Biology subjects

Millan-Zambrano, G.

Publications and source records attributed to Millan-Zambrano, G..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

H3K37me1 couples transcription with DNA replication origin selection

DNA replication initiation in higher eukaryotes occurs at thousands of sites distributed throughout the genome and follows a defined temporal program. However, replication origins are not determined by a conserved DNA motif, and how specific genomic regions are selected for initiation remains poorly understood. Here, we identify a transcription-associated histone modification in human cells, mono-methylation of histone H3 lysine 37 (H3K37me1), and show that it regulates the spatial organization of replication initiation. H3K37me1 is enriched across actively transcribed gene bodies, and its depletion leads to a redistribution of replication origin activity toward intragenic regions. We show that H3K37me1 limits the association of the MCM2-7 replicative helicase with transcribed chromatin, thereby restricting intragenic origin usage. Consistently, loss of H3K37me1 increases both MCM2-7 occupancy and replication initiation across gene bodies. Collectively, our findings uncover a chromatin-based mechanism that couples transcription with DNA replication origin selection by limiting unscheduled origin firing within transcribed regions.

Molecular Biology↗

bioRxiv2026

BCLAF1 links RNA splicing to ATF4-dependent metabolic adaptation in acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is driven by a combination of genetic alterations and non-mutational mechanisms that disrupt normal hematopoiesis and support leukemic cell survival. While the mutational landscape of AML is well characterized, the non-genetic processes that sustain leukemic maintenance remain comparatively less understood. Using human AML cell lines and murine models of AML, we identify BCL2-associated transcription factor 1 (BCLAF1) as a key regulator of leukemic progression through control of mRNA processing. BCLAF1 physically associates with core spliceosome components and regulates alternative splicing, with a predominant effect on intron retention. We demonstrate that BCLAF1 is required for the productive splicing of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) mRNA, thereby sustaining ATF4 protein expression. Loss of BCLAF1 reduces ATF4 protein levels, leading to downregulation of metabolic target genes and disruption of de novo amino acid biosynthesis. Furthermore, depletion of BCLAF1 sensitizes AML cells to venetoclax, a clinically relevant BCL-2 inhibitor. Together, these findings uncover a previously unrecognized role for BCLAF1 in coordinating mRNA splicing and metabolic adaptation in AML, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target. Statement of significanceAberrant RNA splicing and metabolic reprogramming are hallmarks of cancer, yet how these processes are mechanistically linked remains unclear. This study identifies BCLAF1 as a key regulator connecting splicing control to amino acid metabolism in acute myeloid leukemia, revealing a previously unrecognized functional vulnerability at the intersection of these pathways.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Topological regulation of the estrogen transcriptional response by ZATT-mediated inhibition of TOP2B activity

Human type-II topoisomerases, TOP2A and TOP2B, remove transcription associated DNA supercoiling, thereby affecting gene-expression programs, and have recently been associated with 3D genome architecture. Here, we study the regulatory roles of TOP2 paralogs in response to estrogen, which triggers an acute transcriptional induction that involves rewiring of genome organization. We find that, whereas TOP2A facilitates transcription, as expected for a topoisomerase, TOP2B limits the estrogen response. Consistent with this, TOP2B activity is locally downregulated upon estrogen treatment to favor the establishment and stabilization of regulatory chromatin contacts, likely through an accumulation of DNA supercoiling. We show that estrogen-mediated inhibition of TOP2B requires estrogen receptor (ER), a non-catalytic function of TOP2A, and the action of the atypical SUMO-ligase ZATT. This mechanism of topological transcriptional-control, which may be shared by additional gene-expression circuits, highlights the relevance of DNA topoisomerases as central actors of genome dynamics.

molecular biology↗