer cells. Hence, replicative senescence has been considered one of the most potent tumor suppressor pathways. However, the mechanism through which short telomeres trigger this cellular response is far from being understood. When telomerase is removed experimentally in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, telomere shortening also results in a gradual arrest of population growth, suggesting that replicative senescence also occurs in this unicellular eukaryote. In this review, we present the key steps that have contributed to the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the establishment of replicative senescence in budding yeast. As in mammals, signals stemming from short telomeres activate the DNA damage checkpoints, suggesting that the early cellular response to the shortest telomere(s) is conserved in evolution. Yet closer analysis reveals a complex picture in which the apparent single checkpoint response may result from a variety of telomeric alterations expressed in the absence of telomerase. Accordingly, the DNA replication of eroding telomeres appears as a critical challenge for senescing budding yeast cells and the easy manipulation of S. cerevisiae is providing insights into the way short telomeres are integrated into their chromatin and nuclear environments. Finally, the loss of telomerase in budding yeast triggers a more general metabolic alteration that remains largely unexplored. Thus, telomerase-deficient S. cerevisiae cells may have more common points than anticipated with somatic cells, in which telomerase depletion is naturally programed, thus potentially inspiring investigations in mammalian cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Teresa Teixeira
- Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire des Eucaryotes, FRE3354 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique Paris, France
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Ribeyre C, Shore D. Regulation of telomere addition at DNA double-strand breaks. Chromosoma 2013; 122:159-73. [DOI: 10.1007/s00412-013-0404-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2012] [Revised: 02/28/2013] [Accepted: 03/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Churikov D, Corda Y, Luciano P, Géli V. Cdc13 at a crossroads of telomerase action. Front Oncol 2013; 3:39. [PMID: 23450759 PMCID: PMC3584321 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2013.00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2013] [Accepted: 02/11/2013] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomere elongation by telomerase involves sequential steps that must be highly coordinated to ensure the maintenance of telomeres at a proper length. Telomerase is delivered to telomere ends, where it engages single-strand DNA end as a primer, elongates it, and dissociates from the telomeres via mechanism that is likely coupled to the synthesis of the complementary C-strand. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the telomeric G-overhang bound Cdc13 acts as a platform for the recruitment of several factors that orchestrate timely transitions between these steps. In this review, we focus on some unresolved aspects of telomerase recruitment and on the mechanisms that regulate telomere elongation by telomerase after its recruitment to chromosome ends. We also highlight the key regulatory modifications of Cdc13 that promote transitions between the steps of telomere elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitri Churikov
- Marseille Cancer Research Center, U1068 INSERM, UMR7258 CNRS, Aix-Marseille University Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Marseille, France
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Novel connections between DNA replication, telomere homeostasis, and the DNA damage response revealed by a genome-wide screen for TEL1/ATM interactions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics 2013; 193:1117-33. [PMID: 23378069 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.113.149849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tel1 is the budding yeast ortholog of the mammalian tumor suppressor and DNA damage response (DDR) kinase ATM. However, tel1-Δ cells, unlike ATM-deficient cells, do not exhibit sensitivity to DNA-damaging agents, but do display shortened (but stably maintained) telomere lengths. Neither the extent to which Tel1p functions in the DDR nor the mechanism by which Tel1 contributes to telomere metabolism is well understood. To address the first question, we present the results from a comprehensive genome-wide screen for genetic interactions with tel1-Δ that cause sensitivity to methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and/or ionizing radiation, along with follow-up characterizations of the 13 interactions yielded by this screen. Surprisingly, many of the tel1-Δ interactions that confer DNA damage sensitivity also exacerbate the short telomere phenotype, suggesting a connection between these two phenomena. Restoration of normal telomere length in the tel1-Δ xxx-Δ mutants results in only minor suppression of the DNA damage sensitivity, demonstrating that the sensitivity of these mutants must also involve mechanisms independent of telomere length. In support of a model for increased replication stress in the tel1-Δ xxx-Δ mutants, we show that depletion of dNTP pools through pretreatment with hydroxyurea renders tel1-Δ cells (but not wild type) MMS-sensitive, demonstrating that, under certain conditions, Tel1p does indeed play a critical role in the DDR.
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Abstract
Telomeres, the ends of linear eukaryotic chromosomes, shorten due to incomplete DNA replication and nucleolytic degradation. Cells counteract this shortening by employing a specialized reverse transcriptase called telomerase, which uses deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) to extend telomeres. Intracellular dNTP levels are tightly regulated, and perturbation of these levels is known to affect DNA synthesis. We examined whether altering the levels of the dNTP pools or changing the relative ratios of the four dNTPs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae would affect the length of the telomeres. Lowering dNTP levels leads to a modest shortening of telomeres, while increasing dNTP pools has no significant effect on telomere length. Strikingly, altering the ratio of the four dNTPs dramatically affects telomere length homeostasis, both positively and negatively. Specifically, we find that intracellular deoxyguanosine triphosphate (dGTP) levels positively correlate with both telomere length and telomerase nucleotide addition processivity in vivo. Our findings are consistent with in vitro data showing dGTP-dependent stimulation of telomerase activity in multiple organisms and suggest that telomerase activity is modulated in vivo by dGTP levels.
