Biology subjects

Basbous, J.

Publications and source records attributed to Basbous, J..

7 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

The protein-protein interaction landscape of Fanconi anemia protein A (FANCA) reveals its contributions to mRNA processes.

Fanconi Anemia (FA) is a rare inherited recessive disorder characterized by bone marrow failure, congenital abnormalities, and a predisposition to myeloid leukemia and some solid cancers. FA is caused by mutations in one of the 22 so-called FANC genes, with two thirds of FA patients being FANCA mutants. FANC proteins cooperate within the FANC/BRCA pathway, a DNA repair system essential for resolving DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs) in S-phase. The canonical understanding of FA pathogenesis involves genome instability and impaired cellular proliferation due to DNA damage accumulation and stress response overactivation. However, recent data shows FANCA has a function in ribosome biogenesis and translation, which prompts a reassessment of FANCAs role(s) in cellular physiology and FA pathogenesis. We reasoned that unveiling the multiple interactions of the FANCA protein would shed light on these potentially new FANCA functions. By combining immunoprecipitation and BioID approaches, in three different cell lines and with different in silico analysis methods, we constructed lists of FANCA interactome proteins of different levels of selectivity and assembled them into a novel multilayered FANCA protein-protein interaction (PPI) landscape. Strikingly, we find that FANCA associates with proteins involved in processes distinct from DNA repair, such as translation, ribosome biogenesis, mRNA splicing, nucleocytoplasmic transport, chromatin remodeling, and the TCA cycle. We then analyzed the protein content of polysome profiling fractions and found that FANCA loss may affect ribosomal protein stoichiometry within ribosomal subunits. Overall, our data expands FANCAs PPI network far beyond the previously reported interactions. Importantly, we confirm the biological significance of low-selectivity interactions and propose to re-evaluate their importance in proteomic studies. The study of previously unsuspected FANCA functions, such as translation, could provide new therapeutic targets in FA and therefore improve patient care.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2024

TopBP1 biomolecular condensates: a new therapeutic target in advanced-stage colorectal cancer.

In cancer cells, ATR signaling is crucial to tolerate the intrinsically high damage levels that normally block replication fork progression. Assembly of TopBP1, a multifunctional scaffolding protein, into condensates is required to amplify ATR kinase activity to the levels needed to coordinate the DNA damage response and manage DNA replication stress. Many ATR inhibitors are tested for cancer treatment in clinical trials, but their overall effectiveness is oven compromised by the emergence of resistance and toxicities. In this proof-of-concept study, we propose to disrupt the ATR pathway by targeting TopBP1 condensation. First, we screened a molecule-based library using a previously developed optogenetic approach and identified several TopBP1 condensation inhibitors. Amongst them, AZD2858 disrupted TopBP1 assembly induced by the clinically relevant topoisomerase I inhibitor SN-38, thereby inhibiting the ATR/Chk1 signaling pathway. We found that AZD2858 exerted its effects by disrupting TopBP1 self-interaction and binding to ATR in mammalian cells, and by increasing its chromatin recruitment n cell-free Xenopus laevis egg extracts. Moreover, AZD2858 prevented S-phase checkpoint induction by SN-38, leading to increased DNA damage and apoptosis in a colorectal cancer cell line. Lastly, AZD2858 showed synergistic effect in combination with the FOLFIRI chemotherapy regimen in a spheroid model of colorectal cancer. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=110 SRC="FIGDIR/small/612204v3_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (61K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@184d016org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@7975f4org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@2f22f0org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@9ecb11_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2024

KIF2C-induced nuclear condensation concentrates PLK1 and phosphorylated BRCA2 at the kinetochore microtubules in mitosis

During mitosis, the human microtubule depolymerase KIF2C increases the turnover of kinetochore-microtubule attachments. This facilitates the correction of attachment errors. Moreover, BRCA2 phosphorylated at Thr207 by PLK1 (BRCA2-pT207) assembles a complex including PLK1, PP2A and BUBR1 that contributes to the stability of the kinetochore-microtubule attachments. PLK1, together with Aurora B, critically regulate the accurate segregation of chromosomes. Here we demonstrate that KIF2C contains an N-terminal domain that binds directly to several phosphorylated peptides, including BRCA2-pT207. Using an optogenetic platform, we reveal that KIF2C assembles into membrane-less compartments or biomolecular condensates that are located next to microtubules. We provide evidence that condensate assembly depends on the presence of the newly defined N-terminal phospho-binding domain of KIF2C and on the kinase activities of Aurora B and PLK1. Moreover, KIF2C condensates concentrate active PLK1 and colocalize with BRCA2-pT207. We propose that, because of its phospho-dependent binding and oligomerization capacities, KIF2C forms biomolecular condensates that partition PLK1 and locally amplify its kinase activity during mitosis. Graphical Abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=200 SRC="FIGDIR/small/589357v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (80K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@3ff5bforg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@11efbdcorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1295118org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@18b3dd3_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2022

