Biology subjects

Lamour, V.

Publications and source records attributed to Lamour, V..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

MYC modulates TOP2A diffusion to promote substrate detection and activity

Topoisomerases alleviate DNA supercoiling by cleaving and resealing DNA strands. Previously, we showed that the oncoprotein MYC recruits and stimulates topoisomerases to remove DNA entanglements generated by oncogenic transcription. Understanding this mechanism may suggest methods to inhibit MYC-driven topoisomerase activation, targeting tumor-specific transcription. Here, we demonstrate that the essential topoisomerase TOP2A in human cells exists in a dynamic equilibrium between sequestration in the nucleolus, substrate searching in transcription hubs, and active engagement on chromatin. This equilibrium is highly responsive to changes in DNA topology, allowing cells to regulate TOP2A levels. Using single molecule tracking, we show that MYC accelerates TOP2A diffusion in cells. We explain this phenotype by demonstrating that MYC limits TOP2A self-interaction in vitro, while decreasing the size of TOP2A complexes in cells. By increasing TOP2A diffusion, MYC promotes substrate binding and increases TOP2A engagement on chromatin genome-wide, revealing the mechanism underlying MYC stimulation of TOP2A activity.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2024

DNA topoisomerase I acts as supercoiling sensor for transcription elongation in E. coli

When DNA is transcribed to RNA, the DNA double helix is constantly unwound and rewound to provide access for RNA polymerase (RNAP). This induces DNA supercoiling as a function of transcript length due to over- and under-twisting of the DNA downstream and upstream of RNAP, respectively. Using single-particle cryo-EM and in vivo assays we investigated the relationship between bacterial RNAP and DNA Topoisomerase I (TopoI), which removes negative supercoils accumulating upstream of RNAP. TopoI binds to relaxed DNA upstream of RNAP in a manner suggesting a sensory role awaiting the formation of negative supercoils and involving a conformational switch in the functional domains of TopoI. On DNA substrates mimicking negatively supercoiled DNA, TopoI threads one strand into the active site for cleavage while binding the complementary strand with an auxiliary domain. We propose a comprehensive model for DNA relaxation in the context of a transcribing RNAP.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2021

The human RNA polymerase I structure reveals an HMG-like transcription factor docking domain specific to metazoans

Transcription of the ribosomal RNA precursor by RNA polymerase (Pol) I is a major determinant of cellular growth and dysregulation is observed in many cancer types. Here, we present the purification of human Pol I from cells carrying a genomic GFP-fusion on the largest subunit allowing the structural and functional analysis of the enzyme across species. In contrast to yeast, human Pol I carries a single-subunit stalk and in vitro transcription indicates a reduced proofreading activity. Determination of the human Pol I cryo-EM reconstruction in a close-to-native state rationalizes the effects of disease-associated mutations and uncovers an additional domain that is built into the sequence of Pol I subunit RPA1. This dock II domain resembles a truncated HMG-box incapable of DNA-binding which may serve as a downstream-transcription factor binding platform in metazoans. Biochemical analysis and ChIP data indicate that Topoisomerase 2a can be recruited to Pol I via the domain and cooperates with the HMG-box domain containing factor UBF. These adaptations of the metazoan Pol I transcription system may allow efficient release of positive DNA supercoils accumulating downstream of the transcription bubble.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2020

Structural basis for the allosteric regulation of Human Topoisomerase 2α

The human type IIA topoisomerases (Top2) are essential enzymes that regulate DNA topology and chromosome organization. The Top2 isoform is a prime target for antineoplastic compounds used in cancer therapy that form ternary cleavage complexes with the DNA. Despite extensive studies, structural information on this large dimeric assembly is limited to the catalytic domains, hindering the exploration of allosteric mechanism governing the enzyme activities and the contribution of its non-conserved C-terminal domain (CTD). Herein we present cryo-EM structures of the entire human Top2 nucleoprotein complex in different conformations solved at subnanometer resolutions. Our data unveils the molecular determinants that fine tune the allosteric connections between the ATPase domain and the DNA binding/cleavage domain. Strikingly, the reconstruction of the DNA-binding/cleavage domain uncovers a linker leading to the CTD, which plays a critical role in modulating the enzymes activities and opens perspective for the analysis of post-translational modifications.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2019

Cryo-EM structure of the complete E. coli DNA Gyrase nucleoprotein complex

DNA Gyrase is an essential enzyme involved in the homeostatic control of DNA supercoiling and the target of successful antibacterial compounds. Despite extensive studies, the detailed architecture of DNA Gyrase from the model genetic organism E. coli, is still missing, impeding structure-function analysis of E. coli-specific catalytic regulation and limiting the study of conformational intermediates of this highly flexible macromolecule. Herein, we determined the complete molecular structure of the E. coli DNA Gyrase bound to a 180 bp DNA and the antibiotic Gepotidacin, using phase-plate single-particle cryo-electron microscopy. Our data unveil with unprecedented details the structural and spatial organization of the functional domains, their connections and the position of the conserved GyrA-box motif. The deconvolution of closed and pre-opening states of the DNA-binding domain provides a better understanding of the allosteric movements of the enzyme complex. In this region, the local atomic resolution reaching up to 3.0 [A] enables the identification of the antibiotic density in the DNA complex. Altogether, this study paves the way for the cryo-EM determination of gyrase complexes with antibiotics and opens perspectives for targeting conformational intermediates. The type 2A DNA topoisomerases (Top2) are nanomachines that control DNA topology during multiple cellular processes such as replication, transcription and cell division 1-4. These enzymes catalyze the transport of a DNA duplex through a double strand break to perform DNA relaxation, decatenation and unknotting. DNA Gyrase plays a vital role in the compaction of the bacterial genome and is the sole type 2 topoisomerase able to introduce negative supercoils into DNA, a reaction coupled to ATP hydrolysis 5.

biochemistry↗