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Abstract
The mechanisms that maintain the stability of chromosome ends have broad impact on genome integrity in all eukaryotes. Budding yeast is a premier organism for telomere studies. Many fundamental concepts of telomere and telomerase function were first established in yeast and then extended to other organisms. We present a comprehensive review of yeast telomere biology that covers capping, replication, recombination, and transcription. We think of it as yeast telomeres—soup to nuts.
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Wu Y, DiMaggio PA, Perlman DH, Zakian VA, Garcia BA. Novel phosphorylation sites in the S. cerevisiae Cdc13 protein reveal new targets for telomere length regulation. J Proteome Res 2012. [PMID: 23181431 DOI: 10.1021/pr300408v] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The S. cerevisiae Cdc13 is a multifunctional protein with key roles in regulation of telomerase, telomere end protection, and conventional telomere replication, all of which are cell cycle-regulated processes. Given that phosphorylation is a key mechanism for regulating protein function, we identified sites of phosphorylation using nano liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (nanoLC-MS/MS). We also determined phosphorylation abundance on both wild type (WT) and a telomerase deficient form of Cdc13, encoded by the cdc13-2 allele, in both G1 phase cells, when telomerase is not active, and G2/M phase cells, when it is. We identified 21 sites of in vivo phosphorylation, of which only five had been reported previously. In contrast, phosphorylation of two in vitro targets of the ATM-like Tel1 kinase, S249 and S255, was not detected. This result helps resolve conflicting data on the importance of phosphorylation of these residues in telomerase recruitment. Multiple residues showed differences in their cell cycle pattern of modification. For example, phosphorylation of S314 was significantly higher in the G2/M compared to the G1 phase and in WT versus mutant Cdc13, and a S314D mutation negatively affected telomere length. Our findings provide new targets in a key telomerase regulatory protein for modulation of telomere dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Wu
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
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Bonetti D, Anbalagan S, Lucchini G, Clerici M, Longhese MP. Tbf1 and Vid22 promote resection and non-homologous end joining of DNA double-strand break ends. EMBO J 2012; 32:275-89. [PMID: 23222485 DOI: 10.1038/emboj.2012.327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2012] [Accepted: 11/12/2012] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) is crucial for maintaining genome stability. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein Tbf1, which is characterized by a Myb domain and is related to mammalian TRF1 and TRF2, has been proposed to act as a transcriptional activator. Here, we show that Tbf1 and its interacting protein Vid22 are new players in the response to DSBs. Inactivation of either TBF1 or VID22 causes hypersensitivity to DSB-inducing agents and shows strong negative interactions with mutations affecting homologous recombination. Furthermore, Tbf1 and Vid22 are recruited to an HO-induced DSB, where they promote both resection of DNA ends and repair by non-homologous end joining. Finally, inactivation of either Tbf1 or Vid22 impairs nucleosome eviction around the DSB, suggesting that these proteins promote efficient repair of the break by influencing chromatin identity in its surroundings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Bonetti
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
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Cheung HC, San Lucas FA, Hicks S, Chang K, Bertuch AA, Ribes-Zamora A. An S/T-Q cluster domain census unveils new putative targets under Tel1/Mec1 control. BMC Genomics 2012. [PMID: 23176708 PMCID: PMC3564818 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-13-664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The cellular response to DNA damage is immediate and highly coordinated in order to maintain genome integrity and proper cell division. During the DNA damage response (DDR), the sensor kinases Tel1 and Mec1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and ATM and ATR in human, phosphorylate multiple mediators which activate effector proteins to initiate cell cycle checkpoints and DNA repair. A subset of kinase substrates are recognized by the S/T-Q cluster domain (SCD), which contains motifs of serine (S) or threonine (T) followed by a glutamine (Q). However, the full repertoire of proteins and pathways controlled by Tel1 and Mec1 is unknown. Results To identify all putative SCD-containing proteins, we analyzed the distribution of S/T-Q motifs within verified Tel1/Mec1 targets and arrived at a unifying SCD definition of at least 3 S/T-Q within a stretch of 50 residues. This new SCD definition was used in a custom bioinformatics pipeline to generate a census of SCD-containing proteins in both yeast and human. In yeast, 436 proteins were identified, a significantly larger number of hits than were expected by chance. These SCD-containing proteins did not distribute equally across GO-ontology terms, but were significantly enriched for those involved in processes related to the DDR. We also found a significant enrichment of proteins involved in telophase and cytokinesis, protein transport and endocytosis suggesting possible novel Tel1/Mec1 targets in these pathways. In the human proteome, a wide range of similar proteins were identified, including homologs of some SCD-containing proteins found in yeast. This list also included high concentrations of proteins in the Mediator, spindle pole body/centrosome and actin cytoskeleton complexes. Conclusions Using a bioinformatic approach, we have generated a census of SCD-containing proteins that are involved not only in known DDR pathways but several other pathways under Tel1/Mec1 control suggesting new putative targets for these kinases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah C Cheung