GNL3 regulates replication origin firing and protects stalled replication forks

DNA replication requires specific proteins that protect replication forks and so prevent the formation of DNA lesions that may damage the genome. Identification of new proteins involved in these processes is essential to understand how cancer cells tolerate DNA lesions. Here we show that human GNL3/nucleostemin, a GTP-binding protein localized mostly in the nucleolus and highly expressed in cancer cells, prevents nuclease-dependent resection of nascent DNA in response to exogenous replication stress. We demonstrate that inhibition of origin firing decreases this resection, indicating that the increased replication origin firing seen upon GNL3 depletion mainly accounts for the observed DNA resection. We show that GNL3 and DNA replication initiation factor ORC2 interact in the nucleolus and that the concentration of GNL3 in the nucleolus is required to limit DNA resection in response to replicative stress. We propose that the accurate control of origin firing by GNL3, possibly through the regulation of ORC2 sub-nuclear localization, is critical to prevent nascent DNA resection in response to replication stress.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2022

SLX4 assembles nuclear condensates that compartmentalize the SUMO-RNF4 pathway and drive DNA repair.

SLX4, disabled in Fanconi anemia group P, is a scaffolding protein that coordinates the action of structure-specific endonucleases and other proteins involved in replication-coupled repair of DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs). Here we show that SLX4 dimerization and SUMO-SIM interactions drive the assembly of SLX4 membraneless compartments in the nucleus called condensates. Super-resolution microscopy reveals that SLX4 forms chromatin-bound clusters of nanocondensates. We report that SLX4 compartmentalizes the SUMO-RNF4 signaling pathway. SENP6 and RNF4 regulate the assembly and disassembly of SLX4 condensates, respectively. SLX4 condensation per se triggers the selective modification of proteins by SUMO and ubiquitin. Specifically, SLX4 condensation induces ubiquitylation and chromatin extraction of topoisomerase 1 DNA-protein cross-links. SLX4 condensation also induces the nucleolytic degradation of newly replicated DNA. We propose that the compartmentalization of proteins by SLX4 through site-specific interactions ensures the spatiotemporal control of protein modifications and nucleolytic reactions during DNA repair.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2020

TopBP1 assembles nuclear condensates to switch on ATR signalling.

ATR checkpoint signalling is crucial for cellular responses to DNA replication impediments. Using an optogenetic platform, we show that TopBP1, the main activator of ATR, self-assembles extensively to yield micron-sized condensates. These opto-TopBP1 condensates are functional entities organized in tightly packed clusters of spherical nano-particles. TopBP1 condensates are reversible, occasionally fuse and co-localise with TopBP1 partner proteins. We provide evidence that TopBP1 condensation is a molecular switch that amplifies ATR activity to phosphorylate checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) and slowdown replication forks. Single amino acid substitutions of key residues in the intrinsically disordered ATR-activation domain disrupt TopBP1 condensation and, consequently, ATR/Chk1 signalling. In physiologic salt concentration and pH, purified TopBP1 undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation in vitro. We propose that the actuation mechanism of ATR signalling is the assembly of TopBP1 condensates driven by highly regulated multivalent and cooperative interactions.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2018

Dihydropyrimidinase protects from DNA replication stress caused by cytotoxic metabolites.

Metabolic alterations support cellular transformation. Noticeably, cellular transformation and cancer progression is associated with accumulation of dihydrouracil and dihydrothymine. However, it remains elusive how dihydropyrimidine metabolites affect cellular phenotypes. Dihydropyrimidines are degraded by dihydropyrimidinase (DHP). This zinc metalloenzyme is upregulated in solid tumors but not in the corresponding normal tissues. Here we show that DHP silencing in transformed cell lines is cytotoxic. Increasing the level of dihydropyrimidines inhibited DNA replication and transcription. It induced replication stress signaling by ATR and p53 stabilization. Remarkably, cells lacking DHP accumulated DNA-protein crosslinks (DPCs). Among DPCs, covalently trapped translesion DNA polymerase {eta} contributed to the cytotoxicity of dihydropyrimidines. Furthermore, we show that the plant flavonoid dihydromyricetin inhibits the activity of recombinant human DHP. Cellular treatment with dihydromyricetin triggered DPCs-dependent DNA replication stress. This study defines dihydropyrimidines as potentially cytotoxic metabolites that may offer an opportunity for therapeutic-targeting of DHP activity in solid tumors.

cancer biology↗