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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Pfeiffer V, Lingner J. TERRA promotes telomere shortening through exonuclease 1-mediated resection of chromosome ends. PLoS Genet 2012; 8:e1002747. [PMID: 22719262 PMCID: PMC3375253 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2012] [Accepted: 04/18/2012] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The long noncoding telomeric repeat containing RNA (TERRA) is expressed at chromosome ends. TERRA upregulation upon experimental manipulation or in ICF (immunodeficiency, centromeric instability, facial anomalies) patients correlates with short telomeres. To study the mechanism of telomere length control by TERRA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we mapped the transcriptional start site of TERRA at telomere 1L and inserted a doxycycline regulatable promoter upstream. Induction of TERRA transcription led to telomere shortening of 1L but not of other chromosome ends. TERRA interacts with the Exo1-inhibiting Ku70/80 complex, and deletion of EXO1 but not MRE11 fully suppressed the TERRA–mediated short telomere phenotype in presence and absence of telomerase. Thus TERRA transcription facilitates the 5′-3′ nuclease activity of Exo1 at chromosome ends, providing a means to regulate the telomere shortening rate. Thereby, telomere transcription can regulate cellular lifespan through modulation of chromosome end processing activities. Telomeres protect chromosome ends from end fusion and end degradation, and they regulate cellular lifespan. Telomerase, a reverse transcriptase, maintains telomere length. The end replication problem and the processing of DNA ends by nucleases cause telomere shortening. Telomeres are transcribed into a long noncoding RNA known as TERRA. ICF syndrome derived patient cells have short telomeres and enriched TERRA. TERRA inhibits telomerase activity in vitro. To analyze TERRA function in vivo, we used the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We identified the natural TERRA promoter at one chromosome end and replaced it with an artificial promoter to modulate TERRA transcription with a drug. TERRA induction leads to telomere shortening at this specific chromosome end. We show that telomere shortening is a consequence of increased activation of the 5′-3′ Exonuclease 1 at the transcribed telomere with no notable effects on telomerase recruitment and activity. The Ku protein controls Exonuclease 1 activity at chromosome ends. TERRA physically and genetically interacts with Ku and appears to interfere with its ability to inhibit Exonuclease 1. Thus, we demonstrate how TERRA expression controls telomere length through the regulation of the processing of chromosome ends. Therefore, telomere transcription can regulate cellular lifespan independently of telomerase.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joachim Lingner
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Frontiers in Genetics National Center of Competence in Research, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
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Hector RE, Ray A, Chen BR, Shtofman R, Berkner KL, Runge KW. Mec1p associates with functionally compromised telomeres. Chromosoma 2012; 121:277-90. [PMID: 22289863 PMCID: PMC3350766 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-011-0359-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2011] [Revised: 12/30/2011] [Accepted: 12/30/2011] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
In many organisms, telomere DNA consists of simple sequence repeat tracts that are required to protect the chromosome end. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, tract maintenance requires two checkpoint kinases of the ATM family, Tel1p and Mec1p. Previous work has shown that Tel1p is recruited to functional telomeres with shorter repeat tracts to promote telomerase-mediated repeat addition, but the role of Mec1p is unknown. We found that Mec1p telomere association was detected as cells senesced when telomere function was compromised by extreme shortening due to either the loss of telomerase or the double-strand break binding protein Ku. Exonuclease I effects the removal of the 5' telomeric strand, and eliminating it prevented both senescence and Mec1p telomere association. Thus, in contrast to Tel1p, Mec1p associates with short, functionally compromised telomeres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald E. Hector
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University, Lerner Research Institute, 9500 Euclid Avenue, NE20, Cleveland, OH 44195 USA
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106-4920 USA
- Present Address: NCAUR, ARS, USDA, 1815 N. University St., Peoria, IL 61604 USA
| | - Alo Ray
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University, Lerner Research Institute, 9500 Euclid Avenue, NE20, Cleveland, OH 44195 USA
| | - Bo-Ruei Chen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University, Lerner Research Institute, 9500 Euclid Avenue, NE20, Cleveland, OH 44195 USA
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106-4920 USA
| | - Rebecca Shtofman
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University, Lerner Research Institute, 9500 Euclid Avenue, NE20, Cleveland, OH 44195 USA
| | - Kathleen L. Berkner
- Department of Molecular Cardiology, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University, Lerner Research Institute, 9500 Euclid Avenue, NB50, Cleveland, OH 44195 USA
| | - Kurt W. Runge
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University, Lerner Research Institute, 9500 Euclid Avenue, NE20, Cleveland, OH 44195 USA
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106-4920 USA
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